Waiting for the Flyers, Part16: Surprises for Sally

A door at the side of the lounge opened and a young girl entered carrying a tray containing a brightly coloured teapot with matching cups and milk jug. Setting them down on the squat antique table between the sofas she offered a shy smile. She looked very familiar.

‘Let’s have some tea before I show you around the place. . . . Heather can you bring some of those cakes you made?’

Junior looked at me and frowned. I held my hand up slightly to ask him to hold his tongue. I was also taken aback. Heather, I remembered, was the young girl we found entranced in the church on our group trip to the village. I waited until she left the room.

‘Jess, what is that girl doing here?’

‘Steve found her in the grounds the big building on the edge of the village; Saint Peters Church. She was leaning against a big slab of stone with names and dates on it. I think they are to mark dead people.’

‘Grave stones, Jess. It’s where people buried their family when they died, like we have to do now.’

‘She’d been there all night. She wanted to get into the building, but couldn’t open the big door. Steve brought her here ‘cos she was so thin and cold and he was afraid she might be attacked by feral dogs. We gave her food and warmth. She’s fascinated by that place, can’t keep her away from it. We managed to open a small door at the side for her to get it. She says the peace she feels in there calms her and she talks to Zak and Drew.

‘The boys killed by the wild pig.’

‘Drew was her brother and Zak their best friend. She saw the attack. It affected her deeply. She said she doesn’t want to live in the community anymore. We let her stay here and eat and help around the house cleaning and cooking, but most of the time she’s in the church. Even sleeps there sometimes. We made up a bed for her in a room labelled vestry.  We were worried about her. She seems a bit better lately. Not so withdrawn.’

I saw a side of Jess I hadn’t expected. He was maturing fast. It convinced me of his intention and ability to build a community of his own.

‘What about her mother and father, Jess? Have you talked to them?’

‘She asked me not to, but I got Steve to visit her mum. Her father doesn’t live with her now. The woman’s a mess, we decided it was better for the girl to stay here until she improves.’

‘Ok, you may be right, for the moment at least, but the mother needs help. I’ll go see her with Doc. Sophie when I get back.’  

After we finished the tea and cakes, Heather returned to take the crockery away. When I thanked her she looked at me, I saw fright in her eyes.’

‘Don’t take me back to my gebiet, Maam.’ She whispered.

‘No one is going to make you go anywhere you don’t want to, Heather. I’m not here to take you away.’

Her eyes filled with tears as she lifted the tray and left the room. I decided I would visit her later in the day when she went back to the church. Mentioning this to Jess his shrug suggested he had no problem with it, but didn’t think it’d make a lot of difference to her state of mind. At that point he got to his feet.

‘Before we begin our tour I have a surprise for you and David.’

We turned to see as Jess beckoned to someone standing at the at the lounge entrance. David let out an involuntary yell. A tall thin but clearly very fit ancient looking man held up his arms and waved to David.

‘Bob! Wha- wha-? You’re alive?’

'Bob Groves, Maam. He’s been helping us.’

Image of the key  of St Peter from Wiki commons