Lots to do!
During the night the children woke up repeatedly because of unfamiliar noises. The animals grunted or smacked their lips in their sleep. A cow farted loudly. The hamster wheels whirled. The kittens were wide awake and chased around between the children. At dawn they were woken by the crowing of a cockerel.
Why does he have to crow in here, Peter thought and turned to the other side. But the cockerel continued to crow. One after another the children woke up.
„How do you switch him off?“ Peter asked grumpily.
„You can’t switch him off,“ Katie said and stretched. „It is convenient that we are awake so early. Today we have a lot do to.“ She turned to Daniel, who continued to snore. „Let him have a few minutes more. Come on, let’s go over to the house and have breakfast.“
Lucky greeted them excitedly, when they crossed the yard. He enjoyed being stroked by Tom for quite a while.
„Why is Lucky with you?“ asked Tom.
„Daniel found him at a motorway service area. He was tied to a crash barrier.“
„Why’s that? Did the owners forget him there?“
„No, I assume, that he was a nuisance to them. Maybe they wanted to get rid of him, because they wanted to go on holiday and didn’t want to spend money for the kennels. Or maybe they didn’t like him anymore, once he was fully grown. Puppies, baby dogs, frequently look quite different from grown-up dogs. Who knows.“
„But Lucky is so nice. How could someone simply abandon him? I’d love to keep him.“ Tom hugged Lucky firmly.
„I’m sure our parents will be against it,“ Peter said.
“They say we are too young to have a pet.“
„You can come and visit Lucky anytime, Tom,“ Katie said. „You can also send him letters. I don’t mind reading them to him. But let’s go now. Lucky will be hungry and I am too.“
The kids were still at breakfast, when Daniel entered the kitchen. „Good morning, everybody. Have you a sip of coffee for me, Katie? Unfortunately I can’t stay. My mobile woke me up. I have to go to the surgery now. The forest warden is waiting for me with a fawn.“
„Run over?“ Katie asked.
„No, someone started a forest fire. The animal could escape the flames onto a glade, however, it appears to have suffered some burn injuries.“
„Can you heal it?“ Sarah asked.
„I hope so.“
„Will you bring it home?“ Jane asked.
„No, I am sure it will be in great pain and needs a rest. There is too much going on here. Especially, when the excavators will arrive tomorrow.“
The children understood. Daniel drank his coffee and drove off.
After breakfast the children fed the animals and took them out onto the field again. The four-wheel-drive was already at the fence.
„They are only wasting their time,“ Katie said. „We are not letting ourselves get worked up!“
The children nodded in agreement. Katie told them about her plans for the day. They were to make posters for tomorrow’s demonstration. And they were to collect rotten tomatoes and dried up cow-pats. These would be pelted against the windscreens of the excavators. The children were especially fond of this idea. They started to work. In the kitchen they cut up sheets and attached them to two wooden sticks each. On the sheets they wrote slogans like:
Save the sanctuary!
Foulplay out!
Stop animal torture!
Battery farming is chicken torture!
Foulplay the chicken torturer!
Chickens want to scratch!
They were engrossed in their work when a car drove into the yard. Lucky growled. Katie looked out of the window. „The mayor,“ she said. She opened the front door. „Don’t even try to make us change our mind. We won’t surrender!”
„Please be reasonable, Mrs Finch!“ the mayor replied. „Think about the jobs which will be created in the village. And all the tax money which the village will receive from Mr Foulplay!“
„Blood sticks on Foulplay’s money, Mr Mayor. The blood of millions of battery chickens and broiler chickens.“
The children assembled behind Katie.
„And on top you went to the newspaper, Mrs Finch. Our village is getting a bad reputation in the eyes of the world,“ the mayor wailed.
„Yes, and especially if you grant planning permission for the chicken factory,“ Katie said.
Peter disappeared into the office for a short time and came back with a note, which he handed to the mayor. Katie looked at him inquiringly.
„Mr Mayor,“ Peter said, „here it says, that chicken batteries make people ill who live nearby. The many thousands of chickens have germs, which are inhaled by the people. And then they become ill.“
The mayor looked at him with surprise. „Where did you get this from?“
„Off the internet. It is written by doctors.“
The mayor cleared his throat. He put the note in the pocket of his jacket. He turned to Katie. „Please be reasonable, my dear. You’ll be putting the lives of the children in danger when the excavators arrive tomorrow. I could talk Mr Foulplay into a delay of a few days, if you leave the farm voluntarily. It is not yet too late.“
Katie shook her head. „You better leave now! We’ve got lots of work to do. You are only holding us up,“ she said coolly.
After the mayor had gone, Katie gave Peter a hug.
„You little genius! You gave me a wonderful idea. Do you have another print-out of this?“
He nodded.
„We are going to make copies and distribute them to the villagers. It is more than likely that most people are not aware, that they and their children can get ill, if so many chickens have to live cramped together.“
„Good idea,“ Peter said, „but where do we find a copy machine on a Sunday?“
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