Chapter 12: Prayers and Trust

The next day, the peach was high in the clouds, and it was foggy all around. James was allowed to go on the boardwalk - the fencing in the peach – if he was sure to be extra careful not to fall off.

Penelope was on the other side of the peach and was looking down at the sky. Although she was glad to have made friends with the giant bugs, she felt uneasiness of trusting them.

The gypsy girl sat on the fence pathway, and Jaelle laid her head on the girl's lap. She stroked the goat's head and smiled. She loved the cool breeze blowing in her long thick hair. Feeling at peace, she folded her hands and began to pray.

"Dear God, I always wonder if you are nearby, but I always knew that James, Jaelle, and I will be free from our prison. I do wonder what will happen to us once we get to New York City?" Penelope felt her eyes watering. "Will those wicked women follow us and take us back? What if the people in America don't accept me because I am a Gypsy? I can't let that happen, maybe our new bug friends aren't so bad after all. I do hope they will help us. Give my blessings to James' parents and to Mama and Papa too, Amen."

Penelope looked down and saw the clouds below her and she looked at Jaelle and then up at the sky. She began to sing;

(Penelope):

I don't know if you can hear me,

Or if you're even there,

I don't know if you would listen to a gypsy's prayer,

Yes, I know I'm just an outcast,

I shouldn't speak to You.

Still, I see Your face and wonder,

Were You once an outcast too?

On the other side of the peach, Dragonfly was smoking on his pipe. He watched the smoke rising into the air and then he heard a sweet voice singing in the air. Hearing the singing got him curious and he decided to investigate.

(Penelope):

God help the outcasts,

Hungry from birth,

Show them the mercy,

They don't find on earth.

God help my people,

They look to You still,

God help the outcasts,

Or nobody will.

Dragonfly was enamored with her voice, and he slowly crept over and saw Penelope on her knees looking at the sky.

(Penelope):

I ask for nothing,

I can get by.

But I know so many less lucky than I.

Please help my people,

The poor and down trod,

Penelope felt the sunlight shining down on her and she looked up. It felt that it was a sign from God giving her hope. Her eyes moistened and a tear of joy rolled down her cheek.

I thought we all were,

The Children of God,

God help the Outcasts,

Children of God.

Jaelle nuzzled her face and Penelope hugged her goat as she once more sang.

(Penelope):

"Children of God."

Dragonfly gave a small smile, and felt his heart was touched by the Gypsy girl expressing her faith. Jaelle lifted her head from the girl's shoulder and noticed the giant dragonfly watching them. The goat bleated and Penelope turned around to see Dragonfly, and she gave a quiet gasp.

"Mr. Dragonfly," she said, "Did you hear me praying?"

"Aye lass," he said bashfully. "I never knew ya sang like an angel."

Dragonfly's compliment caused the gypsy girl to blush. "Oh, thank you," she said shyly.

The Scottish bug walked over and sat down next Penelope and Jaelle. He reached his upper hand towards her hand, but she flinched away from him. Dragonfly noticed there was a flash of fear in her eyes. His large eyes widened in surprise but turned to concern.

"Are ye all right lass?"

"Forgive me, Mr. Dragonfly," she said, almost upset. "I guess I forgot that I'm no longer at Sponge and Spiker's place. I feel that I was about to get hit."

"Oh Penelope." Dragonfly gripped his pipe. "I hope ye know that the others an' I would never do that to ye and James, right?"

"I think so," she said, frowning. "No one would ever want to be around a gypsy, thinking that I would rob them of their money and possessions. Gypsies don't do well within Europe. Spiker and Sponge always despised my people, just like the Nazis from the Second War. My people were being arrested and sent to concentrations camps to die for being different. That was why my family and I fled France and moved to England."

"Sponge and Spiker not only hated me for my heritage, but they were also jealous of my beauty," Penelope reached for a stand of her long hair. "One time, I was dusting the house and I accidentally knocked their favorite vase, shattering it."

"They didn't get upset, did they?"

"I'm afraid they did. When they saw what had happened, I confessed to them and pleaded forgiveness. But then, they gave me the cruelest punishment; I was ordered to go up to the bathroom and I sat in front of the mirror. Sponge held me down by the shoulders and Spiker took a pair of shears and began to cut off my hair!"

"What?" Dragonfly gasped in horror.

"They didn't stop until my hair was cut short and uneven!" Penelope held another stand of her hair, as if she remembered feeling the dread of losing her hair. "They told me that a gypsy with better looks is deemed worthless."

"How could such cruel women like 'em treat a beautiful lass like ye?"

"I don't know Dragonfly," she sighed. "Maybe they can't help the way they are."

The two stared out in the distance of the clouds and all was silent around them. The giant dragonfly wasn't a touchy insect, but he couldn't help and felt sorry for the poor gypsy girl. He wanted to think of a way to relieve her from the pain she and James went through.

"What were yer favorite things to do in order to forget harsh memories?" he asked.

Penelope heard the question and remained quiet. She thought long and hard about it. Then she came up with an idea and believed that she could do it for the bugs tonight to restore her confidence and faith.

"I know!" she said smiling. "Jaelle and I will put on a performance tonight! I haven't performed in a while, and I now feel the urge to do it. I'll bring it up to the others and see if they're up for it."

"That's a great idea lass," Dragonfly said. "I like to see how ye and the wee goat perform. An' I'm sure the others will like it."

"Thank you for the suggestion, Mr. Dragonfly," Penelope said, throwing her arms around the tall insect's waist. Dragonfly grew surprised by the gypsy girl's unexpected hug but gave a smile and hugged her back. He was glad that Penelope was slowly beginning to trust him and the others.


At the lower part of the peach, Earthworm was slithering on the boardwalk making his way up. He was unaware that James was in front of him and looking at his brochure and ended up poking his nose on the boy's bottom. The boy gave a yelp and Earthworm cried out in fear, "Whoever you are, keep away from me! Keep away!" He then jumped off the fence pathway to his doom, until James caught him and pulled him back up.

"Earthworm!" James said, facing the serpentine bug. "It's me!"

"Oh James! Oh, thank goodness!" Earthworm said, breathing with relief.

"You mustn't frighten yourself like this all the time!" the boy said.

"Why not?" Earthworm asked.

"You'll make yourself sick!" James said, "When Penelope and I had a problem, my mum and dad would tell us to look at it another way."

"How?" Earthworm asked skeptically. "First, I was bird bait, then I was shark bait."

"I suppose," James said and then smiled. "Or, you could say you gave us wings to fly, and defeated a giant shark single-handedly."

"No-handedly," Earthworm said, stating that he didn't have arms.

"Exactly!" James grinned, tapping the serpentine's nose. "You're a hero!"

"I am?" Earthworm said, before he proclaimed with a heroic pose, "I'm… Wonder Worm!"

"You are!" agreed James.


Author's Note: "God Help The Outcasts" is from Disney's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame",