Annie was approaching Jane's house, hoping to get some of her tea that cleared up your sinuses. It worked just like Sudafed and lasted for a whole day and night. Wonderful stuff. Annie's little brother had horrible allergies that kept him from sleeping at night but Jane's tea cleared the little guy right up. It didn't taste very good, but he was good about drinking it fast once he figured out that he felt better afterwards.
Annie heard a woman's raised voice from around the corner. “You've got to do this for me!”
When the house came into view, Annie saw a young woman standing on the porch, her hand on the handle of the screen door, tugging on it. “Let me in and help me!” she was wearing a long flowered dress and had two books in her other hand. One was unmistakably a Bible, the other must be the Book of Mormon. Annie stopped just beyond the edge of the lawn.
Jane's voice drifted out “I don't do that. I don't even know how. I can tell you what herbs to use but I don't grow them. You've got to help yourself.”
“But it's a sin. If you do it then the Devil acted on me. Please, I can't do it on my own.”
“Did someone take advantage of you? Did someone trick you? You need to go to the police if that happened. You can go to Planned Parenthood. It's right across the street from the high school. They'll help you understand your choices. They'll help you if you weren't willing. But there's nothing I can do for you.” Jane's voice sounded concerned and sad. “DID someone take advantage of you?”
“Open the door you WITCH!” the girl began to bang on the screen, crying now. “I know you're the Devil's whore. Why won't you DO WHAT I SAY?! I'm a child of GOD! OPEN THE DOOR! ” her voice lowered “Please, I have to be clean so I can be married in the Temple. Please, please make me clean.”
“I'm so sorry, I can't. I don't do that. I don't know how. There's a handkerchief in your pocket. That's for you.” Jane slowly shut the front door, leaving the sobbing woman on the porch.
Annie turned and headed for home.
Annie heard a woman's raised voice from around the corner. “You've got to do this for me!”
When the house came into view, Annie saw a young woman standing on the porch, her hand on the handle of the screen door, tugging on it. “Let me in and help me!” she was wearing a long flowered dress and had two books in her other hand. One was unmistakably a Bible, the other must be the Book of Mormon. Annie stopped just beyond the edge of the lawn.
Jane's voice drifted out “I don't do that. I don't even know how. I can tell you what herbs to use but I don't grow them. You've got to help yourself.”
“But it's a sin. If you do it then the Devil acted on me. Please, I can't do it on my own.”
“Did someone take advantage of you? Did someone trick you? You need to go to the police if that happened. You can go to Planned Parenthood. It's right across the street from the high school. They'll help you understand your choices. They'll help you if you weren't willing. But there's nothing I can do for you.” Jane's voice sounded concerned and sad. “DID someone take advantage of you?”
“Open the door you WITCH!” the girl began to bang on the screen, crying now. “I know you're the Devil's whore. Why won't you DO WHAT I SAY?! I'm a child of GOD! OPEN THE DOOR! ” her voice lowered “Please, I have to be clean so I can be married in the Temple. Please, please make me clean.”
“I'm so sorry, I can't. I don't do that. I don't know how. There's a handkerchief in your pocket. That's for you.” Jane slowly shut the front door, leaving the sobbing woman on the porch.
Annie turned and headed for home.
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