Toad Heaven (15 page)

Goliath, groaning, slumped next to him.

“It's hopeless,” moaned Goliath.“The humans probably know where we are too.”

“It's not hopeless,” said Charm. “We were going back to warn Mum and Dad about the germs. We can go back to warn them about this.”

Limpy looked up at her determined little face. Just the sight of it made his despair start to fade.

She was right.

Limpy turned to the crocodile.

“Any chance of a lift upriver?” he asked.

“Don't push it,” said the crocodile.

L
impy was grateful the train carriage was empty.

This was the first uncrowded part of the whole trip back.

The banana truck from the river to town had not only been bumpy, it had been crowded with spiders, mosquitoes, and snakes. Then, when the three of them had found the station, it had been swarming with humans and sheep.

Now, at last, thought Limpy, here's a chance for us to get some rest.

If only Goliath felt the same.

“Shouldn't we be watching out for everyone?” Goliath was saying, peering out between the planks in the carriage wall, squinting in the morning sun that twinkled through the trees they were clattering past.

Even though Limpy was exhausted, he understood Goliath's concern.

“No need till we get to the railway crossing,” said Limpy. “Mum and Dad and the others were heading west, so they'll be somewhere on the other side of that.”

Goliath frowned.

Limpy sighed and started to get up out of the comfortable bed he'd made for himself from scraps of soft sheep's wool. He could explain things better standing up.

Charm laid a hand on his arm.

“It's okay,” she said. “I'll draw him a diagram.”

“There it is!” yelled Goliath. “Our railway crossing!”

Limpy leaped up and peered out.

Goliath was right.

Limpy watched, throat sac tight with emotion, as his old life slid past the carriage.

The railway-crossing light, bare of flying insects in the midday sun.

The highway—unadorned, Limpy was relieved to see, by any squashed rellies.

The tree where Goliath had failed to break Ancient Eric's leaf-bug-eating record, but only because he had a swamp rat in his mouth at the time.

“I could do it now,” muttered Goliath, gazing back at the tree. “I know I could.”

Limpy strained to catch a last glimpse of his dear home.

Then it was gone.

He looked at Charm and Goliath, and he could see they were thinking the same thing as him.

Will we ever see it again?

From that point on, they didn't take their eyes off the landscape, desperate not to miss anything that looked even a bit like Mum or Dad or Malcolm.

Limpy took one side of the carriage, Goliath the other, and Charm divided her time between the two.

“There!” screamed Goliath, pointing at a paddock. “There's Malcolm!”

“No,” said Charm. “It's just a big pile of old horse poo.”

She came back over to Limpy.

“Do you really think we'll be able to see them from here?” she said.

Limpy had been wondering the same thing.

“The railway line and the highway both run west,” he said. “They'll need to follow one of them, and the railway line's safer. I don't think even Malcolm's crazy enough to go on the highway.”

Limpy glanced at Charm.

She didn't reply.

They were so busy peering out, they didn't see the ants come in.

“Hey,” said a cross voice. “What're you doing in our carriage?”

Limpy spun round.

A swarm of angry red ants were glaring at him and Charm.

Charm barely took her eyes off the passing countryside. “Your carriage?” she said, glancing over her shoulder. “Who says?”

“We do,” said the front ant.

Limpy laid a reassuring hand on Charm's.

He recognized the ants. They were the same sort who'd scared the sheep back at the station.

Stay calm, he said to himself. We don't have time to get into an argument with pushy ants.

“We're hoping to meet up with our rellies,” Limpy said to the ant. “Out west.”

“Same here,” said the ant. “So rack off.”

On the other side of the carriage, Goliath was looking at the ants and licking his lips.

Limpy held up his hand, signaling to Goliath to stay where he was.

“I'm going to need your help,” said Limpy to the ants. “I'm trying to encourage my cousin over there not to eat every ant he sees, and he's trying hard, but I'm afraid he's finding you almost impossible to resist.”

The ants looked at Goliath and saw the hunger in his eyes.

Limpy saw their expression change as they realized they were looking at a toad who'd eat every single one of them, even if he had to find a needle and sew a gusset in his tummy.

The ants looked at one another.

“Our mistake,” scowled the front ant. “Our carriage must be the next one.”

They scurried away.

“Hey,” said Goliath, disappointed.“Why did you do that?”

“I'm trying to get us in the habit,” said Limpy, “of being kinder to insects when we're not hungry.”

“But I
am
hungry,” said Goliath.

Much later they still hadn't seen any sign of Mum or Dad or Malcolm or anyone.

Limpy had the idea of climbing up through the air vent onto the roof of the carriage for a better view. Even though the train was on a slow stretch, it wasn't an easy climb. Goliath got jammed in the vent, and Limpy and Charm had to use all their mucus to slide him through.

After all that, being on the roof didn't make any difference.

Still not a rellie to be seen.

This isn't looking good, thought Limpy, the warm afternoon breeze doing nothing to relieve the worried
ache in his glands.

Could we have missed them? he wondered. Or could they have taken another route? Or could they already be at Kakadu, hanging from the front gate?

There were so many possibilities, and Limpy didn't like the thought of any of them.

“I haven't seen a single cane toad,” said Charm, sounding as worried as Limpy felt.

“Me neither,” said Goliath from the other side of the carriage roof. “All I can see are donkeys and goats and foxes and brumbies and camels and feral pigs.”

Limpy slithered quickly across the roof to Goliath in case the sun was affecting his cousin's brain and Goliath decided he could fly or something.

When Limpy got there, his mouth fell open.

Not far from the train was an incredible sight.

A huge crowd of animals, hundreds of them, including all the ones Goliath had mentioned, moving slowly across the dusty scrubland.

Why are they going so slowly? wondered Limpy.

Then he saw why.

Leading them was a group of much smaller figures, hopping wearily. The one in front was less small and was studying a map.

“Look!” yelled Charm, arriving next to Limpy. “That's Malcolm!”

“And there's Dad!” screamed Limpy.

“Stack me,” muttered Goliath. “I thought they were rocks.”

Limpy squinted down at the dusty cane toads. Where was Mum? He couldn't see Mum.

“Mum!” he yelled. “Mum!”

“They can't hear us,” said Charm.

“Come on!” yelled Limpy to Charm and Goliath. “Time to get off. Jump! Jump!”

“L
impy!” yelled Mum.

Limpy, even though he was still dizzy from being whacked in the head by the ground, could see that Mum's eyes were wide with delight.

His were too as he zigzagged over and flung his arms round her and Dad.

Limpy lost track of time in a chaos of hugs and tears and backslaps and questions and a mild concussion.

He even found himself hugging Goliath at one stage and asking him how things had been going.

“Not bad,” said Goliath. “Though when I jumped off the train I swallowed my tongue, and I think part of it's still down my throat.”

After Limpy calmed down a bit, he realized how tired and dusty all the cane toads looked.

“Mum,” said Charm, concerned. “Look at you. It's too dry out here in the west for you.”

“I'll be fine,” said Mum, licking her parched lips. “Once we get to Kakadu.”

Then Limpy saw Malcolm standing to one side, watching them.

“So,” said Malcolm.“You've decided to join me.” He pointed dramatically to the hundreds of animals standing patiently in the dust. “As you can see, my real estate investment proposal has become very popular.”

Limpy heard uncertain muttering from some of the animals.

“It's not really the investment we're interested in,” said a rabbit. “It's the national park.”

“A place where all living things can be safe and protected forever,” said a donkey.

“And that's exactly what you'll get,” said Malcolm. “As soon as you pay up.”

Limpy looked at the travel-weary animals. At the yearning expression in their eyes as they peered anxiously toward the western horizon.

I've got to tell them the truth, thought Limpy.

“I'm afraid,” he said, “that's probably not what you'll get.”

The animals stared at him.

“Me and my sister and cousin have just been to a national park over to the east,” said Limpy.

“Two, if you count the permanently flooded one,” said Goliath.

“We thought the same as you about national parks,” Limpy continued, looking sadly at the animals. “But I'm afraid it's not true. Not all living things are safe and protected there. Only the lucky few that are allowed in.”

The animals broke into angry murmuring.

“Bull,” said a camel. “You've got that wrong.”

“That'd be discrimination,” said a fox.

“That's against the law these days,” said a mouse.

“Excuse me, everyone,” said Goliath to the animals. “This will be important for your application. Do you all get eaten?”

“No,” said a wild horse.“Just shot from helicopters.”

Limpy looked at Charm for help, but she was frowning anxiously. She pointed to Limpy's back, and then to Malcolm.

Limpy nodded. She was right. They had to destroy Malcolm's tracking device before the humans arrived with guns and golf clubs and big needles.

A feral pig interrupted while Limpy was still working out how to do this.

“That national park to the east,” said the pig. “How far away is it?”

“By foot,” said Limpy, “a few days. But please, listen to me….”

Limpy was drowned out by a very loud snort from the feral pig, who pointed angrily down to Malcolm.

“That's how far that mongrel reckoned Kakadu was,” said the pig. “I reckon it's more like a few months. We'd be better off going east.”

The other animals muttered in agreement.

“That's right, you would,” said Goliath. “No, hang on, no you wouldn't.”

“That's enough!” roared Malcolm.

For a moment Limpy thought Malcolm was going to try and bully the whole crowd of animals, but then he realized Malcolm was yelling just at him.

“How dare you!” thundered Malcolm, towering over Limpy. “I should have flattened you ages ago, and I think I'll do it now.”

Limpy took a step back.

Somebody leaped in front of him.

It was Charm, eyes flashing as she glared up at Malcolm.

“Listen, handsome,” she said in an icy voice. “You may have a clever business brain and be hunkier than any toad around, but if you touch my brother I'll take you apart wart by wart and feed you to that goat.”

“Eh?” said the goat.

Malcolm took a step back. Then he recovered and thrust his head at Limpy.

“How dare you push in here and try to undermine
my business plan,” he growled. “What gives you the right?”

“Well,” said Limpy. “It's really just the fact that you've been leading my whole family into mortal danger.”

“Danger!” said Mum. “What danger?”

“Rubbish!” thundered Malcolm.“My easy-purchase plan offers safety, not danger.”

Limpy looked up at the feral pig.

“Excuse me, Mr. Pig,” he said. “See that lump on Malcolm's back? Would you mind stabbing it with your tusk?”

“My pleasure,” said the pig.

“Hey, wait a minute,” protested Malcolm. But before he could move, the pig prodded his back lump with the tip of a tusk.

“Ow!” yelled Malcolm.