SCARLETT. fear street (1994, 1978, 1666 )

five. witches

"I SURE DO HOPE THEY ESCAPED," Natsuko tells Christopher, pacing around the table. It had been less than an hour since she and Isaac returned, and by the looks of it, it seemed like everyone had quieted down in the search. Had they given up, or was Sarah already found?

"Natsuko, people are gathered at the front of the Meeting Hall."

The girl turned around, walking over towards the window where Christopher was peeking at. He was right, there were a bunch of people around the hall, murmuring amongst themselves. The night sky was starting to become brighter, which meant that sunrise was coming soon.

"Let's go." Natsuko grabbed his hand, walking over towards the front of the Meeting Hall where she spotted Lizzie, Abigail, and Isaac standing around.

Letting go of her husband's hand, she looks at her friends with her eyebrows drawn together in confusion. "Why are these people standing about?"

"I heard my father talking to Elijah Goode," Abigail started, her breath hitching in nervousness. "If Sarah does not appear by sunrise, they would hang Hannah alone."

Hearing this, Natsuko was frightened down to the soles of her shoes. She was weighed down by dread and raw panic was in her voice as she whispered so only her friends could hear, "Sarah hasn't grabbed her and escaped?"

"No," Lizzie mumbled, just as fearful. "She did not."

Suddenly, the doors to the Meeting Hall opened, and outside came Sarah, looking like she was as straight from hell. There was blood trickling down from her head, and her curly hair was sprawled out in different directions.

"Oh lord, where is her hand?"

It was only when Isaac said this when she realized that instead of a hand, there was blood dripping on her arm.

Natsuko tried talking to Sarah through her eyes, but she seemed too distracted by Hannah. Run, Sarah. Run. Run!

"Why is she standing?" Abigail whispered. "What is she doing? Why is she not running?"

As she said this, the Meeting Hall door slammed open, as if fate was playing a cruel trick on them. Solomon Goode emerged, grabbing a fistful of Sarah's hair and dragged her down the stairs. "I found the witch!"

The crowd that was once small continued to grow as Sarah cried in pain. Natsuko grabbed onto Isaac's hand in fear, not caring if the people might see. No. She should've escaped.

And most of all— why was it Solomon who was holding onto Sarah? Natsuko wasn't dumb— she saw the way he looked at her. The way his voice would turn gentle whenever he talked to her. It was almost as if he was in love with her— so why was he the one turning her in?

Sarah's eyes trailed onto Hannah, then to hers. Natsuko felt her heart shatter into a million pieces as she saw the expression on her friend's face. I'm sorry. she tried to talk through her eyes, too afraid to say anything out loud. I'm sorry I couldn't help you. I'm so sorry.

Sarah continued sobbing, crying as she watched her friends stand a few feet away. She understood that there was nothing they could do, not if they wanted to be hanged as well, but she couldn't help but feel helpless. She told Natsuko and Isaac that she would make it out of the Union with Hannah, but now here she was: missing an arm and sobbing as Solomon Goode held her hair.

In a matter of minutes, it seemed like every person who lived in the settlement began to walk to the tree that slightly exceeded Union. Most people held torches in their hands, which made Natsuko nervous— were they going to burn them? But Lizzie reassured her that it was only for them to see the path they could walk through.