do,” Martin said calmly. “That’s all I care about. That’s why I need your help.”
Lane turned away.
“This is complex stuff, dude,” Chet said, pointing at the papers. “How do you know we can build it?”
“ ’Cause I’ve built it before,” Martin said. “I spent my whole life building it. Now we just need to build it bigger.”
The floor began to vibrate ever so slightly. Across the room, someone’s throat cleared.
“Him?” Lane exclaimed. She sat up and shot an accusatory finger toward the door. “He’s the other one?”
Henry took a few steps toward them, his rifle slung over his shoulder.
“Can we help you, Henry?” Martin asked.
“She’s ready,” was all Henry would say. Then he walked back outside.
Kid Godzilla was painted green with curls of silver to produce the illusion of scales. A series of glossy white metallic teeth made up the front grill. A jagged tail fin stuck out from the back. The tires, thick and black, were at least five feet tall. Taller than Henry, in any case. When Martin, Lane, and Chet came out of the church, they saw the squat boy standing next to the monster truck, which was vibrating and spitting exhaust from its curling green tailpipe.
Darla shoved her head and a fist out the driver’s-side window. “A Spacer! An honest-to-goodness Spacer!” she hooted. She gave the fist an overly celebratory pump.
“She gets excited sometimes,” Henry explained.
“Of course I do.” Darla laughed. “I’m psyched. Climb aboard, one and all. Three Vaporists and a Spacer. Makin’ a spaceship. Who woulda thunk it?”
Henry began to hoist himself up to the passenger-side seat when Darla waved him off. “Shoo, boy. That seat is reserved for Mr. Maple.”
Head down, Henry shuffled over to the extended cab in the back.
“Thank you,” Martin whispered as he climbed up and into the truck.
“And make sure you sit
squirrel
,” Darla commanded Henry. “We got a coupla huskies that deserve window seats.”
Henry moved to the center of the cramped back cab, squeezed his legs together, lifted his knees, and brought hishands in close to his chin. His rifle stuck up behind him like a tail.
“Whatcha waiting on?” Darla said to Chet and Lane, who hadn’t made a move from their spots along the edge of the church parking lot. By the looks on their faces, it was easy to tell they weren’t happy with the situation.
“Flying pigs,” Lane deadpanned.
“I’m sure Nigel could arrange something,” Darla said. “Come on and get in, ya bums.”
“Yes,” Martin said. “I think it’s important that we all work together. Where are we going, anyway, Darla?”
In response, she smiled, revved the engine, then pulled a small lever on the dashboard. Fire shot out from two nostril-shaped holes in the hood of Kid Godzilla, and the laugh Darla set free from her lungs was only a tad short of maniacal.
—— 14 ——
The Island
T hey spotted the Ferris wheel first. It rose through the trees like the skeleton of a giant flower. As the truck got closer, they saw the sign.
“What’s Impossible Island?” Chet asked from the backseat.
“You’re looking at it,” Darla said. “Finest theme park within fifty miles of Xibalba.”
“Theme parks are torture,” Martin blurted out.
“What?” Henry said.
“It’s something … someone told me once,” Martin said.
“Well, someone was a real wet blanket,” Darla said. “Theme parks are all kinds of awesome. Even if abandoned ones have the occasional raccoon problem. Hope y’all had your rabies shots.”
Darla parked Kid Godzilla next to the gate and Henry took the lead, hopping a turnstile with his rifle at the ready.He checked all sides, then motioned with two fingers for everyone to follow.
The park wasn’t particularly big, but Martin didn’t realize that. To him it appeared to be an entire city. Lines of miniature houses, torn from the pages of storybooks, made up the downtown. Colorful insectlike rides
Lane turned away.
“This is complex stuff, dude,” Chet said, pointing at the papers. “How do you know we can build it?”
“ ’Cause I’ve built it before,” Martin said. “I spent my whole life building it. Now we just need to build it bigger.”
The floor began to vibrate ever so slightly. Across the room, someone’s throat cleared.
“Him?” Lane exclaimed. She sat up and shot an accusatory finger toward the door. “He’s the other one?”
Henry took a few steps toward them, his rifle slung over his shoulder.
“Can we help you, Henry?” Martin asked.
“She’s ready,” was all Henry would say. Then he walked back outside.
Kid Godzilla was painted green with curls of silver to produce the illusion of scales. A series of glossy white metallic teeth made up the front grill. A jagged tail fin stuck out from the back. The tires, thick and black, were at least five feet tall. Taller than Henry, in any case. When Martin, Lane, and Chet came out of the church, they saw the squat boy standing next to the monster truck, which was vibrating and spitting exhaust from its curling green tailpipe.
Darla shoved her head and a fist out the driver’s-side window. “A Spacer! An honest-to-goodness Spacer!” she hooted. She gave the fist an overly celebratory pump.
“She gets excited sometimes,” Henry explained.
“Of course I do.” Darla laughed. “I’m psyched. Climb aboard, one and all. Three Vaporists and a Spacer. Makin’ a spaceship. Who woulda thunk it?”
Henry began to hoist himself up to the passenger-side seat when Darla waved him off. “Shoo, boy. That seat is reserved for Mr. Maple.”
Head down, Henry shuffled over to the extended cab in the back.
“Thank you,” Martin whispered as he climbed up and into the truck.
“And make sure you sit
squirrel
,” Darla commanded Henry. “We got a coupla huskies that deserve window seats.”
Henry moved to the center of the cramped back cab, squeezed his legs together, lifted his knees, and brought hishands in close to his chin. His rifle stuck up behind him like a tail.
“Whatcha waiting on?” Darla said to Chet and Lane, who hadn’t made a move from their spots along the edge of the church parking lot. By the looks on their faces, it was easy to tell they weren’t happy with the situation.
“Flying pigs,” Lane deadpanned.
“I’m sure Nigel could arrange something,” Darla said. “Come on and get in, ya bums.”
“Yes,” Martin said. “I think it’s important that we all work together. Where are we going, anyway, Darla?”
In response, she smiled, revved the engine, then pulled a small lever on the dashboard. Fire shot out from two nostril-shaped holes in the hood of Kid Godzilla, and the laugh Darla set free from her lungs was only a tad short of maniacal.
—— 14 ——
The Island
T hey spotted the Ferris wheel first. It rose through the trees like the skeleton of a giant flower. As the truck got closer, they saw the sign.
“What’s Impossible Island?” Chet asked from the backseat.
“You’re looking at it,” Darla said. “Finest theme park within fifty miles of Xibalba.”
“Theme parks are torture,” Martin blurted out.
“What?” Henry said.
“It’s something … someone told me once,” Martin said.
“Well, someone was a real wet blanket,” Darla said. “Theme parks are all kinds of awesome. Even if abandoned ones have the occasional raccoon problem. Hope y’all had your rabies shots.”
Darla parked Kid Godzilla next to the gate and Henry took the lead, hopping a turnstile with his rifle at the ready.He checked all sides, then motioned with two fingers for everyone to follow.
The park wasn’t particularly big, but Martin didn’t realize that. To him it appeared to be an entire city. Lines of miniature houses, torn from the pages of storybooks, made up the downtown. Colorful insectlike rides
Similar Books
