Justice
written by: Lori Marchesin
In the light of the sunset, the clearing seemed like an enchanted place, but for Marta, it was a stage of pain and vengeance. It was here that her little girl had met her end, her smile forever shattered by a man whom justice had missed.
She sat on a flat stone, as motionless as a statue. The wind whispered through the trees, carrying the scent of damp earth and the distant sound of a brook. But Marta heard none of it. Her focus was fixed on a single figure advancing among the trees.
The man arrived, his steps confident, his demeanor brimming with the arrogance of someone who feels invincible. His eyes met Marta’s, and for a moment, he hesitated. But then a scornful smile curled his lips.
“What are you doing here, old fool?” he asked, his tone mocking.
Marta did not reply immediately. She stared at him, her dark eyes as deep as bottomless wells. Then she raised a thin hand and pointed to the clearing, overrun with weeds and thorny bushes.
“Clean it,” she said firmly. “It is a sacred place.”
He laughed, a hard, hollow laugh. But when he tried to turn away, he realized he couldn’t. An invisible, irresistible force held him in place. His feet moved on their own, carrying him toward the center of the clearing. His hands bent down to pull weeds, the thorny branches scratching his arms, yet he couldn’t stop.
Panic crept into his eyes. He moved like a puppet, his body controlled by strings he couldn’t see. Marta watched him without expression.
The man ventured further into the clearing, toward a dangerous area. Here, the ground was infested with vipers, and Marta knew it. He advanced, driven by that mysterious force, until a scream tore through the air. A viper, slender and deadly, had bitten his ankle.
He fell to the ground, his face contorted with fear and pain. His eyes searched for Marta, pleading. But she was no longer there.
He looked up and saw a luminous figure rising toward the sky, as light as a breath of wind.
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