Witch Hunt #Wattys2018

Chapter 2

The man dragged me to the center of the town where the church and the reverend's home was. The man pounded on the door several times before Reverend Brusco opened it.

"What do you need at this hour?" He question the man, throwing the door open.

"The girl!" The man gasped pulling me up by my hair and shaking me, "She's a witch!"

The Reverend's sleepyness disapered at this information, "Really?" The reverend asked eyeing me suspiciously.

"I found her at the docks," The man started, "I heard screaming you see, and when I went to check on it, found her with the Alden boy! She killed him!"

"Aldan? You mean Thomas Aldan?" The reverend questioned, the man nodded and Reverend Brusco looked down at me, "Is this true?" He asked harshly narrowing his eyes

I solomly nodded my head.

The Reverend looked back at the man, "Do you know where she lives?"

"No sir." The man replied.

"Her family lives on the other side of town, It's the one with the wood pile. Give the witch to me and inform her father of this. Tell him I will expect to see him tomorrow morning to talk about this."

The man did as he was told, he dropped my hair, and ran in the direction of my house. I fell to the ground with a thud, I made no attempts to escape.

Reverend Brusco gripped my arm to pull me inside, the moment his hand touched my wrist, I was filled with terror. I let out several screams, and pulled back in an attempt to get free. The reverend only held on tighter and pulled me closer.

"To flee the touch of a holy man is a sure sign that the devils inside you." He hissed in my face.

I shut my mouth and followed where he dragged me. Though I no longer screamed, I still wanted nothing more than for him to let go of me.

Reverend Brusco dragged me to the cells, behind the church. He threw me into an empty one, slammed the iron bar door, locked it and walked away. Thefew other inmates whispered about what could be happening so late into the night.

I huddled in a corner of the cold grimy cell. I pulled my knees up close to my chest, and finally I cried. I never imagined that I could have done such a thing. I killed Thomas. The reality of it was finally sinking in. Be it with cold, or fear, or both my entire body shook. My bloodstained nightgown was still wet, and stuck to my face when I huddled my head into my knees.

I found myself thinking back to when I first met Thomas. I had always known who he was, almost everyone knew everyone in this town, but the first time I had heard him speak was only a few months ago. Just as the air was turning warm.

I was helping my father stack wood. Normally my mother would do this, but as she had just given birth to Jane, the task was passed to me.

I had picked up a particularly heavy piece of wood, and had started to drop it when Thomas came to my aid. He whisked the wood out of my hands and placed it onto the pile.

I stared in shock as he had taken me by surprise. I hadn't seen him in the surrounding area, and vaguely wondered where he came from. All of those thoughts were pushed out out my head when he turned around.

His brown hair had partially fallen in his face, somehow bringing attention to his hazel eyes.

"Hello madam. I don't believe we have been properly introduced." He greeted "I'm Thomas Aldan." He said taking my hand in his, and bringing it to his lips.

Though I loved the gesture, I quickly pulled my hand away, knowing if my father came around the house, and saw this, there would be repercussions.