The Beginning of the End: Venus

The chilly wind of winter blew hard in Salem, making the naked branches of a tree knock against the window of a room on the second floor. It had snowed the previous night, the night before the "Witch Trials." Rebecca Winston adjusted her coif around her head and tied it tight under her dark red bun. The mirror in front of her, dirty with drops of water that had dried up, showed her her reflection: a young girl, with skin warm as honey, her dark red hair hidden by her pale, white coif and her slim figure covered in layers of clothing. Rebecca's petticoat reached only above her ankles, her waistcoat hugged her torso. Taking a deep breath she reached for her apron, which lied atop her wooden dresser. Her hands expertly tied the knot as she glanced at herself one last time before taking her coat and making leave for the heart of the town of Salem.

Rebecca locked the door of her home behind her and let the, rather heavy, key, fall into the front pocket of her white apron. She rubbed her gloved hands together as her feet hit the pavement, her head whipped around as dozens of people walked in the same direction. Her dark eyes spotted her friend and she dropped into a hurried walk beside Harriet, a fair-haired girl who was a year or two older than her, she didn't keep count. Both young girls made small talk of the most awaited event in Salem this year. Nineteen witches were to be hung this morning.

"John Willard, Martha Corey, Mary and Alice Parker, Samuel Wardwell..." Harriet whispered the names of those accused of witchcraft to Rebecca as they passed closed stores and houses with their chimneys smoking. A woman passing by with her husband gave them a curious look. Not many dared speak the names of those who were rumored to practice witchcraft let alone ones who had been found guilty.

Rebecca came to a halt as she saw the gallows in front of her. She didn't think she'd seen one before, her mother would never let her out when hangings took place. But her mother was gone now, and her father rarely minded what she did. She didn't know what she had expected. The gallows stood there looking harmless, a wooden frame, three thick ropes hanging from the top. It did not look scary, but it was certainly capable of doing scary things. Horrible ones. Minutes later, the crowds' loud murmurs dissolved, the heavy metal doors of the town hall were opened, men in rich looking clothing walked out of the building, followed by nineteen, dirty looking people. She heard a few gasps around her as the witches stood in line, awaiting their turn for the rope to close tightly around their neck and squeeze the life out of them.

People started to shout.

"Hang them!"

"You will go to hell!"

Some of the soon-to-be-dead ones laughed at them, others only looked straightforward, no emotion in their faces. As the accused laughed, the crowd began to push separating Rebecca from Harriet in a matter of seconds. The men in charge roared over the crazy crowd, ordering them to settle down. After a few minutes, they did. The crowd went still as the heels of a woman's shoes clicked loudly on the wooden floor of the gallows. The sound broke through the wind, through the quietness around. Then she was followed by two other men.

Rebecca stared at the woman. She was beautiful, dark brown hair, olive skin, and unusual blue eyes, the color of sapphire. Her hands were tied behind her with rope. Rebecca thought of the beautiful angel Heaven would be welcoming later on. Or would she go to Hell? Was it possible to be this beautiful and not go to Heaven?

"Alice Parker..." she heard someone say behind her, "that man is Samuel Wardwell."

Rebecca darted her eyes to Samuel and just as she had expected her eyes landed on a very attractive man. He had a fine jawline, dirty blonde hair, and brown eyes. Samuel looked at Alice, his face softened as he met her eyes. Rebecca blinked as she witnessed this. They were in love.

As the people behind her whispered and murmured curses at them, Rebecca heard Alice's voice. It sounded as hard as steel.

"Let it be known, that your descendants will pay for all this, the two after me will see to that," her icy blue gaze met Rebecca's, "you. You will witness it, dear girl. You will witness my descendants take this world and shatter it under their fingertips."

A woman stood protectively in front of Rebecca; another man took her by the arm and pulled her towards him.

"Hang her! Before she curses the child!"

And the people started to riot. Rebecca was being pulled away from the trial; a man started to read from a roll of parchment, explaining why they were all being hanged. Rebecca looked back at Samuel, his brown eyes were locked on hers. She blinked and looked at Alice who had a devilish grin across her face.

Rebecca gasped, her eyes tearing up as she heard those strange words inside her head. They were not in English. Alice still had her eyes on her, her mouth moved, "it is done." And she broke into a laugh. Not one you would expect a beautiful woman to have, it sounded evil and devilish, and it echoed everywhere.

Before the girl could scream, Alice was hanged; it twitched as the rope slowly prevented the oxygen from entering her body. Suddenly, she went limp, and as her body slowly turned to face the crowd, a smile was on her face, instead of the furious one that had been there before. The witch had died in peace, and that was not good. Not good at all.