Chastening of the Witch, Part 18
Date: 5/1/98
From: AngeliqueBouchard

The Same Day...

Barnabas and Thomas walked through the woods trying to locate Trask. "We must have chosen the wrong path," said Thomas. "We should probably go to his home. He must be there by now."

Barnabas nodded. Movement in the trees caught Barnabas' eye. "What is that?" he asked pointing ahead.

"I do not know," Thomas said as they approached. The disturbance quickly became frighteningly clear however as they neared the tree. In its branches sat Daniel Collins, knotting a rope into a hangman's noose, the end of which was already tied to the branch.

"Daniel!" Barnabas yelled. "What the devil are you doing?"

"Ahh Barnabas," Daniel said, uncharacteristically placid and serene. "I am guilty of a terrible crime. He told me so, the angel, Judah."

"Angel?" Barnabas seethed. How many members of his family would be touched by Judah's evil influence? "I assure you he is not an angel. Whatever he told you was a lie."

"But he did speak the truth Barnabas. I have wrongly murdered two dear people: Jeremiah I threw over Widow's Hill and Harriet, my beloved Harriet. I will never forget her screams as I shoveled the dirt into her grave." Barnabas and Thomas stood speechless at Daniel's confession. "Will you see she receives a proper burial? I put her in the grave of Samuel Collins." Daniel slipped the noose around his neck.

"Daniel I will not let you do this," Barnabas cried as he charged towards the tree.

"There is no other way." Daniel let himself fall from the tree.

Thomas turned away, "This is madness."

"Thomas," Barnabas said fervently, "what he said about Harriet. She could still be alive!" Without another word Thomas and Barnabas ran to the cemetery. The grave was easy to find due to the fresh dirt pile over it. Barnabas and Thomas dug with their bare hands, shoveling out the brown earth.

Melanie Collins had the unfortunate happenstance to be walking by and observe the strange sight. "Have you both gone insane?"

"Melanie please leave here!" Barnabas shouted without stopping to look up and continued to dig.

Melanie continued to hover. "But I do not understand why you are doing this." No answer came for they had finally reached the coffin and were frantically digging around the sides to find a place to get a hand hold and lift the lid. "Why are you opening this grave?" She continued to ask in a shrill voice. Barnabas and Thomas opened the coffin. Harriet lay unconscious, but still alive. "Harriet!" Melanie gasped.

"Harriet," Barnabas said as he moved her head from side to side. Harriet's eyes fluttered open. She immediately started to scream.

Thomas untied Harriet as Barnabas tried to reassure her that Daniel would not harm her ever again. They helped her out of the grave. Harriet grabbed Melanie by the shoulders and with the wide eyed expression of one who was completely deranged, told her how mad Daniel was and how she could be the next one he murdered. Melanie, not being a hardy individual to begin with, began to panic and tried shoving Harriet away telling her to leave her alone. This confusion made it impossible for anyone to notice the nine dark shrouded figures lurking in the shadows.

TO BE CONTINUED