The Ogglebogs Short Story & Audiobook Series: Episode 28 - The Skying Machine

The Skying Machine

It was another sunny morning on planet Ogg. Bestest Ogglebog friends Rocco, Coco, Oddo, Blobbo, Beepo and Twinko were sitting at their usual table at the Oggle Café on Bubble Mountain.

They were waiting for Pasto the baker to bring a tray of their favourite yummy Ogglecakes.

Just then Rocco looked out of the window.

A carrot-shaped rocket was coming down to land.

“Oooh, it’s our friends Splish and Splosh again,” said Twinko.

“We’ll go and say hello after breakfast. Definitely after breakfast and not before!” said Blobbo.

After they had munched, they all went down Bubble Mountain.

There were Splish and Splosh standing next to their rocket. These two tiny little aliens wore red trousers. They had red hats that looked a little bit like upside-down trumpets.

“I wonder if their rocket has run out of water,” said Blobbo.

“Pleep, plen, faaarp,” said Splish.

“Poing, pook, peeeep?” asked Twinko.

“Blep,” said Splosh.

“What did they say, Twinko?” asked Blobbo.

Twinko said, “They don’t need water this time. They have come here to help someone. Not far away is a planet called Flemp.”

“Splosh said all that by saying ‘Blep?’” asked Rocco.

“Yes,” answered Twinko.

“Bzzz, bzzzz, bzz!” said Beepo.

“There’s someone on Flemp who invents things, you see,” said Twinko, “But he needs some Mushmallow juice.”

“Does this inventor invent cakes, by any chance?” asked Blobbo, “I’m still hungry.”

“Plack, plack, palaaaaarp,” said Splosh.

Twinko said, “You can ask him yourself.”

Just at that moment a tiny little person came out of the rocket.

He had a round green body and big, curious eyes. He looked very brainy. He had long pointy ears that could hear the tiniest of sounds. And he had tiny hands that could make the fiddliest things.

“Hello,” he said, in a funny, high voice. “I’m Biggleboggle and I make things. My friends Splish and Splosh picked me up in their rocket.”

Now, Biggleboggle was one of those people who never stop talking. He went on, “Nice to meet all you Ogglebogs. I’ve heard lots about you! You know, I’ve always been interested in the wonders of space. I always wanted to explore the stars in the sky. I’ve never had a rocket of my own but one day I had a brilliant idea. I decided to build a flying machine that would take me on amazing adventures among the stars, you see. I worked hard for a long time and then it was finished. My very own rocket! I call it my Skying Machine.”

“What does it look like?” asked Rocco.

“Yes, we want to know,” said Oddo.

“We really do,” said Coco.

“Bzzz, bzzzz, bzz,” said Beepo.

“Erm, well it looks a bit like a cross between a bright blue lightbulb and a T-shirt,” answered Biggleboggle.

Twinko started to giggle. Then Oddo and Coco started to giggle.

Rocco giggled a little bit but then said, “We don’t mean to laugh but it does sound quite a funny-looking spaceship.”

Biggleboggle said, “Oh, I don’t mind. When I had a look at it the next morning I couldn’t stop laughing! It has a special engine that runs on mushmallow juice. Except I haven’t got any. Splish told me you might have some on planet Ogg. So, here I am.”

“I’ve got a very important question. Do you invent cakes, too?” asked Blobbo.

“Oh, I do! Everyone on my planet thinks my cakes are yummy,” answered Biggleboggle with a big smile.

“My Auntie Blibbo has got a bottle of mushmallow juice in her cupboard,” said Blobbo. “She sometimes uses it to clean her windows. Beepo, would you please go to my Auntie Blibbo, and….”

But before Blobbo could finish, “Bzzz, bzzzz, bzz,” said Beepo and whizzed off.

In no time at all Beepo was back with a bottle of mushmallow juice.

“Plink, plook,” said Splish.

“Thanks, Splish. Now we are all flying back to planet Flemp. We are going on an adventure on the Skying Machine.” said Twinko.

Rocco, Coco, Oddo, Blobbo, Beepo and Twinko went into the rocket. Then Biggleboggle got in. Last of all, Splish and Splosh got in. The rocket door closed. Then it took off.

Biggleboggle said, “My Skying Machine is made to dodge shooting stars. And it should do fantastic loop-the-loops with a flick of a switch.”

Soon, they landed on planet Flemp.

Nearby was the strangest-looking spacecraft anyone had ever seen. It did look exactly like a cross between a bright blue lightbulb and a T-shirt.  

Everyone got out of Splish and Splosh’s rocket.

“My Skying Machine,” said Biggleboggle, “Please don’t laugh.”

I’m sorry to say that the Ogglebog friends did giggle just a bit. They couldn’t help themselves. The Skying Machine did look very funny.

Biggleboggle put mushmallow juice in the engine.

“All aboard,” he said.

Everyone went inside his weird spacecraft.

With a gentle push of a button, the Skying Machine went up into the sky. Soon, it was flying above the clouds.

Biggleboggle said, “First of all we are going to Moonsilver.”

They flew up and up, through the darkness of space, guided by the twinkling stars above.

Down below they saw a moon that sparkled like diamonds.

“Never seen anything like it!” said Oddo.

“Nor me,” said Coco.

“Magical,” said Twinko.

 “Wow,” said Rocco.

“I’m a bit hungry,” said Blobbo.

“Wait until we get back to planet Flemp,” said Biggleboggle. “Oh, look!”

Ahead they could all see some weird space creatures floating around.

“That’s a mischievous space jellyfish. I’ve read about that one.  And I believe that big pink insect down there is an asteroid bug,” said Biggleboggle. “Right, we’ll have a quick look at the great Rings of Planet Gagglesplat, then home for tea.”

Ahead they could see the brilliant green rings that went round Planet Gagglesplat.

“Never seen anything like it, ever” said Oddo.

“Nor me, never,” said Coco.

“Magical,” said Twinko.

“Wow,” said Rocco.

“I’m even more hungry now,” said Blobbo.

The Skying Machine had to dodge little lumps of green ice as it flew through the green rings of the planet.

“Right, home we go!” said Biggleboggle.

Soon, the magical space journey was over and they landed back on planet Flemp. They all got out of the Skying Machine.

Biggleboggle said, “My dream of exploring space has come true. But it was such a wonderful adventure because I shared it all with my new friends. Those are the best adventures of all, aren’t they! Right, back to my house.”

Soon, they were at Biggleboggle’s little house. It was made of nuts and bolts and bits of string.

Then Biggleboggle said, “In we all go. I want you to taste my new invention. It’s a new kind of cake!”

“Oooh, yummy,” said Blobbo, “I can’t wait!”

Biggleboggle went into his kitchen and came out with a tray of cakes.

“My new invention! I just thought of a great name for them, as a way of remembering my new Ogglebog friends,” he said with a big smile. “I’m calling them Ogglecakes!”

You can imagine the faces of the Ogglebog friends when Biggleboggle told them this.

But they laughed and Rocco said, “We can’t wait to munch them, they look yummy!”

Then Biggleboggle said, “With a bit of hard work. A bit of imagination. And, most of all, lots of friendship, we can reach for the stars and make our dreams come true. That’s what I think, anyway!”

“That’s what I think, too,” said Blobbo. “By the way, can I have another Ogglecake, please? They are the best I’ve ever eaten!”

Biggleboggle smiled and said, “Don’t you mean the first you’ve ever eaten?”

The End