CHAPTER 65

I held Caleb’s hand.

We had the museum to ourselves as we walked down its narrow, dimly-lit hallways. Pictures, plaques, and paraphernalia lined the walls, all of witches, judges, and hangings. It was a solemn place.

As we continued, we came to a large display. I began to read, and was so taken by it, I decided to read it aloud to Caleb.

“Listen to this,” I said. “‘In Salem, in 1692, a large group of teenage girls suddenly fell ill. Most of them lapsed into a fit of hysteria, and screamed out that they had been attacked by witches. Many of these girls went so far as to name the witches who were afflicting them.

“Because their illnesses were so mysterious, and because many of these girls died suddenly and there was no other explanation for it, the townspeople fell into a frenzy. They hunted down the people accused of witchcraft.

“It is worth noting that, to this day, no one has ever been able to determine the nature of the illness that struck these girls, or why they were all struc