Two guards forced me into a metal chair. Cold cuffs locked my hands and feet in place. I struggled, but they pressed a heavy helmet over my head.
A thousand tiny needles stabbed into my scalp, digging deep into my mind.
I screamed as my body shook violently. In that moment, it felt like my soul was being torn apart.
Even so, the crowd beneath the platform stayed furious. Rotten vegetables and spoiled eggs flew through the air, hitting the stage as they screamed insults at me.
“Fake friend! Rapist’s protector! Go to hell, you witch!”
On the big screen, my memories began to play in reverse. The first one appeared for everyone to see.
It was three days after Lizzy’s death.
They had dragged me to her wake. Everyone demanded that I tell them who the rapist was. Some spat on me, others threw stones.
One person yanked my arm so hard and then another pulled my hair until it was a tangled mess. Fists hit my body over and over until my whole body turned black and blue.
I ran away in fear, with the villagers chasing after me like I was the criminal. When I turned back, I saw smoke rising in the distance. My house was burning. Those people had set my home on fire.
I just stood there, helpless.