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    Mister Rainbow
    Mister Rainbow
    Mister Rainbow
    Ebook129 pages1 hour

    Mister Rainbow

    By Clancy Tucker

    ()

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    About this ebook

    Maddie and Toby love fishing, and live in a small mill town where people are dying from ‘Mill Flu’. Keen to catch the biggest rainbow trout ever, ‘Mister Rainbow’, they disobey orders, fish in the ‘Big Pool’ and find a recluse living in a shack in the bush. Maddie falls into the big pool and almost drowns, but is saved by the recluse. Maddie becomes ill, but Toby continues to fish and finds people pumping toxic waste into the Rainbow River. He contacts the Environment Protection Authority and the police, and investigations begin.

    Toby learns that the old recluse is Colonel Bolt, a former soldier who was highly-decorated during the Vietnam War, and an amazing artist who sketches pictures of his war memories. The colonel collapses near his shack, Toby finds him and arranges his transport to hospital. Finding two war medals in his shack, Toby e-mails the army and tells them of the colonel’s plight. Will the army respond?

    Maddie and Toby enter one of Colonel Bolt’s sketches in an art competition, selling Mister Rainbow’s Magic Bait at a local market to earn the entry fee. Then, Toby goes missing. Desperate to find her fishing partner, Maddie calls Colonel Bolt for help. Will they find Toby alive? Will the colonel win a prize in the art competition, and will they catch Mister Rainbow?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMorris Publishing Australia
    Release dateMar 10, 2016
    ISBN9780646938943
    Mister Rainbow
    Author

    Clancy Tucker

    Clancy writes young adult fiction for reluctant readers, but has also achieved success as a poet and photographer. He has lived in four countries, speaks three languages. He has been short-listed and highly commended in writing contests: 2006 & 2007 National Literary Awards, Raspberry & Vine (twice), Positive words, Australian Writers On-Line, Shaggy Sheep Tale, The Cancer Council Arts Awards (2005 & 2008), The Dusty Swag Awards (2010) and had ten short stories published in literary magazines (Page Seventeen, Branching Out & Positive Words), newspapers (The Standard, Mountain Views & The Advocate), written articles for Kid Magazine in the USA and won a poetry prize to name a life-size statue designed by renowned Belgian sculptor, Bruno Torfs. In 2010, he was awarded a two-week mentorship by the National Education & Employment Foundation. He is now a full time writer but has been a speechwriter, public servant, farmer, and small business operator. Clancy has worked with street kids and draws on life’s experiences to write entertaining stories for kids.

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      Book preview

      Mister Rainbow - Clancy Tucker

      About the author

      Clancy Tucker writes young adult fiction, but has also achieved success as a poet and photographer. He speaks three languages and has lived in four countries. Clancy has been published in the USA, Australia and the UK, his photographic material has been used in a variety of covers for magazines, and he has had his work published in literary magazines. Clancy has also written more than 146 short stories and compiled a collection of bush poems.

      He is a fulltime writer, having been a speechwriter, public servant, farmer and small business operator. Clancy teaches at the University of The Third Age (U3A), mentors young writers, writes a daily blog that features guests from around the world, has worked with street kids, and draws on life’s experiences to write entertaining stories for young adults.

      Awards:

      Short-listed, ‘Commended’ and ‘Highly Commended’ in writing contests: 2006, 2007& 2011 Australian National Literary Awards, Raspberry & Vine (twice), Positive Words, Australian Writers On-Line, Shaggy Sheep Tale, The Cancer Council Arts Awards (2005 & 2008) and The Dusty Swag Awards (2010). Clancy has had twelve short stories published in literary magazines (Page Seventeen, Branching Out, Positive Words and The Australian Writer) and in newspapers (The Standard, Mountain Views & The Advocate). He has also written articles for Kid Magazine in the USA, and won a poetry prize to name a life-size statue designed by renowned Belgian sculptor, Bruno Torfs.

      To learn more about Clancy:

      Website: www.clancytucker.com.au

      Blog: www.clancytucker.blogspot.com.au

      Facebook: www.facebook.com/clancy.tucker.5

      Twitter: @ClancyTucker

      Books by Clancy Tucker

      Published in paperback and eBook format, and available via:

      www.morrispublishingaustralia.com

      www.clancytucker.blogspot.com.au

      ‘Gunnedah Hero’

      Winner of two awards in the Australian National Literary Awards: 2007 & 2011

      ‘Pa Joe’s Place’

      ‘A Drover’s Blanket’ – Sequel to ‘Gunnedah Hero’

      ‘KY!’

      ‘Highly Commended’ in the FAW Jim Hamilton Award, 2006 Australian National Literary Awards

      Sheeza

      MISTER RAINBOW

      Clancy Tucker

      Clancy Tucker Publishing

      First published in 2015 by Clancy Tucker Publishing

      ABN: 70442136657

      Copyright © Clancy Lawson Tucker 2015

      Clancy Tucker asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or be transmitted by any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.

      Illustrations and photography copyright © Clancy Tucker 2015.

      National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication (CIP): Dewey Number: A823.4

      ‘Mister Rainbow’ by Clancy Tucker ©

      ISBN: 9780-646-93894-3

      1st Edition

      Young adult fiction

      Dedication

      This story is dedicated to those

      who lost their lives in Victoria, Australia, during the horrendous ‘Black Saturday’ bushfires – 7th of February 2009.

      ‘Mister Rainbow’ is based on Marysville;

      a town in which I lived, fished,

      photographed and loved

      for ten wonderful years.

      Clancy Tucker

      Chapter 1

      Toby Bryson strolled into the kitchen, sat at the table and buried his head in his hands.

      His mother frowned, and noticed his glum looks. ‘Mornin’, Tobe.’

      ‘Hi, Mum,’ he replied.

      ‘There you go. Tuck into that,’ his mother said, placing a plate in front of him.

      Toby’s eyes lit up. He leant forward and took a deep breath. ‘Wow. Me fave. Pancakes with maple syrup. So cool.’ His mother grinned. ‘But, why have ya made these today, Mum? Today ain’t some special occasion.’

      His mother ruffled his hair and returned to the stove. ‘I thought you’d need something to cheer you up after the funeral yesterday.’

      Toby offered her a grateful smile. ‘Thanks, Mum. Ya always seem to know when I need perkin’ up.’

      ‘Well, yesterday was a rough day for the whole town … To bury someone so young.’

      Toby poured more syrup on his pancakes and tried his first mouthful. ‘Yep. Kept thinkin’ about it last night. That Mill Flu’s a real killer. Bronnie was a bit older than Maddie and me, but one of our best friends,’ he replied.

      ‘Oh. I’ve got another surprise for you and Mad.’

      Toby looked up. ‘Surprise? Anothery?’

      ‘Yep, I made some banana doughnuts to have with your lunch.’

      ‘Ya so cool, Mum.’

      ‘Thanks, honey.’

      The radio had been burbling in the background, and Toby stopped eating to listen.

      ‘Hey, Mum. Listen to this.’ His mother left her hands in the warm, soapy water and turned slightly. Toby leant across the table, tilted his head and listened to the local news on the radio. A news item had caught his attention and made him scowl. ‘Hey. Did ya hear that?’

      ‘I did indeed.’

      ‘That guy was from the Environment Protection Agency … Ya know, the EPA. Ya heard what he said. How come they’ve found dead fish in the Pilkin River?’ Toby asked with a puzzled expression.

      His mother continued washing dishes. ‘No idea. It sounds awful.’

      Toby pouted. ‘Awful? It’s gross, Mum. I wonder why the fish are dyin’? Someone oughta do somethin’ about it. We can’t have our fish snuffin’ it for no good reason.’

      ‘You’re right,’ his mother agreed.

      ‘But there’s one good thing, Mum.’

      ‘What’s that?’

      ‘At least they’re not findin’ dead fish in the mighty Rainbow.’ His comment made his mother grin. She knew how much he adored the Rainbow River; the river that flowed through their town. Everybody knew how much Toby loved the Rainbow.

      ‘Thank goodness for that,’ his mum remarked.

      Toby glanced at the clock and raised his eyebrows. ‘Oh … Gotta go or Maddie will kill me,’ he muttered, gulped down the last few mouthfuls of food and stood up. ‘See ya, Carrie,’ he said, kissed his baby sister on her head, grabbed his lunchbox and ran onto the back veranda. ‘Dead fish? Environment Protection Agency?’ he whispered as he grabbed his knapsack from a wooden peg; the peg where his knapsack always stayed when he wasn’t fishing. ‘Bait, lunch, water, net … Rod. Yep, got everythin’,’ he confirmed, checking what he’d need for the day.

      Toby’s mother waited a few minutes before she asked the same questions she always asked before her son went fishing. It was a ritual, and Toby expected them.

      ‘Have you got your sun screen and fishing licence?’

      ‘Yep.’

      ‘What about your lunch and water bottle?’ she asked. ‘And, what about some bait?’ she added.

      ‘Yep, yep and yep,’ Toby answered, poking a small, plastic container of worms into his knapsack, waiting for the next question. It was one that always came last, and was so predictable.

      ‘Have you finished your chores?’

      He grinned. ‘Yep,’ he chuckled.

      ‘Toby. Stop telling whoppers.’

      ‘Yeah, yeah, Mum. I promise I’ll finish ‘em when I get home.’

      His mother appeared at the back door, wiping her hands on her apron. That meant he’d receive the usual reminders and some wise advice. All mothers were the same; even Maddie’s. ‘Okay. Now, have a good day, be careful, look after Maddie and don’t get into any mischief.’

      Toby zipped up his knapsack, strapped it to his back and grinned as his mother allowed the squeaky flyscreen door to slam shut. She walked closer and kissed him on the cheek.

      ‘Mum. Do I ever get into mischief?’

      ‘Yes!’

      ‘See ya later, Mum. Thanks for a wicked breakfast!’ he hollered as he took off. His mother’s next statement was weird. It was something she’d never said before.

      ‘Stay away from the big pool!’

      Toby had two favourite expressions, and both of them had something to do with fishing. ‘Snappin’ trout! Gotcha!’ he shouted.

      It was an awesome day with a blue sky and no wind, and he was heading off to do what he loved most; fishing. The summer holidays had just begun. That meant he had lots of time to catch fish. His lunch was packed, his favourite fishing rod and net were strapped to his back, and he was meeting his fishing partner for another great day on the Rainbow River.

      ‘Woohoo!’ he shouted as he rode onto the firebreak road; the road that ran at the back of all the houses in his street. It was the road that separated the town from the National Park.

      However, Toby’s excitement soon turned to anxiety, and his heart pounded when an air horn blasted. Glancing over his shoulder, Toby saw a monstrous, blue truck bearing down on him. He veered right to avoid it, and came crashing to the ground; almost colliding with a neighbour’s fence.

      ‘Jeez,’ he grunted as dust and diesel fumes wafted in the air. When the vehicle had passed, he got to his feet and caught a glimpse of the offending truck as it turned into Maddie’s street. ‘Wankers!’ he shouted, gaping at a truck he’d never seen before. On the back of it was a gigantic tank and a four-stroke pump with a long hose on a reel; similar to the pumps they used at the local fire station. Annoyed, Toby bent down and dusted himself

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