Aunt Christabel says the rock tuba in Clamshell Grotto is so powerful that if you blow the low notes too hard the whole place falls down said Marnie Orla’s dark eyes widened Seriously Aunt Christabel is full of stories Marnie admitted I never know what to believe I’ll avoid the low buttons anyway said Pearl with a giggle Just in case Marnie felt a ripple in the current More mermaids were arriving They swam straight up to the bulletin board pushing Marnie and the others out of the way as they tried to find the sheet for the Clamshell Show auditions The water churned and swirled Where is it Where can I put my name I’m going to audition for the lead The sheet isn’t up yet Marnie tried to tell them But no one was listening Marnie was jostled around and pushed into the wall Pearl and Orla disappeared underneath a pile of multicolored tails Marnie fought her way to the top of the pile and waved her arms trying to get everyone’s attention The list isn’t up yet she shouted as loudly as she could IT’S NOT UUUUUUP 4
Lady Sealia Suddenly Lady Sealia’s door burst open Marnie froze at the sight of the tall silver-haired headmistress All the other mermaids fell silent Who is shouting outside my door Lady Sealia demanded You’ve woken up Dilys Lying in Lady Sealia’s arms Dilys the dogfish blinked sleepily at Marnie Marnie’s heart sank She knew what was coming Marnie Blue Lady Sealia fixed Marnie with her icy stare I’ve said all along that you are a troublemaker Just like your aunt 5
Marnie felt her cheeks turning red Having a famous aunt caused a LOT of problems Aunt Christabel had been a troublemaker at school and a few of Marnie’s teachers thought Marnie was the same way But she wasn’t It was very unfair Dilys does NOT appreciate noise at this time in the morning Lady Sealia said And neither do I Yes Lady Sealia said Marnie squirming Sorry Lady Sealia Sorry Dilys Dilys had already gone back to sleep Make way cried a voice Make way please Marnie heard the clank of a heavy coral necklace The music teacher Miss Tangle came shooting toward them Octopuses swim backward so Miss Tangle bounced off the walls a few times before she stopped beside the bulletin board Good morning everyone Miss Tangle gurgled Good morning Lady Sealia Good morning Dilys The music teacher tickled Dilys under the chin with a tentacle Her other tentacles put the audition sheet on the bulletin board and stuck it in place with several barnacles Everyone rushed forward again Marnie realized that she hadn’t brought a pen to add her name to the list As she opened her mouth to 6
ask Orla if she could borrow hers Lady Sealia gave her another hard stare Marnie suddenly had a horrible feeling that the headmistress was going to punish her Maybe even stop her from auditioning She would DIE if she couldn’t audition Why oh WHY was she related to Christabel Blue Please take it from here Miss Tangle said Lady Sealia She stroked Dilys’s head with her long pale fingers Dilys needs her beauty sleep Of course Lady Sealia The headmistress’s study door swung shut Come along now said Miss Tangle clapping her tentacles as Marnie breathed a sigh of relief Sign-up time for singers The orchestra sign-up is this afternoon she added looking a little anxiously at Pearl I know Miss Tangle said Pearl Don’t worry I wasn’t going to sing Thank Neptune for that muttered Miss Tangle Well now she continued looking at the rest of the mermaids Who would like a chance to sing in this year’s Clamshell Show There are solo parts duets and places in the chorus A sea of hands waved brightly colored shell pens Me Miss Tangle 7
