The Meeting

 Susanna lit an old candle in the carved turnip, and

placed it by the cracked window, causing shadows
to dance across the log walls. Her dog, a small fawn and white terrier, pressed its nose against the damaged window, and shivered, and Susanna reached down and stroked her soft fur affectionately. Then, she squinted through
the glass with soft moss green eyes, and pushed a strand of dark auburn hair out of her line of vision. A cold wind was pushing dying red leaves
across the stone path. It was getting late!

She'd heard whispers of a mandatory town meeting. That meant of course  she had to attend, whether she wanted to or not. The consequences of not attending were almost as bad as the consequences of what transpired in the meeting. At least this way she was forewarned and could defend herself, for whatever good it did.
Dressing in layers, her dress in mostly shades of grey and black, but with an elegant emerald green cloak over it. With the thick cloak, she hoped to ward off the cold, as well as hiding most of her red hair from view with its hood. It would also insulate her against the disapproving glares of her neighbors, at the meeting.

She knew that her green cloak, her auburn tresses,  even the homemade rose perfume she wore, would cause her to incur the derision of the others at the meeting. But she wasn’t about to stop being herself, and looking like herself, at this late date.

At last the hour came that she could no longer avoid going to the town meeting, so she walked towards the door of her sparse cottage, preparing to leave. On impulse she picked up her beloved dog, and wrapped her in the folds of her green cloak. Other special belongings were sewn into the black and grey panels of her gown, as they always were, for protection and safety. Before she opened the creaky door to leave, she took a last look around. There was nothing else that she needed here.

She opened the door and stepped out onto the porch, then down the few steps to the ground. A heavy mist was falling and it was foggy. There was a definite chill in the air. She decided not to take her horse and carriage, as it was only a short walk to the common building, where the town hall meeting was being held. As she walked, she snuggled her dog close against her. “Don’t be afraid.”, she whispered to the small animal. “We will be fine. I promise.”

As they walked, the grey mist became heavier, but it still wasn’t really raining. Susanna clutched her dog, took a deep breath, and opened the door of the building where most of the town had already gathered. As she took her first step inside, a handsome man all in black, with equally dark hair and eyes, grabbed her arm. Her green eyes glittered, and she gave him a brief smile. “Miss, could I see you a minute, outside?”, he said in a tone that was loud enough for most of the townspeople to overhear. She nodded and followed him outside. He closed the door firmly after them, trying to make sure that none of the townspeople followed after them. They rounded the side of the building, and heavy fog and mist enveloped Susanna, the man, and her dog. By the time the mist and fog cleared, there was no trace of Susanna, the man, or the dog. It was something the townspeople would talk about for quite some time to come. Susanna had been a mystery. Indeed, most of the townspeople had presumed her to be a witch, anyway. But it was quite a subject of interest.