Thank you and I hope you enjoy this new chapter.
Before:
Hunter Simms let out a victorious, "A-ha!" when he found the diary two weeks after William Danvers II. After he called Gorman to tell him the good news, he settled down to read about Winnifred Simms's life.
After:
1692
My thirteenth is tomorrow night and Father is worried – I can see it on his face, in his eyes, the lines that crease. A woman appeared in my attic room. She said she was a friend of the families and she would be there for my…my ascension. What is that? I tried to ask Father what the woman may have been talking about and he wouldn't let me finish my question.
Who was she? What is he hiding? Why is he hiding me?
~ Winnifred Simms
1692
Today is my thirteenth and the strange woman visited me today. I didn't mention anything of it to my Father. She stayed and talked with me. She said her name was Abigale and that I would get Power and be strong and then I could get out of the attic whenever I wanted too.
She even showed me her gray eyes. She said she and I are special and one of the few that have the privilege to hold such Power.
She said I might even get my own color. Those in the past have. Abigale said they revolve around your personality. She has gray for her maturity. I wonder what color I will have…
~ Winnifred Simms
1692
Father came in the night of my ascension. He let Abigale leave with me after I received my Power.
It was slightly painful but the rush afterward was worth it. It felt like it healed my pain. I think I saw a tear in Father's eye. But it could have been my imagination.
My eyes are white. Abigale says it's because I've been locked in the attic all my life and I haven't experienced the real world yet making me innocent.
~ Winnifred Simms
1693
They caught Abigale four moon cycles after we left Father and the families. They burned her at the stake. She denied accusations against her so, I wouldn't be trialed too. They still burned her anyway. Their fear seized them and she couldn't save herself if she wanted me to live too.
But they caught me last moon cycle. It's been a year and I'm tired of running. This will be my last run. I will be leaving this in the possession of my father though I don't think he will notice this lagging behind. I know that was what Abigale had done with hers. She said the others hid theirs in nature.
My eye color of my Power has changed. Its black now. Not like the Sons' black, but darker and duller. I believe it's from the sorrow of Abigale's passing.
And the passing of myself.
I'm going to be burned at the age of fourteen. Even in my innocence, I know that's too young.
~ Winnifred Simms
After dapping his eyes, Hunter Simms went to the meeting of the Elders.
Sitting in a circle, the Elders discussed what they found from the two found diaries.
"Why would their eye color change?" Harris Parry asked.
"Maybe their Power stems not from genetics like the Sons but from their personalities," William Danvers suggested.
That gave them all something to think about. Though Hunter Simms brought another question into play, "Winnifred said that the others hid their journals in nature. Even back then, one would know that over time products deteriorate. Where could they hide the journals in nature where they'd stay safe?"
"There's the possibility that they buried them in the ground," Russell Garwin said.
"Not to mention that they could have used their Power to hide and keep their words safe," Gorman said.
"Which makes finding their journals much more difficult," Russell growled.
"It was hidden in that nature. I saw we split up on this one," William said, leaning forward in seriousness. "Hunter and I continue looking through the journal, seeing if we can find any other clues. Russell and Harris enjoy the scenery of the woods and if you happen to find odd inconsistencies, make note of them. And Gorman can stay here and look up mentioning's of nature and hidden items in nature."
"Sounds could to me," Gorman said and the men agreed.
I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Review, Favorite, and Alert, please.