Rescuing Rosie by Jean Ure

Author:Jean Ure [Ure, Jean]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2021-05-31T17:00:00+00:00

In the end I had to tell Mum why it was I wanted my pocket money in advance. She said that a vague ‘horsey thing’ wasn’t good enough.

‘Be more specific!’

I said, ‘Why? Why do I have to?’ I could hear my voice, all whiny and protesting.

Mum said, ‘I want to be sure you’re not frittering it away on something stupid.’

I felt like shouting, ‘It’s my money! I can fritter it if I want!’ But I knew it would only make her angry and tell me not to take that tone of voice.

‘Well?’ said Mum.

I heaved a sigh and mumbled, ‘It’s for Rosie.’

‘Not again!’ cried Mum. ‘I thought that was all settled?’

I said, ‘Well, it’s not! They’re not looking after her properly. Mum, they’re killing her! They just don’t care! And she’s all tied up in a horrid little box where she can’t even turn round. It’s like a prison cell!’

‘Maybe horses don’t mind being tied up,’ said Mum.

‘They do! They hate it! It’s not right! They ought to be free to run about. You shouldn’t ever keep a horse tied up so it can’t move! It’s wicked! It’s—’

‘All right, all right!’ Mum threw up her hands. ‘I give in! You don’t have to lecture me. Just tell me what you’re planning to do with this money you’re asking for.’

I brightened. ‘We’re going to buy her back!’

‘With two weeks’ pocket money?’

‘Well … no. We’ll need a bit more than that.’

‘A good bit more, I should think!’

‘We’re going to discuss it this morning.’

‘After you’ve done your homework.’

‘Oh, well, yes! Of course,’ I said, doing my best to sound all keen and eager. ‘Of course we’ll do our homework first.’

‘Hm!’ said Mum.

‘I don’t suppose you have any ideas how to make money?’ I said.

Mum gave what I think is called a mirthless laugh.

‘Please,’ I begged. ‘This is serious!’

Mum said, ‘Oh, Hannah, making money is always serious. I spend my entire life struggling to make money! I’m sorry, sweetheart, I really don’t know what to suggest.’

Glumly I reported this to Katy. She said, ‘Hey, guess what? I just had an idea!’

I looked at her hopefully.

‘Maybe we could do that crowdfunding thing … you know? When you go on the internet and ask people to send you money? You can raise thousands that way!’

I hesitated.

Katy said, ‘Well?’

I said, ‘Mm … I s’pose.’ I didn’t mean to throw cold water on her suggestion but I felt instinctively doubtful. It just sounded too easy!

Katy was obviously a bit annoyed. She said, ‘What d’you mean, you suppose? It’s what people do! They do it all the time! Look.’ She typed something into Google. ‘See? GoFundMe … all you have to do …’

All you had to do was set up an account. We tried! We typed in the name of Mum’s bank, and the name of Katy’s mum’s bank, we even put in details of Katy’s bond thing that she wasn’t allowed to touch, but none of it was any good. I wailed that I’d known it was too easy!

‘That’s no reason to give in.

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