Bang Goes a Troll by David Sinden, Matthew Morgan, Guy Macdonald, Jonny Duddle Read Free Book Online Page A

lungs sound blocked,” she said.
    The troll coughed. Then, as it tried to breathe in, it choked.
    â€œWhat’s happening?” Ulf asked.
    The troll wheezed, then stopped breathing altogether.
    â€œIt’s in respiratory arrest!” Dr. Fielding said.
    The troll lay still, as if it were dead.
    Dr. Fielding felt its wrist, checking for a pulse. “Its heart’s stopped. Stand back, Ulf.”
    Ulf stepped back and watched as Dr. Fielding placed both hands on the center of the troll’s broad green chest. She interlocked her fingers and, with her arms straight, started pressing down hard, again and again.
    â€œWhat are you doing?” Ulf asked.
    â€œCardiopulmonary resuscitation,” Dr. Fielding explained. “CPR. We’ve got to get its heart andlungs working.”

    She quickly placed her hand under the troll’s hairy chin and tilted its head back to open its windpipe. Then she covered the troll’s nose with both hands and took a deep breath.
    Ulf watched as Dr. Fielding opened her mouth and leaned forward, pressing her mouth over the troll’s rubbery lips.
    â€œEyugh!” Tiana said, looking away. “She’s kissing the troll!”
    Dr. Fielding steadily breathed out into the troll’s mouth.
    â€œShe’s trying to help it breathe,” Ulf said.
    Dr. Fielding sat up and pushed the troll’s chest again. It still wasn’t moving. She took another breath and placed her mouth over the troll’s, breathing air into it.
    â€œCome on, troll. You can do it,” Ulf said.
    Dr. Fielding blew once more into the troll’smouth.
    Suddenly, the troll coughed and its body convulsed.
    Dr. Fielding pulled her head away, wiping her lips.
    The troll coughed again, splattering thick black phlegm over its tusks. It shook its head. It was breathing!
    Dr. Fielding took a bottle and a syringe from her backpack. She quickly gave the troll an injection of adrenaline.
    The troll grunted and licked its tusks, then rolled on to all fours.
    â€œMove back, everyone,” Dr. Fielding said.
    Huddled under Orson’s lantern, they all stepped away from the injured troll. As they did so, the female troll lumbered back over.
    The two beasts touched tusks and snorted.
    â€œWhat do you think happened to it?” Ulf asked.

    Dr. Fielding looked around. “There’s been a fire down here,” she said.
    â€œA fire? Underground?”
    Orson leaned down, frowning in the lamplight. “Fires don’t just start by themselves.”
    As the snow fell on Honeycomb Mountain, a cattle truck and an oil tanker wound their way up the icy track. They stopped near the top where the track finished.
    The door of the oil tanker opened and Bone climbed down into the snow. From the side of the oil tanker he began unreeling a long hose.
    Blud jumped out of the cattle truck with his rifle slung over his back. He glanced toward the RSPCB helicopter parked on the mountain. “Deal with that, Bone,” he said.
    The big man trudged to the helicopter and bent its blades with a metal hook.
    Blud clambered to the oily hole at the top of themountain. “The RSPCB are doomed,” he sniggered, wiping his runny nose with a snotty red rag.
    Bone dragged the hose from the oil tanker and headed after him. “I always have to do the heavy work,” the big man grumbled.
    Blud took the rifle from his shoulder. “You’re the oil man, I’m the shooter. If you’ve got a problem with that, talk to the Baron.”
    Bone shoved the hose down the hole. He turned the nozzle on. There was a gurgling sound as thick black oil gushed from its end, pumping into the mountain.
    Blud took a box of matches from his pocket. “Time to warm them up.”

Chapter 10
    DR. F IELDING SHONE HER FLASHLIGHT AROUND the trolls. “No other serious injuries,” she said.
    Ulf was beside her. He felt a drip on his head and looked up. Another drip fell, then another. All