Chapter 1
~1905 Second Salem church~
The house was cold, making Credence shiver.
Beside him his older sister Grace humms a song to pass their time getting rid of weeds from ma's modest garden. And it helps. Grace's voice is soothing and cheerful, unlike mother's. Credence finds himself working in tune with the music, letting it guide him as he works. Unfortunately it doesn't take long for ma to come outside to check on the children. She hears the girl's quiet humming, which immidietally sets her off.
" How dare you! You stupid girl. " Mary Lou yells, grabbing Grace by the arm, roughly dragging her back to the church. Credence follows suit, trying to make as little noise as possible.
"Your voice should only praise the Lord, not indulge your sinful desires!" Mary Lou screeches, angrily taking hold of a leather belt. The same belt Credence would be made to wear years later.
" Stand before me, you foolish child and outstretch your hands. " Mary Lou's voice is soft now. A sign that punishment is about to be delivered. She brings the belt buckle down on Grace's hands. The burn sears into the girls skin, but she doesn't cry, instead she looks at mother with a defient look in her eyes. She will not let herself break.
Unable to watch any longer Credence turns away, quietly sneaking back to the garden to continue on his chores. When ma calls him back inside its already evening. Grace is nowhere to be seen. She isn't even sitting at the diner table. Credence wonders where she might be. Soon he gets his answer. When he is heading for bed that night, finally having managed to avoid punishment himself he hears terrified sobs from a small closet, located in the girls's room. He knows he shouldn't be there, but curiosity gets the better of him.
"Grace? " he whispers, confused.
"Credence " Grace's voice is hoarse, most likely from all the crying Credence figures. But there is also desperation in it entwined with terror.
" Please can you help me, I am scared. The darkness... its suffocating me. Everything hurts, please Credence. " the boy doesn't know what to do. He is just 4 years old so he fails to understand why ma had done this to his sister. She was just humming! He is about to go to his older siblings for help, but fear freezes him in place. He cannot dissapoint mother or the same fate will await him, so he leaves with tears prickling at the corners of his eyes.
"Sorry" he whispers, feeling helpless as he slips out of the room.
So Grace is left all alone, in the dark, cold closet. The welts from the whipping make it impossible to find a comfortable possition and her body shivers from the cold, seeping into her muscles and hardening them. Come morning she has no tears left to cry. Humiliation burning brighter than the pain as Mary Lou unlocks the small space and finally lets the girl out. Its dawn the next day. The sun shines through the window casting shadows along the walls. They seem terrifying and too close somehow, as if they are going to grab her, pull her back into the darkness. She finds she is unable to move, her body rigid with fear. What has happened to her? She had never been afraid of the dark before.
When she spots Credence hatred surges up inside her. She knows its not his fault, yet fails to push it away. She feels numb.
Credence runs up to her, excited to see his sister again, but she pushes him away, hard. Her gaze is unfocused as if going right through him. There is nothing but cold contempt on her face as she brushes past her little brother and leaves.