Priory of Death: 12

We stood about three feet from the bottom of the pit, looking at it. I spoke first.
"Victoria, it's a dry well shaft."
"But look at the bottom!"
There, set int the bottom of the shaft, were four iron rings, rusted with age. They looked...
I jumped down into the pit. Victoria screamed, but there was nothing really dangerous, just a dry stone floor. Making some quick calculations, I lay down on the floor. The four iron rings were positioned so that even my wrists and ankles could have been tied to them.
"Just like in the book!" Victoria exclaimed happily. "The Jesuits would tie their victims to those iron rings, then they'd shut the door and leave them to the devil. Oh Jane, I won't shut the door on you!"
"You'd better not," I got up and Scruff and Duncan Campbell helped me up to the tunnel floor level again.
"Just think," Victoria mused. "The Jesuits put Protestants to death there. Mr. Hamilton, do you think the Jesuits really had demonic power on their side?"
"Victoria! I'm not Ian Paisley, you know! No, I'm sure this is just a trick to fool ignorant people! Jane! Tie me down to those rings!"
"I'd rather not..." I replied.
"Come on! It's an experiment! If Protestants were put here during the Reformation, I can do the same! Or do you believe that bit about the Devil now?"
"I..."
"I wll!" Victoria was obviously enjoying herself. My scepticism was apparently seen as unreasonable and silly. I didn't have the authority to object to Hamilton's 'experiment'.
Victoria tied the minister to the floor and Duncan and I helped her back up. Then the door was closed, and we withdrew to a 'safe distance', whatever that is when you're testing a legend about demonic power.
Victoria took out her mobile and started timing Hamilton's stay in the pit.
"How long?" Connie asked.
"Yes, it must be quite hard being tied up in there."
"He can keep praying," Duncan Campbell replied. I thought he was a little harsh, but then I'm the strict Baptist one.
"Time's up!" Victoria announced. She ran back to the pit and threw open the door.
There was no sign of Mr. Hamilton. The four iron rings were still there, but rope and Hamilton were both gone. In their place was a strong smell of sulphur.
I think Scruff and I were the only girls there who didn't scream.