Salem Moon (3 page)

“
What is going on here?
”
Richard Snow asked, looking confused by the anxious looks and conversation of this family. He
’
d just come back from the hunt. He stood on the threshold of the kitchen, a large, bulky man; he filled the entire doorway, blocking the sunlight from entering the kitchen.

“
We have witches in our midst
.
That
’
s what
’
s going on
.
”
Priscilla informed her husband.

“
Who do you dare to accuse, Priscilla?
”
Richard asked.

“
It is true father. We saw Gabriel Blackstone cast a spell on a deer and she fell down dead, without a shot fired. The doe
’
s chest just…came apart
.
It
was incapable of running. I tell you, it just…stood there and stared into Gabriel
’
s eyes as if locked in a trance. A strange, shimmering light surrounded Gabriel and his manner was
s
omehow…
changed
. His father, he helped him bury the carcass of the animal so that no-one would be the wiser. But we saw it with our own eyes
,
”
Joshua said.

Richard Snow listened, rubbing his beard, thinking on what he was hearing
;
t
hinking about the fine land owned by the Blackstone
s
. They
were one of the most prominent and prosperous families in all of Salem Village
,
and he felt what he always felt when he thought of them: envy.

U
pon their return home, Samuel and Gabriel were greeted with a light breakfast prepared by Abigail. Although most of those living on farms were known to have their biggest meals in the early hours of the day, Dr. Blackstone had always preferred a light breakfast.

Abigail set fresh brewed coffee and home-made rye cakes out on the elegant white milk glass plates that had been in her family for as long as she could remember.

Even though she chatted while serving the food, her father and brother were silent, their thoughts somewhere else. Abigail sensed that something was wrong.  In fact, something was very wrong on this July morning.

Her father appeared to be measuring his words carefully as he asked Gabriel repeatedly if anyone had seen anything.

Gabriel answered with a firm
“
no
”
each time
. T
hen he remembered the conversation he
’
d overheard between the Snow
brothers
regarding Abigail. His face grew red with anger at the memory. Now, he was unsure if the Snow brothers had perhaps seen all that had happened.  Gabriel could not really remember everything himself.  He grew increasingly uneasy as he recalled the strange sensation that had come over him, as if someo
ne else were using him for his or her
own purpose.

Feeling sick to his stomach, he pushed aside the rye cakes
which
were usually his favorite. He looked down and saw Hunter had taken up residence at his left side and was licking his chops over the unwanted food.

Gabriel absently began to place his plate down in front of the dog. The cakes were gone before the plate even had time to reach the wooden floor.

He wandered into the back courtyard where the family cemetery
lay.
Its
boundaries encircled by a crude wire fence.

Kneeling at his mother
’
s
grave, he read the inscription upon the hard, weather worn stone. Mary Smith Blackstone: Dyed in childbirth 1674, Beloved wife of Samuel Blackstone. Underneath the inscriptions were intricately carved angels, heads bowed, hands clasped together in prayer, their eyes cast down resting just above and on each side of the words
“
May flights of Angels guide you to your rest.
”

He always felt a mixture of sadness and longing when he visited his mother
’
s grave. He
’
d never known her, but his father kept her memory alive with stories, lovingly told about their life together.
How
she
’
d loved their as yet unborn children
.

Suddenly, his reverie was broken by sounds of commotion in the house. He heard a door slam as if pushed violently open, the sound of dishes crashing to the floor, his sister crying loudly. Above all this, he heard his father
’
s stern bellow
telling the
intruders to
“
Leave
my
home immediately!
”

Gabriel ran back to the house as fast as he could. The sight that awaited him
planted
fear and anger in his heart
.

There were four of them, one being the overstuffed reverend of the First Congregational Puritan Church, George Cotton, a large, sweaty man who always seemed to be trying to catch his breath when he spoke.

The constable of Salem village, John Mayflower, a no-nonsense man of God and law was the second of them.

The separation of state and church was becoming a convoluted mess under the influence of the Puritans. Originally formed in opposition to the Church of England
,
it was rapidly evolving into a
dangerous mix of
superstition
and religious fervor. However, both the church and the colonies agreed wholeheartedly in bringing swift and severe justice to those doing the devil
’
s bidding through the practice of witchcraft.

Standing in the back of the tiny kitchen, up against the pantry door stood Thomas and Joshua Snow. The accusers themselves, cornered by Hunter who stood in front of them
,
his
teeth bared
t
he sound of his growl, low and fierce
.

Gabriel went at once to his sister
’
s side and gathered her up in his arms as she wept. She held tight around his neck, her tiny hands in fists,
holding
onto him for dear life. He could feel the tremor of her body, smell the scent of her fear, mingli
ng with the sweet smelling rose-
scented soap she used.

“
What is the meaning of this intrusion?
”
Samuel Blackstone demanded.

“
We have reason to believe that witchcraft is
being
practiced in this hou
sehold,
”
Reverend Cotton puffed
in his breathless way.

“
That
’
s ridiculous!
”
Dr. Blackstone
shouted
.
“
Who would dare to accuse anyone in my family of such a thing? I
demand
to know. This family is a pillar of the community
,
and may I remind you, that we are one of the founding families of the church itself?
”

“
It is us who accuse your son, Gabriel
,
of it,
”
Thomas Snow said, keeping his eyes on Hunter. Dr. Blackstone had still not given the command for the dog to back down.

Gabriel knew then that someone had in fact been watching when the deer fell to its death
.
Had they also heard the voice of the other? Vaguely, the memory was caught on the outskirts of his mind, just out of his reach.

Abigail looked to her brother and father, puzzled. Both had fallen silent, which frightened her all the more.

Father and son looked into one another
’
s eyes, knowing they were in serious trouble.

C
onstable Mayflower produced an arrest warrant, signed and duly notarized by the magistrate of Salem Town, the place where the accused were brought to be examined, questioned and tried before the newly formed Court of Oyer and Terminer. The court had been founded solely for the purpose of dealing with charges of witchcraft.

Dr. Samuel Blackstone
’
s heart sank. He knew of no other outcome
once the finger of blame was pointed; a
trial and subsequent hanging of every soul in Salem Village, Salem Town and the surrounding villages of Ipswich and Andover
.
The allegation was a death sentence in itself.

The constable ordered Gabriel to turn his back to him so that he could bind his hands. Meanwhile, the two Snow brothers wrenched Abigail, struggling and screaming away from the protection of her brother
’
s arms. When neither brother could control her, Tho
mas yanked her hair straight up
from the nape of her neck. She screamed in pain, but was still.

“
Let her go!
”
Gabriel shouted. I will not fight you. You may take me…but you must let my sister go first.
”

“
I
’
m afraid you misunderstand son. The warrant is issued for both you
and
Abigail.

Dr. Blackstone and Gabriel were taken aback.
Why her? She had nothing to do with the events of this morning
, thought Gabriel.

“
You wouldn
’
t dare take her
.
What are the charges?
”

“
The charge is the same as Gabriel
’
s
. The
practice of witchcraft.
”

“
Nonsense, that
’
s absurd
.
She is but an innocent young girl. She has done nothing wrong. Let her go,
now
!
”
Dr. Blackstone was outraged.

“
Are you saying that she is innocent and Gabriel is not, then? Are you in fact
admitting
that there may be truth in the charges against your son?
”
Constable Mayflower asked slyly.

“
No, you accuse my children unjustly in equal measure.
”

“
Ah, but she is his twin, is she not?
”

“
What in the name of our Lord does that have to do with anything?
”
Dr. Blackstone demanded.

“
Twins have a special bond, what one knows and does, so the other follows. It is a well-known fact. Why, twins are known to speak to each other in their own language; a language that excludes outsiders. There is no way that one can have powers that the other does not have as well.  It is Satan
’
s own power, they possess!
”
Constable Mayflower stated in his
usual
smug
manner. He stepped
back and
allowed
the Snow brothers to bind the hands of both Gabriel and Abigail behind their backs.

“
I promise, I shall call on you later in your jail cell, my love,
”
Thomas whispered into Abigail
’
s ear.

Gabriel
’
s jaw tightened so hard that the muscles under his smooth skin were visible. His father noticed
that and something else. T
he coldest look he
’
d ever seen in his son
’
s violet eyes. They became dark, the purple color of a sullen summer thunderstorm sky
,
and although he said nothing, he had a sensation that the man standing before him was his son, but not his son.

“
Step aside, Dr. Blackstone and let us pass by with these two, lest you join them,
”
Reverend Cotton said.

“
Do not fear, my children, I will come for you…I promise.
”
Dr. Blackstone said this last in a tone of defeat, finally stepping aside as Gabriel and Abigail were roughly pushed out the door. Abigail was crying uncontrollably, but Gabriel walked tall and proud, with an expression resembling arrogance
,
and ever so slightly, almost undetected, the right side of his mouth lifted with the hint of a smile. As a voice went round and round in his head.
“
Have no fear. I will take care of thee…always.
”