Now let's get back to The Betrayal by R.L.Stine!
Chapter 9
The next evening William Goode is hauling butt to the prison. For some reason he's still under the delusion that Matthew Fier will keep his word. Even the sheep are shocked and yell sheep gossip in his direction. Okay, it's not canon that's what happened but still...
During the day William couldn't find the will to do anything. He didn't eat or tend to his property. He just did nothing. But now that he thinks he'll see his family freed, he is moving at lightning speed. Once he is close to the prison he stops to catch his breath.
When he sees a crowd in front of the prison he thinks they have come to celebrate in his joy. Instead, of you know, thinking something is up. Matthew was wearing an amulet with a demon's claw on it and so can't be trusted. Especially since nothing has been stated about how he is overly helpful to wrongfully accused witches.
It's only when officers start appearing that William feels in the least bit suspicious about Matthew's claim to help him. The officers are followed by Susannah and Martha. Okay, William is an idiot as he actually isn't suspicious about anything even though all the evidence is pointing to the fact that Matthew betrayed him.
William runs towards them and is shocked when their hands are tied behind their backs. Really? Really, William? You didn't guess that the brother to the guy that burns innocent women lied to you? Really? Really, William?
William cries out to Martha when she is pushed. He tells her not to be worried as they will be released shortly. Susannah rightfully doesn't believe him and cries out for her father to help them. Why can't he see this is a really odd way for them to be returned to him? Why would the officers still be treating them as guilty if they were proved innocent?
Finally things start to click in the Goode father's head when his wife and daughter are pushed to the piles of straw. Susannah and Martha continue to cry out for help. William is shocked and cries out for the people to wait. But all that happens is someone stops him and says all they can do is pray for the souls of the Goode women.
But William won't accept that reality and continues to push his way forward while screaming at the top of his lungs. He only stops when he sees Benjamin directing the death of his family. William then moves to grab Benjamin and tell him about the deal with Matthew. But twist! It isn't actually Benjamin!
Who is it? Giles Roberts. The man promptly asks William to let go of him. The Goode man then expresses his confusion about what is going on. He is snapped into action when the officers go to light the straw. He tells Giles to stop the burning and asks where Benjamin is.
After Giles frees himself from William's grasp, he tells the grieving father that the Fier family fled Wickham before dawn.
Um...why did no one decide that the Fier family leaving the village so abruptly was suspicious? And, after finding the action to mean that the Fier family was guilty, why did no one decide to stop the Goode women from burning? Is watching women burn some sick fetish for the village?
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