If You Go into The Woods Today

The Red

I pull at the restraints that hold me to a post in the church.

"More timber! This is not enough to burn a dog, let alone a witch!" the cry angers me and I pull harder, Alec wouldn't want me to die calmly, he would want me to fight till the end and that's exactly what I will do.

"Here Father this should be enough." A man outside says, this is not good. I pull my body up and try and bite the ropes holding me but it's no use, after days of torture, my body is almost useless. If I got free I wouldn't even be able to run away because the bones in my feet are crushed, as are my fingers and wrists.

The door slams open and the priest walks in. The stained glass is the only source of light in the church, and the Virgin Mary stares down at me as though she knows what is about to happen.

The men from the village pile in behind the priest.

"Get her ready! I want to do this when it is twilight."

One of the men steps forward and unties my body from the stake leaving my hands tied. I hear a sound seconds before I feel the pain in my head. The fool is dragging me by my hair out of the church and into the town center.

My entire body is being dragged by my hair but I am too tired to fight as they drag me to the place of my death.

They drag me up a badly built podium and force me to stand as they tie me to the stake. My scalp is numb from all the pulling the devil has been doing. The sight that greets me as I open my eyes is of the villages gathered around the raised podium, all demanding blood. My blood.

The priest step up onto the podium, he holds a torch in his hand.

"Brothers Sisters today we cleanse our world of this daughter of Satan just as we did with the son. We will mourn the young girl that used to be, but it is a sacrifice I am willing to make. For we are all servants of god and as servants of god we must make the choice of living with a she devil among us or ridding the world of one, even if it is in the form of an innocent girl. Let us burn the witch!" He yells.

"Burn the witch, Burn the witch!" The crowed chants.

"I can finally bring you to justice witch." the priest whispers so only I can hear him. I muster up enough strength to spit in his bony face. He wipes it off with a look of disgust and turns away he walks down the steps and then turns, I look quickly to the side I refuse to let the last thing I see be the priest's face. I can see the top of the tree Alec and I meet at, it's so beautiful, the sun is setting and the sky is full of different colors, blues, purples, reds. It's one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen and yet it will be my last. Fitting really.

I hear the villages screaming to light the fire. I know when the fire beneath me has been lit when yells of pleasure fill the air. It doesn't warm up at first it takes a few minutes before I feel my feet start to burn. When the flames raise to my knees screams are ripped from my lungs as well as pleas for mercy. I keep my eyes on the tree until the smoke made it impossible. Tears from the smoke and pain run down my face, the only sound being the roar of the fire and the distance sound of the villages as they celebrate my pain. Even my screams have stopped, my begging reduced to pained wails.

As the minutes pass and the flames raise to my stomach I hear a new sound. I hear screams, screams that are not mine and they are getting louder and louder. Not even a second later the screams stop all together. I feel myself being pulled from the fires by ice cold hands.

I let in a deep breath, I am numb. I know I should be in pain but I cannot feel anything. I feel myself being gently let down to the ground as if the person handling my broken body cares for me.

I open my eyes to see Alec!

I'm already dead? I must be for I have not pain and Alec is holding me close, he smiles at me with his heart stopping smile and his sparkling blue eyes.

Wait! Alec's eyes, they are not blue they are Red and his teeth?

He has fangs! What is going on? Why is he covered in blood?

This can't be Alec, or at least the Alec I knew.

"I'm so sorry I was late love, I had some. . . Troubles. But I am here now and I am never going to leave you again, I plan to have forever with you darling. Starting now!"

He leans in and his cold lips gently kiss my neck, right over the small scar he gave me the day we met, his teeth sink in and the numbness recited to leave me with a new stronger, burning pain. I clutch his head with my broken hands and cry out. He moves away, gently scooping me up and carrying me through the village and towards Dursch.