The Seer's Secret

Prologue

England, London, 1863.

'Death does not concern us, because as long as we exist, death is not here, and once it does come, we no longer exist.'
~Epicurus.

The large crowd erupted with cheers and laughter, as the last of the warlocks and witches were hauled towards the great towering pyres. A farmer man and his family had been detained for months after being accused of practising witchcraft to resurrect their youngest son, Michael. He had fallen ill the previous year and passed away. This execution had been headlines in every paper and people had flocked from all over England to see the infamous witch hunt. The crowd's excitement was almost tangible.

Meanwhile, hidden safely behind a pillar, 16 year old Elaine Marie watched the spectacle with untamed horror. She watched as the last of the country's witches and warlocks were wheeled to a stop before her. They were a small peasant family, the youngest girl looked possibly 7 years of age. Elaine watched the little girl shake in fear and trepidation, as she took in the merciless mob, that had formed around the fires to witness their pitiful end. The mother was a terribly thin and poorly looking woman, her hair in a wild disarray around her small face, and her eyes appearing sunken into her skull. Dead, hopeless eyes that stared numbly ahead of her, waiting for deaths final blow.

Despite being clad head to toe in heavy chains, Elaine could not help but notice that they looked completely ordinary, one of the boys closest to her even looked around her age. But yet, here stood the good people of London, cheering and laughing at the execution of a helpless family. Elaine felt sick to the stomach. She felt she owed this poor family that much, they had the sympathy of one person at least. Elaine felt a strong desire to run across the circle of people and tell them they'd be joining their beloved Michael soon, but she knew that would do no one any good. So instead she watched in silence, that was all she could do for them. She vowed that she'd never forget this day. Not ever.

That was all before the boy on her right caught her eye. His eyes were the only feature she could see, everywhere else was wrapped in chains, even his mouth was covered with a dirty rag. Elaine guessed that this was to prevent the prisoners performing some sort of spell to escape. Though escaping seemed like the last thing on his mind. The boy was visibly scared, his eyes gave him away and when they met Elaine's, the fear quickly evaporated and turned into raw desperation, he didn't have to say anything. Elaine could read it all in his eyes, 'Help me!' His silent plea sent a chill running down her back.

Without a second thought, she turned and ran as fast as she could in the opposite direction. Elaine couldn't even remember how or why she began running along the cobbled road, away from the cheering crowd and the billowing smoke and flames. Away from the family standing accused of sorcery and away from the boy and his frightening eyes, she just knew she had to get away. Elaine knew that if she had continued to watch, she wouldn't have been able to live with herself for not trying to prevent the  She also knew that if she had protested, she would've been executed alongside them, labelled a sympathiser. So instead, she ran as ironically her life was dependant on it, but when Elaine stole one last glance back, she regretted it instantly. The boys eyes pierced her, filled with betrayal and anger.

Elaine could do nothing but watch in despair, as her father Henry Holmes, the mayor of London, stepped towards the pyres and sentenced the family to die.