Chương 17: Chapter 17
Carrie was ultimately frightened by Randy's words.
Without responding to him, she hastily pushed her bike and headed home.
Randy didn't bother to explain further.
It's settled!
Defying one's predestined fate means turning away from the God they once worshiped.
Randy thought that if he could change Carrie's fate, it would be as if he had pulled her from God's side into the realm of heresy.
What a perfect candidate, too bad God doesn't cherish her.
When Carrie finally awakens her magical powers, that will be the moment she's betrayed by her own mother.
Sometimes Randy really couldn't understand why in the West, divine power is always in the hands of the weak. Such people are shortsighted and only care about protecting their own interests. Whenever they see someone exhibiting extraordinary power, they label them as a betrayer of God or a servant of Satan, and then they expel and hunt them down.
Like the infamous witch hunts.
But Randy didn't have to worry about that. In his world, deities were born from the collective will of their followers.
The more powerful followers one attracted, the stronger the deity became, and as the leader, Randy himself would also grow stronger.
Witches and sorceresses should be welcomed, not persecuted.
Randy returned to his room, ready to prepare a sumptuous meal.
Before long, the kitchen was filled with the clatter of cooking utensils.
Randy intentionally left the windows open, allowing the aroma of his cooking to drift outside.
Before long, Margaret returned home, driving up in her car.
She frowned as she glanced over at the neighboring Randy's house, then entered her home.
In the living room, Carrie had already prepared dinner.
It was a simple meal: bread spread with jam, paired with some vegetables.
Smelling the fragrance wafting from the neighbor's house, Carrie suddenly found her dinner difficult to swallow.
Even though she was sitting at the table, her eyes were glued longingly to the direction of Randy's house.
Her hungry expression didn't escape Margaret's notice.
"Carrie!" Margaret scolded sternly.
Carrie jolted, standing up in a panic.
Margaret maintained her strict demeanor, marching to the window and swiftly closing it shut.
"I thought you were better than this, that you could resist these worldly temptations! Have you not yet learned to control your sinful gluttony?" Margaret demanded.
"I'm sorry, Mother."
"Tell me, what does the Book of Genesis say?" Margaret pressed on, jabbing a finger into Carrie's chest. "But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it, for that is its life. It's all written in the Bible! Blood and flesh are forbidden!"
"I understand!"
Carrie stiffened and stood at attention.
"The Book of Romans also says: Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. You're always like this, forgetting God's teachings the moment you turn your back! How can you expect God to save you from your suffering?"
Margaret was utterly disappointed.
"After dinner, you will return to the confessional. You need to repent for your gluttony."
Carrie looked up bitterly, wanting to speak to her mother, but Margaret wasn't giving her the chance.
Though they were family, they interacted like enemies.
Carrie knew that if she said anything more now, Margaret would probably throw away the entire dinner.
"Yes," she said softly, resigning herself to her punishment.
Seeing her daughter submit, Margaret finally set down her bag, adjusted her clothing, and knelt before the cross in the living room, beginning her prayers.
"Oh Lord, my daughter has forgotten the path a true believer must walk..."
Margaret began yet another round of prayers.
Carrie, helpless, stood up and tried to kneel beside her mother, but Margaret stopped her.
"No, you are currently a sinner. Without repentance, you are unworthy of communicating with God."
So, Carrie could only stand there, waiting in silence for her mother's prayers to end.
Only after Margaret had finished could they sit down to dinner.
Margaret showed no gratitude for the meal Carrie had prepared, and she didn't ask about Carrie's day at school, either.
In fact, she had long wanted to send Carrie to the local convent, but the high tuition fees made that impossible, so she had to settle for sending her to regular school.
Over the past decade, society in the U.S. had changed dramatically, with sexual liberation now seen as freedom. But for the deeply conservative Margaret, such things were unacceptable.
Especially with her own daughter growing up in that environment.
"Carrie."
Hearing her name, Carrie's heart skipped a beat, and she almost dropped her utensils.
"Yes, Mother?"
"At school, you must keep your distance from those who have fallen into sin. They are bound for hell, and you must not let their filth pollute you."
Margaret's face was emotionless as she spoke.
Carrie felt even worse, knowing that in school she was already isolated as the outcast.
But all she could do was nod in agreement.
"Yes."
"And another thing, stay away from that Asian neighbor of ours. I can tell he's an agent of Satan sent to tempt you. He will lead you away from God!"
Carrie's heart sank further, but under her mother's authority, she could only force herself to respond.
"Yes."
The stick had been used, now came the carrot.
Margaret softened her expression, taking Carrie's hand in hers.
"You are surrounded by temptation, but you must stand firm and cut yourself off from worldly influences. If you persevere, you will hear the gospel of God. And when that day comes, you'll realize your struggle was worth it."
Speaking of this, Margaret herself looked radiant with happiness.
All Carrie could do was nod quietly in submission.
She had already endured a decade of suffering in the name of this distant gospel.
After dinner, Margaret showed no mercy.
She opened the small room under the stairs, where a Bible and an image of Jesus awaited. The only light in the room came from a small candle on the table.
"Go and repent for all the sins you've committed today. I will unlock the door later."
Carrie nodded and, out of habit, entered the tiny confessional room.
As soon as she stepped inside, Margaret quickly shut the door and locked it from the outside.
Since childhood, whenever Carrie made a mistake—or at least, what her mother saw as a mistake—she would be sent to this dark little room to reflect and repent.
It had become her second bedroom.
Carrie took a deep breath, trying to calm herself as she had done so many times before.
But this time, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't soothe her emotions.
She knew deep down she could never be as devout as Margaret. She had always resisted God from the bottom of her heart.
That's why she longed to fit in with her classmates and didn't reject Randy's kindness, even when some of their interactions became a bit too close for comfort.
But changing her faith wasn't something she could easily do.
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