Polar Fish
– a story of friendship “Do you know what it’s like to be free? I don’t mean holiday free or staying up late – I mean really free. When you feel that you can do anything you want – be anything you want. The kind of free that gets in your head and then stays there like the best drum solo ever. Well, I didn’t. But I do now!”
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
ISBN 978-91-27-42011-3
9 789127 420113
sound_of_drums.indd 1
Andy Coombs 10-06-08 16.30.19
he Sound of Drums.indd 2
10-06-15 14.34.39
D
o you know what it’s like to be free? I don’t mean holiday free or staying up late – I mean really free. When you feel that you can do anything you want – be anything you want. The kind of free that gets in your head and then stays there like the best drum solo ever. Well, I didn’t. But I do now. And I’m never looking back.
he Sound of Drums.indd 3
10-06-15 14.34.39
Chapter 1 So, I was sitting on the train bored out of my skull, when in walks this girl. She sits opposite me and gets out a book. The book had two people kissing on the cover – so she wasn’t someone I’d normally talk to. But Mum and Dad had taken my iPod and my phone, so I had nothing to do. ‘Alright?’ I said. ‘Yeah,’ she said and went back to reading. ‘Good book?’ I said. ‘Mmm,’ she said, not looking up. Rude, I thought and carried on looking out of the window. Good-looking girls often think they’re too good to talk to you. I drummed with my hands on my legs. Pat-tat-tat-tat-pa-tat-tat-tat.
he Sound of Drums.indd 4
4
10-06-15 14.34.39
It had been three hours since I’d left London. And for the last two hours all I’d seen were fields and boring little villages. ‘Nice isn’t it?’ she said. She was looking at me. Her eyes were a yellowy brown. ‘What?’ I said. ‘The book?’ ‘No, the view. The countryside. I love it.’ ‘Oh yeah,’ I said. ‘It’s great.’ ‘You don’t sound like you mean it,’ she said. She was smiling like she knew a good joke. ‘Well, it’s all right I guess. But people must go nuts living out here. I mean, what is there to do?’ ‘So, I’m thinking you’re a city boy.’ ‘Good guess.’ ‘Me too. I’m out here visiting friends. I come every year. What’s your excuse?’ ‘It was my parents’ idea. They thought that me spending three weeks with my weird gran in the countryside would be good for me. You know, help me focus or whatever.’ She smiled again. ‘They may be right.’ I snorted. ‘Yeah, right. Three weeks of cows and sheep. Three weeks of no computer and no movies.
he Sound of Drums.indd 5
5
10-06-15 14.34.39
Polar Fish
– a story of friendship “Do you know what it’s like to be free? I don’t mean holiday free or staying up late – I mean really free. When you feel that you can do anything you want – be anything you want. The kind of free that gets in your head and then stays there like the best drum solo ever. Well, I didn’t. But I do now!”
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
ISBN 978-91-27-42011-3
9 789127 420113
sound_of_drums.indd 1
Andy Coombs 10-06-08 16.30.19