Chapter Thirty Six (Amaya)

Abigail and I tried to rest, but with the upcoming execution and the events of the day, we were unable to. As time ticked by, my anxiety amplified, Lazarus did his best to distract me, but my mind kept wandering to what would be coming.

Abigail put on a brave face, but she sat in the corner visibly shaking in fear, what was one supposed to do when they were waiting for death?

I was in disbelief at how messed up things had gotten. Mere weeks ago, I was in 2022, working a full-time job, visiting with friends and, in my free time, reading and living a carefree life, all to be turned upside down by one selfish demon. How could he do this to me? He had said he wanted me and where was he? I hadn’t seen him since we were arrested, yet Lazarus was here guarding my cell from the pastor and his sick desires. Hell, he had saved me mere hours ago from being taken advantage of.

I hugged my knees to my chest and leaned my back against the wall as tears streamed down my face. Abigail moved closer to me a put her arm around me, pulling me to her.

“This is not the end Amaya, who knows what fate has in store for us?” She shared her voice shaking.

Lazarus stood from his spot outside our cell, “Unlock the door.” He ordered the goon standing guard.

“We can’t. We have our orders.” The guard retorted as Lazarus glared at them.

They nodded and opened the door, and Lazarus entered the cell and crossed to me, sitting down beside me.

"What are you doing?" I asked with a sniffle, I wiped my eyes with my sleeves as he pulled me away from Abigail and into his lap. His muscular arms wrapped around me, making me feel safe. He rubbed my back as I leaned against him. The guards looked horrified, but said nothing.

“I know it is hard but try to rest.” Lazarus shared as he kissed my forehead.

“Normally I would have an issue with this, but since it could be our last night on earth, screw it.” Abigail mumbled as she moved closer to Lazarus and held my hand, resting her head on his shoulder.

Lazarus stiffened in response, and she laughed, “Hey, we could have been family if she had chosen you. And you make a good pillow. So, deal with it.”

The sound of his heart helped me steady my breathing and ease my anxiety, I was still terrified, but the feeling of safety I got from being in his arms helped me to drift to sleep.

Morning came too soon; I cursed the light that crossed my face as I rubbed my eyes and sat up.

“What are you doing, Samuel?” The pastor asked, glaring at me curled up in Lazarus' lap. “Don’t tell me she has bewitched you, too.” he asked him.

Lazarus released me and stood, “No, not at all.” He replied as the pastor unlocked the cell door and let him out before locking it again.

The pastor looked at me with an evil smile on his face, “we will execute you at noon. We will be back in a few hours unless you want to take me up on my offer?”

“Drop dead.” I spat.

“You will indeed drop.” He chuckled as he walked away.

“Asshole!” I yelled at him. He paused, but continued walking.

"I’ll be back soon, I promise." Lazarus stated as he went with the Pastor.

I paced back and forth in the cell trying to calm my racing heart, every noise an attack on my senses causing me to jump.

“Sit, dear, try to relax.” Abigail suggested as she tapped the spot beside her on the floor.

“How can I relax? We are going to die.” I stammered as my hands shook. “I had everything planned out and ever since I met Sin, everything has gotten so fucken up.”

Abigail stood and walked towards me, wrapping her arms around me with tears in her eyes. We both held each other and cried, terrified.

Half an hour before noon, Lazarus returned with fresh clothes and clean water. Using the water, we washed our faces and hands. He went to hand me a dress, and I shook my head.

“No, if I am going to die, I will die looking like myself.” I stated, refusing to take the dress.

“Very well.” He murmured as he looked at me, sadness in his eyes. Abigail took the fresh clothes and Lazarus left so she could change.

A few minutes later he returned with the pastor and the two goons, they opened the cell door and bound our wrists with rope. I held back my tears and fear, putting a mask on, refusing to give them the satisfaction of seeing me panic. Abigail was doing the same, but I could sense her fear as well.

They led us out of the courthouse to face a large crowd that had gathered in front of the gallows they had just recently built, people threw spoiled vegetables at us as we walked up the stairs to the small platform they had built, facing us to the crowd.

The pastor moved to address the crowd, “Abigail and Amaya have been found guilty of witchcraft and have been sentenced to death by hanging.” He yelled to the crowd, who cheered and shouted obscenities at us.

“Do you have any last words?” Pastor Samuel asked.

I smiled coyly, “Yes, I will name the leader of the witches before my death as a way to repent for my sins.” I lied, hating every word, but wanted to sound sincere. Lazarus looked up at me from the crowd with a confused expression on his face.

The crowd cheered excitedly and quieted as I began to speak, “Someone among you has been making deals with demons and working directly with the devil…” I paused and looked at the faces of the townsfolk. “Pastor Gideon has used witchcraft to hunt his own kind.”

Lazarus smiled at me when I finished speaking, as he moved towards the pastor.

Pastor Gideon gaped at me, his eyes wide, before he stammered, “You have no proof.”

My smile broadened, “Oh, but I do.” Lazarus had shared that he had given Gideon a bewitched monocle to find witches. “Pastor Gideon is using a bewitched monocle. It’s in his pocket right now. Look through it and it will prove he is using witchcraft."

Someone from the crowd grabbed him as he went to leave, and another man grabbed it from his pocket, looking through it at Abigail and me and then at the crowd.

“The witch speaks the truth.” The man declared as he handed the monocle to the judge that was standing beside him.

After investigating it, he looked at the executioner. “Hang him with the others!”

“You can’t do this! I am a religious man. God will never forgive you!” the pastor screamed as he was grabbed by Lazarus and forced to stand beside me.

Lazarus took a step to the side and watched me, his face a mix of emotions as if he was having an inward battle with himself. 

“Revenge is a bitch.” I muttered under my breath as the executioner placed a black bag and rope over his Pastor Gideon's head and moved to do the same to Abigail and I. 

My heart pounded in my chest, I guess this will be the end. I heard someone being pushed beside me, and the crowd cheered. I could hear the Pastor grunting, trying to breathe as he slowly suffocated. Of course, they wouldn’t build proper gallows. This one you were pushed off of instead of the one with the trapdoor. In my opinion, the trapdoor was better. At least then there was a chance your neck would snap, and you'd have a quick death.

I felt the executioner move behind me and a sob escaped my lips as tears streamed from eyes.

“Sin, where are you?!” I screamed. “I need you!” the words died in my throat as the executioner pushed me from off the platform and I swung forward.