Light Within the Darkness

I can’t recall exactly how and when the hysteria started. I remember every bit of the madness that followed, and the devastation left in its wake. 

The chief judge’s slave, blamed for hexing his children when she was trying to protect them. The farmers’ wives, blamed for ravaging the others’ crops. Another farmer and his wife, refusing to enter a plea so that their land wouldn’t be confiscated. The horrendous torture they endured as a result. The vindictive sheriff who would not let up until the last bit of life faded from them.

All of them and many more, dragged from their homes and families. Locked away and subjected to horrible abuse. Brought before a court where corrupt judges damned them in only minutes. Condemned to death, all at the pointing of a finger.  

Every time I sit on the hill, their cries and pleas echo through my mind. The frightened looks on their faces burned into my memory. And the families. The looks of horror, the tears streaming down their faces. The helplessness they felt as they stood on this hill and watched their loved ones dangle from the tree. I’ll never forget those.

A constant stream of reminders of what little I did to help them. How I, like everyone else, stood there and watched. That I am as responsible for their fate as those who passed the sentence. 

“I thought I’d find you up here!” I looked behind me to see Reverend Thomas Archibald standing right over me. Sweat dripped down his black dress shirt. Strands of gray hair stuck to his face. “Beautiful day, huh Phillip?” I gave a half-hearted nod before turning my attention back to the colony below.

The once-thriving settlement had become a ghost town. Countless homes, the school, and the tavern were all left abandoned. Even the church, a place where many turned for comfort and reassurance, sat still. A small few colonists remained. Most kept to themselves out of shame, fear, or both.

“In such times of darkness, we are desperate for understanding. Even after that darkness has passed, we still seek to know why it occurred and why we had to bear it. We may never come to understand the darkness that plagued our home. What I understand, however, is that within darkness, there is always light. It is by no means easy to find, but it is there. If one tries hard enough, they will find their way no matter what obstacles stand in their path. Something tells me that you have yet to find your way. You are still wandering through the darkness, aren’t you?”

I stood up as he approached me, unsure of what to say. I knew deep down that Reverend Archibald wanted to help me. That was his nature. He saw the best of any person and any situation. His words brought comfort to those in need.

Unfortunately for me, his words lacked the same impact. As much as I wanted to believe what he was saying, I couldn’t bring myself to.

He placed his hand on my shoulders. “You have come up here every day since the end of the dark times, yet you are no better off than before. Let me help you, Phillip. Let me guide you through the darkness and into the light. Tell me, what is it you hope to find here?

“Peace, reverend. I want to find peace.” Reverend Archibald squeezed my shoulders. “Don’t we all, especially with what has happened these last few years.

“Not only with myself, and the living.” I could see the confusion on his face. “I want them to know how sorry I am for judging them, for letting this happen to them. I want them to know how much I regret not doing anything to help them.

Reverend Archibald’s hands shifted from my shoulders to my face. By the look on his face, it was as if for the first time, someone truly felt the pain I was carrying and had some sympathy for it. “Dear boy, you cannot burden yourself with what you cannot control.” 

“I could have done more. I should have done more to…”

“To what? What could you have done, Phillip? Everyone became crazed at the thought of the devil being among them. Everyone bought into the belief that our own had made pacts with him. Nothing you could have said or done would have changed that.”

“I could have stood up to him. Told him that this isn’t right. If I had tried, I may have gotten through to him, help him understand.”

I jerked free of the reverend’s grasp and began to pace along the hilltop. I could feel a pit forming in my stomach.

“I get it.” He said in a nonchalant tone. “You feel that because he was your father, you bear the same responsibility as him. That is not the case. You have to let that guilt go, Phillip. You may have the same last name, but that doesn’t mean his sins are your burden to bear. You are your own person, nothing at all like him.

In hindsight, he was right. I would never think to poison children with ergot and blame it on dark magic when no other answer could be found. Convincing people that the devil and his children walked among them. Turning the colony against one another. Sending innocent people to their death. All so he could confiscate land he had no rights to, sell it, and pocket the money. It makes my skin crawl thinking about it.

“Besides, you know how your father was. Do you think anyone else besides you would have stood against him?” Another true statement. Governor Weatherford Giles was as intimidating as he was stern.

A tall hulking man, a gray head of hair and beard trimmed neatly, and a menacing stare that sent fear into one's heart. His booming voice commanded attention and respect. Whenever he spoke, he made it loud and clear. This is the way things are going to be, and no one dared question him. If I so much as spoke out of term, I’d usually end up on the floor with a headache and a nasty welt somewhere.

“Still, I could have done something,”

“I don't know about you, but I've grown tired of this view.” Reverend Archibald pointed toward the town. “Come, Phillip. Let's take a walk.” 

The trek down felt like an eternity. Not only was the hill steep, but Reverend Archibald's legs didn't seem to want to cooperate. Thankfully, I was there to provide support for the descent. Once we were down and I was sure he was okay, we continued towards the town square. 

The streets were rather empty. We encountered a straggler here and there but they paid us no attention. A familiar sight caught my attention though, making me feel more uneasy than before. 

Hovering over the lake was the infamous dunking chair. It was a favorite of my father's and the sheriff. Most confessed after one or two dips into the icy water. Others met their end, begging for mercy that would never come. 

Without warning, Reverend Archibald took me by the arm and ushered me away from the lake. He patted my shoulder the same way someone would pat their dog. It was as if he could sense my anguish from seeing the chair. More likely, he could see the sadness on my face. 

“I'm sorry, reverend.” I said, holding my head down in shame as we walked on. I felt worse than before. The man went out of his way to help me and I appreciated it more than he would ever know. And how do I repay him? By brushing off his attempts to ease my pain. 

“I guess I’ll never escape these dark clouds hovering over me.” It was a bitter pill to swallow, but swallow it I will have to. I’m the son of a monster who shed innocent blood for his own greed. The son who did nothing to stop it. “I guess there is no light within the darkness - not for me at least.”

“Oh I wouldn't be so sure of that.” I looked at the Reverend. He was stone-faced. I could not get a read on what he meant. 

“Phillip,” a voice called out. I turned toward the square and my jaw dropped. 

Before me stood an all too familiar sight. Auburn hair, rosy cheeks, glowing smile and blue eyes. Beautiful baby blue eyes I never thought I’d gaze into again. “Elizabeth!” I whispered, struggling to get her name out. 

I was in disbelief. I turned to Reverend Archibald, grinning from ear to ear. I immediately looked back, rubbing my eyes to make sure she was real. Sure enough, she was.

“Elizabeth, I thought you were….” Before I could blink, we were in each other’s arms. She rubbed her hands through my thick, black hair and planted a kiss on my lips. She then pinched my cheeks before pulling me into a tight hug. I tried not to squeeze too hard. I wasn’t exactly known for being gentle with people. Perhaps people were right in telling me I didn’t know my own strength.

“No, and it’s all thanks to you.” 

I pulled back, trying to process that last part. “Wait, how?”    

“Six months ago,” Reverend Archibald cut in, still grinning. We both looked his way. “The night you went to the magistrate. You told him about overhearing Billy Parris talking about accusing Elizabeth. He pretended not to believe you. In reality, he had overheard the same conversation earlier that day.” 

The magistrate approached. I didn’t see him there at first. He and the Reverend exchanged a smile and a handshake. Other than a less wrinkly face, red dress shirt, and darker hair, the two looked almost identical. 

“He came to me immediately to warn me,” The Reverend nodded at the magistrate. “The magistrate assisted me in whisking Elizabeth to safety.” 

“Weren’t you concerned at the time that his accusation might have been true?

“I may have,” the magistrate replied in his usual elegant tone, “if not for the girls.” 

“The girls?” I replied confused. 

“I visited chief judge Parris at his home that day. I overheard his daughters discussing not wanting to lie anymore. Turns out, their slave had shown them a religious ritual from her homeland. Mrs. Parris walked in and caught them. The slave was afraid the girls would get in trouble. She lied and said that she had given in to the devil’s temptation. Her confession led to her arrest, trial, and eventual execution.”

“Wasn’t that the one that started it all?” I asked. 

“Exactly, They regretted their actions and wanted to confess, but Billy wasn’t having it. He chastised them and made it clear that they were to stick to their original story, as father and the governor had said. He forbade them from ever speaking of it again. If they did, they could end up like the others. Only then did they agree to remain silent.”

Our eyebrows seemed to raise all at once. We couldn’t believe what we were hearing. 

“I realized then that something wasn’t right,” he continued. “I didn’t know for sure what it was, until I found a piece of parchment in Parris’ study. He reaches into his satchel and pulls out a beat up piece of paper. He handed it to me. I nearly dropped it after reading its contents.

It was a message my father, talking about how the plan was going better than expected. The profits were to be divided as agreed upon when it’s done. What gullible the people were, making it all the more easy to manipulate them. 

I almost dropped it as I handed it back to the magistrate, my hands were shaking that bad.

“It was a start, but still not enough,” the magistrate slipped the paper back into the satchel. “Nowhere near enough proof to confront anyone with.

“Until Phillip came to you,” Reverend Archibald chimed in.

“Yes.” He turned his attention to me. He looked like a father proud of his son. A feeling I had never known. 

“Had you not, my suspicions would never have been confirmed. I would have never thought to search your father’s office.” 

“I waited until he left for the night. I knew where he kept a spare key. I searched high and low but couldn’t find anything. That is, until I went into his desk. That’s when I made the chilling discovery.”

“And that was,” I asked.

“A journal that your father was keeping. It detailed every piece of confiscated land since the trials began. Every name was in the exact order in which they died. There was also a list of the wealthiest remaining lands. Reverend Archibald’s name was at the top of that list.” All eyes were once again on him. We all stood silent, waiting to hear the rest.

The magistrate hesitated for a moment, allowing us to process before continuing on. “Next to it, a note written by the governor himself. It read: ‘Parris boy will accuse the Archibald girl first thing in the morning.’ I felt Elizabeth’s grip tighten around me. ‘She’ll hang for certain. I’ll convince Archibald to sell me the land and leave Salem. He’s as much a fool as the rest. He won’t dare fight back.”

My eyes almost popped out of my head at the mere thought. I always knew my father to be vile, overbearing, and vindictive, but not a murderous monster. At least not until now.

I looked down at Elizabeth. Tears streamed down her face. The reality of what almost happened to her hit hard. I wiped them away and brought her in for a hug.

“Where is the journal now?” asked Reverend Archibald. 

“Upon our return to London, I hid Elizabeth with some relatives. Then, I requested an emergency meeting with the court. Told them it was an urgent matter about the tragedy unfolding in Salem. They agreed to see me. As soon as the meeting started, I presented the journal to the court.”

“Then what happened?” I asked. 

“Upon learning the truth, the court informed His Majesty immediately. They sent for the governor and arrested him as soon as he arrived in port. The chief judge soon followed. Afterward, the King ordered an immediate end to all witchcraft related trials. We weren’t sure how people would react to the truth. We claimed a new law passed eliminating the so-called “spectral evidence”.

Now it all makes sense, I thought to myself. No one could explain the sudden change in proceedings. Unlike the previous cases, the accused had rights and representation. Accusers could no longer stake their claim based on visions, or an unusual spot on the body to be the devil’s mark. No legit proof, and the accusation was invalid and the accused set free.

“Yes,” he replied. “With that, accusations stopped, and the jails cleared. The madness was over.” 

“And I?”

“Played a much larger role in stopping the bloodshed than you thought. And it all started when you saved my life.” She planted another kiss and wrapped her arms around my neck. “Phillip Giles, you are my knight in shining armor.

As I stared into Elizabeth’s eyes, I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders. The guilt, the sorrow, the despair no longer haunted me. At that moment, I was at peace.

As we started to walk towards the square hand in hand, I had another realization. Reverend Archibald was right. Maybe I was never meant to understand the past, or the universe in general. Maybe we were meant to learn something from all of this; I don’t know.

What I do know is, having Elizabeth back at my side, I finally found my light within the darkness.