Page 2 of A Curse On Black Lake
“I’ve had enough of this. Hang this man and be done with it,” Father commands Sheriff Sawyer.
“No! He’s done nothing wrong! He’s broken no law!” I scream at all of them. “If being in love is against the law, then hang me, too!”
“No! Cassandra, look at me!” Jasper says.
I spin around, and they drag him away. “I love you. I always will. Don’t let them win. Take care of both of you,” he says, still struggling to get out of the large men’s hold.
“This is wrong! Please stop this. This is your pride speaking, Mr. Jameson!” Pastor Lennox says.
“Pastor, I am protecting my daughter,” my father yells.
“You are not, sir!” Evander Greer says. “This is an egregious sin, Conrad Jameson! You are letting your vanity and ignorance rule you!”
He ignores them as the officers continue dragging Jasper to the hanging platform in the center of town, usually reserved for anyone who has committed a terrible crime, like murder.
Notlove.
I run after him and look for anything to help us, to keep this from happening. My father grabs me, and I push myself off of him and pull Sheriff Sawyer’s gun from his holster.
“Hey!” he yells.
I aim the revolver at my father. “Let him gonow!”
My father throws his head back and laughs. “You won’t shoot your father, girl. You’ll end up on the gallows alongside your love.”
“Then so be it,” I grit.
He laughs again, and I spin around and shoot the deputy holding onto Jasper. He lets go and falls to the wood angrily, holding his arm. I cock the revolver again, aiming at the other. The bullet whizzes over his ear, slicing the tip off.
Jasper takes his moment and pushes them off. “Run! I’ll find you. Get out of here!” I scream.
He hesitates. The protector in him wants to stay, but he can’t, and he knows that as he takes off. Wherever he is, I will find him. My heart will know the direction of his soul because we were meant to be one. We are written in the book of life, meant to be until we return to the dust from which we were made.
“Give me that,” my father says, trying to rip the gun from my hand. I fight, trying to aim it at him. I’ll do what I need to do to protect us.
“No!” I scream, stepping away to point the gun at him, but Sheriff Sawyer grabs my arms, binding them together, with the gun still clutched between my fingers. I scream, fight, and kickto break free, but it’s no use as my father takes the revolver from my hands and aims it at Jasper.
My ears fill with the most bloodcurdling, heart-tearing scream I have ever heard, and then I realize it’s me as my father pulls the trigger. I watch in horror as my sun, my moon, my heart falls to the ground,unmoving.
My body acts on its own, fighting to break free from the man holding me. He relents, and I gather my skirts, running to Jasper, but I’m too late. His eyes blink heavily as they stare at me. I sob, pulling his large body into my lap, holding him. “Stay with me, please, please don’t give up,” I tell him.
He blinks again, too weak to speak. He’s bleeding out in my arms.
“Someone help me!” I scream.
But no one comes.
I clasp his face as he stares at me. “I want to go with you. I don’t want to be here without you. None of it is worth it,” I tell him, pressing our foreheads together.
“I love…” Jasper trails off, wheezing.
His eyes drop as I feel his last breath caress my cheek, and I close my eyes, trying to remember it.
Lily places her hand on my shoulder, and I scream into the sky so loudly God can hear me.
And my sadness turns to anger in a single breath.
“You will all rue the day! I curse this land where you have spilled innocent blood. For generations, you will see death and blood. You will pay for what you have done!” I scream. “I will make you—”
