The 52-Storey Treehouse
Page 5
But time marched never on.
They wished to end their epic quest,
But still the snails slid on … and on … and on … and on … and on … and on … and on … and on …
Till, finally, they saw a sign—
A nose so big and red—
Their journey’s end was reached at last,
And up the walls they ‘sped’.
They reached the open office window
And slowly slid inside.
They slimed onto the office desk
And across it they did glide.
So let’s hear it for those snails so brave,
Let’s give them three big cheers,
For they made their way and saved the day
(Though it took 100 years*).
* And 15 minutes.
… zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
zzzzzzzzzzzzz … um … hang on … what are these zeds doing all over the page?
Oh … I must have fallen asleep.
I wonder what the time is?
I look at the clock.
Hang on! That can’t be right! It’s fast— 100 years and 15 minutes fast!
Ah!
Now I remember.
The carrot!
The Ninja Snails!
The book!
Terry’s crazy plan!
‘Terry!’ I say. ‘Jill! Wake up!’
Terry sits up and rubs his eyes.
Jill yawns and stretches. ‘I feel like I’ve been asleep for 100 years and 15 minutes,’ she says.
‘That’s because you have!’ I say. ‘We all have.’
‘I wonder if the snails made it?’ says Terry.
At that moment the doorbell rings.
We go down and open the door.
It’s Bill the postman!
‘Gee, you guys have really let this place go,’ says Bill. ‘I had to clear a path to get in here! I’m a postman, not a gardener, you know.’
‘Sorry, Bill,’ I say. ‘We slept in.’
‘For 100 years and 15 minutes,’ says Terry.
‘You boys need an alarm clock,’ says Bill, chuckling.
‘I hate alarms,’ says Terry. ‘They scare me.’
‘How do you feel about telegrams?’ says Bill.
‘I love them!’ says Terry.
‘Well, that’s great,’ says Bill, ‘because I’ve got one for you right here.’
‘Yay!’ says Terry, taking the telegram from Bill. ‘It’s from the snails!’
‘What does it say?’ says Jill.
‘They made it!’
‘That’s wonderful news,’ says Jill.
‘Yeah,’ says Terry. ‘I knew they could do it.’
‘Me too,’ I say. ‘I’m going to miss those little guys.’
‘Not for long,’ says Terry. ‘They’re on their way home!’
‘Always glad to be the bearer of good news,’ says Bill, ‘but I’d better be on my way.’ He rides his scooter back down the path he’s cleared to our front door and disappears into the overgrown forest.
‘I had the most amazing dream while we were asleep,’ says Terry. ‘I dreamed we added another 13 storeys to the treehouse, including one where it’s always your birthday.’
‘Me, too!’ I say, ‘I had the exact same dream!’
‘So did I,’ says Jill, ‘and one of the new storeys was a pet-grooming salon—and I was in charge!’
‘It’s kind of weird that we all had the same dream,’ says Terry. ‘Do you think it means something?’
‘Definitely,’ I say. ‘It means we should add another 13 storeys to the treehouse and we should get started right away.’
‘Don’t forget the pet-grooming salon,’ says Jill.
‘Or the birthday room,’ says Terry.
‘One 65-storey treehouse with a pet-grooming salon and a birthday room coming right up!’ I say.
THE END
The 65-Storey Treehouse
Join Andy and Terry in their newly expanded 65-storey treehouse, featuring a pet-grooming salon, a room where it’s your birthday whenever you want and lots of other brand-new, surprising, crazy and fun-packed storeys!
COMING SEPTEMBER 2015
Andy Griffiths lives in a 52-storey treehouse with his friend Terry and together they make funny books, just like the one you’re holding in your hands right now. Andy writes the words and Terry draws the pictures. If you’d like to know more, read this book (or visit www.andygriffiths.com.au).
Terry Denton lives in a 52-storey treehouse with his friend Andy and together they make funny books, just like the one you’re holding in your hands right now. Terry draws the pictures and Andy writes the words. If you’d like to know more, read this book (or visit www.terrydenton.com).
ALSO BY ANDY GRIFFITHS AND ILLUSTRATED BY TERRY DENTON
Just Tricking!
Just Annoying!
Just Stupid!
Just Crazy!
Just Disgusting!
Just Shocking!
Just Macbeth!
Just Doomed!
The Bad Book
The Very Bad Book
The Cat on the Mat is Flat
The Big Fat Cow That Goes Kapow
What Bumosaur is That?
What Body Part is That?
The 13-Storey Treehouse
The 26-Storey Treehouse
The 39-Storey Treehouse
Once upon a Slime: 45 fun ways to get writing … FAST!
ALSO BY ANDY GRIFFITHS
The Day My Bum Went Psycho
Zombie Bums from Uranus
Bumageddon: The Final Pongflict
Schooling Around:
Treasure Fever!
Pencil of Doom!
Mascot Madness!
Robot Riot!
First published 2014 in Pan by Pan Macmillan Australia Pty Limited
1 Market Street, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 2000
Text copyright © Backyard Stories 2014
Illustration copyright © 2014
The moral right of the author has been asserted.
All rights reserved. This publication (or any part of it) may not be reproduced or transmitted, copied, stored, distributed or otherwise made available by any person or entity (including Google, Amazon or similar organisations), in any form (electronic, digital, optical, mechanical) or by any means (photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise) without prior written permission from the publisher.
This ebook may not include illustrations and/or photographs that may have been in the print edition.
Cataloguing-in-Publication entry is available
from the National Library of Australia
http://catalogue.nla.gov.au
EPUB format: 9781743518274
Typeset by Seymour Designs
Cover design by Seymour Designs
Cover images by Terry Denton
The characters in this book are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
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