Viridescent Shadows
By Daring D.D. Danger
III: The Emerald Eyed Iconoclast
I'd walked the entire town looking for Mirabel. The sun was now high. It seemed I was the only one who knew what would happen as the finger-pointing game started. The blonde girl indicated another girl, who was executed this morning. Now, at high noon, four women were sitting at the docks with the mayor, preparing for the water test, and another 5 in the town center were being forced to sit on red hot metal for reasons I could not explain. The screams from the town square cut into me as I continued to the docks, hoping to run across the witch hunter, but I got another surprise instead. As I approached, Maven wheeled out Mirabel, leaving five women at the dock.
"Now we will perform a touch test!" The Mayor said. A young girl named Rhoda was brought out. "Rhoda has been suffering from bewitchment."
"She has always had seizures!" I yelled.
"From witchcraft! Don't make me bring you up here, too, Christabella!" As he yelled, Maven talked to Rhoda, but suddenly the child fell and began convulsing. Maven backed away as the mayor grabbed the girl's head. "See! Witchcraft!" The girl's seizure ebbed.
"Okay, Rhoda, we're going to have you touch each of these women, to see which one bewitched you." Rhoda nodded as she was blindfolded.
"How's this supposed to work!?" I yelled.
"Christabella!" The mayor yelled.
"People who are bewitched have reactions to those who bewitched them," Maven said. Rhoda touched the first woman and nothing happened, as well as the second. When she touched Mirabel, she began shaking.
"Mirabel. We should've known you were the cause of all of this, lying about being in the Huldrawood and about the blonde woman. No matter, this will finally be the end of the Trolberg Witch Hunts." The mayor punched her in the face and started dragging her.
"MIRABEL!" I yelled through tears. Suddenly a familiar sound hit behind me, I tripped, another arrow in my dress.
"Christabella, this is your last warning." Maven said, following the mayor.
An entire day seemed to pass as I walked the perimeter of town from stress. Even if it wasn't decided yet, Mirabel would be executed, and the damn trials still wouldn't end, and then I'd be alone. I couldn't think of a world without Mirabel, and God be damned if the world wasn't going to hear that.
The bells began tolling just before sundown, the entire town gathering for the trial of Mirabel the witch. She was nailed on a holy cross in the center of town, above a large pile of wood. The priest stood in front of the cross with a torch in hand.
"Welcome all to the execution of Mirabel, the witch, who caused a senseless series of witch trials and deaths." The people of Trolberg threw fruit at Mirabel, a tomato hitting her face, blending in with her tears. I jumped to the front of the crowd.
"STOP!" I yelled, and the entire town went silent. "This town was never afraid of witches until this new religion showed up! Beyond that, it says we're supposed to love thy neighbor! This town has gone insane because the church is trying to turn you into obedient little sheep!" The town went silent, some mothers were covering their kids ears.
"That's borderline iconoclastic, young lady!" The priest was flustered. "I must follow what I've been taught." He threw the torch into the tinder, and a fire began spreading towards Mirabel. Her screams were audible through the cloth in her mouth as she began fighting to free her limbs, spreading new blood from the nails that bound her.
"As for you, Christabella." Suddenly the Mayor had shown up and was blocking my escape. I ran up and punched him in the face, sending blood from his nose.
"THAT'S IT, DEATH BY STONING FOR HER!" He screamed. Maven was behind me without a sound, tying my legs together and pulling me to the ground. I looked back in time to see Mirabel's clothes catching fire as she screamed. I screamed her name as her face disappeared and her hand extended out. I lunged and Maven dropped the rope, allowing me to stand on my tied legs and hop into the searing fire, to hold Mirabel's hand one last time. Our hands touched for a second before I was pulled back out of the fire, and Maven stomped out my flaming clothes. My burns would never hurt as much as the feeling of knowing I was now alone. I had no reason left to live.
"Isn't this 'men's' work?" Maven said sarcastically to the mayor as she dropped another stone onto my body. The weight was crushing and I could no longer breathe. Night had since fallen, but I was prepared to stare death in the face. This world took away the only person I ever loved, and I refuse to stay in it any longer.
"Will you repent, Christabella? You can be forgiven before death." the priest stated. I spat in his face. Suddenly the mayor ran up and kicked my head. My ears rang and I could feel warm blood spilling from my cheek.
"Say something, you little shit!" He yelled.
"More weight." I replied. No sooner did the mayor and Maven unload an incredibly large rock. It landed and something in my chest cracked right as everything went black.
"Christabella..." A voice called. I opened my eyes but could no longer feel my body. Two figures standing over me came into focus, the girls from the fire pit.
"Well, damn, she is still alive. Guess you get tomorrow off, Eunice." the blonde girl said.
"Come on, Alma, you said you'd apologize." The brunette girl jabbed the other in the side.
"Sorry we kind of destroyed your life." Alma said.
"If you are here to save my life, don't. I've already accepted death." I demanded.
"We can't save your life, but we can… in a way, extend your time on Earth, and maybe… get revenge?" Eunice said.
"...I'm listening." I said.
"There's no guarantee you'll live long enough for this to work, but..." Eunice trailed off
"Out with it." I pressured.
"We want you to become a Marra." Alma said.
To Be Continued