The Zalem Witchcraft Trials

The rest of the town’s folk gasp with horror; the ponies they all have come to respect and consider family have just been confirmed to be a witch, by this mare who is believed to be one as well.

“But…how?” An old stallion said, stepping out of the crowd.

Hail stood on top of a nearby boulder.

“The ponies you see here folks ARE witches, but, because they have confessed, and delivered to us the hidden, they will be forgiven by the court and will hence forth be considered part of the community”. Hail said, sounding completely mad in the mind of the ponies.

“You have not yet answered my question. WHY are these ponies witches? We as the community have not seen such behavior” he said.

“But of course you haven’t!" An old lady said. "I have! My next door neighbor Cloud Dia always has her dog barking! I bet she have him bewitched to remain barking, as to drive others mad!” Any old lady claimed.

“You believe you have it bad? You hag! Why don’t you see your own reflection, Tree Cover!? You always make strange noises at night that I cannot BEAR to listen to!” Another said yelling at her from the crowd.

The town started to bicker, each would complain about something the other did, but Hail could not hear them all properly enough to make a good judgment.

Hail then proceeded by waving a hoof up into the air, yelling “PONIES!!” The town’s ponies begun growing quiet, “You will all have you justice served, once the great and powerful Judge Stanforth will arrive with justice at his side. Then and only then can everypony be served just” Hail said to the ponies.

They all looked worried for a while. Each gazed at each other’s face, and noticed their troubled looks. Hail left in the cart with the stallions pulling it, and waved a hoof goodbye the townsfolk. After he left the town’s pony view, one stallion said:

“Huh! Good! I was hoping to be rid of some of you anyhow!”

“Well pusshha! I hope you fall off to the Neverfree!” A lady yelled.

“Oh you two are like an old couple! Always fighting and feuding! Just get over the fact that you are all old wrinkly and ancient!

John stood above one of the rocks and raised his head above the crowd. And spoke with a loud tone:

“Ponies before any of this gets out of hoof, we should all go home and think this through, before we all start bickering like idiots!”

After a short while of speaking, the town’s ponies left home, saying a few words under their breath.

At the Procter house, night time; Elisabeth and John are next to the fireplace by the front door, their daughter Mary, is just upstairs resting but still not asleep.

There is a knock at the door, two to be exact. Elisabeth looked a John with uncertainty; she then trotted slowly to the door, opening it slowly. It revealed a familiar face, Hail, along with some other old looking folk, were standing at the door; behind them, stood a horse drawn carriage, containing a cage. Hail roles down a long scroll containing an important signature.

“We have a warrant, for your wife…John” Hail said, afraid of what he just said.

“WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!!?” He trots to the front door staring Hail dead in the face “WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS!!!” John yelled.

“I am not required to share that information, John”.

“WHO?”

“If you insist… It was Apple Gail, in the middle of the town, I SAW you there don’t tell me otherwise.”

“Yes, but I thought you had to go through investigation for these sorts of extremes. NOT with just a simple accusation”.

“As you may know John, Witchcraft, is a difficult crime to prove. And as such it is best to have the victim confess as to who did it”

“But Apple Gail has never been around my wife since the last 3 months!!”

“Yes, this is true, but the next best thing if not the first is a confession from a witch”.

“Give me that warrant!”

“John…”

John took it by force throwing it to the ground.

“John! Have you gone MAD!?”

“DAMN this warrant Hail! DAMN you and DAMN the court! I know now what is occurring in the town of Zalem, VENGEANCE, and nothing but it! This warrant is tainted with the hatred of my wife!” He said in anger.

“It’s okay John. I sure the court can clear this all, once the proper evidence is gathered the courts will simply find me innocent beyond doubt, just you see” Elisabeth said, trying to remain positive.

“But…”

“It’s alright” she put a hoof to his mussel, “everything will be alright”.

Hail pointed to the cage with his head. Elisabeth nodded and slowly trotted past John making her way outside. She stopped at the back of the cart where the cage lied in front of her. She looked behind her and waved goodbye to John, stepping onto the cage. Hail closed it behind her, and she sat down.

“NO!! I WON’T ALLOW YOU TO TAKE HER!!!” John yelled as ran to the cage.

“John! Don’t do anything you might regret later!” Hail said.

“This is all madness Hail! And you should take notice to that!” John began to bang at the lock standing between him and his wife.

“I’m sorry John, but I have to take all the actions taken in order to prevent any harm. If word were to get out that I allowed a pony accused not arrested. Then DAMNED will be my name to others, and no trust will ever come again to me. So I ask you john will you let this pass?”

John’s hooves gave out, and he’d stop banging at the cage and stood still for a moment, thinking.

“Ve-very well then” He slowly, very slowly slumped back to his door, head down.

Hail looked at him for a moment, he then leaped on to the cart and the guards went to the front pulling the cart.

The door closes…