Isadora Moon Goes Camping

by Harriet Muncaster

  “Oh no!” said Mom again.

  “WAAAAAAHH!” screamed Honeyblossom.

  I decided I would be brave. I held my breath and scrunched up my eyes, and then I put my head under the water!

  All I could hear was the roar of the waves, and when I peeped my eyes open, everything was hazy and green. I pushed my arms out in front of me and reached for the pacifier.

  “Isadora!” shouted Mom in an excited voice when I popped my head back up a few seconds later. “You just swam underwater!”

  I held the pacifier up in the air like a trophy.

  “I did it!” I yelled.

  “Well done,” said Mom, smiling proudly. “That’s a real achievement!”

  “I wish Dad had seen it,” I said.

  By the time we got out of the water, the tide had come in and my sand castle had disappeared under the water. Dad was busy packing away all our things.

  “I’m sure I brought it,” he muttered.

  “What have you lost?” Mom asked.

  “My comb!” replied Dad. “My great-great-great-grandfather’s precious antique vampire comb!”

  I froze. Suddenly, my whole body felt cold even though it was a warm day. I stared at the spot where my sand castle had been. I had forgotten to take Dad’s comb off the top of my castle, and now it had been washed away!

  “Dad…,” I began. But the words wouldn’t come out of my mouth.

  “I’m sure I had it,” Dad was saying, scratching his head in confusion. “It was right HERE.”

  “It can’t have gone far,” Mom said as she started to poke around in the sand where Dad had been sitting.

  “It’s been stolen!” Dad howled.

  “Nonsense,” said Mom. “Who on earth could have stolen it?”

  “A crab?” Dad sniffed. “A sneaky little crab!”

  “That’s not very likely,” said Mom. “It must be somewhere around here. Let me try a spell.”

  She waved her wand, but the comb did not appear.

  “That’s funny.” Mom frowned. “My magic usually works.”

  I felt so guilty that my stomach hurt, but I couldn’t seem to get the words out of my mouth to tell Dad that his comb was lost….

  We all walked back up the beach toward the campsite. Dad’s mouth was turned down at the edges. He did not look happy.

  “We will have to tell him soon,” I whispered to Pink Rabbit. “Maybe after dinner, at bedtime. He might be more cheerful when he’s had his red juice.”

  Pink Rabbit nodded. He knows it is best to always be honest.

  When Dad came to tuck us in at bedtime, I blurted out, “I’m really sorry about your comb, Dad.”

  “It’s not your fault, Isadora.” He smiled sadly. “I’m sure it will turn up.”

  I took a deep breath.

  “Actually…,” I began. But Dad had turned his head because Mom was calling him.

  “I’d better go,” he said. “Good night, Isadora.”

  “Good night,” I whispered.

  Pink Rabbit and I lay in the dark. I felt so bad about the comb that I couldn’t sleep.

  It was lost forever at the bottom of the deep blue sea!

  Or was it?

  I sat up in bed. Was there a chance that the comb had washed back up on the sand?

  I scrambled out from under my sleeping bag and crawled toward the opening of our tent.

  “Pink Rabbit!” I whispered. “Wake up! We’re going to the beach.”

  Pink Rabbit bounced out of bed. I don’t think he had been able to sleep either. Together we crept out of the tent and stood in the dark field. The sky was full of stars, and all we could hear were the faint sounds of people snoring.

  I tiptoed over to Mom and Dad’s tent.

  “We’ll need Mom’s wand for a flashlight,” I whispered to Pink Rabbit.

  I silently slid the wand out of Mom’s bag. I waved it in the air, and the star immediately glowed pink. I reached down for Pink Rabbit’s paw, and together we flapped up into the air.

  I love to fly, especially at night. We soared high over the field until all the tents were just little black specks. Then we swooped down toward the beach and the sound of the roaring waves.

  I pointed Mom’s wand down at the sand.

  “It might have washed up around here,” I said hopefully.

  We walked back and forth along the shoreline, squinting in the pink wand light. Little bits of sea glass and pearly shells winked up at us, but none of them were Dad’s comb. Pink Rabbit held on to my hand tightly. He finds the darkness a bit too mysterious sometimes.

  Suddenly, there came a small splashing sound from the sea.

  I stared at Pink Rabbit.

  “What was that?” I whispered.

  Pink Rabbit didn’t know, because he had his paws over his eyes.

  I peered out to sea. There was something shining and sparkling in the water. Maybe it was Dad’s comb! I rose up into the air, pulling Pink Rabbit behind me.

  “Come on!” I said to him. “Let’s look!”

  We fluttered toward the shining thing in the sea. As we got closer I could see that it was moving. “It can’t be the comb,” I said to Pink Rabbit. We flew a little closer and heard a soft tinkly voice calling out.

  “Hello?”

  I could see that there was a girl about my age in the sea. She had long, long hair and a gleaming fish tail that kept flicking in and out of the water. I hovered above her, holding Pink Rabbit clear of the waves.

  “Are you a mermaid?” I asked.

  “Yes,” she said in a songlike voice. “How are you floating up there?”

  “I’m flying, not floating! I am half-fairy, half-vampire.” I turned in the air to show her my wings.

  “I’ve never met a half-fairy, half-vampire before!” she said.

  “I’ve never met a mermaid before!” I replied.

  We both laughed. She had a laugh that sounded like strings of shells tinkling in the breeze.

  “My name’s Marina. What’s yours?”

  “Isadora,” I said. Then I pointed at Pink Rabbit. “This is Pink Rabbit.”

  “He’s funny.” She giggled, reaching out and poking his stomach.

  Pink Rabbit stiffened. He doesn’t like to be called funny.

  “What are you doing out here so late at night?” Marina asked.

  “I was looking for something really precious. It got lost here today while we were at the beach.”

  “Oh?” Marina said. “What is it?”

  “A comb,” I said. “A really special comb. It’s my dad’s.”

  “Was it black?” Marina asked. “With twirly designs on it? And rubies?”

  “Yes!” I said hopefully. “Have you seen it?!”

  “I have…,” said Marina, “but…”

  “Where is it?” I asked excitedly. “I need it back!”

  Marina looked a bit worried.

  “The Mermaid Princess has it,” she said. “All the nicest jewels found on the beach always go to the Mermaid Princess. She doesn’t like to share.”

  “But it’s my dad’s comb,” I said in a panicky voice. “I need it back.” I felt my eyes fill with tears.

  Marina bit her lip. “It’s tricky,” she said. “There are different rules for under the sea, you know. It’s finders keepers here.”

  I wiped my eyes and sniffed.

  “I’ll tell you what,” said Marina. “Why don’t I take you to the Mermaid Princess? You can ask her yourself! Maybe she’ll let you have it back if you explain.”

  I felt Pink Rabbit tug at my hand in fright. He hates the water.

  “It’s not far to the palace,” said Marina. “Just follow me. Come on!”

  I stared at the water, now black under the night sky.

  “I can swim underwater now,” I told Marina proudly. “But I can’t hold my breath for very long. How can we follow you?”

  Marina laughed her tinkly laugh again.

  “Silly me!” she said. “I forgot! Wear this so you can
breathe underwater. It’s magical.” She handed me a necklace made of shells, and I put it on.

  “What about Pink Rabbit? He hates getting wet.”

  “Hmm,” Marina said, thinking hard. “I know!” She splashed her tail in the water to make some bubbles on the surface, and then she lifted one of the bubbles out of the water on the tip of her finger and blew on it. It got bigger and bigger until it was big enough for Pink Rabbit to hop inside. Then she held out her hand to me.

  “Come on,” she said. “Let’s go.”

  I smiled, trying to show I was not afraid, and let her pull me down toward the water. It was cold at first, and I gasped.

  “You’ll get used to it,” Marina said.

  Everything under the water gleamed in the moonlight. The seaweed swayed gently below us, and little silver fishes darted in and out. I was surprised to find that I could breathe as easily as if I were on land. I glanced back over my shoulder to check that Pink Rabbit was all right in his bubble.

  Marina pointed to a silhouette in the distance.

  “There’s the palace,” she said. “It’s not far at all!”

  “You can speak underwater!” I said in surprise. And then I put my hand to my mouth. “So can I!” I said in wonder.

  Marina laughed again.

  “That’s because you’re wearing the magic necklace,” she explained. “And of course I can speak underwater—I’m a mermaid!”

  We swam on toward the silhouette. Now it was getting closer, and I could make out spires and towers looming up toward the surface of the water. It was very pretty, with shells stuck all around the walls, just like my sand castle!

  “Here we are,” said Marina. She heaved open the gigantic front door and invited me into a large entrance hall lit by twinkly lights. Even the walls were studded with shiny jewels and pearls.

  “Wow!” I said, gazing around. “It’s so beautiful!”

  Marina led us to another big room, with a throne in the middle. And on the throne sat the Mermaid Princess. I could tell she was the princess, because she was wearing a crown. On her lap was a teddy bear, but instead of legs, it had a fish tail like a mermaid’s. The princess was busy combing its fur…with Dad’s great-great-great-grandfather’s special comb!

  The princess looked up when we swam into the room. Everything about her sparkled. She had pearls and starfish in her hair, and rows of jeweled bracelets on her arms. Around her neck pearl necklaces shimmered and glimmered in the undersea light.

  Marina gave a small cough. “Your Highness,” she said, “I have brought someone to see you.”

  “What is this?” the princess said, sounding puzzled. “You don’t have a tail!”

  “No,” I said. “But I do have wings! I am a vampire-fairy. I’m Isadora Moon, and this is Pink Rabbit.”

  “I see,” said the princess, glancing interestedly at Pink Rabbit. “My name is Delphina. Princess Delphina. One day I shall be Queen of the Sea!”

  I smiled nervously.

  “There was actually something I wanted to talk to you about,” I said. “That comb you’re holding—I was wondering if I could please have it back? I lost it today on the beach. It’s my dad’s, and it’s his very special favorite thing. He’s very upset about losing it.”

  Princess Delphina’s eyes glittered with tears.

  “But I like it. It’s so sparkly.” She held it up in the water so that the rubies flashed in the glowing lights.

  “Yes, but it’s not really yours to keep,” I said.

  “Well, I suppose you can have the comb back…if you stay for the tea party.”

  “Oh,” I said, surprised. “Okay. Of course we will stay for the tea party!”

  So Pink Rabbit and Marina and I had a tea party with Princess Delphina and her mer-bear. We had cupcakes and sea berries and little shrimp sandwiches with the crusts cut off. It was all very nice, but everything tasted a little soggy.

  “That was lovely,” I said politely. “Thank you. Could I please have the comb now?”

  Princess Delphina frowned.

  “I will give it to you…if you play a game of hide-and-seek with me,” she said.

  “But—” I began.

  “I’ll count!” said the princess. “Go and hide!”

  So we all played hide-and-seek for a long time, and Marina whispered to me that we must always let the princess win. So we did.

  “That was great fun!” said the princess. “Let’s play something else now!”

  I stared up toward the surface of the water and felt worried. It was starting to get light.

  “Let’s play…dress-up!” said the Mermaid Princess, and she led us over to a big box of jewels by her throne. She began to pick out pearl necklaces and coral bracelets and shiny tiaras made of shells and starfish.

  “Put these on!” she ordered, holding the jewels out toward me.

  “I…,” I started to object.

  “Oh, go on,” the princess said. “No one ever comes to play with me.”

  I glanced up at the surface of the water again. It was getting lighter by the second.

  “I can’t,” I said. “I’m sorry, but I really have to go. Can I have the comb back now, please?”

  The princess looked annoyed and a little bit sad.

  “I’ll give it to you…if you give me Pink Rabbit,” she said.

  “Oh no!” I said, shocked. “I absolutely cannot give you Pink Rabbit. And he would hate living under the sea.”

  The princess looked disappointed, and suddenly I knew what was the matter. She was lonely.

  “I have an idea,” I said. “Why don’t I try to bring your mer-bear to life for you in exchange for the comb? I have my mom’s wand with me. I think I know how to do it.”

  The princess’s eyes lit up. She hugged her mer-bear to her chest and then held it out toward me.

  “Yes!” she said. “Yes! If you can make my bear come alive, I promise I will give you the comb.”

  I held out Mom’s wand and pointed it at the bear. Using a magic wand is not my strongest skill, but I had to try. I waved it back and forth in the water, and a stream of bubbles shot out of the end. When they cleared, the mer-bear was twitching his head and moving his paw around.

  But still, something wasn’t quite right….

  Quickly, I waved the wand again….

  And again….

  Until finally…I got it right.

  “Phew,” I whispered to Pink Rabbit. “That almost didn’t work.”

  The princess beamed happily as her mer-bear swam around her head in circles.

  She held out the comb to me.

  “Thank you, Isadora!” she said. “Take the comb. It’s yours!”

  I tucked the comb safely in my pajama pocket before the princess could change her mind, and then Marina and I said goodbye and left the palace.

  As we swam back up toward the surface, I could see it was morning.

  We came out of the water, and I took a big gulp of air. Pink Rabbit’s bubble popped, and I caught him just before he fell.

  Marina smiled at me, and I smiled back.

  “It was nice to meet you,” she said.

  “It was nice to meet you too,” I replied. “Thank you so much for helping me find my dad’s comb.”

  “It was a pleasure,” said Marina in her tinkly little voice. “And you’ve made the Mermaid Princess very happy.”

  I started to take the magic necklace off.

  “Keep it,” said Marina. “It won’t work again, but it’s pretty. You can wear it!”

  “Thank you,” I said, feeling very happy inside.

  Marina glanced at the rising sun.

  “I’d better go,” she said. “I don’t want to be spotted by any humans. And you’d better get back too.”

  I nodded and flapped my wings, sending a flurry of water droplets flying as I rose into the air.

  “Goodbye, Marina!” I said.

  “Goodbye, Isadora!” she replied. And then with a splash and a laugh, she was gone.
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  I held Pink Rabbit in my arms, and we flew as fast as we could back to the campsite. It was still very early, and all was quiet. I snuck into Mom and Dad’s tent and slipped the wand into Mom’s bag before heading to my own tent to put on some dry clothes. When I poked my head out of my tent again, I got the surprise of my life.

  Dad was sitting by the campfire! He was wearing a T-shirt and shorts, and he was busy making breakfast for everyone.

  “There you are, Isadora,” he said. “You’re up bright and early!”

  “But…but…what are you doing up so early?” I asked.

  “It looks like it’s going to be a lovely day,” said Dad. “We’re going to the beach again. Last night, Mom told me that you swam underwater yesterday. I’m really sorry I missed it. It made me realize that I don’t want to miss out on anything else this vacation. I can’t wait for you to show me your underwater swimming later!”

  “I can’t wait to show you!” I said. “But what about your comb, Dad?”

  He looked sad for a minute, but then he shook his head and shrugged.

  “It was a beautiful comb,” he said. “And very precious. But it was my own fault for bringing it to the beach. I should have left it in the tent. And you know, I’ve been thinking: spending time with my family is more important than a silly comb. Besides,” he said, running a hand through his sleek hair, “I’ve still got my hair gel.”

  I took the comb from behind my back and held it out to Dad. His eyes went big and wide, and his mouth made an O shape.

  “I’m really sorry,” I said, “but it was me who lost your comb. I put it on my sand castle, and the sea washed it away. But then I went and searched for it and found it! I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”