Toad Heaven - Morris Gleitzman [35]
“I haven't got any more ideas,” said Charm.
“Nor have I,” said Goliath.
“Okay,” said Limpy. “There's only one thing left. I'll have to try and persuade the folks here to let Mum and Dad and the others eat live insects.”
“How are you going to do that?” asked Charm.
Limpy took a deep breath.
“Call a meeting,” he said.
The national park residents’ committee sat in a row along the top of an important-looking rock.
Limpy sat smiling up at them, trying to look like a good neighbor.
He glanced at Charm, who was sitting next to him, trying to look like a good neighbor too.
He glanced at Goliath, who was sitting on the other side of him with a mouthful of ants.
“Goliath!” hissed Limpy furiously. “Stop it!”
Goliath looked blankly at Limpy; then his face fell.
“Sorry,” he whispered. “I forgot.”
The blue-tongue lizard took his place at the center of the rock.
“As chairman of the residents’ committee,” he said, “I declare this meeting open. We're here to consider a residency application from these three cane toads and a horde of others.”
“They're not a horde,” said Limpy. “They're rellies.”
“And they're really kind,” said Charm.
“And funny,” said Goliath. “Uncle Laurie can blow mucus bubbles that look like frog intestines.”
Limpy glared at him.
“Sorry,” whispered Goliath.
The committee were muttering too, among themselves. They turned back to face Limpy and Charm and Goliath.
“I vote no,” said the possum.
“I vote no,” said the echidna.
“I vote no,” said the bat.
“I vote no,” said the python.
“I vote no,” said the brush turkey.
“I vote no,” said the spider.
“I vote no,” said the dragonfly.
“And I vote no,” said the blue-tongue lizard.
Limpy stared at them, stunned.
“You can't,” he croaked. “You haven't heard me speak yet.”
“We don't need to,” said the lizard.“We've decided.”
“Please,” said Limpy, “listen to me. I know cane toads have a reputation for being greedy and selfish and eating everything that moves. And it's true, we have been like that. But we can change. And we can be fair. We'll make ourselves available as food. If you let us live here with you, I promise we'll keep our poison sacs empty so we can be eaten too.”
Limpy felt Charm frantically digging him in the ribs.
He knew Charm and Goliath wouldn't like hearing this, but he hoped they'd understand when they thought about it.
“None of us wants to die,” said Limpy to the committee. “But eating and being eaten is a million times better than being hunted down and squashed under the wheels of a truck. At least being eaten earns the right for other loved ones to eat. Being squashed is just a waste. I know. I've got flat rellies stacked up to my bedroom ceiling.”
Limpy paused.
Suddenly the memory of all those poor dead uncles and aunts and cousins was making his eyes fill with tears. Especially the thought of Mum and Dad joining them.
He peered through his mucus at the committee, who had gone all blurry.
Were they listening?
Was that the brush turkey dabbing her eyes?
Limpy's heart skipped a beat.
They are listening, he thought.
Charm was still jabbing him in the ribs.
“Limpy,” she hissed.
He ignored her. This was too important.
“Please,” he said to the committee, wiping his eyes. “We can change if you just give us a chance.”
He looked up and saw that the committee were on their feet and crowding over to one end of the rock.
Limpy didn't understand. Why were they doing this? Was this some sort of voting process?
Then he saw why.
Goliath was standing at the other end of the rock.
He had a dreamy expression on his face and a dragonfly wing poking out of his mouth.
“Goliath!” screamed Limpy. “No!”
Goliath looked toward Limpy, puzzled. Then his face collapsed into anguish.
“Sorry, Limpy,” he said. “I forgot again.”
The committee, grim-faced, escorted them to the park gate.
“I don't suppose Goliath saying he's sorry for eating a committee member would make any difference,” said Charm.
The lizard shook his head.
“It's not fair,” said Goliath. “I'm the