Lost to the Flames

She should have known better. I always told her not to draw attention to herself. People gifted in this way are always feared. Because of this fear, the gifted are punished. Punished for no reason other than that they were born different.

Why couldn't she have listened to me?

She didn't even pretend to take an interest in normalcy. If she didn't learn about them, how could she know how they would react to her?

She wouldn't have seen it coming until it was too late. She wouldn't have seen it coming until they accused her in the town square. She wouldn't have known what to expect until they told her.

They're burning her today.

I wonder if she knows. I wonder if they told her, or if they want her to guess what will happen.

Maybe they wanted to drive her insane before they kill her.

Instead they're driving me insane. I've been sitting here, in the bushes near the clearing for hours. Waiting. Thinking.

They'll be here shortly. I can see the sun starting to rise.

There they are now.

I can see them through the trees. Large men from town are dragging her and the priest is waiting amongst the fire wood.

It's so dark. I can't tell who anyone is except for her. I can tell her from the way she is standing. Even though she is weak with hunger and exposure, she stands tall.

I try to get closer without being seen.

I can hear them speaking now. They tie her to the stake and the priest steps forward.

The priest asks her to repent. She silently refuses. He asks again and again, more forcefully each time. He says that if she repents, there will be lenience and she shall live.

She opens her mouth to reply but doesn't repent or refuse. She curses.

She curses the priest. She curses the boys who dragged her from prison to prison to death. She curses those who accused her. She curses their families. That they might know what it is to be in her shoes. To be wrongly accused. To have everything taken away. To die young.

Everyone else in the clearing laughs. They pile on the wood and start the fire.

I can't stop my tears.

I'm sorry Serina. I failed you.

Soon she's gone, lost to the flames.