Chapter 71

They assured her that they wouldn't be angry with her, and the two that had been standing sat down. Audrey hoped they would keep that promise. She told them the same she had told Nora. How Æthelric had been a competent helper with the animals. How he had tried to convince her to run away. How he had tied her up to prevent her from having to sound the alarm. And, reluctantly, how he had taken the blame for the escape and Arthur ordered him burned alive as a human sacrifice to Woden. She mentioned how he had prayed to Jesus right before, but didn't say details of how he had suffered. They didn't need to know that.

She hadn't dared to look at them while she told her tale. Only now that she had said all she could, did she meet the eyes of the family who had wanted to meet her. They were all crying, but somehow, they were smiling too. She felt like she was missing something again.

"Thank you," the oldest woman managed to say. "It must have been hard for you to relive that but thank you for telling us. I am relieved to hear that he never gave up, and that he died like a hero, saving the lives of the others. How many of those that tried to escape with him did eventually get out?"

"I don't know," Audrey said truthfully. "I don't remember exactly who it was. I know at least one of them survived until now. But I think most of them died later on, either from further escape attempts or from the aftereffects of the whipping they received."

"They whipped you?"

"Yes, that was a standard punishment. The executioner and the Lady liked to get creative in the ways to punish us, but the most standard punishment was a set number of lashes, or some time in the stretch-neck."

"What's a stretch-neck?"

"A pillory," Nora said helpfully. Audrey had forgotten that that was the usual name for it now. It sounded a lot more sinister in Old English.

"That all sounds horrible. Thank God that you all escaped from there eventually!"

"Do you believe in Jesus, child?" the oldest woman asked. Audrey was surprised by that question. She hadn't really considered that before. Her family had been going to church, but after she moved out, and especially after they all died, she hadn't been to church much. As for Jesus…

"I don't know, really. I mean, I went to church before all of this, but now…"

"That's okay. There's more to life than church." Audrey was surprised that this Christian family would say that. "It is more important to read His Words and pray. Here, we would like you to have this." The woman handed her a small book. A New Testament?

"This is a book that Carl gave to almost everyone he met. It is an introduction to the New Testament and is a good way to get started on your own spiritual path to healing. I think he would want you to have it. You don't have to read it if you don't want to. But please take it to remember him."

Audrey wasn't sure she wanted to touch that book, but how could she refuse? She trembled as she accepted the tiny little book, almost as if she was afraid it would electrocute her. 

"Is there anything else I can help you with?" she asked as she tried to think of the correct way to say goodbye. She wanted this meeting to be over already.

"Thank you for telling us about how he died." one of the children said. "I understand why you were reluctant to share it, but it meant a lot to us. I hope that with time you will be able to live your life again too."

What was the correct way to respond to that? Thank you? You're welcome? Audrey looked helplessly over at Nora again. She looked to be at a loss as well. In the end, Audrey just got to her feet.

"I'm sorry that I wasn't able to tell you more," she said. "But I think Carl was a good man, and he fought for what was right, until the very end. I am honoured to have known him. And I will remember him." Okay, that was a way to finish the conversation, but then what? She had forgotten to shake their hands as she entered, should she give it now? Or curtsey?

"I'm sorry, but we need to go now," Nora said, finally catching her distress signal. "It was lovely to see you again and I hope you heard what you were looking for." Nora then steered Audrey out the door before she had time to say anything else. That had been so awkward. Nora steered her over to a nearby bench and they both sat down. Audrey drew a sigh of relief.

"That could have gone worse. I wasn't expecting there to be so many of them. At least they didn't bring their kids!"

"I am surprised you managed to get that whole story out without crying," Nora said. "I almost cried just listening to it, and I had heard it before!"

"I knew that if I started crying again, I wouldn't be able to continue. I didn't look at them at all when I was telling the story. Did I do something wrong? Was that why you pulled me out of there so quickly?"

"I pulled you out of there because I could see that you were uncomfortable. Was it because of the book? You could have just refused it…"

"No, it wasn't the book, I just didn't know how to end the conversation. I clearly need to learn how to deal with other people again. I almost curtsied at the end there."

"Yeah, curtsying would have been too much. As would bowing. I wish I could tell you what would have been the correct response, but I wouldn't know myself. That's why I invented a reason we had to go."

"Was I always this awkward?"

"Not quite that bad, but you've never been comfortable with strangers. Then again, most people aren't. Are you ready to go back up? We can't stay on this bench forever."

"Do you think I told them too much? I tried to avoid the worst but…"

"If you avoided the worst after saying that much, I don't want to know what that is. I think you did well. They seemed pleased to hear that he had prayed to Jesus right before he died. I suspect that was what they were really worried about. I wonder exactly what the FBI agents said. Did they say he had been sacrificed to Woden specifically, or just that he had been burned alive?"

"I don't know, and I don't want to think about it right now. Let's go back to our room." Audrey and Nora still shared a room, so that Audrey was able to sleep at night. Ever since that first night, she was still worried about someone breaking down the door again. She knew it probably wouldn't happen, but the fear lingered.

When they came back up though, something had happened. The others were all gathered in the living room. Their faces were blank, but Audrey could see that they had received some news they hadn't expected.

"What has happened?"

Leann shook herself and answered. "The agents were just here. They gave us the dates for the trials. It's in three weeks and will probably go on for quite some time. But the most shocking piece of news was who would be on trial."

"You mean not all of them will be on trial? Have some of them gone for a plea deal? What do they have to bargain with!?" Nora asked, sounding angry.

"Edmund, the wizard, has apparently been cooperating with them and managed to give them several of the locations and the phone numbers he sent false messages to. He got a deal and will be out of prison in maybe 10-15 years."

That didn't sound so bad to Audrey. Edmund hadn't been directly involved in the abuse, though he had certainly known about it and helped with the kidnappings, sending out the messages as he did.

"But the most shocking news is about the woman," Leann said.

"She got a plea deal?" Nora sounded outraged.

"No. She's dead."