Gregor and the Overlander :: Book 6

Chapter 2

In his Uncle's barn was a huge cockroach. Not just any cockroach, The Underland kind. "Be thee, the Princess, be thee?" The cockroach asked. Something seemed vaguely familiar about this cockroach...

"Temp!" squealed Boots.

"Wait, What? How did you get here Temp?" exclaimed Gregor.

"From Underland, to overland, I be." replied Temp.

"No, no, no. I mean did you come all the way from New York?"

"In Uncharted lands, be way, in Uncharted lands." replied Temp.

Hundreds of thoughts coursed through his mind. "Do the Underlanders know about this passage to the Overland?" Gregor had asked once more.

"Not know, Humans, not know" Temp said finally.

"Gregor, how Temp be here?" Boots asked pleadingly. "Temp says there is a way to the Underland from here." Gregor said to Boots.

"Really?" Her eyes pleaded.

"Yes really" he says to Boots once more. "Yay!" hollered Boots. "Can we go?"...

"I don't think so Boots." Gregor said to his sister. He was frowning not for her but for himself. There were many things he left unfinished in the Underland.

Was there a way to the Underland in Virginia? Probably not. But Temp got here. And there was no possible way for him to come here from Central Park, without being spotted by people along the way... So there has to be a way to the Underland near the farm. "There just has to be" muttered Gregor.

Just then Gregor realized that if his mom ever found out about the passageway, they would probably have to move, again. Gregor heard the barn door's hinge creak and he turned sharply; quickly enough to see Lizzie's head peak around the open door.

Lizzie took a glance at the giant cockroach, then at Boots, and then at Gregor. In a split second she started running towards the house. "Lizzie, Wait!" shouted Gregor as he bolted to the barn door.

"Boots, Temp stay here." "Okay Gregor" Boots said while Gregor sprinted after his 9 year old sister. Boots was probably never going to leave that cockroach.

Lizzie was half way to the house when he caught up to Lizzie. Man, was he happy he did track at his old school, otherwise he wouldn't have caught up with Lizzie this fast. She was starting to have another panic attack when Gregor grabbed a hold of her.

"Gre-gor, cock-roach, B-barn he-here. Gre-gor How!" Lizzie gasped, trying to get a hold of herself.

"I know, I know" said Gregor trying to comfort Lizzie. "I don't know how, but I do know that the cockroach in Uncle's barn is Temp, and that there seems to be a way to the Underland right here in Virginia"

"Temp?" said Lizzie, calming down. She was still frantic. "Yes Lizzie" replied Gregor, who was trying to find a way for Lizzie not to tell mom. This was not going to turn out well. But somehow, Gregor managed to calm her down enough to follow him back to the barn.

Gregor and Lizzie walked slowly to the barn. Gregor got Temp to go back to the Underland and tell Vikus about the Passageway, to write a letter about how they were doing and about rebuilding Regalia. Gregor also told Temp to come back to the barn tomorrow.

When Temp left, Gregor sat both Boots and Lizzie in front of him. "Guys, we now have a connection with our friends in the Underland, an-""Ripred to!?" Lizzie said excitedly.

"Yes Ripred to." Ripred was a rat that had taken a liking to Lizzie, and helped Gregor in his Prophecies he fulfilled.

Gregor had told his sisters not to tell anyone about Temp, or the Passageway. Gregor felt somewhat relieved from his encounter with an Underland creature.

He smiled sheepishly, besides the fact that he might see Luxa once again.

When Gregor, Boots, and Lizzie all walked inside their house they saw something unexpected on the kitchen counter, a package labeled, "To Gregor, the Overlander."