Warblegrub and the Forbidden Planet by Andrew Barlow Read Free Book Online Page A

his head. “It’s blocked near the far end. You’ll have to climb the hill.”
    “Then let’s not waste any more time!” said the Sergeant, unsheathing her machete.

    Fender to fender, cars, vans, coaches and lorries stood rusting among the weeds. Strong winds drove the clouds overhead and their racing shadows only emphasised the stillness, just as the occasional birdsong emphasised the silence.
    “Longest traffic-jam in history,” observed 395 wryly, but only Warblegrub laughed.
    Having cut their way down to the road, they found a relatively easy path over the tops of the abandoned vehicles but raised thunder with their heavy boots.
    “Do you remember, Colonel?” yelled Warblegrub above the din. “Billions of cars and lorries pumping filth into the atmosphere!”
    “I was a baby when we were evicted,” he growled, and marched on.
    Warblegrub stopped and looked at the faces of the soldiers passing by and realised most had never heard the true reason for their exile. He hurried after the Colonel. “So even now you lie to your people?”
    “What do you mean?”
    “You said evicted – you were banished!”
    “Words!” sneered the Colonel.
    “Then you haven’t yet faced the truth!”
    “What truth? ”
    Warblegrub gaped at him in astonishment. “That you poisoned your planet and murdered most of its species!”
    “The only thing that matters to me and my people,” hissed the Colonel, as the others grew aware of the argument, “is that this is our planet and it was taken from us!”
    “I pity you,” said Warblegrub, shaking his head in disbelief, “but I pity those who follow you more. A planet belongs to no one, we are fortunate to receive its bounty!”
    The Colonel’s look was pure contempt but he had no reply.
    “There’s the tunnel!” called the Sergeant and the Colonel stormed off to the front of the column, leaving Warblegrub shaking with anger.
    Overhung with creepers, the tunnel mouth was dark and forbidding, and all were relieved not to be taking that route. Their relief, however, was short-lived as once again they were forced to hack laboriously through the undergrowth and cut another path up another steep wooded hillside.
    “There can’t be any large animals here,” 395 noted.
    “Why do you say that?” Sarah asked.
    “The undergrowth’s too thick; large animals make paths.”
    “Only insects, birds, small mammals and reptiles so far,” Warblegrub confirmed. “The sea had to be cleaned first; now it’s fully restocked, we’re working on the land, and creating a balance between predators and prey is a delicate business.”
    The Colonel glanced back. “We?”
    “I have friends,” Warblegrub admitted. “They’re helping me clean up.”
    “Friends?”
    “You’ve met Fardelbear already.”
    The Colonel stopped in his tracks. “That monster – a friend!”
    “Actually he’s more a partner than a friend.”
    “You’d better explain!”
    “I make things grow, he makes them die. Right now he thinks you should die.”
    Warblegrub and the Colonel were eyeball to eyeball once more, and the soldiers glanced nervously at them as they passed.
    “And what do you think?” the Colonel asked dangerously.
    “I haven’t decided yet.”
    “I don’t know who you are or what you’re doing on my planet, but neither you nor your partner , will prevent us doing our duty!”
    “As always you choose to learn the hard way!” groaned Warblegrub.
    As they climbed the hillside, they saw buildings among the trees; mostly small houses whose streets, paths and gardens were lost in the undergrowth. Near the top, the houses were much larger and must once have been elegant, with extensive gardens behind tall walls and wrought iron gates. One particularly long driveway was still visible through the foliage and at the end they glimpsed the grandest dwelling they had yet seen.
    “So many windows!” marvelled Sarah. “Who lived there – a king?”
    “A fair number were rich enough to live