Doogie and the Pyramid of Dungalore

By Sharif Islam

In this sequel to Doogie and the Rollers, having found the promised land of Dungalore, Doogie and his friends decide to investigate its mysterious and magnificent pyramid. But what begins as an adventure quickly becomes a race against time for Doogie and his friends to save their fellow dung beetles, battling through booby traps of fire and glass,

• Language: English
• Publisher: GB Publishing Org
• Release date: Jun 20, 2015
• ISBN: 9780993163951

Book preview

Chapter 1

Has the adventure begun yet?

Clinker was afraid of most things but he was not normally afraid of the dark. All dung beetles were perfectly used to it, either inside their little huts or underground. But there was something particularly unsettling about the complete darkness inside the pyramid. The Rollers, Dwellers and Tunnellers were still amassed together on the giant lily perched on the hippo’s back. They drifted further into the pyramid with no sound or sensation to guide them.

I only ask, he said, "because we seemed to have left a perfectly good place to eat behind us in Dungalore. And at least out there we could see all that lovely poo around us."

Outside, the darkness would usually be perforated by points of light somewhere in the distance. And under a cloudless sky the savannah would be bathed in the glitter of bright stars. And sometimes they’d see the three brightest objects in the night sky; the Moon, the planet Venus and the strange floating thingy occupied by the human beasts.

How did those weird human beasts poo in space? Did it just float away and then crash land to Earth and splash onto our heads? Or did they save it and bring it back with them? Perhaps there’s a ring of poo circling the Earth. The human beasts have polluted and damaged every corner of Earth’s surface, so why not get started in space too?

Pondering these important questions distracted Clinker from the eerie darkness inside, until Brownie screamed.

"Oh no! No! No way!"

What, Brown? What is it? asked Doogie.

What’s the matter? asked General Proctor.

What’s happening? asked Hoya.

I think… began Brownie. "I think…Clinker just farted! Can’t you smell that? It’s terrible!"

Oh, for the love of faeces, Brown, is that all? said Doogie. "I hate to be the one to break this to you so late in the day, but we are dung beetles. We eat poo. We live in poo. Our entire world smells of poo. Why would we mind how a fart smells?"

Yes, said Brownie, but Clinker’s farts smell like someone died. Three months ago. And has been rotting ever since.

Clinker was noticeably silent. He was smiling proudly, even though no one could see it.

Look, said Doogie, I’m more concerned with where we are and where we’re going. We can’t see or hear or feel anything on the back of this hippopotamus. Smelling a fart at least gives me something to work with.

The smell is being drawn ahead of us. General Proctor, like all dung beetles, had very sensitive antennae for detecting smells. We must be moving into a larger space.

I knew my farts would come in handy one day, said Clinker, proudly.

Yeah, said Brownie. You’re a real hero!

I think the air is less dense now, Dad, said Hoya.

You’re right, my dear, said the General. The space here is definitely getting bigger. Still can’t see anything, though.

Digger found the darkness perfectly harmless. Don’t sweat it, guys. It’s just like going through a tunnel. This hippopotamus will lead us somewhere for sure.

How do you manage to stay so calm? asked Clinker.

I try to eat right, answered Digger.

You eat poo.

Too right, mate! I just wish my Dunny was here with me to see…I mean, to experience this.

I know, Digger, said Doogie. And I really appreciate you coming all this way with us, especially without your wife. I imagine you must miss her.

No worries, mate. She’ll be right. Hopefully I’ll have a bonzer story to tell her. I’m sure she’ll be stoked to hear it.

Okay, well, I didn’t recognise some of those words, said Doogie. "But I’m sure you knew what you meant."

Hey, where’s that light coming from? Hoya stared at the twinkles of light, which coalesced into a faint iridescent glow on the water in front of them, rippled only by the slow advance of the water lily.

I don’t know, said Doogie. Maybe it’s reflected from somewhere.

I can’t see anything, said Brownie. There’s nothing above us.

Then it must be coming from underneath us, suggested Digger.

Okay, said Doogie. One of us has to look under the water. Brown?

Why me?

Because you’re smart. Doogie tried appealing to Brownie’s intellectual vanity. You can tell us what we’re dealing with. And I’ve already been under. So has Digger. And the General.

But it’s dark, said Brownie.

It is dark… said Doogie. Except for where the light is…

Come on, Brown, chimed in Clinker. You can do it. And with your head underwater you won’t be able to smell my next fart that’s about to erupt any moment now, so that’s a bonus, right?

Brownie gulped and took a deep breath. He kneeled at the lily’s edge and gently lowered his skinny head under the water’s surface.

After a few seconds he shot back up onto his feet, showering water droplets over everyone.

Yep. Okay. Saw it, he said. Mm-hm. Yep.

Saw what? asked Clinker.

It’s an anglerfish. There was a slight quiver in Brownie’s voice.

"It’s a what fish?" asked a bemused Hoya.

An anglerfish. They have a projection growing out of their head that is filled with teeny tiny little bugs. The bugs produce something that glows. The light hangs above their mouth and lures other smaller fish towards them to be eaten.

Are they scary? asked Clinker.

Well, there are different types of them, but this one here was basically two huge angry eyes and a mouth full of really sharp teeth. All lit up. So I would say yes.

How do you know all this stuff, anyway? asked Digger.

"My parents gave me an encyclopoodia when I was younger."

An encyclo…a what? asked Clinker. "Okay, first of all I’m not even going to ask you what that is, and second, is there anything you actually don’t know?"

I don’t know what I don’t know.

Oh, well, that makes perfect sense.

Guys…?! said Doogie. Can we focus, please? What’s this anglerfish doing here? Inside a pyramid of all places? And don’t say it’s fishing.

"I was just going to say it’s fishing, Clinker smiled. Sorry."

It must be guarding something, said General Proctor. Like a kind of sentry.

Yes, but guarding what? Doogie wondered.

As the water lily advanced nearer the light, it became more intense and a large, square chamber slowly revealed itself. Its sheer