Gravesfield Present

"Now can anyone tell me about the early beginning of the witch trials? Anyone?" The history teacher asked as his class was on a field trip at the local history museum he looked at a girl who was simply texting. "Surely, Miss Blight you have the answer?"

Amity then looked at her teacher. "What? I mean, of course, I do." She said with a nervous smile before walking to a painting that depicted a witch being led to the gallows by a mob while in the back a priest who had his head lowered followed them almost like he didn't want to be there.

Amity then cleared her throat before speaking. "People back then believed in the supernatural and thought that it had gotten inside their community so they began accusing and punishing many of their own friends and families?' Amity said as her teacher huffed.

"Good job, Blight, and if I recall your old family name, Copper was part of it right?" Amity rolled her eyes as a few of her classmates glared at her with interest. "And of course the story about how your ancestor went after a suspected witch after she attacked him, but that doesn't compare to what happened later in Gravesfeild." He said before directing his class to a painted portrait.

It depicted a burning Gravesfeild, flames sounding the entire town, a few townspeople fleeing the chaos as in the center of the portrait was a woman raising her arms which were covered in tattoos as witch hunters with pitchforks and guns was laid dead around the witch as more began to arrive.

Amity looked at the title of the painting which read A witch's wrath.

1600s

"Bring in the witch!" The Judge ordered as the doors opened as Lila was forcefully led inside the building as people began to yell and shout at her.

"None of you even know who I am and yet you already hate me," Lilla stated as a tomato was tossed at her face. "Ok, who brings food to something like this!?"

The judge then slammed his fist and shouted. "Silence witch!" He commanded as Lilla held her mouth closed. "Now what is your plea to the usage of witchcraft?"

"Honestly I'd rather ask you why you wear that ridiculous wig over your head. Is it mandatory?" The crowd gasped with shock and insult as Lilla was forced down to her knees.

"You dare insult the court?!" The judge hissed.

"No, but honestly what are you basing this off? My appearance!?" She stated as her hat was taken showing her ears.

Tompson glared. "Yes, you haggard creature, I believe that we've heard enough from this witch." He said before showing her a sheet. "Read the passage and prove that you are not in fortification with the devil!"

Lilla read the page out loud "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom comes, you will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." She finished as Tompson's eyes widened in shock. "What's wrong with you 'Witch hunter'? Lost your touch?"

She giggled a bit while Jospeh spoke with the judge. "She is clearly trying to provoke us into destroying ourselves."

"I highly sought that." Samuel started. "She hasn't harmed anyone, except for the boys, always mischievous they were, a punishment from the lord."

"PUNISHMENT?!" A voice cried out as the people looked at a man in high-tier clothes who everyone knew as John Copper. "The witch should burn for what she did to my child! And her devilish ward that the reverend had in his care."

Lilla cleared her throat. "To be clear I never touch the boy, and even if I did then you sir deserve to suffer right now after what I've learned about you, holding people against their will and doing terrible things to the women..." She spat at him which resulted in her being hit in the face. "Go on there, burn me! Break my bones to bits! Punish me in any way you can imagine!"

"Guilty then, I sentence you to be hanged by the neck until dead." The Judge said as the guards then took Lilla by force and took her away.

After a few days, she sat in a cart with two guards watching over her as she was driven to a spot a few feet away from the village where several townspeople including children followed and began shouting insults and pelting her with mud and filth as Samuel rushed to her.

"I'm sorry I couldn't do anything more to..."

"It's alright, I got Camila away from this place, she'll love it where I sent her, it may look decrepit and smell but from a certain view it's the most beautiful site you'll see in your entire life," Lilla said as Samuel stopped and disappeared from view and into the crowd.

She was led up to the gallows where Tompson and Joseph stood watch, a noose was tied around her neck as Tompson spoke. "We stand here today, seeing this witch be punished for her crimes against our village and the lord's name." The crowd yelled in support as Lilla then spoke.

"This is wrong, and deep inside you all know it, listen to me one day, may it take years, your distant families and friends will come and remember these days as not of triumph but a tragic tale of misguided minds and misjudgment of others, hear my words!" No one except Samuel listened to her as Caleb looked at his hands before his gaze turned back to the execution.

"Enough of this!" Joseph shouted before kicking the chair that held Lilla's weight the noose dropped and her body hung. When Thompson was about to remove it a sparrow flew out of the dead woman's hair viciously pecking at Joseph's face until the man swatted the bird away causing it to hit a wooden beam it cracked open leaving a bit of green essence Tompson then kicked it off the platform and it landed on the floor where the essence leaked into the grass before flying away.

Joseph held his face as the bird had torn a bit of skin but he was fine none of the less. "Let's get out of here and leave her here, the witch deserves to rot alone." The crowd then dispersed as Samuel returned to his church where he began a prayer when he heard a chirp near the window. He opened it to find the sparrow looking ill.

"Ahh, you poor thing." He placed it in an empty box which he filled with straw. "You stay there until you feel better." He then feed it a berry which it took.

At the Wittebane household, the two brothers lay awake as Philip placed his mask and sword next to him. "I should have asked..."

"What?" Caleb questioned as Philip got out of his bed.

"I should have asked the witch where she took Camila." He said with sorrow as Caleb approached his brother.

He talked slowly. "You really believe that the witch took Camila to the depths of hell?"

"YES!" Philip screamed in anger kicking his bed and causing him to hurt his toe as he continued "It won't matter how many years or lifetimes it'll take, how many witches will stand in my way, I swear I'll bring her back because... I love her.' He dropped to his knees crying as Caleb comforted him.

"Don't worry little brother, wherever you go I'll follow you even through the nine layers of hell." The two then embraced Caleb had an uncomfortable look on his face as he noticed a tree's shadow resembling a noose.