The words filled the screen in large red letters then crumbled into flickering pixels.
I threw down the controller in disgust. It was pointless – this robot was impossible to defeat.
“Dead again, huh?”
I gave an involuntary yelp of surprise, then turned to glare at my sister. “You’re supposed to KNOCK! Not just barge into my room!”
“I did knock. Twice. You couldn’t hear because you were too busy shouting at Ali and squealing like a baby.”
“I don’t squeal!”
Jess raised an eyebrow.
“What do you WANT anyway?”
“It’s time for Olivia’s party.”
“I can’t go, I’m ill!”
“No, you’re not. Anyway I already tried that. Turns out Grandma’s annoying robot can do full medical diagnostic scans.” My sister waved a sheet of paper at me. “This says I’m low on iron and need to eat more greens.”
“That’s it then,” I said. “We’re doomed!”
At least we didn’t have to walk to the swimming pool. No, this time we took the bus! Luckily there was nobody onboard we knew. I still kept my hood up all the way though, just in case.
It was weird. Usually I try to have as little to do with my sister as possible, but since Robin’s arrival our on-going feud had been put on hold. We both realized that the only chance we had of getting rid of the robot was to join forces and work together.
Which was why I found myself sitting at the back of the bus next to my sister, while the robot and Digby shared a seat near the front. Digby was perched on the robot’s lap, happily watching as Robin pointed out things through the window and chatted to him, as though the dog could actually understand what he was saying.
“Maybe we could lose him at the swimming pool…” said Jess. “Maybe Robin could accidentally fall in? I bet water wouldn’t be good for his circuits.”
I pictured Ali doing his jerky dance. “Isn’t that a bit mean?”
Jess came closer to give me the full benefit of her glare. “That thing is ruining our lives! We need to get rid of it!”
I still felt bad about hurting the robot, but things were getting desperate. I imagined Robin picking us up every day from school; more embarrassing trips to the barber’s and the shops; the fact that he would always know what homework we had and if we were faking an illness; not to mention the trouble he’d got us into with Olivia…
Much as I hated to admit it, I knew my sister was right.
It was Saturday so the sports centre was busy. I kept my head down and my hood up as we followed the robot inside. He had Digby tucked under his arm as he led the way into the changing rooms, his skates skidding and sliding on the tiled floor.
I dived into the nearest cubicle, thinking if I could get changed and into the pool quickly, nobody would need to know that Robin was anything to do with me. Then I realized I didn’t have the bag with my trunks in.
I could hear Jess moving around in the cubicle next door.
“Hey! Have you got the bag with the stuff in?”
“I’ve got MY bag with MY things. You gave yours to Robin to carry.”
I cursed my laziness. Now I was going to have to find him. Unfortunately locating the robot was all too easy. I simply followed the sound of laughter drifting from the pool.
The noise grew louder as I approached. I could see Olivia’s parents and Mr Burton in the spectator seats, and Ali with some of the other kids from my class already in the water. They were all staring and pointing at something. I took a deep breath and stepped out.
The robot was by the steps at the shallow end – he couldn’t have looked more out of place in his coat, hat and skates! But that wasn’t why people were gawking.
Digby stood shivering at the water’s edge, his hairy back legs poking out from the bottom of my blue swim shorts with the sharks on. The dog’s tail poked up through the waistband at the top and it wasn’t wagging.
Robin was blowing air into a bright orange water wing. The other one was already in place round Digby’s front leg.
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” I shouted, forgetting I was supposed to be keeping a low profile.
“Ah, there you are, Master Just Jake!” Robin’s beard quivered as he smiled. “I’m getting the little one ready for swimming.”
“But he’s a DOG! And those are MY trunks!”
The robot’s eyebrows shot upwards in surprise. He looked down at Digby as though seeing him for the first time. “A dog!” he said. “How interesting. I will update my database accordingly.”
Suddenly I was aware that the swimming pool had gone very quiet. I could feel a million pairs of eyes staring at us. Of course the Birthday Girl was loving my moment of public humiliation. I doubt Olivia would have looked more delighted if Carly-G herself had arrived at that moment to personally sign a pair of trainers for her!
“Jake?” I turned round. Jess and Ivana were standing behind me.
My sister’s eyes widened as she took in the scene. “Why’s Digby wearing your swimming trunks?”
Which was when the laughter started up again.
Dogs know when they’re being laughed at. Digby hates it. He gets embarrassed. And when Digby gets embarrassed, his first instinct is to run and hide. Sure enough, the dog shot off round the pool, still wearing my trunks and the single water wing.
“Don’t worry, Master Just Jake,” said the robot. “I’ll get him!”
The thing is, roller-skates aren’t designed for use on slippery tiles, and the moment Robin tried to follow Digby his skates went in two different directions.
He skidded…
Slipped…
Spun round a couple of times … then started skating BACKWARDS towards the deep end, flapping his arms like he was trying to take off.
I could hear Robin apologizing as people screamed and dived into the water to get out of the way.
“I’m terribly sorry!”
“Do excuse me!”
“Marvellous dive, by the way – exquisite technique!”
Digby was also in trouble. As he ran, my trunks slipped and wrapped themselves round his legs. The dog tried to stop, but he couldn’t grip the tiled floor and shot towards the water like a hairy torpedo.
If Robin hadn’t skated past and grabbed him, the dog would have ended up in the pool. And with my trunks binding his legs together Digby wouldn’t have been able to swim.
For a moment it looked like the robot had saved the day, until I realized that he too was unable to stop. I suddenly saw that there was only one way this was going to end.
The diving pit was next to the main pool. With a low springboard for training purposes.
“Oh, no…” said Jess.
The robot shot on to the board and sprang into the air. He did a perfect somersault … then the BEST WATER BOMB I’VE EVER SEEN!
The splash almost emptied the pool of water. It created a tidal wave that swept over the balcony, nearly drowning a dozen pensioners who had gathered for a scone-eating contest in the café.
First there was an open-mouthed, jaw-dropped silence. Then Ali started to applaud.
Soon everyone at the pool (except the soggy pensioners) was clapping and cheering as Robin and Digby were dragged, dripping, from the water by Mr Burton and the lifeguards. Even some of Olivia’s friends joined in until she silenced them with a glare.
“That was incredible,” said Ivana. “He’s so brave to rescue the dog!”
I was stunned.
“What’s happening?” said Jess.
“I’m not sure,” I said. “But it looks like everyone thinks Robin is actually … kind of cool.”
“But … he went into the water,” said Jess. “How is he still working?”
I couldn’t answer that, but I realized I was glad the robot was OK. Which didn’t make any sense at all. But then it was turning out to be that sort of a day.