14 BOUNCING OFF THE WALLS

CHAPTER 14 BOUNCING OFF THE WALLS Alexander climbed up onto a nearby tree limb. "C'mon, Rip!" he yelled, climbing higher. Balloon goons filled the backyard. The group from the front circled around the house as dozens more glided in from the woods. The crowd of swaying monsters silently zeroed in on Rip. "No way!" said Rip. He swung his clown shoe but was no match for the balloons. They grabbed Rip and lifted him high in the air.

"Salamander! Help!" he shouted. Alexander hugged his branch as the balloons carried Rip off into the woods. A moment later, Alexander dropped from the tree. WHO WILL SAVE RIP? Alexander's dad? NO. Wandered off wearing a blindfold. The nervous clown? NO. Ran away crying. Stanley the Steam Shovel? NO. Imaginary cartoon character. Alexander? YES! The only one around. Alexander trailed the balloon goons as they marched through the woods. Then he gasped.

该页暂无翻译

Before him stood the largest bouncy castle ever built! It was the size of a real castle, with towers, battlements—even a drawbridge. Except the entire thing was made of rubber. The balloon goons dragged Rip into their bouncy fortress, leaving the drawbridge open. Alexander stepped onto the drawbridge. It wobbled slightly. He took a breath and entered the gate. It was dark inside. Alexander could hear a faint were breathing. There was no sign of Rip or any balloon goons. Walking was tricky, so Alexander tried jumping. The springy floor launched him up to the ceiling. He rebounded off a wall and bounced down the hallway.

Alexander bopped his way through the maze of passageways. He got lost a few times but eventually found himself in the heart of the fortress. It was an enormous room with no ceiling just the blue morning sky. In the middle of the arena, a kid was tied to an inflatable post. Alexander leaped over. "Rip! You're alive!" Rip smiled. "Salamander! Untie me!" Alexander worked at the knots. "Why did they bring you to their fortress?" "Fortress?" Rip snorted. "This place is a factory! While you were

playing hopscotch, they brought out a million baby balloon goons and forced me to blow 'em up. Once I ran out of breath, they tied me up." "Is that their secret?" Alexander asked. "They're building an army?" He loosened one knot, but there were dozens to go. "Just imagine: no pool toys! No bikes! And" he swallowed "no whoopee cushions! We have to stop them." The ground began to quiver. Alexander heard a low rumbling, like hundreds of basketballs being dribbled at once. An army of angry balloon goons swarmed in from all sides. The boys were surrounded.