Alice In Ecoland

“Alice” her mother called from the kitchen.
Alice and her friend Bryony were watching a fashion show on the television.
“Those coats are fantastic” Bryony swooned.
“I NEED one” Alice emphasised the word ‘need’.
Ms Mayfair walked in and frowned at the television.
“Alice” she repeated.
“Yes?” Alice grunted, her eyes remaining on the screen. On the television there were skinny women wearing chinchilla fur coats and suede boots under big flashing lights.
“Alice, look at me when I’m talking to you” her mother sounded disgruntled.
Alice snapped her head around so she could look at her mother, although she still had one eye on the television.
“Yes?” Alice sighed.
“It’s a glorious day outside” Ms Mayfair whipped the curtains open to prove it. The sun was so bright, they couldn’t see the television.
“Mum” Alice groaned. “It’s too bright”
“You’re no vampire, Alice”

Her mother switched off the television and stood in front of the two girls. “And, because it’s such a nice day, perhaps you’d like to go for a walk in Bramble woods?”
Alice screwed up her face into an unattractive twist of defiance.
“Alice…” her mother started.
“We could take a picnic” Bryony considered reasonably. Ms Mayfair’s face lit up.
“Yes Bryony, I’ll make you some sandwiches and you can take some cola” Ms Mayfair grinned. “And you two can girly gossip!” She chuckled.

"How cringe worthy", Alice thought to herself. But after all, it wasn’t very often Bryony came round and perhaps some girly gossip would do them both some good.
“Okay then” Alice picked up her leather jacket and put on her leather boots.

“Oh Alice” Her mother’s usual frown spread across her face for the 54th time today. “Is it really necessary to wear those leather boots? You’re only going to the Woods for heaven’s sake, not some fashion show”

“I wish I was going to some fashion show” Alice teased. The frown remained on Ms Mayfair’s face.

“Okay well, I’ll prepare your picnic” Ms Mayfair put together a large spread of egg sandwiches, 4 of those little apple pies that come in the tin cases, 2 packets of crisps, a large bar of chunky chocolate to share along with two cans of cola.

Alice picked the picnic basket up and scurried out of the door. On her way out she scooped up all of her sweets allowance for the week.
“Come on, Bryony” Alice said leaving the house. Bryony followed.
“Bye” Ms Mayfair called, although the door was closed. She frowned for the 55th time that day.

Alice and Bryony skipped down the country lane. The morning sunshine shot through the trees and hit the remaining puddles of yesterday’s rainfall and caused the road to shimmer.

“When I grow up I want to be a model and wear chinchilla coats” Alice said out of the blue. “And have my own private jet and have chocolate for every meal.”

Bryony laughed. “Me too, except I’m going to have 15 cars and have cake for every meal!”

They giggled and continued to think of all the things they’d like when they grew up.

“A house in LA”
“With air conditioning of course”
“Why, of course…”
“Whale skin boots like they had in that magazine we were reading!”
“Jenny Milton wears them!”

Jenny Milton was a famous American singer who both the girls adored.
“I bet Jenny doesn’t have time to go to stupid walks in the woods”
“More like walks on hot, sunbathing type beaches” Bryony sighed.

Soon they reached the woods. Both the girls looked disgusted as they trudged through the thick, damp mud to get to the gate.

“EW” Alice screeched.
“My shoes!” Bryony joined in with the screeching.

Alice struggled to free her leather boots from sinking. As did Bryony.

“These are new!” Alice screeched, indicating to her boots.

Bryony growled because her blonde hair had got splattered a nice colour of chocolate brown when Alice kicked her boot full of mud up in fury once it had been freed from the bridle path.

“Alice!” Bryony screamed. “Maybe we should go back…”

Alice shook her head. “Mum will only get cross with us so we might as well make the most of it” Alice brushed leaves out of her hair. “There must be some kind of fun we can have”

Bryony looked doubtful but agreed in the end, she was not in the mood for arguing.

Alice ran ahead as Bryony continued trudging through the mud with the heavy picnic basket in her hand.

Alice threw open the gate and held it for Bryony as she staggered through with the picnic basket. She was eager to get on as it was a little heavy. Alice ran to catch up with her.

“Alice shouldn’t we close the gate?” Bryony thought looking behind her.

“Maybe, but I can’t be bothered” Alice stuck out her tongue. Bryony giggled.

They carried on walking, Alice snapping branches off trees and throwing them in the air as she went along.

“Snap” Alice said as she broke yet another branch off the tree.

“Alice” Bryony moaned. “I’m starving”
“We’ve only been walking for 20 minutes!” Alice called behind her, still involved in her snapping game.
“I’m hungry” Bryony winged.
Alice stopped snapping and looked at Bryony.

“Well I guess we don’t have a picnic for nothing” Alice said. She took out two packets of crisps and gave one to Bryony.
“We can have the rest when we get up to the clearing” Alice pointed beyond the trees to a beautiful field with a shimmering lake.

“That’s miles away!” Bryony continued to moan.

“Bryony it will be worth the wait, there are shops and there’s a small beach near there.” Alice said. “Besides, it’ll only take us about half an hour”

“I suppose” Bryony sighed but soon cheered up when she’d opened her crisps.
The girls kept walking. Alice snapped branches, Bryony ate.

“AHHH” Alice screamed.
“What?” Bryony jumped; disappointed she’d dropped half of her crisps.
“A SPIDER” Alice screeched.

“Kill it!” Bryony called and stepped back.

Alice squished the small spider with her boot and told Bryony it was all clear.

“When I live in my house in America, I’m going to buy a spider exterminator!” Bryony said.

“Do they even exist?”
“I don’t care, I’ll invent one”

“The less spiders the better”

“They deserve to all die” Bryony said. Alice agreed as they continued to walk. Bryony started to eat the remains of her crisps – and soon she finished them.

“I’m still hungry” Bryony moaned. Alice rolled her eyes. “You’ve got crisps in your hand!”

Bryony showed Alice the empty packet and then threw them behind her. “They’re finished” Bryony looked on at Alice in despair. “I’m thirsty”
Alice sighed and pulled out two cans of cola and threw one to Bryony.

Alice and Bryony continued to walk on while Bryony was kept content with a fizzy drink.

“How much longer Alice, my legs are starting to give way” Bryony slumped her shoulders and had a look of despair on her face.

“Bryony, come on” Alice insisted. “We’re doing this for the beach OK?”
Bryony wasn’t convinced. “But it’s ever so far”

“It will be good when we get there though, plus we can get the bus back” Alice said slyly.

Bryony giggled. “Okay, well let’s play a game on the way!”

“Okay I’ve got one” Alice took her and Bryony’s empty cola cans and stood them up, one on top of the other, in the middle of the grass. She handed Bryony a stone. “Try and hit them and knock them down”

Bryony took the stone and threw it. It hit a pigeon.

“Bryony…” Alice shook her head.

“Is the pigeon Okay?”

“Should be” Alice dismissed it and took the stone off Bryony. “Bryony’s score – O” Alice laughed. “My go”

Alice threw the stone as hard and as accurate as she could and she hit both cans. “See Bryony that’s how it’s done”

Bryony growled. “Just because you play cricket…”

Alice laughed and told Bryony they should carry on, it was nearly 11 o’clock and the beach would be nice at this time of the summer morning.

“Should we take the cans?” Bryony asked. “There are no bins…”

“No” Alice continued walking. “What harm will it do?”

Alice was wrong, oh so wrong, and she was about to find out why…

Friday, 8th February 2008 by Maya Toney, aged 13