The Legend of Spyri and Gympi
Jessica turned her pale head to look out her window. She hadn’t been outside for months now and wondered how the children were holding up. No doubt, Spyri was looking after them well. Who was Spyri? She wondered. She’d managed only to catch a few glimpses of his tall, strong build in the shadows and that reminded her of Stuart Mendleton, but all the Mendletons had died during the Night of Burning, just as all of the Cottons had been burnt alive in their house. None of them had survived.
She missed Andrew Cotton and his cheerfulness. Ever since he had saved her from Stuart in First Grade, she’d had a crush on him, although he’d never seemed to notice. If only she had told him, but then if she had, he’d probably have just laughed at her, which would have been worst.
No crutches were available, all of them had been sent to the hospitals which had run short of them. Nobody could spare any for a young girl like her. Her father had been a pawn of the enemy ever since and she detested the fact that everyone in town must look down upon him as a traitor, more than they ever had before. He’d always been the informer type, only looking after his own interests. It was because he loved her and he didn’t want the soldiers to hurt her again. She was his weak spot and she hated herself for being her father’s downfall.
From a-far off, Spyri watched Jessica through her window. He felt sorry for her, but there was nothing he could do, especially when it had really been his fault. People said that she had a slim chance of ever being able to walk again. Of course, he’d heard of what had happened, but despite that couldn’t help feeling disgusted at her father. No one had any doubts now, whom the town’s main informer was, but no one wanted to get on the bad side of the grocer who distributed everyone’s daily rations. Besides, Mr Frilby probably hated himself for betraying his own people more.
He looked down at the two-way radio he’d managed to steal from the enemy’s store with a smug smile. So much for their increased security. The four guards the enemy had left to guard the store room had been well and truly drunk when he’d crept in. So drunk that they’d fallen into a nice stupor. Spyri hoped that they would choke on their own puke and be shot for not doing their job properly.
