Hanging Tree

Grace Thornwill tells us about a beautiful discovery she made near Salem before the Witch Trials began.

When you talk about the Salem Witch Trials in English class or History class, do you hear about the Hanging Tree? Can you describe it? The look, the feel, the smell? I can; I can remember perfectly. I remember the day I’d stumble upon, the day I’d sat under it after a full day of hard work, the day I died beneath it.

It wasn’t originally a hanging tree when I first found it. I also wasn’t accused of as a witch either. It was beautiful, as if God had decided to bless us. The bark was a wonderful shade of brown, dark enough to complement the lovely red-pink leaves. Occasionally a cherry blossom would bloom upon it, making it mysterious as to where it could’ve come from since there were indeed none of these kinds of trees for miles. The feel was rough yet gentle, as if the tree itself hadn’t wanted to harm it’s vistor, but the best was the scent; A fragrant no human would ever be able to clone in centuries.

Fall was approaching faster than the previous years and it was getting colder. Crops needed to come in quick and chores needed to be done in case we had a blizzard. Every so often, during my job of cleaning the house, when mother would take over and let me off to nap because of my illness, I would sneak out to the Hanging Tree, sit beneath it and watch the leaves from other trees fall around, drifting through the wind and blowing around me. The Hanging Tree too shed it’s leaves and cherry blossoms and would only land beneath it. It was strange. The weight was as light as air and yet, it landed perfectly without any intention of blowing away. I looked out from my spot under the tree and spotted an older man, plowing the fields with his steeds.

I closed my eyes, content with the nice breeze blowing in my face, the trees singing and whistling in harmony to one another. I joined in, beginning to hum a soft and noble tune; then I began to add lyrics.

Are you, are you

Coming to the tree?

They strung up a man

They say who murdered three.

Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be

If we met at midnight

In the hanging tree.

The wind had gotten heavier and I opened my eyes, looking out. The man was fast beside his steeds, running for the barn and people in Salem were quick to find shelter. Screams were heard from afar and like a faint whisper, I heard someone yell, “It’s a twister!”

I gasped once it registered in my mind and I stood quickly, looking for any sign of a twister that would soon happen. Glancing around, I finally spotted the twister, heading toward Salem. It was closer than I thought. I didn’t have time to run for my home, I’d be blown away. So, with what little hope I had to survive, I fell to my knees and clung to the trunk of the Hanging Tree, whining. I was sure I wouldn’t survive but I still had hope. Closing my eyes one last time, I held as tight as I could, feeling tears slip through my eyelids and down my cheeks. I can’t exactly recall what happened or how I survived but I do now wish I hadn’t. As much as I loved life, it wasn’t worth what happened next.

I opened my eyes, looking around. The wind had died back down to a light breeze and homes in Salem had been ripped from the ground, probably with people in them. The trees around me were also ripped from the ground. All of them except for the Hanging Tree; the one that’d saved my life.

Releasing the tree, I slowly got up and turned to take a long hard look at my village. People had begun to come out and stared at me. One of the girls from the church, pointed, shouting at me. “Witch! Witch! Slave of the Devil!”

I jumped at the sound and looked around me, hoping she was pointing to some being that had magically popped up next to me. But there was nothing; No one was around me. She was pointing straight at me and I couldn’t help but fear for the worst when all I could hear was people screaming at me. Devil! Sinner! Backing into the large tree, I  stared up at it’s leaves, glistening in the sunset. It was the only beautiful thing around me after this hellish disaster.

They ran at me, circling the tree and I and two grabbed my arms and shoulders, yanking me toward the village. “No, I didn’t do anything wrong! If I was a witch, don’t you think I’d be able to escape!”

“Stop with your lies, witch!” one hissed and they dragged me into the large church where people began gathering. They threw me onto the floor in front of the judges, one being my father. I hit my knees as they tied my hands behind me to be sure I wouldn’t run or use magic. I looked up sadly, eyeing my father with tears.

“Grace Thornwill, you have been caught in the acts of witchery, enslaved by the devil himself and assisting him in the disaster brought upon us only moments ago.” an older gentleman said roughly, grabbing my attention to look at him now.

“I didn’t do anything!”

“Then how did you survive? Why did the twister not hit the church, THIS IS THE WORK OF THE DEVIL! AND YOU HAVE ASSISTED HIM LIKE THE ENSLAVED WENCH YOU ARE!”

I looked back at my father, tears streaming down my face. “P-papa, you have to believe me…”

“I do, sweetheart--”

“Do you?!” the elder roared furiously. “You believe a sinner? A minion of Satan-or worse! Satan himself?!”

“How can she be the devil when she’d never hurt a living thing in her life?”

“Nicolas, you will push your foolish feelings you hold for your daughter and make the right choice for your people!”

He looked away from me to the elder then back at me again. “Yes, sir.” he said softly. My eyes widened and they continued.

“Grace, in only a few days will you be freed from these restraints. But you will be hanged for your crimes.” I felt one of the men grab my shoulder to pull me to my feet, my face in shock.

“Papa! Papa, please!” I cried. Without a second thought, I turned swiftly, slamming the man behind me in the head as hard as I could and ran toward my father, jumping onto the stand in front of him to get closer. “Papa, you have to believe me! I didn’t do anything! They’re crazy!”

The man grabbed me by the hair and slammed my head into the stand, everything going black just as I felt something wet stream from my head onto my face and drip off my chin.

When I opened my eyes, I looked around, my head thumping. I groaned in pain and shifted, tugging my arms to bring them to my sides. When they wouldn’t budge, I gasped and shifted more, looking above me where my hands were in shackles. “N-No! No, let me out! I’m innocent! I’m… I’m… Papa…” I sobbed softly, hanging my head. I heard a low shuffle nearby and looked up quickly. To my right a man and a woman were in the same position as me. To my left an older man just like them.

“We know you’re innocent. We’re here for you…”

“W-what? But… You’re… What are you guys in here for?”

“We were accused of witchery, like you.” The woman spoke softly, like honey to my ears. My pounding heart started to calm in my chest and I started to feel at ease, not bothered by my current situation as much any longer.

I gave a long sigh and nodded slowly. “I apologize, ma’am, I don’t understand why we are slaves of the devil if we haven’t done a thing wrong… If I might ask, how long have I been out?”

“Three days, dear. You were first to be here…”

“I see.” I looking down at my legs that were bare against the concrete and hay covered floor. From the corner of my eye I could see the man and woman look at one another before back at me.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m disappointed… Papa just… Let them take me… Without a fight…”

“Oh, dear--”

“If I may, what are you three in here for anyhow?”

The woman gave a loving and assuring smile, her eyes giving me a warm sensation that protected me from the drafty air from the open barred window above me, much like the Hanging Tree. “My husband was accused by people who claimed to see him chant to the devil. I, of course, won’t leave his side so I was also accused. That over there”-she nodded to the man on my left, his head hung-“is Francis. He was accused of murdering three men…”

“I didn’t do it…” a low whisper came from his side and I inched my body as if to get closer only to stay in place because of my restraints.

“There there, Francis--” I started but was cut off.

“I didn’t do anything! They were mauled to death by those damn wolves!” he yelled, causing us to flinch at the sudden rise in volume.

I looked at the woman again and then eyed her stomach when I swore I saw movement. She caught me staring and gave another smile. “I bare kin.” she said softly, making me smile back. Then I frowned. She was pregnant? She was going to be hanged too. While pregnant?

Before I could say anything, the door of the cell was opened as some men walked in. They released us from our restraints and tied our hands behind our backs. The woman and I were first; Her husband yelling at the men to leave her alone. They dragged me to stand on my feet and when they pushed us to head out, I walked up beside her, looking at her.

“I’m so sorry…” I whispered softly. She shook her head and gave a smile.

“No need, it’s not your fault. Maybe God will give us another chance in the future. Maybe things will have changed by then and then… Then maybe my baby can be free of any of this.”

Somehow, in my mind, I doubted that. I wasn’t too sure reincarnation was possible and if it was, if by some amazing chance God would let us live more than one life, I don’t believe it would be better. In fact, I believe it would be a lot worse. Nothing ever gets better, if it seems too good to be true, there’s a ninety-nine percent chance it probably is and you’re probably getting screwed out of something.

With that thought burned into the very core of my brain, I eyed the crowd outside near the large tree that had gotten me into trouble; that had gotten me accused of witchery. No; No it didn’t do anything but save my life and I was very appreciative. Against the tree, underneath one of the lowest branches, was four stools and robes hanging with loops on the bottom. This was the end, I was sure of it. There was no way out. If God had some great plan to give me strength to rip from my restraints and lead these innocent prisoners to safety, to a better world, it should happen now.

But as he approached closer, nothing happened and I knew from then one, maybe God wanted this… Or maybe… Maybe there was no God. Maybe there was really no reason for our existence and we were just like fish, following down a stream of lies to wait for some bigger being to lead us astray and reel us in for a meal with their family.

The other accused prisoners were soon led out behind us as the men helped the woman and I unto the stools, wrapping the ropes around our necks. They have backed away, awaiting the others and when we were all up on the stools, I could hear the woman beside me sob. I looked up at the leaves of the Hanging Tree, sighing as the beauty soothed me. I parted my lips and began singing softly.

Are you, are you

Coming to the tree

Where they strung up a man

They say who murdered three.

Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be

If we met at midnight

In the hanging tree.

I could hear the other prisoners begin to sing with me as well.

Are you, are you

Coming to the tree

Where the dead man called out

For his love to flee.

Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be

If we met at midnight

In the hanging tree.

Are you, are you

Coming to the tree

Where I told you to run,

So we'd both be free.

Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be

If we met at midnight

In the hanging tree.

And with last breath of the the last verse, the stool was kicked from beneath me, the rope grabbing me by the neck and I could hear the woman scream. I could feel it choke me; But only for a second.