How Kirsty Jenkins Stole the Elephant by Elen Caldecott Page A

‘OK. But you’ll have to do my maths homework too.’

    By the time she’d finished with the boards and the bits of rope, the sky was beginning to turn dark blue. It would be night-time soon. She stretched and felt the muscles loosen in her arms and legs. It had been a great day’s work. She had attached a coil of rope to the front of each board with gaffer tape, then attached a longer length to the back to tie like ballet shoes: part elephant ballet shoes, part elephant roller skates – elephant baller skates!
    Kirsty tidied everything up in the shed then headed home. The streets were quiet in the growing dusk, just right for thinking things through as she walked. They had the key to get them into the lift. They had transport for the elephant. The phone would be fixed on Tuesday. Mum would phone Mr Thomas on Wednesday. They didn’t have much time. But Ben was clever and Dawn was determined; she was sure they would have worked out how to get past the security. They had to. Otherwise it was all over.
    She could hear Dawn and Ben arguing in the front room as soon as she reached her house.
    â€˜No, you’re the idiot!’ Dawn yelled.
    â€˜Don’t call me that. You’re the one who wants to do this. We’re going to get into big trouble.’
    â€˜Don’t be such a baby.’
    Kirsty put her key into the lock and stepped into the hall. Ben and Dawn stood in the middle of the front room, glaring at each other. They hardly noticed when Kirsty walked in. ‘What’s going on?’ she asked.
    â€˜I’m not being a baby. I’m being sensible,’ Ben yelled. ‘Like you should be. If you weren’t so thick, you’d see that.’
    Dawn looked furious; her fists were clenched and she moved forward menacingly.
    â€˜Take that back,’ she said.
    â€˜No. You are thick.’
    â€˜Arggh!’ Dawn launched herself at Ben, knocking him to the floor. He pushed back and they rolled together, banging into the camp bed. Dawn struggled to pin Ben down. Ben thrashed his arms and legs.
    â€˜Stop it!’ Kirsty rushed forwards and grabbed Dawn’s pullover, but it was no use. She wasn’t strong enough to shift Dawn when she was in a rage.
    â€˜What on earth is going on in here?’ Mum marched into the room.
    There was a sudden silence. Dawn stopped pushing. Ben froze. Kirsty stepped back.
    â€˜Dawn, leave your brother alone. You should be ashamed of yourself. Someone had better tell me exactly what’s going on here.’
    Dawn pouted but didn’t speak.
    â€˜She started it!’ Ben said.
    Dawn swiped at Ben, catching his shoulder with a thump.
    â€˜Right!’ Mum said. ‘You’re both old enough to know better. Dawn, up to your room. Ben, you stay in here. Wait till your father hears about this.’
    â€˜Like he cares,’ Dawn muttered, but not quietly enough.
    â€˜Upstairs. Now!’ Mum snapped.
    Dawn stomped out of the room. Kirsty felt herself being shepherded out by Mum. The door closed on Ben. Mum stalked back to the living room.
    Kirsty was in the hallway alone. She sat down on the bottom stair. This was awful. Dawn could stay angry for days, and she could hold a grudge for even longer. Ben knew that. Was he deliberately trying to ruin the plan? Kirsty felt cold at the thought. He wouldn’t do that, would he? Although, even if he hadn’t meant to, the plan was falling apart. She couldn’t do it without Dawn and Ben, and now they weren’t talking to each other. She put her chin in her hands. Time was running out.

    â€˜There is absolutely no way that I’m going to speak to him until he apologises for calling me thick,’ Dawn said.
    Kirsty pulled herself up the ladder so that she could look at Dawn. ‘But, Dawn, it’s really important. You two will be gone in the morning. We need to sort this out before you go.’
    â€˜It will be sorted, as soon as he says