The witch finders' demise

It had taken me days to come to this little town. Manningtree, so little that it was hardly worthy of the title 'town'. It was located in the far northeast corner of Essex, at the banks of the river Stour. As I walked through the dirty roads towards an inn I could sense the strange uneasiness that lay over this place. It was hardly to be called a feeling, more like a fleeting breath. The summer heat did nothing to appease this. If anything, it strengthened it. I pushed my way past some drunken men and into the inn. Rather than to sit down I made my way directly to the bar where the innkeeper was filling jugs of ale.

"Excuse me?" I asked softly.

The man turned towards me. Instead of answering he let his eyes wander over my face and body, his approval clearly visible in his face.

"And what can I do for a lass so fine as you, my dear?" He eventually said.

"I would like to know where Mathew Hopkins lives." I replied.

The very name of this man instilled a look of disgust in his face. And he was not alone. Many who had stood laughing and joking by the bar turned and stared at me. I calmly tucked a strand of brown hair back under my cap and continued to smile.

"What could you possibly want from a man such has him? Do you not know what he is?" The innkeeper exclaimed.

"Oh, I know what he is." I calmly retorted. "But seeing as he is gravely ill, it is my duty to go to him."

"And who the hell are you then?" A short but heavily built man on my right demanded.

"My name is Suzanne Hopkins. I'm his niece." I easily lied, savouring the looks of shock and fear.

From the corner of my eyes I could see several people back away, one or two even crossing themselves.

"Well then..." The innkeeper mumbled. "Best we send you on your way, don't you think lads?"

Several men nodded but never took their eyes of me.

"It's not very far from here, miss Hopkins." The innkeeper explained, his voice slightly trembling. "Just go left when you exit the pub and continue down the road until you reach the bakery. Take another left and then the first street on your right. It's the house with the black door.

I nodded my thanks and slowly exited this onetime jolly inn. I knew news of my arrival would spread like wildfire through this town but I didn't care. None of them would so much as see me a second time. I had come here for one purpose only and it would be done today.

But minutes later I arrived at my destination. The black door was an ominous sign which made me smile. After all, what had I to fear of such things?

I knocked at the door and it was soon opened by a scruffy and scared looking older woman with an apron.

"Good... Good morning dear. How can I help you?" She muttered.

"My name is Suzanne Hopkins. I have come to visit my uncle and to assist him anyway I can now that he is so ill." I spoke, announcing my arrival with the clarity of a church bell.

The woman's mouth opened and closed a few times without sound coming out of it. I smiled and let her work it out for herself. She eventually found her voice again, although in a subdued manner.

"Well... euhm... You better come in, then."

I stepped over the threshold of this doomed mans' house and took in the atmosphere of disease and darkening silence. My smile never faltered. It even grew a little brighter as the hour of my goal seemed to come rushing near me now that I had entered his house.