Accusations (Rewrite)

A witch hunt with a twist in the late 1690's.

Chapter One

During a hot summer afternoon in 1697, in Midbury, a small town in the New England area, Rebeckah found she faced her worst fears.  The town appeared to be completely deserted except for one building located in the center of the town �" the church, which also served as the courthouse.

It seemed the entire population had converged upon this building. The people outside impatiently waited to hear the news from inside. People inside felt the sweltering heat, even the open windows provided no relief.

Nobody minded as everyone’s attention was riveted on the three young women who stood in front of the town judge, a large somber looking man. Rebeckah, one of the three, stood in silence. She found herself sickened by what she heard. Along with the other two women, her wrists and ankles were shackled with chains.

 A plain looking woman, in her late 40’s, spoke angrily. From the looks on the people’s faces, it was obvious they feared her.  She told the roomful of people how she saw the women place a curse on a child causing him to go into convulsions. She told how they wildly danced around the child, crying out incantations the entire time. “They are witches,” the woman, Piety, exclaimed.

After she finished, the judge shook his head and asked, “Are there other witnesses?”

When nobody answered, the judge turned his attention towards the three women in front of him. The youngest was Lucy, fifteen years old. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she looked at the people in the room and searched their faces. Her parents turned away from her as she looked at them. She choked back a sob and looked down at the ground.

The second was Suzannah, a young blonde, only 24 years old. She stood defiantly before him, her head held high as she met his gaze steadily. He turned his attention to the third woman.

Rebeckah was a stranger to the town. He knew she had only been in town for a week prior to this. She had been seeking a position as a teacher at their only school. The position had become available after the last teacher mysteriously disappeared. Rumors had spread like wildfire that Piety had been involved in the former teacher’s disappearance.

Rebeckah attentively observed Piety as she spoke. Piety glanced at her occasionally as she spoke. When Rebeckah became aware that she was being watched, she turned and locked eyes with the judge. Her eyes were a bright emerald green and had such intensity that the judge immediately looked away. He felt her contempt; a strong power seemed to emanate from her. He wondered whether Piety felt it too.

“None of you have anything to say in your defense?” he asked.

None of them answered.  The judge shrugged and addressed each of them in turn, “Do you proclaim innocence in being accused of witchcraft?”

He was only met with further silence.

Finally Suzannah spoke, “You’ve already found us guilty, why pretend otherwise? You’re Piety’s servant after all.”

Flushed with anger; he turned to the others in the room. “I see no need to discuss this any further. Do you each agree they are guilty of being witches?”

After a few minutes, a murmur of approval grew and took over the room. All were in agreement.

The judge nodded, “Very well �" sentencing is death by hanging to be done tonight at midnight. Take them to the prison for now.”

Rebeckah found herself with guards on either side of her as she and the other two were escorted out to the prison. As she walked out of the room she glanced at Piety who had joined the judge. The two talked in quiet whispers. Piety turned and looked at Rebeckah, a thoughtful, but troubled look on her face.

As Rebeckah walked through the crowd outside, she could hear people calling her a witch. So much hatred was in their voices, she felt herself shudder.

 

Each woman was escorted into her own cell. After the doors had been locked, the guards left. Rebeckah could hear Lucy crying in her cell. Suzannah spoke first, “I’m sorry that you’ve been caught up in this.”

Rebeckah, sat down on the cot in her cell and softly answered, “I thought this place could be a new home to me. I had hoped to find new beginnings, not such an abrupt ending.”

“Yes, well we’ve gained quite the reputation during these last few years. It wasn’t always like this, not until that woman came here.”

“Our accuser?” Rebeckah asked.

“Yes, she’s quick to accuse others of witchcraft, but if you ask me, she’s the witch. Since she arrived eight years ago so many unnatural things have happened. ”

Lucy spoke up just then, “Everyone fears her, yet they all seem in league with her. She hates us because we’ve stood up to her. Now she’ll finally be rid of us as well.”

“Just like she’s gotten rid of all the other townspeople who stood up to her. They’ve either disappeared or been hanged for witchcraft,” Suzannah continued.

Silence greeted her words. Rebeckah sat in her cell and felt the darkness of the room envelop her. She closed her eyes, lost in her thoughts.  As she sat there, images of her mother came to her mind. The sounds that came with those images were horrible to remember. Her emotions were in turmoil. Long pent up feelings of anger and fear were surfacing once again.

As if in a whirl, she was swept back in time and heard her mother’s voice speaking to her.

“We aren’t all evil; a lot of us are good. When people accuse you, it’s because they’re afraid of what they don’t know.”

She opened her eyes and sighed as the memory faded away. “How strange,” she thought to herself, “I’m accused by another witch.” She quietly resigned herself to wait, hoping that she could still get out of this situation without using her power.

Chapter Two

As midnight approached, Rebeckah heard the guards enter the corridor where the cells where located. They went to the other two cells first and she could hear the shuffling of chained feet. When they got to her cell, the door was opened and one of the guards motioned for her to step out. As she did, she looked at the other two. Lucy looked scared, but held back her tears. Her eyes met Rebeckah’s and Rebeckah smiled at her. Lucy tried to smile back but couldn’t. Suzannah looked straight ahead of herself, lost in her own thoughts.

 The women were led outside and to the gallows. There three nooses were prepared for them. The priest, a small scraggly man, stood at the foot of the steps to the gallows. They were led to him.  The townspeople were gathered to witness the hanging of the witches. Rebeckah heard Lucy gasp as she looked up at the ropes.

The judge strode up to them at that moment. “The priest will speak with each of you. May God take pity on your souls.”

Suzannah laughed scathingly, “I think it’s your souls He should take pity on. You’re the evil ones killing innocent people at the words of that bitter woman. You’re worse than puppets,” she said with bitterness.

The judge slapped her so hard she fell to the ground.

“That one should be burned, hanging is too good for her,” Piety shouted from the crowd as she came forward.

The guards grabbed Suzannah and forced her to her feet. As she stood up she stared at Piety and spat in her face. The woman cried out enraged, “How dare you let her treat me like this?” she demanded of the judge.

The crowd watched as if in a trance. Suzannah, who was being restrained by her guards, spoke with a venomous voice, “How dare you speak to me you murderess? You accuse me when it’s you who should be accused!” Her eyes were wild with fury and tears ran down her cheeks. She turned to the crowd, “How can you let her do this over and over? What power does she hold over all of you or are you just as bloodthirsty as she is?”

Piety drew out a dagger she had hidden under her cloak and approached Suzannah. “You’ve spoken enough,” she exclaimed.

At that moment, Rebeckah realized that she could no longer hide who she was. For so long she had buried her emotions, fearful of their power.  With a single utterance, her shackles flew off. Those nearby gasped and looked at the chains where they had fallen. She looked directly at Piety. Her eyes appeared to glow with malevolence. Piety found herself taking a step back looking at the woman before her. She realized, too late, that she had been blinded to the extent of Rebeckah’s powers. She let the dagger fall to the ground and prepared herself to face Rebeckah.

Rebeckah walked past the guards and over to Piety, the guards made no attempt to stop her. Piety calmly met her gaze as the two women stood in front of each other.

 There appeared to be a silent struggle of wills between the two, all of a sudden Piety fell back. She looked both surprised and angry. “You cannot stand in my way,” she told Rebeckah indignantly.

“Your time is done old witch,” Rebeckah answered her.

Before everyone’s eyes, the two women seemed to grow taller, darkness surrounding Piety, light surrounding Rebeckah.

 “You are a murderess witch,” Rebeckah spat out, “you feel only joy at the suffering of others.”

“Be careful of what you say,” Piety answered her.

“Or what?” Rebeckah asked her condescendingly.

Once again a struggle seemed to ensue between the two women, one invisible to all who watched. Just as before, Piety fell back, this time nearly falling to the ground.

The townspeople started to back away from them, but Rebeckah quickly turned to face the crowd and spoke in a loud, angry voice, “You will not leave until I tell you.” They felt themselves stop and were unable to move. It was as if their bodies were out of their control. Fear was in everyone’s eyes.

Rebeckah turned to the two who had been accused with her. As their chains fell off they looked at Rebeckah with astonishment. “Leave now,” she instructed them.

“Thank you,” Lucy stammered.

Suzannah looked at her for a moment, and spoke, “We’ll meet you when all’s done.” She then went to Lucy, put her arm around her shoulders, and led her away towards the town.

Once they were gone, Rebeckah turned back to Piety. The crowd gasped as Piety started to levitate above Rebeckah. She spoke with rancidity, “How dare you challenge me, you are nothing but a child compared to me. You will lose.”

Rebeckah laughed at her as she answered, “Do you think that I fear you?”

Rebeckah pointed at Piety and with a commanding voice said, “You will come down now.”

After a moment, the crowd gasped in disbelief as Piety came back down to the ground. Rebeckah stood in front of her and Piety tried to turn away, but Rebeckah reached out and forced her back around.

Rebeckah firmly spoke, “Your time left here is neither long nor pleasant.”

Piety found herself sinking to the ground with a moan.

Chapter Three

Just then there was a loud clap of thunder as the clouds started rolling in. Lightning flashed across the now grey sky. Rebeckah looked up and smiled. She looked back at Piety with a coldness that made the woman shiver.

“You were quick to judge that Suzannah should be burned to death. Since that seems to be your punishment of preference, it has been set aside for you,” she told her.

At that moment, the gallows fell apart and, as everyone watched in horror, the wood from the gallows assembled itself into a stake surrounded by piles of wood.

Piety unwillingly got up and walked down a path between the piles to the stake. She tried to resist, but found herself powerless. Once she stood in front of the stake, she found herself forced to face everyone.

Rebeckah walked over to Piety and asked the crowd, “Is there anyone here willing to speak for her?”

Not one person answered. Piety glared at them with hatred.

Once again Piety tried to walk away, but found she couldn’t move.

“You should have been more careful of who you accused,” Rebeckah quietly told her.

A small flame started burning at the base of the stake. Rebeckah stepped away and the wood pile filled in the path as quickly as she walked away.

The flame caught and soon grew. Piety stood silent, she refused to cry out.

The crowd watched in amazement as the flames continued to grow. They’d never seen a fire grow so rapidly. Rebeckah stood with her back to Piety; she surveyed the townspeople as they watched. All of a sudden the flames became blood red and seemed to reach the very heavens with a great roar. Piety screamed out in terrible pain. The screaming continued for at least ten minutes during which time nobody looked away. Finally silence ensued and the blood red color from the flames dissipated. The townspeople jumped at the sound of the thunder, which was extraordinarily loud. Lightning continued to flash from one end of the sky to the other. Rain started to fall hard and quenched the now dying flames. As the smoke cleared away, the people saw the former wooden stake. A figure stood there now, made from wood. It resembled Piety, her face tormented with excruciating agony and contorted into an eternal silent scream.

No one was really sure, but they thought they could hear the sound of someone crying out in pain. Or was that just the wind that now blew?

The rain ceased as the last of the flames died away. Rebeckah turned and looked at the figure, sadness came over her as remembered her mother’s untimely death at the hands of people like these. The sadness only intensified her need for retribution.

Rebeckah walked over to the judge where he stood rooted to the ground.

“The evil that courses through your body has brought many innocent people to their deaths.” She looked him directly in the eyes, “How did it feel killing those people?” she asked.

He looked away.

“Have you nothing to say in your defense?” she asked mockingly.

“Kill me quickly,” he answered.

“Kill you?” she asked with amusement. She shook her head, “No, I think you misunderstand. Sometimes life can be a greater torment then death. Ask your friend there,” she turned to look at what had once been Piety.

She turned her attention to the burned wood pile. The wood appeared unburned. The pile started to move and shifted into the former shape of the gallows, leaving the figure of Piety standing alone.

She walked towards the priest who stood nearby, “It’s your turn now,” she pointed to the gallows. The priest found himself walking unwillingly towards the ropes that had reshaped themselves into nooses. “You the so called man of God �" a true hypocrite. It’s time to meet the one you truly worship.” Rebeckah told him.

 The priest walked towards the nearest noose and stopped behind it. She then motioned to one of the guards. Without a word the guard walked over to the priest. Rebeckah nodded her head and the guard took the noose. Without a word he placed it around the priest’s neck. He tightened it and walked away. The priest looked at Rebeckah, “Please, I beg for your mercy,” he pleaded.

“You beg me for mercy?” she asked incredulously. “How many people have begged you, a priest, for mercy? How many received mercy at your hands?”

“Please,” he sobbed. All of a sudden he started to cry out in pain and people could see smoke coming from the noose around his neck.

Rebeckah spoke calmly. “Feel the fires of damnation that you preach about to your congregation.”

The priest continued to scream, still unable to move, as the smoke became flames and seemed to envelop his entire head. Soon the flames seemed to envelope his body in the shape of a fiery tornado. Just as quickly, the flames ceased and the noose released him with such force that he fell forward onto his knees. His entire neck burned, forever scarred, but no other part of him was burned.

“Remember this moment well priest,” Rebeckah spoke. “Mercy was shown this time. There will be no next time. So you’ll not forget, the pain from your scar will never completely fade. A constant reminder of what awaits you the next time you refuse mercy to another.”

The priest broke down and sobbed. His whole body shook as he held his hands to his face.

Chapter Four

Rebeckah turned back to the judge.

“As I said, life can sometimes be a greater torment than death.”

The judge stared at the priest and then at what had once been Piety. The crowd stood behind him in silence. The only sound was the crying of the priest.

She pointed towards the woods. “Your fate awaits you in there,” she told him.

He looked at the woods �" a feeling of menace strong within them. He looked at Rebeckah, terror in his eyes.

“You have nothing to fear if you are guiltless.  Any innocent person can walk through those woods without harm,” she told him.

He looked at the crowd and they slowly parted for him.

“Your townspeople seem to believe that you’re innocent,” she said.

His whole body shook he started to walk. There was a hush on everyone as they watched him. He stopped for a moment before he entered the woods and then walked in. They watched until he was fully enveloped by the darkness. Nothing happened, there were no sounds, only absolute stillness.

Just as the crowd started to turn back towards Rebeckah, a strange glow started to emanate from the ground accompanied by a low humming sound. Everyone watched in silence, and waited. From out of nowhere, a great gust of wind blew and jostled everyone. Just as quickly the wind died down. From far off, a strange sound could be heard.

They all looked at each other, it was as if they could hear voices, but nobody could make out what the words. The voices were too far away. They sounded harsh, guttural. Then a high pitched wail was heard causing all of them to cover their ears.

 They quickly turned back to Rebeckah. All became extremely quiet. Even the priest was silent.

She too watched the woods with fascination. She wondered whether summoning the spirits of the woods had been a wise decision.

She turned back to the townspeople, “Go home now,” she dismissed them.

Slowly they felt as if they were released from a spell. With barely a murmur, they all headed back for their homes. She watched the priest stumble down the gallows by himself and walk back to the church, he clutched his neck the entire way.

Finally she stood alone and looked around herself. This is what she had wanted to avoid. She fell to the ground to her knees and then lay down. The memories were now too strong for her. The last dying screams of her mother being burned at the stake, her grandmother trying to keep her, a child of only nine, from watching. But the memory was ingrained forever.

Her grandmother’s words returned to her as she found herself slipping into unconsciousness. “You’ve inherited great powers; you must learn to use them wisely. Never let your emotions rule your powers.”

Chapter Five

The morning sun rose and found the gallows completely gone. The wooden figure stood alone. The first rays of the morning sun started to come up, but none fell upon the wooden figure, it remained shrouded in darkness.

Rebeckah slowly stood up from where she had fallen and looked around. Memories of the night came back to her. She had spent so many years trying to avoid who she was, and yet in one night all her emotions had come out. All her anger, her fear, she had surrendered herself to them completely. 

She felt extremely tired, but there was one thing more to be done. As she looked at the woods, she noticed the glow from earlier was starting to fade away. She wondered what the judge’s fate had been.

She walked back towards the town.

A slow drizzle started as she passed the first buildings. She could see that the townspeople had started to get up, a few already out doing their usual chores. None of them looked at her as she walked past.

She approached the town square, sat down on a bench, and waited. A small pillar of dust started to develop next to her. It grew larger, and when it approached the size of a full grown man it disappeared. An object was left where the dust had formed. She looked over at it and smiled. This would be her last gift to the town.

Within a couple of hours, the townspeople had gathered around her. She now stood up as she spoke to them,

“I am leaving, but first, I wanted to part with one last remembrance for all of you.”

“I came here thinking to make this my home, thinking I had found a town where the people where good at heart. Instead I found hatred and ugliness.”

She motioned to the object next to her as she continued to speak, “This is my gift to you. Behold yourselves in this and see yourselves as you really are.”

 “Only look into this mirror if you have the courage to do so,” she added.

With those words, Rebeckah left the town square. The people hastily parted for her as she made her way through.  Rebeckah found Suzannah and Lucy where they waited for her at the end of the square. They were seated in a cart hooked up to two horses. “I told you we’d wait for you,” Suzannah stated. Lucy scooted over to make room for Rebeckah as she climbed up. Rebeckah cast one last glance at the townspeople at they gathered around the mirror. She could hear the cries of horror as they gazed into it.

“What are they seeing?” Lucy asked.

“They’re seeing themselves for who they really are. Let’s get as far from here as we can,” she said.

As the cart rolled away, the townspeople quickly dispersed. They could no longer look upon the mirror. Some tried to move it, but found it wouldn’t budge. Others threw stones at it, but it didn’t even crack. What they saw appalled them. Their reflections showed the ugliness within them. What they saw looking back at them was twisted monstrous caricatures of themselves.

Later that night, in an inn far from Midbury, Rebeckah lay in her bed sleeping. All of a sudden she woke up and sat up straight in her bed. She felt the blood drain from her face, “What have I done?” she wondered.

At that exact moment, unnoticed by all, a figure emerged from the woods surrounding the small town of Midbury. While he wore the judge’s clothes, he bore no resemblance to the man at all. He strode towards the town, a demon in shape. Fearful and grotesque to any that looked upon him �" forever to live in this appalling form.

He didn’t even glance at Piety’s figure as he walked past it, but he thought he heard the sound of wailing in the far distance, filled with agony and despair. His thoughts were fixated on one thing only. He would find Rebeckah; an eerie glow came to his eyes as he thought of her fate at his hands.

 

 

 

 

 

Author's Note

This is still in draft form. As a short story that I'm hoping to enter into a contest, I'm required to keep the words to 4000 or less. This is a rewrite of my first posting of Accusations.

Reviews

[Valerie Rian]

You've got a few really good rewrites. You give us a little more about the character's past and we get to see where some of her motivation comes from. I especially like the added tension between Piety and Rebeckah.
My next suggestions are total opinion. Take them and ignore them as you see fit. :)
I'm such a sucker for knowing why things are the way they are, so I would love to see more about why she is so powerful in comparison to others. Is it because of her family? Practice?
If you need a little more space, I think the two extra character's are a little redundant. You can probably eliminate one of them, if you want, and still move the story forward exactly as is.
Seeing Piety's evil might be a nice addition, if you can think of a small scene or memory you'd like to add that illustrates why the reader would want her to suffer for eternity, unheard.
Overall, you've got a good story! A few readings for grammatical things and you're good to go.