The Red Door Society

The Red Door Society held monthly meetings in the old decommissioned stone church on the second Friday of every month. The church was considered Williamstown’s centerpiece since being constructed in 1699. It’s defining feature, a bright red door. The old rumors about the church founders being escaped Salem witches and warlocks only added to the building’s lore.

Some Williamstown citizens decided to form a social club and obtained permission to use the old church as a meeting hall. The name Red Door Society was an obvious choice. At the meetings the members would plan events like food drives, fundraising, and social gatherings. Shortly after moving to town, John Hathorne and his wife Abigail Williams-Hathorne were asked to join the society. They had moved from Salem and enjoyed the slower pace of life in the Berkshires. John transferred his architectural business to Williamstown and Abigail found work at Williams College. Life was good for them both. A few of the locals familiar with the Salem witch trials would good naturedly joke with the couple about the similarities of their names to those involved in the trials. The couple had heard this before and laughed it off.

The old church hadn’t been renovated since the early 1900’s and was long overdue for an interior face lift. John got the contract to design and oversee the project. All went well and the project was ahead of schedule and under budget. A surprise discovery was made during the removal of an interior wall. Hidden behind the plaster was a second red door. John told Abigail about the find and they shared the discovery at the next assembly.

The members were fascinated with the find and some wanted to open the door immediately. Various ideas were bandied about and the winning suggestion was to wait until the October meeting. The opening would take place during their annual Halloween party. What made it more noteworthy this October was the meeting was scheduled on Friday the 13^th. One could not ask for a better date to open a hidden door in a reputed witches’ church.

The restoration and clean up was complete by the first week in October leaving ample time to decorate for the Halloween party and hidden door reveal. At 8 p.m. on October 13^th the society members began arriving, decked out in all manner of Halloween garb. There were several devils, a Dracula or two, and an overabundance of witches. John and Abigail realized that many of the attendees were unfamiliar to them and assumed they were visiting from neighboring towns.

“Why so many witches,” Abigail asked her friend Sarah Good, who was also wearing a witch costume?

“You can’t have a proper coven without an abundance of witches” replied Sarah without a hint of jest.

John had a similar experience when he initiated a conversation with a man in a devil costume. “Those long up curled horns are amazing. I don’t know how you did it, but they look like they really are growing from your forehead, and those clove hoof shoes can’t be comfortable.”

The man replied, “Reality is a matter of perception” as he walked away.

At 10 minutes before midnight the attendees gathered in front of the newly discovered red door. The revelers began a low chanting in a language unfamiliar to John and Abigail. An ebony-skinned woman stepped forward and began speaking in a strong Caribbean accent.

“My name is Tituba. As a slave I cared for many of Salem’s children. You, Abigail Williams, accused me of witchcraft. John Hathorne, you sentenced me to death. Strong magic saved us all, the survivors of those dark days. Now the cycle is complete and the two of you will pay for your crimes.”

“Ok, this joke has gone far enough!” exclaimed John, “It’s time to end this nonsense and go home. The witch trials were over 400 years ago and my wife and I were certainly not around for them.”

Tituba walked to the door and opened it. “Your names and lineage carry the stain of those events and now you must pay as a sacrifice to the Dark Lord.”

With that proclamation two nightmarish beasts glided through the door and pulled the struggling couple into the gaping abyss beyond the door. Tituba closed the door.

“Now, after 400 years,” proclaimed Tituba, “our task is complete and we can continue with our original mission to remake the world in the Master’s image.”