Chapter 1
"Off with her head!
Those were the words protruding the lips of the congregation as the little ruffled looking girl in a grey coloured, overflowing tunic was tossed and pushed around by the brutish men. Her scarf slid off her head and her tichel followed suit carelessly dancing to the tune of the wind leaving her head bare and revealing her silver coloured hair.
The women gasped and the men grew more and more indignant at the sight and their cries grew the more.
"Slay the witch! They cried.
"Kill her with stones! They spat in fury.
A distance away, pushing herself through the crowd—like a horse through the forest—Micah charged breathlessly towards her helplessly helpless child.
"Please do have mercy on the damsel. She be but a child!
Micah cried with a croak. One which seemed to rend her throat in pieces. Stream of tears cascaded down her reddened cheeks. She remained resilient as she charged forward to gain access to the brutal men who manhandled her daughter.
A sudden strong grip pulled at Micah's wrist and the grieving woman spun round to behold her husband. Her face folded into knots.
"Woman leave it be. She must pay for her sins!
Micah flung his hands away in a fit of rage. Her eyes flashed pure and naked spite.
"You coward!! My daughter has done no wrong. It is but for your cowardice that she faces such disgrace. I curse the day I married you!
Micah spat with venom and turned away from the stunned Jeroham. She continued tearing through the crowd. Her sobs growing more frantic.
The crowd proceeded out of the city gates. The incessant roaring and screamings pounded furiously into the ears of the little girl as she was faced with what could be her last moments on these grounds which she called home, as the city's condemnation was upon her. With each thrust and each violent push, she said a silent prayer in her heart.
"Lord do save me. Save your handmaid"
The men pushed her against the ground. She gave a pain filled gasp and she fell face flat against the stubbles. She winced and lifted up her scratched face to behold the faces of her accusers and judges.
The chief head of the synagogue walked into the midst of the crowd and he halted in between the battered little girl and the crowd which had suddenly gone quiet on his arrival. The deafening silence prevailed for split seconds until he shouted with a loud, deep and gruff voice.
"Today we witness the judgement of one who has perverted the name of our God. The God of our fathers..."
A dramatic pause ensued in the air and hearts tightened and eyes scampered to behold the final judgement and condemnation of the witch girl who had plagued the city for long.
"Witchcraft is forbidden! He continued " it be an abomination! Despicable before the almighty! Every man, woman or child who does partake in it will bear their own blood on their heads! The accused has been found guilty of the evil of witchcraft and is therefore sentenced to death by stoning!!
Shouts of approval emanated from the crowd as the people went wild in support. The young men wasted no time in gathering heap of stones and the women screamed out in support.
From where she laid, the young girl could see the few sympathetic eyes in the midst of the hateful and vile crowd. Asher, her childhood friend stood at loss in the crowd. His eyes soiled with tears. He wiped them off in a frantic but futile attempt to shield his pain like a lad. Jael, who was like a sister to her on the other hand wept furiously where she stood but her mother cautioned her to be quiet threatening to smack her.
The little girl's eyes clocked with the chief head and he glared at her in hatred. He spat by his side throttling in utmost irritation. He gave an obscene smile.
"Little witch. Your death has come upon you"
But then she startled him. She smiled at him and laid down. She was filled with a serenity. An unexplainable peace swept in her soul and she desired not to struggle.
"Father God if it does please you that I die in my innocence please do accept your humble and unworthy daughter into your loving bosom through your holy son" She muttered in prayer and closed her eyelids shut.
"Noooooooo!!!
The high pitched scream of a woman distorted the crowd and all heads were turned to who it was. Micah pushed through the crowd to where her daughter laid and knelt before the men of the synagogue distraught.
Clasping her hands together Micah bowed her head to the ground and pleaded in short breathes.
"Rabbi please! Spare my daughter and take you my life instead of hers! I besiege you in the name of the most high"
"Woman! Get up from before her this instant! Jeroham thundered as he charged towards his sorrowful wife who remained bowed over drenched in tears. She resisted and pushed him away.
"My lord banish her and kill me in her stead but I implore you, let the damsel go that she may live!!
Micah begged further while her bereaved and fright filled husband struggled again to pull her to her feet but was stopped by the elders.
"Leave her be. Woman if you do deem it fit to support the evil deeds of your daughter we deem it fit also that you die with her! The chief head shot. Her husband collapsed to his knees that very moment and bowed himself to the ground.
"Rabbi. Please I implore you. Pardon my wife. She has indeed done foolishly but pardon her that I be not a sorrowful man having to lose daughter and wife in one day. I plead on her behalf. Pardon her!
Jeroham pleaded his face flat to the floor and the chief head gave a curt nod.
"Tame your wife then lest I reverse it!
Jeroham's heart flickered in relief. Garnering all his strength he marched to his wife and pulled her away but the woman would not be.
"Let me alone. Let me die with my only child! She cried flaying her hands in protest.
"Shut up woman and behave yourself proper! Jeroham barked as he tore her away from her daughter. He cast his daughter one last look and his heart dampened like cotton on a foggy morning.
Micah shrieked and bawled. Her face red and folded in extreme anguish. She let out a horrifying throaty sob. Tears and mucus all over her face. Her daughter looked at her one last time and smiled gently.
"Worry not mother. Christ is ready to receive me. Believe you also in him"
Seeing the overflowing peace on her daughter's face Micah mellowed down and her words pierced through her. She allowed her husband pull her away into the crowd, her gaze still fixed on her daughter.
"I believe" She whispered.
She whimpered gently as the chief head gave the signal and the young men picked up the stones, prepared to enact judgement.
What sorrow that she would lose her only daughter and child. She wept bitterly and even th enclosure of Jeroham's arms could not console her.
Asher let the tears run freely down his cheeks and Jael sobbed quietly. The judgement of their beloved friend was at hand.
Who did she possibly offend being born different and strange? Like the others, had she not been a gift from God? Did they not say children were arrows in the hand of the Lord? Why then was Shebah born different? How then was she considered a curse? She was unlike children her age. Gifted in a way that could not be understood.
After unintentionally being the eminence of bad news and unfortunate misfortunes in the city, she was despised by many. But certainly it was not the young dame's fault. Her gifts were those she did not ask for. Maybe she should have been quiet. Kept all she saw to herself but then her conscience would torment her. For her silence could bring a misfortune that could be avoided but then she did speak and her words to the people suggested that all the bad that did happen were of her doing.
She was despised by the heads of the synagogue for her bluntness and dangerous words of truth and dispute had been to slay her a long time among the heads but no reason whatsoever could have justified it. Being now rooted in the new faith of Christ which the leaders did reject, there had then been a reason to accuse her of witchcraft and blasphemy and put her to death as was required.
And so her death did come.
History would tell of the little girl. The little girl who got condemned to death for witchcraft at age ten. The witchcraft of being born different. The silver haired girl whose fate was unanimously decided without a hearing.
The strange little girl who died innocently in her innocence. But one thing was certain that her name would not be forgotten in all households.
Shebah, the little silver haired witch. The little silver haired witch who caused harm to all and sundry through her malicious dreams and visions.
But then was it truly her end? Could a story start so soon and end so catastrophically?
Only time and a series of chapters would tell.
