Amy

[Splat]

Hello everybody! For the past month or so we've been locked out of Oddworld forums but now we're back I can finally start posting my next fic, Amy. For any new readers who don't know, this story is the sequal to my first fic, Splat, Which can be found here:

http://www.oddworldforums.net/showthread.php?t=6940

I started writing that one about 6 years ago and finished it about 6 months ago so it's pretty uneven. The writing at the start isn't great, i know, but it gets better as the story progresses (I'm working on an edited version but with my exams looming i hardly have time to write anything right now though i will be trying my absolute hardest to keep this and my other Oddworld fic updated.)

The other thing I wanted to say was that several aspects of the plot of Splat have been changed. The main one being that Splat doesn't actually invent stuff but has stolen the plans and ideas from the industrialists. I tried my hardest to make the older version work but it was one of my very first ideas from when i was about 7 and it just didn't fit.

But enough of my rambling: you're here for the fic and that's waht I'm here to give you! So, without further ado (or adon't ) here it is: AMY!


Prologue
"Built a bit out of the way isn’t it?" President Martor grunted, gazing out of the window of the train at the comparatively small building: illuminated orange by the artificial light that surrounded the factory in the dark evening. Only one train line ran to and from the building. Nothing could be seen but endless stretches of dark sand disappearing over all the horizons, apart for the crumbling ruins of a vast wall heading from East to West just above the factory (a wall that had once split the whole of Mudos from Glucose - continent of the Glukkons.)
"You’re dead, remember Martor? How would it appear if you suddenly rose from the grave?"
Martor grunted again in response. His companion in the carriage went on: "You’re lucky to be alive anyway, after failing to capture the terrorist, 0784556, despite having him pass right… above your nose and loosing the whole laquameety chain in one day!" Martor grunted once again. "Still, two weeks here with her Martor. Do it well and we’ll have a position opened for you in the Cartel. Screw it up and, well…" The glukkon did a pretty good mime of being hung by the neck. Martor grunted again.
Two weeks with Amy under his nose: the girl with the world record for the highest number of escape attempts? (Ok, none had ever come close to succeeding but still?) And with no trouble what so ever from cranky sligs or terrorists? Martor grunted.


Please reply! Read Splat first if necessary: a lot of people who i hope will read this would recommend it!

[Fuzzle Guy]

Cool So far

[T-nex]

Yeah, i would totally recomend reading Splat!
Am i doing a good job recomending? When will i get paid(kidding.)
Anyway, i'm esxited to see what will happen so far. m

[odd chick]

Sounds interesting..I can't wait to see what happens next!

[cherie]

sounds good so far.

[Splat]

I'm glad you guys all like it so much! I'll do what i did with Splat: one chapter a week as long as I have 2 replies since the last post. I'll give you the next on monday.

(oh, and cheers T, great job! I will pay you when it's possible to send poind coins over the web!)

[Seargentbig]

Finally, the sequal for Splat. This should be good.

[Splat]

Searge: You're back!!! Where ya been?

Anyway, I promised Monday and now it's Tuesday. I blame Politics! Either way, I promised to post so here it is. The first few sentences should be familiar to you! (especially if you've read chapter 1 of Splat recently).


Chapter 1

Abe
"You know the drill. I go to mine/factory. I infiltrate mine/factory. I BLOW UP mine/factory. And nowadays either Splat or Munch (and occasionally both of them (shudder)) follow me to… "help".
"So I either have Munch running around almost getting himself killed every 30 seconds and complaining at me 24/7 or Splat buzzing along getting in my way every time I try to open a portal or possess a slig. And then sometimes they both come and spend the whole time screaming at each other: really useful when you’re hiding in the shadows with a trigger-happy slig hovering nearby looking for something to kill. Oh, the joys of being saviour of the mudokon race! (Please, kill me now!)
"Then I get back to the village and have about 2000 idiot mudokons all trying to jump on me and get my autograph and nick one (or more) of my feathers all at once. Oh, joy!
"And, what with idiots getting me almost killed every minute at work and hoards of idiot mudokons all trying to crush me under there collective weight here, I started spending a whole lot more time around the bar at Alf’s!" I concluded
"Well-done, random-mudokon-who-was-dyed-blue-by-glukkons-so-they-could-trick-people-into-thinking-they’d-killed-Abe," Several of the other mudokons in the poorly lit room sniggered. The idiot standing in front of me went on to the rest of the group: "Remember people, the first step to solving your problems is admitting you have one. Now the second step, like this brave and totally random guy has just done, (he flashed me a massive grin) is to find your G factor: the thing that made you turn to alcohol in the first place. Step three is to find an answer to your problem." He turned back to me. "Now, random mudokon, for a start you could try talking to your friends who just happen to have the same names as the freedom-fighters," (Don’t say it) "And ask them to let you get on alone for a while."
"Oh yeah," I answered, my voice weighed down with sarcasm, "why didn’t I think of that? Oh, I did! 2 things man: 1, Munch never listens to anyone other than himself and 2, If you wanna go out there and tell a flippin SCRABARATOKEN THING THAT HE’S NOT WANTED, YOU BE MY GUEST!"
"Now random mudokon, don’t-"
"AND WOULD YOU STOP CALLING ME THAT? EVEN THAT BLIND GUY IN THE CORNER KNOWS WHO I AM!"
The blind guy looked up, confused, as I jumped out of my seat, and stormed out of the door into the bright sunlight outside the hut. And it was that exact second that the string that held up the big wooden "ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS" sign that hung above the door of the hut decided to snap, dropping the large wooden board down onto my head with a crunch.

Munch
Why did nobody tell me that Splat could swim? Did you all just happen to miss it out when telling me the list of the useful stuff he can do? I went for like, a year without knowing that Splat could swim! So when someone finally told me that Splat had webbed feet, I of course challenged him to a race across the lake where I kept the baby gabbits.
Splat had accepted so I got myself all pumped up to beat him and all the baby gabbits were lined up on one side of the lake to cheer me on and the Regurgitation Roomies were gathered on the other side to cheer for Splat and David, the mudokon who looked after the babies when I was off helping Abe save the world (and getting no appreciation what so ever) was ready to start the race and judge how much I beat Splat by when this idiot came running down from the village screaming that Abe was dead!
Well Abe wasn’t dead, just unconscious after having this big wooden "ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS" sign drop on his head (don’t have a clue what Abe was doing walking out of the AA hut though…). Well anyway, we postponed my victory and went up to Bigface’s "hospital hut" to see if Abe was all right. He wasn’t doing much… Just lying there… kinda boringly… Like an unconscious dude I guess…
So anyway, we were about to go back down to the lake when Bigface walked into the room and said it was better if someone (eg, me and Splat) were there to hear about which far-off corner of Mudos Abe was off to next when he came round. We asked why Bigface couldn’t sit there all day and he muttered something that none of us could hear and ran out of the room pretty quickly after that.
Still, at about 13 O’clock-midnight, Alf came in after shutting up his bar and said he’d wait with us. Next thing any of us knew, it was 7:30 in the morning and Bigface had come in to wake us up and tell Alf that he’d better go open the bar before the morning Alcoholics Anonymous meeting ended or else there might be a riot. Alf was about to leave when Abe shot up in bed and yelled the word: "Tea-cosy!" Which is 2 words I guess.
Then Alf turned around and asked, "Well? Where do the ghosts want you to go this time?"
Abe looked puzzled for a second and gave an answer that scared the hell out of us all: "Nowhere, nothing happened. No vision, no weirdos, nothing."
And the 5 of us in the room just stared in amazement and fear for several seconds till Alf said slowly, "I… I gotta go open… open the uh…" He turned around slowly… and started screaming like a girl.



Hope you guys like it (and hope you all laughed in the appropriate places: I tried to bump up the humor a bit for when Abe and Munch are around.) Expect a new chapter every Saturday as long as i have my posts!

[odd chick]

That was really good!! Poor Abe having an Alcoholics Anonymous sign dropped on his head! That actually sounds like something that would happen to him...I laughed my head off at that!! I can't wait to see what you come up with next!

[T-nex]

Very good chapter Although i don't relly know what a "random-mudokon-who-was-dyed-blue-by-glukkons-so-they-could-trick-people-into-thinking-they’d-killed-Abe" is... :P

[Splat]

I've just been banned from the computer cause my ICT teacher and my English teacher both hate me, for an unknown length of time. I'll try and post if I get the chance but I don't know yet, you'll have to bare with me. I would post now but i don't have time. Sorry. I'll try and tell you guys more later.

[T-nex]

awwww.... Then we wont be able to read more Amy....

[odd chick]

Awww. I'm sorry that happened. It must really suck to have to be banned from the computer. Luckily I'm a patient person, so it's alright and I can wait lol.

[cherie]

aww, that stinks and the last chapter was funny too.

[Splat]

Not much time so here it is. Hope you guys like it.


Chapter 2


Alf

Hey! I was not screaming like a little girl! I was screaming like any other grown man! And you would scream too if, right after getting the shock of your life you turned around to find yourself face to face with an omnipotent being!
Well it looked like an omnipotent being. As in it matched descriptions of omnipotent beings that were found carved into the walls of caves in ancient mudokon languages telling that the beings had come to celebrate the mudokon’s victory and conquer of ancient Pamos and ancient Scros and how they "became one" with Mudos (what? You here a lot of crazy stories when you run a bar).
But right then that wasn’t the point: the point was that I had just turned around and found myself face to face with this godly being and I thought that it was gonna tell me that I was dead so there. Then I decided that if I was dead it wouldn’t matter if I started screaming. When Bigface smacked me on the back of my head I realised that I wasn’t dead and Munch was never gonna let me live this one down (cries).
It’s kinda impossible to describe an omnipotent being. Cause it’s sorta like a mix between every creature you’ve ever seen (note: this is Oddworld only so don’t start dreaming up a half-giraffe-half-snail thing) all mixed together and parts of it seem totally different when you look at it from a different angle. All I can really say is that it had huge leathery wings, sometimes feathers on its head, sometimes a sligs tail and usually jet-black eyes like Splat’s.
Then it spoke: "There is no need to be afraid," Even its voice seemed to be made up of various screeches, howls and voices of assorted animals and creatures. Oh, and by this point we’d all wet ourselves with fear – yes, even Munch.
Ok, Bigface didn’t wet himself but he stepped up to this thing which suddenly extended up about 5 feet and stretched out its wings and seemed to make a noise sorta like a shrykall. Then Bigface almost fainted with terror. He was standing long enough to ask the thing: "What do you want of us?"
The thing answered: "Now is a turning point in the timeline of the mudokon race. A situation is occurring that will never be repeated as long as the war between glukkon and mudokon lasts. If this opportunity is taken it will become the catalyst that begins the reaction that will save your people. But if you are not there to trigger the events the opportunity will go to waste. That is why I summon you, Abe, and any of your friends who are willing, to take upon yourselves a mission that will decide the fate of the mudokon race."
There was a few seconds pause and then Abe, Munch, Splat and I all said the exact same word at the exact same time: "Buh?"
The thing sighed with exasperation; "I need you to go on a mission for me that will help save the mudokon race."
"All of us?" Abe didn’t sound too happy.
"Abe, you must come and any of your friends may also choose to come."
"Mission?" Then there was another shocked pause due to the fact that Munch was actually appearing interested in something other than food or sleep.
The thing seemed to smile: "A short distance into the continent of Glucose is a factory. In 3 days a train carrying a single passenger will arrive there and stay there for 2 weeks. You must travel to a smaller building just on the border of the continents and… catch a train. This will take you right into the building where the passenger is being held. You must rescue this person and return with them to your village."
"And?" Splat spoke for the first time.
"And what?"
"Aren’t we allowed to know who it is we’re saving?"
The thing hesitated before answering: "You are looking for a female mudokon queen named Amy. She does not resemble Sam in any way so don’t be surprised when and if you meet her."
"If?"
"This quest will prove harder than it sounds. It is a long trek to the factory you are aiming for and will prove a long and difficult ride. Once you reach the building you will find saving Amy difficult. She is being kept under high guard and the factory is being run by a powerful glukkon that… Some of you…" He glanced at Splat, "May recognise."
"And am I allowed to know who you’re talking about?" There was an impatient note in Splat’s voice (what can I say, the kid’s 17 (Earth years), it’s a difficult age!)
"You will know him when you see him, as you will quickly recognise Amy when you see her."
Abe butted in: "What does she look like if not like Sam then?"
The thing reared up angrily, "I JUST TOLD YOU YOU’D RECOGNISE HER WHEN YOU SAW HER!!! WHAT, ARE YOU BRAIN-DEAD?"
Abe swooned and sank back down onto his bed. The thing turned to face the rest of us, "So, who wants in?"
"W-w-w-wait a second; let me get this straight," Said Munch, suddenly, "You want us to go on a dangerous mission to save some eejit mudokon who’ll probably give us no appreciation what so ever and probably will forget my name within 5 minutes of getting back to the village and get nothing out of it what so ever?"
"No, I want you to go on a dangerous mission to save some eejit mudokon who’ll probably give you no appreciation what so ever and probably will forget your name within 5 minutes of getting back to the village and… be rewarded fairly."
"Reward?" The reaction was instantaneous: Bigface and Abe both regained consciousness the moment the word was said, Munch’s eyes lit up like his brain had been set on fire and Splat raised is head. I, of course was the only one with the sense to ask: "What kind of reward?" …Ok, it was Splat. But I don’t say much in this chapter, ok! Jeez!
The thing seemed to smile again and said quietly, "For each of you who take part and use there strengths and skills," (Abe, Splat and I snorted; Munch didn’t seem to notice,) " for the quest will be granted a wish. Within the rules that I will bring no mudokon, slig, vykker or glukkon back from the dead, nor will I kill anybody for you, you may have anything that you desire. Anything at all."

[T-nex]

SORRY for not replying lately I'm truly sorry. Anyways, i'd just like to say that your thw best writer ever, and that you probably make the funniest stories aver I jope to see more Amy soon. Sound really exiting so far.

[odd chick]

I'm sorry I haven't replied earlier too I've been very sick and haven't been able to get back on the computer until yesterday. Anyway, this story gets more comical and interesting as it goes along. I can't wait to see what happens next!

[Splat]

Cheers, its great to here you guys like it!I hope you're feelin better Odd Chick.
Anyway, I have sort of developed an unintentional habit of including a lot of comedy when Splat and Munch are in a scene together. If you thought this was funny than i sinserely hope you like what's coming over the next 2 or 3 chapters.
I'll post again tomorrow or Saturday. The next chapter might be a bit more serious though. You might want to go recap on some of the older chapters of Splat (up till he leaves the village) if you haven't read it recently. Oh, and some of the later ones (just before he returned to the village) may also come in useful

[Splat]

Here it is at last! Sorry its overdue, i didn't get much free time over the weekend.



Chapter 3


Splat
"Splat?"
I stirred and looked up, bleary eyes. He was finally back. It must have been past midnight, over 3 hours since lights out. As the sleep cleared from my eyes I realised he was bleeding in a lot of places and had one hand hidden behind his back.
"What is it? What happened?"
He gave a weak grin, "Tripped on the way back. Knocked over a guard."
"Are you ok, it’s at least 3 hours since lights out. What did they do to you?" My eyes travelled from the various cuts on his face to the arm held forcefully out of my range of sight."
"Nothing out of the ordinary, just started late. Hit me a little harder than most I guess."
He looked down at me through the row of iron bars that separated our cell. He was a good half a foot taller than me, even when sitting. But he was 2 (Earth) years older (or 1 Odd year). He turned away from me and leant against the back of his cell, no longer looking at me. I could just make out the shape of his head and chest, rising and falling sharply, in the darkness of the mudokon bunks. I could tell there was something wrong with him but I didn’t speak; I knew better than to disturb him. He never got angry, but…
"Splat?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you… I mean… If you were on your own, I mean… Say if I had been shot, well, you know, killed… would you… Do you think you could have gotten along without me?"
"Does it matter? You’re here and we’re ok. Looking after each other like Dad would have liked." I wished I hadn’t said it the moment it was out of my mouth. He had died a decent death, before the glukkons attacked. But it was still painful: it was all so close to the past we’d lost.
"Yeah, but suppose… suppose it hadn’t happened like this." He sighed, "Could you have coped?"
"I… I don’t know, it doesn’t have mattered anyway does it?"
"YES, it DOES, Splat."
I was surprised: he was usually so calm - he hardly ever raised his voice.
"Well, I… I guess so. I mean, it would have been hard on my own. But… But I would get along, if I’d lost both of you." I was forcing back my emotion again. It was like trying to stop a volcano erupting with my bare hands.
"Splat. They’re… The glukkons, they’ve decided to… they’re… Splat, they’re moving me away to a different factory. They’re… Splitting us up."
It was the one thing we’d both been so scared of. But after so many years we'd stopped worrying, but now... That volcano was rushing lava over my head, face and arms. "WHAT?" I couldn’t keep the hysteric tone from my voice.
"SHHH, Splat, they’ll hear us, listen." He reached a skinny arm and bony hand through the bars separating us and grasped my wrist, pulling me back down off my feet onto the floor where I started to sob uncontrollably, "Listen Splat, I promised you when we first ended up in this hell-hole, remember? I promised that I’d get us both out of here. As soon as I escape Splat, I’ll come looking for you, whatever the cost. Splat?"
He wrapped his arm around me. Silently, I swore to do the same. I would never leave him to die here if I escaped.
"WHO’S THAT?" A glaring torch beam washed over my, cutting through the darkness like a blowtorch through butter.

I tried to leap to my feet. Anyone who’s ever tried to leap to his or her feet in a hammock will know roughly what happened in the few seconds between that moment and when my brain finally caught up to my body to find me lying on a heap on the floor of my hut.
I picked myself up and walked to the door, taking in a deep breath of the cool night air. The dreams had started up again recently: the memories of my past that had been dormant for so long.
I slid down the ladder between the door of my hut (built around 2 trees) and the soft earthy ground. It had been 2 (earth) years since I’d had a chance to find him (one Odd year). I’d chosen to rescue the ten mudokons kidnapped from this village and conclude my life here, rather than find him. But I’d been so close and it had haunted me ever since. If that stupid computer had been slightly faster at loading… Dammit, I hate WINDIES!
I found myself walking once more across the village to the stream running past where I sat down, my 4 legs bent around me. The sound of the running water was comforting. I guess it helped pull my mind forward out of the factories and labs where I’d spent so many years. I’d completely forgotten the sound of running water during my time there; it had had been like waking from a nightmare to hear it on my first night of freedom. The feel of gentle wind and cool grass under me after years of faulty air conditioning and ice-cold metal.
And over a year later it still comforted me when I felt lost. I stood up again and gazed up the village to the only hut still lit. A minute later I was standing outside the door. I took a deep breath and stepped through the curtain barring the entrance.
The Thing (or Omnipotent Being as Alf insisted we called it) was still in there. Still as bazaar and indescribable as ever and still standing next to the shut window, staring at me with those deep, black eyes. "You have still not chosen. Tomorrow you leave."
I sighed and sat on the bed. For the last 3 nights I had come up here and tried to decide what I wanted most. The 2 things I wanted more than anything else in the world, the 2 things that could have restored some of my past and the 2 things I couldn’t decide between. I looked up at the Thing.
"You know the 2 things I want."
"You may only have one wish." I sighed again, 3 nights I’d asked and always the same answer. We were leaving tomorrow. "But with you there are 2 things you want more than any other. You want to restore your past but I cannot grant that wish." I sighed again; for a moment I had hoped the answer would come, "But I will grant you one wish. I will restore him for you."
I looked up, suddenly exited. "Paras?" It nodded, "That’s the one I want most?"
It gazed into my eyes for a few seconds and turned away from me and faced the window. "That is the wish I will grant you."
I looked at him curiously for a few seconds. It didn’t say anything else and eventually I got up and left, wondering what it had meant.

Fragments…
I can’t cope anymore. It’s all become too much; the glukkons have taken everything I have except this book. I don’t want it to end like this but I can’t cope. I know I’ve failed everyone that ever mattered to me in doing this but… may Odd have mercy on me…
I can barely move to write this. I’ve fought it for so many months… And now I’ve lost. I don’t have the strength to fight, or to live any more. I’m sorry. If you ever read this, try to understand. I couldn’t continue. My body hurts so much. I can feel it ending now. Please, keep fighting. Do better than I did. I know you have it in you. Don’t forget me. Promise me you won’t give in to anything. I miss you more than I miss life…



Sorry guys, it had to get serious sooner or later. I hope you don't mind this sort of stuff cause this fic isn't all joy and laughter.

[T-nex]

whoa... Cool chapter. Now i'm more exited then ever

Keep it up

[odd chick]

I don't mind seriousness. It's great!! And kind of sad that Splat and his friend got separated! What a sad dream of horrible memories he had!! I can't wait to see what else happens

Edit: Post #100! Yay

[Splat]

New chapter!

Chapter 4


Abe
From the off I knew it was gonna be a very long trip! It started the morning we were set to leave when Splat and Munch both overslept and it took us an hour to work out where they were (Pretty stupid of me really: it’s not the first time). Next it was Splat insisting we took a ton of random stuff that he’d nicked from the glukkons and didn’t bother telling us what any of it was! Stupid Splat.
Alf kept going on about the amount of food and drink we were taking despite everyone screaming it was just extra weight. Eventually he said that we could take what we wanted "And if you go hungry it’s your own fault!" Stupid Alf.
15 minutes before we were gonna leave Bigface announced that he wasn’t going with us and had never said he would and we shouldn’t make assumptions and he would "be needed in the village" and so on and so forth. Stupid Bigface.
On the other hand he did agree to lend us a bunch of elums. Just when things were looking up Munch announced that he couldn’t ride an elum and never had been able to and why didn’t anyone ever think of him and so on. Stupid Munch.
Then Splat started yelling at Munch that he was always getting in the way and that he was no real help anyway and he didn’t know why we kept him around. Munch started yelling that Splat was a four legged freak and had the IQ of a slurg. He also told Splat that he was so brain-dead that he’d probably wished for something really stupid and pointless like a pack of fire flumps! This seemed to be a bad thing to say cause Splat flew into a rage, punched Munch in the nose and flew out onto the desert and sat down on a rock to wait for us to catch up. He had a long wait: we had to go find Bigface (who seemed to have run off again for some reason) and get him to fix Munch’s broken nose (though it looks like Splat sneaked back to the village while we were looking for Bigface and got himself more supplies cause it later turned out he had more than Alf!)
Alf’s omnipotent being had disappeared by the morning when we went to look for it, leaving nothing but a list of instructions for the quest, squashing are hopes of it coming with us to help. Stupid Omnipotent Being.

Munch
"Come on Splat, we’ve been at it all day."
"No."
"But I didn’t bring any!"
"Well that’s your own stupid fault isn’t it! Now get lost and quit bothering me!"
"But-"
"No."
"But-"
Splat made an obscene gesture (which in my opinion was totally unnecessary) and I gave up, deciding to make an attempt on Alf’s food instead.
"Get the Hell away from my food Munch."
"Right you are!"
I gave up, hungry and tired and feeling very spiteful to the desert and everything in it.
It was around 10 PM and we’d been walking since 11 in the morning. We’d spent the whole day hiking across the desert north of the village without a single break until now. I guess they were all still angry about the whole elum thing. Well it’s hardly my fault is it! I for one blame Bigface for not being more considerate of other people’s needs. Either way, I spent the whole day listening to Alf muttering about under-efficient glukkons and Abe cursing everything that he passed and that passed him. Splat had hardly spoken all day; Odd knows what’d got him so upset. This wasn’t officially a bad thing as it meant I didn’t have to listen to his monotonous voice all day.
An hour later Splat informed us that we all had tents in our backpacks that would repel animals in the night. I thought at first that Splat might actually have done something right for once when it turned out the thing STANK!!! The mudokons apparently couldn’t smell it: once again, mudokons being inconsiderate to the needs of other people (namely me)!
On the other hand it turned out that Splat, being part scrab and part paramite, could also smell it: HA, STICK THAT IN YOUR PIPE AND SNORT IT SPLAT!!! NOT SO HIGH AND MIGHTLY NOW!!!
After lying in the tent for a few minutes I tried to make a little nighttime conversation. "So, what’d you wish for Abe?"
After about 5 seconds, Abe answered with: "There are a lot of mudokons out there: a little more appreciation and a little less attention would be nice." Whatever that’s supposed to mean.
"Alf?"
Alf sighed. "Stocks are low and so are customers: never thought I’d say this but Munch was right!"
"I can’t remember saying that."
"Don’t you remember? It’s what you told me to get me to hold that talent show so you could get Splat back in."
"Oh yeah, that was a great show, wasn’t it?"
There was a grunt, a snort and the sound of a tent opening. "Did you guys here that snorting? It sounded like some sort of animal…I can’t see anything out there."
"That was me Abe," Alf said, blatantly.
"Oh." There was an awkward pause then Abe went on, "What about you Munch? What did you ask for?"
"150 baby gabbits screaming for attention take up a lot of your day. David is great but there’s only so much a mudokon can do in the line of looking after baby gabbits. All I want is a little extra help at the job."
There was a silence following this, which I broke by asking: "What about you Splat? What was it thing you asked for?"
"Shut up Munch or I’ll break your nose again."
I was about to retaliate but Alf stopped me. "Don’t take the bait Munch," He said sagely, "The kid’s going through puberty."
I sighed. "It probably was something stupid," I muttered under my breath. Stupid mudokons.






One of those days, huh?

[Splat]

No body loves me anymore!

[odd chick]

Awwwwwwww......I love ya!! I'm sorry it took me so long to reply. Anyway, I thought it was good. Poor Munch-he's so underappreciated! I can't wait to see what else you write! Keep it coming!

[T-nex]

NOOOO! How come i missed it again? !!

Anyways this chapter rocks, and i can't wait for the bext one Keep it coiming

[Splat]

Yes sir! Glad u both like it, i kinda liked that one to. I HAVE NOW FINISHED SCOOL FOR CHRISTMAS SO I CAN NOW WRITE LOTS OF STUFF AND I HAD MY LAST EXAM THIS MORNING SO I'M FREE TILL AFTER EASTER AND I CAUGHT UP ON (MOST OF) MY COURSEWORK SO THIS IS A VERY GOOD DAY!!!!!!!!!! I'll try and get the next chapter of TQFTO soon and I'll post the next chapter of Splat at the weekend. Later!

[Splat]

You guys have an irritating habit of forcing me to double-post. I'm just gonna shut up now.


Chapter 5

Splat
I smelt smoke. "Splat!"
"What’s going on Adey?" I was already fully alert, adrenaline wriggling into by body like oil into a river.
"The Elder’s hut is on fire. We need to get away from the buildings.
He grabbed my arm and we ran out into the night. There was a dull glow on the eastern horizon, foretelling the approaching dawn. That was barely noticeable, though, against the orange light flitting around the huts from the north. Adey was dragging me towards the source of the blaze. Already a large crowd was gathered outside the Elders hut. "What started it?"
"That’s what I want to know. Stay here Splat." And he left me, pushing into the throng.
I didn’t move from the spot where he’d left me. When danger was so close I knew better than to disobey. Even still, he was gone a long time and I stood still behind the crowd, watching flames shoot above the heads of the mudokons in front of me. As the sun crept up, the flames burnt down. It was a windless sunrise and so the fire was safely under control. It looked like the only damage would be to the one hut. Though with it being the Elder’s, it still meant a lot of problems brewing for us.
No one paid a young mudokon standing watching the slowly dying flames any attention and I didn’t want any. I wished I’d awoken Paras before leaving our hut. I wanted to go find him but I wasn’t about to disobey my older brother who still hadn’t come back.
The sun was just rising above the jungle surrounding our village casting a dull white light towards us and the flames had almost died out. I could only see the occasional flicker now, but I could still hear a dull crackling above the hushed chatter of the 200 mudokons between me and the pile of ashes that was once the centre point of the village. Adey still hadn’t returned.
BANG! Mudokons were suddenly screaming! Panicking. It didn’t take me long to work out what was going on. Several people were screaming it out already: raiders. We'd heard of them wiping out entire villages nearby, dragging off the survivors: never to be seen again. Adey had burst out of the panicked crowd and was running towards me! "Splat! Run!" I didn’t wait a second longer. Another round of shots fired. I heard more screaming behind me, heard blood splattering. BANG!!!
My head hit the roof of my tent. I could still hear the crackling of the burning hut! And… And… It wasn’t the hut; it was a small campfire. Someone was banging 2 stones together. "Splat, if you don’t get out here now you can cook your own breakfast!"
I sighed and crawled to the door of my tent, unclipping the ground sheet as I passed and dragged it out behind me.

Alf
You really don’t understand how much Abe suffers till you’re out there with him.
"Metal-head!"
"Dingbat!"
"Do they do this all the time Abe?"
Abe nodded sadly.
"Footstool!"
"4-legged freak!"
"1 legged freak!"
"Whoa, good comeback Splat! Uh… Finger-face!"
Splat’s face paramite tentacle thingies twitched, "Wide mouth!"
"That’s just weird Splat," I put in.
"Hey, yeah! Brain-dead!"
"Can head… Hah! Poetry, beat that Munch!"
"Uh… Can… body!"
"Can body? That’s pitiful man! That’s gotta be your worst to date! I mean, Mouse Mat was pretty lame but Can Body?"
"Mouse mat?" I questioned, confused.
"Long story," Abe told me, "You do not wanna get em started on that one again." He turned to the others, "Uh, Splat? Could you like, fly up there and scout around a bit, you know? Tell us what you can see?"
"Sure thing Abe." Then added loudly, staring at Munch, "I AM ALWAYS WILLING TO BE USEFUL ON MISSIONS!"
"Just… Go!"
Splat took off into the air and flew up towards the sun, making me loose sight of him pretty early. The three of us walked on in near silence, accept for Munch muttering something about under-appreciation and ungrateful mudokons."

Abe
By lunchtime Munch and Alf were complaining for a rest. I would have expected more from Alf but he wasn’t really used to this sort of thing. Munch was just being lazy and would start complaining about lazy mudokons if we did stop so I shot an apologetic glance at Alf and answered, "We’ll stop when Splat comes back."
We had a long wait. I reckon he landed at some point and walked after or ahead of us: he rarely flew for more than 2 hours at a time and he’d already been gone almost 4. He’d rest his wings by walking and then take off again and rest his legs for 2 hours. I glanced backwards occasionally to see if I could spot him but never did. I didn’t want Munch bothering me more so I didn’t call for him: he would turn up eventually.
Eventually was about an hour before dinner. Splat zoomed down towards us and at first I was pleased: even I was getting tired by now. Then I noticed the panicked look on his face!
"ABE!"
"Calm down Splat, what is it?"
"About a mile back…" He was panting. "Scrabs… Whole herd of em’… Heading this way!"



And that's it for 2004. I'll be back in January, Merry Christmas folks! I got some serious writing to do!

[odd chick]

That was interesting. I cracked up when Munch called Splat a "Can body". Ha ha! . I'll wait for more of the story until January and Merry Christmas!

[Splat]

Well, Christmas is over, school starts again very soon and I only got one reply over the whole of the 2 weeks holiday. If you notice in the first post of the story, i need 2 replies before i give up another chapter. Sorry Odd Chick. gad you liked it!

*sigh* I'm so desperately lonely

[Splat]

This is getting very depressing