Anne had never been happier to get an ‘A’ than on this bright summer day. Of course, it wasn’t just any ‘A’, this was the day they received their report cards, and for the first time in her life, the teacher had given her an A in maths.
“It’s just the damn maths, my little Anne… If you could get better grades in that, you could even get an A at the end of the year, so I think you should go to a tutor”. Mum had said back in February, after looking at her mid-term report.
And so, it was. For months, Anne sweated, suffered and studied at two extra maths lessons a week to get an ‘A’.
“Yaaay!” The little girl screamed when her class teacher handed her the little brown-cover report with the maths ‘A’ inside.
She almost ran home, knowing what her reward would be for an excellent report card: Mum had promised her the coolest red scooter, with a ladybird bell and sturdy rubber wheels. She had wanted one since she was in first grade, and now she was finally getting one. She ran home in such a hurry that she almost stepped on a beetle. She flinched in fright: who would want to kill a beetle? She leaned closer to look at the greenish glowing, scrabbling little creature on the ground. ” ““And who might you be? What pretty little shiny wings you have… Wow! And only four legs! Wait a minute, they’re not… they’re not bug feet!” Anne leaned closer. – “Wow! Wait, you… you are… you are a…”
“I am a fairy, yes. You ran so fast you bumped into me. I took a big hit! Look, I have bruises all over. Watch where you are going next time!” The tiny creature hissed, and was about to fly away, but Anne didn’t let it go”.
“I didn’t want to hit you, I’m sorry. But I’m not dreaming, am I? Are you really a fairy? A real one? You look exactly like a very tiny little girl. I’ve seen them on TV, but in reality… Is this even real? Or am I dreaming? And so, the maths A is not real either?” Anne was completely confused. Meanwhile, the fairy stood up, dusted herself off, stretched her spine, and looked the girl in the eye.
“You human children are so stupid! Of course, there are fairies. Fewer and fewer, because the forest where we live,” she looked back, towards the forest at the end of the street. Anne followed her gaze.” “Among the bushes, at the mouth of the small path leading into the forest, she saw huge piles of rubbish, and from deep in the forest a thick black smoke was rising.
“Yes, that’s what I’m talking about. Humans are destroying our home. Everything is full of rubbish. Many of us moved away, others perished. Even the stream from which we used to fetch our water has dried up. There are fewer flowers to drink nectar from, it’s terribly hot, and just now someone has set fire to a pile of plastic in the middle of the forest. That’s the smoke you see there. I can’t take it anymore…I’m moving too. And what a beautiful place it was 100-150 years ago…!”
Anne was speechless. She played in the forest a lot, but it never occurred to her that fairies lived there. In fact, she had thrown away a Coke can or two while playing there herself. She blinked her eyes in shame. Would people be that careless? The fairy, as if she had guessed her thought, continued:
“I think people don’t know what they are doing. And we don’t know where to escape to”.” ““But what about the fire?” Anne asked in alarm.
“It must be extinguished, otherwise the whole forest will burn down. Animals, plants, everything and everyone can be lost. I was so frightened when it caught fire that I immediately fled”. The fairy’s voice had thinned and she had begun sobbing.
“Wait!” shouted Anne, and took out her phone. “999, that’s the number, isn’t it? Or 911? Or are both good? Or something else? Oh, why didn’t I pay more attention in the classroom teacher’s lesson where they talked about this?”
But this was no time to doubt herself. She tried the first number, 999, and lo and behold! It connected her to the fire brigade.
“Hi, I’m Anne and I’m here at the end of Lavender Street, the forest is on fire! Please come out and put out the fire, because the animals are dying!”
“And the fairies!” Cried the fairy in despair.
Soon, the sound of sirens pierced the muggy summer air: three huge red fire engines pulled up.” “Who cares about the maths A and the excellent report card?
“Don’t come any closer, young lady!” One of the firemen shouted at Anne. “We’re closing the area off, come on boys, hurry up!” Soon afterwards, men in reflective yellow vests and helmets filled the street. Anne wandered among them, terrified.
“Pick me up! I hit myself so hard I can’t fly!” the little fairy sobbed.
Anne bent down, gently took the fairy in the palm of her hand and tucked her into her pocket.
A large man with a moustache suddenly grabbed Anne’s shoulder, lifted her up and started running with her, away from the woods towards the houses. Suddenly the street was filled with spectators.
“Don’t get in the way of the firemen young lady! It is very dangerous!” Said the man with the moustache, after he had placed Anne safely in the gate of one of the gardens with its magnificent roses.
“I’m sorry, officer… I just didn’t know what to do”.
“You’re fine, don’t worry! It was a very good idea to call us. That’s the way to do it! Don’t worry, we’ll put that fire out in no time!” the moustached man bellowed, and ran off into the forest, grabbing one of the thick hoses his companions had already pulled from the truck.