chapter two
the widow

"THE BERRIES MAKE you see the world beyond our own," Lizzie stated as she guided Harriet, Hannah, and Sarah through the woods, the lantern they were using for light in her hand. "Just one bite."

"What does an old lady need with that?" Sarah questioned, furrowing her brows.

"She's not just an old lady," Lizzie argued. "The Widow's 1,000 years old. She drinks the blood of virgins to keep her youth."

"Well, you're safe then," Sarah retorted, making Lizzie shoot her a playful, dirty look. Sarah then turned to Harriet. "And you're safe as well, Harriet."

Harriet's eyes widened and her face flushed. "Speak louder, Sarah. I wish for the whole settlement to know I did it before I wed."

Lizzie grinned but continued about the Widow. "She sacrificed her husband to become the Devil's bride. That's how she gained eternal life."

"Well, I heard she kept the company of the natives," Sarah tilted her head. "And that she even fell in love with one. That's why she was exiled. She learned their medicine too. Solomon told me. He took his wife to her after they lost their child, but it was too late."

"Are you sure this is the right way?" Hannah wondered as she stopped moving, making them all stop with her. "How do you know where we're going?"

"I've been there before," Lizzie answered. "Remember when Abigail had her ring of fire?"

"She was scratching like a dog during Father's sermon," Hannah recalled, a small smile gracing her lips at the memory. "Mother told me she'd lain with a demon. The Devil's gift."

"More like Mad Thomas's gift," Sarah replied.

Lizzie turned around and began walking again. "Well, whoever she lay with, Abbi made me go to the widow with her."

"And the Widow fixed her with witchcraft?" Hannah asked, turning to follow Lizzie.

"Yes, witchcraft," Lizzie nodded. "And some foul-smelling paste made for whores like Abbi Berman."

"I cannot believe she'd lay with Mad Thomas," Harriet wrinkled her nose, just his name disgusting her. He'd tried to have his way with Harriet a few years back, but thankfully Isaac had got him off of her. "I feel bad for his future children. They're going to be related to him."

"If he can find someone to wed," Sarah shrugged. "Or to lay with him. Both options seem impossible." Lizzie finally came to a stop. "Are we sure about this?

Lizzie was already walking ahead of them, making the three girls share and look. They all quietly walked into the Widow's home.

"Widow Mary?" Lizzie called out quietly, leading the other girls in. "Widow Mary?" Getting no answer, Lizzie grew giddy. "She's not here. Find the berries."

At her instructions, Harriet followed Lizzie with Hannah right behind her. She began looking for the berries, lightly tilting bowls and placing them back when she saw nothing.

After a bit of looking, Harriet found the berries and eagerly held them out to Lizzie, who smiled and grabbed them. They ushered Hannah out and were surprised to see Sarah and the Widow.

"Sarah?" Hannah was taken aback.

"Get out," the Widow whispered. "Get out!"

All four girls fled towards where they'd entered. Harriet and Lizzie both quietly giggled at the encounter, proudly holding the berries. Sarah and Hannah were quiet, the Fier girl obviously shaken up from her encounter with the old woman.

○●○

"ISAAC!" HARRIET CHEERED when she found him and a few others at the spot of the gathering. Cora had been sitting next to him and Abigail, Isaac laughing when Abigail made a face at the alcohol.

Isaac turned his head and quickly got up to greet the girl with a kiss on her lips. "Hello, Harri." He peppered her cheek with light kisses, making her giggle.

"Full moon rises," Lizzie announced, holding her hand out to reveal the berries. Harriet cocked her head and cleared her throat at Lizzie, making the Schmidt girl sigh. "Thank you to Harriet."

"I found them," Harriet proudly told Isaac.

"Proud of you, love," he praised, kissing the top of her head.

Harriet grinned, glad it was dark so he couldn't see how flushed he'd made her. They gathered around Lizzie, each one of their friends taking a berry from her hand. Cora joined Harriet's side and linked her arm with her twin's. They reached for their berries at the same time and shared a smile.

Once all of their friends had berries, they all held it delicately in their hands. "One," Lizzie began counting slowly. "Two. . . Three."

"To the fruits of the land," Hannah said before they popped the berries in their mouths. Like always, it took a few seconds before Harriet began to feel light.

She spun around with her friends before making her way to Isaac. She giggled as she took his hand and led him over to a small space to dance with him.

They swayed for a bit before she lost her balance and fell into him. She giggled once more as she placed her hands on his chest to steady herself. He put his hands on her arms to help keep her upright.

Within a second, their lips had found each other's. She felt more peaceful in Isaac's arms, compared to Colin's. With Isaac, she was safe and could be whoever she pleased. With Colin, any wrong move would end horribly for her and her family.

Harriet only pulled away from Issac's lips when she needed a breath, finding herself more intoxicated from him than she was the berries.

A scream was what finally made Harriet and Isaac break apart. They turned and, when Harriet's eyes adjusted, saw Hannah trying to push Caleb away from her. The man grunted and pulled her back into him.

"Get off of me," she demanded, trying her hardest to push him back off. He was stronger than her, however, and began undoing her top. "Caleb, stop!"

"Don't tease me, girl," he hissed, not bothering to listen to her demands and continue to undress her.

"She's not teasing!" Sarah pushed him off of her, giving Hannah a chance to escape his hold.

"What? Are you jealous?" Caleb inquired mockingly. "Sarah Fier, you want a kiss too? You know, maybe if you weren't such a frigid bitch-"

Sarah's fist flew towards Caleb's face, making everyone gasp. "There's your kiss," Sarah spat, her eyes then flickered down to his painfully obvious erection. "And if you're still so eager, I'm sure there's a mule tied up who will overlook your flaws in the dark."

As Caleb tried to hide his problem, everyone around him started laughing. Harriet placed a hand on her stomach as she giggled, not even realizing her sister had joined her and was hunched over from her laughter.

When the laughter died down, Harriet dragged Isaac into the woods. She pushed him against a tree and tilted her head. "Do you want me, Isaac?"

He nodded. "Yes."

She leaned closer to him, her lips hovering close to his ear. "Then take me," she whispered, pulling back.

Cupping her cheek, Isaac leaned down to kiss her softly. It didn't take long for the kiss to become desperate, needy in the way she only liked with Isaac. He began to do her dress and flipped them around, pinning her against the tree.

𝒎𝒆𝒍 𝒎𝒆𝒍 !!
i remember watching the hannah and sarah scene with my parents, forgetting that it wasn't just a makeout scene and it was so awkward because my mom was like "so you skip the other scenes, but you play this one??" AND IT WAS SO EMBARRASSING OMG

^ i still remember that and it's still embarrassing