The children filed past Samantha one at a time to stand before the reverend. He gave them a crust of bread, calling it the body of Christ and a drink from a silver cup, calling it the blood of Christ. Then the children went to the back of the church, the boys and girls assembling in separate groups. Prudence went last, followed by Miss Brigham. She opened the church doors and led the children out, leaving Samantha alone with Reverend Crane.

"Come forward, my child," he said. She shuffled forward in her painful shoes and knelt down as the others had. He gave her the crust of bread and she stuck it in her mouth, nearly choking on the stale, tasteless crust. Then he held the silver cup out to her. It contained not blood or wine, but water. She took a sip as the others had and marveled at how sweet it tasted. She tried to stand, but the reverend told her to remain kneeling.

He left out the side door for a few minutes. When he returned, he carried a bucket of water and a scrub brush. "Now, my child, time to serve your punishment. Though you are new to our congregation, you must learn we do not tolerate those who stray from The Way."

"I'm sorry," she said.

"Words are meaningless, easily twisted by Satan. You must atone with your actions." Samantha took the brush from him and set to work scrubbing the floors. Reverend Crane watched her for a little while before going out the side door again. Samantha used the opportunity to drop the brush and search the area where she'd sat.

At first glance she saw nothing out of order. Then she looked more closely at a floorboard and found she could lift it up with no effort at all. Beneath the floor, she found the black snake the other children had used against her. She reached out gingerly towards it, but it never moved. She picked up the snake's form.

She considered finding the reverend to show him the evidence, but shook her head. He wouldn't believe her; he'd probably think she'd planted the snake herself. Samantha dropped the snake back into its hiding place and sat on the altar steps, wondering how this day could get any worse.




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