Operatic Duck / Duck on Tour (5 page)

Chapter 3

Outer Tarn

‘OuterTarn in one minute!' called Albert. ‘Get ready. Everyone grab an umbrella!'

Duck didn't need one of Albert's rainbow umbrellas. Sometimes it was great to be a duck.

As the train stopped, he took a flying leap off the step and landed SPLOSH in a puddle of red, muddy water.

The wet Welcome Committee was on the country platform carrying a ‘Welcome Arts Train Tour' banner.

‘Sorry about the rain but we need it,' said a farmer. ‘Let's get you to the woolshed.'

Waving their umbrellas, the Rappers were in high spirits.

‘We brought the rain

We're the rainbow train

Invite us back again

Next time you need rain!

Yo!

‘Yo! Go!' laughed the Welcome Committee as they organised everyone into jeeps, cars, trailers and a school bus.

The Wool Shed looked fabulous. Coloured lights and streamers were everywhere. Posters made by the primary school lined the walls. The rain was pounding on the tin roof.

‘That's me!' said the Lead Singer moving his poster closer to the stage.

Duck loved the cushions on the seats and the trestle tables piled with goodies for the After Party.

‘What's the weather report?' asked Albert.

‘More rain,' said the Farmer. ‘Floods expected further up the line.'

‘Floods?' said Cate.

‘Flash floods come on sudden in these parts. You could be stranded here for weeks!'

‘You're joking?' said a worried Albert.

‘Nup!' The farmer left. ‘You'll need power for lights and sound, I'd better check the generator.'

The crowd went wild.

‘Celeste Aida,' sang the Animals.

‘Baa, Baa, Baa Baa Baa,' sang Sheep.

‘Oink, Oink Oink Oink Oink Oink, ‘sang Pig.

‘Moo, Moo, Moo, and Moo Moo,' sang Cow as the Graffiti Artists sloshed buckets of paint over the canvas sheets.

‘We'll raffle the paintings for the hospital building fund,' said Albert to the farmer. ‘We try to help local communities'.

Everyone was silent when the Opera Singers performed. They sang of lost love and dreams of glory. Everyone stood up and cheered when they finished.

‘Bravo, bravo!' yelled the audience.

Pig was impressed; he'd only got one Bravo from the audience.

There wasn't a scone or a teaspoon of jam left after interval.

‘We love it here in OuterTarn,

the weather's wet, the puddles brown,

You people are great

So much food on the plate

Yo! Yo!

Wish we could stay

Would love another day'

By now every foot was tapping and rapping so loudly that no one ever heard the last lines.

Parrot's gymnastics from the roof of the wool shed were a highlight of the show. His multi-coloured ribbons swirled and twirled.

Duck was glad he'd practised when he and Parrot did a triple somersault mid-air, exchanging ribbons as they passed each other.

The crowd went wild.

‘What fantastic fliers,' said the farmer and the Rappers called everybody to the dance floor.

‘Grab your partner by the hand,

Leap on the floor and make a stand,

The Barn Dance is the way to go,

In a circle, quick and slow.

Say Yo! Yo!

Horse and Cow led the Barn Dance and nobody lost any toes as they weaved through the dancers.

Exhausted but happy, the artists fell into their own beds on the Rainbow Train.

Sam, the train driver who'd had his sleep while the cast were performing, slowly pulled out of the station.

‘Hope you get through safely to the next town, ‘ called the Farmer as he locked the station and turned off the lights. ‘A lot of rain has been falling.'

Sam looked ahead at the glistening rail tracks. He's been stranded by flood waters once before, and hoped it wasn't going to happen this time.

Chapter 4

Flood

ScreeeAAAAaaaCH. Sam put on the brakes.

Ahead was water and more water as far as he could see. The bridge was completely covered with flood waters. There was no way the train could move ahead.

Crunch. Crunch. Squeak. Groan.

Sam put the engine in reverse, to head back to OuterTarn.

That's when it happened!

Flood waters washed over the line behind.

‘We're stuck,' Sam muttered.

Then something worse happened.

Sizzle. Sizzle Fry.

The lights flickered and went out.

Sam hit the emergency light switch.

Crickle Crickle Pop. There was a flash, followed by a burning smell.

‘AAAhhhhh.' A loud scream came from the rock band's carriage.

When Sam reached the carriage, in the torch light, he found the lead singer on the floor with a teatowel wrapped around his head. The girlfriend was crying.

‘He electrocuted himself,' said the drummer. ‘His hairdryer fell into his cup of tea.'

Flip. Flop. Paddle. Paddle Thump. Thump. Whoosh.

The farm animals crowded into the carriage, quickly followed by Albert and Cate.

‘Lots like a bad burn,' said Albert who had passed his St John's First Aid course. ‘I can help but he needs to see a doctor. He's in shock. And second degree burns.'

‘Where's the nearest hospital?' Cate wrapped a blanket around the singer to keep him warm.

‘We'll have to phone the Flying Doctor Service,' said Albert.

‘Can't,' said Sam. ‘The train's lost power. The wires are fried. No mobile phone coverage. The floods have wiped out all the connections. I can't even get the boss back at the city station.'

‘We have to get a message through to OuterTarn. They can contact the flying doctor,' said Cate.

‘Are you planning on swimming?' said Sam. ‘It's the only way to get there. The floods have closed behind us too.'

‘I could fly there,' offered Duck to Cate.

‘On your own?'

‘I'll fly with him,' said Parrot. ‘I'll hold the torch.'

‘How will you know which way to go?'

‘We'll follow the metal railway lines,' said Duck. ‘They will shine in our torch light.'

‘Even under flood water,' added Parrot who thought he knew everything.

When Cate had explained, everyone thought it was a good idea for Duck and Parrot to fly for help.

‘Our artists can even fly,' said Albert. ‘Let's write a message.'

‘Others have carrier pigeons; we have a Carrier Duck and Parrot Postal Service,' laughed Cate.

Duck felt a little scared as he stood on the slippery step. It was raining hard. The flood waters were halfway up the wheels. The message was wrapped in double plastic wrap from the Dining Car, and placed in a mobile phone case and tied around his tummy with the multi-coloured ribbons.

Parrot's beak held the multi-coloured ribbon tied to the swinging torch.

This would be their longest performance! Usually Duck was not a flying sort of duck. Mainly he waddled.

‘Let's fly!' They took off.

Rain beating on his wings, Duck looked back and saw a very small Cate waving to them from the steps of the train.

‘We'll have to fly low to see the tracks,' Duck said.

Parrot nodded. For once he couldn't talk. If he opened his beak, the torch would fall.

Surrounded by darkness, they felt very small. That tiny torch light made patterns on the flood water.