Child in the Woods

The Reverend

Hours later, just before sundown, Mary stood over the wood stove cooking supper for her and her sisters. Winnifred sat at the table looking diligently through her book. Every so often, she would lift her eyes and look to see if the little girl was still asleep. She had slept for much longer than they anticipated. Sarah was off somewhere else in cottage, doing whatever it was she did when she wasn't with her sisters. They had decided, that the life potion could wait until another day. They had more important things to attend to.
Just as Mary finished cooking, Winnifred looked up at the child again. This time, the girl was staring back at her. Her eyes were wide and full of fear. Winnie slowly began to stand. Mary noticed this and turned to look at the child.
As Winnifred drew closer to her, the girl's breathing picked up as she began to tremble. Normally Winnie would relish in the fear she was able to bring to people, children especially. However, this situation was different. Winnifred didn't want to scare her.
"Come now little one. There's no need to be frightened." She said softly.
Mary came up behind her and peered over her sister's shoulder. Winnie took another step in her direction, causing the girl to flinch.

"What be thy name?"
When the girl didn't answer, Winnie took another step and reached out her hand. The girl screamed, prompting her to pull it back.
"Hush child there's so reason for that. We will not harm thee". Winnie chided, becoming annoyed.
Just then footsteps were heard running down the stairs before Sarah appeared in the downstairs room. Her eyes shifted between her sisters before they looked to the girl.
"She's awake." She said with a smile.
"Yes and she's terrified". Mary muttered as her sister came up next to her.
They watched as Winnie tried coax the girl off the settle bed without success. Winnie's growing irritation was only scaring her more. Sarah smiled and made her way over to where Winnie stood near the child. Winnie looked at her as she came up at her side.
"Perhaps thou can calm her". Winnie grumbled, stepping away.
Sarah looked back at the girl who was now curled up in the far corner of the settle bed tremblingly uncontrollably. She slowly stepped towards her before kneeling down next to the edge.
"Tis nothing to be afraid of little one. We only want to help thee". She said softly.
The girl stared at her and she seemed to calm down just a little. She recognized her voice as the one who soothed her to sleep hours earlier.
"What's thy name child?"
"Alice" the girl whispered finally.
Sarah smiled.
"Come Alice" she replied "We hath drawn a bath for thee".
Sarah took Alice by the hand, and began leading her to the tub of water Winnie had her and Mary prepare shortly before the girl awoke. However because of how long the girl slept, the water would be nowhere near as warm. Mary quickly realized this, and took some of the water on the stove and poured it in. She dipped in her hand and felt that it mixed nicely to once again create a pleasantly warm bath for the visibly shivering child. Twas a very cold autumn this year, and not even the fire in hearth warmed the cottage up fully.
She nodded to Sarah, who then inched Alice closer. She gently pushed the already open shift off her shoulders, causing it to drop to the floor. She took the girl by the hand to help her step into the tub. Not seeing any choice, Alice stepped in and sat down in the warm water. She hugged her knees to her chest and rested her head them. Despite still being terrified of these strange women, the warm bath water felt wonderful. Mary sat down on a stool next to the wooden tub. She dipped a metal pitcher into the water and filled it before pouring it over Alice's back and hair. She used a cloth wash the dirt and grime from the girl's body. Winnie and Sarah sat at a nearby table and watched quietly, noticing that the child appeared to relax considerably. Alice sat still and silent as Mary bathed her, only moving when Mary pushed the front of her shoulder slightly; signaling for her to sit up so the woman could wipe down her front. Just as Mary had lifted on of Alice's arms to wash, yelling could be heard from outside the cottage. Winnie gasped slightly and rushed to a window. When she opened the shutters, she saw a group of men from the town walking toward the cottage, the reverend leading them.
Winnie groaned and looked back at Alice and her sisters.
"Get the girl upstairs now!" She commanded frantically, her voice hushed so the men headed their way couldn't hear.
Mary hastily helped the frighted child up and out of the tub. Sarah rushed over with a tarp to use as a towel and wrapped her in it. After grabbing the fallen shift from the floor, Mary ushered Alice upstairs as fast as she could.
Just as the pair were out of sight. A violent knocking came from the other side of the door.
Winnie groaned louder this time as she moved to answer it.
"Yes?" She greeted, mockery apparent in her tone.
"Winnifred Sanderson" Revered Traske began. His voice serious and determined. He held a lantern next to his head, illuminating his aging face as the evening grew dark.
"Revered Traske, what brings thee here?" Winnie asked with feigned innocent ignorance. She knew exactly what brought him.
"I don't suppose thou hast seen a child in these woods? A young girl perhaps?" He asked as he craned his around to see into the cottage. Winnie did her best to block his view and hoped that Sarah had remembered to shut the lid to the settle bed.
The reverend and other men from the town had come back to where they left Alice, to see if she had succumbed to her injuries and the elements. When they saw she was no longer there, they set out to find her and finish the job.
"And why on earth would there be a child in these woods?" Winnifred asked condescendingly.
"Don't the adults warn all the children to stay away?"

"This child be not a child of god like the rest of them." He replied. "She is wicked and nothing good is to come from having her. She hath been cast out to die and descend to hell where she belongs!"

"Oh did thy Lord tell thee to do that? Leave a young child in the wilderness to die? How Christian. The heavens art proud." Winnie mocked, beginning to laugh.
"What did she do? Forget to say her prayers?"
She quite enjoyed the anger she could evoke from that dreadful man.
He narrowed his eyes at her, prompting Winnie to do the same.
"Watch thy tongue Winnifred". He growled.
"Or what? Thou hast cast me out as well remember? I am no longer a member of thy town or thy church. There is nothing thou can to do me or my sisters." She spat.
"Even if I hast seen the child, why would I ever tell thee? Thou hast been nothing but a misery to my sisters and I, since thou was appointed reverend."
Just then, a younger man who looked as if he just reached adulthood, craned his head around to look at Sarah who was stood a few feet behind Winnie. Sarah tilted her head and smiled at him, lifting her hand slightly to wave. This prompted the young man to do the same. Traske turned his head to scowl at him, causing him to drop the smile and regain composure. Winnie turned to Sarah too and shooed her off.
Traske turned back to Winnifred and glared.
"Thy sisters would've done well to be taken in by the Smiths." He said lowly, motioning to Sarah who had fled from his view.
He said this solely to anger Winnie. And anger her he did.
Winnifred's eyes narrowed even more, and a low growl came from deep in her throat.
"Away! All of you!" She yelled, thrusting her arms out to cast the band of males from her property.
"There never has and never will be a child living in this house! Now go!"
Traske laughed heartily as he stepped backwards down the steps.
"If thou is protecting that devil child, Winnifred , I suggest thee turn her over with haste, or all will suffer the consequences".
The men behind him took this cue to begin moving away from the cottage.
"Oh go choke". She dismissed angrily, waving her arm as if she were swatting at a fly.
With that, she slammed the door.
She turned to Sarah who was gazing at her from the other side of the room. She looked amused after hearing Winnie's last exchange with the reverend.
"Foul swine." Winnie muttered "If only he would go choke".
Sarah giggled as she followed her sister up the stairs.
     Mary was seated on one of the beds comforting Alice, who sat in her lap and clung to her desperately, hiding her face in the woman's neck. They both looked up as Winnie and Sarah came into the room.
"Relax child. They hath left". Winnie said softly to her.
The trembling girl seemed relieved by these words.
"W-was that Traske?" Mary asked nervously.
Winnie nodded.
"When they didn't find the child where they hath left her, they began to search the woods."
Alice stared off, terror reappearing on her face. Mary tightened her embrace.
"We must take care that she is not outside too often, in the event they return." Winnie concluded. Mary nodded and looked down at the child in her arms.
"Now come my dear. Supper is ready". Winnie said, stepping to the side and signaling with her arm for the girl to come.
Alice smiled slightly and slowly moved from Mary's embrace. Sarah grinned and held out her hand. The young girl giggled and took it before they happily ran downstairs together.
   Winnie watched this and let out a quiet amused breath through her nose, a small smile forming on her lips. Mary came up beside her at the top of the stairs.
"Go choke" she mused, quoting her sister with a chuckle. She'd heard parts of the conversation through an open window.
Winnie looked at her and smiled.
"I can, and will, speak to a man however I please."
She replied as she began to walk down the steps. Mary laughed harder as she followed.