Excellent. They’re pink, but I can’t help that. And… yes. I’ll team them with a T-shirt with a slogan. Genius!
I haul out a T-shirt that has the word HOT on it and goes really well with the combats. It’s not very protest- y, though, is it? I think for a minute, then get a red pen out of my bag and carefully add the word BAN. BAN HOT doesn’t exactly make sense… but it’s the thought that counts, surely. Plus I won’t wear any makeup, except a bit of eyeliner and some mascara and a translucent lip gloss.
I put it all on, and tie my hair into plaits, then admire myself in the mirror. I actually look pretty militant! I raise my hand experimentally in a power salute, and shake my fist at the mirror.
“Up with the workers,” I say in a deep voice. “Brothers unite.”
God, yes. I think I could be really good at this!
The protest meeting is being held in the village hall, and as I arrive I see people milling about, and posters up everywhere, with slogans like DON’T SPOIL OUR COUNTRYSIDE. I head to a table with cups of coffee and biscuits on it.
“Cup of coffee, love?” says an elderly man in a waxed jacket.
“Thanks,” I say. “Er, I mean… thanks, brother. Right on.” I give him the power salute. “Up the strike!”
The man looks a bit confused, and I suddenly remember they’re not striking. I keep getting this mixed up with Billy Elliot. But it’s the same thing, isn’t it? Solidarity and fighting together for a good cause. I wander into the center of the hall, holding my cup, and catch the eye of a youngish guy with spiky red hair and a denim jacket covered in badges.
“Welcome!” he says, breaking away from the group he’s in and extending his hand. “I’m Robin. I haven’t seen you at the group before.”
“I’m Becky. Actually, I’m just a visitor. But Jim said it would be OK to come… ”
“Of course!” says Robin, shaking my hand with enthusiasm. “Everyone’s welcome. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a resident or a visitor… the issues are the same. Awareness is as important as anything else.”
“Absolutely!” I take a sip of coffee and notice the bundle of leaflets he’s holding. “I could take some of those back to London with me and give them out, if you like. Spread the word.”
“That would be great!” Robin’s face creases into a smile. “That’s the kind of proactive attitude we need more of! What kind of environmental issues are you into particularly?”
Think. Environmental issues. “Um…” I take a sip of coffee. “All sorts, really! Trees… and er… hedgehogs…”
“Hedgehogs?” Robin looks puzzled.
Damn. That only came out because I was thinking that his hair looks just like a hedgehog’s.
“When they get squashed by cars,” I improvise. “It’s a real danger in today’s society.”
“I’m sure you’re right.” Robin frowns thoughtfully. “So, are you in an action group specifically looking at the plight of hedgehogs?”
Right. Change the subject, Becky.
“Yes,” I hear myself saying. “I am. It’s called… Prickle.”
“Prickle!” He smiles. “Great name!”
“Yes,” I say confidently. “It stands for Protect… Really… Innocent… er…”
OK. Maybe I should have chosen a word with an H in it.
“Creatures…” I’m floundering. “… of all Kinds… including hedgehogs…”
I break off in relief as I see Jim approaching, together with a thin, wiry woman dressed in jeans and a plaid shirt. This must be Jim’s wife!
“Greetings, Jim,” says Robin with a friendly smile. “Glad you could make it.”
“Hi, Jim!” I say, and turn to the woman with him. “You must be Elizabeth.”
“And you must be the famous Becky!” She clasps my hand. “Our Kelly can’t talk about anything but you.”
“Kelly’s really sweet! We had such fun today doing makeovers…” I suddenly catch Jim’s frown. “And… er… revisions for her exams,” I hastily add. “Lots of algebra and French vocab.”
“Is Jess here?” Jim asks, looking around the room.
“I don’t know,” I say, feeling the usual apprehension at the mention of her name. “I haven’t spotted her yet.”
“It’s a shame.” Elizabeth clicks her tongue. “Jim’s told me all about it. Two sisters, not speaking to each other. And you’re so young! You’ve got your whole lives ahead to be friends, you know. A sister is a blessing!”
“They’ll make up,” Jim says easily. “Ah. Here she is!”
I swivel round and sure enough, there’s Jess, striding toward us, looking totally gobsmacked to see me.
“What’s she doing here?” she says to Jim.
“This is a new member of our group, Jess,” says Robin, coming forward with a smile. “Meet Becky.”
“Hi, Jess!” I say with a nervous smile. “I thought I’d get into the environment!”
“Becky’s special interest is hedgehogs,” adds Robin.
“What?” Jess takes a few seconds to absorb this news, then starts to shake her head. “No. No. She’s not a member of the group. And she’s not coming to the meeting. She has to go. Now!”
“Do you two know each other?” asks Robin, trying to put all this together. Jess looks away.
“We’re sisters,” I explain.
“They don’t get on,” says Jim, in a stage whisper.
“Now, Jess,” says Robin earnestly. “You know our group ethos. We put our personal differences aside at the door. Everyone’s welcome. Everyone’s a friend!” He smiles at me. “Becky’s already volunteered for some outreach work!”
“No!” Jess clasps her head. “You don’t understand what she’s like—”
“Come on, Becky,” says Robin, ignoring Jess. “I’ll find you a chair.”
Gradually the chatter abates and everyone sits down on chairs arranged in the shape of a horseshoe. As I look around the row of faces I spot Edie and Lorna, and several more people I recognize as customers from Jim’s shop.
“Welcome, everyone,” says Robin, taking up a position in the center of the horseshoe. “Before we start, I have a few announcements. Tomorrow, as you know, is the sponsored endurance hike up Scully Pike. Can we have numbers, please?”
About half the people there put up their hands, including Jess. I’m half tempted to put mine up too, only there’s something about the word endurance that puts me off, not to mention hike.
“Great!” Robin looks around, pleased. “Those of you attempting it, please remember all your gear. I’m afraid the weather forecast is not good. Mist, and possibly rain.”
There’s a unified rueful groan, mixed with laughs.
“But be assured, a welcoming party will be waiting at the end with hot drinks,” he adds. “And good luck to all participants. Now.” He smiles around the room. “I’d like to introduce a new member to the group. Becky comes to us with a specialist knowledge of hedgehogs and…” He looks over at me. “Is it other small endangered creatures, or just hedgehogs?”
“Er…” I clear my throat, aware of Jess’s eyes on me like daggers. “Er… mainly just the hedgehogs.”
“So, a warm welcome to Becky from all of us. OK. The serious business.” He reaches for a leather satchel and pulls out a sheaf of papers. “The proposed Piper’s Hill Shopping Center.”
He pauses as though for effect, and there are murmurs of hostility around the room.
“The council is still playing ignorant. However”—he flips through the sheaf with a flourish—“by hook or by crook, I have managed to get hold of a copy of the plans.” Robin hands the papers to a man on the end of the row, who starts passing them along. “Obviously we have a lot of major objections. If you could all study the material for a few minutes…”
I obediently read the plans along with everyone else, and look at all the drawings. As I glance around, people are shaking their heads in anger and disappointment, which, frankly, doesn’t surprise me.
“Right.” He looks around and his eyes alight on me. “Becky. Maybe we could hear from you first. As an
