The Shobble Secret (Space Brigade 2)

She twitched her nose and shook her head.

It was excruciating. It was worse than the Biter wound on her arm (which was now aching quite painfully thanks to all the smashing about in the hot-air balloon). If she didn't scratch her nose within the next five seconds she would explode.

Her rubber ball rolled forward. Nicola glanced down and forgot all about her itchy nose.

Oh . . . my . . . goodness.

The ball rolled back again and Nicola wondered if she'd imagined what she'd just seen. She wished her hands were free so she could rub her eyes. She blinked and shook her head to clear it. Surely not. It couldn't be possible. I could not be that unlucky.

The ball rolled forward again.

Nicola looked down. She heard herself make a strange squeaky sound like a mouse being suffocated.

She hadn't imagined it.

She had landed on a rocky shelf on the side of the Cloud-Capped Mountain. Directly beneath her was a view.

In fact it was quite an impressive view of the planet of Shobble. She could see oceans and mountains and tiny doll's-house-sized villages. But views should be enjoyed from safe, comfy spots: like a window seat in an airplane, or while eating dinner in a revolving restaurant or taking photos from the top of the Eiffel Tower. Nicola could think of a million more suitable ways to enjoy a view rather than being encased in a huge plastic ball that kept rolling to a stop inches away from the side of a mountain top.

'Nicola! You're on the edge of a cliff!'

It was Sean's voice. Nicola was filled with relief. At the same time she was a bit irritated. Talk about stating the obvious.

She craned her neck with difficulty in the direction of his voice and saw that Greta, Tyler and Sean had all landed close together under a clump of trees a safe distance back from the cliff. All their bubble-jackets had inflated. There was no sign of Shimlara.

Nicola's ball rolled back under the ledge. Safe.

Then it rolled forward again. Not safe. Not safe at all.

Safe. Not safe. Safe. Not safe.

Each time the ball teetered on the edge of the cliff Nicola held her breath. Then she let it out in a whoosh each time it rolled back under the ledge. She was starting to feel dizzy. Could this go on forever?

Tyler's voice came faintly across the mountain. 'Don't worry, Nicola! We're working on a solution!'

Well, that was comforting. Maybe they'd worked out a way to get themselves out of their bubble-jackets.

'Actually, we've got NO IDEA what to do!' That was Greta.

Nicola could just imagine what was happening now. Sean and Tyler were saying, 'Why did you say that?' and Greta was looking stubborn and saying something like, 'Well, I don't see any point in giving her false hope.'

Safe. Not safe. Safe. Not safe.

'You may as well just give up.'

I know. It's not like anyone is just going to turn up. I mean who would take a stroll in a hurricane?

'It's all over. Just accept it.'

Well, that's maybe a bit overdramatic.

'ACHOO!'

'Bless you!'

Nicola realised with a start that she hadn't actually been having that rather depressing conversation in her own head with herself. There was a real person somewhere nearby!

She twisted her head around in the direction of the voice. It was a girl speaking. A girl with a blocked-up nose. 'All that work has been for nothing. NOTHING! Achoo! I may as well have just stayed in bed! Achoo! Everything is just pointless and stupid and I can't stop sneezing! Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!'