Chapter 7: God Help The Outcasts

Miriam snuck quietly into the church. She was still in awe of how beautiful the cathedral was. Suddenly the sound of footsteps. Startled her. She saw a familiar blonde-haired soldier behind her. She turned and grabbed his sword from his belt pointing it at him. You! Woah, whoa easy I'm a friend. I come in peace. You expect me to believe you. Your friend Esmeralda sent me. We met after the festival and she asked me to check on you. Miriam isn't it.

She looked at him with suspicion and lowered the sword. "Your not at all like the other soldiers." So if your not going to arrest me then what do you want? Well I guess what I wanted to say what you did at the festival was brave. Esmeralda told me why you did it. "It was very brave standing up to Frollo like that." She smiled glad to have made a new friend.

"Good work, Captain. Now arrest her." She turned to see frollo and some of his guards standing at the door. "Claim "sanctuary." Phoebus whispered to her, but she was furious with him. "Say it!" He pleaded. " You tricked me!" She growled. He looked hurt by her words.

"I'm waiting, Captain." Said Frollo impatiently. Phoebus turned to Frollo. "I'm sorry, sir. She claimed sanctuary." "There's nothing I can do," Phoebus lied. "Then drag her outside and... "Frollo, you will not touch her!" Miriam turned to see the Archdeacon appear behind her.

Don't worry. "Minister Frollo learned years ago to respect the sanctity of the church." The archdeacon said glaring at the judge. Frollo looked furious, but motioned his men to leave. The archdeacon escorted Phoebus out of the church. He looked back at her as he followed the priest out of the church. The man had lied to save her life. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

Suddenly she felt her arms forced behind her back as she heard the judges cold voice in her ear. "You think you've outwitted me, but I'm a patient man, and gypsies don't do well inside stone walls." He turned his head sniffing her hair. "What are you doing?" "I was just imagining a rope around that beautiful neck." Miriam elbowed him in the ribs finally managing to break free of his grasp. "I know what you were imagining." She growled.

Frollo smirked at her. "Such a clever witch." "So typical of your kind to twist the truth." "To cloud the mind with unholy thoughts." She glared at him. "Well, no matter." She glared after him as he walked to the front door. "You've chosen a magnificent prison, but it is a prison, nonetheless." "Set one foot outside, and you're mine."

When Frollo had left she ran to the door and flung it open. Standing outside where dozens of guards. "Frollo's orders, post a guard at every door." She slammed the door shut. I'm trapped! what will Arron think if I don't come home?!

"If Frollo thinks he can keep me here he's wrong!" She said bitterly. "Don't act rashly, my child." She turned to see the archdeacon lighting candles. "You created quite a stir at the festival. It would be unwise to arouse Frollo's anger further."

You saw what he did out there, letting the crowd torture my- She froze. "Your brother?" She stared at archdeacon in shock. How did you…...? He told me the old priest said with a smile. Im glad he found his family. Though I do not believe you are truly a gypsy your skin is not as dark as the Romani so who are you really child.

The girl told the priest everything realizing she had no choice. He frowned. I suppose that would explain everything. Please don't tell my brother. Of course not, that is for you and only you to tell. "I just don't understand what they have against people who are different." "You can't right all the wrongs of this world by yourself."

"No one out there is going to help, that's for sure." The priest chuckled. "Well, perhaps there's someone in here who can." He walked of to finish lighting the rest of the candles leaving Miriam in front of a statue. She turned to look at the people in the pews behind her. Then turned to look at a statue of a women holding a child. She shed a tear, as the statue reminded her of her mother.

"l don't know if You can hear me, or if You're even there"

"l don't know if You would listen to my humble prayer. "

"Yes, l know l'm just an outcast"

"l shouldn't speak to You"

"Still, l see your face and wonder"

"Were You once an outcast, too?"

As she sang, she walked through a row of candles unaware that her brother was watching her sing.

"God help the outcasts"

"Hungry from birth"

"Show them the mercy"

"They don't find on earth"

"God help my people"

"We look to You still"

"God help the outcasts"

"Or nobody will"

She sang not just for the Roma who were suffering because of Frollo. She sang for her people in Egypt and for her brother who suffered because of Frollo. The people in the church soon began to pray to god of their own selfish desires.

"l ask for wealth"

"l ask for fame"

"l ask for glory to shine on my name"

"l ask for love"

"l can possess"

"l ask for God and His angels to bless me"

Miriam looked up at the vaulted ceiling as she began to sing again.

"l ask for nothing"

"l can get by

" But l know so many less lucky than l"

"Please help my people"

"The poor and downtrod"

"l thought we all were"

"The children of God"

"God help the outcasts"

"Children of"

"God!"

Meanwhile Quasimodo stood behind a pillar watching his sister. He smiled at her. Her song had made him feel a bit better. He stood there a while in silence. Suddenly the silence was disturbed by a parishioner who had caught sight of Quasimodo hiding behind the pillar.

"You! Bell ringer!" "What are you doing down here?" Startled Quasimodo stumbled accidently knocking over a candelabra. Miriam looked to where the parishioner was pointing. Haven't you caused enough trouble already?" Miriam recognized her brother and chased after him.

"Wait!" "I want to talk to you." Quasimodo ran up the stairs and up the ladder and hid behind a beam just as she came into the room. He heard her climbing the ladder. Brother, please come out. Go away! He snapped. She approached the spot where he was hiding and held out her hand.

He hesitantly took it and stepped into the light. Their where tears in her brothers eyes. I'm so sorry Quasimodo. I had no idea that would happen to you. He wiped his eyes and turned away from her. Its not your fault people are like that. I should have known a monster like me would never be accepted out there.
Don't say that brother! Your not a monster. Frollo's the real monster. Miriam-No you listen to me! Who ignored you when you called for help at the festival. He winced. F-Frollo he stuttered hating to admit it. One day brother, you'll have to stand up to him. Can you promise me that? He nodded. She smiled. Then she noticed how dark it was outside. Oh no its late! I have to go or Aron will worry. She walked out onto the balcony and looked at the guards below.

"I forgot I'm trapped." Quasimodo looked at the guards patrolling below and frowned. He didn't like seeing his sister so sad. Then he got an idea. "You helped me, now I will help you." "But there's no way out." "There are soldiers at every door." "We won't use a door." He said with a grin.

She looked down below her then back at her brother. "You mean, climb down?" "Sure, why not, unless your afraid of heights? I'm not afraid of heights. Ok then he scooped his sister up. You ready. Yes she nodded. "Don't be afraid." I'm not afraid she said calmly." Her brother swung over the ledge while holding her. "Now I'm afraid."

"The trick is not to look down." She looked down. "You've done this before?" She asked nervously. No he said nonchalantly. She gulped. He climbed his way down the cathedral swinging from gargoyle to gargoyle until he landed on a rooftop nearby.

Wow, you're quite an acrobat, she said to her brother. Thank you. Suddenly a tile on the roof came loose and they slid down the roof. Quasimodo managed to grab a hold of the roof but not before the tile that had come loose flew of the roof with a loud crash.

"Check the alley!" One soldier shouted. "This way!" As a soldier walked past with a torch, they posed pretending to be part of the statue. "I hope I didn't scare you." Not for an instant. She answered her brother. I'll miss you Miriam. He looked away from her looking sad. She turned her brothers face to look at her.

"Come with me." What? He said shocked. "Come with me to the court of miracles, leave this place." Oh, no. "I'm never going back out there again." "You saw what happened today." "No. This is where I belong." Miriam looked sadly at her brother. "All right, then I'll come to see you." She said becoming cheerful again.

"Here? But the soldiers and Frollo!" "I'll come after sunset."

"But at sunset, I ring the evening mass, and after that I clean the cloisters, and then I ring the vespers, and...He looked at his sister who was giving a slightly insistent look. "Whatever is good for you." He said finally giving in to his sisters pleading. She smiled.

"If you ever need sanctuary, this will show you the way." She said placing a woven amulet of sorts around his neck. But how? "Just remember. When you wear this woven band, you hold the city in your hand." Suddenly Quasimodo heard the sound of the guards returning back.

"Hurry you must go." His sister climbed down and ran off into the night. He smiled as he watched his sister leave. However, he was in for surprise when he reached the top of the balcony.