One Horrid Prejudice

Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Don’t go in the forest. At least that’s what they always told me. The forest is dangerous, a place where one loses their mind. A place where the witches can freely practice their magic without harming those in town. A place that will kill you slowly and torture your mind if you dare enter. 

As I ran through the town towards the trees, those words choked me, taunting me. Telling me to just face the wrath of the townspeople and not the wicked. Feet pounded the dirt road and angry voices shouted behind me. My mother’s voice rang out above them all, “Ann, please come back! We can talk this out, please,” she wailed. I slowed for just a moment but continued; if they caught me there would be no talking, no mercy, everyone knows that. Not if they believe me to be a witch. 

The grass stood brown and the sky was blanketed in clouds turning cold. Everything looked gray and dull, as it usually does here. I kept running, my feet and lungs screamed for me to stop. I’ve never tried to run this far, or this fast. I’ve never left the town in my life. Anything and everything you could ever need is in Salem, so don’t leave. That sounds a lot less harsh when you’re not running for your life. 

I finally stumbled on the edge of the forest. A handful of green trees dotted the redwoods — how could something so beautiful be so bad and hated? I darted in the trees and climbed my way up one. I held my breath, and the higher I went the more my hands trembled. I wasn't sure how far they’d pursue me into the place feared most by the townspeople, or how full of resolution they were to return me to the town. 

The men who followed me hesitated at the tree line, their faces open with terror. I could almost hear the echoing of the stories that were passed down in these woods. The man in the front, slim with brown hair and a musk you could smell for miles rubbed his bruised eye. The bruise that I gave him. A reminder on his face of his heinous act. Remind him of the monster he is. I wonder what would happen if the townspeople found out. He mumbled in frustration, spat and walked away. No doubt damning me to the horrors of this place. The others were quick on his heels, eager to put as much distance from them to the woods as possible.

My breath let loose as they faded in the distance, anger and fear burned inside of me churning my stomach. One less thing to worry about. Carefully I climbed down the tree, placing my hand in safe pockets on the way down. My feet hit the ground with a thud and my shoulders drooped. What now? I looked back towards town and thought better of it, surely I’d be hanged if I showed up there again. Going into the woods was just more proof in the case against me. 

I wandered deeper into the forest, the red leaves cast little but fierce light onto the floor. Birds sang as they hopped from tree to tree, and I’d almost forgotten how this forest had gotten its bad reputation. My feet led me deeper as my mind caught in a daze. 

The sun was falling faster now as night approached. Shadows casted on the forest floor danced as though they wished me to dance with them. Oh, how I wished to dance with them. “Do not dance with the fairies of the forest, for they will keep dancing til your feet bleed and you're begging to stop. The fairies have no mercy, and will keep your feet tapping forever to the unknown tune of this land.” 

I began walking again, quickening my pace. I had no idea how big this forest was, and almost no light to keep me from the dark thoughts this forest possessed. I squinted at one of the trees and found that it was watching me, at least it felt as though it was. I inched closer squinting my eyes at the uneven surfaces of the tree. I stifled a scream and stumbled back, it was cloaked in blank eyes boring into me. My mouth ran dry as they all blinked. 

I ran through the forest not sure of which way I was going. I wanted out, I wanted my family and I didn’t care if I was to be hung the next day. Crows cawed and swung low, causing my hair to lift and sway. I squeezed my eyes shut, running blindly and praying this was all just a bad dream. Still, they picked at my dress and pecked at my hands leaving little pinching marks, covering my skin in bruises. They followed me for what felt like hours, then flew off as if called to another place. When I dared to open my eyes again I caught sight of the trees I passed and found they all held the same light eyes. 

My vision blurred as my running slowed to a stop, my chest was heaving from the invisible pressure, forcing air into my lungs. I could no longer see, running was dangerous. I curled myself in the crook of one of the larger trees, my whole body was shaking. Tears froze my face as I hugged myself attempting to stay warm.

Whispers of voices came at me now, speaking in a language I had never heard. The more time that passed the louder they got. The nonsensical words slammed into my ears causing my head to shake. I pressed my arms to the side of my head, a scream bubbled up in my throat and I let it loose. Only, I couldn’t hear it, the voices were too loud. My eyes weld and froze and warmed and froze again, never falling. 

My head pounded and my voice trembled with sobs. It was all too much, too loud, too harsh. The voices shouted for hours, and everytime I lowered my arms they’d start again louder than the last time. The wind howled and laughed, folding my dress as it passed. The voices started again and I jumped, and the wind laughed again. Eventually, my mind was able to drift into unconsciousness. 

I woke the next morning, the sun beating down on me, and sweat stuck to my arms. Tears stained my face and my brown hair matted from the bark of the tree. The voices stuck in my throat and I let out another cry. 

After a while I found the strength to stand, and I began walking again. Another step is one less step to getting out of here. 

I passed wind chimes made of glass and feathers, and it casted rainbows on the ground and surrounding trees. Beautiful really, at least while the sun is up. I followed the chimes to a wooden house in the middle of this treacherous place. An urge to knock came over me, quickly replaced by nausea. Why would I ever do that? 

To get out of the horrid forest for a while, my mind replied. 

I shook my head and turned to face a tall woman, perhaps fifty years old. Her matted hair swirled with white and brown and her face was stained with dirt. She held a basket in her folded arms. 

“Ah, yes, well, you see, I tripped,” she gestured to the dirt.  “Bruised all my apples too,” she laughed. 

I gaped at her, terror paralyed me, as I watched her approach.

“None of that now, want to help me make some pie?” She raised her eyebrows. 

“Are you a witch?” I asked bluntly. 

Her eyebrows fell and she looked at me with concern. “Well, no. My friends are and my mother is, I just take care of the house. And make pie! My name is Dorcas,” she said holding out her basket. 

I followed her inside and took a seat at the table. She asked a few questions to which I shook my head. “Are you here for the raid?” I looked at her with my face scrunched, causing her to explain. “We plan on taking back the city in a week or two.”

“Take back the city?” I repeated to which she nodded.

“They have been taking and slaughtering us these past few months. It’s time for payback. Of course I’m going, but I’ll be in the shadows.” She looked down, her lips drawn thin. 

“Revenge? The only people I want revenge on are those who drove me from my home. The one who took advantage of me,” I said softly. “Forcing me to spend a night in these horrible woods. But they all live in Salem, I don't even know where I am!”

“You are yet in Salem, Dear,” the woman's face twisted in concern. “Do you have any interest? If not, I'm afraid I’d have to return you to town.”

“No!” Thoughts of that man entered my mind, uninvited. “I want to stay. If I help with the raid, will you help me learn to protect myself?”

The next few weeks I spent learning witchcraft, learning to connect my energy to the coven. I began to understand why we do what we do. We are people who want to help others realize their full potential. We want them to understand this is nothing to fear. That us and the universe are one. 

“Be mindful of how you choose to think, it will affect the way you live. Your words are boundaries set by yourself,” said the head sister — Mary I think her name was. 

Slowly I began to learn how to disarm a man with a weapon and how to use it against him. My heart beat through my hand as my movements became fluid, almost seamless. During training I only had one man on my mind, the one that accused me, that led the others after me. The one who drove me away and spat on my name.

The night of the raid I looked at the woman who brought me in, the one who helped me realize my potential. “Why don’t you practice witchcraft?” I asked. 

Her eyes pointed to the floor. “That stuff was never for me, I just could never get the hang of it.” Her glass eyes shot to mine. “Are you ready for tonight?” 

I nodded eagerly and took a heaping bite of apple pie still warm from the oven. I couldn’t wait. 

As the sun took its place in the height of the sky. Dorcas and Mary were the only ones I recognized. The rest were others of the coven, none the less we marched to the town. I held no weapon, only a bag on my hip. I felt the weight shift with every step, letting me know it was still there. As we walked my shoulders tensed and my eyes darted from tree to tree. 

“Pay no mind to the trees, Dear, they only judge,” Dorcas said. 

I nodded and let out a breath. Soon we were on the edge of town, making our way to the church. People left their homes and followed us, shouting all the way. Suddenly, we were in a standoff, the coven against the judges and priest. Townspeople surrounded us on all sides. One of my sisters stepped forward. “Stop this madness. Killing innocent people! What were their crimes?” she shouted to the town. 

“Being in league with the devil!” one of the men shouted. The same man that accused me, that haunted me. My lips curled in a snarl and my hands in fists at my sides. 

Mary spoke again, this time her voice rangout softer, “You’re wrong, there are no disciples of Lucifer here.”

“So you confess? You're a witch!”

“I am a witch, but —” her words were cut by an arrow, sticking out both sides of her neck. She choked and fell, sending the town into chaos. My heart pounded in my ears as I looked at Dorcas. She began motioning for me to leave, to run. So I did, I ran to her. Before I could get there someone came up from behind her and drove a blade through her neck. Her head lolled to the side and she dropped. I let out a blood curdling scream and fell to the ground with her. My head was spinning so fast and the air rushed out of my lungs, I must be dying. 

This was not how this was supposed to happen. They were supposed to give up, let us come back. I stood on shaky legs, and looked around at this mess of a town in a daze. My eyes landed on him, the one who ruined my name, anger coiled inside of me tightening my stomach. I stood straighter and darted after him letting adrenaline and rage fuel me. As soon as he saw me he began to run to the church and closed the doors after him. 

“Trying to hide?” I sneered. “This is no safe place for you! No God can forgive you for what you have condemned on to me.” 

I kicked the doors in, running to the chancel screaming, knocking down the pews like dominos. I walked over to him as he crawled out from under the mess. He started quoting scripture at me, spitting it in my face like I should be scared. My eyes narrow and I let my head fall to one side, perhaps in hopes it would slow me down.

I let out a harsh laugh, “I’m not afraid of God anymore.” His face opened, fear radiated off of him, leaving me scrunching my nose as bitterness bled into my mouth. I smirked, “I’m not afraid of you anymore.” I was staring at him with unblinking eyes and licked my lips. I let in a shaking breath, wanting nothing more than to have him understand what I went through, what he did to me. I grit my teeth. “I will let this town burn, with you in it. You must suffer for the sins you have done. There is no door to Heaven for you!”

He gulped and my smile widened, my body was shaking. My arms flew out to my side as fire took hold in the entrance of the church rushing towards us. He began flailing trying to move, to flee. I clicked my tongue. “Where do you want to go? Why would you want to miss this?” I leaned in closer and whispered in his ear, “You and I, neither of us will be making it out of here alive today, and that I can promise to God.”

A blood curdling scream passed his lips and I laughed again as fire, my fire, bloomed all around us, engulfing everything in my flames of glory.