Reminders of a Broken Cross
~ 1907 Second Salem church ~
Verity and Credence are busy cleaning the upstairs rooms of the house. Verity is in mother's room carefully sweeping the floors and dusting the shelves. Suddenly a crash sounds. It is defeaning in the silent house. When the girl looks down she sees ma's porcelain cross, shattered beneath her feet. Panic wells up in her chest, making it hard to breath. Mary Lou is upstsirs in seconds. Already shouting.
" What on earth have you done ?! You are useless." She then grabs the girl's arm in an iron grip and all but drags her downstairs. She brings Verity to the fireplace, standing in the kitchen and heats up the porcelain shards over the flames. Dread pools in Verity's stomach as she watches mother. She has a bad feeling she knows what Mary Lou intends with her. She is right. The woman comes closer, taking Verity's hand into her own, holding it in place. She presses the white hot porcelain on the child's skin, burning it immidietally. Verity bites down on her lip. It is so unexpected she makes a small dent in the tender flesh, drawing blood. The irony taste of it fills her mouth and Verity has to stiffle a gag. Still, she doesn't cry.
"Let this be a reminder of your carelessness."
Mary's voice is laden with sharpness, like that of a searing blade. When she is satisfied with the damage she has done to the girl's arm, Mary Lou locks her up in the attick. With nothing but water for 3 days. While the physical pain dulls overtime, the emotional wounds remain. She marked me as a failure, Verity thinks as she finally lets the tears fall.
Even after she is released Verity still doesn't regain her former self back. She is very closed off now, afraid whenever she has to clean something, out of fear of the punishment repeating. She dares not come near the fireplace. Not even in winter.