By Paul Mason illustrations by Mat TaitBByy PPaauuuuuuulll MMMMMMaaaasssssooooonnnnn iiiiillllllllllllluuuuussstttrratioonnss bbbyyy MMMMMaaaatttttt TTaaiittByy PPaauuuuuuuuullll MMMMMMaaaaaaaassssssoooooonnnnnn iiiiiillllllllllllllllluuuuuussstttrrraattiiionnss bbbyyyyy MMMMMaaaaatttttttt TTTTTTTTTTaaaaaiiittBy Paul Mason illustrations by Mat Tait

School Journal Story Library

Wind Chimes has been carefully levelled. While the contexts and concepts link to English and social sciences at level 4 of the curriculum, the text has a reading year level of years 5 to 6.

Teacher support material (available at www.schooljournalstorylibrary.tki.org.nz) contains key information to help teachers to provide the additional support and scaff olding that some students may need to meet the specifi c reading, writing, and curriculum demands of Wind Chimes.

School Journal Story Library is a targeted series that supplements other instructional series texts. It provides additional scaff olds and supports for teachers to use to accelerate students’ literacy learning.

Ministry of Education

BByByyyBBB PPPPPPPPauauauauuauauauauauaauulllllllll MMMaaM sooososooosoosonnnnnnnn iiiiillllllluususussstrtttttt atioiooonsssnsnsn bbby yy yyy MaaaaMaMaaaaMaaaaMaaatttt TaTaTT ititttBy Paul Mason illustrations by Mat Tait

Since their escape, it’s rained non-stop.

The track is soft and yielding.

Trees loom like watchmen.

Since their escape,it’s rained non-stop.

The track is softand yielding.

Trees loom like watchmen.

2

They’ve been walking through this wilderness for hours.

Tre listens for the thump of footfall, the clunk of batons.

Tre listens for thethump of footfall, the clunk of batons.

p

3

Muse, stop – I can hear something.

Over there!

You’re being paranoid. Voids don’t like getting their boots dirty. Can we rest for a bit?

Just for a bit.

Look – kawakawa leaves!

These will help clear up that bruise.

Tre remembers the Voids’ boots. It was a normal day, just like any other. No one could have seen it coming . . .

4

“The sun was shining on the sea, shining

with all his might.”

Give in or get hushed!

Just do what they say,

everyone!

He remembers the sound of wood splintering, the open book flying through the air . . .

Everything destroyed in minutes, as if they had done it a thousand times before.

On your knees!

He caught the fear in his mother’s eyes as they hauled her into a truck with the others.

The children were taken in a different direction.

Tre watched as the settlement grew smaller, scarcely able to breathe. He didn’t know if he’d ever see it again.

His father was already in the back.

5

Move!

Where are we going?

The city droned, stifling and grey.

Tre stared at his new classroom, an unsteady flicker in his eyes.

There was one exception.

The class sat around piles of building blocks, each brick as white as a hospital sheet.

They dipped into the plastic, searching for the pieces they wanted.

6

Hushed, shame . . .

I bet his parents were

hushed.

This is Tre from Region G. You’ll make

him feel at home, won’t you, girls?

They were all building towers – tall, rectangular, and white.

The girl in the corner didn’t join in. She wasn’t building anything.

Tre struggled to hear his thoughts through the sound of clicking bricks.

7

We didn’t do this kind of thing at

my old school.

That’s Muse. They hushed

her too.

So regional.

The examiner checked the class’s progress, picking her way through the work stations.

8

We don’t make that sort of thing here. Break it up.

That’s better. We don’t want another Muse.

What is that?

Doesn’t look anything like

a tower.

It’s a row boat, like the one my dad made for me.

Tre wanted to see a glimmer, a spark in her eyes.

Then he saw it. Spelt out in straight, white blocks. A word.

A single word.

9

You should have seen the things Muse used to make

with her blocks. She was totally out there.

Now she doesn’t say

a word.

Do something. Tell me I’m not alone!

Hush, little baby . . .

Muse had been waiting for the right person. She had the plan all worked out. But still, they only just got away.

And in the bush, traps could be anywhere.

The Voids have been quiet for a few days. Tre’s knowledge of the land had helped to shake them off, but there's something suspicious about the silence.

The examiners knew that even the smallest act of disobedience could grow into something bigger. No one could be allowed to escape.

The examiners know that even the smallest act of disobedience can grow into something bigger. No one could be allowed to escape.

Muse had been waiting for the right person. She had the plan all worked out. But still, they only just got away.

And in the bush, traps could be anywhere.

The Voids have been quiet for a few days. Tre’s knowledge of the land

y

had helped to shake them off, but there's something

p

suspicious about the silence.

The examiners know thateven the smallest act of disobedience can grow intosomething bigger. No one could be allowed to escape.

10

The settlement’s just at the bottom of this valley. We’d

better get off the path.

Mum and Dad will have beaten it, too.

I know.

We should get

going.

You think your parents will

be there?

You beat being hushed didn’t you?

Tre thinks about the last time he heard his father’s voice. It was the week he was taken away – his first week in the pen.

From the moment they arrived, the children from the regions were reprogrammed.

It was like being admitted to a prison. At the end of the week, they got a phone call from their parents. Tre thought it was to calm them all down.

He’d heard whispers that the calls were fake – a copycat speaking on the other line.

Through the static, his father’s voice was barely recognisable.

Before Tre could respond, the Voids cut it dead.

But then, like an electrical spark, a moment of clarity.

11

You have a call.

You get one minute.

Remember . . . we . . . fish for tuna?

I remember . . .

Listen to the wind,

Tre!

They leave the ridge, following the slope down towards the lake.They leave the ridge, following the slope down towards the lake.

y

12

I know Dad was trying to tell me something . . .

They must’ve escaped . . .

Shall we make a move?

Tre, remember, no

matter what we find, you can’t let them

beat you.

Tre, please –

wait!

The settlement is gone. All gone.Nothing but ashes and rubble.

He lifts the wind chimes out of the rubble.

His voice catches.

Tre looks away, careful not to let Muse see his eyes filling up.

He lifts the wind chimes out of the rubble.

His voice catches.

Tre looks away, carefffful not to let Muse see his eyes filling up.

y

14

We should check it out.

Tre remembers the cabin. Dinnertime. Mum and Dad on the porch.

We can’t stay. The Voids will know

to look for us here.

Mum was always making these. Guess they’ve been

hushed, too.

Muse rows, heading for the opposite shore.Tre turns round and takes a last look back at the settlement.

They haul the boat out of the harakeke and drag it into the water.

Tre leads Muse along the lake’s edge, his father’s words echoing back to him.

MusMM e rows, headinggg for the opppposite shore.TreTrr turns round and takes a last sslooooo k back at the settlement.

They haul the boat outof the haaarakeke and

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drag it into the water.

Tre leads Muse along the lake’s edge, his father’s words echoing back to him.

g g

15

Nothing but more bush. No settlements,

no people.

No examiners . . . no Voids.

I knew it! Dad was smart

to keep it hidden.

We want to go that way. You can’t see it from here,

but there’s a stream.

What’s on the other side of the lake?

Come on!

Give me a hand.

Remember . . . we . . . fish for tuna?

The harakeke closes in, swallowing them up. A moment later, and they are hidden.

From up ahead, they hear a noise.

A rattle in the wind.

Suddenly, Tre sees something in the trees. He points it out, his arm trembling.

They guide the boat upstream. The water is clear and still .

The harakeke closes in, swallowing theme up. A moment later, and they are hidden.

From up ahead, they hear a noise.

A rattle in the wind.

Suddenly, Tre sees something in the trees. He points it out, his arm trembling.

They guide the boat upstream. The water is clear and still .

yBring the oars in.

We’re almost there.

Dad found this place looking for

tuna one day.

Wind chimes.

It’s like a secret – you’d never know

it was here . . .

Shh!

A clunk.

AcknowledgmentsAll text copyright © Crown 2017 Illustrations by Mat Tait copyright © Crown 2017

Publishing services: Lift Education E TūEditor: Isaac SnoswellDesigner: Simon Waterfi eldLiteracy Consultant: Melanie Winthrop

Published 2017 by the Ministry of EducationPO Box 1666, Wellington 6140, New Zealand.www.education.govt.nz

All rights reserved.Enquiries should be made to the publisher.

Dewey number 741.5993—dc 23ISBN 978 0 478 16861 7 (print)ISBN 978 0 478 16863 1 (online PDF)

Replacement copies may be ordered from Ministry of Education Customer Services,online at www.thechair.minedu.govt.nzby email: orders@thechair.minedu.govt.nz

or freephone 0800 660 662, freefax 0800 660 663.Please quote item number 16861.

School Journal Story Library is a targeted series that supplements other instructional series texts. It provides additional scaff olds and supports for teachers to use to accelerate students’ literacy learning.

Teacher support material and audio for this text are available online at www.schooljournalstorylibrary.tki.org.nz

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