Banshee Angel Of Judgement by Billy Young Page B

past away and hadn’t he called her
his child; so the gossips twisted things. So they thought he must
have been in league with the evil that had spread through the glen,
as he couldn’t have been so unaware of what the witch was up to, as
it was his business to protect them from such wrongs. He should
have known.
    She knew
though that this was the work of the laird, she also knew that his
time would come, she was sure of that. There was little she could
do to stop the wrongful words
spreading other than from continuing her task of hunting down those
in the pay of the laird; she knew all to well that they would have
their pound of flesh whether or not she hunted the true evil of the
glen or not.
    So it was that
the old clergyman was arrested , this time the charges were brought by the neighbouring
parish after numerous complaints filtered back to the young
Minister of that congregation. So an ecclesiastical tribunal was
called to look into the most serious of allegations.
    The old Adams
was not imprisoned though he was confined to his home, not allowed
to attend church or hold service. The old man felt lost with
nothing to tend to. He’d been a Minister for so long that life
seemed so empty without the
church business to fill his time.
    His health
had been bad but now grew
worse with the lack of purpose to keep him going. Winter drained
him all the more as drafts rattled around his home next to the
church. With them came the chills to weaken him further, as did the
dire news of more deaths that couldn’t be explained. His house
keeper found him as December’s cold hand came across the land, his
face showing he had drifted off in his sleep, peacefully. Few were
sad to see his passing, as the many hoped that this would bring an
end to the dreadful troubles.
    She readied
herself for another foray in
the night; it mattered not if she found one of those she hunted.
For this night she planned to find out where the inquisitor had set
up lodging on his return to the area. She had no other plans for
this despised figure as yet but she knew of his return for the last
victim to be drawn into the torment she made for them.
    As darkness fell she
sensed a presence though could not see who or what it was at first.
The feeling persisted keeping her from leaving to fulfil the task
she had for the night. She began searching, still nothing other
than the awareness that something was watching.
    As she
re-entered the kitchen a shadow moved in the corner. “Who is it?
What is it you want?” she demanded, readying herself to attack the
intruder in her screeching fury.
    At first there
was no answer; then the old clergyman took form before her. His
eyes showing the kindness she remembered so well as she grew
through her short life.
    “ Why have you come?” She asked bitter at the memory of what she had lost and knowing
he to was now lost to her too.
    “ Oh, what have
you become my dear child?” Sadness tinged the words, pulling at
her.
    “ I…” She
didn’t know how she could explain.
    “ You can not
continue this vengeful murderous existence you have chosen, you
must give up and allow yourself the peace that the lord offers,”
she could feel his words had power to free her but the darkness
that she had dwelled in prevented her from the light he
offered.
    “ How is it
you are here?”
    “ It is simply
my time as it was yours.”
    “ No it was
not my time, they took everything from me and for what?” Her hatred
grew at the thought of all they had taken from her as the shadows
grew around her.
    “ You must
forgive them,” he hoped he could convince her before he crossed
over that somehow he might be able to bring her tranquillity so she
could find the rest she needed, to find an escape to the damnation
she now brought upon herself.
    “ Forgive,”
she mocked, “for plotting to send me to the death of a witch and
for what so the laird could get back his little bit of land, that
his father gave to my mother for the kindness she