Chastening of the Witch, Part 15
Date: 4/24/98
From: AngeliqueBouchard

The sun began to set, causing long shadows to form on the ground. Having lay unconscious for many hours, Harriet Collins finally began to awaken. She felt the dry clotted blood on the side of her head which made her long red hair cling to her cheek and the throbbing pain of the wound Daniel inflicted. Harriet opened her eyes. Despite her blurry vision she was able to decipher the face of her husband staring down at her.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, my dearest Harriet. Enjoy it while you can, for you will not be here much longer," Daniel said with a strange look in his eyes.

Harriet shuddered at Daniel's cruel expression. She started to speak, but stopped as her hazy vision began to clear and she started to distinguish her surroundings. Brown earth lay around her with long spiral roots sticking out. A slimy earthworm wiggled out of the dirt and dropped down on her chest. Where was she? In a hole? No, not just a hole, a grave. Harriet gasped in fear at the realization that she was lying in a wooden casket in a freshly dug grave. Instinctively, she tried to grab the sides of the coffin and pull herself out, but terror consumed her as she saw that her arms were tightly bound to her sides. "Daniel, what are going to do?" Harriet asked loudly hoping someone would be in the area and help her.

"I am going to kill you," Daniel said flatly. "You must die for your crimes against me."

"I swear to you that I was not unfaithful," Harriet cried.

Daniel contorted his face with an inhuman rage. "Liar! I will not tolerate a betrayal such as this! You must suffer! You must suffer and then die!"

"You are mad!" Harriet yelled as tears poured down her face.

Daniel smiled. "Till death do us part," he said as he began to close the lid. Harriet let out a terrified scream which greatly pleased the listening ears of Judah Zachery.

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Angelique walked along a dirt path to a lonely house as the sun retreated over the horizon. This was her last hope. Nicholas regretfully informed her of what would occur tomorrow night. Her children would become servants of darkness, as she did so many years ago. She felt the heavy burden of guilt upon her as she blamed herself for their fate.

Angelique couldn't believe she was actually about to do what she considered to be treason in the highest form. She had tried every other alternative including calling out to Diabolos for hours on end, beseeching him to bestow upon her greater powers. She promised to do anything he asked, but it was to no avail. Diabolos did not answer her. Now she was about to do something she never dreamed she would have to resort to. Angelique arrived at the quiet nondescript house and knocked on the door.

"Greetings Mrs. Collins. I am glad you have finally come to your senses, even if your husband has not."

"Good evening Reverend Trask," Angelique began. "I see Abigail has informed you of my request for help."

"Yes, indeed she has. We should immediately leave and perform an exorcism on your children," Trask said adamantly.

"No, that is not the kind of help I need. They not possessed, but only victims of a warlock who is trying to use them to get revenge on his follower who once betrayed him."

Trask looked confused. "Mrs. Collins, how do you know such things?"

Angelique hesitated. She then looked straight into Trask's eyes and spoke, "I know these things and much more Reverend Trask for one simple reason. I was that warlock's follower. I am a witch."

TO BE CONTINUED