Nobody looks as if they want to speak. As I look to the right side of me, I see Seth isn’t next to me. I looked around my area to see if I could find him. I moved from the window I was looking through, to the front of the building where I found him in front of the town hall’s doors. He’s now dressed in different clothes that match the townspeople’s clothes. With his powers, I guess he’s able to manifest clothes out of nowhere to disguise himself. Pretty handy. He slowly looks to me with a cold look in his glowing eyes; I guess because of my rage and disappeared in a puff of black smoke.

“He went inside, did he?”

 I went back to the window to search for him to see if he was in the building; I found him. He was in the corner where no one could see him. The people are still silent with Mayor Morris now speaking again.

“Well? No one… wants to say anything? No one wants to… defend themselves on what… she claimed? What did she claim?” He asks the people.

I see Arlena standing up to answer. What is she going to say?

“Well, Mayor Daniels,” She speaks. “She claimed that I didn’t do enough for Gina. It was when I told Talia that Solomon was a good man, she went off and told me I didn’t do enough to help her. Because…”

I see she’s starting to tear up when she thinks of Gina. I guess she still does care about her, even though it’s too late.

“…Gina… told me that Solomon… had touched her and assaulted her in the alleyway near her house. She cried to me about it for over three months. And… I didn’t tell anyone about it… she tried telling people, but they didn’t believe her… She killed herself because of it… Do you know what? She was right. Talia was right, I should’ve done more… and deep down, I feel guilty that I didn’t help her out… Gina and I were close friends…”

I never thought someone would tell me I was right. I never thought I could even change Arlena’s mind, nor did I think she would listen to me, but she did. I see her look at her parents, Arnold, and Maureen Lano who are sitting two pews ahead of her. She looks upset at them.

“Mother. Dad. I remember telling you two about it, and what did you two tell me?” She asks them. “You can’t be friends with her anymore! You would say, Mom. I don’t want that bastard girl in my house! You would say, Dad. You two also called her a witch and a whore! You both also said you’d disown me if I ever took her side. Do both of you, or any of you, realize you use the same type of rhetoric that Talia has to hear every day when she comes into town?!”

Arnold stands up and looks to Arlena.

“That girl was sin incarnate and Talia is the same way!” He shouts at her.

“I don’t believe you, Dad! I don’t believe you at all! You say that because of how Gina was raised and how Talia was raised, too! Who are you to judge?!” She counters.

Elder Denby stood up from his seat and looked to Arlena so he could talk to her; Arnold decides to sit down for him to speak.

“Dear Arlena.” He speaks. “There is a wickedness inside of Talia. It is something that you are unable to understand.”

“Hold on a minute, Elder Denby!”

Someone else decided to speak and stand up. That someone was Delotti Morano. She is one of Ramondo’s victims. I never thought she would stand up to speak, but since everyone is airing out the issues, it’s a good time as any to do so.

“There’s something I can’t understand about you.” She continues. “How can you be such a hypocrite and you’re the preacher? You refused that girl when she asked for your help. You dismissed her like she was nothing. You’ve even did that to me when I told you about Ramondo and what he had done to me!”

I heard the crowd gasp and look either to Ramondo or Elder Denby. Another surprise, five more women stand up, Mandy Garner, Rachel Norman, Amanda Banley, Julia Tisley, and Loretta Torrance. They are Ramondo’s victims.

“Preacher,” Mandy speaks. “Ramondo did the same thing to us. Indecently exposing himself to us. Harassing us. Me, Delotti, Amanda, Rachel, Julia, and Loretta. He even did the same thing to Gina!”

“Talia Diamond was right.” Rachel adds. “Bethany was also assaulted by him and Solomon. When she tried to speak out against them, the same thing happened: being called a liar, being silenced, and getting called demeaning names. The end result of it was her taking her own life! No one thought of that as strange? When she died, many of you didn’t care at all! You all just went on with your lives.”

“Oh, please!” I heard someone say, it was a male’s voice.

  I see that it was Sampson Belle who spoke. Middle aged, muscular build with a beer gut, brunette hair with bits of gray; clean shaven, and tan skin. He’s always around Elder Denby. Another person that was full of himself and was very vain. He disregards anybody who doesn’t agree with him; Rachel being one of those people.

“The runt is still running around in this town and she’s not dead.” He continues. “My guess is she enjoys the attention; whatever attention she can get from the town. She needs some sense knocked into her to make her understand her place.” He speaks.

I have always hated him. He’s been a prick in my side just like Deloris and Laney.

“If that’s what you really think, Sampson, then you’re very dense.” Mandy counters. “Not only did this happen to Bethany, but it also happened to Ruth-Ann Green, Gina Redd, Claudine Wheeler, Tracy Dawns, Zoe Miles, and many more! You, Sampson, and many of you have turned a blind eye to those women! I’m sure if I, Delotti, Rachel, or anyone of us said anything about what we experienced, we would be called liars as well and be ridiculed to the point where we would take our own lives!”

“Also, I feel that Talia has tried to kill herself.” Amanda adds. “She looks like she’s on the verge of it, too. Every time she’s around here, I can see it in her eyes, and I know that look too well. So how about you, Sampson, sit down and shut the hell up? Because you don’t understand the gravity of this situation!”

“First off, you don’t tell me what to do! None of you wretched—”

I hear the gavel bang.

“Mr. Belle!” The mayor yells. “It would be best for you to sit down. I… don’t want to hear anything else from your mouth!”

Sampson did what he was told, and he looks so upset being told what to do, it’s so funny to me. I saw the mayor look at Ramondo with a stern face.

“Is this true, Officer Scottley?” He asks.

“Hell no!” He shouts. “I would never mess with any women especially it costs me my job! These women are lying through their teeth!”  

“Hey, Scottley! You better watch your damn mouth!”

 It’s Randall Garner, Mandy’s son, my age, who stood up angry when he heard Ramondo’s remark. As all of this was going on, I saw Seth in the corner have a smile on his face. He must be really enjoying this, so am I.

“Don’t you dare call my mother a liar!” Randall says. “Don’t you ever call any of them liars! I remember a couple of years ago when you came to our house. I saw you lift my mom’s skirt up to touch her. She told you ‘No’ and told you to ‘stop’, you sleazy alcoholic! Today, I saw you slap Talia—she didn’t touch you and called her a ‘demon’. Then, when she called you out on your crap, you knew she was right. You froze like the damn coward that you are!”

Even though Randall can be arrogant, he loves Mandy; she’s his mom, of course and I see he will do anything to protect her and her name. Everyone stares at Ramondo, and he stayed in his seat like a statue, I feel like laughing so hard right now. I then see the mayor glare at him; the mayor… was angry.

“Officer Scottley… I want to see you in the jailhouse in Chief Surran office tomorrow morning.” He demanded sternly.

“Yes, sir…” Ramondo replies in a low tone.