Number 78

Chapter 2

"Oh you're still here" and before I knew it I was once again running for my life, I guess I just didn't run fast enough.
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The sound of heavy boots on wooden floor jolts me awake. Pa must be home. I stand up from the stool I had inadvertently rested on and sickly finish sweeping out the kitchen.

"Adelaide, I hope you're hungry because we have venison tonight. Now where is your mother it has been far too long since I last embraced my beautiful wife."  I chuckle he's always extra affectionate when he gets back from a successful hunt.

"She went to the market for some produce, I hope she grabs potatoes now that I know we are having venison" Ma makes the best potatoes and they go so well with venison. She worked as a cook for the castellan for a time before Pa's butchery was established. He placed his hunting materials in the his hunting chest, then he washed up to "impress ma" upon her arrival. I went outside to open the shudders  allowing some more light into the kitchen when a small brown bird flew directly into them. The little thing was moving so fast, it hit the shudder and immediately fell, just as Ma was returning from the market.

"Adelaide, do not touch that bird." I sigh as Ma makes her way over to where the bird fell. "It is not breathing, what a shame" I lean towards Ma and look around to be sure no one was near.

"Please ma, there are no witnesses, I could help the bird and it could continue d if it were minority injured" now she sighs.

"Alright, but be sure there are no witnesses we doing want you burned for a bird." She stands and smooths her skirts before looking around. "If you must, do it now" I pick the bird up gently and pet it a few times before it shakes off and flies away. We learned about my, peculiarity when Pa brought a fish for dinner when I was younger. Ma had decided it was time I learned to cook, she showed me yo wash the fish, but once it was my turn to wash the fish wriggled you life, Pa was less than amused to have to catch us another fish for dinner. Now I only handle meat that has been already butchered either by Ma or Pa. There has been far to many witch hunts as of late to risk utilizing my peculiarity, even if no harm comes of it. "Ada, my dear you have such a big heart, I would appreciate that heart staying where it is though you mush choose your acts of kindness very wisely, or it could lead to a rather difficult situation my love." She kissed my forehead while culling my face in her hands. "Now wash up you're going to prepare the produce for dinner while I work out whatever meat your father brought home from his hunt."

Just as I had hoped, there were potatoes, we roasted them in our heavy bottom pot after cooking the venison giving them the flavor left over from the meat, although my potatoes hold no candle to Ma's. I can only hope to learn some day. Supper was amazing, I begin clearing the me table once Pa whiles his chin.

"As usual my dears, supper was outstanding, Ada your potatoes are slowly getting to be as good as your mother" he winks at me as I clear his plate.

"I appreciate the praise, though I have a ways to go" Ma nods.

"Even so they were delicious and paired very well with the venison" Ma clears the glasses and kisses the top of my head. Once everything is cleaned up I head off to sleep. 

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My heart is pounding in my ears, I know if I can run fast enough they wont see me. I can't let them all die, not knowing I can do something about it. The clergy must be out of the room by now, they could do nothing about poison, and of course I cannot heal, but I can bring them back after the fact just please be gone clergy. I run my hand through one of the men who were poisoned and just as  I remove my hand he blinks awake. I hold my finger to my mouth in attempts to quiet his reactions. He simply nods and looks towards the door. 

I make it to the third before a clergy member returns to the room, he knows I should not be in here, I know I should be not be in here. I quickly graze my fingers over the toes of the remaining two before bolting for the door. I do not make it out of the building before cries of "witch" are heard.

I keep running through town before, but before I make it safely down an alley my arm is grabbed by a soldier standing guard. They threw me in the dungeon and I was marked to burn at the stake first thing in the morning. They do not announce my burning as they have previous witch burnings, I heard some guards mention locals did not agree I should be burned, especially the wives and mothers of those men I saved. The constable tries to keep himself in a good light with commoners and putting my death on display would only hurt his position. 

The guards bring me to a more secluded clearing in the woods where a burning stake is prepared. "Would you do me the mercy of shooting me before the flames engulf me, after all my only crime is giving your compatriots a second chance after whatever malicious person had poisoned them" I plead with the guards as they tie me to the stake. I see  one guard draw his bow and right before I shut my eyes before the impact I notice an odd orange fox with no white on his tail staring at my last moments in life. 

Then there was nothing. 

-Number 42-