So, I truly thought that The Scarlet Letter was the biggest snooze ever. So rewrote it. More drama, blood, etc. Enjoy. If you couldn't stay awake to the original, see if you can for this version.
I do not own The Scarlet Letter.
Hester Prynne stood upon the scaffold in the town square. She knew why she was up there. She understood why there was a Scarlet Letter upon her bosom. She was a sinner, no, worse. She was an adulteress. This was how sinners, adulteresses, and all of the world's other miscreants were punished. She was well aware that all of this could happen when she had premeditated her transgression.
She had been fully prepared to stand up here and face her shame for the man that she loved. What she hadn't been prepared for was for someone to come unexpectedly into her life that she would love even more. She also wasn't prepared for said child to be shamed as well. The little baby had done nothing of her own fault. Subconsciously, she held the babe closer to her body. Her eyes scanned the crowd. Everyone was there. Her neighbors, her friends, strangers, everyone. Their hushed whispers hit Hester like a wave.
"The bastard child…God help them both…looks like…going to hell."
Hester closed her eyes and bit her lip to hold back tears. She felt all of their eyes burning into her flesh. Upon opening her eyes, she had to hold back a gasp. Her gaze had fallen onto a familiar face that she knew all to well. The fierce anger blazing on his face paralyzed her. His eyes locked with Hester's for a few moments before he moved on. Those few moments seemed to drain Hester of her energy. A murmur passed through the crowd as Hester's form crumpled to the scaffolding.
Hester awoke in her jail cell to her daughter's cries. "Hush Pearl," she coaxed. She clutched Pearl to her Scarlet Letter and hummed a soothing melody, lulling her back to sleep. As she lay Pearl down, a chill went up Hester's spine as she felt a pair of icy eyes staring at her back. She sat up straight slowly.
"Hello, my husband."
"Get up," he ordered icily. Hester silently obeyed and turned to face him. "Who is that bastard's father?" Hester glared at him.
"That bastard is my daughter, Pearl." She softened her expression before continuing. "Please Roger, try to understand. It had been two years. I thought that you were dead, or that you had forgo-" Hester was cut short by a slap that echoed in the cell.
"Insolent woman! Answer the damn question!"
Hester stared past Roger defiantly. With a roar of frustration, he struck her again, this time causing her to fall to the ground.
"Damn it all woman!" he shouted, kicking Hester. "I thought that I had made it clear to you before that you belong to me and me alone!" He kicked Hester again, harder this time. She cried out in pain. The baby that had been sleeping peacefully in the corner was awoken and began to wail. "I should have known better than to trust you alone! How soon after you left did you disobey me? Did you wait a month? A year? Or did you feel the urge to dishonor me the moment that your homeland was out of sight?" The wails of the baby and the force of his kicks became stronger with each question. He continued to beat Hester until he was panting. Wiping his brow, he crouched down next to Hester, who was lying in a pool of blood. "Now," he growled lowly, "I'll ask you again. Who fathered that child? Tell me."
With great effort, Hester managed a defiant smile. "No," she uttered. Her eyes became dull and the shallow rise and fall of her chest ceased.
"What did you do?" came a quiet, horrified voice. Roger Chillingworth turned around to see the jailer, looking wide-eyed and pale.
"Now you listen and you listen well." Roger said, rising up. "She was seized by some demon. I tried to restrain her, but she broke away and proceeded to bash her head against the wall. Follow this story, and you will be rewarded. If you don't, I promise you that you will regret it."
The unholy fire blazing in Roger's eyes frightened the jailer. The jailer nervously cleared his throat. "I-I'll go get the minister. It's such a shame that such a fit of m-madness seized such a young woman." He hastily turned to fetch the minister, stumbling on the way out. Roger then turned his attention to the wailing child in the corner.
The jailer and minister arrived shortly to find the baby wailing in Roger's arms and Roger attempting to calm her. Minister Dimmesdale then turned his attention to the gruesome scene before him. The jailer had told him what had happened on the way there, but he was not sure that he entirely believed the jailer. Now that he was there and he saw the blood on Dr. Chillingworth's shoes, he was definitely sure that the jailer was lying. The minister solemnly walked to Hester's cooling body and kneeled beside her to pray.
Roger looked up from the baby and spoke. "What is to become of this child?"
"It is likely that she will be taken in by a family, or the minister will raise her like he has with other orphans until they have found a home," responded the jailer. For several minutes, Roger looked as if he were in deep thought.
"It is unfortunate that her mother suffered from such a mental condition. I feel guilt over not being able to help her more. I will take the child and raise her as my own."
Minister Dimmesdale looked up quickly. Sorrow briefly flashed through his eyes. He slowly lowered his head again and spoke very softly, almost sadly.
"That is very generous of you, Dr. Chillingworth. I am sure that she will grow up to be a very fine woman under your care."
"Thank you minister. If you will excuse me, I must be getting home. I'm afraid that the child has worn her self out from crying over her mother's antics." He shared a look with the jailer and motioned for him to come with.
"Erm… of course Dr. Chillingworth. Let me show you out." Little baby Pearl looked over her shoulder. The image she saw plagued her dreams for years, but she would always forget about it when she woke. Her mother's now cold body was soaked with blood that matched the Scarlet Letter upon her bosom. The minister kneeled over her, a single tear escaping from his eyes and landing upon Hester's face.