Evie and the Animals by Matt Haig

Author:Matt Haig [Haig, Matt]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781786894281
Publisher: Canongate Books Ltd
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

The Reptile House

vie listened to as many animals as possible as they walked around the zoo.

She heard a sea lion moaning about visitors. ‘For pity’s sake, they think I’m a seal. I am NOT a seal. It’s so insulting.’

‘I know you’re not a seal,’ said Evie. ‘I can see you have your ears on the outside and that you are walking on your flippers, not bouncing on your belly.’

The sea lion understood and waved at her. ‘Thank you. It’s nice to be understood. Be your own self, that’s what my mum said. Never be a seal.’

‘That’s good advice,’ Evie thought-spoke. ‘Well, the first bit.’

In the aquarium she met a happy male seahorse who was pregnant, swimming along with his partner, their tails hooked around each other.

‘Oh Lana,’ he said. ‘I’m just so happy.’

‘Yes, Bob, me too. And you are positively BLOOMING.’

They then went to see the Sumatran tigers.

One of the tigers stared right at Evie, as he paced his side of the perimeter fence. ‘And what are YOU looking at?’ he asked her.

‘Nothing,’ thought Evie, backing away. ‘Just admiring your beauty.’

‘Well, thanks. That’s kind of you. Are you related to a woman called Flora, by any chance?’ the tiger asked. ‘She had the Talent, too.’

‘Yes!’ said Evie. ‘She’s my granny.’

‘Well I never! Please tell her my grandfather says hi.’

‘I certainly will,’ smiled Evie, as Ramesh pointed for them to turn left. Left towards the fruit bats.

They walked into a darkened cave. Evie thought the fruit bats looked cute, with their furry fox-like faces. Bat thoughts crowded her and flapped in her mind.

‘Hey!’

‘Over here!’

‘I come close but I never touch!’

‘Whoo!’

‘Zoooooom!’

‘This isn’t flying! This is AIR BALLET!’

‘I love watermelon!’

Evie chuckled and Ramesh looked at her quizzically. ‘What?’ he said.

‘Nothing,’ she replied. ‘I just love animals.’

He smiled at her. ‘I can tell.’

Ramesh ushered Evie to the reptile house. The reptile house was what Evie was most excited about. It was also the place, she was sure, where she would be able to strengthen her Talent.

The reptile house was a large, low building in the centre of the zoo.

The first creature she saw wasn’t technically a reptile. It was an amphibian with a flat body, a wide flat head, tiny blue eyes and a large mouth. It walked slowly around underwater ignoring Evie and Ramesh completely.

‘Ah, cool,’ said Evie. ‘An axolotl. I love them.’

‘You know about axolotls?’

Evie felt insulted he would even ask such a thing. ‘I know they used to be considered monsters . . . which is totally unfair. Because they don’t go around being very scary. In fact, they’re the ones who get picked on all the time. Fish come up to them and bite bits off them. Their little fingers. But they grow back. They don’t let the bullies get them down.’

Ramesh nodded, impressed. ‘Wow. You really know your monsters. Did you also know that they are nearly extinct in the wild? Because of pollution. And that’s why this zoo is one of the better ones . . . I know you’re, like, totally against animals being kept captive.

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