She was tied to a tall wooden post, the rope cutting off the circulation of her wrists, which were bound behind her back. The crackling of a torch could be heard, waiting to be dropped atop the timber crushing her feet. There was quite the crowd of villagers awaiting the execution, mere peasants watching with a judgmental eye, as if the moral ground they stood on was so much higher than her own.
The Princess and her faux Prince sat nearby on thrones, adding further insult to injury. "Any last words, 'Your Majesty'?" the faux Prince sneered the moniker sarcastically. There was no respect in the title, only mockery of a traditional formality.
"Yes," she answered somberly. "Yes, I do. I know I'm being judged for my past. A past where I've caused pain, a past where I've inflicted misery, a past where I've… even brought death. When I look back at everything I've done, I want you all to know what I feel. And that is… Regret." It was spoken with sincerity. But she wasn't quite finished. If this was to be her final moment, she didn't want to be remembered as a coward, or worse, a martyr. No, she wanted to go out reminding every single person there how powerful she was, make them fear she would find a way to haunt them after being reduced to ash. Her tone became more dominant, vengeful, "Regret, that I was not able to cause MORE pain. Inflict MORE misery. And bring about MORE death. And above all else, with every ounce of my being, I regret that I was not able to kill… Snow White!" she hissed the name of her long time enemy, the Princess that was now executing her and would take her reign.
"Blindfold!" commanded the Princess in a compassionless tone.
All went black as her command was heeded, as if that would make the woman's fate a surprise, when it was obvious she would be going up in flames in mere moments. Though, she was grateful, for she could no longer take looking at her father's sorrowful eyes. She knew he would trade places with her if he could, and he had tried every bargaining trick imaginable to bring the new royals to reason. Alas, they were having none of it. She felt her jaw quiver the slightest bit and her eyes grow wet with tears. Though she could not yet feel the scalding heat of the flames, she could hear the wood crackling and the smoke was drifting its way up to her nose. She turned her head to one side to evade the scent as her body began its involuntary and useless struggle for survival. She kicked her feet but they could not move, jerked her arms forward only making the rope cut deeper into them, straining forward in a way that arched her back uncomfortably. Her movements became more and more frantic as the sound of the crackling wood grew closer.
A wretched, echoing scream of pain tore from her throat when the flames engulfed her, licking her flesh away until there was nothing left.
Hopkins, Minnesota - 1998
Two teenagers sit in a park, having an impromptu picnic. One was blonde, the other an almost raven-haired brunette thanks to her Latina heritage.
"Mm!" the blonde exclaimed in pleasure at the taste of another large bite.
"That sandwich isn't going anywbere, you know," the brunette pointed out playfully.
"Sorry," she apologized after she swallowed. "It's just that where I come from, if you don't eat fast, the big kids would swipe things off your plate."
"Was that around here?"
"Boston. Snuck out in the middle of the night and hopped a bus."
"Why did you leave?" the brunette asked curiously.
"This little girl from my home, Cecilia, got adopted. I watched her get in this station wagon with this perfect-looking couple. That's when I realized... No one was ever gonna look at me the way those parents looked at her. I'm too old. I missed my chance. There was no point in me staying another day if I was just gonna keep feeling…"
"Invisible? I know what it's like to live someplace where it feels like no one cares about you, let alone understands you."
"Were you in a home, too? That guy chasing you... Is he from social services? Is he trying to take you back?"
"Yeah."
"What are you gonna do?"
"See those houses over there?" She gestured in the direction she was speaking of. "People use them in the summer. But now that it's fall, they'll be empty. I figured I'll pick the nicest one and I'll crash there for a while. Here's an idea. Come with me."
"Really?"
"Why not? We'd be better off if we stuck together. Besides, Halloween is coming up, and Halloween is never complete without a good ghost story. I need a ghost story buddy."
The blonde smiled. "You're ridiculous, Lily. But fun."
"So, what are we waiting for, Emma?"
"Gotta finish this sandwich!" She took another huge bite and Lily laughed.