The Digglers

Mark was very excited as he was going on a picnic with his mum and dad. They didn't often get chance to go out together so this was rather special. Mark hoped they would be going to the sea-side but his dad had other ideas and fancied a quiet day out in the country.

Mark watched his mum as she packed the picnic basket and hoped there were some of his favourite sandwiches and cakes. She also packed two flasks of coffee and a bottle of lemonade for Mark. Mark was slightly disappointed when his dad announced that they were going to the country and not the sea-side. He said it would be too busy and that they would probably spend mot of the time stuck in a traffic jam. The weather for the past few weeks had been very hot and sunny and that encouraged people to take trips out.

They soon left the town behind and were heading towards the country. His mum and dad began looking for somewhere nice to stop. His dad spotted a lay-bye and pulled in and looked around.
'This looks a nice spot,' he said. 'There's a stream over there and a nice flat area to sit.'
They got out of the car. His dad carried the picnic basket, his mum a blanket and Mark had his football. His dad had promised him a game. They climbed over the stile. There was a gentle slope leading down to the stream and a lovely grassy area to spread the blanket.

It wasn't yet time to have something to eat so Mark wandered down to the stream and began explore. The stream wasn't very deep and due to the hot weather, very little water. He couldn't see any fish because it was too shallow, so he sat on the bank throwing pebbles.

Before lunch, Mark and his dad had a game of football but it didn't last long because it was too hot. They lay on the blanket to recover before having their lunch. Mark was pleased as his mum had made some of his favourite sandwiches and his favourite cake. He also had a bag of crisps. He was also thirsty and drank his lemonade whilst his mum and dad drank the coffee. After lunch, they planned to walk up the slope and see what was on the other side. Mark knew he would be thirsty after the walk and decided to save some of his lemonade.

It was quite a walk up the slope but when they reached the top it was a magnificent view over the countryside. Mark was right, when they got back he was very thirsty so he was glad he had saved some of the lemonade.

Whilst his mum and dad had a rest, he went back to the stream, took off his trainers and socks and sat on the bank dangling his feet in the water.

At last, he heard his dad call that it was time to go.
'Make sure everything's back in the car,' said his dad.
Mark carried his football and sat in the back of the car. His dad put the picnic basket and the blanket in the boot.
'Have you got your lemonade bottle?' asked his dad.
'Oh, yes,' muttered Mark as he looked out of the window and saw it glinting in the grass. He couldn't be bothered to go and collect a silly lemonade bottle. They left and drove home.

The next morning at breakfast, Mark's dad switched on the TV to watch the news. He gave a loud gasp as they were reporting on a moorland fire that had devastated thirty acres of woodland before it was brought under control.
'Surely,' said his dad, 'that is where we had our picnic yesterday.'
Apparently, they had found the source of the fire. The reporter was holding a piece of glass and it had been identified as part of a lemonade bottle.
'Look!' shouted Mark's dad as he pointed to the screen.
Mark who had been eating his breakfast suddenly felt very sick.
'You did pick up your bottle didn't you?' demanded his dad.
When Mark didn't reply, he knew the answer.
'Right,' said his dad, 'get in the car!'

Mark was feeling very miserable as he got in the car and his dad drove back to the picnic spot.
A very different site greeted them. It was a black charred wilderness. Where there had bee beautiful trees all that remained were charred stumps.

Mark began to cry as his dad made him get out of the car.
'You've caused all this,' he said, 'just because you couldn't be bothered to take home that lemonade bottle. Think about all the wildlife that has perished in the fire.'
Mark couldn't have felt more miserable. It was no use saying sorry. It wouldn't bring back the trees, flowers and the tiny animals. Everything was still and quiet. Not even a bird was singing. Yesterday, the air was filled with singing birds and buzzing bees.

Mark's dad looked down and saw some large stones near the stream and there he saw more pieces of the broken bottle.
'It must have rolled down the slope and smash as it hit the stones,' he said.
The grass had been very dry due to the hot weather and as the sun shone on a broken piece of glass. A few wisps of smoke came from the grass then tiny flames that grew and grew until the whole of the hillside was engulfed by flames.

Mark never dropped any littler after that. It took him a long time to recover from the shock. He never forgot the devastation caused by the fire. It had all been his fault for being careless and lazy.

The End