Colin Meets an Emu Read Online Free PDF

objects. It was not quite as tall as Colin. M, curious as ever, bent forward and picked it off the ground with his strong beak. Of course only Colin, Olivia and Sammy could see the emu, so everyone else thought that the strange black object of vaguely human shape was suspended unaided in mid-air. It gave off an angry buzzing sound.
    â€œWhat’s happening?” asked Colin.
    One of the hotel staff wearing a badge with her name ‘Sharon’ on it, answered. “The hotel is under attack!”
    â€œThe whole Holiday Planet is under attack!” gasped her colleague Milo. “It’s that madwoman Martha Mandraka. She’s escaped from the Prison Planet again!”
    â€œYeah, she’s rounding everyone up as hostages!” added a young man called Aaron.
    â€œOh!” said Olivia.
    â€œOh!” said Colin. “First we’d better get rid of that robot thing then.” It was still buzzing angrily. M didn’t need to be told. Holding the robot firmly, he raced to the edge of the lake and hurled it far out over the water. There was a huge splash followed by a bright orange flash and a shower of sparks. Then nothing.
    â€œStrewth! It destroyed itself!” cried Norm, another of the staff. “It just flew to the water and threw itself in!”
    â€œEr, yes”, said Colin. Sammy barked happily as if saying “Well done!” to M.
    â€œWe’ve got to get away,” said Milo.
    â€œBut there’s nowhere to go!” answered Sharon. “Mad Martha will be looking for us.”
    â€œWhere is she now?” asked Olivia.
    â€œAt the hotel reception last time I saw her.”
    â€œAnd what does she look like?”
    â€œYou can’t miss her. She’s got this huge blonde hair-do.”
    â€œI think we’re going in,” said Colin.
    â€œBe careful!” Aaron sounded very nervous. “She’s got a really nasty temper. Some horrible little kid annoyed her this morning, so she just zapped him into the recycle bin.”
    â€œRight,” said Colin. “Let’s go and find her”, and he strode forward with a steely, determined look on his face, a look that Olivia had seen before at the fairground, when they had first met. M and Sammy trotted happily after him, and the bookmark throbbed once in his pocket.
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    As they went in through the giant archway that formed the main entrance, they could see the guests, very quiet and looking very frightened, being herded into the enormous hall or atrium by a host of the black robots and a huge, black-bearded man, but the person dominating the scene was a large woman with a venomous expression that clashed with her mass of elaborately styled blonde hair. She never seemed to stop speaking, all the time barking orders at her giant assistant.
    â€œHarka, hurry up! Get them all lined up. My spaceship leaves in one Earthhour.”
    She kept patting her hair.
    â€œWhy is she doing that?” asked Olivia, who was very sharp at noticing things. “Do you think she is signalling something?”
    â€œYes. I think she’s got a device in there to control the robots.”
    Suddenly Mad Martha swung round towards them.
    â€œWho are you?” she screamed, and without waiting for an answer went on, “Harka, arrest them!”
    Sammy snarled, a surprisingly deep sound. Colin immediately stepped forward. He held out his right hand.
    â€œHello, Harka,” he said pleasantly. “I’m Colin.”
    The huge man instinctively grasped Colin’s hand, intending to show off by crushing it and making Colin squeal in agony. However, a puzzled expression came over his face, as slowly he realised his plan was not working. His own hand was being crushed by this small man of incredible strength. The bookmark was glowing merrily. Harka began to gasp desperately. His dark face was beginning to turn pale. A squeal of pain emerged from his gritted teeth. He sank to his