The Borribles by Michael de Larrabeiti

Author:Michael de Larrabeiti
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Juvenile Fiction, Fantasy & Magic
ISBN: 9783608875133
Publisher: Tor Teen
Published: 1975-12-31T13:00:00+00:00

8

It was a clear night and a ground frost made the Adventurers’ footsteps crunch loudly as they advanced over the stiff white grass. They said nothing, each one nursing his or her own private thoughts, each one yearning for the crowded and friendly streets that they called home, but there was no turning back now.

They walked on for about a mile, then Orococco stopped and his companions gathered around him. Even then the Borrible from Tooting could not resist a joke: ‘Why, friends,’ he laughed, ‘we looks like a Black and White Minstrel Show.’

‘Get on with it,’ snapped Stonks, who like everybody else was very tense and eager to begin.

‘Okay, Mr Bones,’ said Orococco. ‘You see that mound beginning to rise a little, over there against the sky? That’s the bunker, only it looks like a hill. There’s a couple of saplings and a few bushes to the right; they screen the Great Door. If we climb the hill and walk over it in a straight line, we’ll come to the exit hole of the ventilation network, and going on from that, ‘bout half a mile, is the back door, smaller, not so well made. Don’t stamp your feet when you’re on the hill; you’ll wake up all the rats in Rumbledom if you do.’

‘Right then,’ said Stonks, ‘I’ll get off here. My target’s just the other side of that door.’

‘With a hundred thousand unfriendly friends,’ added Napoleon.

‘Kind of odds that keep a Borrible alert,’ answered Stonks, not to be put down by a Wendle.

‘Who do you want to go with you?’ asked Knocker. ‘We must get a move on, we’ve got to be out before dawn.’

‘Torreycanyon, if he’ll come,’ said Stonks, turning to his friend.

‘Course I will,’ said Torreycanyon. ‘We’ll give you guys ten minutes, then we’ll go in.’

The others went on, moving at a trot up the side of the hill, and sure enough, at the top, hidden by thick gorse bushes, was the main outlet for the air conditioning system of the whole bunker city. It was covered by a large iron grille, solid and heavy, painted green to camouflage its appearance. Orococco said, ‘There she is. Now, who’s coming with me to the other door? I can recommend it, very frail and only five hundred and fifty Rumbles guarding it. Any offers?’

Bingo gave a nod. ‘Battersea and Tooting together,’ he cried. ‘What a team! I’ll pick you up by the legs, you old Totter, and bash them to smithereens with your head bone.’

Orococco turned to Knocker. ‘Give us five minutes.’ he said, ‘and by the time you’ve got the kettle boiled for tea we’ll be in there with you.’ And he and Bingo began the descent that led to the Small Door of Rumbledom.

There were six of them left standing at the vent now: Chalotte, Sydney, Adolf, Napoleon, Vulge and Knocker himself. They squatted and waited.

‘Friends,’ said Vulge after a while, ‘those five minutes have gone into eternity. Shall we begin the dance?’

Napoleon forced his knife

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