The Warrior Sheep Go West by Christopher Russell Read Free Book Online Page A

road.
    Suddenly, a white car bounced from the desert and came racing toward her, veering dangerously from side to side. She slowed down and the white car shot past, music blaring, the occupants singing. Singing and bleating ! Holly stamped on the brakes, pulled over, and twisted around in her seat. She hadn’t imagined it. The sheep, her sheep, were sitting on the back seat. And one of them was wearing sunglasses. She swallowed hard, took a deep breath, turned the cart around, and gave chase.
    ***
    None of the warriors recognized the driver of the golf cart, nor did they see it turn in the road and start following. Cameron saw and punched the air.
    â€œYeehaa!” he yelled. “The dude wants a race!”
    He swung the car off the road again and surged over the desert.
    â€œHoly sheep!” exclaimed Phoenix, hanging on to the edge of his seat. “What are you doing now?”
    â€œGet ready to rock and roll,” yelled Cameron. “Dead Man’s Creek coming up!”
    The creek ran parallel with the road and Wills had been right. It was a sort of river, only it was completely dried up. It hadn’t carried a drop of water for months.
    Holly drove as fast as she could along the road but her cart couldn’t keep pace. She could only watch as the white car careered up and down the steep banks of the dried-up creek. It was like looking down on a never-ending roller coaster but soon the white car was out of sight and she was following a cloud of dust.
    â€œIdiot!” she shouted, as if the driver could hear her. “Kill yourselves if you want, but not Stanley’s sheep!”
    Inside the white car, Phoenix grabbed Wills tight to stop the lamb being catapulted out.
    â€œYou’re crazy,” he yelled at his brother. “You’ll turn us over!”
    Cameron just laughed, spun the wheel, and shot the car from the bottom of the creek to the top of its steep bank.
    â€œYeehaa!” he cried as he turned at the top.
    â€œStop!” yelled Phoenix.
    But Cameron couldn’t. His Mom’s pride and joy had had enough. The brakes and the steering gave up at the same moment. The car plunged down, out of control.
    â€œOhmygrass…ohmyshades…” wailed Jaycey as the sunglasses sailed through the air in front of her.
    The car bounced down the slope, turned over and over, and landed right way up on the bottom of the creek.
    There was a long moment’s silence.
    â€œMom’s gonna be so mad at me…” was all Cameron could say when he’d stopped shaking.
    â€œI guess she’d sooner write off a car than two stupid sons,” replied Phoenix.
    He let go of Wills and the lamb leapt out. Then Phoenix twisted around to look at the back seat.
    â€œIt’s a good job the rest were wedged in so tight.”
    Links was squeezing himself free. He clambered out over the side. Oxo followed, then Sal and Jaycey.
    â€œWell that was, er, very nice,” said Sal, shaking herself. “But it’s time to press on, I think.”
    â€œOnward and…upward?” asked Oxo, looking up at the steep sides of the creek. He started looking for a way to climb out.
    The others did the same, but after only a few steps, Sal stopped. She twitched her ear. The silver stud in it was buzzing. The others paused and looked inquiringly at her.
    â€œMost uncomfortable…” she said. “Like having a fly inside my head…”
    They could all hear the buzzing now. Cameron and Phoenix, still strapped into the car, heard it too. Suddenly, it changed to a high-pitched beeping.
    But no one was looking at Sal anymore. They were all, sheep and humans, staring straight past her at the wall of water rushing toward them.

9
    Up the Creek
    It was a flash flood, and it was on them in a flash. There had been a heavy storm in the distant mountains two days ago and the rain water had finally reached the dried-up creek. It was in a hurry and inescapable. It had