"She can't stay here. This is her fault," Phyllis said. "Her and her stupid books got us in trouble."
"They were Miss Brigham's books. And you didn't seem to mind when Samantha was reading them to you," Prudence said with a venom Samantha had never heard in her voice before.
"We didn't know any better. She tricked us like the reverend said. She's evil," Phyllis said.
Prudence took Samantha down the aisle and into the room where she had first woke up in Eternity. This time she had to lie on her belly, her head facing the wall. The pain in Samantha's back continued to burn like a plate of hot coals. Prudence brought a damp cloth to dab at her wounds.
"You don't have to do this because you feel guilty," Samantha said. "It's not your fault."
"I'm doing this because I'm your friend. Friends look after each other," Prudence said. She left the room for a few minutes, returning with her pallet. She sat by Samantha's side, moistening the cloth as needed.
Then came the sound of a hammer pounding near the window. "He's locking us in," Samantha said. Prudence went to the window and reported that Mr. Pryde had boarded up the windows. She went to the door in the main room and found it blocked as well. "We're trapped," Samantha said. She tried to get up, but the pain in her back made it too difficult.
"Lie still. The reverend will let us out in the morning."
Samantha wanted to argue, but didn't have the energy for it. She fell into a deep sleep, waking later to the sound of the whip in her ears. She gasped until the stiffness in her back reminded her of where she was. Rebecca had taken over for Prudence, who slept next to Samantha. "Are you all right?" Rebecca asked.
"I've been better," Samantha said. She tried a smile, but it turned to a wince a moment later. "Thank you for asking."
"Could you tell me a story?" Rebecca asked.
"I don't have a book."
"Please?" another voice pleaded. Samantha turned her head a little and saw that the other toddlers had brought in their beds. "We can't sleep without a story."
This time a smile took root on Samantha's face, erasing the pain from her back. "All right," she said. "There once was a beautiful princess named Rebecca-"
"No fair!" one of the girls shouted.
"A beautiful princess named Rebecca who lived in a tower at the top of a mountain so tall it was higher than the clouds," Samantha began.