The Legend of Spyri and Gympi - Part 12 - Ending
One spring day, just a week away from the Anniversary, Stuart was in the town square, just sitting and talking with Jessica, when the familiar tune breezed by his ear.
‘I hear the band far away, far away, far away…’
It was strange, none of the children had come screaming that Andrew had arrived. A few of the other adults sat up and looked around, gathering in the town square to greet their returning townsman. Big D and Little D sauntered in, a line of children in tow. Soon, the whole town, without an announcement had gathered together. Nobody knew exactly why or how they knew to come. They just came. Solemnly. Something serious was going to happen. Even the children sat quietly. Just waiting.
Then Andrew limped in, with his usual style, various bags hanging off his person, still singing.
‘I hear the band far away, far away, far away…’
“Gympi.”
“Spyri. Jess. Big D. Li’l D. Maria. Everyone,” He nodded. “Nice day today, isn’t it? I’m glad to see everyone’s here so that I can get down to business.”
There was silence. Nobody spoke a word. There was no need to.
“I just wanted to come home and thank everyone. I’ve never really thanked any of you properly and I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me be me.”
“Get to the point, Gympi or I’ll knock you over,” growled Stuart.
“Not if I knock you over first,” was the retort. “Anyway, Spyri, all my books are yours. All my belongings still here are yours. You do what you want to do with them. Put them in the war museum or whatever you want. They’re yours now. You and Jess, live long and happy.”
One by one, Andrew turned to those he loved, standing around him and told them where to find an item he was bequeathing to each of them and wished them well.
“What’s going on, Gympi? Why this all of a sudden?”
“You’ll see,” said Andrew looking to the town’s edge. “Use your ears if you know how to use ‘em.”
In the quiet, all the townsfolk turned to see what he was looking at. A soft breeze blew and birds sang in the trees. They turned back to look at Andrew, but he was gone. Then they heard it. In the distance. A refrain.
‘I hear the band far away, far away, far away…’
The tune was not sung, but was trumpeted by a military band that marched over the hill, instruments shining in the sun and into Thistlowood, wearing the stiff dress uniform of the people they had once fought from across the border. Leading the band, were six soldiers, immaculate in step and bearing a wooden coffin, draped over with the flag from across the border. Before them marched the now old Commander-in-Chief and Major Peneer who had since become a Lieutenant General. Behind the band, followed a large crowd and news people bearing cameras.
The people of Thistlowood were stunned.
“We are here to return Gympi, also known as Andrew Cotton, to his beloved town of Thistlowood and to surrender his will to the Mayor Stuart Mendleton, also known as Spyri. Gympi told us across the border that he never told you of what he did during his wanderings and we are here to complete what work he has spent his life doing. Today, here in Thistlowood, we will sign the very treaty he helped both our countries create. It will be his legacy and enshrined here in the war museum, with the Mayor’s permission.”
Stuart could only nod his assent, stunned. Andrew was a hero of two countries? How had he kept them from knowing? Why had he kept it secret from them? That boy had to have been raving mad. Absolute nuts. But it wasn’t surprising. It was just like Andrew to steal his thunder and become something greater than he would ever be… and let him find out at the very last minute. There was no bitterness in his thoughts.
“Andrew’s last wish was that we sing his happy song. All of us together.”
The band struck up an introduction and the people of Thistlowood looked at each other, recognising the song. Lifting their voices, the melody meandered upon the air streams and echoed off the hills, while two nations looked on.
“Sun a-shining in the sky,
Looking down on happy flowers,
Watching laughter,
Bathed in warmth,
Singing, dancing,
Smiling.
Wind a-breezing through the trees,
Tickling leafy boughs,
Oh, that life would ever be,
Full of joy and song.”
This ends the Legend of Spyri and Gympi
Written by Korallieam 2009/2010
I'm sorry to have put so many postings all at once. It'll clog up people's reading feeds. I apologise. I had forgotten about posting the rest of the story up. This story is a little rough, but I like it all the same. It's not likely to go anywhere and now that it's written, I want to be able to share it. Maybe one day, I'll have enough experience to polish it up so that it shines, but this is the best I can do with it at the present.
I have another story I would like to share with you all. It's a speed-written story. I wrote it in about 16 hours from 9.30am in the morning to 1.30am on 10/06/2013. I won't put it up for a while, but just giving you a heads up.
From memory, Spyri and Gympi is a speed written story too, but I wrote it over several days.
Both stories come from story dreams that I wanted to write down when I woke up. The fact that the stories came from dreams may account for some sections that people may find irrational or incongruent. I tried to iron everything down so that it'd read smoothly, but as any writer knows, it's not always easy to see your own mistakes.
