The Invisible Enemy Read Online Free PDF Page A

Gerry.
    “Yeah,” said Josh. “When’s lunch?”
    “Not yet, Josh,” said Mr. Donaldson. “In fact, since it’s too cold for a picnic, we’ll be eating on the bus ride home.”
    “If you’re hungry,” said Gerry cheerfully, “here’s something to think about. How do you like dried fish, kids?” He patted his nonhair, like he was being cool.
    “Yuck!”
    “That’s what I thought you’d say! But if you were alive in the Middle Ages, instead of potato chips you’d be eating crunchy, scaly little fish wafers, straight from the barrel!”
    “Gross!”
    “All that salt might make you thirsty,” continued Gerry. “But water was considered unfit as a beverage, so you would quench your thirst with ale or wine.”
    Jean-Pierre walked next to me on the way to the Gothic Chapel. My head was hot from trying to think of something to say. My neck was hot from not looking at him again. I felt like he was a magnet, and I was a pin, the way my whole self seemed to wobble in his direction. This was bananas! He was only a boy.
    But, in the chapel, the only light came through tall, narrow, stained-glass windows. It was eerie and churchy and too dark to stand next to a boy. I moved off to a spot by myself and started to breathe again.
    There were stone effigies of dead knights and ladies lying all over the place, as if all the pieces of a giant, granite chessboard were takinga nap. Victor started making ghoulie noises, but Mr. D. hushed him right up.
    “This is probably Margaret of Gloucester,” said Gerry, pointing to an effigy in the center of the chapel. “Effigies were made to represent and honor the dead, and to adorn their coffins. Margaret is presented in the highest fashion of her day. She is wearing a belt, as most ladies did, to carry her precious objects.”
    Like my backpack, I thought.
    “She has a change purse, to carry coins for the needy. She has a sheathed knife—”
    “Can you tell us about that, Gerry?” asked Mr. Donaldson.
    “The knife was not for self-defense,” said Gerry, “but more a symbol of her station in life. A lady who used a knife to cut her food was educated and elevated above the common folk. She also has a needle case, another sign of a protected, easy life. The engraved seam of her sleeve is a significant detail, too.”
    He pointed to a line carved into the statue’s arm. “The more constricted a woman was by her clothing, the more important she was.Real ladies’ were literally stitched into their clothing.”
    Wow. Even in the Middle Ages, people cared about who was wearing what.
    “Why doesn’t she have any hands?” asked Sarah.
    “The hands were likely damaged in transport,” explained Gerry, “but they would probably have been carved in a position of prayer.”
    “Excuse me,” I said. “Is it true that the punishment for stealing back then was having your hands cut off?”
    “Hmm,” said Gerry. As he started to answer I looked around for Alyssa to send her a knowing smirk. But Alyssa wasn’t there. My heart lurched. Drat! I had gotten interested in the Middle Ages for five minutes and lost sight of Alyssa! She had probably sneaked out of the chapel and gone who knew where.
    “Where’s your twin?” I asked Megan a minute later, as casually as I could, with my whole self twitching.
    “Bathroom,” she whispered as we filed along to the Treasury on the lower level.
    I stumbled down the stairs with the rest of the group, hearing nothing but wind roaring between my ears. I bumped smack into the glass door of the Treasury area, and that woke me up. Maybe she just has to pee, I told myself. Wait five minutes before you panic.
    I tried to pay attention, but we were looking at case after case of silver goblets and gold chalices and buckles and brooches and clasps. Amazingly, I wished I were looking at Alyssa.
    “We won’t go into the gardens,” said Gerry, “because in January there’s nothing much to see except a few dry stems and gnarly twigs. Please come