The man dragged me to the center of the town where the church and the reverend's home was. The man pounded on the door several times before Reverend Brusco opened it.

"What do you need at this hour?" He question the man, throwing the door open.

"The girl!" The man gasped pulling me up by my hair and shaking me, "She's a witch!"

The Reverend's sleepyness disapered at this information, "Really?" The reverend asked eyeing me suspiciously.

"I found her at the docks," The man started, "I heard screaming you see, and when I went to check on it, found her with the Alden boy! She killed him!"

"Aldan? You mean Thomas Aldan?" The reverend questioned, the man nodded and Reverend Brusco looked down at me, "Is this true?" He asked harshly narrowing his eyes

I solomly nodded my head.

The Reverend looked back at the man, "Do you know where she lives?"

"No sir." The man replied.

"Her family lives on the other side of town, It's the one with the wood pile. Give the witch to me and inform her father of this. Tell him I will expect to see him tomorrow morning to talk about this."

The man did as he was told, he dropped my hair, and ran in the direction of my house. I fell to the ground with a thud, I made no attempts to escape.

Reverend Brusco gripped my arm to pull me inside, the moment his hand touched my wrist, I was filled with terror. I let out several screams, and pulled back in an attempt to get free. The reverend only held on tighter and pulled me closer.

"To flee the touch of a holy man is a sure sign that the devils inside you." He hissed in my face.

I shut my mouth and followed where he dragged me. Though I no longer screamed, I still wanted nothing more than for him to let go of me.

Reverend Brusco dragged me to the cells, behind the church. He threw me into an empty one, slammed the iron bar door, locked it and walked away. Thefew other inmates whispered about what could be happening so late into the night.

I huddled in a corner of the cold grimy cell. I pulled my knees up close to my chest, and finally I cried. I never imagined that I could have done such a thing. I killed Thomas. The reality of it was finally sinking in. Be it with cold, or fear, or both my entire body shook. My bloodstained nightgown was still wet, and stuck to my face when I huddled my head into my knees.

I found myself thinking back to when I first met Thomas. I had always known who he was, almost everyone knew everyone in this town, but the first time I had heard him speak was only a few months ago. Just as the air was turning warm.

I was helping my father stack wood. Normally my mother would do this, but as she had just given birth to Jane, the task was passed to me.

I had picked up a particularly heavy piece of wood, and had started to drop it when Thomas came to my aid. He whisked the wood out of my hands and placed it onto the pile.

I stared in shock as he had taken me by surprise. I hadn't seen him in the surrounding area, and vaguely wondered where he came from. All of those thoughts were pushed out out my head when he turned around.

His brown hair had partially fallen in his face, somehow bringing attention to his hazel eyes.

"Hello madam. I don't believe we have been properly introduced." He greeted "I'm Thomas Aldan." He said taking my hand in his, and bringing it to his lips.

Though I loved the gesture, I quickly pulled my hand away, knowing if my father came around the house, and saw this, there would be repercussions.

"I'm Rose Winslow." I said quietly adjusting my bonnet.

"Rose," Thomas whispered breathing the name in, "a beautiful name for a beautiful lady."

I felt heat rush to my cheeks, and I looked down in an attempt to hide it.

"Meet me tonight," He whispered, "at the docks."

"The docks?" I question, looking up at him, "Alone?"

"No one will know." He promised and walked away, towards the rest of the town.

I wanted to follow him to ask more, but my father round the corner.

"Why aren't you working?" He questions. I apologized and picked up another piece of wood, but thomas remained stuck in my mind.

That night, after I bid my parents good night, and waited for them to go to bed themselves, I jumped out of my window for the first time. I didn't know why, but something attracted me to Thomas, something made me want to see him again, more than anything.

That night I hadn't bothered changing into my nightgown, but I regretted it.

When I landed on the ground outside my window, my layered dress made it hard for me to get up. Though the dresses worked for cleaning the house and small jobs my father had me do, they weren't meant for jumping from great heights like boys did when they were young.

Once I was up on my feet, I snuck around the village, I would later discover, so long I didn't make a ruckus, I would be able to walk through the town no with problem.

It was very late indeed when I finally reached the docks. Thomas's back was turned, away from me.

"I was beginning to think you weren't going to show." He whispered

I wasn't sure how he knew I had arrived, as I was sure I hadn't made any noise, but it didn't matter. I was with him.

"I had to make sure no one heard me." I replied quietly, I took a shaky step forward, and stepped on the dock.

Thomas turned around to face me, once again I was struck by his eyes. Though many people in the town had hazel eyes, something about his, caught my eye every time. They seemed to shine even in the darkness. They made my brown eyes seem dull by comparison. I was suddenly aware of every flaw on my body. I was sure that next to him I looked like a troll. He pushed my messy brown hair out of my face and looked down at me.

"Strange." He whispered

"What is?" I asked nervously. I didn't want him to think less of me

"Even in the dark you beautiful." He said in a hushed voice

I felt heat rush to my cheeks once again. I wasn't used to such comments. My sister was the one that attracted the boys.

He leaned over, and pressed his mouth against my ear, "Meet me again tomorrow night." He whispered, "right here."

I gripped his arm, "You're leaving already?" I asked

"If you had gotten here sooner, we would be able to spend more time together." He replied stepping away from my ear and looking into my eyes.
I cursed myself for taking so long.

"And don't let anyone know about us." He said, suddenly stern

"Does that mean I can't talk to you during the day?" I questioned, he shook his head, "Why?" I asked, then cursed myself for acting like a child

"My Father wouldn't approve," He started, looking at the town, "nor would the rest of the town."

"Right." I said looking down, remembering that little fact.The town hated my family.

After Thomas bid me goodnight, I snuck around the village, through my house, freezing every time a floorboard creaked, and collapsed on my bed.

I stayed curled up in a ball for the rest of the night, with my head in my knees, and tears staining my face.

I didn't unravel until a guard started to bang in the metal bars, "Breakfast." He huffed, then  tossed a piece of bread into the cell. It landed next to me. I picked the bread up, and stared at it. I took a small bite, and found the bread stale, and without flavor.

I placed the bread back in the floor and stared at the door, at any moment my father could come in. I wasn't sure what would happen to me. I had heard that in Salem, if the accused confessed, they were allowed to live. Did I even deserve to live? The uneasiness in my stomach grew. I started to hum a lullaby my mother used to sing to me when I was young, the lullaby did nothing to calm me but it filled the silence.

I hummed the song through twice before my father arrived.

Reverend Brusco led him to my cell, neither man said anything. My father had a look on his face I had never seen before. He didn't look mad like I expected him to be, more scared.

"Your daughter," Brusco said looking at my father, "as I am sure you've heard, has confessed to killing Thomas Aldan."

My father said nothing

"I have to alert the town, what was her name again?" He asked my father, not looking at me

"Rose." My father said. He sounded tired. I wondered if he slept after the man told him what I had done.

"Rose Winslow." Brusco mused, "what a nice name," He turned to me, "shame it was wasted on you."

My Father said nothing in my defense, instead opting to still, staring that the ground, not once looking in my direction. After many heartbeats of silence he asked, "What will happen to her?"

Reverend Brusco turned back to my father and said, "In Salem they gave the witch's who confessed a second chance, I believe this is the wrong approach. Confessing does not change the fact that they are witches, and who's to say they won't do wrong again?" He looked back at me with an evil grin, "I believe they all need to be eradicated."

"You going to kill her." My father gasped, looking at Brusco, holding onto one of the bars on the door.

"Now Abbott, you know as well as I witch's are not a force to be dealt with lightly. I know this must be hard for you, especially after Eris-"

"I know!" My father cut him off

"Don't worry Abbott." Brusco said, "Since she confessed I will find a less painful death for her. There will be no need to burn her."

For the first time since arriving, my father looked at me, he looked almost sorry. "May I have a moment alone with her?" He asked Brusco

"I don't think that would be proper," Brusco started "Visits aren't normally permit-"

"Reverend Brusco!" My Father yelled suddenly, startling both Brusco and myself, "You have just informed me that my daughter is to be killed! I think it proper for me to be able to say goodbye!"

The old man looked from my father, to me, and back to my father. "Very well," He said in a small voice, "You may speak to her, alone." He quickly walked away leaving the two of us.

The moment Brusco was gone, my father's sudden burst of confidence left him. I shakily got up from my corner and walked to the barred door. At first neither of us said nothing. I didn't know what to say, and it seemed to me that he was gathering his thoughts. He finally looked down at me and asked, "Why Rose? Why did you kill him?"

A question I had been asking myself all the while I was in corner.
"It was an accident." I choked out, the first words I had spoken since screaming for help, just a few hours earlier.

My father's brown eyes met mine, "Tell me everything."