Save The Environment!

• Isabel Mace, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2019

Lola picked up the last of the rubbish on the ground. “Stupid litterers,” she grumbled. “and they think they’re doing a great job.”
In her head there was a flood of terrible images which including her own view of the world in the future. She remembered watching a rather interesting movie, Wall-E. It had featured a lovable robot which was cleaning after a post-apocalyptic Earth, along with other helpers. She remembered her anger at the people who had left Earth disgusting and unhabitable.
Lola brushed her curly red hair back behind her ear, and stood up, slightly bumping her shoulder near the sandy-coloured brick wall. Then she heard snickering.
“Looks like Itty-Bitty Lola is cleaning!” One female voice sneered. Lola was very small and petite for her age, so she so-called ‘earned’ the nickname ‘Itty-Bitty Lola’.
“Oh, be quiet, Samantha,” Lola snapped, “you’ll be the one cleaning if you’re gonna bully others, so don’t even go there.” Samantha was silent, but then threw her a dirty look. Then she walked away, her waist-long onyx hair glistening in the hot sun.
A teacher then walked towards her. Lola took in her rather crazy, flyaway hair, which seemed to have been almost tamed by the hairspray but failed. “Oh, thanks, Lola!” She had a large, slack mouth that had curled into a large, genuine grin. She placed a hand to her heart.
“Here, why don’t I give you some…” she dug into her patched, homemade bag, “oh, dear, I seemed to have misplaced…”
“Oh, no, I don’t need any rewards, I just wanted to save the environment!” Lola interrupted. The teacher looked surprised, but said, “You care about the environment, eh?”
“Yeah. I think we should really help it. I’m sure we can all make a difference if we’d all pitch in!” Lola said excitedly.
"You do?" She smiled. "Well, here's a piece of advice; don't ever let anyone tell you what you can and can't do. And, get the word out about the environment, it'll help. I promise." Lola grinned. The teacher trotted away, muttering something about her flyaway hair. Lola watched her, and she tossed her hair back. She spied the large clock tower. One thirty, it read. She felt disappointed, as it was nearly the end of lunch, but she brightened when she remember the woman's words. She knew to follow her heart. She knew to never let her haters treat her like dirt. She walked towards her classroom, ideas forming in her head.