"I don't want to have Easter holidays! I want to stay at school and do rehearsals and be the director!" wailed Ethan.
"Now you know that Dr Meyer said everybody was to have their Easter holidays because you need a break. Besides, the opposition will be on holiday too."
"What's the oppy zishion?"
"The other schools in the competition. Now come on, there'll be three weeks of rehearsals when we all come back. And you don't really want to go to school when Miss Freechamp and myself are taking Cal to Blackpool tomorrow, do you?"
Ethan stopped crying.
" Blackpool?"
"We're going on a day trip to Blackpool in Miss Freeman's car. There's a big theme park..."
That did the trick. Ethan soon dried his tears and decided he'd rehearse being the director in the car the next day.
He managed – more or less – on the way there, but on the way home he slept like a log.
Robyn enjoyed her Easter Eggs and stopped worrying. Miss Honey had written her out a big list of stuff she could eat that would keep her weight normal. Two Easter eggs over a week were included.
Soon the holidays were over but nearly all the kids felt like Ethan and wanted to get back to rehearsals anyway. Ben and Jen had a great new scene and it stopped Max feeling sad about his short death scene. After the Director agrees to make a happy ending, Ben and Jen rush in wearing blue scrubs like nurses wear, and do a little magic operation on Danny, using words like 'tachycardic' which sounded very grand. Danny would sit up bewildered and go 'I feel great now'. Then the rest of the happy ending would go ahead.
And the next Dervla day came round.
They passed the shopping arcade again and there was Taylor sitting on a bench swinging her legs. She smiled and batted her eyelashes at Cal.
"Come on, Cal, never mind her."
"I want to say sorry but I only want to say it to Cal", Taylor purred.
"Who am I to stand in the way of young love?" said Mr Keogh sarcastically, "Catch us up in fifteen minutes, Cal, or I'll have you in detention."
And Cal was left alone with the little minx.
"What's your play about? You never did tell me."
"Secret" said Cal regretfully.
"Oh come on Cal, I won't tell. We go up before you so we can't get ideas. Go on, Cal."
"Got any chocolate?"
Taylor sighed. Cal was almost as greedy as Taylor's friend Christine who would only play if Taylor handed chocolate out first. Taylor and Christine deserved each other.
Taylor gave Cal her precious Strawberry Whip Whop bar. Cal put it in his pocket and then said:
"Well, here's our story then."
He told the whole plot and Taylor's eyes got wider and wider.
Cal made it back to Mr Keogh and the others just in time to avoid detention, and with a strawberry Whip Whop bar for his break.
But at playtime he said to Zax:
"I have a terrible confession to make."
"You shall come to the Gang Hut and be judged", ordered Zax.
"Christine! Christine! Guess what I know about Holby Mixed Losers and their play."
"Chocolate first", and Christine's greedy little hand was out. Pocketing the Choco Mocha Rocks bar, she sat down and waited for the story:
"It's one of those tales that tells you about bad stuff happening to you if you disobey people, right? Well Ethan's this flea called Bernard who wants to be famous so he nags and nags and nags till people watch him doing tricks. And he's good. And so he gets to join a circus. And he's good. But the elephant – Max is doing the elephant's voice – is jealous of Bernard so he puts his hoof on him, and splat, Bernard's dead! And this man who looks like a skellington comes on and says in a big scary voice: That is what happens to foolish fleas who break rules."
Luckily, Christine hadn't started to eat her chocolate yet, as she gave a big spluttery laugh.
"You've been had, Taylor Ashby! Cause somebody from that school down the road noseyed through Holby infants' big window and saw Prince and Princess clothes hanging up. So Cal told you a big lie … and you're not getting your chocolate back!"
Christine fled; Taylor wept. Later she vowed vengeance on the entire Fierce, Brave Gang. She could have done with some chocolate to give her ideas… but she had none left since bribing the treacherous Cal and Christine.
"A flea called Bernard!" Jeff howled, slapping gleefully at his legs.
"Squished and squashed by an elephant that talks like me!" Max was almost weeping with laughter.
"And a big skellington comes on!" Ethan whooped, then shivered a bit. He hoped he wouldn't dream about the skellington later. He'd stroke Bob when he got home to feel better (Cal had managed to persuade him that Bob was the best name in the world for a hamster.)
"Caleb Knight, Zax pronounces you Spy of the Week for your brave trick. Come forward and choose a Gang Gift."
Cal chose a catapult. He reckoned he might need it for self-defence next time he met Taylor…
