You will not succeed

I think something is going on with her." These were Patrick's words immediately after Miranda left Loretta's house.

After the issue with the extra page, the atmosphere turned awkward, forcing Miranda to leave earlier than she had planned.

"Nothing is going on with her. She was only trying to prank us." Loretta responded to Patrick's words.

"I don't think so. Didn't you see how serious she looked? I don't know, but it makes me uncomfortable." Patrick shook his head.

"What are you saying? If she didn't act so seriously, would you even believe what she said? Seems she got you real good. I can't believe you are acting this way because of a mere prank. I wonder how you'd react if truly she could see stuff you couldn't."

"That would be bad," Patrick announced, surprising Loretta.

"Bad? I can't believe you. That would only mean she's special. You're supposed to be her boyfriend and you're freaking out over something as little as this." Loretta spoke in incredulity.

"Don't blame me. I don't do weird. And this is not—"

"Miranda is not weird." Loretta cut him off. "You are the weird one who acts all lovey-dovey one minute, and the next, you turn around and call her names behind her back. You should leave."

"I didn't mean it like that."

"Just leave. I'm already pissed." Loretta turned away from him, and he stood up and walked out of the house.

Meanwhile, Miranda walked unhurriedly back home. Although she had initially fully believed Loretta and Patrick planned their response, she wasn't so sure anymore.

Patrick's attitude changed after the incident. It was subtle, but for someone who had been experiencing detachment ever since she could remember, she noticed.

Her mind was already coming up with too many explanations for what must have happened. For that reason, she decided against asking anyone on the road about it, lest they also start giving her the same treatment.

"Hi, mom, dad," Miranda greeted her parents, who were seated on the sofa in the living room, concentrating on a show.

Without waiting for a response, which she knew she may not get, she headed to her room.

Pausing in the hallway, she brought out the book, turned to the extra page, and walked back to the sitting room.

She needed one more confirmation before she believed that the words were only visible to her. Her mom may not pay her any attention, so she would approach her dad. He, at least, would give her an honest response.

"Umm, dad, can I get a sec?" Miranda sat on the armrest beside her father.

"Yes?" He moved his attention from the TV to her direction and saw her extending a book toward him.

"Do you see anything on this page?" Miranda questioned, hoping to get a positive response. However...

"No. Why?" Her heart dropped.

"Well, Loretta was trying to prank me by telling me there were words on it. Obviously, there aren't any. Thanks." Miranda shut the book and stood up.

At this point, her mind had been thrown into utter confusion, but she doesn't want to show it to her parents. Turning away from them, she started again for her room.

"Come back here, Miranda." Her mother's voice made her halt. She schooled her expression as fast as she could, then turned to face her.

"Mom?" She approached her mother.

"Let me see that book." She extended her hand toward Miranda, and the latter put the book in her hand. She couldn't fathom her mother's sudden interest in her book. Did she develop a love for books overnight?

Mrs. Alfred's eyes stretched to the maximum when her gaze fell on the title written boldly on the front cover. She sprang to her feet and landed a heavy slap on Miranda's face.

The shock of the slap made Miranda and her father send surprised gazes to the woman.

"What's going on, Anna?" Mr. Alfred queried, but his wife ignored him completely.

"So you went to get another copy? You want to start practicing witchcraft in this house right? You pretended as if nothing happened because you were planning to get another copy. You will not succeed."

As soon as she said the last word, she descended on Miranda, hitting her at will without giving her the slightest chance to explain or defend herself.

Miranda didn't even know what her mother was talking about. She could see the woman was angry, but why? And what did it have to do with her book?

As her mother delivered blow upon blow to her body, tears dropped from her eyes as her heart ached even worse than her flesh. What had she done to deserve such treatment from the woman who birthed her and nurtured her up till this point? It made no sense to her why her mother would harbor so much hatred for her, yet keep her in the same house with them.

"Tell that evil spirit you are trying to invite into this house to change direction." The woman continued with the assault.

"Stop it, Anna. Can you just calm down and tell me what's going on?" Her father finally came to her rescue, pulling her mom away from her.

"This is the same book I collected from her room and burnt yesterday. She put on that calm show this morning only to go buy another copy." The fuming woman reported to her husband, her chest rising and falling rapidly due to the exercise she just engaged in.

"What are you talking about, mom?" Miranda sniffed, sobbing lightly. "I didn't go to the library today. I bought this book yesterday."

"Shut your mouth, you lying child. Are you calling me a liar?" Mrs. Alfred moved to continue the assault but was held back by her husband.

Miranda knew better than to answer that question. So she stood quietly, wondering what her mother was talking about.

"You should call the priest and tell him to hurry up, Alfred. This is getting out of hand."

"I told you I already did. He promised to be here."

"Call him again to remind him. He might have forgotten. And as for you..." Mrs. Alfred returned her attention fully to Miranda. "... No more books for you. The next time I catch you reading a book, you will regret coming into this household." She shook herself off her husband's grip and marched out of the living room.

Mr. Alfred let out a loud sigh. He fixed his gaze on Miranda, as he grabbed his phone from the side stool.

"What did I do wrong?" Miranda asked in a shaking voice, unable to understand what warranted her mother's behavior.

But instead of a response, her father proceeded to dial a number on his phone.

"Greetings to you, father Jonah..." He started speaking as soon as the other person picked up.