Zebra Rampage Read online

  ‘Gross!’ said Harry. ‘Remind me never to kiss you again!’

  Both twins pulled a face.

  ‘Where’s his mother?’ asked Jordan, looking nervously back through the trees.

  Harry waved a hand in the same direction. ‘Over by the hippo pool.’

  Jordan’s eyes went big. ‘Hippo pool! You’re kidding, right?’

  ‘Not kidding,’ Harry said. ‘There are four hippos and a crocodile.’

  ‘A crocodile!’

  Harry giggled. ‘I was kidding about the crocodile. But there are hippos.’

  A shivery feeling ran up and down Jordan’s spine. It said on BRAIN that hippos killed more people than any other animal in Africa.

  ‘We’d better get out of here,’ he said.

  ‘Um, aren’t you forgetting something?’ asked his brother.

  ‘What?’

  Harry pointed at Little Z, who was sucking Jordan’s fingertips. ‘Your baby.’

  ‘He isn’t my baby,’ Jordan said. ‘He’s got a mother.’

  ‘And she’s got my T-shirt,’ said Harry, turning to walk away. ‘Follow me. And bring Little Z.’

  ‘Wait!’ Jordan called.

  Harry stopped and looked back. ‘What’s the matter?’

  ‘Hippos are dangerous. I think we should go for help.’

  ‘We don’t need help, Agent J.’ Harry stuck his chest out. ‘We’re Mission Fox.’

  ‘But our mission’s over,’ said Jordan. ‘Little Z’s breathing. Look, he’s even standing up!’

  ‘Little Z needs his mother,’ Harry said. ‘Our mission isn’t over till they’re together again.’

  Jordan sighed. ‘We’re just kids, Harry. The Mission Fox Official Oath doesn’t say we have to risk our lives.’

  It was Harry’s turn to sigh. ‘All I’m going to do is take the T-shirt off Mrs Z’s head so she can look after her baby.’

  ‘Won’t she chase us?’

  ‘Not if we do it right,’ said Harry.

  Jordan looked worried. ‘What about the hippos?’

  ‘We won’t go near the hippos,’ Harry promised.

  What if they come near us? Jordan thought.

  But it was useless arguing with Harry once his mind was made up.

  Harry turned and set off through the trees towards the hippo pool.

  Jordan had no choice but to follow.

  They had to walk slowly so Little Z could keep up. It wobbled along behind Jordan like an overgrown puppy, trying to suck his fingers.

  How long could it last without its mother’s milk? Jordan wondered. Harry was right, he thought. The rescue mission wasn’t over till Little Z was back with his mother.

  They found Mrs Z down the far end of the enclosure. She was standing under a tree with several other adult zebras. It was easy to spot her. Mrs Z was the one with a T-shirt on her head.

  There was a muddy dam on the other side of the tree. It had four huge brown rocks in it.

  But something about the rocks made Jordan take a second look.

  Gulp!

  The rocks had ears!

  The other zebras got nervous when they saw the twins approaching. They trotted off around the edge of the dam. Mrs Z tried to follow, but she couldn’t see where she was going because the T-shirt covered her eyes. She stumbled blindly towards the edge. There was a steep bank on that side.

  Look out! thought Jordan.

  But Mrs Z couldn’t read his mind.

  SPLASH!

  The water wasn’t very deep. Mrs Z scrambled to her feet and started splashing around in a panic. She nearly bumped into one of the rocks-with-ears. It snorted and opened its huge hippopotamus mouth.

  ‘Shishkebab!’ gasped Harry.

  Luckily, Mrs Z heard the hippo’s warning snort. She spun around and headed back the way she had come.

  But the bank was too steep and slippery. Mrs Z’s scrambling hooves kept sliding back down. There was no way out on that side of the dam.

  And the dam was full of big, dangerous hippos.

  ‘This is bad,’ said Harry.

  Jordan held Little Z so he couldn’t go to his mother. ‘It’s our fault,’ he said. ‘If we hadn’t put that T-shirt on Mrs Z’s head, this wouldn’t have happened.’

  Harry nodded. ‘I’d better get it off her.’

  ‘Be careful,’ said Jordan.

  Harry crept around the edge of the dam to the place where Mrs Z was trying to get out. The blindfolded zebra didn’t know he was just above her. Lying on his stomach, Harry stretched down for the T-shirt. He couldn’t quite reach it.

  Jordan watched, holding his breath, as Harry wriggled forward a tiny bit more.

  Suddenly, the bank caved in.

  Harry disappeared.

  ‘Oh my gosh!’ cried Jordan.

  Harry (or Captain Amazing) had fallen head-first into the crowded hippo pool.

  Not even a real superhero could win against four hippos, thought Jordan.

  He made Little Z sit down.

  ‘Stay here,’ he said, and raced flat-out towards the dam.

  In his head, he could already see the front page article in tomorrow’s Nullambine News.

  YOUNG HERO KILLED BY HIPPOS

  Tragedy struck at Nullambine Zoo yesterday when a young boy was killed by hippos.

  Nine-year-old Harry Fox fell into the hippo pool at the brand new Flight Over Africa exhibit. The only witness, Harry’s twin brother, Jordan, described his brother as a hero. ‘Harry gave his life doing what he loved best,’ Jordan said.

  According to the twins’ parents, their brave young sons had set up their own animal help service called Mission Fox Animal Rescue. ‘But we thought they only rescued pets, like budgies and lost kittens,’ said Mr Fox. ‘We never dreamed they did anything dangerous,’ said Mrs Fox.

  Jordan told our reporter that Harry was rescuing a mother zebra who had accidentally fallen into the hippo pool. ‘If Harry hadn’t fought off the four rampaging hippos while Mrs Z got out, Little Z would be an orphan,’ said the young hero’s brother. ‘But not even a superhero could win against four hippos,’ Jordan added.

  Poor Harry!

  But Harry wasn’t dead yet. In fact, he was very much alive.

  When Jordan peered over the edge of the dam, his twin brother was right below him. Harry was standing waist-deep in the muddy water, having a tug-of-war with Mrs Z. Stretched between them was his T-shirt. It looked twice as long as normal.

  One of the arm-holes was caught on the zebra’s ear.

  ‘Give me a hand, Agent J!’

  Jordan glanced nervously at the hippos. All four of the huge, scary animals were watching the tug-of-war. The nearest one was only three metres from Harry. It looked as big as a car.

  ‘What about the hippos?’ he asked.

  ‘I think they’re tame,’ puffed Harry, concentrating on the tug-of-war.

  The hippos didn’t look tame to Jordan. He was still thinking about the imaginary newspaper article. He didn’t want it to come true.

  ‘What do you want me to do?’ he asked.

  ‘Talk to her!’ gasped Harry, straining with all his might to get the T-shirt off Mrs Z’s head. ‘Tell her I’m trying to help!’

  Jordan nodded. He would try.

  Jordan used to play superheroes when he was five, too. The one he invented was called the Pet Whisperer.

  The Pet Whisperer wasn’t brave or death-defying like Captain Amazing. He wasn’t even a superhero, really. His special power was mind-whispering – that meant talking to animals using thoughts.

  It was only make-believe, of course. Like Captain Amazing was only make-believe. The twins were too old now for pretend stuff like that.

  And yet … didn’t Harry still do some pretty amazing things?

  And didn’t some animals seem to hear Jordan when he tried to mind-whisper to them?

  He tried it now.

  Closing his eyes, Jordan shut everything out except Mrs Z.

  Stop being difficult, Mrs Z! he mind-
whispered. We’re your friends. We’re trying to help you!

  When Jordan opened his eyes, the tug-of-war was over. Harry and Mrs Z were still standing in the muddy water facing each other, but the T-shirt was no longer stuck on the zebra’s head. Harry was holding it.

  ‘Yay!’ Jordan pumped the air in victory. ‘It worked!’

  But had it really? Now that her eyes were uncovered, Mrs Z was giving Harry a very mean look. It wasn’t how friends were supposed to look at each other.

  Then, as fast as a striking cobra, the zebra’s big stripy head shot forward.

  But Harry (or was it Captain Amazing?) was faster than a striking cobra! In a blur of arms and legs, he did a lightning fast sideways dive and disappeared under the muddy water.

  SNAP! went Mrs Z’s teeth, right where Harry had been.

  Harry’s head bobbed up in the deep water about two-and-a-half metres from shore.

  ‘Too slow, Mrs Z!’ He grinned.

  Mrs Z took one look in his direction, then went splashing off around the edge of the dam to a place where the bank wasn’t so steep. Harry watched her clamber out and gallop away. Then he peered up at his brother. Jordan was standing on the bank, looking scared.

  ‘Lighten up, Agent J!’ Harry said. ‘It would take more than a cranky zebra to get the better of Captain Amazing!’

  Jordan pointed over Harry’s head. ‘What about a cranky hippo?’ he said in a strange, squeaky voice.

  Harry had forgotten all about the hippos. But when he turned round, he remembered. There was one right behind him.

  Its mouth was wide open.

  Now Harry understood why Mrs Z had left the dam in such a hurry.

  Up close, a hippo’s mouth looks bigger than a bathtub. Its four main teeth are like stumpy elephant tusks.

  Harry was staring death in the face. (Well, in the mouth.)

  He was out of there!

  Jordan had never seen his brother swim so fast. If it was the Olympics, Harry would have won gold.

  Or maybe silver, because the hippo was swimming faster.

  It was going to catch him before he reached the bank!

  Leave my brother alone! Jordan mind-whispered.

  The hippo took no notice. It opened its mouth EVEN WIDER, and hit the shore like a tidal wave. The ground shook and water splashed high into the air.

  CHOMP! went the hippo’s jaws.

  It was the worst sound Jordan had ever heard.

  Then there was a very familiar cry: ‘Shishkebab!’

  It was the best sound Jordan had ever heard.

  A small round head had bobbed up next to the hippo. Harry must have dived out of the way at the very last moment. He jumped to his feet. It was shallow near the bank – shallow enough to walk. But Harry didn’t walk, he ran.

  The hippo whirled round and charged. But it was too slow. Harry climbed up the bank where Mrs Z had got out, leaving the hippo wallowing in the water.

  If it was the Olympics, Harry would have won gold for sure!

  ‘I guess I was wrong,’ Harry puffed, jogging back to join his brother above the steep bit of bank.

  ‘Wrong about what?’ Jordan asked.

  ‘The hippos aren’t tame!’

  There was a noise behind them. Little Z came wobbling over and sat down next to Jordan.

  ‘Where’s his mother?’ Harry asked, looking in all directions.

  Jordan looked, too. There was no sign of Mrs Z. ‘I didn’t see where she went,’ he said. ‘I was watching you and the hippo.’

  Harry got a long stick and used it to hook his T-shirt out of the dam. The hippos watched as he squeezed water out of it and put it on. It hung all the way down to his knees. ‘It looks like a dress!’ he laughed.

  Jordan didn’t laugh. He was worried about Little Z. The baby zebra was shivering. It looked very weak.

  ‘We’ve got to find his mother,’ Jordan said. ‘He needs milk.’

  Jordan and Harry gently helped the baby zebra to its feet.

  ‘HEY!’ a voice shouted.

  The twins turned round in surprise. A sky-chair was moving slowly between two trees. There was a man and a woman in it. The man looked angry.

  ‘LEAVE THAT ANIMAL ALONE!’ he shouted.

  The twins pretended not to hear. They didn’t like being yelled at. But seeing the sky-chair gave Jordan an idea.

  ‘I think I know where Mrs Z has gone,’ he said.

  ‘Where?’ asked Harry.

  ‘I’ll show you.’

  Little Z was too weak to walk more than a few steps at a time. The twins had to walk beside him, holding him up. Then they had to stop every few paces to let him rest.

  Harry said it would be quicker to carry him. They tried to load the baby zebra onto Harry’s back, but it kicked and struggled so much that Jordan was worried it would have a heart attack.

  ‘I wish we’d brought the FoxPack,’ he said.

  The FoxPack was where they kept their Mission Fox rescue equipment. There was an animal first-aid kit, and a special baby’s bottle for giving little animals drinks.

  Jordan wet his finger and let Little Z suck the spit off it.

  ‘Gross!’ said Harry.

  ‘He’s really thirsty,’ said Jordan.

  ‘So let’s find his mother.’

  Finally they arrived back at the flowering gum where Harry and Jordan had swung down from the sky-chair. It was where they had first seen Mrs Z.

  It was also where Mrs Z had last seen her baby.

  Jordan reckoned she might have come back here to find him.

  But there was no sign of her.

  ‘Now what are we going to do?’ Harry asked.

  They lay Little Z on the ground under the tree and sat on each side of him. He closed his eyes as soon as he lay down, and went to sleep.

  ‘I think he’s going to die,’ Jordan sniffed. A big tear rolled down his cheek.

  Harry looked in the other direction. There were tears in his eyes, too. It was the first time Mission Fox had failed.

  ‘I guess I’d better go for help,’ he said softly.

  As soon as Harry stood up, a sky-chair passed slowly overhead. Two people were in it. They weren’t the ones who had yelled at the twins. Harry waved to get their attention.

  ‘Excuse me!’ he shouted. ‘Have you got a phone? Could you please call zoo headquarters and get them to send a vet with some baby formula for a zebra?’

  The people looked down. One of them said something in another language.

  ‘Do you know English?’ Harry called.

  The tourists smiled and shook their heads.

  The same thing happened with the next three sky-chairs. Nobody understood what the twins wanted. There must have been a bus-load of overseas tourists at the zoo that day.

  While Harry waited for the next sky-chair, Jordan sat on the ground next to Little Z with his eyes closed. His lips were moving, but no sound was coming out.

  The next two sky-chairs were empty.

  ‘That’s it!’ Harry said crossly. ‘I’m going for help!’

  He turned in a slow circle, like someone who was lost.

  ‘Agent J, which way do you think I should go?’ he asked.

  Jordan didn’t answer. Harry looked at him and noticed his eyes were closed.

  ‘Are you asleep, Agent J?’

  Jordan shook his head. ‘I’m calling Mrs Z.’

  Jordan had been born six minutes before Harry, but sometimes Harry felt much older than his twin brother.

  Imagine believing you could talk to animals using a secret thought language!

  It was so childish!

  Okay, Harry used to think he was Captain Amazing, but that was years ago. Now he just pretended. He didn’t seriously believe Captain Amazing was real.

  Not like Jordan seemed to believe the Pet Whisperer was real.

  Harry rolled his eyes. ‘I’m going for help,’ he repeated, loudly.

  Jordan didn’t say anything. But if Harry could read lips, he would have got his br
other’s silent message:

  Come back to the tree with the red flowers, Mrs Zebra. Your baby needs you.

  Harry went stomping off. This wasn’t the right time to play stupid, make-believe games. Someone had to do something real or Little Z was going to die! It was up to Harry, the grown-up twin, to save the day.

  But as the grown-up twin walked away, his lips were moving too.

  Captain Amazing to the rescue, they seemed to say.

  Clippity-clop, clippety-clop, clippety-clop!

  Harry stopped in his tracks. Something was coming. It sounded like a galloping horse.

  Or like a …

  ‘Shishkebab!’ Harry cried.

  Mrs Z came galloping through the trees, heading straight for him. There wasn’t time to take his T-shirt off and be a bullfighter. Harry rushed behind a tree.

  Mrs Z didn’t take any notice of him. She went charging past like a speeding car. Harry peered around the tree trunk and watched her gallop away.

  She was headed straight for Jordan!

  ‘LOOK OUT!’ Harry yelled. ‘INCOMING ZEBRA!’

  Jordan just sat there with Little Z’s head in his lap. He didn’t even open his eyes.

  ‘JORDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!’ yelled Harry, and starting running after Mrs Z.

  Harry ran even faster than when the hippo had chased him. He ran like Captain Amazing. But this time he wasn’t going to win gold.

  The galloping zebra was going to flatten Jordan before Harry (or Captain Amazing) was even halfway there.

  ‘JORDAAAAAN,’ Harry yelled again.

  But Jordan didn’t move.

  He was going to die!

  Harry could see it now. It would be on the front page of tomorrow’s Nullambine News. Poor Jordan! Harry thought.

  FAMOUS BOY KILLED BY ZEBRA

  Tragedy struck at Nullambine Zoo yesterday when a boy was trampled (and kicked, and bitten) to death by a cranky mother zebra.

  Nine-year-old Jordan Fox was visiting the zoo with his twin brother, Harry, when the accident happened. Harry told our reporter that the animal went psycho when it saw Jordan with its baby.