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}                                                                 {\fs24 THE WITCH
 TRIAL\par}}

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\pard\nowidctlpar\nooverflow\sl240\slmult1{\f0\lang1033\fs18\kerning28 Witchcraft
 trial with the usual results but with a twist\par}

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\pard\nowidctlpar\nooverflow\sl240\slmult1{\f0\lang1033\fs22\kerning28     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. \par}

\pard\nowidctlpar\nooverflow\sl240\slmult1{\f0\lang1033\fs22\kerning28     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. \par}

\pard\nowidctlpar\nooverflow\sl240\slmult1{\f0\lang1033\fs22\kerning28     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. \par}

\pard\nowidctlpar\nooverflow\sl240\slmult1{\f0\lang1033\fs22\kerning28     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\u8217\'92
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. \par}

\pard\nowidctlpar\nooverflow\sl240\slmult1{\f0\lang1033\fs22\kerning28     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.}}