The Curious Incidents at Grand Show Place Cinema

Chapter 10

Caritas wailed a high-pitched scream that sounded like a mix between an owl and a fox as the Jailer dragged her away.

Edward put a hand on Candace's shoulder in comfort.

"Thank you, Edward. I thought the Jailer would break my ribs with that pole," Candace commented.

"I think the Sheriff and he were showing you mercy, for I have watched them deliver much worse to others," Edward stated.

"Are they really going to hang Caritas?" Candace asked.

"Yes. She was convicted of witchcraft, and the punishment is hanging," Edward replied.

"I needed to convince her to lift a curse from my family. What do I do now?" Candace questioned.

"I don't think there is anything you can do now. Perhaps the Sheriff was right, and any curse will lift when the witch dies, and her body burned," Edward offered.

"Whatever she has done, she does not deserve to be hanged. Where I come from, she would be considered sick and require treatment," Candace whispered.

"Unless you want to join her on the gallows, never speak of this," Edward cautioned.

Edward looked over Candace's shoulder with a broad smile as he saw his wife, Mary, approaching.

"Mary, this is someone I want to introduce to you, Candace Wardale, a cousin from the New World."

"How did you arrive here? Pardon my rudeness. I am pleased to meet you," Mary was flustered and her face turning red. Edward wondered about Mary's awkward reaction.

"It is nice to meet you too. My arrival here is a long story," Candace replied.

The sound of the Jailer's clanking pole reverberated through the common area.

"Candace Wardale, go to your cell and put this dress on and give me your present attire," The Jailer commanded as he threw the dress at Candace and followed her to the jail cell.

The Jailer stood guard outside the cell door while Candace changed from the orange jumpsuit into the dingy grey peasant dress.

"This is far more suitable for your class. You are halfway to paying your debt to the Sheriff," The Jailer commented as Candace handed the jumpsuit to him.

When Candace returned to the common area, Mary took her by the arm and led her outside. Edward made his way to the begging area with access to the street through iron bars.

Candace's eyes adjusted to the midmorning sun as she entered the street, nearly stepping into a watery rut in the hard-packed gravel.

"What is that stench?" Candace tried her best not to retch as she took a breath.

"I guess you are not accustomed to the smell of manure and sewer in the street. Be careful not to walk in the holes or sloughs. The channel of water in the middle is the sewer and waste area. Be mindful also of the horses and the carts," Mary pulled Candace back to avoid a cart colliding with her.

Candace noticed sunlight sparkling on a gold figure atop a tall, prominent church spire to the southeast, a few city blocks away.

"Keep a keen eye overhead for some roof gutters spill into the street from time to time, too. I have a good spot to gather donations, but first, we will make a stop at a relative of mine's place," Mary added.

They made their way a few blocks east and then turned north. Several blocks later, they came to a row of apartments and went to the row on the far end. They climbed a stairway four stories. Mary put an iron skeleton key in the lock and opened the door.

"My cousin is at work, but I needed a safe place to talk with you," Mary disclosed.

"What did you need to talk about?" Candace was wary.

"I know you are from the future and that you are my kinship. I spoke to your brother Edward not long ago through a communication portal. Caritas has been trapped in the portals for a very long time after she followed me into a portal many years ago. What is strange is that you and Caritas can somehow get through the portal into the physical world in a different time," Mary explained.

"That is the only thing you find strange? Speaking through a portal is not odd to you?" Candace's voice was full of a combination of doubt and bewilderment.

"I am from a long line of scientists that found many portals running through the earth. The portals vary with theseasons and the gravity of the planets. We used them to recover long-lost knowledge and to glean insights from the future. Generally, we were regarded as wizards or witches in the past, so we had to keep these skills hidden for many generations," Mary revealed.

"Seriously? I like the idea of magic much better." Candace stared into the distance.

"I realize this may be a shock to you. We have no time to waste. We must get you back to your proper time and place before something irreversible happens. This device may help. It worked to sever a communications portal, which may help get you back where you belong," Mary pulled a small faceless rag doll from her pocket.

"Oh, not that creepy thing. I saw that in the theatre before my brother talked to you. How did that ever move about the theater?" Candace had her hands up in front of her.

"Someone must have found it near the portal and moved it. It has a device inside. You press on the middle here when you want to leave the portal and sever the link. You must be in the area where you first entered this place, then press this device, then you should return to your time," Mary assured.

"You are sure of this? What about Caritas? They are going to hang her," Candace queried.

"Caritas is a witch, so she must face her fate. It is more merciful than leaving her to languish in the portals," Mary offered.

"She needs help to escape the portals. I refuse to return to my time unless you promise to help her," Candace pleaded.

"It could get our whole family line killed if we appear to help a witch, to say nothing of what would happen if what I have told you was revealed. It is too risky," Mary maintained.

"Risk or not, we must help Caritas," Candace folded her arms defiantly.

"Too many have seen us together. People at the prison saw you with my husband. We would all hang if any one of us were caught. Do you not understand what that would mean? Your parents, your brother, many thousands of our kinship might not exist." Mary implored.

"Caritas's curses are causing damage to our family in my time, your distant future. How do you know for certain that those curses will lift when she is dead? We must try to help her and convince her to lift the curses," Candace insisted.

"If you must, then you cannot be seen to be aided by any Wardales. If you fail in this endeavour, it will be on you and you alone," Mary warned.

"I think you know I don't believe in witches or magic, and I don't think you do. You say you are a scientist. Maybe Caritas has some scientific knowledge that she uses to make the so-called curses, or perhaps she is playing with our minds to perceive those things. Either way, I believe she is a wounded person and needs our help," Candace stated.

"Time is not on our side. The hangings are to take place this afternoon. If you want to escape, you must return to the prison cell where you first arrived to escape. Both of you will be drawn to your time. Then you have to get Caritas to an open portal to send her to her time and get her to close the portal. I have tried to help her, but she can be very combative and stubborn. I tried for many years to help her and thought maybe my error was in thinking she was from this time. If we cannot get her to her proper time, she will still be trapped, and all of this risk will be for nothing," Mary explained.

"What about the device? Will they search me when I go back to the prison?" Candace asked.

"Wrap it in the linen for your lady garments. Most of the jailers will not look there, and if they do, you may have a bigger problem to deal with. Take these extra garments with you," Mary said as she passed them to Candace.