Anna screws her eyes shut. She had done her best to keep them open, fixed upon her parents as they prayed for her, along with the rest of the congregation. She had hoped her mother would look up to give her some comfort, some sign that Anna was forgiven, but Marion Oates did not. Anna had stared into Morrow's eyes as he spoke to her, and saw in them a new darkness that she had never seen before. She knew Morrow would have to touch her around her most intimate parts. The undergarment that offended God would have to be removed. She accepted that. It was her fault, after all, for wearing it to Church, a risk she need not have taken. She made no sound as Morrow pulled it off.
The rest, however, she did not expect. His touch sliding into her anus was rough. His finger almost grated in. She almost squealed, but bit the cry back. She had never had anything inside her. The spasm of her anal sphincter clamping down on Morrow's thumb was instinctive and uncontrollable. As Morrow thrusts deeper in, she yelps, a small, slight sound, like a puppy. It is inaudible over the chanting from the congregation. She squeezes her eyelids shut, suddenly panting.
Hot tears drip onto her hands as Morrow's voice sounds in her ears. She makes the only answer she cacano end this.
"Yes! Yes! I repent, Father. I repent. I deserve this! It's my fault. Please! Accept my repentance! For God's sake. Please!"
It is not just for God's sake that she pleads, but for herself. The pain in her anus is sharp and hot.
Morrow grins.
"Good," Morrow whispers. "Good, that you repent. You know you are a whore, don't you? You know that, I think. I can feel your filthy anus sucking at my thumb, like the mouth of a whore. Where did you learn to do that, Anna? Who taught you? If not the Devil himself."
Morrow's erection rages against his belly. He would like nothing better than to lift his robes and slap the sopping head of his cock against her sphincter, press it into the twitching muscle with both hands, drive it into the intense heat of her rectum, but he holds back.
Instead, he rolls his thumb inside her, making sure that it hurts. He feels her wince once, twice, thrice, before he pulled out.
He reaches down with his free hand and retrieves the thong from between Anna's feet. With his soiled hand, he flicks her skirt back down so it covered her up.
He turns the mic on again.
"Brethren. The sin is established. Satan's whore, filthy Jezebel, stands in our midst. Pray, brothers and sisters. Pray that we may retrieve young Anna from the Evil One's malign influence. Raise your voices! Shout to the Lord!"
The air filled with wild shouts and acclamations. Morrow seeks out the Verger, on his knees on the floor, hands clenched in prayer.
"Brother Rufus. To your feet. Bring me a vessel."
Rufus rises to his feet and ran off. He returns a moment later, carrying a brass vase-shaped container in his hands. He climbs up onto the stage, averting his eyes.
"Here, Father," Rufus says in a quivering voice. "The incense container. Will that do?"
Morrow drops the thong into it.
"Take it from here, Brother Rufus. Take it outside. And burn it. Scatter the ashes into the marsh. Say a prayer as you do it. Then cast the cursed vessel after it, and return with holy water. From the font."
As Rufus runs off, Morrow stepped in front of Anna, his back to the congregation, his body shielding her from their view. He turned the mic off, then placed his soiled hand on Anna's chin. He raised her head so that he could look into her eyes.
