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chapter 4: ( gods and monsters )
❝ where the dead man called out for his love to flee ❞
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Before the meeting, Isaac had to see Rosalind himself to know she was okay. He had to see with his own eyes that she was fine and well. He hid in the murk behind the houses before finding the highest tree behind the Salvatore house and climbing to the top. Through the window, he could see Rosalind sitting on her bed with her head tilted down, her shoulders moving up and down slightly. Isaac knocked softly on the glass, making her jump.
Rosalind quickly opened the window, their faces slightly hidden from each other. "What are you doing here?"
"I had to see if you were okay." She moved aside for him to climb inside.
"It's no use. They've told me I'll be left with this wretched scar for the rest of my life." She sat on the bed, letting her face be concealed by her hair.
Isaac sat on the other side of the bed, not knowing if she was okay with him sitting so close at the moment. "I bet you still look beautiful, no matter what flaw you imagine to have. May I?"
Rosalind took a quiet breath before nodding and moving slightly to the middle of the bed, meeting him halfway. He grabbed her hand first and let his thumb caress over hers for reassurance. He slowly moved his other hand up to her face to remove the bandage, careful not to harm her skin more. There on her face was the jagged line from the hook. The forming scar had become a narrow thread of silver that glowed in the moonlight.
He stared for quite some while, making her move to the other side of the room with shame. "It's dreadful. I can't even look in the mirror without knowing how hideous I am now."
"Rosalind Salvatore, you take that back." Isaac stood up and took her hands in his. "You are and always will be the most beautiful girl in my eyes. There is no other maiden here that could take my eyes away from you. You are perfect."
His hand rested on her unharmed cheek and took a step closer. As his lips touched hers, it felt as if her soul had opened, tasting, feeling, and seeing every color of the rainbow in their own sensual way. The night before was different, their minds flocked with the mix of Apple Jack and berries. This time, they were much more aware of what they were doing and enjoyed every single moment of it.
They pulled away quickly when hearing approaching footsteps. Rosalind thought quickly and pushed the boy into her closet, moving back to her bed to sit.
"I'm off to the meeting now. Will you be okay?" Edmund entered the room, his eyes staying on her.
"I'll be fine," she responded stiffly.
He nodded and went to close the door before adding, "Make sure you close your window." Rosalind nodded as he left. She let out a breath of relief hearing his retrieving footsteps. "Isaac, I better see you there!"
So close.
Isaac stepped out with a chastened look on his face. "Of course, Mr. Salvatore!" The front door shut, meaning he had left. Isaac sat next to Rosalind as the two held in their laughter. "Does this mean I get to kiss you whenever I please?"
"Perhaps so." She smiled as he leaned in once more to peck her lips. "I think it's best you leave now before they start without you. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Fair well, then, my sweet Rosalind." He took her hand and placed a gentle kiss on her knuckles before standing and walking towards the window.
"You do know you could take the front door?"
Isaac chuckled and moved across the room. "My mistake. Until morning." He left out the door, leaving Rosalind to sigh in content as she fell back on her bed.
✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩
The meeting was mayhem. All the residents yelled over each other while a few stayed quiet in there seats, unsure if their words would be heard for equity. Edmund felt strange standing where Pastor Miller once did, but it was his duty now to look over the Union. He had to. For Rosalind and Caroline. To do them justice.
He ran a hand over his face frustratedly as they all continued shouting. "Hear ye! Hear ye! We will all have our turns!" One of the men was already at the podium making Edmund sigh and step down for him to speak.
"Good people of Union, listen! There is a dark and evil force at work here. If we are ever to end this misery, then we must root out the guilty. We must—" There were shouts of agreement until Solomon Goode stepped in.
"Jakob! Please, Goodman Berman! The man responsible is dead. Pastor Miller—"
"The Pastor...Our Pastor was a man of God," Jakob stated. "And this was not him! He was possessed by a darkness. Many children are dead. I'm blessed to still have Constance here with me, for, she could've been dead too! Our futures...many of our entire bloodlines have been stolen from us. Someone must pay!"
Edmund stood beside Jakob, patting his shoulder. "We mustn't let this blind us from tomorrow. Pastor Miller was a dear friend of mine and I'm not sure how he has gotten tied into the mix of the Devil, but I lack to believe it is from our village. Like all us, he had many secrets."
"Don't you want to avenge your wife? Caroline? Your daughter, Rosalind? The evil is targeting your family, you must keep yourself protected, Edmund. We will find this darkness and rid of it once and for all!"
Edmund could now see the situation was out of his hands. They weren't going to listen to him, but do what they thought was right. Of course, he wanted nothing more to protect his family now that it was only he and Rosalind, but he must also protect the town. All their anger and sadness was building to the brim that they might do something rash.
Sarah and Hannah were peeking through the window outside when they heard a twig snapped behind them. They whipped around to see a cloaked person standing. When the person removed their hood, it only revealed their dear friend.
"Rosalind, are you mad? What are you doing here," Sarah whispered.
"I could hear the yelling from my bedroom. I had to know what was going on," Rosalind defended and stood beside Hannah. "What have they said so far?"
"A darkness has entered the Union," answered Hannah. "Do you actually think Pastor Miller would conspire with such a thing?" She turned towards the brunette since she was the closest with the man.
"I don't know what to believe anymore."
The three went silent went Mad Thomas stepped onto the stage and all eyes were on him. "I saw some little lambs of our town...laughing, dallying on the full moon last!"
Rosalind looked at Hannah and Sarah to see they were already looking at each other. It was no secret that their was a certain spark between them, but she didn't mind. It was like saying that her and Isaac weren't allowed to be together. You can't keep love apart.
Isaac stepped up to defend. "There were some of us in the woods, but there was no...We drank Apple Jack. We danced. We are young. That is not a crime!" But the responses he received weren't on the bright side.
Thomas shook his head and stood. "Look upon your children. For they will bear the Devil's mark!"
"Yes, witchcraft," Elijah started. "But just as my brother Solomon heroically expelled the darkness among us by killing our afflicted pastor, we too will punish and surmount this evil! As survivors, our faces always will remain toward the sun." As he stepped down from the post, a watchman was next to present.
"I traced it on my patrol! This scourge centers on Union proper. I've searched the woods. It does not extend beyond the settlement. It's here! It's in Union! We are being punished, and I have a list of names!" Half of the crowd shouted for him to say the names as Isaac and Abigail looked at each other with worry.
"Enough! Enough!" Edmund's voice strained as he stood up to address the people. "Listen to yourselves! Speculation! Chasing shadows! Imagined curses! I ask, do you have proof?" He pointed to the watchman. "No. Or you?" He pointed to Thomas who only huffed. "Or any of you?"
"I have proof," Caleb exclaimed. "It was some nights back when the full moon had risen just beside the sun. As I lay sleeping, she came to me. She witched me and led me to the woods. She was naked and riding a red mule. And the red mule became a horned man. And she made me watch as she lay with the Devil. As both of them lay with the Devil...Hannah Miller and Sarah Fier!"
Rosalind shook her head as she stared angrily at the boy. She left the two girls behind and ran towards the entrance of the church. Heads turned as the doors creaked open and in stormed the girl.
"You are a liar!" Isaac held her back as she pointed accusingly at Caleb. "Hannah and Sarah would do no such thing!"
Edmund stood in front of his daughter to speak lowly. "Rosalind, you're supposed to be home resting, I will handle this."
"He is lying, father! And they're all giving in to his words."
"Perhaps she has been witched," Caleb accused. "They've massed her mind to defend their honor!"
"Enough," Edmund shouted to him. He looked back at Rosalind, then Isaac. "Sit her down, please." As Isaac did so, Edmund went up to the podium. "People of Union, the Fier and Miller family have never been a threat before, why reach now? As they've said, they drank Apple Jack. What if you imagined this?"
Caleb shook his head. "I would never make up such a lie." The crowd started to get rowdy as they all started to believe that Hannah and Sarah were witches. And one by one, each person agreed to the claims made—
"I saw Hannah Miller and Sarah Fier."
Rosalind couldn't believe her ears. She looked down the aisle at her friends to see they were also in a state of shock. She looked towards the window where Hannah and Sarah still stood. Caleb followers her gaze, pointing at the two.
"Witches! The witches!" Everyone stood up to chase them down.
"No! Stop!" Rosalind, along with a few others, tried to block off the exit, but it was no use. Tears built in her eyes as she grabbed onto her father's arm. "Please, don't let them kill them. They're innocent."
Edmund looked defeated as he grabbed her hand. "I...They will no longer listen to me."
Rosalind looked back at Lizzie and Abigail who nodded and the three ran out of the church. They ran towards the lit torches in the center of the town to see them crowded around.
"Let her go!"
"Don't touch her!"
They pushed the men back from Hannah as she laid helplessly on the ground, her shirt torn from where they tried to search her for the Devil's mark. Lizzie was helping her up as Rosalind and Abigail were fighting off the men. In the midst of the chaos, Henry and Constance emerged from their houses, glancing at each other in worry and confusion. Once the red head spotted her sister, she quickly ran in.
"Unhand my sister!"
They continued to fight and defend Hannah as more men ran towards them. Isaac's fists we're clenched as he witnessed Caleb push Rosalind to the ground harshly. When he was in front of the boy, he swung his arm, hitting him in the jaw. Rosalind stood up to pull Isaac back, his eyes still glaring at Caleb.
"It's alright, I'm alright." She grabbed onto his hand as he looked at her. "We'll deal with him later." He reluctantly nodded.
The two looked to see Hannah getting dragged away while Constance and Abigail held onto each other, Lizzie standing in front of Henry protectively.
"What are they going to do to her," Constance asked fearfully.
"Where's Sarah? Where is my sister," Henry questioned. There was no answer, making his stomach drop. "Have they..."
"No," Abigail stated. "But let's hope they don't find her."
All of Union was gathered outside with Elijah standing front and center. "As sure as the sun rises, we will purge Union of this wretched pollution!" Hannah was pushed to her knees, her hands bolted behind her back with chains. "We will search every house, every inch of wood! We will not rest and we will not have mercy! So help me, God, we will be cleansed of these anathemas! We will have our justice! We will find Sarah Fier!"
They dispersed as the night search began. Hannah was taken away to be locked inside until they found Sarah, and the outlook of their fates were already six feet under.