Book 3: Chapter 5 - Hide and Seek

“We shouldn’t be in here,” whispered Harley.

“Shhh!” replied Derwent, “No one will find out. I just want to help paint the scenery for the play. The kids had so much fun and I wanted to try it out, too. Did you see Jordyn yesterday? He was painted from head to toe!”

Harley looked at Derwent and giggled nervously. He was not sure he should be joining in with Derwent but he wanted to be his friend and wanted to be cool, so he stuck close to him and followed him into the room. Derwent picked up a paint brush and handed one to Harley. He dipped it into the blue paint and began brushing back and forth on the cardboard. Harley held the paintbrush but just stood there, feeling very guilty.

When Hibiscus came in, Harley dropped the paintbrush and gulped. He began to cry and Derwent looked defiantly at Hibiscus and said, “It was me. Harley didn’t do anything. I just wanted to help and I think I did a good job!”

Hibiscus had a chat with both of them and after she had told Harley he would need to help with cleaning all the paintbrushes at lunchtime, she talked more with Derwent. They had a conversation about his actions, why it was wrong and what it means to be a leader and a good friend. Not only would he be helping Harley clean up the brushes at lunchtime but he would also be helping to clean up the art room the following day in his lunch time. Chastised, Derwent went back to the classroom and worked quietly.

It was a beautiful day with blue skies and a warm sun. The students had been doing a lot of work and had concentrated well. In English, they had to think about the characters in Adventures of Dovic and find a place for the clan member to hide. When they had done that, they had to write why that spot was chosen.

Flippy was the first one to be discovered. As this was her first day at school, she was very excited. She flipped over the chairs and tables in the classroom and did flips through the trees outside in the playground. In fact, she lost track of the time climbing and flipping in all the trees. Suddenly she saw a tree that was perfect for climbing! It had green leafy branches and around the base of it was not just old tyres but an old packing crate that could be used for as a ladder. She got on the ladder, reached up for the lowest branch and tried to propel herself along the branch. When she realised she was stuck, she let out a squeal and waited for her friends to come and rescue her.

Richo was disappointed that he still hadn’t found his football. He kicked a stone along the ground and stomped through a puddle that hadn’t quite dried up since the rain. He was bored and he was getting quite hot. He tried finding a shady spot but there were too many people under the trees and when he heard Flippy squealing he decided to go to the other side of the oval. As he reached the goal posts, he swung himself around them and then he noticed something on the end post. He inched his way closer with the sun beating down on him. One of the boys in the class had asked him earlier why he didn’t take off his Richmond jacket and now he wondered why too. He slid under the blue padding and realised it was much cooler in the shade. He ducked down low and waited to see how long it would take for the others to find him.

It was the middle of the day and Ellie was hungry. She had watched everyone running all over the place, looking for a place to hide but she didn’t want to play that game. She got out her lunch and began to eat. She saw a magpie and heard a crow flying overhead. She wanted to explore so got up on the table and tried looking up high. Unfortunately when she pushed her trunk to the side, its weight pulled her and she toppled over on to the ground. She was not hurt but she did feel embarrassed when the girls picked her up.

Simeon was so excited that he was allowed to join in with the Adventures of Dovic. He had been in the classroom all year round, offering cuddles and support to children when they felt disappointed, listening in to the learning, and watching all the students learn. He picked up a Bible and strolled out to the oval wondering where he would hide. He noticed the BMX track and that it was in a shady place. He climbed up onto the bridge and began to read.

Harley was still feeling sad about the incident in the morning. He had tried so hard to be cool but he hadn’t meant to do the wrong thing. He wanted to find a dark place to go and hide when he noticed the go-cart just waiting for him. He clambered on to the machine and took hold of the steering wheel. He did a few spins and turns with Libby, Tilly, Jo and Jasmine taking turns to push the cart while he made zooming noises.  He enjoyed the thrill of riding the go-carts.

When all the Hibiscus clan were found, they retold their stories about their hiding places. They had all enjoyed being out in the sunshine and exploring the school.