“There was another way,” she snapped. “But you chose the path of deception instead. This is where that path has brought you.” She closed my fist around the whip handle. “Do what must be done.”

Do what she asks, Grace. It will keep you safe.

“Honey, look at me,” my mother said, and I did, the whip heavy in my hand. “Let me take this burden for you.” Tears streamed down her cheeks.

Listen to your mother.

“Now, Grace,” Rose said, shoving me forward.

My mother gave me a confident nod, then turned around so only her back, barely covered in the thin material, was facing me. I stood frozen.

“Now, Grace!” Rose shouted.

With tears streaming down my face, I raised the whip over my head. “Forgive me,” I whispered to the sky, to my mother, to God. “Forgive me.”

I brought my arm around and watched the long cord strike my mother’s back. She moaned, and blood immediately began to soak through the material over her back.

“Again,” Rose said.

Again I raised my arm and brought it down. Another crack. Another bloodcurdling moan. The blood began to spread through her thin gown. The rest of the world faded from my view.

“Again!”

Again I brought the whip down. And again, and again, and again. My mind went numb as it retreated to protect itself.

By the sixth lash, my mother could no longer support her own weight, and she hung like a sack on the end of that rope.

“Again!”

“Please, I can’t,” I sobbed, falling to my knees. “I can’t . . .”

Claude’s large hand reached down and swiped the whip from my grasp. Without missing a beat the lashing continued, harder and with more intensity. Over and over, each blow landed against my mother’s unresponsive body.

I wept on my knees, grasped chunks of earth between my fingers. “Please, you’ll kill her,” I cried.

But there was no relief. The forty lashes lasted for an eternity, and I knew then what eternal hell must be like.

And then it stopped.

I glanced up through my teary gaze and saw Rose had lifted her hand.

“Tie her up.”

Tanner scooped me up and carried me to the second rope. He yanked my hands up and tied my wrists tightly to the rope. I didn’t feel anything except torment for my broken mother. The world went dark as a hood was thrown over my head.

“You will spend the night out here in the dark contemplating your sins,” Rose said close to my ear. “I hope in the morning you will understand the weight of your choices.”

“My mother,” I croaked. “Please, she needs help.”

But there was no response.

“Please!” I called out again. I could hear them leaving.

I couldn’t see anything. I couldn’t feel anything.

I could only hang there and weep.

Chapter
Thirty-Three