• Blood Bound •||• Simon Kalivoda X Female Reader •

22 - Blood Will Fall

Later that day, I continue my cross-stitch desgin. Or... I try to. I can't focus on anything. I keep thinking about what Thomas said, nodding off, or pausing because of pain. Not only that, but I keep pricking my fingers with the needle.

"Winifred," Mother softly whispers as she shakes me a bit. My eyes open as I lean forward on the rocking chair. Oh. I must have fallen asleep again. "I want to apologize to you."
I rub my eyes and nod my head. "I didn't mean a word of what I said. I just..." She fidgets with her hands as she thinks of an excuse.

She gives up and shakes her head. "I have nothing to say other than... I'm sorry," she says.
"Would you like to go outside for a walk with me?" I nod my head, supressing tears from escaping my eyes. I hate to admit it, but I have been waiting for this moment all day.

"And I'm sorry, Mother. For lying to you, for running away, for..." She softly shushes me and leads me up to my feet. "You need not say any more. We will speak about everything on our walk," she assures. "We will speak about Mary and-"

A woman's scream rips out from outside.
"What's happened?" Mother wonders out loud. Without a word, I quickly walk to the front door. "Winifred," Mother calls out. I ignore her and burst through the door to see what the commotion is.

A large crowd has formed outside of the Meeting House. Pushing each other and screaming to be let in. "What's happened?" I demand. Nobody answers me, but I hear over all of the shouting, "The pastor! He's locked the children in the Meeting House!!!"

"Oh, Lord," I exclaim. Why would Pastor Miller lock the children inside? I get a flash of every one of the children's faces and every scenario that may have been their fate.
I push past a few people, but I'm shoved to the ground by someone. The sudden movement induces a horribly painful cramp. I curl up a bit in pain. "Winnie, get up!" Isaac grabs my hand and lifts me up. I see people running toward the other entrance, so I follow them and drag Isaac behind me.

The Goode brothers joined by Caleb, slam their bodies against the door. They finally break the board holding the door shut, opening the door.

Something feels... wrong.

"Keep everyone back," Solomon orders his brother. "Solomon, wait," Sarah pleads. He grabs a pitchfork and cautiously steps inside. Issac steps in front of the door as people begin to form another crowd. "Where's my husband?!" Goody Miller demands, trying to shover her way through the men blocking the door. "Step back..." Issac warily says. "Constance!" Abbi cries.

So many other names are called out by the children's parents. "What's happening in there?" I ask Isaac. He turns his head around and watches for a bit. He looks back at me and says, "Solomon is inside. So is Pastor Miller and the children."
This only makes everyone push harder to get inside.

The crowd is able to push through Isaac, Caleb, and Elijah. They quickly run inside, shoving anything that tries to stop them.

I make my way in just in time to hear wailing echo through the building. I look around and see the children sitting in the pews. As I look closer I see that they have no eyes in their sockets, dried blood that has run down their cheeks. No, no, no! This can't be happening! The poor children!
Cyrus stands at the front of the room, holding a hook. He is without eyes as well.

He looks to Sarah, who is crying over the loss of her little brother Henry. How is he looking..? How does he see her? Stepping down from the stand, he raises his hook and walks to Sarah. "No!" I scream. "Sarah!" Solomon yells. Sarah turns around and screams. Solomon drives the pitchfork into Pastor Miller's side.

Cyrus drops to the ground, lifeless. His wife screams and rushes to his side. "Witchcraft! Witchcraft!" Elijah shouts, pointing to Pastor Miller's body. "Witchcraft!"

Thomas stands on top of the pews. "Evil! Show yourself!" "Witchcraft!" "Show yourself! Show yourself!"

And suddenly, my legs collapse under me. "Winnie!" Isaac's voice cuts in, and he swiftly catches me before my body can hit the ground.

"I don't feel well..." I mumble. The next thing I see is Sarah stepping into my vision.

Then everything turns dark.

----

"Winifred? Darling, please speak to us!" My mothers voice fades in. Her, Isaac, and Doctor Edward are standing around my bed. Before I can speak, a pain that I've never experienced before rings through me as if my insides are being slowly ripped apart. I hiss in pain and clutch the sheets, turning over on my left side.

"Winifred, where are you having the most pain?" Doctor Edward asks. I grunt and motion to my abdomen. "Have you eaten any rotten food?" "No," I strain out.

I feel blood spilling out and onto the bedsheets. I know it's blood because of how thick feels. Everyone watches as even more blood soaks through my dress.

My entire body runs cold as the burning pain counters it. My stomach seems to run cold as well. I gag and cover my mouth with my hand. "Get the pail," Dr. Edward orders. I gag again. Isaac fetches the pail and hands it to me. I bring my hand away from my mouth and pull the pail closer.

Finally, my stomach pushes out everything-- if anything-- that's inside if it. The bile burns my throat as it escapes into the pail. I feel a hand swipe a few strands of my hair away from my face. I cough and spit everything that's lingering in my mouth.

"Here. Take this," Dr. Edward says, holding out a pipette filled with a mysterious liquid. "It will help." Despite my reluctance, I open up my mouth. He gives my tongue exactly three drops.
"Swallow." I do as he says.

"Isaac, Gillian. Could you follow me, please? I must speak with you," Dr. Edward quietly says, beckoning them towards him as he walks into my mother's room. Isaac pecks my cheek and follows after mother and Edward.

I can only lay there and writhe in pain, with my face hovering over a pail so I can't help but listen to their conversation. "But it hasn't made her faint before, let alone heave!" Mother says, sounding exasperated. "If it hasn't made her faint before, then..." He whispers something to both of them.

My mother very audibly gasps. "Oh, Lord!" Anxiety skyrockets in my chest. There's something horribly wrong with me.

I clutch my sheets tighter than before.

They murmur a for a few more minutes before finally coming out of the room. "Thank you, Dr. Edward. If I may ask, how's Beatrice?" Isaac tries to smile. "She's demented, that woman. Wants to be a doctor like me. Some days I wonder why we married." Dr. Edward scoffs and walks out the door.

"What's wrong with me, mother?" I mumble as the pain continues to ring around my abdomen.

"You've been cursed, darling."

"What?!" I exclaim, quickly sitting up on my bed and immediately laying back down as more pain stabs through me. "No. That can't be..." I murmur.

"What do I do?" I ask Mother. "Dr. Edward just says to rest until the bleeding stops." "So... I just lie in my own blood?" I say, gagging a bit at the thought. "I will wash your sheets in the river," Mother assures.
"But... I just... I don't..." is all I can say before mother shushes me and strokes my hair. "I'm not angry at you, dear. I'm angry at the one who cursed you."

"Who cursed me, Mother?"