The Need to

Something came rushing up behind them. It was a rush of hot air. It pushed them roughly and then lifted them into the air. They were swept along and up. The Donkey was spinning so madly she felt the need to puke. Bravely she tried to hold on to her stomach. A sudden wet sticky sensation down her back told her the Monkey HAD felt the same way. The Donkey spun and AIMED carefully…

Shaking

Suddenly the ground shook. Monkey and Donkey exchanged worried glances. It was probably nothing. They almost relaxed. Then the ground shook again and rolled up under their feet like a wave. Chunks of roof came crashing down. They ducked and weaved. On second thoughts, exchanging glances once more, better to chase off the pant monster and speed up. They could always breath later.

Pant Monster

Soon they were running again. I’ll never have a chance to get fat, thought the Donkey wistfully. They were running up hill, which was almost a neat trick as they were still far underground. Despite many years of long practice, all this running was bring out the pant monster in them. Pant! Pant! Pant!

Rung by Rung

The ladder led up to a narrow ledge, where another ladder was waiting with open rungs. This one was a bit more difficult to climb but the Monkey and Donkey were both in a hurry. They sped up the ladder as if their tails were on fire. The next ladder that waited for them was missing rungs. No problem for the Monkey and the Donkey just aped the Monkey much to the surprise of the Monkey.

Swiping Range

In a flash the Monkey pulled the Donkey over to the ladder. The Donkey grunted as the Monkey clambered onto her back and onto the ladder. From the lowest rungs the Monkey hauled the Donkey up by the ears. The Donkeys loud protests at this treatment was abruptly cut short as something made a swipe at her ever so sensitive rear end. Some desperate clambering soon got the Donkey and her fore-mentioned rear end out of swiping range.

The Ladder

It looked like they had no way out. Ever so slowly they turned a corner. Well… a half corner. The ground sloped down. Whatever it was that was following them was very close now. The Monkey and Donkey could practically feel it breathing down their necks. The Monkey did a double take! There was a ladder hanging down the wall! The lowest rung was just out of reach but this was no problem for a smart and agile Monkey.

Stuck like Flies in a Web

They dragged themselves out of the pool and stood up. They were feeling really depressed and unhappy. Their sensitive noses even more so. They froze as they heard noises behind them. The Monkey and Donkey exchanged sad glances but didn’t look round. They were sure, whatever it was, whatever they were, they were unfriendly and probably hungry too. They began to run. Correction, they tried to run. Then, they tried to walk. They goo they were covered in, stuck to them like glue. The same stuff stuck them like glue to the ground. They tried to raise a leg. It took a tremendous effort but at last they took one step. The noises were coming closer and closer. They were stuck like flies in a web. The Monkey and Donkey exchanged very worried glances.

The Whatever

The whatever they fell into wasn’t water. It wasn’t molten lava either but it was almost as bad. It was green and gray and yellow and smelly. It was also very very sticky. Both the Monkey and the Donkey had to fight a rebellion of the stomach. The urge to throw up was almost overwhelming. The pool of whatever was not deep, they could stand on the bottom and wade. But the stuff was such that they could only wade slowly. All the time they were being attacked and almost beaten senseless by the stink. A stink that was sinking ever deeper into their hides. They tried to hold their noses tight, but their paws were covered with whatever and their noses protested loudly.

The Incline

They slammed into the rocky wall with an impact so hard it took their breath away. The wall was sloping and covered with mud and slime, so instead of plummeting they began to slide again. The Monkey and the Donkey held onto each other tightly and howled as they picked up speed. The wall may not have been vertical but the incline was steep and the ground rushed up to meet them with open arms. The Donkey saw that the time had come and held the Monkey even more tightly. She kicked off with all the power her legs could muster. They left the wall, she angeled and let go of the Monkey. Together they fell.

Downward Plunge

They swung down towards the white bones that lay impaled on tall, sharp spikes far below – the remains of unlucky travellers who had slid this way before. The line reached it’s limits and their downward plunge was suddenly halted. Monkey and Donkey began to swing to one side, away from the spikes and towards… That thought was interrupted as the line snapped. Somebody needs to go on a diet, muttered the Monkey to herself as they fell.