The Ogglebogs Short Story & Audiobook Series: Episode 33 - The Bad Storm

The Bad Storm

It was a bright and sunny morning on Bubble Mountain. There was just one big, dark-blue cloud in the sky. And it was a long way from the Oggle Café.

Rocco, Blobbo, Coco, Oddo, Beepo and Twinko had just munched their favourite ogglecake breakfast.

“What shall we do today?” asked Twinko.

“Why don’t we go on an adventure?” asked Coco.

“That would be fun,” replied Oddo.

“Will there be ogglecakes on this adventure?” asked Blobbo.

“Bzzz, bzzzz, bzz!” said Beepo.

“I can’t help liking ogglecakes,” said Blobbo.

Rocco had a thinking face on. Then, suddenly, an idea came.

“I’ve had an idea,” said Rocco. “Why don’t we have a picnic at Pink River Fields?”

“And we can catch the Oggle Train!” said Twinko.

“Brilliant!” said Coco.

“I like the sound of that!” said Oddo.

“Bzzz, bzzzz, bzz!” said Beepo.

Pasto gave picnic boxes to each Ogglebog and they all set off.

They went down Bubble Mountain and past the Mushmallow Forest. Soon, they got to the train station.

“Here we are, Oggford Halt!” said Blobbo.

“I’ll get the tickets,” said Rocco.

Then they heard a ‘choo-choo-choo, ding-ding… choo-choo-choo, ding-ding’. The Oggle Train stopped at the station.

Rocco came back with the tickets. Tracko, the engine driver, waggled a big yellow moustache and smiled at them. Tracko was shaped like a red triangle with a round green hat on top. 

The train engine was round and bright red with green stripes. A shiny silver chimney came out of the top. There were two bright-green carriages. The Ogglebog friends got into their seats.

Tracko started the engine with a special blue key. Then rang the bell and, with a ‘choo-choo-choo, ding-ding’, the Oggle Train set off.

“Can you see that big blue cloud up there?” asked Coco.

“Yes, up there,” said Oddo.

“I can see it, too,” said Twinko.

“Blazing bananas, that’s the biggest cloud I’ve ever seen!” said Rocco.

“Bzzz, bzzzz, bzz,” said Beepo.

“You think there might be a storm, Beepo?” asked Rocco.

“Bzzz, bzzzz, bzz,” said Beepo.

“Oooooh, I don’t like storms one bit,” said Coco, looking worried.

“I don’t like them either,” said Oddo, looking worried, too.

“I’m frightened of them,” said Coco.

“Me too – very frightened,” said Oddo.

The Oggle Train raced along the track. Blue fields and bright-red oggstacks seemed to whizz by.

Soon, they could see a pink river. And just then, Tracko rang the bell. With a ‘choo-choo-choo, ding-ding’, the Oggle Train slowed down. Then, it stopped.

“Yippee, Pink River Fields,” yelled Blobbo, happily. “Picnic time!”

They all got out of the carriage with their picnic boxes.

“Let’s find somewhere nice to sit,” said Twinko.

“Thank goodness there aren’t any mousequitoes today,” said Blobbo.

Now, mousequitoes are funny little insects that look a bit like very small mice with long tails. They have wings and like to eat cheese. If you say something silly to them, they just fly away.

“Nope, no mousequitoes,” said Twinko.

“Bzzz, bzzzz, bzz,” said Beepo.

“Yes, here’s a good spot, Beepo,” said Rocco.

Tracko and the Ogglebog friends all sat in the sunshine eating the delicious picnic. Pasto had packed ogglecakes, oggwiches and oggleberry juice.

“Bzzz, bzzzz, bzz!” said Beepo.

“Yes, Beepo, after our picnic, we can explore,” said Rocco.

“I’ll be back later to take you to Oggford Halt,” said Tracko. Then the train set off again, making its ‘choo-choo-choo, ding-ding’ sounds.

“Let’s collect some splaycorns,” said Coco.

“Yes, there’s a hoak tree just over there,” said Oddo.

Just then, the Ogglebog friends noticed the wind picking up. The dark-blue cloud was up in the sky.

Twinko looked up and said, "I think there might be a storm coming, everyone.”

Just then, a few raindrops splashed on their noses.

Remember that when it rains on Planet Ogg, tiny pink drops fall from the sky. They land with little pops and puffs of pink smoke.

Blobbo said, “I think we should wait under that big hoak tree.”

“Yes,” said Rocco, “great idea! It will be like a giant umbrella.”

"I’ve always wanted to see a storm up close," said Twinko.

“Not me,” said Oddo.

“Nor me,” said Coco.

“A hoak tree is a safe place. We can watch the storm from there!” said Twinko.

The friends agreed and quickly sheltered under the big hoak tree.

Soon, the wind began to howl. Then, rain poured down, but they were safe and dry. They watched as lightning flashed across the sky. Then, great rumbles of thunder came soon after.  

Then, the storm grew even fiercer. The Ogglebog friends were a bit excited, but a little bit scared.

“I’m scared,” said Coco.

“Very scared,” said Oddo, “and I don’t like it one bit.”

Then, suddenly, the storm calmed right down. The Ogglebog friends saw a breathtaking sight. It was a double rainbow arching across the sky. Sunshine was peeking through the dark-blue clouds. The storm had passed.

“That wasn’t so bad, after all,” said Rocco.

“I didn’t like it much,” said Coco.

“I didn’t like it at all,” said Oddo.

“I’d quite like to eat an ogglecake,” said Blobbo.

Twinko smiled and said, “You see, Coco and Oddo, a storm is just a big breeze having a dance party with the raindrops. It might seem a little bit scary, but it’s actually quite magical!”

Blobbo said, “And lightning is just nature’s way of saying hello.”

Rocco said, “And the thunder is when clouds accidentally bump against each other. There’s nothing to be afraid of."

“Bzzz, bzzzz, bzz!” said Beepo.

Rocco said, “That’s right, Beepo. The rain is like tiny pink fairies sprinkling water to help the flowers grow. They’re like little garden helpers!”

“I feel a bit better now,” said Coco.

“Me too,” said Oddo.

Twinko said, “Real friends always help each other and we all faced this storm together. And remember, every storm passes. And even cloudy days can turn into sunny ones.”

“I feel so much better now,” said Coco.

“Not frightened at all,” said Oddo.

“Bzzz, bzzzz, bzz!” said Beepo.

Rocco said, “Yes, look, everyone, that big, blue cloud has gone now!”

Just then, the friends heard a ‘choo-choo-choo, ding-ding’. The Oggle Train had come back for them.

That evening, at the Oggle Café, the Ogglebog friends munched their ogglecakes and sipped their oggleberry juice.

They told Pasto about their adventure in the storm.

He said, “That’s right, you friends always stick together, no matter what adventures or storms might happen. More ogglecakes, everyone?”

The End