As the pendulum swung back and forth she found herself wondering if this, in fact, was the end for her; the end she had hoped would come much later in life.

Every swing brought death closer and closer to her pale, Irish skin. A slight breeze wafted through the large crack in the door and brought the sweet smell of lilacs to her nose. Oh! How she would miss the deep purple lilacs in her own garden.

She strained against the chains holding her down on the cold metal table but to no avail. If only there was some hero that would just break through the window and save her before it’s too late!

The pendulum was now low enough that she could feel it brushing against her skin. She knew that the next swing would take her nose with it.

For the split second until that point, she prayed; prayed harder than ever before. “I’m sorry I have sinned, Lord. Please forgive me!” She gained a calming feeling just as the pendulum came down for the last time.

The warm blood ran down her cheeks, “I’m sorry.”.