Spirit Read Online Free Page B

journals and the like. Here the prosecutor listed the accused, but if you look…” He pointed to an ornamented space at the top of the page. “There was a first name. Behind all the others. A First Accused…who has been wiped out from history. Painted over. Unseen.”
    He then pulled over an old, tattered book. “It’s not the only reference. Another journal states there were rituals observed around this person: terrible deaths, intestines ripped out of living bodies and come to life like snakes, strangling other men…fires that grew out of people’s eyes…Quite shocking. She or he is listed only as Accused Number One. All this was recorded before the trials we know….”
    Tess withheld a shiver. “Caused by this unknown person?”
    Horrick nodded. “The origin of all the hysteria. A First Witch.”
    Tobias tapped his bow on his chin. “We have no name?”
    â€œNo,” said Tess, drawing closer. “Listen for a change.”
    â€œI’m an excellent listener,” he said, distracted by the fluttering of a moth.
    â€œSomeday they’re going to diagnose your condition. You can’t pay attention for half a second,” said Tess.
    â€œWish they’d diagnose my other condition,” Tobias answered, snapping up the moth in his hand.
    â€œAnd which sickness would that be? You’ve got thousands…”
    â€œMy sad and depressive states. Which you never help,” said Tobias, pondering what to do with the insect.
    Tess grinned at him. “You wouldn’t survive a minute without me.”
    Tobias thought about it, and then nodded begrudgingly. “True. I suppose I wouldn’t.” Then he shut the moth in a book, smashing it and immediately wishing he hadn’t. Tobias loved books. For living things, he had less concern.
    Horrick, annoyed, began tapping the old court journal. “Theserecords were doctored. Most likely by railroaders wanting to draw people back into town….”
    â€œThe town of Blackthorne? The railroad has business that way?” Tobias asked.
    â€œNew business,” answered Horrick, setting aside the ancient documents and pulling out a crisp newspaper. “This article clarifies a few things: Back in 1692 some of the accused in Salem ran away to Blackthorne and were killed there. Since then, the town has gone through every variety of misfortune. The place died out several times, in fact. In the early 1700s a plague drove everyone away; bad water was blamed. Then about twenty years ago they laid tracks there, but some kind of accident scared the investors off. But now there’s interest in resettling it again.”
    â€œLet me see that for myself,” said Tobias, impatient, but Tess snapped the paper away playfully before he could take it.
    â€œI will read it to you,” she said, enjoying her power.
    â€œLet me see there—”
    â€œWhat do you want to know?” asked Tess, looking over the paper. “Around Yuletide, the town is going to have a carnival on the spot where they hanged the witches, and they’re going to use the occasion to…draw people in.”
    Horrick nodded. “It’s a sad little place, abandoned; people think it’s haunted. The New Haven and Boston families who own the town want to rebuild, put all that to rest—”
    â€œWell, that’s going to be something of a trick.” Tobias snorted.
    â€œGive them a chance; it’s just the beginning. It’s a nice thing, really. They’re rededicating the old town square.” Tess read further.“It’s a winter carnival, sort of a celebration—”
    â€œOf having killed witches?”
    â€œOf course not, that was two hundred years ago. Let them bury the past,” Tess chastised him. “It’s supposed to be a much-needed break in the winter gloom. I would think you above all would appreciate that.”
    Tobias was thinking,