Page 6 - Mobile Magic

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‘Petitions and letters to the editor,’ suggested one student. ‘Public meetings and protest rallies,’ responded another. Abigail put up her hand in reply. ‘How about getting the
media and the environmentalists on side? I heard an interview on the radio the other day. It was a protester camped in a tree to stop the rainforest being chopped down - she was talking directly to the Radio DJ on her satellite phone.’
The whole discussion had become too much for Saffron, she jumped up so suddenly that her chair clattered to the floor.
‘But I don’t even have a mobile phone’ she wailed. ‘I’m the only one who cares what happens to Green Mountain and I don’t know what to do!’ She burst into tears right in the middle of the classroom. That was something she never, ever, thought that she would do.
Ms Honey made vague noises of sympathy and got a couple of Saffron’s friends to go outside with her until she calmed down. Over lunch in the staffroom she discussed Saffron’s state with the other teachers.
‘Doesn’t she keep a horse over at Green Mountain agistment?’
‘It’s no wonder she’s upset, we’ll have to see what we can do to help.’
‘Vandalism, sheer vandalism,’ muttered Mr Worragul. ‘The mountain is one of the few pristine bush areas in this whole region. It’s not buggered up by the farmers or woodcutters, in fact, it's just as my ancestors left it.’