The Swivel-Eyed Ogre-Thing by Barry Hutchison

Author:Barry Hutchison [Barry Hutchison]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780857633071
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Published: 2015-09-03T04:00:00+00:00

The monster’s breath swirled around him in clouds of stink and he realised its mouth was opening, the rusted cogs creaking as the bottom jaw swung wide.

“It’s going to eat him!” Paradise realised. She shoved Wesley forwards. “Do something!”

“L-like what?”

Ben’s head was within chomping distance of the ogre’s mouth now. The monster’s dark red tongue darted hungrily across its lips.

“Anything! But preferably not custard!”

Wesley gave a grim nod. He stepped nervously in front of the ogre. “Um, excuse me,” he squeaked. “Down here.”

“Now you’re for it,” said Scumbo. “This one’s a wizard. He’s going to stitch you right up, mate. Just you wait and see!”

The ogre paused with his mouth still open. His one good eye swivelled down until it found Wesley. “MORE BUGS,” he boomed.

“Aha, well does a bug have one of these?” Wesley said. He shoved a hand up inside his sleeve and immediately whipped out a small bunch of daffodils. “No, wait, not that,” he muttered, blushing slightly. He shoved the flowers back up his sleeve and fished around again. “One of these,” he said, and this time he yanked out a slightly startled-looking red squirrel.

Paradise shook her head. “We’re all doomed.”

For a long time, Wesley just stared at the squirrel, and the squirrel stared back. Eventually, Wesley quietly cleared his throat and looked back up to the ogre. “Let’s just pretend this is a wand,” he said weakly.

“Out of the way,” said Paradise. She barged Wesley aside and grabbed the squirrel. Before the ogre knew what was happening she shoved the animal down the back of his boot. Almost immediately, the monster began to squirm and shake.

“TICKLES!” he roared. “MAKE TICKLE STOP!”

Releasing his grip on Ben, the ogre shoved a finger down inside his boot. Ben fell, down past the ogre’s waist, down past Paradise, then down through the hole in the bridge. He hit the shallow water with more clatter than splash, and groaned as all the air was knocked from his lungs.

The ogre let out a sharp hiss and pulled his finger free. The squirrel hung off the end of it by its teeth. The ogre tried squashing it between finger and thumb, but the squirrel released its grip and dropped to safety. It bounded towards Wesley, scampered up his robe, then shot back up the sleeve once more.

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