Black Ice: Forward Pt 1/3

Well, I'm not sure what the age limit is the YWS, but I'm coming close to hitting my 20th birthday so I feel my time here might be wearing thin. I know it's been a while since I've posted, but I haven't really had anything good to post. This will most likely be my last new novel I post here (I might add to some of my older work) and hopefully I'll be able to get back into the spirit of reviewing. Please read, comment and like :)

This is a re-write of Ice Cold Fire, a novel I started a little less than three years ago and the first few chapters can be found on YWS. I decided it was a good idea, but it was an idea before its time. I'm a history minor, but I far from know enough about it. This new version has a better plotline, better writing skills, a few different characters, and much better accuracy related to the history behind it.

Salem, Massachusetts 1834

All was silent as Emma slowly rocked her baby to sleep. She knew they had to get out of here, but she had nowhere to go. She felt she would never escape them and she should just surrender to her fate now. But perhaps the man she married and fell in love with would be her hope. She wasn’t counting on it, but she had to have some hope that nothing would happen to her or her infant son.

Once he was asleep she went into the kitchen, where a small kettle was brewing on the stove. She smiled, knowing it was finally ready. She closed her eyes and began to chant something that sounded really dark. The liquid started to turn a purple color, as it had been clear before, and then started to bubble. She continued to chant for a few minutes and when she finally opened her eyes the liquid had suddenly gone clear again, but the inside showed a couple. They looked much older than her, but they were holding a baby boy in their arms. But Emma had been studying this couple for a long time, and knew this baby probably wouldn’t make it. It would break their hearts, but she had plans. She wanted Nathan to have a shot at life, and this century wouldn’t give him that until he was much older. He needed to be in a place where the thought of witches were long since extinct and absurd.

Suddenly, she heard a pounding sound ripping through the silent night air. She got nervous, knowing exactly what it was. He had warned her. He had told her she would be hung. She didn’t even care about his son, Nathan. But they would never hurt an innocent baby, would they? Something inside of her told her they would, because they were blood thirsty and horrible people. They claimed to be doing this all in the name of the bible, but killing innocent women and their daughters because they thought they were a witch was far from what the bible taught.

She ran out of the living room, grabbing Nathan in her arms. He was asleep but all the commotion made him wake up. She got even more worried, knowing how cranky he got when he didn’t get his sleep.

She ran through the basement door just as she heard her front door being kicked down. Would he really go through with this? He was the head! Surely he had some heart at least for Nathan. She didn’t care about herself at this point.

She hid herself in a concealed corner, tears filling her eyes. They were going to take everything from her. She finally had a family with a loving husband and a sweet, little baby boy. But now she would be hung and she didn’t know what Nathan’s fate would be. If Richard somehow came through he would be safe, but she couldn’t take that chance. Something told her she needed to have a backup plan. And she did. She would never let Richard get his hands on Nathan, even if he did plan on saving him. What if he ended up being a witch? Of course the chances were very slim since he was a boy, but if it did happen Richard would surely leave him to die somewhere or even hang him. She was sure of it.

She heard someone open the basement door, although it wasn’t kicked down. Nathan seemed to sense this was a bad time to cry, so naturally started to. Emma tried to calm him, but it was no use. Whoever they were had heard them.

She was prepared to move again, but then realized who it was. It was Richard! He seemed to peek over in the corner and she was sure he saw them. Then he headed upstairs. She knew he would tell his crew they were down here. He would have her hung and who knows what would happen to Nathan. She had to act fast.

She ran to the other side of the room and set Nathan in a box. “I love you, honey,” she told him with a smile. “And I always will. I’ll always be there for you and I’ll always watch over you. Don’t be scared. Mommy’s going to send you to a better place. I promise you we’ll see each other again someday.” She gave him one last kiss, tears running down her cheeks as she set the lid on the box. She began to chant something dark again, but this time channeled it to Nathan.

She heard some voices upstairs. “There’s no one down there,” Richard told them.

“Are you sure?” another man asked. “It would be a good place to hide. We should all check.”

Emma was surprised he had lied to them. What was going on? But she couldn’t think about it right now.

Doing a spell required complete concentration. She had to start over because she had lost it.

She once again focused on the box, trying to block out the noise from upstairs. They all came running through the basement door just as Emma finished her spell. She opened her eyes, hoping it worked.

“There is someone down here!” one of the men yelled. “Grab her!”

Emma was suddenly grabbed by one of the men. She struggled, but was no match for his strength. They brought her over to Richard. She stared into his eyes, wondering if any trace of the man she once loved was still there.

“Better give your husband one last kiss before you’re hung,” the man standing beside Richard mocked.

She gave him a cold look. She knew Richard had the power to stop this. He had become the head witch hunter. They had to listen to him if they told them to let her go. But she was afraid he would let his pride get in the way and he wouldn’t. Or maybe he truly didn’t love her anymore because he found out she was a witch.

“Where’s Nathan?” he asked her.

“In a better place,” she replied simply.

He didn’t seem to like that answer. “If you don’t tell me I’ll hang you.”

“You’ll hang me either way,” she said with somewhat of a smirk.

Now he was even more angered. “Take her upstairs,” he ordered his men, knowing she wasn’t going to tell him anything.

After they left he searched the basement frantically. Nathan had to be here somewhere. She must have hidden him. But he searched all over and had no luck. He went to the box and took off the lid. He last bit of hope was gone when he saw that it was empty. What did she do with him? His mind went wild with all the possibilities. He suddenly broke down and started to cry. He had just lost everything. Everything was too good to be true. Sure, he had a nice job now, but what was a nice job without a family by your side? He continued to cry, not caring if one of his men came down. He didn’t care about anything at this point. But he needed to get Emma to talk to him. She knew, and he was going to find out.