-Broken Links

[Words to Image. I see a random image, and it paints a picture in my mind. I quickly paint that picture into words. These are those words]

They saw her as the epitome of evil. Because they did not understand. Nor desired to. There was no one willing to rush in to seek out the truth and take a stand on it. They were lazy. No one who cared enough to protect the innocent and defend her honor. It was a boring stance. No one willing to see things as they truly were. What benefit did that serve for entertainment? Just an entire village hell bent on satisfying their lust for the dramatic. Desperate to quench the need to attack and destroy. What they did best. Mob mentality, at the drop of a hat. That was the way of town. And she was their next meal.

They bound her and scoffed at her sins. They mocked her and cast last night's leftovers into her face. They spat and they swore. Their faces of hatred easily returned to hug each familiar wrinkle within it, because it had spent much time in this position. It wore the lines well because it was used to being here.

But did they phase her? They did not. She allowed them the pleasures they sought after. She allowed her hands to be cuffed and her throat to be tugged at. But she was never phased. She allowed each stare and each verbal bullet to be shot at her. But none penetrated. They could not. She wouldn't allow it. One might say it gave her a measure of pleasure to toy with their anger. To watch as they mustered their greatest efforts to destroy her, each participant feeding off of the hatred of their neighbor, but each attempt being mere arrows bouncing off the hardened steel of a metal vessel. Their failed attempts fuel their hatred even more.

"Why doesn't she cry?!!" they questioned, unable to draw from her a single tear. "Why doesn't she plead for mercy?!!" they wondered. She didn't need it.

At any given moment, she could easily shake off their chains and destroy each and every one of them. But they were too blind to know this. She was only there because she allowed it to be. Still, they publicly attempted the shame.

"Why does one waste their time and energy on such foolish moments?" she asked one, close by.

"YOU WILL PAY! YOU FILTHY WITCH!"

She laughed at their ignorance.

"Child, if you only knew the cost it will be on you ... and that you cannot afford me ... you would release me this instant."

Their mob ignorance was too blinding. She grew annoyed.

"Very well," she whispered, with a grin on her face. "You were warned."

They tightened up the chains, pulling them fervently as to limit her movement. Elizabeth closed both of her eyes and entertained one last smile, preparing to release every ounce of hell she possessed.

The village people had very simple minds that were continually ruled by their pathetic desires to attack and destroy, whomever for whatever. Elizabeth was the wrong target.

"So be it," she whispered.

Shaking hands held tight to loosened chains that had fallen to the Earth. Broken links all around. Simple minds transitioned from hatred to fear. But it was too late. They were warned.