We are condemned

I awaken to the smell of stale straw and the strong odour of blood. It is dark and damp. I hear whimpering coming from a far off corner. I tried to move, but the pain is excruciating. My eye’s slowly become accustom to the darkness. Opening my mouth I tried to call out, my throated burns and no sound emerges.

I try lifting myself, but my hands are shackled. Crawling to the wall I finally heaved my battered body upright and my breath could be clearly seen. My dress torn, I am left with no dignity.
The hot blood trickles down my thighs. I was a virgin until today. A scuffling noise heads towards me, out of the darkness the butchers wives face appears. Swollen beyond my comprehension. She rasps “Who did this to us? why? We are to burn the morrow”.
I stare unbelieving at her words, unable to comprehend how I ended up here, and why I was treated so. Grabbing me she shakes me, whimpering “why”?

Staring up at the barred window I see the light of a full moon. This is to be my last night on earth. Tears run down the side of my cheeks and fall upon my swollen lips, I can taste blood. My legs buckle, I slowly slide to the floor grazing my back on the harsh stone wall. I am cold, so cold I feel the night might take me before I burn.

I let my mind float, float back to my childhood. Hot summer days playing in the field. Remembering my best friends wedding. The reality of my situation kicks in. My mother what have they done with my mother? The tears fall hard and fast and the iron taste within my mouth makes me heave.

I have no idea of time; it occurred to me that the whimpering has stopped. I jerk as an owl calls in the distance. Fear takes hold of me. I pray to the goddess to take me and those here with me. I pray she will lift us from harm. My eyelids heavy begin to close; I drift into sleep. Not a deep sleep but a restless sleep.

I am aware of the sound of a key turning in a lock. A man stands over me and whispers I'm so sorry, your mother is here. She cannot stay long, for if caught I too will face you reckoning “.
My mother is small and bent. Her face racked with fear. She pushes a small cold object into my shackled hands. And Whispers
“When the light rises swallow what lies within, it will take hold and you will pass before the pain of fire engulfs you. Fear not for me, for I shall join you.” Before I force a reply the jailer calls her, and she leaves.

Shaking with cold and fear I force myself to stay awake, as if an eternity had passed I suddenly glimpse the light rising on the wall. Heaving myself up I catch sight of my blooded body and the pain hits me so hard I want to scream. Lifting my hands I pull the cork from the bottle with the few remaining teeth they hadn't pulled from me. I pray a final time that she may hear and take pity on all who are innocent and sent to burn, and then swallow.

I am dragged humiliated and semi naked through the streets. I look from hazy eyes, those that jeer at me, are those that came to me for help. Dragged and tied to a post, I hear an incoherent voice condemning me. I try hard to focus to find my mother. I suddenly glimpse her at the front of the crowd. She holds a bottle with no cork.

I smelt the wood as it burned, I choke I am drifting, drifting; I felt the last few beats of my heart. True to her word and my prayer I was taken before I sensed the pain of burning. I am at one with my mother in the Summerland.




Today I stand in the museum of witchcraft, with a party of friends and family. I am drawn to an area as if pulled by an invisible thread. I glimpse objects that I have seen before. I cannot breath I feel the walls closing around me and pain, so much pain searing through my body. The tears stream down my face, I cry out and fall against the casing. I am aware of those holding on to me and pulling me towards a light. I hear voices and the sun hits my face with such heat.

A coffee is placed in my hands, unable to lift the cup without spilling it, a kind soothing voice Places it to my mouth, telling me to drink slowly. My surroundings come into focus and I see many faces staring at me, pale and worried. All but one. My sister’s eyes glare angrily at me. She say’s nothing but I feel her anger.

I glimpse a figure coming towards us; she is tall, slim, and her face scolding. My mother rises and strolls to meet her. We watch as words pass between them. I cannot make out what is being said. The look on the faces around me, tell me it is not pleasantries they are passing. My brother hands me a cigarette, when I inhale I realise it’s homemade and herbal.

I watch my Mother turn, head held high she walks towards us, the women glares at me and shouts to my mother “she is not yours; you only inherited her, just like the rest”. My mother continues and ignores the acid remarks. We leave silently;
I slide in the back of the 4x4 followed by my mother. I am tired and warm and glowing from my brother’s herbal remedy. I curl into a ball and lay my head on mothers lap, with a mass of hair all around me.
I start singing to the song playing in the car. My mother lifting her sunglasses bent down and kissed me. “We will talk tomorrow, tonight you sleep, please take note that both you and your brother are grounded, she said smiling. I cuddle into her like a vulnerable child.

I woke the following morning and headed down to breakfast. My mother was seated patiently waiting for me. I relayed to her the images and pain I had felt. I asked about the women she spoke to, but she decline to answer. Smiling she hugged me and urged me to write the incident in a journal. Getting up from the table I asked her who she thought the girl was.
Looking at me sympathetically; pausing, she then replied “I think you know the answer to that question already”.