The Peculiar Life of Matilda Redwood (MPHfPC fanfiction)

Chapter One

I'm Matilda Redwood and this is my life story. When I was thirteen my father died, leaving my mother and I alone. He left us money in his will, so all was not totally lost but still, getting by was more difficult.

Mother tried to teach me to be a "lady" but I certainly was not good at it. I was far too argumentative and free spireted to make a good wife. Mother tried to beat some respect into me, quite literally. She would hit me and go for days without feeding me.

I tried to help and earn money, I grew food in the garden and sold it at market, I helped stitch up dresses for the village people and I never got myself new clothes or shoes. It didn't work, Mother still hated me.

One day, after a very unlucky trip to market, something terrible happened.  I reterned with a few coins, barely enough to feed us. Mother got very angry and accused me of stealing the money that I made. I told her that I hadn't and she called me a liar. She grabbed a pan off the stove and hit me with it. It burnt me and knocked me onto the floor.

I started crying and Mother grabbed me by the hair and dragged me outside. I was too weak to argue. She tied my hands together and tied me to a tree. She said that she would only untie me when I admitted I was a theif. I was not ready to lie about stealing so I simply waited and sat there while Mother shouted at me and hit me. Eventually she went inside, I couldn't have been more relieved.

That night was cold and scary. I had never felt so alone. By the time that mother came back to me the next morning, my sadness had been taken over by anger. I cannot explain what happened next, I still don't understand, even today.

Everything was in a blur, the rain was hitting my face, harsh like everything else in my world. Mother walked outside and all I could think about was how much I hated her. The rain suddenly changed direction and hit her, knocking her to the ground. I couldn't believe what I had done.

I was a witch, I knew it. I was dangerous, I was cursed. Mother got up off the floor and ran, I never saw her again but to be brutally honest, I didn't want to. I was alone, tied to a tree and I would starve sooner or later if nobody found me. What I didn't see was the little boy, hidden in the distance running towards the village.

Half an hour later, a mob appeared from the distance. I thought I was hallucinating, but they were all too real. Leading them was a little boy, aged no more than seven or eight. They all looked very angry and were heading towards me.
"There she is!" The little boy shouted, pointing at me,
"Grab her, Grab the witch!" Shouted a woman whose dress I had fixed only a day before.

Several shouts of "Witch!" and "Get her!" were exchanged. To be honest, I found all the shouts rather unnecasary, I was tied to a tree and unlikely to escape any time soon. Still, the villagers loved a good display.

Someone grabbed me and cut the ropes that tied me to the tree. Several people pinned me to the ground as metal chains were bound around my wrists and ankles. I tried to kick and fight but the people were stronger than me. Although it was hopeless and nobody was on my side, I screamed. Someone found my attempts at self defence very funny and began to laugh before tying a gag around my mouth. I was thrown into the back of a wagon before I heard a voice, "Matilda Redwood, you are under aresst on suspicion of Witchcraft, your trial will begin tomorrow."

Everything went black.

A/N hope you enjoyed my first chapter, any constructive criticism is very welcome.