The Urge - Part 15

Wilma was exhausted as she hurriedly threw her shawl on and rushed out the back door. She and Dorn had been up late and she hadn’t gotten much sleep before being woken up by the banging on her back door. 
Andrew’s mother was franticly pulling on her to run faster. Andrew had been found and the village relied on Wilma to know what to do. 
Wilma was rushed past the crowd of people into the small cabin that Andrew and his mother called home. She placed her hand over her mouth and squeezed her brow into the best look of sadness and shock she could muster. 
It wasn’t that Wilma was glad Andrew was dead. She had once enjoyed his company. Andrew’s mother was a close friend and for that reason Wilma was sad. But not shocked. Dorn liked the killing part and Wilma was better at burning the satanic symbol into the cabin floor. 
Wilma sat and comforted her friend for the better part of an hour. She wanted to allow the village time to assemble outside. 
When Wilma decided it had been enough, she pushed the woman into another’s arms, and stepped outside. 
Wilma placed the look of grief back on her face and addressed the people gathered there. 
“Andrew…is dead” she said haltingly. 
In the dim morning light, she could see many of the woman weeping. This is exactly where they needed to be. 
Wilma made quick eye contact with Dorn standing in the back and continued. 
“Andrew was innocent. Andrew was…pure” Wilma choked back tears. “God has spoken to me this morning and he is angry!”
Wilma saw a few nods coming from those gathered before her. 
“We are a selfish and hard hearted people. Are we to deny God what he desires?!” 
“Have we not given enough?” A man asked.
“Enough? Would you like to see the body? Do you speak against God’s will? If it had been enough Andrew would still be alive today. God’s hand has left this village once more and he has handed us over to the devil. Hear now the words of God! Today at noon the village is to gather once more and give to him another sacrifice. Bring all you can spare! Money, jewelry, valuables and the best of your labors. We must not hold back!”
Andrew’s mother came out to the porch then and stood next to Wilma. 
“Please!” she begged “Give him what he wants!”
Wilma turned to her and before all embraced the widow. 
“This woman has lost her husband and two sons. Everyone here has lost someone dear to them. Gather at noon at the fountain and sacrifice to the Lord!”

* * * * *

The entire village was lined up before a chest that sat next to Wilma. As each one gave an offering, Wilma dipped her finger into a bowl of oil and anointed their forehead. 
“May God have mercy on you” she repeated. 
When the line had ended Wilma quickly closed the lid and placed a lock on the chest.
Wilma knelt before the chest and raised her arms to the sky. After a few moments of prayer, she turned to the crowd. “God has accepted your gift!” 
The crowd let out a collective sigh and the people seemed to relax a little bit. 
Wilma motioned and two men came forward to carry the chest. The men grunted slightly as they lifted it up and carried it out of the city.