Jennifer Jane and the Motorway Protest 7/7

The giant came over to Abigail slowly and carefully, looking down to make sure he didn't tread on anybody.

"How can I help, ma'am?"

"Would you pick up all the machinery and workmen's tools and throw them into the gravel pit, like you did for Jennifer Jane."

Everyone got out of the way in a hurry and the giant walked back and forth between the wood and the gravel pit, throwing in all the road making equipment he could find.

"Now then, Clarence, it's your turn," said Abigail, when the giant had finished. "Will you please burn up all the things the giant has just put in the old gravel pit and then scorch the trees all round the edge."

"Stand back," cried Clarence, "I need rather a lot of room for a take-off." He unfolded his wings and started to run, thud thud thud, wough, wough, wough.

At last he was airborne. He turned and came in low over the crowd and headed for the gravel pit. Jennifer Jane heard him talking to himself as he flew past, "Oh, absolutely smashing show, melting a few tin cans, just like the good old days."

Long before Jennifer Jane thought it could be possible, there was a terrific roar of flame from Clarence's nostrils and all the machinery in the pit caught fire at once.

"Whoopee! Bang on target, first shot," shouted Clarence and he wheeled round and came in for another run. He kept the fire in the pit so hot that the machines actually melted into shapeless masses of metal.

At last he let the fires die down and then, as Abigail had asked, he carefully burned the leaves off the trees round the edge of the pit.

"Did you see that?" he said proudly as he landed, "a hundred and fifty yards range if it was an inch. Pretty good after a hundred years or so with no practice."

"Thank you, everybody," said Abigail, "the fun's over now. We'll give everyone a quarter of an hour to get back home, then we'll let time catch up in the area. There'll be a bit of a bang when it does," she added to Jennifer Jane "but don't worry, there won't be anything to be frightened of."

The fairies all flew off on clouds with the snowmen and the Giant stepped up the new cliff and went back into the woods. Abigail and the other witches helped the goblins and Jennifer Jane to the top in small groups, using their broomsticks. Soon she was hurrying home through the woods and saying 'goodnight' to all her friends as they reached their houses.

Jennifer Jane had a quick look at her bedside clock as she snuggled down to sleep. It still said twelve o'clock, so time really had stood still. Then there was the most tremendous bang and the house shook. Jennifer Jane looked at her clock again. Now it said a quarter past one.

"Golly," she thought, "if that's Abigail's idea of a bit of a bang, I wouldn't like to be around when she makes a loud one."

Her parents were having breakfast when Jennifer Jane went downstairs the next morning.

"Did you hear that big bang last night?" said Dad.

"Yes, the whole house seemed to shake," replied Jennifer Jane.

"The local radio says that all the road making machines were put into the gravel pit again, then they think a thunderbolt struck and melted them. The explosion was so big that it caused an earthquake along a fault running by the edge of the wood. There's quite a high cliff there now, apparently."

"Well, that should stop the motorway going through the wood, if anything does," said her Mother.

"Some of the workmen say they think the place is enchanted," said Dad, "so many things seem to have happened." He looked at Jennifer Jane. "You know, I'm not so sure myself, so many strange events seem to have been happening in those woods."

Jennifer Jane just laughed. "At least the woods will still be there for me to walk in. I'm sure the road will either be abandoned or have to go all the way round."

Mum and Dad went into the kitchen to wash up, while Jennifer Jane sat down to her breakfast. She could just hear them talking.

"I wouldn't be surprised if Jennifer Jane knew something about what's been going on. You think of all the strange things which have happened over the last few years: funny weather, gifts of fireworks, all the talk about her friends who we never meet and every time she goes for a walk when there's trouble, everything seems to be put right by the time she comes home.

"Well, she's got her own way again and at least we know she can't be responsible for the thunderbolts and earthquakes. If the woods really are enchanted, then they've certainly helped us and all our neighbours."

"It must be coincidence dear," said Mary "and even if it isn't, I don't suppose we'll ever know. Come on, we'd better finish the drying up."