Chapter 27 — The Confession

Stephanie could see the black book in the middle of the pentagram when they pulled into the drive at Thomas’s. Fear-stricken, she mustered up the courage to shout. “I’m the one you want. Leave them alone.” 

The Amish stood on the hill at the main house, looking down at her. It was intimidating to see the Amish all together in black, casting hateful stares at her. They blamed her. The horse and buggies parked neatly in rows reminded her of the night of the exorcism.

The sheriff and his deputy walked beside her, carrying rifles. Bradley took her arm, and they started the long walk up the hill. Her heart pounded. Would they let her through?

“Move back,” the sheriff demanded. “Thomas wants to see Stephanie.” 

They parted like the Red Sea, though she heard some muttering about witches and a book.

Emily led Stephanie to the upstairs bedroom where Thomas lay, wearing an ice collar around his neck, his face ashen. She sat on the edge of the bed, holding his icy hand, her face wet with tears.

“Why?” she asked in a broken voice.

“I don’t know what came over me,” Thomas said, his voice parched. “I’ve never had such dark thoughts. Me, a deacon. It was a foolish thing to do.”

Stephanie held a glass of water to his lips. He took a sip, then shut his eyes as if he were too weak to hold them open. Looking across the room at Bradley, sitting quietly, Stephanie knew what she had to do.

 “Thomas,” she said softly, “Did you take the black book from the desk?”

“Yes,” he said in a low voice. “I thought it was best. It was evil. I had to do it, and I’ll never be sorry. It’s hard to talk, but I’m going to tell you everything. Confession is good for the soul.”

Stephanie stood with her arms folded as if she was trying to protect herself from what she was about to hear. 

Thomas was about to confess his grave sin to her because that’s what the Amish did. If they wronged, they confessed their sin. Thomas spoke in a serious voice, choosing his words carefully. “It pains me to tell you the story because it’s horrible. What I saw last night was so shocking that it changed me. I’ll never be the same person.”

Stephanie’s brows furrowed, afraid of the tale he was about to tell.

“After I called you and found you had not destroyed the black book, I took matters into my own hands. I went to your house at three a.m. and stole the book. I had a key that Hedy had given me years ago. Brooks heard me, but he didn’t bark because he knew me. I gave him a bone.”

Stephanie sat rigid, her heart beating loudly. She could hardly believe that Thomas dared to do such a thing. 

“I drove home and was headed towards a trash bin near the barn to burn the book when it suddenly rose into the air and landed in the middle of the pentagram. A gust of wind picked it up, and when it landed, a man came out of the book.”

Stephanie’s eyes grew wide. Thomas had validated what she had known all along. The book was magical, and pictures in the book could come alive.

“The man was dressed like someone from the eighteenth century. It was an elegant dress, white stockings, breeches, and a velvet coat like he was royalty. I was standing back, but he could see me, and he cried out in a booming voice, “Thomas Shrock.”

“I was too frightened to answer. I tried to run but was frozen in place. He told me I could not win against him and that you belonged to him. He told me I was a thief and that I had committed a grave wrong. I spoke up then and said that I would return the book if it would appease him. But he said no one should touch the book but you. Then he left in a puff of smoke. I left the book in the middle of the pentagram and instructed no one to touch it.”

 The bishop has concluded that the book should not be destroyed. I didn’t know what to do, and I called Mazie Moon. It’s as if the devil himself has been loosed in Brier Hill County.”

Stephanie swallowed hard. She had to know if her hurtful words had caused Thomas to try to hang himself.

“Why did you try to hang yourself, Thomas? Was it the book?”

“I’m certain it was the book that put dark thoughts in my mind. Something took control of me. I couldn’t break free of its hold.”

Suddenly they heard Damien’s haunting voice drifting through the open window, calling her name… Stephanie, Stephanie.

Thomas paled. “Don’t go out there,” Thomas warned, holding fast to her hand. “He’s evil. Stay with me, and we’ll pray together. Prayer is powerful.”

“It’s me that he wants, Thomas, and I fear if I don’t go—someone will get hurt. You tried to hang yourself. He must have put a spell on you. I’m one person, and there must be two hundred people out there. Some are children. I can’t take a chance of someone getting hurt.” 

“No, Thomas said, holding tight to her hand. Stephanie jerked her hand away and ran to the door. 

Bradley blocked her, his neck red with anger. “I won’t let you sacrifice yourself. I looked out the window. There’s a sorceress and seven witches in the middle of a pentagram. Let them deal with whatever they conjured up with their witchcraft. Because I think that’s how this happened.”

Emily stood at the door; she’d overheard everything. “No, Bradley, that’s now how it happened. It happened years ago. Stephanie was adopted, and a wizard cursed her at birth. The wizard promised her to a dark prince. When she is nineteen and nine days, he can marry her. Everyone in the household knew, but we promised to keep it a secret. The book has magical powers. Hedy wouldn’t tell me everything. All I knew was that it had to be locked away in the secret compartment of the desk, and we were never to open it.”

Emily grabbed Stephanie and clutched her by the arm. “If you go out there, Stephanie, he will take you. Remember all those fairy tales Hedy told you?”

Stephanie nodded; her eyes wide.

“Hedy told you fairy tales for a reason—because she feared this day might come and didn’t want you to be afraid. She knew about the book and the curse.” Emily spoke with a choked voice and held out a quilt to Stephanie. “I’ve tried to keep you safe, Stephanie. I took the amulets and charms out of your closet and buried them. And I made this quilt for you. It’s called the Rattlesnake Quilt. I prayed over it for thirty days. I don’t believe evil can touch you if you’re—wrapped in the quilt.” She glanced at Bradley. “Have the sheriff bring the car closer to the house. We’ll wrap Stephanie in the quilt, and the two of you can make a run for it.”

“No. My father didn’t raise a coward,” Stephanie said. “I have to go. It’s me he wants.”

 Stephanie ran to Thomas and put her cheek, wet with tears, next to his. “You’re my rock, Thomas. You’ve always been my rock. If I don’t come back—know that I love you, and only you.” And then her lips brushed his—sweet and gentle.

Stephanie knew what Thomas didn’t know—they were Star-Crossed lovers.

“Don’t go,” he cried out in a cracked voice. “We’ll fight this together.”

Bradly tried to stop her, but she broke through his hold. 

“My father didn’t raise a coward,” she yelled, as she tore down the steps, out the door, and into the mob.

All hell had broken loose.