Perfection
The Trial
Tama was dragged by her arms all the way to the center of Tay; to the Main Square. There, all of the residents had gathered around to see what the fuss was all about. A Public Punishment was about to take place. There were people in the crowd who saw it as entertainment. Yet, the majority of the crowd that had formed is required to go. The Seven believe that their people only learn by example; and Public Punishment was the ultimate example.
Public Punishment is one of the darkest things Tay does to its people. It is a ritual that does not often happen, due to seeing past Punishments. It happens every generation or so to teach the growing children what happens when people go against their Leaders.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Elizabeth, one of the Seven, grandmother of Finn, called to the crowd. There was silence, but with a glare from the woman, a small and barely audible applause started and died quickly. With a seemingly satisfied smile, she continued. "You were all called here today to witness a Punishment. The culprit? Tama of Tay." She waves her hand to Tama who was standing off to Elizabeth's left. There was a stir in the crowd. No one expected her to be in this kind of trouble. Sure, she wasn't perfectly good, but no one thought her to be a criminal.
"She has committed one of the most offensive crimes against Tay. She has committed treason." After she said this, Tama's arms were snatched up by Guards and she was again dragged to be more in the center of the crowd, facing away from Elizabeth. "She is not worthy to be a part of this community. Which is why, after tirelessly discussing the matter with the other Six, Tama has been sentenced to death."
Immediately, signs of shock erupted in the faces of the crowd around her. Tama looked at all of them. They seemed like they wanted to do something, but no one came forward.
The beatings began and Tama's ears rang. One swing of a long, thick wooden stake to her back and she was on her knees. Words escaped her, her breath disappearing, when another strike landed on the side of her stomach, her ribs crying out from pain, and she was on the ground. It continued on like this, until a voice pierced the sound of her agony.
"Tama!"
That voice. Tama knew who it was. With tears choking her thoughts and invading her eyes, she whispered in a very weak voice, "Mom."
The crowd moved out of the way as the woman broke free of the mass of people and rushed to her daughter. Her hands flew to Tama's face, sputtering notions of comfort, asking if she was okay, and promising to help her. Tama nodded but broke down inside. Though her mother was able to help her many times before, this battle could not be won. No one walked away from a death sentence here. No one.
"Devil!" Linda cried out against Elizabeth as she stood up. "I know what really happened to Warren! I know what you did! You and your other spawns of Satan." She turned to the crowd and shouted. "They killed him! They did it! I saw them! They and that little bitch Aria threw him off the bridge into the river just a mile from here. I didn't even know it was Aria until recently, when she betrayed us to the Seven."
There was a murmuring of suspicion in the crowd. They were shifting. But to what side?
It was clear when Elizabeth started to laugh. Laugh. She cackled until she had the entire crowd's attention. "Madwoman!" Her voice rang out in the crowd. "He did that to himself, dear Linda. It seemed like he couldn't handle his life anymore, poor soul." she said in mock-pity.
"Why should we trust her?" someone from the crowd shouted. Some of the people around this stranger shouted their agreement. The rest of the people looked down or away.
"She is speaking in lies."
"Aria" Linda snarled and then moved back to Tama.
Aria raised her hand, asking for Linda to relax. "I know the truth. I know what happened. Because I was there. Wasn't I, Linda?" Aria addressed her.
Wary, but hoping to be able to protect her daughter, she nodded. "I saw you there. I left the house when I heard the cry and saw Warren leaving as well-"
"Then you know what happened, didn't you?" Aria asked. Again, Linda nodded slowly. Aria, with a calm and cool stance, faced the crowd. "People of Tay, Warren did not jump into the river. Neither was he murdered by the Seven."
Confusion overtook the crowd as well as Tama and Linda. With one last look of spine-chilling success from Aria to the mother and daughter huddled together, the fair-haired girl looked so different from the sea of people before her shouted out, "Tama tricked her father into going outside that night!"
The crowd was in an uproar. Gasps echoed throughout the crowd.
"Linda pushed him into the river!"
The mother was being yanked away from her daughter, as the beatings continued against Tama.
Aria's shouts was resounded by the crowd, "Kill them! Kill them!"
Public Punishment is one of the darkest things Tay does to its people. It is a ritual that does not often happen, due to seeing past Punishments. It happens every generation or so to teach the growing children what happens when people go against their Leaders.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Elizabeth, one of the Seven, grandmother of Finn, called to the crowd. There was silence, but with a glare from the woman, a small and barely audible applause started and died quickly. With a seemingly satisfied smile, she continued. "You were all called here today to witness a Punishment. The culprit? Tama of Tay." She waves her hand to Tama who was standing off to Elizabeth's left. There was a stir in the crowd. No one expected her to be in this kind of trouble. Sure, she wasn't perfectly good, but no one thought her to be a criminal.
"She has committed one of the most offensive crimes against Tay. She has committed treason." After she said this, Tama's arms were snatched up by Guards and she was again dragged to be more in the center of the crowd, facing away from Elizabeth. "She is not worthy to be a part of this community. Which is why, after tirelessly discussing the matter with the other Six, Tama has been sentenced to death."
Immediately, signs of shock erupted in the faces of the crowd around her. Tama looked at all of them. They seemed like they wanted to do something, but no one came forward.
The beatings began and Tama's ears rang. One swing of a long, thick wooden stake to her back and she was on her knees. Words escaped her, her breath disappearing, when another strike landed on the side of her stomach, her ribs crying out from pain, and she was on the ground. It continued on like this, until a voice pierced the sound of her agony.
"Tama!"
That voice. Tama knew who it was. With tears choking her thoughts and invading her eyes, she whispered in a very weak voice, "Mom."
The crowd moved out of the way as the woman broke free of the mass of people and rushed to her daughter. Her hands flew to Tama's face, sputtering notions of comfort, asking if she was okay, and promising to help her. Tama nodded but broke down inside. Though her mother was able to help her many times before, this battle could not be won. No one walked away from a death sentence here. No one.
"Devil!" Linda cried out against Elizabeth as she stood up. "I know what really happened to Warren! I know what you did! You and your other spawns of Satan." She turned to the crowd and shouted. "They killed him! They did it! I saw them! They and that little bitch Aria threw him off the bridge into the river just a mile from here. I didn't even know it was Aria until recently, when she betrayed us to the Seven."
There was a murmuring of suspicion in the crowd. They were shifting. But to what side?
It was clear when Elizabeth started to laugh. Laugh. She cackled until she had the entire crowd's attention. "Madwoman!" Her voice rang out in the crowd. "He did that to himself, dear Linda. It seemed like he couldn't handle his life anymore, poor soul." she said in mock-pity.
"Why should we trust her?" someone from the crowd shouted. Some of the people around this stranger shouted their agreement. The rest of the people looked down or away.
"She is speaking in lies."
"Aria" Linda snarled and then moved back to Tama.
Aria raised her hand, asking for Linda to relax. "I know the truth. I know what happened. Because I was there. Wasn't I, Linda?" Aria addressed her.
Wary, but hoping to be able to protect her daughter, she nodded. "I saw you there. I left the house when I heard the cry and saw Warren leaving as well-"
"Then you know what happened, didn't you?" Aria asked. Again, Linda nodded slowly. Aria, with a calm and cool stance, faced the crowd. "People of Tay, Warren did not jump into the river. Neither was he murdered by the Seven."
Confusion overtook the crowd as well as Tama and Linda. With one last look of spine-chilling success from Aria to the mother and daughter huddled together, the fair-haired girl looked so different from the sea of people before her shouted out, "Tama tricked her father into going outside that night!"
The crowd was in an uproar. Gasps echoed throughout the crowd.
"Linda pushed him into the river!"
The mother was being yanked away from her daughter, as the beatings continued against Tama.
Aria's shouts was resounded by the crowd, "Kill them! Kill them!"