by Jim Eldridge
‘I am,’ said the horse.
‘He doesn’t wrestle as well, does he?’ asked Jack.
Milo and Big Rock laughed. The horse, Robin, didn’t join in the laughter.
‘The boy’s an idiot,’ said the horse grumpily.
‘Robin pulls the caravan,’ said Milo.
‘Yes, I can help look after a horse!’ said Jack, his face breaking into a huge smile.
‘Great!’ said Milo. ‘Welcome to the Big Rock Travelling Wrestling Show!’
Chapter 4
Jack spent the next hour watching Milo and Big Rock train, now and then suggesting they try a particular hold, or a throw.
‘Try a Bulldog!’ Jack cried, or, ‘Give him a Giant Swing!’
And Big Rock and Milo would go through that particular move.
I’m so happy, thought Jack. I’m training with a real wrestler! A Wrestling Troll!
Jack’s biggest moment of happiness came when he called out: ‘Do a Mountain Bomb!’ and Milo turned to him and asked, ‘What’s a Mountain Bomb?’
I know something they don’t! thought Jack delightedly.
Jack began to explain, going through the actions with the huge troll. ‘The wrestler lets the opponent rush towards him. Then the wrestler ducks and hooks one of the opponent’s legs with his arm … Like so!’ And Jack ducked down and put his forearm against one of Big Rock’s massive legs. ‘Then the wrestler stands up and falls backwards, flipping the opponent and driving him back-first down to the mat, and then lands on the opponent. A Mountain Bomb will be a perfect move for Big Rock, because he’s got a picture of a mountain on his costume.’
‘Brilliant!’ said Milo. ‘Give it a try, Big Rock!’
Big Rock did a backwards fall and flipped Jack into the air. For an awful moment, Jack thought he was going to land heavily and hurt himself, but then one of Big Rock’s enormous hands shot out and grabbed Jack safely and gently, and put him down.
‘Good move!’ grunted Big Rock, getting to his feet.
Jack smiled broadly. He’d never felt so happy in his life.
‘Okay,’ said Milo. ‘Lunch break!’
‘I’ll cook it!’ said Jack.
‘You?’ asked Milo.
‘Yes,’ said Jack. ‘I was a kitchen boy at Lord Veto’s castle, remember. I know all about cooking!’
‘Yes, well, in our case there’s not much cooking involved,’ said Milo. ‘Big Rock eats rocks, and Robin eats grass. So there’s usually only me, and I just have a sandwich or something.’
‘Not today!’ exclaimed Jack. ‘Today I’m going to cook you something special!’
Milo and Big Rock carried on training while Jack was away foraging, and a short while later Jack returned, the basket filled with a mixture of greenery and vegetables.
‘Lunch in half an hour,’ said Jack, and he disappeared into the caravan.
‘Okay, Big Rock,’ said Milo. ‘You might as well have yours.’
Big Rock sat down on the ground and opened up a small sack, and took some rocks and stones out of it. They were all different sorts and different sizes: small pebbles, chunks of granite and quartz, and some soft pieces of clay.
Big Rock picked out a small round smoky-black pebble and looked at it fondly.
‘Quartz!’ he said happily. ‘Taste best!’
And he popped it into his mouth.
Robin was already grazing on the long, sweet grass. Milo sat next to Big Rock munching on his rocks and pebbles and thought to himself: I should have just stuck to a cheese sandwich. Then the smells started to waft out from the caravan, smells that smelt … wonderful. His stomach rumbled. And then Jack appeared down the steps of the caravan, holding a tray with two wooden soup bowls, along with some bread. He gave one of the bowls to Milo.
‘Here,’ he said.
As Milo and Jack tucked into the soup, they were aware of Robin appearing beside them.
‘What’s that?’ asked the horse, lifting its nose in the air and sniffing.
‘Would you like some?’ asked Jack.
‘No,’ said Milo, between mouthfuls. ‘Horses only eat grass and oats.’
‘Usually,’ said Robin sharply, with a glare at Milo. ‘But, maybe, just to show goodwill, I might try a sip.’
‘No problem,’ said Jack. ‘There’s some left in the pan.’
And he hurried into the caravan, and came out a moment later with a large bowl of soup, which he put down on the grass in front of the horse.
‘There!’ he said.
Robin put his nose down and sniffed at the bowl, and then tentatively put out his tongue and stuck it into the mixture. There were a few light slurping sounds, and then one mighty slurp and the contents of the bowl disappeared into Robin’s mouth.
As Jack picked up the empty bowls and took them into the caravan, Milo grinned at Robin.
‘Well?’ he asked.
The horse gave a grunt. ‘He can cook. I’ll give him that.’
Chapter 5
After lunch, when everything had been cleared away, Jack asked, ‘What happens now?’
‘Now we get ready for Big Rock’s bout this afternoon to decide who gets to go up against Aggro in the exhibition match tonight.’
Aggro! thought Jack excitedly. One of Lord Veto’s Wrestling Orcs. Jack had sometimes seen Aggro at a distance, practising throws, but had never been allowed near him. No one except Lord Veto and his trainer were allowed near Aggro. Aggro was special. Aggro was the National Wrestling Champion!
Milo pulled out a large watch and looked at it.
‘In fact, we’d better go and get Big Rock registered.’
‘Big Rock already register,’ grunted the troll.
‘That was just for yesterday’s bout,’ said Milo. ‘We’ve got to register you again for the match against Mudd.’
‘Mudd?’ said Jack. ‘He was the one I saw … well, started to see … this morning. He was up against Slasher the Orc.’
‘And he beat him,’ smiled Milo.
‘Mudd good Wrestling Troll,’ said Big Rock.
‘He’s also a very slippery customer,’ said Milo. ‘It won’t be an easy contest.’ He turned to Jack and asked him: ‘Would you go with Big Rock and register him for today’s bout?’
Jack was the proudest he’d ever felt as he and Big Rock entered the tent and walked up to the registration desk. The enormous figure of Mudd was already at the desk, with a small dwarf beside him, who was filling in the forms. Jack and Big Rock took their place behind Mudd and waited, and a feeling of excitement filled Jack. And then Jack heard a harsh voice snarl behind them.
‘You!’ barked Lord Veto. ‘Kitchen boy!’
Big Rock turned and glowered at Lord Veto.
‘His name Jack,’ grunted Big Rock.
‘I don’t care what his name is,’ snapped Lord Veto. He turned on Jack and snarled: ‘I told you never to come back on my property again, or you’d suffer. Well, suffer is what you’re going to do!’ With that, he called out: ‘Warg!’
As the large orc ambled towards them, a nasty smile on its face and flexing its claws, Jack thought about running away. But then he thought: no! I have a right to be here!
He was surprised to hear himself saying the words aloud: ‘No! I have a right to be here!’
Lord Veto stared at Jack, stunned. ‘What did you say?’ he demanded.
‘I have a right to be here,’ repeated Jack. ‘I’m registering my wrestler.’ And he indicated Big Rock.
Lord Veto looked at the massive figure of Big Rock, and then back at Jack again, still stunned. Warg the Orc had stopped approaching and was watching the scene, aware that something odd was happening, but not sure what.
‘Your wrestler?’ echoed Lord Veto.
‘I’m his assistant trainer,’ nodded Jack.
‘He is,’ said Big Rock, in a deep rumbling voice.
A small, smartly dressed dwarf appeared.
‘Is there a problem, Lord Veto?’ he asked. ‘I’m Alexander Hobnob from the Wrestling
Federation.’
‘There certainly is!’ snapped Lord Veto. He pointed an angry finger at Jack. ‘I banned this boy from ever coming onto my land again, but here he is claiming to be the trainer of this Wrestling Troll.’
‘Assistant trainer,’ corrected Jack. He turned to the dwarf and said: ‘This is Big Rock.’
‘Yes, I know of Big Rock, I’ve seen him wrestle many times,’ said the dwarf. To Big Rock he asked: ‘And is this young person your assistant trainer?’
‘Yes,’ said Big Rock.
‘In that case, Lord Veto, the boy is perfectly entitled to be here.’
‘But this is my land!’ burst out Lord Veto. ‘My grounds! My castle!’
‘And you have hired them out for the occasion to the Wrestling Federation, so our rules apply,’ said Alexander Hobnob. He turned to the clerk sitting behind the registration desk. ‘Please register this young man and the troll.’
With that, he turned and trotted off.
Lord Veto glared at Jack. His face had gone red and his ears were almost purple with rage. Jack was worried that he might actually burst.
‘This isn’t over, kitchen boy!’ he snarled. ‘I’ll have my own back on you, see if I don’t!’
Chapter 6
Lord Veto stomped angrily out of the tent, almost knocking Milo over as the young wrestling manager came in. Milo looked after the departing Lord Veto, then turned to Jack and Big Rock.
‘Any trouble?’ he asked.
Jack hesitated. He was about to tell Milo about the threats from Lord Veto, but then he thought, no. That problem was solved. They had more important things to think about: the match.
‘No,’ he said.
‘Good,’ said Milo. ‘Let’s go and get ready.’
Jack followed Big Rock and Milo down a corridor to a small room off the main tent.
‘This is where we wait until Big Rock’s name is called,’ said Milo.
The loudspeaker on the wall hummed into life, and Jack could hear the sound of cheering and shouting, and not just from the loudspeaker – it could be heard coming through to them from the arena inside the main tent.
‘My lords, ladies and gentlemen!’ came the voice of the Master of Ceremonies. ‘Next on the bill, the battle for a place in the final of the All-Comers Slamdown, with the chance for the winner to take on one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, the National Wrestling Champion, Aggro the fantastic orc, in an exhibition match!’
At this there was a massive cheer from the audience and chants of, ‘Orcs! Orcs! Orcs!’
‘This is it,’ muttered Milo. ‘You ready, Big Rock?’
‘I ready,’ nodded the troll.
‘So, my lords, ladies and gentlemen!’ they heard the MC say in ringing tones. ‘Please welcome to the arena, that incredible Wrestling Troll … Mudd!’
Mudd had obviously entered the arena, because the audience went wild with more shouting and cheering and yells and screaming chants of, ‘Mudd! Mudd!’
Jack could imagine the scene outside, the placards being waved, the crowd on their feet, their fists pumping into the air, many wearing the different costumes of their favourites, some with their faces painted in the colours of their favoured wrestler.
‘Ready, Jack?’ asked Milo.
‘Ready,’ nodded Jack. And then he suddenly realised with a shock that he didn’t know what he had to do when they got out there. ‘What do I do?’ he asked, horrified.
‘Just be there in the corner with us,’ said Milo. ‘Watch out for any fouls from the opponent. Though that doesn’t usually happen with Wrestling Trolls.’
‘Mudd good wrestler,’ nodded Big Rock. ‘Fight fair.’
As the cheering from the arena died down, from the loudspeaker they heard the MC declaim: ‘And now, please welcome, Mudd’s opponent, the truly formidable troll … Big Rock!’
Again, the roar of the crowd rose, and as Milo flung open the tent flap for them to enter the arena, the sound was almost deafening.
Milo led the way, Big Rock following, with Jack marching proudly behind them down the aisle as they made their way to the wrestling ring.
The placards being waved excitedly as they marched down the aisle had pictures of a mountaintop on them, the same image that was on Big Rock’s multicoloured costume. The crowd were going wild, many reaching out to try and touch Big Rock as they passed.
‘Rock! Rock! Rock!’ they sang. ‘Big Rock!’
As they passed the royal box, Jack saw the small figure of Princess Ava had stood up from the ornate golden chair provided for her, and he noticed that even she was smiling and clapping her hands as Big Rock passed her on his way down the aisle.
They reached the ring and Big Rock hauled himself up between the ropes and clambered in. Jack was about to climb up after him, but Milo grabbed him and pulled him back down.
‘We stay here,’ he hissed, and he indicated two stools in the corner, below the edge of the ring.
Jack was too excited to sit down. He looked up into the ring, where the referee was reminding the crowd of the rules.
‘The winner is the first to get two pinfalls, two submissions, or a knockout!’ boomed the referee.
Pinfalls, nodded Jack. Holding your opponent down with both shoulders touching the mat, for a count of three. A submission was where one of the wrestlers surrendered because a hold was too painful. But if the wrestler being held could manage to touch the ropes with a hand or a foot, the other wrestler had to release him.
The referee was dressed in a neat and gleaming all-white outfit of trousers and shirt, with a black tie. He brought the two trolls together in the centre of the ring and told them to shake hands.
For the first time, Jack noticed how big Mudd was. When he’d been at the registration desk with Big Rock, Jack had been too preoccupied over his row with Lord Veto to take much notice of Big Rock’s opponent. Now, at last, he saw that Mudd was enormous, taller than Big Rock, and with long and muscular arms. And, as before, his body was covered in a slippery mud-like ooze.
‘This isn’t going to be easy for Big Rock,’ Jack whispered to Milo.
‘Nothing’s easy,’ whispered back Milo. ‘But Big Rock’s determined. He’s got the most courageous heart you’ll ever find.’ Then he paused and added: ‘Well, if trolls had hearts, that is.’
As the two trolls finished shaking hands, there was the sound of the bell and the crowd cheered and shouted even louder. It had begun!
Chapter 7
The two trolls moved into the centre of the ring, and immediately Mudd lashed out with a foot and tripped Big Rock. Big Rock tumbled, and Jack sucked in his breath as the huge Mudd dropped on Big Rock’s head and shoulders, pinning him to the canvas.
‘One!’ shouted the referee. ‘Two … !’
One of Big Rock’s arms shot up into the air, showing he had a shoulder off the canvas. Mudd moved to push that shoulder down, and as he did so, Big Rock used the opportunity to slide out from beneath Mudd’s body, roll away, and bounce to his feet.
‘I thought Big Rock was caught then,’ whispered Jack, worried.
‘No,’ grinned Milo. ‘Big Rock’s better than that.’
As Mudd got back to his feet, Big Rock suddenly dropped to the canvas and rolled towards Mudd like a big rolling stone, taking the huge troll’s legs from under him. Mudd thudded to the canvas, and before he could get up, Big Rock had thrown himself onto his opponent, pinning him down.
‘One … two … three!’ roared the referee.
The crowd went wild, cheering and stamping their feet as the two trolls got up. The referee ordered them back to their own corners, and then signalled for them to start wrestling again.
This time Big Rock tried a charge, lowering his head and hurtling across the ring straight at Mudd, but Mudd dodged to one side. Jack was impressed at how fast the big troll moved for someone of his size. Jack was even more impressed when Mudd swung one of his huge arms into Big Rock’s back as Big Rock stumbled past him and went flying through the ropes a
nd out of the ring.
Big Rock crashed to the floor in front of the first row of the crowd.
‘He’s out of the ring!’ said Jack, alarmed. ‘If he doesn’t get back before the count of ten ends, it’ll be a knockout!’
Sure enough, the referee had already started the count. ‘One. Two. Three. Four. Five … ’
Big Rock pushed himself to his feet and stood, swaying slightly.
‘Six. Seven. Eight … ’ counted the referee.
‘He’s dazed!’ said Jack. ‘He’s not going to make it!’
Suddenly Big Rock lurched towards the ring, grabbed the top rope and pulled himself over it and back into the ring, just as the referee said: ‘Nine!’
‘He barely made it!’ whispered Jack.
In the ring, Big Rock had recovered and threw himself at Mudd. He climbed up the other troll and wrapped both his legs around Mudd’s neck. The crowd cheered and yelled, shouting for a submission from Mudd as Big Rock tightened the grip of his legs. But suddenly Mudd rolled forwards, taking Big Rock with him, and before Big Rock could disentangle himself, Big Rock was folded up on the canvas, with all Mudd’s weight on him, as the referee counted, ‘One! Two! Three!’
One pinfall each! The contest was level!
The two trolls got back to their feet, returned to their corners briefly, and then began to circle each other.
For the next fifteen minutes it was a stalemate in the ring. First Mudd held Big Rock down, but Big Rock managed to wriggle free and in turn held Mudd down.
Finally it looked as if it was all over for Big Rock when Mudd picked Big Rock up, turned him upside down, and slammed him down head first into the canvas with such force that the whole large tent vibrated. But, instead of collapsing into a heap, Big Rock stayed upright, upside down, and his hands shot out and grabbed hold of both of Mudd’s ankles.
Before Mudd, or the crowd, realised what was happening, Big Rock had dropped down and then stood up fast, swinging both hands as he went, so Mudd swung round and round in a circle, going faster and faster until both trolls were almost a blur. And then Big Rock let go.
