Free The Sacrifice by Kathleen Benner Duble Page A

if for battle.
    Papa’s face fell, and he stepped away. Abigail wanted to scream at him, to yell and tell him to do something, to be strong for them. Was that small confrontation all Papa was to do?
    Constable Ballard brought some rope. On the other side of Mama, Dorothy began to whimper. Franny was crying. From upstairs, Edward’s wails could be heard.
    “You will take me before you shall take my children, William,” Mama said, pulling Abigail and Dorothy in tighter.
    Constable Ballard sighed. “Hannah, I truly wish I did not need to do this. But Sarah Phelps has claimed that these girls are tormenting her, and it is my duty to arrest them on charges of witchcraft. If they be no witches, they can prove it in court.”
    “And what happens to them before their day incourt?” Mama asked, her voice rising, becoming shrill with panic. “Surely you do not mean to condemn my children to the prison in Salem Town, that most terrible of places? Surely they can remain somewhere here in Andover until they can prove their ill-use at the hands of Sarah Phelps!”
    Justice Bradstreet sighed too. “I fear not, Hannah. The law is the law.”
    Constable Ballard began to approach the girls.
    Paul stepped in front of them. “You heard my mother,” he said. “You’ll not take my sisters.”
    Constable Ballard smiled. “Come, Paul. Step away.”
    Paul shook his head. Justice Bradstreet came up behind him and pushed him to the side. Paul lost his balance and fell hard to the ground, scraping his hand. Abby wanted to hug him for trying to protect them.
    “Are you all right, son?” Papa said, holding out a hand to help Paul up.
    Paul stared at him. “What matters that, Father?” he said. “Abigail and Dorothy are to be taken.”
    “Go inside, Paul,” Papa said, looking not at hischildren now but at the ground. “Do not interfere.”
    “That is always your solution,” Paul muttered, wiping the blood from his hand and scowling.
    “Enough,” Papa said, a tear running down his cheek. “Go inside.”
    Paul looked at his sisters, frowning with frustration, then he went into the house.
    Constable Ballard reached out to take Dorothy. Abigail watched as if in a dream.
    “Nay!” Mama cried. “Nay! You will not take my children.”
    In reaching out to protect Dorothy, Mama let go of Abby. Justice Bradstreet snatched Abigail up, forcing her hands in front of her and tying them together. The rope was tight, and it dug into her wrists.
    “Nay!” Mama screamed, seeing Abigail being hustled toward the back of the wagon. “Nay! They are but children!”
    Now that Mama’s focus was on Abigail, Constable Ballard swiftly reached out and pulled Dorothy from her.
    “Nay!” Mama screamed again.
    Abigail was lifted up onto Constable Ballard’s wagon. Her stomach churned, yet her mind remained strangely calm. She watched as Mama beat her fists on the constable’s back, and Abigail felt as if she were someone else as Mama fell to the ground, weeping.
    Dorothy was lifted up next, screaming and kicking. She stared at Abigail as if she had lost her mind.
    “How can you just sit there?” Dorothy cried. “Do you not understand what has happened to us?”
    As quickly as the detachment had come, it was over. Abigail’s stomach was now tossing and turning so violently that she had to turn her head over the side of the wagon to be sick.
    “I will follow you to Salem Town,” Papa called to them as Constable Ballard climbed into the front of the wagon. “I will bring the money necessary that you should be in comfort there.”
    Lowering her head to wipe her mouth on her bent knees, Abigail felt anger well inside her. This was her father’s solution?
    Mama rose from the ground. She screamed andran to the wagon, trying to swing herself up on it.
    “Stop, Hannah,” Justice Bradstreet cried out, “or you too shall end up in Salem Town Prison and be of no help to these children.”
    Mama stared at him and then gave up trying to climb into the