Chapter Nineteen.   Elly.

Tink led them deep into a part of the forest Elly had never been in before, the ancient trees were huddled very close together here and the floor was covered in lots of different toadstools and mushrooms. Very little sunlight was able to filter through the dense canopy overhead, but here and there pools of golden light lit up the ground.

Tink eventually stopped by a huge oak and pointed at some rather boring looking green spiky plants that were growing at its base. “Lady’s Slipper,” he said, “It don’t look much now, but in the spring…oi don’t think oi’ve ever seen a more lovely flower.”
Elly stared at the plants, “You’re sure these are really rare orchids? How can we prove they’re here?”
“I’ve got my mobile with me,” said Nick. “I can take some photos.” He took out his phone and crouching down started to take photos. “It’s no good, the light’s too bad, this could be anything,” he said showing the picture to Elly.

“We need to show this to someone else, someone who has the power to stop Clifford,” said Elly, “but I don’t know if I could even find this place again, do you?” she asked Nick.
He shook his head, “What do you think Tink? What can we do to stop Clifford?”
Tink rubbed his beard and leant heavily on his stick, several moments passed in silence before he spoke at last. “Don’t worry ‘bout finding this place, oi'll find you and show you the way. There was some chap with a camera crew ‘ere a few days ago, you two find ‘im and bring ‘im back to the forest. Tell ‘im you’ve got something to show him that’ll be worth ‘is trouble. Reckon that’s the best way to go.”
“Tink, you are brilliant, but how will you know where we are?” said Elly.
“Don’t you worry, oi’ll know,” replied Tink. “Now you go an’ find this chap an’ fetch ‘im ‘ere.”
                                                                   *
After Tink had led them out to the edge of the forest they went to have a look at the work-site. New machinery had arrived and workmen in yellow jackets and hard-hats were checking it, a small group of protestors were still there, but they appeared to be disheartened and only one or two were shouting insults at the workmen.

“We haven’t got much time,” said Elly, “they look like they’re nearly ready to start clearing the trees away.”
“We need to stop them starting work today, should we speak to the protest group, see if they can help?”
“Well Clifford’s not here, that’s one good thing. I know a couple of them, they’ve been to my house with Mum before, I suppose it’s worth a try.”

They made their way over to the protestors and Elly spoke to one of the women she knew. “I can’t say too much,” she whispered, “but we think we can stop this from happening, but we need more time. Can you do something to distract the workmen, stop them from starting work today?”
“Yes, of course. You really think you can stop this? That’s brilliant Elly, we’ve really missed your mum you know, she really kept our spirits up; it’s not been the same without her.” She spoke to the other protestors who nodded in agreement, they began waving their placards with much more enthusiasm and moving forwards they formed a human chain between the diggers and the trees. As Elly and Nick left they could hear the workmen arguing with them.

“That should keep them busy for a while,” said Nick, “now we just have to find that reporter, convince him we’re being serious and get him to come to the forest with us. And we’ve only got a few hours to do it.”
“His name is Ben something, he works for Look Out Television, but I don’t know where the studio is or how we’re going to get there. I don’t even know if he’ll talk to us, do you think we should phone first or just turn up?”
“Just turn up I think, let’s go back to my house and have a look on the internet, we can find out where we’ve got to go, if we have to, we can go on the train. I’ve got money for the tickets. We’re getting quite good at making it up as we go along, aren’t we?”
Elly nodded, “What about your mum? Didn’t your dad say you had to stay at home with her?”
“She’s probably home now, I’ll say we’re doing a project at the library, she won’t mind.”
“Let’s go then.”
                                                                   *