The girl was clearly starved. You had to see her eating as if her life was depending on it. And every time she had processed a mouthful of food again she said how god it tasted. It wasn’t that much to shout about though, just bread with jam from berries and water to drink. I was happy to see she was again getting some colour on her cheeks. Actually she was a pretty girl, I gave her nine years old, maximum ten. My daughter had just turned twelve. She also was watching the eating girl with much pleasure. My daughter had not moved an inch from Alexandrina’s from the moment I saw them together. Now she was sitting again close with the purple haired girl as if she wanted to protect her at all times. As I didn’t want to disturb Alexandrina in her eating, I asked my daughter to tell the whole story. Where did she find this mysterious girl? And Cinna started telling the whole story. She was playing outside with the other children in the meadow near the lake. In this meadow the whole village had a pick-nick every Sunday after the mass. After having lunch the children would play while the adults would have a chat. That’s why the children called it the playing meadow. Cinna said they were playing ball there. Suddenly someone had thrown the ball too hard and it landed into the bushes. Nobody dared to get it out of there, because behind the bushes was the forest. It was the little Dottie, who had a bit more courage than the rest, went for a look although the others told her not to do so. Dottie went on with the intention grabbing the ball as quickly as possible. She would not go into the bushes at any price. Once if she would enter the bushes the mysterious forces emerging from the forest could grab her even if it was broad daylight. Dottie had to go on her knees. She saw the ball lying under the bushes. She stretched her arm trying to get the ball, but her arm was slightly too short to get it. When two pale hand picked up the ball, Dottie shrieked. She shrieked even more when a girl with purple hair showed herself. This strange girl wanted to give the ball to Dottie. Dottie stepped backwards as she was afraid of this weird girl. The other children were surprised when they saw Dottie running towards them all panicked. She ran into the arms of her older sister Melanie. Melanie asked her sister what happened, but Dottie couldn’t get out a decent word. That wasn’t necessary but soon it became clear what shrieked Dottie so much. When they saw the purple haired girl they all pulled together. Cinna was also scared at first thinking that this girl was a witch who cold bewitch them. Tobias a sturdy guy with curly red hair and freckles wanted to show he wasn’t afraid and took a stick from the ground. He marched threateningly to the strange girl and shouted at her: “Drop that ball! And go away, ugly witch!” The girl having shrieked from Tobias’ words dropped the ball immediately. Because Tobias continued to march towards her, she went backwards. Tobias had come so close now and raised the stick up into the air. The girl stumbled and fell on the ground. She held her hands in front of her face trying to protect it against the smack she expected. “Tobias, stop!” Cinna shouted. She grabbed Tobias by the arm he was holding the stick, ready to beat the purple haired girl. “Don’t do it Tobias!” said Cinna. Tobias looked angrily at Cinna and said: “Don’t get in my way, don’t you see she is witch?” Cinna spoke: “You can see she is just a kid like us. Look at her how scared she is.” Cinna kneeled down next to the girl who was lying there on the ground totally huddled, trembling like a straw. Cinna placed her hands on the girl and said:” “Don’t be scared, girl. I don’t want to do you harm.” The girl looked at Cinna with a scared gaze while cheeks were rolling down her cheeks. Cina had a lot of compassion for the girl who looked livid and skinny. The girl threw herself into Cinna’s arms, placed her head on the lap of my daughter. When Cinna stroked the hair of the hair it was as if there were coming silver sparkles from it. The purple hair also felt very pleasant and warm. Cinna succeeded to calm the girl down and mad her even answer some questions. The girl told that her name was Alexandrina and the she lived in a cottage in the forest together with her grandmother. It had been a few days that her grandmother didn’t want to wake up, she just kept sleeping. The girl apparently did not realize that the old woman had died. I knew immediately that it was about the old Gertrudis. This old lady lived indeed in the forest as only from our community. Since a few years she didn’t show up in the village any more but got a visit from our priest. He ran errands for her and brought her the groceries she requested. Did she all this time hid a little girl? Did the priest know of the existence of Alexandrina? And for what reason Gertrudis kept Alexandrina a secret for the outer world? Would the girl maybe possess some special powers? These were all questions I wanted to be answered. But Alexandrina probably didn’t know everything I wanted to know. It was good that my daughter won the trust of Alexandrina. It was endearing to see how my daughter was treating Alexandrina. If I didn’t know any better you could think they were friends of heart. After the meal Alexandrina was yawning. That wasn’t so surprising as she barely slept watching the old lady for days. How did she end up with Gertrudis or was she really the granddaughter of the old lady? Did Gertrudis have a daughter or son of which we never knew and could not take care of Alexandrina? I guess time would tell. I realized this could be a dangerous adventure but I wanted to go for it, even if it was only because my daughter really liked Alexandrina.
