“Wait… what happened?” Jenifer asked Nora. “Are you apologizing for sleeping… or for waking up?” Nora did not wait to answer Jennifer’s question. Before anyone could ask another question, she turned and ran straight to her room.

“Wait… what happened?” Jenifer asked Nora. “Are you apologizing for sleeping… or for waking up?” Nora did not wait to answer Jennifer’s question. Before anyone could ask another question, she turned and ran straight to her room. The moment she entered, she shut the door quietly and burst into tears. “Oh my God,” she cried, holding her chest. “How did I sleep off there?”

“How did I sleep off?” She began pacing the small room, her hands shaking. “She warned me not to come to the sitting room unless she called me.” “Now she has met me sleeping on her chair.” “I am in trouble.” In the sitting room, Mabel forced a laugh and waved her hand to calm the tension and answer the questions her husband and friend were already nursing in their hearts. “These village children can be so funny, eh,” she said. “How can somebody just wake up from sleep, start apologizing, and run away like that?”

Jennifer looked toward the passage, concern written on her face. “I wonder oh.” “Maybe she had a bad dream.” “You should go inside and calm her down.” “Maybe pray with her small.” Mabel smiled immediately. “Sure.” “Let me check on her.” But the smile disappeared the moment she entered Nora’s room. She shut the door behind her and frowned. “What was the meaning of that act you put up there?” “After clearly disobeying my instructions?” Nora moved backwards, crying. “Auntie, please, I’m sorry.” “It's your husband that called me.” “I didn’t know when I slept off.”

“Please forgive me.” Mabel stepped closer. She raised her hand, but before she could do anything, she heard footsteps approaching. Johnson had followed her. Immediately, Mabel’s face changed. Her voice softened. “Oh, my dear,” she said loudly, pulling Nora gently toward herself. “Were you having a bad dream?” “Sorry, come here.” Nora froze, confused by the sudden change. Just then, Johnson opened the door. He stood there for a while, watching them. Mabel placed a hand on Nora’s shoulder and began rubbing it gently. “Don’t cry, my dear,” she said softly. “You are safe.” Then she held Nora’s hands and closed her eyes.

“Father Lord, please calm this child.” “I bind every negative dream, may they never come to pass.” Johnson said nothing. His eyes moved from Mabel’s face to Nora’s trembling body. The marks he had seen earlier on Nora’s back were still troubling him. He wanted to believe what he was seeing, but something about Nora’s fear did not feel ordinary. After a few seconds, he closed the door and left. The moment Mabel heard his footsteps fade, her face hardened again. She released Nora’s hand roughly and pushed her back toward the bed. Nora sat down quickly, still crying. “I will leave you for now,” Mabel said coldly. “Later, you will explain what business you had sleeping on my couch.” Then she turned and walked out.

Back in the sitting room, Jennifer looked up immediately. “How is she now?” Mabel smiled as if nothing had happened. “She is fine.” “She had a bad dream.” “I have prayed with her.” Judith and Jason were in the sitting room, watching everything quietly. Judith, especially, was amazed at how perfectly her mother could change her face and voice. “One moment, she was angry.” “The next moment, she was gentle and caring.” The two friends continued chatting, but Jennifer’s mind kept drifting back to Nora. Every now and then, she glanced toward the passage.

Something about that child’s fear did not sit well with her. When Jennifer was finally ready to leave, she looked around. “Let me call that little girl so I can tell her goodbye.” Mabel quickly shook her head. “No, don’t disturb her.” “She is sleeping now.” Jennifer hesitated. “Alright.” “Greet her for me.” “I will,” Mabel replied. Jennifer bade everyone farewell and left. That night, the moment Mabel entered the bedroom, everything exploded. “Mabel,” he said, shutting the door behind her, “can you explain why that innocent girl has bruises on her back?” Mabel turned slowly. “What girl?”

Johnson stared at her. “Don’t pretend like you don’t know what I am saying.” “Why did you flog Nora?” Mabel frowned. “Is that what she told you?” “I saw her back,” Johnson said firmly. “I saw the marks.” Mabel folded her arms. “So because you saw bruises, it means I did it?” “She may have fallen.” “Maybe a bucket hit her.” “Maybe she scratched herself somewhere.” “Children fall all the time.” Johnson’s face hardened. “Mabel, are you telling me the truth?”

She raised her voice. “Oh please, that is the whole truth.” “Besides, what were you doing looking at her back in the first place?” Johnson blinked. Mabel stepped closer, her voice turning poisonous. “Or are you now interested in children?” Johnson raised his head slowly. For a moment, he looked at her as though he could not believe what he had just heard. “You have completely gone mad.” He walked out of the room. Mabel stood there, breathing hard. Johnson went straight to Nora’s room and knocked gently. “Nora.” The door opened slowly, and Nora stood there, frightened.

Johnson lowered his voice. “Tell me the truth.” “Who hurt you?” Nora’s heart began to pound. Mabel’s warning echoed in her head. “If one word gets to my husband, your hope of ever going to school dies forever.” "write prompt: Create 1 image and 1 video based on the story provided above.