Trolls on Hols by Alan MacDonald Read Free Book Online Page A

wouldn’t have noticed the odd way the ferns lay on the ground ahead of him – as if someone had arranged them deliberately. He prodded one aside with his stick. Underneath was a piece of chicken wire and beneath that a dark, yawning hole. Warren squatted down to examine it more closely. It was some kind of animal trap and if he’d taken a couple more steps he would have fallen right into it! But why wouldsomeone dig a hole in the middle of the woods? It was far too big for catching rabbits and he hadn’t come across any other wild animals.
    The words in yesterday’s paper jumped into his mind – ‘£500 reward for catching the beast’. So that was it! – someone was after the reward! Warren almost wished he’d thought of the idea himself. Five hundred pounds was a lot of pocket money – think of all the sweets and ice creams he could buy with that! He pictured his photo on the front page of tomorrow’s paper and his name in the headlines. ‘Warren the beast-slayer’ they’d call him.
    Of course it was only a daydream. He was never going to catch the beast or get his hands on the reward … unless … A sly smile spread across Warren’s face. Nobody actually knew what the beast looked like, did they?
    Carefully, he replaced the ferns so that the hole was hidden from sight. Once he was satisfied, he stood up and raised his hands to his mouth.
    â€˜ULRIK! Ulrik, over here!’
    Ulrik meanwhile was getting tired of hiding. He’dbeen crouching in the middle of a prickly bush for what felt like hours. One of his feet had gone to sleep. Maybe Warren had given up looking for him altogether. Maybe he was too scared to come into the woods. He pricked up his ears. Someone was shouting his name.
    He followed the voice until he came to a wide clearing, where he found Warren waiting for him.
    â€˜Why didn’t you come to find me?’ he asked.
    Warren shrugged. ‘I’ve been looking. You’re too good at hiding.’
    Ulrik looked pleased. ‘Really? Does that mean I winned the game?’
    â€˜Yep, you won. Come on, let’s go back now.’ Warren sounded impatient.
    â€˜But isn’t it your turn to hide?’ asked Ulrik.
    Warren glanced down. One more step. ‘What?’ he said.
    â€˜I said, “Isn’t it your turn?”’
    â€˜No! The game’s over. Hurry up!’
    â€˜Oh. I thought …’ But Ulrik never got to say what he thought because he took another step towards Warren and suddenly the ground gave way beneath his feet. He fell into the trap, withbranches and ferns crashing down on top of him.
    For a moment he lay still, more dazed than hurt.
    â€˜What happened?’ he groaned.
    Warren peered down at him. ‘Looks like you fell in a hole.’
    Ulrik scrambled to his feet. He’d bruised his knee. The hole was so deep that even standing on tiptoe he couldn’t reach the top. He stretched up a hand to Warren.
    â€˜Help me out!’
    Warren shook his head. ‘I can’t.’
    â€˜Warren!’
    â€˜Sorry, you’re too heavy. You weigh a ton. If I try to pull you out I’ll probably end up falling in with you. Then we’ll both be stuck.’
    Ulrik blinked up at him. It was true, he was bigger and heavier than Warren.
    â€˜What are we going to do?’ he asked anxiously.
    â€˜Don’t worry, you stay there. I’ll go and fetch help.’
    â€˜Wait!’ called Ulrik. ‘You’re not going to leave me all by myself?’
    â€˜It won’t be for long. I’ll run back to the caravanand tell them what’s happened. Five minutes and I’ll be back again.’
    â€˜You promise?’
    â€˜Scout’s honour,’ said Warren, raising a hand in salute. He gave Ulrik a cheery wave and walked away, smiling secretly to himself. Of course he had never been in the Scouts, but Ulrik didn’t know that.

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