Trial of the Lilithite - 2

"Stay back," he bid, and so I did, 

"No talking to the crew."

With that, the priest said, "Come, you beast,

There is work to do."

A week went past, until at last

I could take no more;

Down I clambered, to where they chambered,

And rapped upon the door.

'Be gone," he cried -- my eyes went wide --

His voice was laboured, strained;

" 'Leave us be' was my decree,

Ben! Are you addle-brained?"

I stood there shocked -- He never talked

To me that way before --

Their noise and such scared me so much

I pushed open the door.

To my surprise, before my eyes, 

A tableau most unclean:

His face deranged, deeply engaged

In congress most obscene.

"Seduced!" he screamed, as dark eyes gleamed,

And my mouth hung agape,

"Satan's bitch! By God -- a witch!

Please, Ben -- help me escape!"

(Within my ear, something felt queer;

His words somehow askew--.

But young and naive, I chose to believe,

Because he told me to.

Meanwhile the child, disheveled and wild,

Laid draped in a sheet,

She ne'er appeared as to be feared, 

Nor did she cry or bleat.)

Took Tucker's hand (not far from land)

And helped him self-compose,

He spoke to me most secretly,

While he put on his clothes.

"Be warned my friend -- we'll meet our end!"

He whispered, hands ashake.)

"We mustn't dally. The crew we'll rally,

And burn her at the stake."

----

- © Jackson Cambridge, 2015.