6Authors note: Okay, I just re-read my story after 3 weeks of writers block, and I think I finally broke it!
But I also noticed many flaws in my story.
1. Deborah's grandmother was lynched or hanged, not burned. I recently learned that burning was strictly a punishment for witches of and residing in Britain, not in America.
2. Goody Thompson is a widow. Before Adrian came along she lived alone. I know I said Deb and her brother came out to see Mr. and Mrs. Vane talking to the Thompsons. There is only one. Sorry.
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I bid farewell to Adrian and Goody Thompson as I stepped back out into the road. My apron, now clean of blood, still felt warm from the fire. I walked along the road, keeping a brisk pace. My eyes wandered from house to house, watching people go about their everyday chores. I passed Abigail on my way. We said nothing to each other, but she took particular joy in noticing my arm, still wrapped in stained cloth. I hid it quickly under my shawl, glared at her, and quickened my pace even further.
It wasn't long until I was at Kale's home, the Smith residence. Goody Smith looked at me with her usual suspicious glare, until her husband hurried her inside. He gave me an uneasy smile and closed the door. I shook my head and walked away. It was but a moment later that I felt a cold snowball hit my back. I whipped around to see Kale smiling his toothy little grin.
"Hello Miss Deborah," he said. I had to smile.
"Hello Kale, what can I do for you?" he held out a small wooden figure.
"Will you give this to Noah for me? Tell him it's the magic star we were looking for." I looked at him quizzically as I took the piece in my hand. It was coarse and dirty, but did indeed look like a star. I obliged and pocketed the figure. Goody Smith poked her head out the door and gasped.
"Kale! Come in for dinner this instant!" she snapped.
"Mother, it's still early!" Kale looked disappointed.
"Kale Nathan Smith, don't you dare speak to me in that tone, you come in the house this instant! And you can forget dinner tonight, for sassing your mother!" I felt guilty.
"Kale, you'd better go," I hurried him along and said goodbye, his mother giving me an indescribable death glare. I went on my way.
I reached home about an hour before sunset, kicking the snow off my shoes as I entered the door. However, not only was my family sitting around the small table, but 3 other people.
"Deborah dear," my mother stood from her seat, beaming. "These are the Allens's." The three others stood, a man and his wife and daughter. "Mr. Jack Allens, Mrs. Sarah Allens, and their daughter, Katherine Allens." I curtseyed to Mr. Allens politely, and nodded to both Mrs. Allens and Katherine. All of them had welcoming smiles, something I wasn't used to. I realized that these people didn't know me yet, and their smiles probably wouldn't always be so welcoming. I excused myself politely an went up to my room. A few minutes later, Katherine walked in.
"It's nice to meet you Deborah," she said shyly. I smiled at her.
"Nice to meet you too, Katherine, may I help you?"
"Oh, your mother sent me up here," she said. "We, my family and I, are staying here until our house is built. We are going to be neighbors!" She smiled back at me, excited at the prospect.
"Is that so?" I asked. It would be nice to have company on the way to church on Sundays. "Where are you sleeping?"
"Your mother said I could stay up here with you, but I wouldn't feel comfortable if I didn't have your permission first, if you please. I wouldn't want to impose." I was humbled by her politeness, and I chuckled at the thought of having anything against this young lady.
"Impose? Of course not, my room is your room." She grinned and her eyes scanned the room, and settled on my bed, and all the items scattered on it.
"What is this?" She daintily picked up a leather-bound book tied with a black sash. I rushed at her and pulled the book from her hands. She looked shocked and confused, but I didn't care. That book was my book of shadows, all the proof of witchcraft I had ever kept. I looked at her and apologized.
"So sorry Katherine, you see, this book was my grandmothers, long ago. She gave it to me just before she died, it's very dear to me, I don't even let my brother or parents read it." I gave a nervous laugh. She was silent for a moment, then nodded in understanding.
"I lost my grandmother too. I understand the importance of heirlooms and their values." She touched her neck gingerly and closed her eyes for a brief moment. She almost seemed to glow; but I blinked and it was gone as quickly as I had noticed it.
"Anyway," I started, anxious to break the silence, "you're welcome to anything… anything else in my room, of course."
"Thank you so much. My father plans to make beds for us tomorrow, but we have quilts and such, I can make a bed for myself on the floor, would that be okay?" I pretended to look horrified.
"Of course not! Not at all!" She stepped back. "You can have the bed. If I may borrow your quilts, I will sleep on the floor. It's only one night, and I would like my guest to be comfortable." She laughed and finally looked comfortable. Once the quilts were spread out on the floor, we talked about everything, laughing and joking. Suddenly, Noah ran into the room.
"What do you want, Noah?" I asked, annoyed.
"Did you see Kale in town today?" he asked. I gasped, I completely forgot!
"Oh, yes!" I reached into my pocket for the wooden figure. I brushed it off and handed it to my brother. "He told me to give you this. His mother was pretty upset that he was talking to me, but he wanted me to tell you that this was the magic star or something," I said. "You ought to be careful, speaking about such folly, you could get into big trouble!" I warned. He nodded and walked out, cradling the star in his hands.
"If you please, why was his mother upset that her son was talking to you?" Katherine asked. I froze.
"She, um, she thought she heard me saying something controversial once, but she misheard, but she hasn't trusted me since, I don't understand why. I haven't done anything wrong," I said. She still had a quizzical look, but let it go. We continued on a different subject until dinnertime, and well on into the evening.
Later, I crawled into the makeshift bed, looking through the cracks in the boarded-up window. Strips of moonlight raced across the floor of my room, and Katherine's steady breathing mixed with the sounds of the night put me straight to sleep. I dreamed of the events of the day, and as I dreamed, I wondered what tomorrow would bring. I dreamed of my grandmother again, of her beautiful eyes and her brilliant hair, and how she worked with the moonlight and the night as her company in magic. It was a most blessed thing, and I dreamed of being there with her now, working magic with her, dancing among the trees, laughing and singing. A wonderful dream it was.