The next day, I walked into town to the market to get some supplies. The news about Solomon had spread like wildfire. As everybody talked about it, all eyes were on me and there came the rumors, but this time, it was different. People started following me in the market, when I left out, and other parts of the town as I walked. They started circling me outside and I was asked:

“What have you done to Solomon?!”

“You killed Solomon!”

Then this insulting and threatening statement:

“You should be hanged for killing Solomon!”

But what really stopped me was this upsetting sentence:

“Solomon was a good man! He didn’t deserve to die!”

First off, I didn’t do anything to Solomon. Second, I’m not the one who killed him. Third, how could a person say that remark without thinking it through? This girl, Arlena Lano, is one of the youngest of the church goers. She became part of the band of women who gossip after Gina Redd, who was a friend of hers, died 2 years ago. Arlena is a couple years older than me; she’s twenty, and she was much nicer when Gina was alive, from what I remember. When Gina died, she changed, and she, out of all people, dared to say that to me. It infuriated me that she would say that about the person who assaulted not just me, but one of her best friends.

“A good man?!” I shouted. “Say that to Ruth-Ann! Bethany! Or Gina! Gina was one of your closest friends, Arlena! Do you really think she, or any of the other girls, would say he was a good man?! He was a liar and he lied to you all! He lied about me! You all really thought I came on to him? An 18-year-old coming on to a 46-year-old man?! He was also a manipulator and a predator, and you believed him?!”

I then looked at the crowd that formed. “All of you believed that lie he made?!” I ask them.

“WITCH!” Deloris shouts at me. “How dare you call Solomon a liar?! You’re the one who’s the liar! Those three were the same way as you!”

 Deloris Reed was always a gossip and a sycophant; a very pious one, too. Skinny build, a couple feet taller than me, fair skin with little wrinkles and short black hair with brown eyes. So unbearable to listen to when I used to go to church. Also, for one who has been divorced three times, this woman sees in black and white. I ignore her and continue.

“I’m sure those women voiced their concern at different points in time, but you never believed them! None of you did! You only believed what Solomon said and that was it! Just because he was the handyman of Tinton, nice to you all, and went to the church, he did no wrong in your eyes?!”

A hand hits my face which makes me fall to the ground. I hold my face as I look up to see Ramondo Scottley. He’s Chief Gino Surran’s second in command. Sketchy man. Tan skin, brunette hair with a goatee, muscular build, gray eyes and was only a few inches taller than me. I’ve always seen him drink and mess with women; harass them mostly. He and Solomon were close.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about, girl!” He shouts at me. “You sully the name of a man, the only one who decided to put up with you?! You better thank your lucky stars that he did, demon.”

Demon? That’s what he thinks of me? That’s what they all think of me?! I slowly stood up and looked at Ramondo dead in his eyes.

“Thank my stars? Thank my stars that he had his way with me?!” I counter. “Thank my stars that he lied about me?! Thank my stars that he did other people the same way?! You weren’t there! You didn’t see what he did! But then again, you didn’t care! He was a wolf in sheep’s clothing! Just like you are, Ramondo!”

He looked disgusted when I said that to him, like I knew a secret that isn’t supposed to be said aloud. I turn to the crowd.

“All of you are wolves in sheep’s clothing!” I continued. “You all are demons! The real devils! You never believed the girls that told you they needed help, and you shunned them away! You made them take their own lives just because they were different, or their lives were not as “clean” as everyone else’s was, or they didn’t go to church as much as you wanted them to! They were too dark skinned to be liked, or too sickly to be liked. Or like me, born from two people that were “outsiders” even though they were born here, so I’m tainted by default! What type of sense is that?!”

They were speechless, but I am not done yet. I look to Arlena.

“Arlena. Gina was your friend. I saw you both together a lot when we were younger. I’m sure she told you about Solomon, but you turned your back on her, because of your parents and those women. You didn’t help her at all.”

Arlena didn’t answer. She couldn’t even look at me anymore, so she knew I was right. I could only imagine the shame she felt. I look to Deloris.

“You! You are the worst hypocrite to ever listen to! You’re always in everyone’s business; always butting in and adding in what you think! Full of gossip like your group! You always think your way is right! You have ridiculed and belittled people you don’t like! Like Ruth-Ann Green. You and the rest of the women called her every name in the book just because she was a dancer and saying she always got around. I heard you used to do the same thing when you were younger. Then, you got married to your first husband and continued to do what you did. Then you got greedy and started cheating on all of the other husbands you’ve had. Then you decided to go to church to be on the “right side”, but you still aren’t. Are you still roaming around at night with different men?”

Her eyes widened with anger and was speechless. Then I looked at Ramondo.

“Now you…” I say pointing at him. “You are on the same level as Solomon along with my father. I heard that you’re a womanizer and an alcoholic. You’ve harassed many women, and you know those women won’t stand up to you.”

Ramondo looks at me with a mixture of anger, guilt, and nervousness on his face and hoped no one saw, or he hoped I wouldn’t tell the women’s names.

“They are here, and you know who they are.” I add. “You’ve ruined one girl’s life, but Solomon ruined it more than you did. Bethany Turner. Do you remember her?”

He couldn’t answer, of course. He didn’t dare to. I then look to everyone in the crowd with my finger still on Ramondo.

“You all were like him. Liars and sycophants. The real devils! No higher power would want any of you!”

They were silent. They never saw this side of me; nor have I. I feel… confident for the first time in my life. I turn away and start walking from all of them, but I was confronted by one of the elders that walked towards me, the preacher of Tinton.

“Talia Diamond!” He shouts. “What has gotten into you?!”

Levi Denby is his name. Big heavy man. Tall, too, olive skinned with balding salt and pepper looking hair. He hasn’t talked to me in so long. He stopped giving me advice before I started asking for his help, and that’s when I was 9.

“Elder Denby. I have tried my best to be good, just like the others here.” I explained. “I’ve tried to be nice and respectable to the others here. For a long time, I’ve done that, but still, no one, no one likes me. No one believes my words. Your flock is calling me a murderer, because of what happened to Solomon, and they want me dead. I was just attacked by Officer Scottley, and yet, you’re not reprimanding him. An older man assaulting a young woman just because she’s speaking her mind; telling her story and defending her statement. Wouldn’t our savior reprimand anybody that would harm or oppress his children?”

Elder Denby grunts with frustration.

“You, child, know nothing of what you’re talking about!” He shouts. “I will not hear this blasphemy any longer from your mouth!”

What he said hurt. He didn’t care. Well, I didn’t care what he said. Not anymore. I keep talking. He’s not going to stop me. None of them are.

“Everyone… has marked me as a martyr. A sin. Even you!” I retort. “They’ve all made me their punching bag! Even you! For 18 years of my life, this town has never accepted me. They just deal with me like I am a burden. You think the same way. You have lied to me. You call yourself a prophet, but you’re not. You and your “flock” would rather see me dead; like my mother, my father, and the others that are gone. They all were a part of your flock, but you never helped them. You let the majority eat them up until they’re nothing! You… are a fake!”

Shock and anger are written on his face, I couldn’t care less. I meant every word. I walked past him, the crowd, and headed home.

.  .  .  .  .

 As I walked home, I remembered all the words I said. Seth told me and helped with a couple of things when it came to Deloris and Ramondo. He really is the “tell all” type of entity. Meeting him only for a night gave me confidence. While I walk, I feel that someone is following me. I turn to my right and see Seth without his robe. He wore some type of leather armor over his shoulders and arms. Seeing him in actual view, his hair is black as mine, but it's longer, and it flowed in the wind. He’s a fit and muscular looking person with a well chiseled chest and abs.

 The look on Seth’s face is calm, like nothing could bother him and no one could hurt him. The look in his eyes could pierce through people if they wanted to along with his sharp tongue. He smiles at me, but I wouldn’t know if he was in a good mood or not. I’m sure he is.

“Confidence is flowing within you.” He says proudly. “You are beginning to learn about the hypocrisy of your fellow townspeople. I see that my information has helped out, and you are an observant woman when it comes to their actions. You have said a few discrepancies that I did not say to you, and you knew them. You, reminding Arlena about Gina is admirable, then saying the change in her personality. Due to Ramondo being close to Solomon, they are on the same level in harassment. Also, telling Deloris about her hypocrisy and her blind loyalty is well observed. But the one person I was surprised about that you pointed out was Levi A. Denby. All the people that hear his words are his loyal followers. They bend to his every word. Even the four other elders do, but not Tinton’s mayor.”

All of them are not who they say they are. I know that now. Then again, I’ve always known that. Seth just had to verify it for me. As we headed to my house, he stops me by my shoulder before I could reach my door.

“There still are things I must tell you about the townspeople, if you wish for me to.” He asks.

I nod in agreement.

“Also, I must show you something tonight.” He adds.

How he said it, it sounds like it’s important. I’m sure it was more about the people.

“It is about them. May we go inside to talk?”

I wasn’t in the right mind to talk yet, but soon, we could. I opened my door so we could go inside.