Anne had never been happier to get an \u2018A\u2019 than on this bright summer day. Of course, it wasn’t just any \u2018A\u2019, 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.
\n\u201cIt’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\u201d. Mum had said back in February, after looking at her mid-term report.
\nAnd so, it was. For months, Anne sweated, suffered and studied at two extra maths lessons a week to get an \u2018A\u2019.
\n\u201cYaaay!\u201d The little girl screamed when her class teacher handed her the little brown-cover report with the maths \u2018A\u2019 inside.
\nShe 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. ” “\u201cAnd 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!\u201d Anne leaned closer. \u2013 \u201cWow! Wait, you… you are… you are a…\u201d
\n\u201cI 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!\u201d The tiny creature hissed, and was about to fly away, but Anne didn’t let it go\u201d.
\n\u201cI 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?\u201d Anne was completely confused. Meanwhile, the fairy stood up, dusted herself off, stretched her spine, and looked the girl in the eye.
\n\u201cYou human children are so stupid! Of course, there are fairies. Fewer and fewer, because the forest where we live,\u201d 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.
\n\u201cYes, that\u2019s what I\u2019m 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\u2019s the smoke you see there. I can\u2019t take it anymore…I’m moving too. And what a beautiful place it was 100-150 years ago…!\u201d
\nAnne 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:
\n\u201cI think people don’t know what they are doing. And we don’t know where to escape to\u201d.” “\u201cBut what about the fire?\u201d Anne asked in alarm.
\n\u201cIt 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\u201d. The fairy’s voice had thinned and she had begun sobbing.
\n\u201cWait!\u201d shouted Anne, and took out her phone. \u201c999, that\u2019s the number, isn\u2019t 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?\u201d
\nBut this was no time to doubt herself. She tried the first number, 999, and lo and behold! It connected her to the fire brigade.
\n\u201cHi, I’m Anne and I\u2019m 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!\u201d
\n\u201cAnd the fairies!\u201d Cried the fairy in despair.
\nSoon, 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?
\n\u201cDon’t come any closer, young lady!\u201d One of the firemen shouted at Anne. \u201cWe’re closing the area off, come on boys, hurry up!\u201d Soon afterwards, men in reflective yellow vests and helmets filled the street. Anne wandered among them, terrified.
\n\u201cPick me up! I hit myself so hard I can’t fly!\u201d the little fairy sobbed.
\nAnne bent down, gently took the fairy in the palm of her hand and tucked her into her pocket.
\nA 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.
\n\u201cDon’t get in the way of the firemen young lady! It is very dangerous!\u201d Said the man with the moustache, after he had placed Anne safely in the gate of one of the gardens with its magnificent roses.
\n\u201cI’m sorry, officer… I just didn’t know what to do\u201d.
\n\u201cYou\u2019re fine, don\u2019t 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!\u201d the moustached man bellowed, and ran off into the forest, grabbing one of the thick hoses his companions had already pulled from the truck.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":1201,"template":"","class_list":["post-1203","story","type-story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n