Sin of Innocent

ข้อมูลเบื้องต้น

Dear readers,

Now, I have written my second short story. This one is quite different from my previous story but I hope you still enjoy it. I will, again, thankfully accept your comments (if there are) in order to improve my writing skills and my further stories. If I have the time (and energy), I’ll ty to translate this one into Thai as well.

I also want to say thank you my friends; the White Peacock and the Friendly Owl, who kindly help me with the writing of the story.

Please enjoy reading,

cozyn

เนื้อเรื่อง

Sin of Innocent

I stared out of the window. The floor was dirty with all kind of nasty things. The sound pf yelling and groaning came to me from all sides.

How did this happen?

Yesterday, I was working in the orchard, picking apples. My father and mother went away into town go do some shopping and trade some of our goods. They said to be back before sun set. I finished tending the apple trees just when my parents returned. We went home, had dinner and I went to bed.

It was about midnight. I heard some clattering and got out of bed. I put on my coat and went down stairs.

Before I knew it, I was dragged out of my house by a group of witch hunters in black cloaks. They threw me into a window-less carriage. I was unconscious. The next thing I knew was that I was sitting in this small dirty smelly cell with all these groaning and screaming around me.

“My lady, the witch hunters captured a witch last night.” An emotionless voice drifted through the barred doors of the cell.

“Is that so?” An unnaturally high-pitched voice answered and two people appeared on the opposite side of the cell’s door.

A tall man stood beside a lady of my age. Their clothes were neat and elegant, so as their hair. However, I didn’t think they were coming to free me.

“You will be interrogated tomorrow.” The man said. “If your information is useful to us, your life might be spared.”

They walk away. The lady’s voice floated back to me.

Despair swept over me as I turned back to stare at the sky outside the window. I didn’t know what tomorrow will be but I knew it’ll come.

Outside the window, a white pigeon flew down and stayed on the window sill. It hooted softly but I paid it no attention.

**********

As the sun rose, a group of men in black cloaks took me out of the cell. They blinded me with a long strip of cloth.

Unable to see, one of the men guided me along a long path. Whispers followed me as I went. Soft the chatting may seem but in this quiet hallway, I could hear every muttering of curses.

Finally, my walk stopped. The blind was taken off and I found myself in front of a pair of black iron doors. Before I could react, the men pushed me inside and locked the doors.

“Welcome, Amena Demona.”

I looked at the speaker. He was a tall man again, in black cloak. His face was hidden behind a mask. Four other men stood at each corner of the room. In the center, a deep basin filled with water stood on the floor.

Though I had never been to inquiry, I was sure this is not what it should be.

“Now, let us begin.” The man said.

The men in the corners suddenly appeared beside me. Two of them pulled my arms behind my back. Another two pushed me on to my knees and thrust my head into the basin.

Water filled my nostrils as I was held there. When I was about to drown, my head was pulled up.

Gasping for breath, I stared at the masked man. He stared back and his mouth curved into a smile.

“Give me some information about your kind, Demona” He said.

“I...I have no information.” I gasped.

The man signaled his comrades and I was pushed into the basin once more.

“Try again, Witch.” The man spoke when I resurfaced.

“I’m not a witch!” I shouted in his face but I was thrown down before I could finish the sentence.

Again and again the question was repeated. Times after times I was pushed into the basin. After a while, my head bumped into the bottom of the basin.

Blood and water mixed together. The length of time under the liquid seemed to grow longer with each push on the head. I tried to cry for help but my torturers would not allow. The masked man still questioned me for the information I did not have.

It seemed like eternity. My brain started to feel numb and heavy. Blood still leaked from my nose and flowed all over the basin.

“Answer me you witch!” The masked man shouted in my ears.

“I knew nothing you want!” I screamed back and was pushed into the water once more.

I was pulled up by the hair and came face to face with the man.

“I said...”

“I think that is enough.”

The tall man I saw yesterday stood at the doors. His cold eyes shone dangerously as they fell upon me and my blood. He strode toward me and pulled me up from the cloaked men grasps.

He accompanied me back to my cell. Putting me on to the straw bed, he gave me his handkerchief.

Without another word, he left.

I dabbed the handkerchief at my face. The blood stopped a while age. Still I felt wet and cold.

A small hoot from the window drew my attention. The same pigeon was there. It stared at me with its black eyes.

I looked into the sky. The sun was setting. The last ray bathed the sky. The bird flew away and that was when I got it.

I knew the way to be free.

**********

That night was long and cold. The wind fell like knives against my skin. I curved up on the bed of the straw, trying to sleep.

The doors changed and the mam who helped me entered the cell.

“I come to free you.” He said and I stared.

“What?”

“I know you are no witch.” He said, closing the cell doors. “I know you are innocent. I do not wish to spill innocent blood.”

I smiled a bitter smile. Even if I managed to escape, I would have to hide for the rest of my life. How could I call myself as being free?

“I won’t go.” I answered as the man dropped himself down beside me.

“Why?” He asked.

I stared out of the window

“How could I be free if I have to hide for the rest of my life?” I asked.

“At least, you still live.” The man said.

“Live?” I turned to him “I don’t want to be followed by those witch hunters like a rabbit pursued by a group of wolves.”

“I can keep them from you.”

I stared out of the window once more.

“How long can that be?” I asked. “Sooner or later someone will find out about me. When they do, both of us will be in danger, especially you.”

“So you will accept death?” The man asked.

“Freedom, I will find.” I said smiling. “I want to be free like a bird , free and unbound. If I escaped, I would have to stay in hiding forever. That is not what I desire.”

He stared at me. Then he sighed.

“You are brave, Anema.” He said and held my hand. “Brave to face death you do not deserve.”

I smiled.

“What’s your name?” I asked the man who stared at me questioningly. “Well, I can tell the angels about who saved me before I died.”

A fainted smile curved the man’s lips. He stood up and bowed.

“Barlin the knight, at your service.”

We smiled at each other as Barlin sat down. All night long, we sat there side by side. Though my life was about to end, I had nothing to regret.

**********

Sound of curses surrounded me as I was bounded to the cross. I was at the stake, ready, waiting to be burned alive.

Barlin stood in my sight beside his master. He looked back at me. His eyes smiled kindly though his mouth was still.

Two men brought in the sacred flames and stood in front of the pile of wood I was bonded.

All became still. Every soul stopped its movement.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sound of the church’s bells filled the air.

The torches were dropped on the wood. The flames crept toward me faster and faster. The wind aided the flame. The curses grew louder with each second.

I felt no heat or pain as the fire crept over me for I knew I was free at last. My soul would join the wind and my body to the earth.

...I was free...

**********

An old man stood in front of a white tomb. His head bowed. A bouquet grasped in his hand.

As he stared at the tombstone, a trickle tear slid down his face. In a graceful movement of his body, the old man dropped down on one knee. He laid the flowers on the tombstone and walked away.

Carved upon it were these letters;

Here lies AMENA DEMONA

Spirit that will always be free