Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Chapter seven the Plan so we all agree then, said Pete Brown, showing his worries with a deep frown. We'll take Archie back home tomorrow to end his and his parents sorrow.
[00:00:29] All the Browns nodded in consent, even cute girl Ant, who had spent hours listening to Archie's tales about Antchester and its Greendales while the sun set the world aflame. Archie finally asked for her name. Abigail, she said with twinkling eyes as if they were filled with fireflies.
[00:00:54] Abigail. Abby. Abby Brown.
[00:00:59] A name golden like a crown. It drew colorful pictures in his head of flowers, candy, a summer sunset.
[00:01:09] Archie felt as though riding a moonbeam, but soon awoke out of this daydream when it came down to the nitty gritty how to smuggle him out of this city.
[00:01:22] Pete's plan seemed both bold and cunning as it involved much hiding and running through busy streets, roads and alleyways bursting with police still on the chase. What'll happen to you if we get caught? Archie asked, more than a little distraught. All the voices around him grew quiet, as if they were on a non speaking diet.
[00:01:50] Pete said, they'll never forgive anyone helping a fugitive. If they do catch us in the act, we'll go to prison. That's a fact.
[00:02:00] Home was everything he craved for, yet Archie could no longer ignore that. He'd rather go alone and fail than risk the Browns going to jail. Don't you worry now, Archie. Unwind, said Abby, as if she'd read his mind. A Brown knows how to watch his back. We'll get you home now, start to back.
[00:02:24] While Fay filled Archie's rucksack with food, the crickets chirped and the doves cooed a sign that very soon night would fall. So they left.
[00:02:43] Huddled, they walked down pretty street like a king surrounded by his own suite. Archie kept right in the core of the group, shielded from passersby eager to snoop. All went well until Wes hissed, stop. Somebody's coming. Oh goodness, a cop. Archie automatically held his head low, trying to be invisible to this new foe. The police. Ant stopped in front of them, cleared his throat, and said, beg your pardon, but are you Wes Brown, the athlete who was attacked in town? Wes tried hard to put up a friendly face, nodded, and showed the man his brace. The constable again cleared his throat and slowly reached into his coat. Suddenly he pointed a tube, shiny and slick, towards the Browns and made it click. Archie thought this he'd heard a gun. Was this mission over before it had begun? Wes was staring into the barrel of a pen.
[00:03:54] Could you please make it out to Glen Held at Pen Point. Wes let out a laugh, realising he was asked for an autograph.
[00:04:05] Constable Glen left and said, take care. He never even noticed Archie was there.
[00:04:15] Still shaking, they reached the Metro station, one of many in this rich and proud nation.
[00:04:23] Isn't this a very bad place to hide? Archie asked Pete when they got inside. With all these ants here, Archie reckoned he could be recognized any second.
[00:04:35] Don't worry. Just keep your head down. Antletic City isn't like your hometown. In this place, ants look without seeing, for they only care for their own being.
[00:04:47] They followed the sign northbound, which led them further underground onto a platform next to a deep hole where they waited for the Metro Mall.
[00:05:06] The Metro Mall arrived right on time. As it stopped, a bell began to chime. Mind the gap. Yelled the chauffeur as ants jumped off the silky fur. The Browns got up and stepped aboard. Archie's already high expectations soared when he saw all the comfy chairs attached to the Metro mole's hairs. Archie strapped himself to his seat. A buzzer went, and in a heartbeat, the Metro mole got into mot Ocean. Rocking like a ship in the ocean, they drove into a burrow where lights danced before Archie's eyes like sprites. The buzz Archie got from this crazy ride made him forget he still had to hide.
[00:06:03] Stunned by the speed and by the sound, Archie sat upright and looked around. The tunnel lights shone on his face, revealing the most wanted ant in space.
[00:06:16] Keep your head down. Fay hissed nearby. But it was too late. Archie heard a cry. Some ants were pointing in his direction. Archie realized he had to get into action fast as lightning. He untied his belt, jumped out of his seat and then knelt, speaking so only the Browns could hear. Stay seated and you'll be in the clear. Next stop, Foxhole. The driver shouted. As the mole slowed down, Archie scouted six or seven huge ants coming his way, eager to bring this fugitive to bay. Archie said, I'll never forget you. Farewell.
[00:07:00] Then jumped off the mole with a loud yell. All went so fast, Archie didn't even flinch when he missed the wall by only an inch. He landed on the platform and kept rolling as if a bigfoot had taken him bowling. But in this game, Archie was the ball rotating at high speed through the hall. Rolling fast, Archie almost managed a strike, knocking over ants young and old alike, until he came to a stop against a pair of police ants, grinning, their teeth bare.
[00:07:44] It would be very nice to say Archie escaped again the next day, but alas, this was not the fact. Security was now ready to react.
[00:07:57] The police had learned its lesson well. 15 agents now guarded Archie's cell, pacing up and down the corridor, their heels tapping on the marble floor.
[00:08:11] These diligent ants didn't realize Archie was already closing his eyes. Too exhausted to count his sheep, he glided into a dreamless sleep.
