SCARLETT. fear street (1994, 1978, 1666 )

four. i am immoral

THE GIRL kept quiet, watching as the townspeople started accusing her. Whore. Sinner. Whore.

"If she is innocent?" Christopher had suddenly spoke up, standing in frustration. "How dare you accuse my wife of something so... immoral?"

I am immoral.

The Meeting Hall grew silent. Christopher never spoke during meetings, opting to listen instead. This was the first time they've heard him. "Why do you people never wonder if Thomas be innocent? Is the accuser always holy now? Was he born this morning as clean as God's fingers? I'll tell you what's walking the Union—evil is walking the Union. You do not summon the devil by dancing. By drinking."

"That settles it then!" A man yelled. "The girl is innocent!"

They started clamoring after that, and she wasn't too sure if they were agreeing or not.

But it seemed like Thomas didn't care. "Look upon your children. Look upon your wives!" he glared at Natsuko. "For they will bear the Devil's mark!"

Thomas once again got off the stand, allowing Elijah Goode to take his place on it. "Yes, witchcraft. But just as my brother Solomon heroically expelled the darkness among us by killing our afflicted pastor, we too will punish and surmount this evil! As survivors, our faces always will remain towards the sun."

Natsuko grasped onto Lizzie, feeling her heart beat faster. Was it her doing that summoned the Devil into the Union? Was she and Isaac the cause?

A man who she did not recognize stepped onto the platform next. "I traced it on my patrol! This scourge centers on Union proper. I've searched the woods. It does not extend beyond the settlement. It's here! It's in Union! We are being punished, and I have a list of names!"

People began shouting, screaming, demanding the list of names. The girl felt like her own heart was going to explode: to them, she and Isaac carried the biggest sin.

"Enough! Enough! Listen to yourselves! Speculation! Chasing shadows! Imagined curses! I ask... do you have proof?" he glanced at the man. "No. Or you?" Thomas only scoffed at the question, as if it was idiotic. "Or any of you?"

She felt herself relax a bit. She was extremely relived to hear Solomon's voice.

Until Caleb stood. "I have proof!"

The people urged him to give them the proof, so Caleb started to walk up towards the platform, a grim look on his face.

There were a bunch of possibilities running in her mind: had Caleb seen them kissing, or was this about something else?

"It was some nights back when the full moon had risen just beside the sun. As I lay sleeping, she came to me. She witched me and led me to the woods. She was naked... and riding a red mule. And the red mule became a horned man. And she made me watch as she lay with the Devil. As both of them lay with the Devil."

"Both of them?" Elijah questioned, believing Caleb completely.

Caleb nodded. "Hannah Miller and Sarah Fier!"

"No!" Hannah's mother cried in agony while Sarah's father stood. The people were angry, clamoring, and Natsuko felt her breath hitched.