The witch war has begun, and Mercy
wrote her accusation of liar in flames.
Mary prepares the men. She tells them
that this will be their greatest battle. It is clear what must be
done, they will end it here. She leads them into the woods, with
torches in hand, down to the pit where the dead lie. She gives the
signal, and they pour the oil on the sleeping girls, and the dead.
They throw their torches down onto the girls. Mary calls them
witches, tells the men to kill them, kill them all. The girls scream
in agony. Mercy screams as all of her girls dies. Mary tells her that
she wanted war, and now must taste it.
In the morning. John prepares to leave,
the shaman gives him a blade. He also gives him something to protect
his eyes from the witches, and tells him to use them carefully, that
these things take a toll on the soul.
Mary makes a pretty speech in front of
the church giving them an update. Mercy Lewis and the daughters of
the Salem went too far. They fell into darkness, and slayed two
elderly beggar women. They started a war on the people, and had to
pay the price. It is up to them what sort of land they will live in,
heaven on earth or hell.
Mary takes the ashes in her hands,
crumples them.
She says a spell in her room, but
Tituba reminds her that although pretty, words without blood are only
air. Mary pricks her finger, and tells Tituba to cease her harping.
She sets the clock into motion, the clock over the puritans. Tituba
reminds her that if she fails she will never have her son. Mary has
the plan all worked out. The comet will come, the cracks will be
filled with hell blood, and the gates will open. She tells Tituba to
not worry, and trust her for once. Tituba points out the flaw in her
plan. She trusted the Mallum to Issac, and he's waking. He'll tell
the handsome doctor how the pox began and ruin everything. She gives
her a vial to fix her mistake for good.
Mary heads to visit the good doctor.
There are many sick, and many will die before this whole thing is
through. But Issac has somehow survived, and he's waking. He calls
for Mary. The Dr. brings Mary to see Issac, hopeful that he'll be
able to tell him how the pox started. She asks for a moment alone.
She pours her vial into a nearby glass. He wakes and sees her,
apologizing. He thinks he brought on this death because he didn't do
as she told him, if he had done as she said none of this would have
happened. Mary tells him it is her fault for putting him in such
danger, and to not speak of this again. He asks for a drink, and she
knocks it over, apologizing and rises to get him a fresh one.
From the ashes one rises.
George Sibley sits in silence. Mary's
boy stands before him. He grabs a pin, and drives it beneath George's
big toe nail. George gurgles in pain but can do little else. The
little boy prepares to poke George in the eye. Tituba stops him, and
tells him not to let his mother catch him playing like that.
Mr. Hawthorne pays Anne a visit. She
thanks him for whatever kindness he intends, and tries to excuse
herself, but he welcomes himself into her house. He is impressed by
her father, no one can replace him, but he seems bent on trying. He
babbles on about the deceased Hale as Anne makes him a cup of tea. He
speaks of the fortunes that Hale made, noting that he knows no other
Hales in the old world. Anne tells him that no other Hales made the
crossing that she knows of. Hawthorne looks to pounce, Anne is the
sole recipient of her father's legacy. The man she chooses to trust
with her well being will be the most important man. He trusts she
will choose the right person. Where Cotton Mather when you need her.
The slimy Hawthorne kisses her hand and his nose begins to bleed.
Anne is barely able to keep her powers in check as the china rattles
around her. He claims its the dry air that caused the bleeding, and
promises to come for her at another time.
Anne asks where the coaches are
heading, wishing to purchase travel. She doesn't have a permit and
cannot go anywhere. Permits are being issued to try to prevent the
spread of the pox. She'll need to get one from the Selectmen or Mrs.
Sibley to travel. Tituba approaches her, and Anne assumes that Mary
sent her. Mary did not, but she thinks that Anne needs to learn the
virtue of patience. Anne doesn't think she should speak to her of
virtue. Anne detests everything that she and Mary are doing to the
town. Tituba hates some of the things that Mary is doing as well, but
thinks that Anne would be better off staying and learning from Mary.
Anne just needs to get out. She just wants to be anywhere but in
Salem.
Anne heads back home, since she is
unable to leave. She's hears something in her house and heads towards
the noise. Up in her father's study, the mask ratttles. When Anne
touches it it ceases. Instead of fearing the mask this time, she
smiles as she picks it up. Just as last time, the mask jumps onto her
face, and takes her to another. It leads her to Mather's door. Cotton
answers her knocking, surprised to see her there.
John walks the woods. He finally
ditched the awful locks, but doesn't look like he's found a bath
anywhere. Petrus spots him. The end of the world is upon them he
tells John, when the dead walk. John asks what he is, and Petrus
introduces himself. He doesn't claim to be a witch, but he showed
Mary his funeral. He is on no side. He tells John to come. Alive or
dead he is the most wanted man in the colony.
More succumb to the pox, and the dead
are carted away. The reverend admonishes Doctor Wainwright for taking
away one. Sam tells them that the bodies must be removed to keep the
town healthy. Mary told him of the crag, and that is where the bodies
are being dumped. The reverend points out that Sam may be responsible
for the health, but he is responsible for the soul. Mary approaches
the trio. She doesn't think that its a good idea for them to be
arguing in public, the people look to them for guidance. Hawthorne
asks if she ordered the bodies of good puritans to be dumped into the
crag like slaves and common criminals. Mary points out that they are
living in desperate times, which call for desperate measures. Sam
points out that the bodies have to be taken away from the town, and
the wells, to keep the pox from spreading.
More bodies are dumped down into the
crag, to join the ashes of the burned. One watches the wagon from
below.
Petrus leads John to his home, glad
that he was not sent back unarmed. In his possession he has a witch
dagger to kill, a stone to see, and a medicine bag to remain unseen.
He should know he's been hiding al his life. John asks how many
witches there are in Salem. Petrus remains coy. One or one hundred,
there may be many. John wants a more exact count, he plans to kill
them all. Petrus knows the ones that John knows. Mary Sibley, Tituba,
Magistrate Hale, he cannot say more. Petrus is of no worth John
thinks. Petrus tells him that there is one less witch, Hale has died.
John holds a knife to Petrus's throat. He needs more information.
Petrus tells him that Salem will need another Magistrate soon, and
Mary looks to place another of her hive in that seat. If he finds who
Mary is backing for Magistrate then he finds the next witch in line.
Petrus nods in agreement, and John slits his throat.
Cotton gets Anne a cup of tea, happy to
see she can still smile. The smile falls from her face as he asks
what brings her to town, if her father is in town for a visit. Anne
breaks into tears, and Cotton's windows fly open. He runs to close
them, as she tells him that her parents are dead of the pox, its like
the Devil has descended on the town. Cotton knows that the pox is
because of the Grand Rite being completed, and its something that the
others cannot ignore. Anne doesn't want any others looking into the
matter, she wants Cotton. Cotton tells her that he is banned from
even speaking about Salem, and he cannot go back. Maybe in a month
the Elders will reconsider. Anne knows that they do not have that
much time. She begs him to return to Salem. Cotton sees only failure
in all of his actions in Salem. Anne is the one that was filled with
doubts, and it was his faith that helped her. It pains her to see him
so full of doubt. Since his father's death he is full of doubt, even
doubt in witches. Anne grabs him hands, telling him to never doubt
the fact that there are witches. Cotton wonders what has happened to
Anne since he left. A knock at the door draws Cotton away. It's the
Countess, another surprise visitor. The Countess has brought a basket
of goodies, and he introduces the pair. She wants to hear everything
about her, as she speaks, the countess speaks in her head. She
thought she smelled a witch in Boston.
Anne wakes up in a bathtub in the
forest. The Countess has brought her ”within.” They're having a
nice little chat in Anne's soul. Anne asks who she is. The Countess
has had many names throughout time. She is the last of the first, the
last of the true witches. She wants to help her discover her true
self. She was surprised to hear that the weakest of the witches, the
half blooded Essex witches managed to complete the Grand Rite, and
now she wants to know who it was. Anne tells her that she doesn't
know, but the Countess tells her not to lie to her ever. Anne
maintains that she does not know, she knows nothing of the witches,
and until recently she didn't know who she was. The Countess sees
that she is telling the truth, and she doesn't even know what she
knows. The Countess tells her that she is no mere Essex witch, and
she should ask her father more, but Anne tells her that he is dead.
The Countess tells her that they must all murder their mothers and
fathers it is the way. She thinks it is wonderful that she gets to
discover all. When she learns to speak to her father again, she will
learn much. The Countess pulls her into a kiss, bloodying her lip,
and Anne is brought back to herself. The Countess tells Cotton to
bring Anne to dinner. Everyone will be so happy to meet her.
John swims to the docks, and kills a
man. He struts into Knocker's Hole.
Mary watches from her balcony. She
notices a light in the house across the way, John's house, and heads
over for a closer look. She goes upstairs and finds Sam Wainwright
inside. He grabs her by the throat, surprised to see her. He knew she
was strong but not that she was so brave as to confront a burglar.
She admits she thought it might be the previous occupant. He was a
man she knew all her life, and had no reason to fear him. Sam tells
her that he was braver than he thought, since he was told the house
belonged to the King of the Witches, John Alden. Mary never believed
John could be a witch, and with good reason. Sam is there since
Hawthorne told him the house was empty, and seized due to witchcraft,
and he should use it. Sam makes sure that it does not bother Mary if
he would take the house. Hawthorne is right for once, he should take
the house. Sam notes that Mary does not like Hawthorne, she likes him
no more than he her. Hawthorne doesn't like strong women. Dr. Sam
Wainwright on the other hand does. He admires the strength in women,
noting that if men had to deliver children out of openings so small
in their own bodies, the earth would be a cold dark place. He notes
that Mary looks as though she has known pain intimately, maybe in the
room their in. Mary tells him that her pain is like her body, hers
and hers alone. She bids him goodnight. John watches her leave his
house from the shadow. Looking up ominously at his home's new
occupant.
Cotton shows Anne to a room for the
night. He has never slept in the master bedroom, even in his father's
death he has not felt comfortable sleeping there, and prefers his old
room. Anne asks again if Cotton will come to Salem. He will, no
matter what the Elders do to him for breaking their banishment.
The Countess's son brushes her hair,
asking her what Anne tasted like. She tasted like Lemons and Honey,
pure sugar. He kisses her trying to get a taste, just a tiny taste
remains. He asks what else she learned besides the sweet taste of
her. Anne knew, and didn't, that Mary lead the Grand Rite. Sebastian
figured that it would have been Hale to have completed the Grand
Rite. He was charming, and cultured, but not capable of leading the
Grand Rite. He was a survivor, but too full of guilt to have taken
the chance. Mary on the other hand must be something special indeed,
not willing to just survive. Sebastian finds her fascinating, and
wants to meet her soon. The Countess tells her that they have to
wait, they're not exactly welcome among the Puritans. They should
take the time to find out more about Mary before they go to Salem.
Sebastian shows the Countess the present that he got for her, a poor
girl all tied up.
The bodies in the crag deteriorate
rapidly. Mary watches from one of her globes, congratulating herself
on an excellent day's work. They are well underway. She tells George
that they have no clue what is happening. It's going to be the death
of all of them, and a new life for the witches.
Mercy makes her way into the town.
The Comet will be there soon, the blood
will fill the cracks in the crag. For once the Puritans will be
correct, the comet will be a sign of their doom. Tituba bursts in the
room, congratulating her mistress on a job well done. As a reward,
Tituba gives her a small taste of what she will have when her task is
complete. She takes her to the other room where her son is sitting in
a tub awaiting his bath.
Mercy creeps up on the Reverend who is
reading into the night.
Happily, Mary bathes her child
promising that soon they will be together day and night. He asks he
when. When her work is complete and all the world is her. She kisses
him gently on the forehead, and he grabs her for a different sort of
kiss. She pulls away.
Mercy lets herself inside of her former
home, calling to her Father. His baby is home, his burned up, raspy
voiced baby and she's has a shiny knife in hand.
