To Kill A Witch

Prologue

Prologue

In the Beginning:

Jane eyes were closed tight and her body shook on the rickety boards of the platform.

Her dress was tattered into nothing more than a towel covering her. Her hair was a wild mess and her eyes were burning with tears of hatred. She shook her head frantically at the crowd, consisting of hundreds, in front of her. This was not what she deserved, her gifts were for the greater good, to do well. Yet none of these people understood, what about her was so special. She was a natural witch. She did not practice, she did not pretend, she was a witch and had what most would call a "power".

She stood on the stage her bare feet unable to move, for she was bound in place. Stacks of wood, taken into the shape of a spear, had been placed to surround her body.

It was her family who sentenced her death; the ones who turned her in. They did not protect her, they protected themselves.

She was sentenced to be burned at the stake, the flames were to compel her body and release a demon that was supposed to be possessing her. It was a ridiculous inclination, but she was still forced to pay for something she wasn't able to control. Her two children were going to grow up without a mother, if this was going to happen to them too she would not be able to stop it. They would have to go into hiding after this horrific ill judgment.

The hostess of the gathering swung his torch through the air, the crowd cheered their approval.

"If there is anyone in our midst who has a reason to take in account that this woman is not a witch, step forward now."

Jane opened her eyes and stared into the people. They all shuffled their feet, or switched from one side to the other. Some whispered their thoughts, while others retained theirs and kept silent. She waited in hope that someone would step forward, but no one did. She knew that whether someone denied her allegations or not she would still be burned, only it would keep the flames away for a couple more minutes.

The man stepped forward and the citizens fell silent.

"Then so shall it be," he place the torch at the end of one log and waited until it caught fire and moved to another. He did this until all five blocks of wood where whirling with flames.

Jane didn't feel she needed to cry for these people, her screams of pain would be enough.

The flames started their way to her legs and she could feel the heat radiating off each piece of burning wood. She snapped her head to look back up at everyone. She didn't know if she was able to speak, but she tried anyways.

"I didn't ask for these gifts and yet you punish me. I was to do good; to only harm those who harmed me, and yet you all persist your pleas of punishment. But I will have you know that you will all pay." Helena cleared her throat and looked through the crowd. There were many different expressions and she could group them all out if it was necessary, but she had a better idea.

She cleared her throat as one flame was an inch from her leg.

"Each log that you have placed here to burn me is my vengeance and promise that this will never happen again. Four of these logs are my future, one is my healing. If you do not agree with my reasons for death, then step away and return to your safe haven."

She waited as only seven stepped away out of a crowd of sixty-three. She didn't have much time to do this, the flames were now touching her bare skin.

"Those of you who stand before are a witness to this crime. Is there no justice? I will show not one of you my pity, as you showed no pity to me. You will all live until you die by my hand. Yes I am a witch, but the choice was not mine. So now I'm giving you something you don't want, where the choice is not yours. Watch me die and I will watch you die."

Jane was out of speaking words, the fire was too hot and her burns were too fragile

She knew the basis, the first four fires lit were future witches, so to speak, that would give each man and woman before her a death of torture. The fifth log was a guardian, a healer to an extent.

The four logs were separately represented. A power would be sent to one of her ancestors, the other three would be given to the first three to leave; the ones that felt her punishment unruling. Each generation of their families would grow stronger until many generations from now, the picked four would come into their powers. Two males were to be born and two females all from their separate families and each one would be the first born.

The first log lit was for the fire that was so easily set to scorch her skin. The power of fire would go to a male member.

The second log lit was the temptation that they will survive. It stood for the oxygen they were breathing, the breath they could have used to speak up and stop the madness. The power of air would be placed safely with a woman.

The third log lit was for the water in the stream near that not one of them could go fetch to stop the flames. The power to control all water would also be placed in the body of a woman.

The fourth log was for the wood it took to build the fire. The wood that had come from living trees. The dirt they could have smothered the fire with. So the power of earth, to control living things would go to a man of great strength.

The very last piece of wood set aflame was the longest to burn. Yet no one would want to put it out once her body was disintegrated. The last piece stood for healing, that all the people in the crowd who stayed had no gumption to put out the fire, or to muffle the flames.

The torch that started everything was Jane Jacobs; the one who started it all, she would guide their way, and watch from afar. Their guardian.

The smell of wood raced through the crowd, but no flesh was smelt. Everyone was confused as to why they didn't smell anything rancid. The jailer, the one who said she must be burnt, grabbed two nearby buckets full of creek water and carried them to the fire. He lifted one amongst the flames and doused the heat, he took the second one and did the same. The last of the fire was out, the man look down and there was a whole in the stage. The fire had been so hot it burnt through everything near. He looked into the hole and there in the rubble laid the naked women. Her skin was intact and her hair was still clinging, but all of her hair was white. Her eyes were open, and she was looking into nowhere. She was dead.

Nothing can kill a witch but their fear. Jane may have been unaware. But, we may never know for sure.

The last thing she put into the curse was that the descendants would be immortal, and only their undenying fear could kill them. She never intended to become what the chosen few would become centuries from now.