Benjamin laid curled up in his bed on the floor to wake up to heavy footsteps walking up his stairs to his bedroom in the attic, he then lifted his lit lantern to his door to see his father inhaling from being so winded from his hike.
"Morning sunshine, it's a good morning for judgement day on a devil loving witch." Wilford said with a huff, "Get ready, we're leaving soon," He informed him as he weighed a burdensome foot back on a step until it creaked, "That is if you're really coming along like you said you were, or else Dale's gonna be helping instead." Wilford dragged himself down the stairs to then reach the bottom floor to Gertrude where there was only silence between the two.
Tiredly, Benjamin lifted himself onto his feet to then sigh to his start in the morning, "Just one witch, only one for good.." He told himself.
The early sun glistened through the leafy treetops of ancient trees that hung above a noose upon one tree branch on gallows hill where the townspeople gathered, even Evelyn was there to witness everything.
"Where's the judge?" Fanny asked her mentor Mrs. Bailey.
Mrs. Bailey stared at the single noose with no plans to look away until a witches neck was hanging from it, "I don't care, just as long as he gets his job done, I won't say another word of protest and you'd best do the same."
"Be nicer to the girl, dear." Mr. Bailey warned, approaching himself beside his wife.
Fanny gasped in surprise to the hidden man that has not been out and about since Wilmot's hanging; the surprise was so shocking that even the people around them gave out their own expressions of amazement to be horror or glee because of his adultery.
Mrs. Bailey broke her eyes away from the noose to quiver in fear at her husband, "Husband, why are you here, are you not feeling well and so you need me, or-"
"My dear, today is not the day to argue, it is a sad day for Adelia Daughtry." Mr. Bailey said calmly with a saddened look to the ash tree that took his beloved away, only to sadly wonder where her beautiful remains were now.
Evelyn looked around the crowd for Benjamin hurringly before the hanging began in which was arriving soon with how close the sun was coming to with its rays hitting her hair to make it hot.
Eventually, she stopped looking to find someone to talk to or warn about the unfairness that would soon come to whoever was to be hung at the hill.
At least this isn't where my aunt dies, but if the boat comes, then it will be.. Evelyn thought sadly, Susie would have been my second person to talk to about this, but somehow I fear her than need her right now..Of course I fear only-
"Here comes the judge!" A crowd member shouted to the rest of the sea.
Evelyn's eyes locked directly on the bright ginger hair tips even behind the crowd of people who towered over her like trees, branches of long limbs and hairs of treetops included, she then frowned disturbingly to its gingerness; she watched the judge's black robe wag on the ground like an excited dog's tail once he made his way past them all to touch his palm on the tree.
"Good people of Salem, how early it is for us all today to be woken up to God's cry of justice this lately noontide!" Judge Stewart declared to them all with a widened smile and stretched arms to the lord above, "Today we are hanging off a husband less young lady we all know as, Adelia Daughtry. Instead today, today is special because Adelia Daughtry is now witch number four to be hung, she is one life farther to Satan's doors than our own Lydia Jane who will come next."
Wilford and Joan Bailey cheered to the judge as if it was needed, but according to the silence of the other crowd it was not, and so it made Evelyn cross her arms but also think about the four witches even though there was Pascoe.
Instead of arguing, she stayed put to pay attention to the still unfair hanging as she repeated to herself internally.
Tobias sat himself against the tree with his limp leg on a stool below the noose tiredly, "Can we get this started, judge? Some of us rather be doing better things than hang a pregnant girl."
Mrs. Bailey side glanced at her healthy husband with slight discouragement, but she stayed silent until the witch was dead.
"Very well, brother Tobias, if you so desperately want things to hurry on you may read the charges against Adelia Daughtry." The eager Judge said to his companion while Minister Acros's visible frown aimed to his feet like a horseshoe, proving he didn't want this at all.
Tobias craned his good leg onto the ground to then lift himself up against the tree to then be on his feet, "We are here today because of the unborn child conceived to Miss. Daughtry, on the count of her only being sixteen and husband less. Thus, evidence for her witchcraft of carrying the Shadower man's child, an unborn devil spawn."
The crowd gasped in a loud roar all together, all except Mr. Bailey and Evelyn, even though Mrs. Bailey did try getting her husband involved, "A devil spawn, really? In our Salem? Dawson, this could be Mistress Wilmot's revenge for taking her baby to the grave with her!" Mrs. Bailey exclaimed to her Husband in hopes to draw a glimpse of fear from his uncaring expression.
Evelyn now getting closer from hearing Mrs. Bailey, she watched Mr. Bailey debate whether to interact or ignore.
Whatever thought he came across to look to her wife with ease, he sighed to her in annoyance,
"Joan, Mistress Wilmot was not pregnant with my spawn, whereas she could had been carrying it before even I," He told his snooting, "Besides, remember I was bewitched by her and that is why she was hung? let bygones be bygones, Dear." He finished to tell her now with wandering eyes to look at Evelyn curiously, "Joan, who is that blonde girl over there, have I not seen her before?" He asked his horrid wife, pointing towards the blonde girl to be Evelyn.
Mrs. Bailey obviously not wanting to waste time on Evelyn, she wrapped her arms around Mr. Bailey and Danny's arms to walk them away, "A witch's niece, she and her aunt won't be here long."
"Here today is the witch carrying Satan's child, Miss Adelia Daughtry, ready for her hanging!" The judge boomed eagerly to the masses around him that separated as a lady Evelyn couldn't see because of her height, "Another raven, a bird of bad luck; not as deadly as a vulture, or as wise as an owl. Not even as quick as the cousin crow, but as wicked as all wicked things are." He preached down to her and non believers, "Salem, we will encounter today our fourth witch to take down the stairs of Hell where the devil is waiting for his wife of evil and his child of sin! Nothing will ever take our belief from God as long as we hold bibles in our hands and crosses to our hearts, do we agree this much?"
Evelyn looked a round in terror as the sea waved up their hands unanimously to the judge in agreement and cheers of "Yes" without a "Nay".
So, she raised her hand and yelled, "No!"