Though Midwhich Elementary School is quite a ways from her home, Alessa prefers walking than taking the bus. This year she is in first grade, Mrs. Gordon's class. She hates riding the bus because some of the kids throw things at her. They are clever enough to never get caught by the bus driver, or maybe he just does not care. She packs up her backpack early in the morning and starts walking. Recess is nearly over by the time she arrives She only gets a few minutes to rest before everyone trudges inside. Alessa puts her things in her assigned locker and finds a desk in the back of the class. The kids in her class make sure to sit as far away from her as they can. Most of them are afraid of her. They think if they talk to her, her mother will out a curse on them.

All the children in town are scared of Alessa because of her mother. Often someone will write ugly words on their house and Dahlia will tell them they will not be spared once God brings paradise upon them. All the older kids would tell Alessa how crazy her mother is. She will never back a comment back though. They could hurt her if she did. Besides, she did not even know what to say. As far as she knew, no one in town is of the same religion as her mother. Dahlia goes to church every morning while Alessa is at school. Alessa does not know what her mommy's church looks like. She knows her mommy keeps some weird things in the basement though- that is not including the symbol drawn on the floor.

Alessa always felt different from everyone despite what they said about her mommy. It is something she cannot explain- not that she has anyone to say it to. She learned to read last year while all the other children learned the alphabet. She had to follow along with them so no one would single her out. The kids are mean to her already. She did not want to make it worse. Maybe if she was a normal child, she could have someone to play with. What makes her so different? Is she crazy like the students say her mommy is? Alessa does not know the answer.

The teacher, Mrs. Gordon, comes in and everyone gets quiet. They do not do much today because it is their first day. Mainly they review what they had learned last year. The class answers in unison but Alessa does not talk as loud as everyone else. Her voice seems lost and unheard. Despite the feelings of loneliness, the first few days of school are okay. The third day was not so good. A boy no one had ever suspected to behave badly stole Alessa's backpack. He had done it as a prank on her. When she asks him for it back, he says, "If I don't will your mommy put a spell on me? Will she turn me into a frog?"

"No!" Alessa replies raising her voice in her disgust.

"She's a witch. Witches get burned, you know."

"Stop it!" The kid begins to insult her again but stops mid-sentence and doubles over. His body convulses violently as he begins to vomit. The other children watch in horror as the blood covers the floor. Alessa does not understand what is happening. The teacher rushes the crying boy to the nurse's office. A few of the children turn to stare at Alessa with the look of terrified awe painted on their faces. She realizes what they are thinking and begins to plead to them, "I didn't do it. I didn't do it." They give her no answer; instead they turn their backs to her. From there, the struggle at school worsens. On her way to lunch that day, Alessa is pushed to the ground. She is too afraid to see who had done it. She picks her things up off the floor and quickly sits at a table. During recess she is chased by a group of kids until they trap her in the tunnel. She goes home unhappier than ever before.

Dahlia is standing in the kitchen when Alessa comes through the door. "Alessa," her mommy says, "you're finally home. There's a visitor here that you can play with. She's waiting in the living room for you." Her mommy pushes her toward the couch where another girl sits. This girl seems very boring. Her blond hair is plain, her face has a few dirty smudges on it-upon closer inspection, Alessa realizes the dirt spots are actually bruises- she is wearing a plain gray dress, and she is only five. Alessa mumbles a greeting. "You can play with Alessa for a while, Claudia, until your father comes to get you," says before leaving them alone. Alessa does not want to move from the spot in which she is standing. It would be better if this girl, Claudia, were not here. Alessa wants nothing more than to run up to her room and hide.

"Do you wanna play cards?" Claudia asks. She has a weird accent Alessa has never heard before. Claudia's voice is surprisingly strong for how boring she looks to be.

Alessa says, "Okay. I have some in my room. Come on." Up the stairs their feet patter on their way to Alessa's room. A deck of old playing cards, given to Alessa by her mommy, is hiding in a drawer in her desk. She takes them out of the dark for the first time in a long time and sets them out on the floor. "What game do you want to play?" she asks Claudia.

"How about 'Old Maid' or 'Slap Jack'?"

"I don't have 'Old Maid' cards so we'll have to play 'Slap Jack'." Alessa deals out the cards until they are all separated into two piles, which rest in the hands of the two girls. Alessa throws down the white rectangle with the design of eight red hearts. Then Claudia puts her Ace of Spades down on top of the last card. They continue in this manner until one of the four Jacks shows up on the pile. The girls slam one of their hands down fiercely, stinging their palms in the process. Whoever has their hand on the card, takes it. This time it is Claudia who gets it.

While the two girls play through their second game, Claudia speaks, "My daddy knows your mommy. He goes to church with her."

"Oh," Alessa says. She does not really listen to what Claudia has told her.

"Have you been to church?" Alessa shakes her head indicating that she has not. "I wanna go but daddy wont let me. He said I don't have enough faith in God."

"Why did he say that?"

"I don't know. He said I'd never see Paradise."

"Mommy says stuff like that to me sometimes too. I don't even know what 'paradise' is."

Claudia is appalled by what Alessa has just told her. "You don't know about paradise?" she asks. "How much faith do you have in God?" Alessa does not answer so Claudia continues, "When God is born again, she will save us and show us a place better than this world." This girl, Claudia, is only five years old and yet she speaks in the same words as Alessa's mother. What kind of family does Claudia come from? They do not speak; instead they play cards in silence until they are called downstairs. Claudia's father has come to get her. The two girls mumble a goodbye before the visitors leave.

Alessa turns to her mommy and asks, "Mommy, how can God bring 'paradise'?"

"Ignorant child," her mommy snaps. "Why do you ask me such stupid questions? Do you have no faith in God?"

"But mommy, I don't even know who God is. What happens if she doesn't bring 'paradise'?"

"How dare you question the power of God? I will now tolerate a deviant child in my house!" Dahlia picks up her daughter and hauls her to the attic. "You will stay here until you have learned your lesson. God is watching you. May she punish your evil tongue!"

The small bulb that swings overhead barely gives light to the small room. It does not, however, fail to keep the eyes drawn on the walls in black crayon away from the grasp of the darkness. Each eye seems to stare back at Alessa mercilessly. There is no hiding from God for she can see all. Alessa is suddenly overcome by a sick feeling in her stomach. It is causing her to convulse. 'Is this my punishment from God?' she wonders. When the violent shaking of her body ceased, she lay motionless on the wooden floor. The light begins to flicker before it goes out completely. Alessa's eyes squeeze shut as they try to deny the darkness enveloping the room. A heavy weight seems to have fallen on her body because she feels as though she cannot move and her breath has become ragged. It takes her a few minutes to get the courage to open her eyes up. An image flashes in her mind of a horrendous demon. The horns on its head reach the sky, the wings on its back are stretched out, the color of its body resembles the color of blood and dirt, its face is featureless except for its gaping mouth that lets loose a high-pitched scream. Alessa screams in response as she scrambles to her feet. She is able to find a corner where she decides to hide; she is sitting there now and is screaming for help.