Saba Pickford and the Human Wolf (eBook)

Paul Knight (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025 | 1. Auflage
270 Seiten
Publishdrive (Verlag)
978-0-00-108224-3 (ISBN)

Infos

A conversation with a stuffed polar bear, a mysterious ghost and a car accident, lead Saba Pickford and close friends, Sam and Archie, on a fantastical and dangerous journey to find the mysterious Hu Lin, discover how to stop a global environmental catastrophe from taking place, and uncover the Human Wolf's identity. 

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Chapter 6

 

 

It was cold in the old Willowmarsh cowshed, but it was ideal to watch what was going on in the farmyard. Saba had crept out of lunch early and run across the playing fields well before the 1.30pm meeting time. Her next lesson was PE, so she could miss that without too much hassle.

After reading both environmental impact reports, Saba now understood the problem out on Willowmarsh. The developers intended to build an incinerator to burn the nasty industrial garbage that was too poisonous to go into landfill sites. The incinerator would be the first to use new technology which would, supposedly, guarantee environmental and wildlife safety. This positive report was in Simpson’s desk file and would be seen by anyone interested in the development. The shredding pile report said that particles of toxic chemicals would pour into the surrounding environment, and animals, birds and insects would die slow, lingering deaths as the poison built up in their bodies. It also said that the technology would let carbon escape into the atmosphere and increase global warming. That report was almost certainly destroyed by now, so nobody was going to see it.

Sir Richard was obviously attending this meeting to answer any environmental questions from the school, although Saba was still surprised that such a local issue should interest someone like him.

Ten minutes later, four men walked into the farmyard and stood talking together. With Campbell was the tall, elegant figure of Sir Richard Osborne, dressed in green country jacket and shooting wellies. The one doing the talking was the smallest and fattest of the four. He had a round, balding head and he was dressed like a townie, his bright red anorak looking completely out of place in the farmyard. Saba had seen his photograph on the web site – he was Percival Godfrey, the chairman of governors. The other man must be Kent. They were too far away for Saba to eavesdrop, but Sir Richard Osborne’s body language gave Saba the distinct feeling that he, at least, didn’t like what he was hearing.

The group began to walk towards the fields, Sir Richard in front with the headmaster and the other two following behind. Just before they disappeared, Saba saw Godfrey put his hand on Kent’s shoulder, as though to say something which he didn’t want the other two to hear.

Saba carefully closed the cowshed door and sprinted across to the hedge bordering the field, where she crouched down behind a blackthorn bush. She could see down to the stream, where Campbell and Sir Richard were deep in discussion. Then she heard talking over to her left, so she moved quietly along the hedge until she was close enough to see Godfrey and King through the foliage and hear what they were saying.

“We don’t want people making a fuss just because a few animals might die,” Godfrey said.

“But the environmental report stated that this new incinerator technology would eliminate all that,” said King, sounding really surprised. “It said that carbon emissions and poisonous vapour would be trapped before they came out of the chimney.”

"Of course it did, Robert,” Godfrey said with a snigger. “We didn’t like the first report which talked about an environmental catastrophe, so we paid the consultant a fat bribe to write it again and say exactly what we wanted; that everything would be fine and no need for anyone to worry. It’s a complete lie, of course, but that’s the one you saw, and the Council now has on file."

“Sir Richard won’t be impressed by dead animals or carbon emissions,” King said.

“Richard’s just advising, so we can say we’ve consulted an environmental expert. Anyway, there’s too much money at stake to let someone like Sir Richard Osborne interfere with our plans.”

“We’re not being strictly honest, then, are we Percy?”

“Forget about honesty, Robert. There’s a fortune to be made selling this new technology worldwide, and I’m not letting any wildlife deaths or carbon leakage jeopardise that. But we need to show Asian and African governments that the technology works first – that’s why this Willowmarsh incinerator is so vital. It must go ahead.”

“I see. Worldwide sales? Really?”

“You bet. Third world countries want to burn their toxic rubbish to generate electricity, and Willowmarsh will show them that this new technology really works, and then they’ll buy it from us.”

“But the facts will come out soon enough - can’t keep carbon leakage or poisoned air quiet for long."

Godfrey sniggered again. "I disagree. It will take years of tests to show any damage to wildlife from toxins, and I couldn’t care less about carbon. By the time the real facts are known, we’ll have made our fortunes abroad.”

“Okay, but what about Bryant’s pupils being polluted?”

“No, no,” said Godfrey quickly. “We’ve been assured the prevailing wind will take the vapour well away from the school.”

“So, why am I here, Percy?” said Kent.

“Because we need a builder for the incinerator.”

A short silence, then, “Er…my company?”

“Yes, Robert."

“That sounds a bit more interesting.” The greed in Kent’s voice came across loud and clear. “Okay, let’s build the incinerator and show the world how to generate energy from poisonous rubbish.”

Godfrey laughed. “That’s the attitude. Now, don’t say anything until we’ve got planning permission. Let’s keep do-gooders at arms-length for the time being.”

Saba was staring at the two men, thinking about what she had just heard, when a woman dressed in white suddenly appeared and slowly walked around them, although Godfrey and Kent obviously couldn’t see her. She was, without doubt, the white lady from the Natural History Museum staircase.

The two men shook hands and parted, Godfrey coming back towards the farmyard. The white lady looked directly through the hedge at Saba and gesticulated with her hand for her to get out of there fast. Saba was rooted to the spot, though, gobsmacked that the white lady had turned up like this in a Willowmarsh field.

“And what are you doing here?”

Saba let out an involuntary gasp and turned round to see Percival Godfrey standing there. Close up he was certainly small and had a red face with stone-hard, piggy eyes staring at Saba. He had a thin layer of hair above his ears and around the back of his head, otherwise he was bald.

"Are you alone?"

“Yes.”

“Yes Sir, if you don’t mind,” he said. “I am the chair of school governors, and you are a mere pupil at Bryant’s; out of bounds and apparently spying. What are you doing here?"

"Er…I’m planning our biology project…Sir.”

"Oh, really, skulking behind a hedge?"

"Our project is about Willowmarsh wildlife, and––”

“…does your teacher know you’re out here?”

“Er, no sir, but he knows about our project.”

“I see,” said Godfrey, his stare making Saba feel distinctly uncomfortable. ”How long have you been spying here?”

      “I wasn’t––.”

“…your name?"

"Saba Pickford, sir."

“Oh…Pickford. I take it that you’re Tony Pickford’s daughter?”

“Yes, I am,” she said proudly, staggered that the chair of governors knew about her father.

The man’s piggy eyes closed slightly. “You’re on an assisted place, aren’t you?” Of course, that’s how he knew about her family.

“I am Sir, yes.”

“You should be extra careful, in that case. We can take your financial support away whenever we like, and then where would you be?”

“I’m very grateful for––”

“…your father knew Sir Richard Osborne, didn’t he? You’re not spying on us for Sir Richard, are you?”

Saba was gobsmacked. “No…of course I’m not. I’m just on a recce for our biology project.”      

“Alright, but my name is Mr Godfrey, and I can make life very difficult for you if I choose. Do I make myself clear?"

Saba nodded.

"Right, back to school and I will decide whether or not to report you to the headmaster."

She walked slowly back across the playing fields. She understood now why the polar bear and shadowy Hu Lin character were so worried about this incinerator – it was the global sales aspect rather than just what was proposed for Willowmarsh, and the fact that the new burning technology was obviously deeply flawed and extremely dangerous.

Saba felt desperately sad about Godfrey’s lack of empathy for humans getting in the way of the poisoned vapour. She had loved being around the rangers in Kenya and the thought of people like them being unknowing victims of Godfrey’s greed made her feel sick.

No guessing as to the identity of Hu Lin’s human wolf. What Saba had to decide now was how she could upset his plans, because this Willowmarsh incinerator had to be stopped so that a creeping global environmental tragedy was stopped before it started. No pressure, then, but by the look on Sir Richard’s face in the farmyard earlier, he felt the same way and that made him a potential ally.

Saba thought about approaching Sir Richard directly. She had met him plenty of times before, but he was an important oil industry figure as well as a global conservationist and wasn’t the sort of man to listen too closely to a...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 9.10.2025
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Kinder- / Jugendbuch
• ISBN-10: 0-00-108224-8 / 0001082248
• ISBN-13: 978-0-00-108224-3 / 9780001082243