5.30 AM
First Squawk. Olive wakes up just in time, and we both squawk so loudly that Constable Dad calls from the kitchen, ‘What are you two up to?’
5.45 AM
We practise semaphore together. Olive spells out ‘C-L-A-R-A I-S A H-E-R-O’.
8.00 AM
Egg O’Clock. I make my nest on the end of Olive’s bed so she won’t have to hunt around for her breakfast. There’s no school today, not for anyone in Little Dismal. The TV cameras are on their way, and it’s a holiday.
Constable Dad has polished his badge and shoes until I can see my reflection in them, and Olive is wearing her best clothes. I have groomed every single feather I could reach. This is my moment. This is everything I have been working towards.
‘Olive? Clara?’ calls Constable Dad. ‘Are you ready?’
9.15 AM
The main street of Little Dismal is lined with people. Digby is there, and so are the Boss and Mrs Savage, the football team, Shorty Davis and his friends, the rest of Olive’s class, Mrs Fullerton and Mrs Briggs and dozens of others, all of them cheering as we drive past.
When we reach the police station, the cameras are already there. They start filming as we get out of the car, and a horde of strangers surrounds us, shouting questions.
‘Constable Hennessey, tell us how you caught the thieves.’
‘Olive, is it true that you helped your father?’
‘Constable, how long have you known about the corrupt officer at city headquarters?’
‘Olive, what did you think of Jubilee when she first came to school?’
‘Constable Hennessey, how did you get the video evidence?’
But one voice rings out above all the others. ‘Olive, tell us about your chook. Is it true that she’s the real hero of this business?’
A couple of people laugh. Everyone else falls silent. Olive puts her phone on the bonnet of the police car, and I hop out of her arms and land nearby. Constable Dad stands back so the cameras have a clear view of me.
I take three steps towards the phone. One of the camera people whispers, ‘This is a joke, isn’t it?’ Someone else whispers, ‘Shhh.’
Just a few minutes from now, I will be famous. People all over the country will know who I am. Rufus and Grandmother Polly will let me sit on the top perch, with warm bodies on either side and no one pecking me. I will have friends.
I lower my beak to send a message to the world.
Except – I already have friends. I have Olive and Digby and Constable Dad, who are all much kinder than Rufus and Grandmother Polly. I sleep in Olive’s wardrobe and lay my eggs for her breakfast. Tomorrow I’m going to school with her, at the invitation of Mrs Savage, who has hinted to Olive that we are both going to get a special award.
Tomorrow night we are having spaghetti.
If I am famous I will have more friends, but none of them will be as nice as Olive.
If I am famous I will never be able to go undercover again.
A movement on the ground beside the wheel of the police car catches my eye. It’s an earwig. No, it’s a whole family of earwigs!
With a loud squawk, I fly down and start eating them.
When I look up again, Olive is staring at me. I send her a quick semaphore message, ‘D-ON-T G-I-V-E M-E A-W-A-Y.’
She smiles behind her hand and turns back to the cameras. ‘Clara is the best chook in the world,’ she says. ‘But if you want a hero, you need to talk to my dad.’
I snap up the last earwig. Then Olive lifts me in her arms and we set off to find Digby.
THE END