Salem boyxboy

Salem [2]

Chapter Two

When I was done working I was covered in sweat and dirt. I went home to clean up before going to Ben's house to 'drop something off '. He didn't come to the door like he normally did, so I pushed it open. It was unlocked. I froze.

Ben was in the corner, bound and gagged, and surrounded by five of the biggest men in town. Three of them pushed off the wall where they were waiting and came after me. Ben started struggling and screaming through the gag.

"What the hell is going on?!" I yelled and fought against them. I had to save Ben. He was terrified and tears were streaming down his face.

The men ignored me and tied my hands behind my back. They picked Ben up off the ground and led us to the jail. It was once a small barn that had been converted into the jail by barring the stalls. It had been turned into a prison just for the purpose of holding the 'witches' that had been discovered in the town.

 They untied us and took the gag out of Ben's mouth, and threw him in a cell. I was shoved into the one next to his.

 I picked myself out of the rotting straw and went over to the bars that separated us. "Ben," I whispered. "Are you hurt? What did they do to you?"

He was curled in the corner with his face buried in his hands. His shoulders shook as he cried, but he wouldn't let himself make a sound.

"Ben, everything's going to be alright, I promise. I'm not going to let anything happen to you," I told him.

 He looked up at me. His eyes were bloodshot and his nose was red, but he still gave me a small smile. "Thanks." he whispered. "But I know we're going to die. You don't have to protect me."

 I sighed. "Come here." He obeyed and I reached through the bars to cup his face. "I mean it. I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I have a plan." I told him my idea.

When I finished he was shaking his head furiously. "No! We're not doing that. I don't want you to die!"

"We don't have a choice. At least this way one of us lives." He was sobbing. "Look, after I'm...gone, I want you to leave this town. I don't want you around people that may turn on you any minute. Go somewhere no one knows you and live your life, okay?"

I didn't let him answer. I pulled him up against the bars and kissed him.

Once again we were interrupted by Anne. She was yelling at the guard, telling him to release Ben. "I said John was the witch, not Ben. Now release him!"

"There's nothing I can do ma'am. You can argue all you want when they go to court," he told her.

She muttered something under her breath and walked over to Ben's cell. "I'm so sorry. I promise I'll sort all this out." She glared at me, and left.

Ben's eyes were huge and he was shaking. "She turned you in? She wanted you to die?"

"She didn't mean it. She cares about you and thought I was hurting you. She was just looking out for you." Of course I didn't believe that. Anne was a jealous bitch that just wanted Ben for herself, but his best friend just betrayed him, and I wanted to make him feel better. "Come on, let get some sleep."

He listened to me and we both lay down in the disgusting hay. Ben fell asleep quickly, but I stayed up. My life would end soon and I couldn't spend my last day sleeping.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 The next day we sat at a table before the judge, waiting to hear our fate.

"John Alden and Benjamin Proctor are charged with witchcraft, conspiring with the Devil, and unholy acts. How do you plea?" the judge said.

I spoke up first. "I'm guilty your honor. However, this man here is not. I forced him to be with me using my...powers. He's completely innocent."

"Is this true?" the judge asked.

Ben looked like he was having second thoughts about the plan, so I squeezed his hand under the table. He looked at me and I pleaded with my eyes for him to go along with it.

"Yes," he said sadly. "He um, hypnotized me."

"Does anyone have anything else to say?" the judge asked the audience. Anne stood up.

"I do. I live next to Ben and John has been forcing him. I saw it myself. Ben would never do that kind of thing willingly."

"Thank you Miss. Williamson, you may be seated." She sat and glared at me with a smug look on her face.

"Very well. Benjamin Proctor, you are found innocent and are free to leave. Go see the priest and have your soul purified.

"John Alden, you are found guilty of witchcraft and are hear-by sentenced to burn at the stake until dead. May God have mercy on your soul."