Toad Heaven - Morris Gleitzman [7]
Limpy's insides churned with horror.
Charm was in love with Malcolm.
Charm gave Limpy a guilty glance, then looked back up at Malcolm.
“Could you put my brother down, please?” she said.
Malcolm didn't move. Limpy saw he was looking at Charm with amusement. Charm, misty-eyed, didn't seem to care.
“Hey,” said Goliath to Malcolm, pulling himself up to his full height, which was almost level with Malcolm's chest. “You heard what the lady said.”
Limpy flinched as the smiling Malcolm's eyes flickered with anger.
“Um,” stammered Goliath, flinching too. “What she said was that if you could please see your way clear to putting Limpy down when you have a moment, we'd all be very grateful.”
Limpy felt himself falling. He hit the ground hard. His vision went blurry for a moment, but he could still hear Malcolm's voice.
“Limpy has a good heart,” Malcolm was saying, “but he's weak and sentimental. If we're like him, we won't stand a chance against the humans. If, on the other hand, we're strong and determined and we have a good business plan, we can survive.”
The other cane toads looked thoughtful and murmured things to one another. Limpy hoped they were planning to wedge Malcolm inside a hollow log and tickle him with hairy spiders until he apologized for being rude to fourth cousins.
“We suffered a few place mats tonight,” continued Malcolm, nodding toward the squashed rellies on the road. “But that's part of being strong. Some of us must sacrifice our lives so the rest of us can have a lot more to eat.”
There was a general croak of agreement from the rellies.
Limpy couldn't believe what he was hearing. He struggled to find his voice. Shock and amazement were making his mucus dry up.
“Place mats?” he croaked up at Malcolm. “These aren't place mats. These are members of our family. And why do you keep saying ‘we'? I didn't see you out there on the highway risking your neck flaps.”
Malcolm sighed. He reached down and pulled Limpy to his feet.
“It's not easy for you, Limpy, we understand that,” said Malcolm gently. “When you were younger and that truck squashed your leg, I'm thinking it may have squashed a bit of your brain too. Which is why you don't understand some things. Like how a leader never risks his own life, because he's too valuable a resource.”
“What Malcolm means,” said Charm gently to Limpy, “is that he has to keep himself safe so we can all benefit from his leadership.”
More croaks of agreement from the rellies.
Limpy looked up angrily at Malcolm.
“You're not our leader,” he said. “Ancient Eric is. I think we should let Ancient Eric decide what's best for us.”
Limpy turned and hopped unsteadily off toward Ancient Eric's cave.
Please follow me, he begged the others silently. Please don't go back onto the highway.
After a bit, he heard the others following. He slowed down to let Charm and Goliath catch up. But it wasn't either of them who appeared alongside him.
“I've been watching you, you little slug,” hissed Malcolm, leaning down and spraying mucus into Limpy's ear. “Trying to impress everyone with your brave exploits and clever ideas. Well, here's some advice, son. That plan you've got to take over from Ancient Eric, forget it. I'll be taking over because I'm big and strong and you're a deformed little maggot.”
Malcolm straightened up and hopped away on his huge, muscular legs.
Limpy watched him go, speechless with shock, struggling to digest what Malcolm had just said.
Me take over from Ancient Eric? thought Limpy. That's crazy. The idea's never even entered my head. Not even the time Dad was going on about how he reckoned if there was ever a cane toad prime minister of Australia, it would be me.
Charm and Goliath appeared at Limpy's side.
“Don't be too hard on Malcolm,” said Charm. “He does have good ideas.”
“Okay, he gets the odd little thing wrong,” said Goliath. “Like your brain being squashed. I checked your ears after your accident and you