Inferno
526 Words
slipped through the crowd circled around the wooden platform in the middle of the town square. Reachin
he front, I peered up at the leader of our mountain village as he unrolled a piece of parchment. A woman
as tied to a pole behind him with kindling piled around her feet.
Fin"
was yanked back by my caretaker.
he smacked the top of my head. "I told you to stay beside me.
ubbing the spot, I gave her a sideways glance.
un off like that again and you'll go back to the house."
es, ma'am,"I sighed, letting my head roll to the side. I couldn't see from all the way back there, and I
anted to know what was going on. It was rare that so many people would gather together.
What did she do?" I asked, standing on my tiptoes.
A monster, stated Mrs. Haywood. "The world will be a better place without a creature like that running
Ose among us. She folded her arms, shaking her head.
snuck a peek of the black haired lady who stood with her head bowed. "She doesn't look like a monster
t's all a disguise, Fin. She nodded toward the woman. "The guardians found her ripping apart a deer like a
eranged dog
king a step to the side, I had a clear view of the woman. "She still looks pretty normal to me.
Fin." Mrs. Haywood looked down her nose at me. "Appearances are deceiving. You can't trust strangers.
ot in a worid like this. The gods put these creatures among us to test us. It's best to send them to hell
here they belong"
guess," I breathed.
here is no guessing" she said firmly. "That it how it must be in order to protect ourselves. Remember tha
. Nothing good can come from a shapeshifter. They're mistakes and should be dealt with accordingly."
hether Mrs. Haywood was right or not, I still thought she looked ordinary.
or crimes against the people of Gail, announced Mr. Lockhart, "we sentence this creature to death by fir
her curse can no longer harm anyone else."
whisper spread through the crowd. I looked to Mrs. Haywood, but she kept her eyes on the woman. The
dy next to her with a baby leaned over, and the two whispered amongst themselves.
eking at the two women, I inched to the side. Mrs. Haywood didn't seem to notice, so I took my chance.
ipped through a hole in the crowd to the front line. I had never seen anyone being burned alive before. A
uel as it seemed, there was something about it that excited me.
ir. Lockhart grabbed a torch from the man standing with him on the platform. "| send you back to hell" He
bbed the flames into the kindling. "May the gods accept your tortured soul"
y eyes grew wide as the fire began to grow and spread. Mr. Lockhart and the other men left the platform
e heat rose, causing the crowd to move back. I didn't, though. The way the flames flickered and flowed
ross the wood had me in a trance. It was beautiful.
*
- Writer
