The only light in Clarisse’s small room came from candles, making strange shapes on the peeling walls. Outside, the city noises were as loud as she could always remember, with an occasional cry of cats. Clarisse was on her knees in this tiny room, lit by the warm glow of some candles she had arranged. She held her old Bible tightly.

Clarisse felt defeated after her failures in Dubai and Bahrain. It felt like a heavy weight was stopping her from breathing. But she remembered what Pastor Wara said: “God helps us even when we can’t see the way.”

Clarisse decided not to give up on her dream. Her mean aunt’s words wouldn’t stop her either. She now had a new goal: to pass the entrance examination into the National Institute for Accountants of the Republic. It would be hard, many people fail this test. But Clarisse felt different this time. Her faith in God would make her strong. She was no longer going to be the failure her aunty always made her feel. 

For many days, Clarisse studied very hard. Her desk was covered in books with difficult math problems and accounting rules. She barely slept, instead spending her time learning and taking practice tests. Every problem she solved and every concept she understood felt like an answer to her prayers. She was winning the battle against her own doubts.

Meanwhile, tension blew in the air within the house. Sarah and Joseph, their initial warmth towards Clarisse was gone and now, they viewed her renewed determination with a mixture of envy and irritation. Auntie Mami’s attitude was even worse. The whispers about “unnatural talents” and “forbidden knowledge” resurfaced, laced with a new edge of fear.

One afternoon, Clarisse returned from an intense study session at the nearby Government Primary School to find the air in the house thick with something more sinister than usual. A pungent smell hung heavy, making her gag. In the living room, Auntie Mami stood covered in a cloud of swirling smoke, chanting in a language Clarisse did not recognize. Strange symbols were drawn on the floor in a white chalk powder that sent shivers down Clarisse’s spine.

Clarisse couldn’t move. Stuck at the door, she watched in horror and a weird kind of curiosity. Her Auntie Mami held a full, white, half-dead fowl, and it was struggling! The feathers were stained bright red, which looked scary. It felt like there was a weird, dark energy in the room that made Clarisse’s hair stand on edge.

Suddenly, Auntie Mami opened her eyes. They weren’t their normal gray color anymore, but a creepy red color. Her face looked mean and happy, like someone who had seen something really bad and didn’t care.

Auntie Mami’s voice was different too. It wasn’t her usual sharp voice, but a raspy one that seemed to come from somewhere else. It scared Clarisse even more.

“You think your God can help you win, Clarisse?” Auntie Mami asked in this scary voice.

“My God is always with me, Auntie Mami,” Clarisse stammered, her voice barely a whisper.

Auntie Mami let out a loud, scary laugh that sounded hollow and empty. “We’ll see about that,” she whispered in a harsh voice, staring right at Clarisse.

The smoke disappeared as fast as it came, but it left a feeling of fear hanging in the air. Clarisse ran into her room, her heart beating really fast. She was so scared she almost couldn’t move, but then she remembered a verse from her Bible: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not fear, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4)

Clarisse grabbed her Bible. It was old and worn, but holding it made her feel a little safer. She wouldn’t let Auntie Mami’s scary act break her. This was a fight for her future, a test of her faith, and she would  n’t give up. Clarisse decided to study even harder, fueled by both fear and determination. It was hard to tell what was real and what wasn’t anymore, but one thing was clear: the fight for her dream had become a fight for something even bigger.