Roses and Black Glass: a dark Cinderella tale (novel preview)

Chapter Ten

                                        Roses and Black Glass: A Dark Cinderella Tale 

                                                                     Chapter Ten 

                                                                              1 

            Cindy crept through the darkness in the chill of the night.  She had left the house after her sisters had gone to attend the party for Christian’s bride-to-be.  She might have been disturbed by this if she’d stopped to think on it, but Cindy had one thought on her mind, and that was sneaking down to the jail where they were holding Amanda, and perhaps finding some way that she could speak to the woman.  

            If not, maybe she could at least find out the woman’s fate.

             There was no real question in Cindy’s mind about what would eventually happen to her.  Convicted witches did not survive long in this town or any other.  Furthermore, it was not hard to say that everyone accused of witchcraft would eventually be convicted.  They were usually forced to confess through threats and torture.  That determined how long they were to live on before their execution, but the courts rarely liked to hesitate.

             Cindy pushed herself up on her tiptoes when she reached the stone building of cells.  Peering in the side window, she could see four men.  They appeared to be talking heatedly, but she could not hear their words.  There was no doubt they were speaking of what should be done with the witch.  Seeing this as an opportunity to speak with Amanda, Cindy slipped around back to a row of small, barred windows near the top of the short building.

             Looking around, she saw an empty wooden crate against the wall.  Using it as an aid, she dragged it to the first window to peer inside.  Empty.  She stepped down off the crate and again dragged the box on towards the next window.

             She stepped up and looked into the dark room there.  Her ears detected a low humming sound.  Music?  Someone had the nerve to sing here, or perhaps someone had simply gone mad.  The sweet melody tickled her senses and sent a chill up her spine.

             “Amanda?” the girl asked quietly.

             The humming stopped abruptly and made way for the thick silence thereafter, only chided by the crickets.  After a moment, a silky feminine voice returned to Cindy’s ears.

             “You should not be here,” it said.

             Cindy looked through the darkness for a face, but could find none, even after moments of searching.

             “I wanted to see if you were alright,” she said.

             “Tomorrow is my day,” Amanda said distantly. “I have confessed.  I will be hung tomorrow.”

             The girl’s eyes shot open in disbelief.  Cindy had seen Amanda do impossible things – knew there was power in her.  It escaped her to think that there could be an end.

             “No,” she said with a shake of her head. “You have to get out of here!”

             “You must not worry about me.  It is you who you must be concerned with.”

             “But you will die!”

             The darkness laughed.  “I do not fear death,” Amanda assured the girl. “I must fulfill my promise to you.  You must use what I taught you.  Though I said I would help you, even I must play my part in the prophecy – and I am convinced this is it.”