The time soon approached for Sarah Neufeld to be marched up the few desolate steps where her fate would change her life forever.
It was fortunate that her family had not bought into the hysteria that was launched by a few local girls. The Neufelds believed in their daughter's innocence-that Sarah could never have committed such distasteful wrongdoing-especially a sin that warranted this kind of punishment. In her youth, the only misdeed was spreading a few rumours. However, this new hysteria had traveled rampantly throughout the small town of Salem. News of her predicament had spread like a fierce, westerly wind on a cold September's day to announce fall's arrival. Unfortunately for Sarah's parents, they were unable to stop the onslaught of what the wind blew in this time.
Nevertheless, once the rumours had begun, they were difficult to stop, especially since the local girls would have to admit to their own lies-terrible lies. And of course, this would no doubt discredit them. But far worse, their families would also have much to lose should word reach the good people of Salem of 'deception'-such lies-spread by their upstanding and respectable daughters. No, the girls had indeed kept silent-not willing or wishing to admit to any fault on their part that was indeed spurred on by their mother-a part that would cause such a sweeping outcome.
Late Spring of the year of our Lord 1692, Sarah was to have the same fate delivered to her as what was recently given to others. Under the resentful gaze of the town folks, Sarah was marched up the very same steps her predecessors had scaled not long ago. What could Sarah, or for that matter her parents, do to stop such an excessive penance for what Sarah knew was totally false accusations on the part of 'those' girls, whom she once considered her companions?
Worse still, "Why would Samantha not come to her defence either?" Sarah whispered while being escorted across the crude but effective, planked scaffold? Had Samantha not played into the ploy of the others, Sarah was almost certain her future would have looked quite different than what was being experienced currently.
After rising that very morning though, Sarah recalled how she once felt safe and alive with dreams of growing up and marrying one day. Back then her only concern was being studious and spending time with her companions-the very same who now betrayed her when they ought to have come to her defence. Had Samantha not gone along with their lies, Sarah had reasoned that she too would have been freed or at the very least spared.
While standing alone shivering on the platform with the wind blowing her garment relentlessly, Sarah managed to summon up her first day at school. It being a distant yet frightful event for her, meeting new children and not knowing what they expected of her was indeed frightful. Yet at present, it appeared seemingly quite mundane compared to what she now faced-for her real fear was saving her own neck.