Work Text:
Peace and Prosperity
Scotland, 1683
The smell of dead fish and salt stung Joan’s nostrils as she waited on the loading dock looking at the largest shipping vessel she’s ever seen. The area was crowded with fellow travelers all in hopes of finding freedom in the new world. Joan’s eyes trailed over her 6 younger siblings, she was the oldest at 17 and was always annoyed with having to help look after them. She then glanced at her father, he was a man of no real substance or original thought. He was in every definition a true follower. Her eyes finally landed on her mother who tightly held a used brown leather bible, it was ultimately mothers’ choice to leave home. They were a Presbyterian family and the mother always said they would no longer be viewed as dissenters in America. Joan didn’t understand what her mother meant by this but believed her whole heartly.
After entering the ship, Joan watched the crew pull barrels, crates, and other supplies onboard. She made eye contact with one of the deck hands, he was much older with bronzed skin and unruly hair. “Is that really going to be enough for everyone?” Joan asked looking at the limited inventory.
“It doesn’t have to be... Not everyone will live to see the whole journey.” He said in an empty tone as he turned his back to her.
Below deck where the common population stayed was cramped, wet, dark, and had a rancid foul smell. She looked to her mother with a concerned expression and asked, “we are living here for 2 months?” Her mother hushed and embraced Joan and softly said “we will pray through this, our faith will keep us strong, pray for peace and prosperity and one day all our suffering will come to an end.”
It wasn’t long before a sickness started to infect the passengers and spread through the cabin. The disease spread by the rats, insects, and unhealthy conditions causing fever, vomiting, seizures, fatigue, and low survival rates. This disaster effected Joan’s family particularly, with her 4 youngest siblings who all passed away within days of each other. Joan had never heard true sorrow until she heard her mother’s wails and sobs over their loss. Her mother hugged her worn bible and screamed to the heavens to let all their suffering come to an end.
The mother grew weaker and frail in the following weeks until she too passed, this was from a broken heart. Father was the one who found the lifeless body and pulled the tear-stained bible from her hands. With swollen red eyes, he slid the book into Joan’s lap, with no words only a gentle nod. Once there is a death during the voyage, there is only one thing that can be done, that is to send the recently decease over board. Joan gently weeps as she and her family watch the crew handle the situation. Although Joan continues to cry, a numbness washes over her, she looks at her 2 remaining brothers. “Pray for peace and prosperity and one day all our suffering will come to an end.”
Finally, Joan, her father, and 2 brothers – Jack 10 years old and Jacob 15 years old arrive in the new world. It’s a bittersweet victory and her father begins finding alliances with the fellow settlers to start building a life. With the winter months approaching quickly everyone must work together to survive. Joan’s family was given a small plot of land on the edge of town and the pilgrim group quickly erected a single room cabin for the family with a small barn. While in the field assisting with another build Joan’s father grabbed his chest, losing all balance and control. The neighboring settlers rushed to his side, ultimately, he became another casualty. The towns folk all said it was due to a bad heart, Joan held her brothers and reiterated her mothers’ words “pray for peace and prosperity and one day all our suffering will come to an end.”
In the next few months Joan and her brothers were struggling to overcome their first winter. Jacob left early one morning to hunt. After not returning by nightfall, with the freezing temperatures dropping significantly after sunset, Joan ventured to the nearby homes to see if he took shelter someplace else. After no luck the village leaders chose to go in search of the boy. He was found in a nearby stream, succumbed to hyperthermia. They theorized that he may have been getting a drink and fell in or tumbled on a steep hill further upriver and was caught in a current. Either way Joan didn’t care about the details as Jack tensely whimpered and held her tight. Joan whispered in his ear “let us pray for peace and prosperity, may all our suffering come to an end.“
By January there was simply just not enough resources for everyone. Joan and Jack ration to the best of their abilities; however, they didn’t have the skills needed for this new lifestyle that they were thrown into. Joan woke up to a blue lit morning to find Jack unable to wake. Joan screamed for him with no response. Both of her brothers’ bodies were buried in the sandy banks of the shore, there was no other option with the frozen ground. With a heavy grief-stricken heart, she grabbed for the family bible and traced her fingers over the leather bindings and prayed to finally find peace and prosperity in this new land, may all her suffering come to an end.
Joan survived. It was now spring in the new world, and she couldn’t believe how beautiful this land seemed after all the tragedy she overcame. She knew she alone had to begin planting a garden immediately to be able to endure another year. Once the crops began to grow, she was ecstatic and for the first time since she left her motherland, she was satisfied and content. Joan was feeling dignified, spirited, and whole. She danced and sang a thankful prayer that all her suffering had came to an end.
That night an unusual cold snap came in from the coast, Joan was trying to keep the fire burning for light and warmth. As she tossed the last piece of wood onto the fire, she knew she would have to make a trip out to the barn for more kindling. Joan once hated to leave her home after dark, now felt confident given her newfound success. She stepped into her boots and grabbed a large basket, then headed into the full moon night.
The wind blew in from the East carrying an unfamiliar fragrance with it. Joan took in a deep breath trying to recall where she could place this unrecognizable perfumed air. The primordial scent was that of a damp mineral aroma, similar to inside of a cave. She continued to gather wood when she heard a sharp crack coming from the tree line. Squinting her eyes and trying to focus on the source of the sound.
From the darkness a shadowless figure crawled with a contorted formed. Thinly stretched skin that held a dark grey hue with long lose strains of silver hair framing the ghouls face. Nothing more than a mindless, animated corpse with a vengeful glare. With a gasp Joan fell backwards against the rough wood of the barn. She opened her mouth to scream, only to feel dry gravel and the loss of breath in the back of her throat. Rooted with fear, cold trails of tears stung her face. Again, she tried to scream, barely a whisper of a whimper escaped her lips. She felt the quicken pace of her heartbeat through her veins. This demon of the damned continued toward her humming an earthly growl. The creature now raising to stand on its hind legs, Joan could see clearly the silhouette was human-like with wings of flesh and stood almost 7ft tall. Towering over her proudly with tighten smile, enlarged hollow eyes, and near transparent lips, the moon light illuminated a yellowing glow of barbed teeth.
With a raspy ancient voice, the monster spoke in a tongue only Joan could understand.
“ …May all your suffering come to an end… “
Joan took one last inhale and slowly closed her eyes. Then she tilted her head back exposing her neck and in one swift movement the creature wrapped its arms around her and pulled their bodies together. The wings thrashed and pushed them off the ground into the moon light as the vampire encased its mouth on the crook of her neck. Then dropping Joan’s body and continuing to fly into the night.
The next morning the villagers found Joan depleted of blood and questioned the visible wound on her throat. They carefully and quickly wrapped her and when the buried her they prayed “may the lord take you in his arms, may he welcome you in the kingdom of heaven, may you never suffer again.”