Sister Heart Read Online Free PDF Page B

get home?
    I am a good runner
    Faster than my cousins
    When I run
    no one can catch me
    Runnin’ is bad
    Janey says
    Nearly everyone gets caught
    I ran once
    Got caught
    got big trouble with it!
    But that was when I first come here
    before I found Tim
    Can’t run now
    can’t leave me little brother
    I want to run far away
    I want to run
    and run
    and run
    But a ship brought me here
    How can I run on water?
    Janey says
    I’ll make you a promise, Annie
    I’ll get Teacher back for what she did
    You watch
    I’m gunna make her pay!

    My legs slowly get better
    marks fade
    cuts scab
    But Janey’s legs
    are hurting something terrible!
    Janey is lying on her belly
    on her bed
    She got the strap
    for stealing Teacher’s glasses
    Why you steal ’em, Janey?
    asks Nancy
    Ya didn’t even hide ’em
    Dot says
    Everyone saw ’em
    says Emmy
    pokin’ up under ya top
    Course someone gunna tell
    on you for a sweet!
    Janey laughs
    then winces in pain
    I got them glasses
    real sweaty and foggy
    When Teacher yelled
    at me to give ’em back
    I dropped the stinky things
    right into her hands
    Shoulda seen her face
    thought she might spew
    You reckon she wear
    them mucky things now?
    Nancy laughs
    You a smart little sou’wester!
    Janey
is
smart
    Tough too
    But Janey is hurting
    I pick up my blanket
    I lay it softly over her
    Janey groans
    What Teacher gunna do without glasses?
    Told ya I’d make her pay, Annie!

    Janey can’t walk good yet
    but she is walking proud
    Teacher’s got ugly glasses
    They not her glasses
    Janey says
    they borrowed
    She can’t see much
    That’s why she wearing
    her top inside out today
    Ugly glasses
    make Teacher’s eyeballs
    huge
    Knife-face got bug eyes
    says Tim

    Today’s an ice day
    says Janey
    Me feet are ice
    Me hands are ice
    What about your head, Annie?
    Is it ice?
    I nod
    Even my breath is ice
    I can see it floating in the air
    Sorry, Annie
    Janey says
    but I forgot to count
    Been more than two weeks
    You wanna check ya hair?
    My hands fly to my head
    Has my hair grown?
    It feels longer!
    Just a little bit
    When will it reach my ears?
    Be lots and lots of two weeks
    before it tickles ya neck, Annie
    Wish I had a hat
    to cover my prickly skull
    No sun today
    just dark clouds
    and sharp air
    Wish I had a jumper
    to keep me warm
    Janey’s jumper has a baggy neck
    and a too-long sleeve
    I made this meself, Annie
    I’m good with knittin’
    Sometimes outside people
    remember us
    and give old yarn
    Or if they give
    jumpers with holes
    I can pull ’em apart
    and make somethin’ better
    If more warm stuff comes
    I’ll make Tim a new jumper
    Make you one too
    I shudder
    my skin is bumpy
    my teeth are clicking together
    my bones are stiff
    All of me is ice!
    Poor thing
    you shakin’ all over!
    Janey pulls an arm out her jumper
    Here, stick your arm
    in me sleeve
    Be better than nothin’!
    I wriggle my arm inside
    The sleeve is warm from Janey’s arm
    Feels good
    It’s hard to walk to school
    joined by a jumper
    I try not to pull hard
    Some of Janey’s still bruised
    Dot and Emmy link arms
    pretend to walk wonky
    like me and Janey
    They are so funny
    Nancy gets the giggles
    Then Janey gets the giggles
    She gets them so bad
    she makes me giggle too
    Suddenly
    I am giggling and crying
    The crying giggles have got me
    and I can’t stop
    I cry for me
    for Janey and Tim
    for Mum and my little sister
    for everyone and everything
    I trip
    and fall
    to the ground
    Janey lands next to me
    I hear myself sobbing
    Janey, Janey!
    Janey squeals
    Annie, you can talk!

three

    Kookaburras
    cockatoos
    magpies
    mudlarks
    galahs
    swoop
    gossip
    call out
    make Tim smile
    Tim loves birds
    He squishes his mouth
    with his hands
    so his coughs
    don’t scare them
    Specially mudlarks
    Tim spying on birds
    Little sister spying on kangaroos
    Wish she was curled in my lap
    Wish I was showing her birds with