Slater | Nick Goode

3.3

(Trigger Warning; hanging/death. Gory,     please read at your own risk)

       "Please, you have to help me!" Sarah cried, walking into the house and shutting the door behind her.
"Sarah?" Solomon questioned, following her around as she paced.
"We are innocent, Solomon."
"I know."
"Hannah and I, we didn't do this."
"Jesus, you're bleeding," Solomon worried, stepping closer, Sarah swatted his hand away.
"It doesn't matter. Listen to me. I went back to the woods, to The Widow. She's dead, Solomon! Someone killed her! And there was this... this book... with a- a kind of instruction, an incantation."
"An incantation? For what?"
"I think someone struck a deal with the Devil. Offering our town."
"Our town?"
"Yes! In exchange, perhaps, for power? Solomon, I swear it. It wasn't me!"
"Sarah... I believe you," Solomon confessed, "who else knows about this?"
"No one."
"Solomon!" They heard someone shout from outside. Sarah gasped loudly, and Solomon looked out of the window. He saw many men marching towards his house with torches.
"Go! Run! Run into the woods and back to settlement. Once your there, sneak into Teacher Mary's house. She's been out, having to guard Ivy and Hannah. They'll never suspect you there. Go! Run!" Solomon ordered, and Sarah quickly ran out the back door and into the woods.
"Solomon!" Caleb yelled, walking up to his door. He knocked loudly, "open up, Solomon!"
He did, and Caleb spoke again, "we're looking for Sarah Fier."
"There's no one here but me," Solomon lied.
"Well then, we're free to search," Caleb insisted, pushing Solomon aside and stepping into his home.
"Of course, you are not! Do not try to intimidate me, Caleb. I am not some child!"
Sarah was far deeper into the woods, she heard them calling her name from Solomon's house. She ran until she found Teacher Mary's house, on the very edge of settlement. She snuck in through the back door, hiding in any open door.

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"I'm sorry for the inconvenience, Solomon. I truly thought she had snuck in there someway," Caleb apologized, leading out of the house with the rest of the men. Solomon followed, they made their way back to the settlement.
He was sure that Sarah was hidden well by now. He hoped, for he did not wish to break his promise to Ivy.
Back at the settlement, the entire town was gathered near the front of the Meeting House. Hannah was brought into the building, where she sat in chains, and Ivy strung to the ceiling.
A shriek came from inside, along with the yells of Mary, "you devilish whore!"
The crowd ran into the building, "Teacher Mary, what is it?" Caleb asked, he was behind Solomon, who was with the rest of the town, standing in the doorway.
Mary turned around, her nose bleeding down into her mouth. Ivy stood across from her, still tied to the post on the ceiling.
"Check her! Check her now!" Mary yelled, causing George to march over to Ivy. Solomon was held against his will by Thomas.
"Do not touch her, George!" He shouted, and most of the town took their places in the pews.
"Be still, Solomon. I'm not going to hurt her, not if she's innocent."
Ivy tried to kick back in her restraints, desperately trying to get far away from George.
He grabbed ahold of her by her waist, but when Ivy moved again, he called out, "someone cut her down and check her legs."
Caleb walked forward, grabbing a knife out of his belt and cutting her down. Her hands were still tied together as she fell to the floor with a thump.
He grabbed Ivy's bottom skirt, and Ivy tried to kick him away.
"Don't touch me!" She screamed, still fighting. Solomon was too, the watchman and Thomas were both struggling to keep him away from her.
George put a hand over Ivy's mouth, her screams becoming muffled. Caleb had fully flipped her skirt open, allowing the entire town to see her, vulnerable.
"Her bottom half is clean," Caleb confirmed, putting her skirt back down. George lifted his hand off of her mouth, allowing Ivy to let out a sob.
George's hands roamed around her backside, finally finding the lace to her corset. He pulled one string, and ripped open the fabric, revealing her bare back.
"Here it is!" He yelled, "on her backside! The witches mark!"
Her eyes went wide, and she shook her head, "No! No! No! You've gotten it wrong! Please I'm innocent!" Ivy cried, holding the front side of her dress, not allowing it to slip.
She felt George's warm hand touch her back, "we've caught you, witch."
"It's a birthmark! I've had it since I was a baby! Please, Thomas! Ask mother and father!" She pleaded, "please! I'm a mother! Think about my daughter, she will be an orphan!"
"Chain her up!" Thomas yelled. Solomon watched as George, his own brother, harshly pushed around Ivy, the woman that he loved.
She was put in heavy, metal chains, and placed against the wall.
"Now! To find the last witch!" George yelled, turning towards the townsfolk. They yelled and cheered, rushing out of the door.
Solomon stayed behind, of course. But Hannah was the first to speak up, "where is Sarah?"
"I've hidden her in Teacher Mary's house. She won't be found, I assure you," he whispered, rushing over to Ivy. She lay there, where George threw her, weeping.
"Ivy-"
"Solomon. I am going to die tonight," she started, and Solomon began to say something before she spoke over him, "no talking. Listen to me. Agnes, she needs someone to be there for her, someone to raise her into being the woman she's meant to be. There is no one in this world that I trust more than you. So please, please take care of my girl when I'm gone."
"You are not going anywhere's," he said, digging in his pockets and taking out what appeared to Ivy as a crystal. "You are going to live. When you do, we're going to take Agnes and move together into the woods, where we can be together until we grow old.."
The crystal was on a small rope, and Solomon hooked it around the woman's neck. It was an Azurite crystal, and she had seen one like it before. The Widow believed in them, she told her Azurite is for compassion and caring.
"Solomon-"
"No, I'm done listening. You listen to me, alright? Agnes will have someone to take care of her, she'll have both of us."
"I am not going to live, Solomon! Please... just do what I asked. Hannah and Sarah are innocent, I want you to focus on helping them."
"I won't let you die in vain. I am in love with you, as well, Ivy. I just-"
Thomas came barging into the Meeting House again, causing Solomon to stop mid-sentence.
"Solomon Goode, you're wanted outside," he ordered.
"And why should I listen to you, Thomas?"
"I am not the one being accused of witchcraft," he stated shortly.
He walked over to Solomon, pulling him up and pushing him towards the door. Solomon reluctantly walked out.
Thomas bent down next to Ivy, "oh, sister. What have you done to poor Solomon Goode?"
"Thomas, please, I am your family. Think about your niece! Think about mother and father. I am your sister, you know I am not capable of witchcraft," she pleaded, "I am innocent."
"Ivy Slater, I've warned you before, your secrets will come to the surface."

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