Chapter One Andrew and Gemma Tyler were happy in fact they were very happy The reason for this happiness They were going to stay with their grandparents for a long weekend They would do this several times a year and as far as Andrew and Gemma were concerned these weekends away were great holiday adventures filled with fun and games ice cream cakes and chocolate It was July and the start of the summer holidays for the children The weather was sunny and hot and with no school the kids just wanted to play and have fun Andrew and his sister were in Andrew's bedroom Gemma was bouncing with joy on Andrew's bed We're going to stay with Grandma and Grandad said Gemma over and over again I can't wait said Andrew I want to play in Grandad's garden again I want to play hide and seek in his garden yeah The children started to run around Andrew's bedroom jumping on his bed as they did so their mother called upstairs to them Andrew Gemma make sure you pack your bags with everything you're going to need at Grandmother's house Okay Mum Andrew and Gemma said together Andrew was nine years old and his sister was six Andrew picked up his large sports bag which he used as a travel bag and filled it with some clothes his computer game console and a picture book about spacecraft Gemma left Andrew's bedroom walked into her bedroom took out her pink travel case which had a picture of a princess on it from under her bed and started to put what she would need into it As well as her clothes Gemma made sure she brought along her favourite Teddy Bear and her number one doll her make up bag and her book about fairy tales Soon the children were in their father's car with their mother driving to the other side of town on their way to their
grandparent's house Now remember said their mother be well behaved for Nana and Grandad Make sure you don't overexert them Nana and Grandad love having fun with us mum said Andrew And they always give us nice treats to eat added Gemma Yes but you heard your mother kids don't go too crazy around them as they aren't as young as your mother and I said their father Okay Dad Andrew said He was so looking forward to playing hide and seek in their house and back garden that he couldn't conceal his excitement And make sure you both wash properly every morning and if you play a lot in the back garden make sure you shower or bathe afterwards understand said their mother Yes mummy we will said Gemma Before long the Tyler family arrived at their grandparents house Nana opened the front door with a beaming smile and Andrew and Gemma rushed up to her and hugged her As usual when Andrew and Gemma went to stay with their grandparents tea and lots of cakes would be waiting for them strawberry cakes and chocolate cakes vanilla cakes and banana cakes ginger cakes and blueberry cakes Some cakes were bought from the local supermarket but often Nana would bake these lovely cakes especially for their grandkids as baking cakes was one of Grandma's hobbies Like most children Andrew scoffed down as much cake as he could eat Don't eat too much at once Andrew said his mother Grandma Joyce had a pet dog and cat the dog was an old English sheepdog named Napoleon and the cat was a moggy called Cleopatra Gemma and Andrew loved these pets Gemma liked to feed Napoleon cakes under the table which the dog eagerly wolfed down Napoleon was such a big soppy old dog that Gemma would sometimes ride on his back around the living room As for their cat Cleopatra she had a look of indifference on her face as all cats seem to have no matter what was happening Andrew's grandparents had an open plan living room dining room and while the children enjoyed their delicious cakes Grandad asked Andrew's dad how his job was going
Same as usual Alex said Andrew's dad He was a manager at a factory in town he worked in the shipping department making sure the goods were sent out to customers While the adults were talking the kids could hear squawks and hoots and other animalistic sounds coming from the back garden Grandad's Menagerie Grandad have you got any new animals in your Menagerie asked Andrew Grandad often added new animals to his collection usually when one of his animals died of old age and had to be replaced with a new young animal sometimes a different species of animal Well young man said Grandad as it happens I do have a new addition or two Can we see them Grandad asked Gemma excitedly Okay then why not I need to check on them anyway replied Grandad Gemma and Andrew looked at their mother who nodded in agreement Grandad opened the back doors that lead into the back garden and the children rushed past him in a hurry Yippee shouted Andrew Yeah shouted Gemma Play carefully said their father While Grandad went to get the keys to the enclosures the children ran around the garden enjoying themselves then they ran up to the fences of the enclosures and looked at the exotic animals that Grandad had in his collection Some of the animals in there the children had already seen on previous visits to their grandparent's home but there were one or two new additions The animals that Grandad kept included A big bright Parrot with red blue and yellow feathers which the children knew was a Scarlet Macaw who was called Captain Cook Hello Captain said Andrew to the colourful Parrot and the Parrot squawked back in reply as if understanding that Andrew had said hello to him Gemma and Andrew both laughed at that I see you're talking to old Captain Cook again said their grandad jangling his keys in his hands Here Captain I've got some little treats for you with that Grandad poked some large peanuts through the narrow gaps in the cage The Parrot spread his colourful wings and with a few flaps flew over to the fence
The Scarlet Macaw held on to the fence with his large clawed feet and took the peanuts in his massive hooked bill and cracked open the shell of the peanut easily and then tossed the nut into his open bill The colourful Parrot squawked in what seemed like enjoyment as he took more peanuts and swallowed them down his large bill Next door to the Scarlet Macaw's enclosure was the Monkey enclosure This is where Grandad kept a small group of Marmoset Monkeys These monkeys were small funny looking creatures that one looks like a furry little punk said Andrew He does doesn't he said Grandad laughing I could give you a haircut like that if you want Andrew said Grandad Gemma laughed and said it would suit you so much The Marmoset onkeys had lots of wooden climbing frames to climb inside their enclosure Where are these monkeys from Grandad I mean in the wild asked Gemma This species comes from the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil young Gemma said Grandad Although these monkeys were raised in captivity they're usually found in large tropical rainforests The monkeys jumped about a lot and climbed up and down their wooden framed playground Maybe I should put you two in there hey said Grandad You two are little monkeys sometimes Gemma laughed but Andrew looked a little bemused then the children walked along to the next enclosure which housed a female Brazilian Tapir The children's grandad poured some chopped up vegetables into a tray at the bottom of the door to the Tapir's enclosure This mammal always amazed the kids because she was quite large dark brown in colour with a snorkel like nose The Tapir had a deep pool in her enclosure for her to submerge and bathe in This little beauty costs me a lot of money in food but she's worth every penny chuckled Grandad I raised her from a baby when a local zoo didn't have any more room for another Tapir I love her big strange nose said Gemma Tapirs come from the Amazon too little Gemma said Grandad What do they eat in the wild asked Gemma with keen interest
