The Peculiar Life of Matilda Redwood (MPHfPC fanfiction)

Chapter Two

I regained consiousness in a dark cell. My head was throbbing and I felt faint and hungry. I thought that this was some terrible dream and that I would wake up soon, untill I remembered why I wa here. I had heard about the witch trials, they were taking place all over the country. Most of the accused were perfectly innocent, but I wasn't. I knew I would be executed, if the trials didn't kill me first.

A flimsy looking door opened and a woman, aged no more than fifty walked in. She looked at me with a sense of disgust, as if I was an infectious disease. She placed a bowl of thin watery porridge in front of me. "Enjoy," She said sarcastically, "You'll need your energy, the trial will begin in an hour." She walked out and I was left alone in the darkness.

Only then did I realise that I couldn't move. My wrists were still chained together and the chain connected them to a wall. I knew that any possible elegant ways of eating had just flown out of the cell's nonexistant window, which left me with two options: find a way to stick my head in the bowl and lick out whatever substance was actually lurking inside, or die of starvation. I chose the former.

A short while after I had managed to consume some of the supposed food, the door opened once more. A man walked in. In his hands, there was a large ring full of keys. He told me to stand, but I was too weak. After numerous failed attempts at movement, the guard gave up.

The man unlocked the chains that atatched me to the wall but left my wrists and ankles bound. Probably so I would put up less of a fight. He lifted me up and carried me to a large room, full of people. This was it, this was the trial. I knew that something far worse awaited me: people were rarely civilised when it came to witch craft. The trial would undoubtably become more physical, it was only a matter of time.

I was dropped on the floor, and the chains that bound both of my ankles, were replaced with one that went around my left ankle and connected me to a wall. A rather threatening looking man walked into the room and stood before a table. I assumed that he was the judge. "Matilda Redwood, you have been accused of witch craft. What do you make of these claims?" I remained silent,
"Are you not a freak of nature? Someone who practices the Devil's arts?" Several calls of "Witch! Witch!" and "Quick, hide your children!' followed. If anyone here wanted me to live, then they kept their opinions to themselves. They were a minority anyway.

I expected a call of "Let the trial commence!" as if this was an enjoyable occasion. Although, perhaps I might have found the whole ordeal less dull if it wasn't for the fact that I would either be tourtured and wish that I was dead, or die a very painful death by the end of the trial. Decisions, decisions.

After an hour or so of being asked if I was a witch (although it was more like being told I was a witch), I was lead to an outdoor area with a lake in the middle. A man walked to the front of the croud while I was held very securely. "The girl will be thrown into the lake. If she sinks and drowns, then God has accepted her into heaven. If she survives, then she is a witch." There was a series of "Oohs and aahs" as the crowd heard this.

Before I had a chance to scream, someone grabbed me and dropped me into the lake. Then it hit me: I didn't actually know how to swim. Besides, it was a lake; I had nowhere to go. I needed to breath. My skirts were billowing around me, reaching for the surface to escape the death bed that lay around them.

My body inhaled the water, even though I tried to fight the human urge to breath. Something truely peculiar happenned after that. Instead of forcing me to choke on the water, my body accepted it as air. I still had an issue though: if I sufaced then I would be executed but if I stayed under, I would starve.

A/N What will Matilda do? Will she escape? Who knows? (well I do but I'm not telling)! Find out next time in the peculiar life of Matilda Redwood!!! (Wow this is cheesy)

Thank you for all coments, votes and general support.
Byeeeeeee!!!!
Poppy 🐱