Lulu Bell and the Birthday Unicorn by Belinda Murrell Page B

lid. Inside was an orphaned baby brush-tailed possum. She was curled up asleep in a nest of soft flannel.
    â€˜Hello, Jemima,’ whispered Lulu. ‘How are you feeling?’
    The possum looked up at Lulu with round brown eyes. Her black whiskers twitched. She scampered over to Lulu and climbed onto the palm of the girl’s hand. The long fluffy tail curled around Lulu’s arm and tickled her bare skin.

    â€˜No, it’s not milk time yet, you greedy guts,’ said Lulu. She stroked the possum’s back. ‘I only fed you an hour ago!’
    â€˜I think she’s grown again overnight!’ said Molly. ‘She is so cute!’
    Lulu gently returned the baby to her nest. She tucked the sheet around the body to make a little pouch.
    â€˜Dad thinks she’s going to be all right,’ said Lulu. ‘Mum gets up during the night to feed her. And Kylie or I give her a syringe of special milk every two hours during the day.’
    Lulu closed the box and checked to make sure the lid was secure.
    â€˜Dad says possums are amazing escape artists,’ explained Lulu. ‘Once we had a possum that found his way into the kitchen. He took one bite out of every piece of fruit in the fruit bowl. Mum said it was obviously time for him to return to the wild.’
    Molly laughed. ‘You’re so lucky, Lulu.I wish we had had lots of pets. Mum will only let me have a goldfish.’
    Her friend grinned. ‘You can share ours.’
    Lulu filled a bucket with grain pellets. Then she grabbed a halter and lead rope from the hook behind the door.
    â€˜All right, Molly,’ said Lulu. She hefted the feed bucket. ‘Do you want to come with us?’
    â€˜I wouldn’t miss it for the world!’

Chapter 3
The Runaway
    Outside, it was a warm, sunny day and the sky was a deep blue. A soft breeze from the east brought the tang of salt. Lulu could hear the low rumble of the nearby ocean. The vet hospital was just up the hill from busy Shelly Beach. The beach would be crowded with swimmers and surfers on such a glorious day.
    Dr Bell hitched up a high-sided trailer behind his station wagon and theyset off. Of course, Jessie and Asha could never miss out on a car ride. The two dogs sat in the very back, smiling happily.

    It was only a ten-minute drive to the Parkway, where the runaway pony had been seen. Lulu and Molly caught glimpses of the city and the blue of the harbour in the distance. Soon theview was swallowed up by thick green bushland.
    On the long straight Parkway, Dr Bell drove slowly and carefully. He glanced through the gum trees on either side.
    â€˜Keep a really good look out,’ he told the girls. ‘The pony may have run into the bush. At least it will be safer there.’
    But the runaway had not sought the shelter of the bush.
    â€˜Look, Dad,’ yelled Lulu. She pointed her finger straight ahead.
    A pure white pony was galloping down the centre of the road, its tail and mane flying.
    The car in front braked suddenly and its tyres screeched. It swerved to the side of the road. The driver honked the horn and frightened the runaway pony even more.
    Dr Bell turned on the station wagon’s hazard lights. He stopped the car and trailer so they blocked most of the road.
    â€˜That should stop any other cars coming near me or the pony!’ he said. ‘Now, I want you girls to stay in the car until I tell you it’s safe to come out.’
    Dr Bell took the bucket, halter and lead and stepped calmly and carefully into the middle of the road. He held out his hand towards the pony. Lulu and Molly watched through the open window.
    The pony reared and tossed its head. It began to gallop again, heading straight towards Dr Bell. Its hooves thundered on the bitumen.
    â€˜Oh,’ gasped Molly. She clutched Lulu’s arm. ‘Your dad’s going to be run over.’

    â€˜Shhhh,’ whispered Lulu. ‘Dad knows what he’s