Woody and Zipper's Great Adventure (standard:fantasy, 1719 words)
Author: Ian Hobson	Added: Oct 16 2005	Views/Reads: 4020/2323	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
He knew about the monsters. His mother had warned him…

Woody and Zipper's Great Adventure 

©2005 Ian Hobson 

Woody stopped for a moment beside the shear cliff face and looked out
across the vast dry plane that stretched much further than he could 
see.  He was finding the terrain difficult, as the surface here was 
soft and springy and yet full of cracks; not deep enough to fall into, 
but they slowed his progress.  He thought that perhaps he should leave 
the cliff and its cool shade, but somehow he felt safer and less 
exposed beside it. 

He was beginning to have a few regrets.  It was only two days since he
had set out from home, yet it seemed like half a lifetime.  He had 
managed to forage for food along the way but here in these barren 
uplands there was an unnatural lack of food. 

'Nothing ventured, nothing gained.'  That's what his Uncle Fraygus would
have told him.  Poor old Uncle Fraygus.  Woody missed him a lot; and 
his stories of adventures in far off places.  Life without Uncle 
Fraygus had become very boring.  In fact life had become intolerable.  
Not that he didn't love his family, or feel loved in return.  It was 
just that there were so many of them.  Life at home was one endless 
round of visiting relatives: uncles, aunts, cousins - and nephews and 
nieces; crawling about the place and getting under foot.  Even the 
neighbour's kids couldn't keep away; especially young Zipper.  He 
wasn't a bad lad, but he was a little too inquisitive; always following 
Woody about and asking silly questions. 

Woody decided that it was time he continued with his journey.  'Put your
best foot forward.'  Another of Uncle Fraygus's favourite sayings came 
to mind.  Woody looked down at his feet, wondering which foot was the 
best.  It was difficult to decide with so many to choose from.  
Suddenly there was a tremendous pounding noise and the ground beneath 
Woody's feet began to tremble.  Woody kept low against the cliff face.  
He knew about the monsters.  His mother had warned him: 'If you hear 
them coming, keep very still and they may not notice you.  But if they 
do; run for your life.' 

The noise grew louder, and with it came a gust of wind, and the earth
tremors were the worst that Woody could remember.  He was tempted to 
turn and run back to the safety of the cave beneath the cliff where he 
had spent the hottest part of the day.  But he kept still and closed 
his eyes tight, and soon the monster moved away and the noise and 
tremors subsided. 

'Did you feel that, Woody?  That was a big one.  I thought we was going
to be squashed for sure.' 

Startled, Woody opened his eyes and turned towards the unexpected voice.
'Zipper!  What in the name of tree-rot are you doing here?' 

Zipper was big for his age but still not quite Woody's height.  'I
followed you.  You never told me you were going on a journey.' 

'Too right I didn't!  And I didn't tell you you could follow me either! 
What would your mother say?' 

Zipper looked down at his feet.  He was straddling one of the strange
cracks in the ground and peering down into its depths, waiting and 
hoping that his friend would not send him home. 

'And what would she say about you swearing?' 

' "Squashed" isn't swearing,' exclaimed Zipper.  'My dad says it all the
time.' 

'Well I say it is,' said Woody.  'I remember what happened to my Uncle
Fraygus.' 

'Why, what happened to him?'  Zipper loved stories almost as much as
Woody; even the gruesome ones. 

'Never mind that now.'  Woody looked a little worried.  'I have to
decide what to do about you.' 


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