THE WITCH TRIAL

Witchcraft trial with the usual results but with a twist

    She was just nicely past puberty when it became something to hide. As was most often the case she managed to hide it for a while but the mistake soon happened as it always does. Her body was searched and tested by the usual means and she was found guilty at her trial. Now there was a certain amount of debate over her punishment. We are not a people who demand the maximum punishment for every offense. Had she come forward at the time she first discovered what she was  we would have merely banished her. But because she had attempted to live with us and to hide that which made her different and repugnant to us it was felt that perhaps more severe punishments were in order. And in the end this view was the one that won out. 
    It was to be her last day and it started early. As the suns first rays struck her she was already tied out on the low bed in the square and the line was already forming. She was doomed to suffer long and to die late. Every man and boy that wished had congress with her and the more vigorous took her again. Then she was fastened in the stocks and beaten. Once more she was used by any with a taste for buggery. I myself was one who entered her both ways and even though I was one of the later ones she was still tight. 
    By noon we were done using her body. She was fed and watered just as one would a beast of burden that faced an afternoon of hard work. She paid for the respite by being hung by her wrists and being whipped severely. From there she was taken to the smithy where she was branded on both cheeks and had her nipples and privy parts burned by hot irons. Salt was rubbed into her wounds before she was made to spend the rest of the day kneeling on sharp rocks and holding heavy ones at arms length with only a few very short breaks. By sundown she was begging for death and we gave it to her. 
    As I said there was debate over her punishment, some wanted to burn her while others held out for breaking or burning. In the end there was a compromise. She was to suffer all three. Tied to a post she had a stick pressed against her neck. While not a true hanging it sufficed for our purposes. After fighting for life’s breath until she passed out she was revived. A short break allowed her gain strength. As she was tied only by a chain passed under her arms and over her breasts it was simple to break her. We used a log with a wide slot cut in the top to support her arm of leg and then struck the limb with an iron bar to snap the bone. She had each broken in three places and had her ribs struck as well. Her face was disfigured by the breaking of her nose, jaw and cheekbones. The last thing done before the wood was piled around her and lit was the putting out of her eyes. 
    It was a fine fire that claimed her that evening. It started slow enough to allow her ample time to scream and suffer before the flames claimed her life and it grew hot enough to turn her to ashes before it died. We buried the whole pile far away from the village she had tried to fool and she was often used as a lesson object for the children. I know she died a terrible death just because she was different but we cannot have her sort living amongst us. After all what might happen if she were to keep her secret and marry. We cannot allow those that have no powers to live in the village of witches.