SOS Heatwave

Chapter One

Summer Scorcher

Hot! Hot! Hot!

The classrooms are sizzling.

Students are roasting.

The playground is scorching.

The staffroom is boiling (and not just the water in the kettle).

It is even hot in the library.

Put it all together and what do you have?

A heatwave!

Hot days make Samuel So ’n’ Slow even sleepier than usual. And the sleepier he is, the slower he goes. Today the sleepy sloth is even slower than a snail stuck in superglue!

If only there were a puff of sea breeze or a cooling shower of rain, thinks Samuel.

But no, the School of Scallywags is hotter than a volcano on the sun.

It is too hot for spelling. And far too hot for maths. It is even too hot to paint pirate flags in the art room.

And don’t ask Samuel about science. He slept through the entire lesson!

The one good thing about a heatwave is that the students have been given the afternoon off.

Headmaster von Ironheart stands at the end of the corridor and hurries the Scallywags out.

‘Go on, get a move on,’ he grumbles. ‘Find a place to keep cool and read a good book.’

‘Does that mean I can read a library book underwater?’ asks Owen Undersea, a little purple octopus. ‘I love reading to dolphins.’

‘Sounds … wonderful,’ says Samuel in his slow, dreamy voice. ‘Dolphins … are so … friendly.’

‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ snaps the headmaster. ‘Books don’t belong in the ocean. They belong on dry land. Read a book on the beach if you must. But wear lots of sunscreen. And a shirt. And don’t forget a hat.’

The grizzly bear wipes the sweat off his brow and looks down at his chest. ‘But for goodness sake, do not wear an iron breastplate. It feels like an oven in this thing!’

Leaving the headmaster grumbling about his armour, Samuel follows the other students towards the flying fox. It is the quickest way to reach Port Scoundrel where there are shady trees, ice-cold slushies and the beach.

The flying fox is at the top of a tall tower, and it takes Samuel a long, long time to climb the spiral stairs.

The quicker students rush past him, chatting about the weather and their plans to cool down.

‘I can’t wait to buy an ice cream from the town square,’ pants Deluchio da Silva. The handsome grey wolf is usually the coolest student at school, but even Deluchio is struggling with the heat. ‘I wish it would snow. Wolves love snow. And we love ice cream …’

Deluchio’s voice fades away as he hurries up the stairs, leaving Samuel to walk at his own special pace.

Slow and steady, thinks Samuel. No need to rush and trip on a stair.

As he looks down for uneven steps, Samuel spots a pirate hat lying in the shadows.

It’s Owen Undersea’s hat, he thinks, picking it up. He must have dropped it in the rush up the stairs. The poor little octopus will sizzle like a sausage without it.

Chapter Two

Slow and Steady

The other students have already left for Port Scoundrel when Samuel finally reaches the top of the tower.

‘Oh well,’ he puffs. ‘At least … I won’t …. have to stand … in a line.’

Taking his seat on the flying fox, he gently pushes off.

Samuel thinks the flying fox goes too fast for a sleepy sloth. But at least the wind cools him down as he races along the line.

Holding on for dear life, he whizzes over the stinky Bog, which smells even worse than usual thanks to the heat.

Reaching the pirate town of Port Scoundrel, it takes several minutes for his heart to stop racing.

His arms twitch and his legs are unsteady as he clambers off the seat. It feels like his body is still moving.

The temperature in town is even hotter than at school, and Samuel wonders if there is anywhere cool on Shark Tooth Island.

He decides that the best thing to do is to follow Deluchio to the town square.

If I’m lucky, I can find Owen to return his hat, thinks Samuel.

The town square is only a short walk from the flying fox, but for Samuel it is a slow walk. He stops to look in shop windows, and he says hello to everyone he meets.

‘Hello … Ahoy there … Hi … Good afternoon … Greetings … Bonjour … G’day … How are you?’

By the time Samuel reaches the town square, the other students have already finished their ice creams and are rushing off to the beach.

Oh, he thinks, disappointed. I guess I’m a little late.

He spots Owen Undersea hurrying past the ice-cream cart with a triple-scoop ice cream in his tentacles.

‘Owen,’ he says in a soft voice. ‘You dropped … your hat.’

Owen is too busy juggling his ice cream, a book and a swimming towel to notice the sloth.

Samuel tries again, a little louder this time.

‘Owen!’

Still no luck.

In the end, Samuel waves in the air and calls, ‘Your hat … You dropped … your hat … on the stairs!’

Owen finally spots him and waves back.

‘Wow, am I glad to see you,’ he says, rubbing his sweaty head with a tentacle. ‘You’re a real lifesaver, Samuel. I was beginning to roast out here without my hat.’

Placing the hat on his head, Owen asks, ‘Are you coming to the beach with us?’

Samuel nods slowly. ‘I would … love to …’ But he does not finish his sentence. Owen has already raced off after the other students.

Chapter Three

Mice Cream

Standing alone in the town square, Samuel lets out a big sigh.

Left behind again, he thinks.

A small, squeaky voice interrupts his thoughts. ‘Would you like an ice cream?’

Samuel slowly turns around to see a little white mouse behind the counter of a small cart. It has a grass roof, grass walls and a bamboo frame.

It looks like it belongs on a tropical island.

Or a dessert island, thinks Samuel, reading a chalkboard sign.

‘Cherry M. Mice Cream at your service,’ says the mouse, waving an ice-cream scoop through the air. ‘And before you ask, the M in my name stands for mmmm, because my Mice Cream is mmmm delicious.’

‘Hi,’ says Samuel slowly. ‘I’m Samuel So ’n’ Slow. I’m a slow … kind of guy.’

‘Nothing wrong with that,’ says Cherry with a smile. ‘The slower you go, the more time you have to enjoy my mmmm delicious Mice Cream. Would you like to try a scoop? Blueberry Blizzard is very popular in this heat.’

‘No, thanks … Cherry,’ says Samuel. ‘It is a bit … too hot … for ice cream … right now. It would melt … in my claws … before I take … the first lick. I eat … very slowly. But I promise … to return … when it’s cooler.’

‘Okay,’ says Cherry. ‘There is nothing worse than a puddle of ice cream on the ground.’

‘I can think of one thing worse,’ says a new voice. ‘Forty toddlers having a tantrum!’

Samuel turns to see a red fox striding up to the cart. Everything about him is fiery and fast.

‘Hi, Scorch,’ squeaks Cherry. ‘Having party problems at Pandora’s Pie Palace?’

‘Am I ever,’ puffs Scorch. ‘There are four birthday parties booked into the party room. And thanks to this heat, everyone wants ice-cream cakes!’

‘But I thought you had plenty of ice-cream cakes,’ says Cherry.

‘I do,’ says Scorch. ‘I mean, I did. But I ran out last hour. Ice-cream cakes are all anyone wants. And now I have forty toddlers ready to sing happy birthday, but no ice-cream cakes to stick the candles into! There will be a major meltdown if I don’t find a solution fast.’

‘Ah,’ says Cherry, ‘you are in luck. Solution is my middle name.’

‘I thought … your middle name … was mmmm,’ says Samuel.

Cherry shakes her head. ‘Forget it. What I should have said was: behind this counter are four fabulous ice-cream cakes, ready to solve all your birthday party problems!’

‘Fantastic!’ cheers Scorch. ‘I’ll take the lot.’

Cherry disappears into the cart and pops up a moment later holding an icy box.

‘Ice-cream cake number one,’ she says, sliding it across the counter to Scorch. ‘The ice will stop it from melting. Just don’t stack the boxes too high. They squash easily.’

Scorch looks down at the cake.

‘I’m guessing four boxes would be too high,’ he says with a frown.

‘Way too high!’ says Cherry. ‘Four boxes on top of each other would squash the cherries, squish the cream and smudge the happy birthday writing!’

‘Oh dear,’ gulps Scorch. ‘We can’t have that. Forty screaming toddlers would tear the Pie Palace down!’

‘Would you like … my help?’ asks Samuel So ’n’ Slow. ‘I can carry … two boxes. And I’m very … careful.’

Scorch turns to the sloth. ‘Wow, that would be great. Are you sure it’s not too much trouble?’

‘No trouble … at all,’ replies Samuel.

‘Great,’ says Scorch. ‘You take the first two cakes and I’ll catch up. Fast is my middle name!’

With a friendly goodbye to Cherry, Samuel takes two boxes in his arms and walks slowly towards Pandora’s Pie Palace.

Chapter Four

Shiver and Skate

By the time Samuel arrives at Pandora’s Pie Palace, Scorch has already zoomed past him with his two cakes.

That fox wasn’t kidding about being fast, Samuel thinks.

The ice on Samuel’s boxes has almost completely melted when he steps into the party room, but the ice-cream cakes are still perfectly frozen. And there is not a cherry out of place, or a letter smudged.

‘Happy … birthday … to you,’ sings Samuel as Scorch lights up the candles on four birthday cakes!

‘That put a few smiles on their faces,’ Scorch whispers to Samuel as forty toddlers tuck into delicious slices of ice-cream cake. Thanks again for your help.’

‘My pleasure,’ says Samuel, walking slowly towards the door. ‘And now … it is time … for a dip … in the ocean.’

Outside the temperature is still scorching hot and Samuel slows to a stagger as he walks past the jetty and down to the beach to meet his friends.

Colourful umbrellas are everywhere, and it takes Samuel several minutes to spot Deluchio and Owen walking up the beach.

As he gets closer, Samuel realises they are both dripping wet and towelling off.

Bother, thinks Samuel. I have missed out again.

Trying not to show his disappointment, he puts on a happy face. His happy face looks like his normal face, though not quite as sleepy.

‘How was … the ocean?’ he asks cheerfully.

‘The water was as fresh as a spring morning,’ says Deluchio. ‘But I was hoping for something more wintery. An iceberg or two would have done the trick.’

‘But seeing as there are no icebergs on Shark Tooth Island, we have decided to visit Shiver and Skate,’ says Owen.

‘It’s the coolest place in town,’ adds Deluchio.

Shiver and Skate is an enormous stone building that looks like an igloo. Kids go there to shiver while they ice skate and to drink frozen slushies in the café.

Samuel has never been ice skating and wonders if he should give it a try.

Ice skating requires speed to stay on my feet, he thinks. And speed is not one of my strengths.

He shrugs. Oh well, I could always drink a slushie in the café and take a short nap. At least I will be with my friends.

‘Am I … invited … to Shiver … and Skate?’ he asks.

‘Of course,’ says Owen. ‘Everyone is coming. It’s going to be so much fun!’

‘And so cool,’ says Deluchio.

Samuel starts walking with his classmates to the ice-skating rink. Shiver and Skate is on the opposite side of town, which is a long way to walk for a sloth.

Samuel does not rush. He just plods along, smiling and waving to everyone he meets.

By the time he reaches the town square, his two friends are far ahead of him.

He sees Cherry inside her Mice Cream cart, serving a large group of customers. Her little arms move like lightning as she whips up triple-scoop waffle cones and scrumptious sundaes for sweating scoundrels and panting pirates.

She has so much energy, thinks Samuel. And she is quick. My eyes can barely keep up with her.

‘Hello again, Samuel,’ calls Cherry. ‘Are you back for that ice cream?’

Samuel glances up at the sky. The scorching sun is still blazing overhead.

‘Not … just yet,’ he replies. ‘I’ll wait … until … the ice cream … won’t melt.’

‘Okay,’ laughs Cherry. ‘You know where to find me.’

Chapter Five

Hot Dog

Samuel has barely reached the edge of the town square when he hears a faint groan.

Puzzled, he raises a clawed hand to his ear and listens.

There is another groan, followed by a whimper.

He looks around. No one else seems to have noticed the strange sound. They are all too busy licking ice creams and complaining about the heat.

Samuel listens again.

The sound is coming from the shady trees in front of the clock tower.

Shuffling over to investigate, Samuel sees a wheelbarrow full of leaves that have withered in the heat. Then he spots a dark figure resting against the trunk of a tree.

‘Ooh, my poor aching bones,’ it groans.

Samuel recognises the voice of the School of Scallywags butler.

‘Old Fetch,’ he says, stepping closer.

The old bloodhound looks up at him, sweat pouring down his face. His thick woollen butler’s coat and bow tie appear to be choking him.

‘Samuel?’ he pants. ‘Samuel So ’n’ Slow, is that you?’

‘Yes, sir,’ says Samuel. ‘I’m here, sir.’

Old Fetch lets out another groan.

‘Are you … hurt?’ asks Samuel. ‘Can you … tell me … what happened?’

‘I can, but it is a dark and terrifying tale,’ moans Old Fetch.

‘You mean … like one … of the … spooky stories … you read … in the library … late at night?’ asks Samuel.

Old Fetch stops moaning. ‘It’s not quite as exciting as an I. B. Dead novel, but it does have a terrible ending.’

‘Would you … like to … share it … with me?’ asks Samuel.

Old Fetch shrugs. ‘I’m not going anywhere in a hurry, so I suppose I could tell you what happened.

‘It begins with me, the hero, on my way to the Uni Corn Shop to buy one of Miss Sparkle’s new summer butler’s uniforms. I needed something cool to wear during this heatwave and the new butler’s jackets are made from a very thin fabric. Some don’t even have sleeves!’

‘Ah,’ says Samuel, nodding along. ‘Your old … uniform … does look … very hot.’

‘Hot?’ snaps Old Fetch. ‘It’s not just hot. I’m boiling in this thing. You try wearing a button-up shirt, a vest, a coat, a bow tie and a top hat on a million-degree day!’

Samuel looks down at his white cotton singlet and mutters, ‘I’ll pass.’

Old Fetch continues. ‘I stopped to take a break in the shade of this tree. But, to my horror, when I tried to stand, I discovered that my ankles had swollen up in the heat. Now it hurts to even move. I doubt I could take two steps without falling over, let alone walk to the Uni Corn Shop to buy a sleeveless summer butler’s uniform!’ He stops to wipe the sweat off his nose. ‘Phew. So there you have it, my epic tale of pain and misery.’

‘It sounds like … a very … sad story,’ says Samuel. ‘But what if … we gave it … a happy ending?’

‘How?’ asks Old Fetch. ‘I can’t jolly well fly to the Uni Corn shop.’

‘True,’ says Samuel. ‘But I … could always … push you.’

Old Fetch sits up straighter. ‘Push me? In what?’

Smiling, Samuel points to the wheelbarrow.

‘In that?’ says Old Fetch.

‘Uh-huh,’ replies Samuel.

‘Well, it does look comfortable with all those leaves,’ admits Old Fetch. ‘You won’t push me too fast, will you, Samuel? I’d hate to fall out.’

Samuel shakes his head. ‘I’ll take it … nice and steady, sir. It’s what … I do best.’