Suffer a Witch by Claudia Hall Christian

Author:Claudia Hall Christian
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, azw3
Publisher: Cook Street Publishing
Published: 2015-09-21T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nineteen

“This area,” George said, “right here, used to be a part of Gallows Hill.”

George gestured to the small road he was standing on. Dressed in their Puritan finery, the witches gathered around him. Weni walked over to stand next to Em.

“According to the old maps, we were buried near this location,” George said.

“It is kind of you to let him share your discoveries and your plan,” Weni said in a low voice.

“He’s better at this,” Em smiled.

When she was in the elders’ library, she had reviewed every map ever created for this small spot on the planet. Her father thought she’d lost her mind. He thought she should be researching the edges of human knowledge, not where she had been buried. She’d just smiled and continued her research. She hoped it would pay off here at Gallows Hill. Glancing around, she saw that they were drawing curious eyes. She whispered a spell so that if anyone outside their group heard them talk, it would sound like a language they almost understood, but they would have no idea what it meant.

“You remember what it looked like,” George said.

“It was a hill,” Margaret said as she walked around George. “There was water and giant oak trees.”

“Exactly,” George said.

“It wasn’t over there?” Martha Carrier asked as she pointed to the spot they’d used to mark the hanging anniversaries.

“Close,” Sam said. “It was always close but not exact.”

“The closest we could come,” Em said.

“That’s exactly right,” George said. “But in order to find Proctor, we must be exact.”

“You know, I haven’t been here in. . .” Susannah started.

“Three hundred and twenty-two years?” Em asked.

Susannah blushed and nodded. Alice put her arm around Susannah’s waist.

“I’m sure you’re wondering what happened,” George said. “The railroad built a line right where I stand. Like they do, they blew a path through Gallows Hill.”

“I was on that crew,” Sam said.

“I was with you,” George said. “I never even noticed. Em, with the help of Weni, found a railroad map that shows the destruction of Gallows Hill. And I can tell you: If there were human remains here. . .?”

George shrugged.

“We would have built right over them,” Sam said.

“The US railways are a graveyard of the men and women who worked the railroad,” George said.

“You’re saying that John was blown up?” Bridget asked.

Surprised to hear her voice, they turned in the direction of her voice.

“Sorry, I’m late,” Bridget said.

“How did you get here?” Em asked.

“I parked at the houses and walked in.” Bridget gestured to the hiking boots on her feet. These were the same hiking boots Em had given her at Gungywamp. Mary Ayer hugged Bridget to welcome her. “I wanted to see the whole area. And I’d say that George is right. This is the outer edge of where we were buried.”

Bridget smiled and nodded.

“Why are you dressed like that?” Bridget asked. “Should I. . .”

Em used her left hand to point under her right armpit. There was a small, but growing, crowd of people standing close enough to see what was happening but far enough away not to get hurt if they were crazy.

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