Read Online Akiko on the Planet Smoo by Mark Crilley - Free Book Online

the whole place smelled of mildew and sweat. The men locked the cell door and left us there alone in the darkness.

I think all the activity had kept us from thinking too much about the awful situation we were in. Now that we were locked in a cell with nothing else to do, we had plenty of time to reflect on how bad things had become. Spuckler frowned and tried to scrape a patch of dirt off Gax’s body. Mr. Beeba sat down with his head in his hands and stared dejectedly at the floor.
    I started to get really homesick all of a sudden, and I wished I was back at home, hanging around with Melissa or just lying in my bed and staring up at the ceiling. At that moment I wished I was
anywhere
else but where I was. Just when I was feeling as lousy as I could possibly feel, a slimy little lizard thing crawled across my back and I let out a yelp like you wouldn’t believe.
    â€œI
hate
this place!” I screamed. “I want to go
home
! I want to get out of here and go home!” I actually started to cry a little right then, and Mr. Beeba and Spuckler came over and sat down on either side of me.
    â€œHey there, little girl,” Spuckler said. “Take it easy. Everything’s gonna be all right. I promise.”
    â€œYes, pull yourself together, Akiko,” Mr. Beeba joined in. “At least we’re all essentially unharmed. I’m sure you’ve been in worse places than this.”
    â€œNo, I haven’t,” I said to him very seriously, wiping tears away from my cheeks. “I really haven’t. Every place I’ve ever been has been really nice and comfortable compared to this place. I mean, this place . . . this place is just
horrible
!”
    â€œDo you mean to tell me that in all your years of rescuing people—”
    â€œLook, I’ve never rescued
anyone
before,” I cried. “Haven’t you figured that out yet? This whole thing is a big mistake! I’m not a rescue expert! I’m not an
anything
expert! King Froptoppit got the wrong person!”

    There was a long pause as Spuckler and Mr. Beeba took this in. I was really starting to shake a little now from the cold. Spuckler and Mr. Beeba moved in a little closer to keep me warm.
    â€œHeavens!” was all Mr. Beeba could say.
    â€œI’ll be darned,” was all Spuckler could say.
    â€œWell, you’ve certainly made an impressive effort, Akiko,” Mr. Beeba said.
    â€œYeah,” Spuckler continued. “B’sides, Akiko, that ain’t nothin’ to feel sad about. We
like
you. We don’t care if you ain’t no rescue expert.”
    â€œMost definitely,” Mr. Beeba agreed. “King Froptoppit has brought all sorts of people to Smoo over the years, but no one we liked nearly as much as you.”
    â€œReally?” I asked.
    â€œOh yes, Akiko,” he continued. “You’re something special.”
    â€œI still wish I could go back home,” I said.
    â€œI don’t blame ya, ’Kiko,” Spuckler said. “But I’m sure they won’t keep us in this cell for long. Why, I bet they’ll be comin’ down here to let us out any minute.”
    I was exhausted. I closed my eyes and let my head fall over on Mr. Beeba’s shoulder.
    â€œThere you are, Akiko,” said Mr. Beeba. “Take a little nap. You’d be amazed what a bit of rest can do to boost your spirits.”

The next sound I heard was the clanking of keys at the cell door.
    â€œWake up, Akiko,” Mr. Beeba said, giving me a gentle shake. “They’re going to let us out of here.”
    I sat up and rubbed my eyes. Two big guards had opened the door and were waiting to take us out of the cell. Spuckler helped me up and we all shuffled out of the dirty little room.
    The guards put us back into the caged wagon and pulled us through a number of corridors, each slightly better lit than the last. We could hear the distant roar of a big crowd, like