Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10 FRANKY EXPLAINED HIS PLAN TO Wolfy, Vampyra, Fern, and the rest of the cubs. "Paws and claws in," said Wolfy. The Junior and Little Junior Monster Scouts all put their hands together. "When someone else is in trouble…," said Vampyra. "We help them out on the double!" said Wolfy, Franky, Fern, and the Little Junior Monster Scouts. Wolfy and Vampyra grabbed the last two carts of garbage and pushed them away from the village, but not before Fern and the cubs filled a few sacks with trash. "Hey," said Boris, stopping to catch his breath. All that running in circles,

screaming, had tired him out. "Where are you going with all that trash?" "Stargazer's Point," said Vampyra. "See if you can find any more garbage lying around, and bring it there!" "You heard her," Boris said to the other rats. "Let's do what we do best!" "Eat cheese?" asked a rat. "No, the other thing," said Boris. "Gather garbage." While Vampyra and Wolfy pushed those gross, yucky, fly-ridden piles of trash to Stargazer's Point, Fern and the cubs dropped a trail of litter along the way. Some dirty napkins here, a rusted tomato sauce can there. A broken plate here, a bent bicycle tire there. They did this all the way from the village to Stargazer's Point. While the rats and the Junior Monster Scouts were busy moving trash, the trash pile was busy moving deeper into the village. It

slurped old slop. It guzzled gristle and fat. It chewed on old tires and munched on mold- covered melon rinds. It got bigger, and bigger, and bigger with every mouthful of garbage. Franky stood in the middle of the village, dangling a slop-stained old boot that someone had put out in the trash. "Um, Mister Trash Pile?" said Franky. He took a step backward. "Excuse me?" He took another nervous step backward. "I have a very smelly, very icky old boot you might be interested in." The trash heap reached for the boot, but Franky pulled it away. "HUNGRY," said the trash heap. "And there's more where this came from," said Franky. "MORE?" asked the trash heap. "SNORGLE BELCH GLOBBLE MUCK." "But you have to follow me," said Franky.

Franky took a few steps backward along the trail of garbage Fern and the cubs had left. Every time the trash heap reached a piece of garbage, it scooped it up and gobbled it down.

"YUMMY YUMMY FOR MY TUMMY," said the trash heap. "Speaking of tummies," said Baron Von Grump, suddenly appearing from behind the trash heap, "you have something of mine in yours." "Where did he come from?" Wolfy asked. "From behind the trash pile," Boris whispered. Wolfy rolled his eyes. "I know that," he said. "What I meant was—" "SNORGLE?" "Caw!" said Edgar. "BELCH GLOBBLE!" "And I want it back!" said Baron Von Grump. "GLOBBLE MUCK!" roared the trash heap. Baron Von Grump rolled his coat sleeves up and marched forward.

Franky waved the old boot around, trying to get the trash heap's attention. "No, over here!" Franky said. "Baron Von Grump, don't take another step!" But Baron Von Grump did not listen. He took not one, but two, steps and… GULP! Baron Von Grump was gone. Swallowed up and in the belly of the trash heap.