Medical Mission by George Ivanoff Read Free Book Online Page B

Josh slowly, wondering how to respond without upsetting her more. ‘Well, thanks for thinking about it.’
    â€˜Sure. No worries,’ Ratchet replied. Then after a short silence she added in an uncharacteristically quiet voice. ‘I probably will, though.’
    Josh smiled.

    On the Wednesday before the event, Marceline arranged for their class to go to the drive-in before school and start setting up. She and Josh got there first.
    â€˜Youse can set up the market here,’ growled Ratchet, pointing to the back corner of the drive-in. ‘I got some trestle tables in storage. You can use ’em. Needs a bit of a clean up. Skip’s over there.’ She pointed to a rusty old skip at the back wall of the building.
    â€˜What do you reckon?’ asked Josh.
    â€˜Yeah,’ said Marceline, nodding. ‘I think we can use this.’
    â€˜Great!’ barked Ratchet. ‘Glad you can think.’ She turned around and lumbered off muttering something in French.
    Marceline stared after her. ‘She’s a bit … terrifying.’
    â€˜She’s okay when you get used to her,’ said Josh. ‘Her bark is worse than her bite. Something Dad used to say about my grandpa. I think it works for Ratchet as well.’
    â€˜And what’s with the name?’ asked Marceline. ‘Isn’t her name actually Rach–’
    â€˜Shhhh,’ hissed Josh, glancing over his shoulder to make sure Ratchet had gone. ‘Don’t ever call her that. She doesn’t like it. And no Ms, Miss or Mrs. It’s just Ratchet.’
    â€˜Oh,’ Marceline seemed a bit taken aback. ‘Okay.’ She kicked at a bit of scrunched-up newspaper on the ground. ‘Um. Sorry about everything.’ She didn’t look at Josh. ‘You know. The fundraising and stuff. I just wanted to make a difference.’
    â€˜You are,’ said Josh. ‘The market idea is great. Lots of people are donating things. It’ll be huge. And now it’ll be even better.’
    Marceline smiled.
    â€˜Hey!’
    They turned to see Pete and Sally walking towards them from the gate, followed by the rest of the class.
    â€˜This is the spot,’ announced Marceline, waving her arms about and taking charge. ‘We just need to clean it up. So, if everyone gets started straightaway it shouldn’t take too long. I’ve talked to Ms Wright and we’re allowed to be a little bit late for class. But only a little bit.’
    It looked like the back of the drive-in grounds had been used as some sort of dumping ground. Tree branches,decomposing cardboard boxes, plastic piping and general rubbish were strewn over the area.
    â€˜Why do we have to do it now?’ complained Pete.
    â€˜We’ve only got two days left,’ said Marceline. ‘And Ratchet said we could do it before school today. So here we are.’
    â€˜Well,’ said Sally, hands on hips, surveying the area. ‘We better get to it.’
    Pete yawned.
    But they got to work. There was nothing too large or heavy, so it was reasonably easy. And with the whole class there, it really wasn’t going to take long.
    Josh walked over the hard-packed gravel, to the back corner. There was a bunch of boxes piled up next to a low scrubby bush.He grabbed the largest box with both hands and lifted.
    Something slithered beneath.
    He felt pain flare up in his right leg, as if someone had just whacked him with a stick. Dropping the box he stumbled back with a shout and fell over. He clamped his hand down over the sore bit on his leg.
    Pete and Sally came running.
    â€˜What’s wrong?’ asked Pete.
    â€˜What happened?’ asked Sally.
    â€˜I dunno,’ said Josh, voice shaky, confused. ‘Something moved under the box and then I got hit in the leg.’
    â€˜Hit in the leg?’ asked Pete.
    Josh shrugged. ‘That’s what it felt like.’
    â€˜Come on,’ said Sally. ‘Better