Read DuckStar / Cyberfarm Online
Authors: Hazel Edwards
DuckStar / Cyberfarm (3 page)
âThat's it. Strike the set. We're clearing out of here. I'll use animation,' stormed the Director as he left. The crew packed up. The animals watched, stunned.
âSo that's that!' said Cate. âWe won't get paid and the farm will go.'
âOh no,' cried the animals.
âWe sure made a mess of our first TV job.'
âFake-Yo doesn't taste as good as my milk,' said Cow.
âI agree,' said Cate as she wiped Cow's nose.
The Camera Man came up to Cate. He was still laughing. âI got it all on film. It was sooooo funny. Can I keep it?'
âSure. Just make us a copy. We'll watch it together and laugh,' said Cate.
âI'll do better than that,' said the Camera Man.
âI wonder what he means by that?' said Cate.
TV Stars!
Duck was pleased that someone enjoyed the performance. However, they still had a problem. That Safety Report!
Safety Report.
Fix these or the farm will close.
Smelly toilets.
Pond needs fence.
Duckboards over mud.
Signed
Mr Safe T. Rex
âHow will we save the farm?' cried the animals.
âWe'll build the duckboards first,' directed Duck.
Sheep found the nails. Goat got the hammer. Duck found some bits of wood.
Parrot told them what to do.
âHit here,' he ordered.
Goat missed.
âAnother nail,' said Parrot.
Sheep missed.
It was hard to hold the hammer with his beak but Duck tried.
It didn't work.
âDoesn't look safe to me,' said Parrot.
âAny kid who walks on that duckboard will sink,' said Goat.
âOh dear,' said Sheep. âWe still have to do the toilets!'
That was a bad job.
âWe'll never finish,' said Sheep.
âWe'll think of something,' said Duck, trying to cheer them up.
On Monday, Cate got an important phone call. She called a meeting.
âWe'll be on TV tonight,' said Cate.
âOn the news?' asked Goat.
âNo,' said Cate. âThe Funniest Home Video Show. The Camera Man entered us.'
That night, Cate made popcorn and they all watched the TV.
âMaybe we'll win a prize,' said Goat.
But they didn't.
âWe were funny,' said Duck.
They all agreed.
âThere's the Camera Man.' Parrot pointed to a face on the screen. âHe's talking to all the viewers.'
âIf you enjoyed this video, send donations to the Children's Farm. The crew gave $1,000 and the farm needs $4,000 more to make the farm safer for children.'
âThat's what he meant!' Cate clapped her hands. âEveryone will donate after seeing that performance!'
âMy porridge will have sultanas again,' said Pig.
Duck smiled. His directing had worked, sort of, and this Farm Gig was certainly rolling along.
Feral Peril
Cate raced across the yard calling, âGet ready, everyone. Here come the visitors. I can hear the children.'
âOh,' said Parrot. âIt begins.'
âLook Mum. There's a parrot.'
âPolly want a cracker?' A child pushed a biscuit into Parrot's beak.
âCareful darling, he might bite.'
Parrot did a back flip onto the barn roof. He winked at Duck as he called out, âPolly want a cracker.' Then he tight-rope-walked along the gutter.
The crowd clapped.
âWhat an actor!' thought Duck.
âDo these animals do any tricks, Dad?'
âAny buttons to press?'
âWhen's the Cyberfarm starting? I want a farm-cart thrill ride and a cyberhelmet.â
âWe'll come back later in the week,' said the parent. âThe Cyberfarm will be working by then.'
Duck hadn't heard of a âCyberfarm' before.
âThrill rides? Cyberfarm? What does he mean?' asked Sheep.
âIt wasn't my decision,' explained Cate. âIt's just a trial to attract more visitors. The technos are arriving tomorrow to set up the virtual helmets, cyber-rides on robot animals and a farm-cart thrill ride.'
âWill there still be jobs for us?' asked Sheep.
âI hope so.' Cate looked worried.
âI'm much more interesting than a robot duck and real Parrot is a great performer,' said Duck.
âI know that, but others need to see it!' said Cate.
Duck decided then and there to direct a show with REAL animals for the farm visitors.
He followed the crowd so he could hear everything the children said about animals. To direct a good show, he needed to know what they wanted.
Kids patted his feathers and then chased him or wanted to take him home.
This is research, he told himself. His show would be much better than any robot animals!
Duck liked his idea so much that he took a running leap, skidded on his webbed feet and belly-flopped across the stones.
âLift your wings higher.' From a fence post, Parrot gave orders. âPerch-gymnastics is much harder.'
âI wasnt doing gymnastics, I was having fun!'
âNobody does perch-gymnastics like me. I was trained.' Parrot tight-rope-walked across the fence. He did a somersault, landed on one leg and bowed with his wings outstretched.
Such a performance!
âWho trained you?' asked Duck.
Parrot did a back flip.
âMy previous owner was a Russian dancer with the Moscow Circus.'
Parrot did a forward roll. He bounced off a bucket full of vegetable peelings, without falling in.
Duck wing-clapped. âWow,' he gasped. âDid she teach you to sing or dance?'
Parrot said, âDo you mean ballet? Tap dancing? Rap dancing? Or folk dancing?'
Duck was getting some great ideas for his show.
âListen. I'll sing you a few of my songs,' said Parrot.
So he did.
It moved silently.
Two minutes later, a chicken was missing from the hen house.
Duck had been lucky that day.
