Bottom of the River

The lone candle on the desk flickered as if it were a snake's hissing tongue flicking at anticipation of the down fall of its pray. A foreshadowing of the attack to come.
Samantha knew they were coming, she'd she the signs. The sneers everyone in town had given her as she passed by. The avoided eye contact. The shooing of their children to 'hide inside'.
Oh yes. Samantha was a smart girl. They were coming for her, and they were coming tonight.
With shaking hands Samantha tied the bonnet around Katherine's head. She turned to Matthew and hugged him tight, secretly tucked a knife in his waist band.
"Watch after your sister, you hear me? Katherine is just a girl, she needs her big brother. Your cousin, Madeline, will be waiting for you but it is a few days journey, so I've backed you and your sister some bread and water." Samantha held her boy's face in her hands, fighting tears. She had to be strong for them. "If I don't come for ye in at least two weeks" her hitching on the last work, "I won't be coming for ye at all."
"Mama, no-"
"Hush! You will have to take over for the family, you hear? You can not be makin' young boy mistakes. You need to be a man."
Matthew's expression was one of full, undiluted, fear.
"Do you understand, Matthew?"
He only stared, eyes too wide and full of tears, at his mother.
"ANSWER ME." Samantha shook him.
"Yes, mamma." He whispered, his voice cracking with late puberty. Matthew's lip began to quiver and tears spilled over his eyes and down his red cheeks.
Samantha pulled her children into one last, tight, all consuming hug and then nudged them to the door.
"Now go, you can't be caught by the towns people. Stay in the shadows until you are out of town, and then run. Until you think it's safe, RUN."
As Samantha watched her children leaving into the late summer night, keeping to the shadows, her soul felt began to crack and shrivel. When would she see them again? Ever?
And then she had nothing to do save for wait. Samantha put on her best white cotton dress with a fashionable brown belt. She sat down to brush her golden hair and spotted Katherine's favorite necklace on the desk. She slipped it over her head, fondling the metal locket.
That's when Samantha heard the shouts. The low roar of a mob in the distance.
So this was it. It was now. They would be here soon. She looked out the window, and sure enough, there was the glow of there torches far down the road.
Very unexpectedly, rage exploded in Samantha. Enveloping every fear, every sadness, every empty thought. All she could feel was rage. Fiery hate for these people. These ignorant, simple minded, hateful people.
HOW DARE THEY PASS JUDGEMENT ON HER! Samantha knew full well none of these people were any better than she. Mr. Jones was having an affair with Mr. Ganger's harlot of a wife. Mrs. Kelton frequently practiced the devil's work in the woods. Oh, yes. She knew many of their dirty secrets, and they had the nerve to come after Samantha?
Her rage was a bubbling, popping, sizzling heat that continued to spread.
They wanted something out of her. And, by the devil himself, she was going to give it to them.
Samantha picked up mirror and spread blood red lipstick over her lips, rubbed them together, and ended with a satisfying smack. She pinched her cheeks so them would seem flushed, and finally fluffed her hair, making it look unkempt and wild.
Their shouts grew louder and their torches grew brighter.
COME, Samantha thought, COME AND GET ME. YOU'LL REGRET IT.
A storm was coming. The wind was picking up, making the wood boards of her house creak and groan. Clouds blocked out the moon's light and thunder began to rumble. HOW FITTING, she thought.
The light of their torches now surrounded her house. Their shouts clear through the thinness of the boards and windows. Someone began to pound on her door and finally burst through.
Mr. Kelton, Mr. Franklin, and Mr. Hack stalked toward her. Mr. Franklin, grabbing Samantha's arm, yanked her from her seat. They ushered her outside aggressively shoving at her back.
Grabbing Samantha's wrists Mr. Hack cuffed her hands behind her, the chain rattling noisily. It briefly occurred to her that her cuffs were uncomfortable, but the thought quickly passed at the sight of the entire town before her. Everyone howling and spitting her, throwing their fists in the air and shaking their hand-held fire.
Samantha smirked and swiveled her hips. "Well, now. No one told me we were having a get together." Samantha up at Mr. Kelton through her lashes and puckered her lips. "I have been soooo lonely," She cooed, "Someone should have told me we were all coming together."
"JOHN!" Mrs. Kelton hollered when her husband's eyes softened with sympathy. "SHE'S BEWITCHING YOU! LOOK AWAY!"
Samantha smiled wickedly, "You as how Mrs. Ganger bewitches Mr. Jones?" Instantly Abby and Tom froze, eyes wide and speechless.
"LIES!" The crowd hollered. "WITCH," "HARLOT," and "DEVIL WOMAN."
"Samantha Jackson!" Richard Franklin silenced the crowd. "You have been accused of witch craft."
The mod began to spit and scream more slander. There was no trial for her, no, no justice. They yanked her off the porch and started down the road, all the while the women spiting and hissing at her and their husbands shoving and shaking their torches.
Samantha continued to sway her hips. The wind was getting stronger, lifting her hair and whipping it around her face.
Samantha began to chant under her breath. "Hold my hand. It's a long way down to the bottom of the river. Hold my hand. Hold my hand."
"WHAT'S SHE SAYIN'" Someone shouted.
"Let the water rise. Let the water rise. Hold my hand. It's a long way down to the bottom of the river." Samantha continued to whisper.
"MAKE HER STOP! SHE BE CALLIN' UP THE DEVIL, SHE IS."
And all of the sudden thunder cracked and the wind began to swirl around them, putting out their fire and causing the women to brace themselves. Samantha stood tall, unfazed.
The men held on to their wives to prevent them from tumbling over as their screams were lost into the unforgiving darkness. The shackles holding Samantha's wrists were no where to be seen as she rose here arms and whipped them around her head in circles. The wind responding in turn. Letting out she building screams Samantha flung her hands out toward to the mod around her. Rain bore down, quickly filling tiny bowl shaped valley she had patiently waiting for them to arrive at.
I smiled, noticing her former towns people struggling to move, but to no avail. They were weighed down, pinned to the ground by their hate, by their ignorance. Samantha had made sure of that.
As the water from the flooding river reached her mid calves she started for the hill only a few yards away. Swaying her hips and flipping her wet hair all the way.
Samantha stood at the top, watching over the tragic untimely death of her town. They were drowning. THE POOR SOULS, Samantha thought with a giggle.
"Let the water rise," She whispered one more time.
And just like that the rain and wind ceased. The water began to recede to the river once more, taking along with it anything unfortunate as to be dragged under its unbeatable current.
"The poor things," Samantha said, licking her lips. Well, better go change before she catch a cold.