Zoe's only wish is to be able to run barefoot through grass, but she knows it'll never happen. Ever since she was born, she's been unable to touch anything living without it instantly dying. It's a curse she would do anything to get rid of, but that...
My mind was a complete and utter mess. When I saw Dad get closer to Zoe, I almost shouted at her to run. As she turned back to me and our eyes met, I regretted everything and I couldn't help but to fear what Dad would do to her. I finally couldn't stand still when I saw her fall towards the ground. I stepped forward and caught her in my arms. Then I carefully lifted her up and held her limp body closely towards me.
Pieces of our conversation flowed through my mind.
She would never hurt me.
The amulets made witchcraft useless.
She had been cursed.
Her skin might not be a disease in the normal way, but it was as welcomed as one.
That part stuck with me the most. She had looked so hurt, so dejected and vulnerable. Nothing in that had seemed like an act. I had already known that her mother had died because of her disease and that she blamed herself for it. She had mentioned how she hated the work she had to do. I should have been able to draw the conclusion that it was her coven taken advantage of her skin. I should have known and shouldn't have for one second believed that she would do it to herself. Was it the coven that had ordered her to kill my dad?
But all those killings that had almost definitely been her doing throughout the years, why had she gone through with it if she hated it? She had killed, murdered. She couldn't be innocent in all this, could she? How could her coven have possible been able to force her to do it all?
"Son," Dad said, and I looked up. He watched me carefully and then let out a sigh. "I knew it would be a risk to let you talk to her. She's managed to twist your mind, hasn't she? You have to remain strong. All her words were lies. You know that. She showed her true colors when she realized she was in danger, or did you not see her on her way to remove the gloves?"
I swallowed. I had seen that. It had been such an instantaneous reaction from her when she understood something wasn't right. If she had had time, she would have killed my dad to save herself. And she wanted me to trust her...
My grip on her went from gentle to firm. I nodded and did my best to harden my mind against her and her manipulating words.
"Come. She'll be out for a long time, but it's best that we get back home and get her tied up as soon as possible, just in case. We also don't know if she's told anyone from her coven about the meeting. They could be on their way."
I nodded again and followed Dad to the car. As we got in, I thought for a while about simply putting her in the backseat and taking the passenger seat next to Dad. But I decided against it, reasoning that if she suddenly woke up, it was better that one of us held onto her. I could see Dad give me a weird look as I slid into the backseat while still holding her, but he didn't comment on it.
The ride back felt never ending, and the atmosphere was tense. To be safe, I wore gloves and I couldn't resist the temptation of moving a few loose strands of hair from her face. She looked so peaceful, like she was having a good sleep. And she was so beautiful.
I couldn't connect the stories that I had read about witches to her. The cruelty and viciousness they possessed. Power was all they craved. But Zoe, unconscious in my arms, looked like any girl. No, not any girl. My girl. The woman I had just yesterday felt so happy over having by my side.
I wanted to return to that. Go back to the market and never leave.
"She's a witch," I heard my dad's reminder, and I snapped out of my revery. I couldn't look at her, couldn't remember. She was a witch. I simply had to repeat that to myself. A witch who murdered innocent people for her own gain. A witch that had just been about to murder my own dad right in front of me.
I continued to carry her when we got back. Dad led the way and went straight to the door behind which the stairs to the basement were.
The cold hit me as soon as he opened the door, and I shuddered. I hated that place and avoided it like the plague. Once when I had been a kid, I had been locked into the basement by accident. Nightmares had tormented me for at least a month after that. Now I walked into it freely and also took the woman I had wanted to protect from everything bad down there with me.
The walls were in stone, and the whole place was cold and damp. Around the long sides, several different instruments stood. Some were very obvious how they were supposed to be used, such as the assortment of knives and whips. Others I didn't want to even imagine what they could do. Such as the tongs with four claws and the pyramid like chair.
In the middle of the room was a single chair, which was stuck to the floor with iron bolts. There were metal clamps on the chair that went over ankles, thighs, wrists, upper arms, stomach and over the shoulders to under the armpits. All of them made to keep whoever seated both stuck and in an upright position. The only part of the person's body that would be able to move was the head.
"Put her in the chair and help me strap her in," Dad told me.
I wanted to run. I wanted to puke. I wanted to make everything that had led up to that moment to become undone.
"Either you do as I say, or you leave right now," Dad said and there was a clear, threatening tone to his voice, reminding me of the time when he had told me what some of all the instruments in that room did. A memory that bore the threat of what could potentially happened if I crossed Dad too much.
I swallowed hard and moved forward. I placed her in the chair and then carefully strapped her in, made sure that it was tight enough that Dad couldn't complain, but also loose enough that it wouldn't hurt.
"It's best if you leave now, son," Dad said, and I found myself shaking my head.
"I want to stay," I said, but it didn't sound like it was me saying it. My voice sounded too distant and empty.
She was going to kill Dad, I reminded myself. She is a murderer, and this is to save other people. She is a bad person who deserves this.
"If you're sure. But stay to the side and if you can't take it, just leave. Don't get in my way."
She is evil, I told myself.
But how can someone so sweet and kind and innocent be evil?
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