The Wiggle-Waggle Tunnel

Jackfroot had tunnels everywhere.

Under the Berry Patch. Under the Old Bridge. A long winding one that came out near Kiwi's eucalyptus and a short twisty one that nobody used because it came out pointing the wrong way. He had dug all of them himself, and he knew every single inch.

"This one," he said, holding open a round wooden door tucked into the hillside, "goes all the way to the stream. Want to see?"

Taro looked at the door. He looked at the darkness inside.

"Sure," he said.

So in they went. Jackfroot first, then Tang, then Kiwi, then Taro — who took the first three steps and then stopped to look at a very interesting root growing through the tunnel wall.

"Keep going," said Kiwi, from behind him.

"In a moment," said Taro.

"Taro."

"It's a very good root."

It was, actually, quite a good root. It spiralled in a perfect curl and had little bumps along it like a staircase for ants. Taro reached out and touched it gently.

The ground went grmmmmm.

Then GRMMMMM.

Then a large amount of dirt fell from the ceiling all at once.

Everyone froze. The tunnel went completely, absolutely dark.

For a long moment, nobody said anything.

"...Was that the root?" said Tang.

"Possibly," said Taro.

"It was definitely the root," said Kiwi.

Taro considered this. "It was a very interesting root," he said.

"OKAY," said Jackfroot — and his voice was different now. Not panicked. Certain. "Everybody stay still. Don't touch anything."

Nobody moved.

"Left at every junction," said Jackfroot. "That's how I build them. Always left. I don't know why, I just always go left. So we go left at every junction and we get out. Okay?"

"Okay," said Kiwi.

"Okay," said Tang.

A pause.

"Taro?" said Jackfroot.

"I'm thinking about it," said Taro.

"Taro we have to go now—"

"Yes," said Taro. "Okay."

Jackfroot started moving. Tang followed. Kiwi followed Tang. Behind them all, in the dark, Taro moved at the speed Taro always moved — which was not fast, and was not getting faster, and was very definitely going to be a problem as the tunnel made small unhappy sounds around them.

Jackfroot stopped. Turned around. Came back.

"Climb on," he said.

"I'm fine," said Taro.

"Taro."

"I can walk."

"I know you can walk. Climb on."

Taro climbed onto Jackfroot's back. He was, it turned out, surprisingly heavy for a sloth. Jackfroot didn't say this. He just turned back around and ran.

Left at the first junction. Left at the second. Left at the long curving one that smelled like wet clay. Left again at the small one with the low ceiling where everyone had to duck — Jackfroot ducked without thinking, which was impressive while carrying a sloth.

GRMMMMM said the tunnel, more seriously this time.

"Jackfroot—" said Kiwi.

"I know," said Jackfroot. "RUN."

They ran.

Left. Left. Left again. A thin line of light appeared ahead — pale and gold and getting bigger — and then Jackfroot burst through the tunnel door into the afternoon sunshine of Wan Hundred Woods and kept going for several more steps before he stopped and set Taro down carefully in the grass.

Tang and Kiwi tumbled out behind them.

Everyone sat in the sunshine and breathed.

After a while, Taro looked back at the tunnel door, which had closed itself crookedly.

"The root really was very interesting," he said.

Jackfroot lay flat on the grass and stared at the sky.

"You're heavy," he said. "You're really, really heavy."

"I know," said Taro. "Thank you."

The afternoon light came through the trees warm and gold, and somewhere under the hill, a very interesting root held up the ceiling all by itself.