Sunny laughed.

“And expect a few nightmares now that you have unlocked the key to truly reading Nsibidi.”

“Nightmares?” Sunny asked, her entire body prickling.

“Reading Nsibidi is similar to gliding through the wilderness in many ways,” she said. “It, too, involves leaving your body. This will scare you, even if what you are reading is not scary. Your mind compensates by giving you nightmares.”

“Oh,” Sunny said.

Sugar Cream grew serious and held up a bony index finger, locking Sunny with her eyes. “Reading Nsibidi is risky. You’re a free agent and for you to do this is not as rare as it is a bad combination. People have died from reading too much, Sunny,” she said. “Beware of books written in excellent Nsibidi; you have to be truly strong to read them. Otherwise, you could get sucked into the story or the lessons or the information. When you return to yourself, it is only to wish this current life goodbye. Your body will have withered to bones; you’ll have nothing left. It’s not a good way to pass to your next life.”

The sheet of Nsibidi her grandmother had left must have been that dangerous type of Nsibidi. She didn’t know what it said, if it was fiction or nonfiction, but she knew how she felt when she tried to “read” it.

Sugar Cream stood up. “Now, then,” she said. “Today, we’re going for a walk.”

“Where?”

“The tainted pepper patch,” she said.

Sunny felt her entire body seize up.

“See the way you just reacted?” Sugar Cream asked. “It’s not good to live a life dictated by fear. That is a lesson you especially must learn right here and now. Otherwise, you’ll be miserable.” She laughed. “Your spirit face is courageous and strong; do you want her to be ashamed of you?”

Sunny followed Sugar Cream out the door. Fine. But I better not see even a small pond, she thought.

5

AUNTIE UJU AND HER JUJU

By Monday, despite what Sugar Cream said and the fact that there was no lake beast near the tainted pepper patch, Sunny was back to fretting about her dream. Outside it was raining and the humidity made everything indoors damp. After school it was still raining, and Sunny had to meet Orlu at the school’s front door. They walked off into the rain. Neither of them had an umbrella.

Sunny grumbled, grasping her juju knife in her pocket. She brought it with her everywhere, even to school, though she’d never use it for anything there. They reached the slick road, and Orlu started walking the other way, away from their homes. Sunny sighed. She could use a healthy dose of Orlu’s quiet presence today. Chichi and Sasha might be around, but they might not be. Those two were always either at the market shopping for fresh juju powders or off in their “secret place” creating them. These days, aside from being boyfriend and girlfriend, Sasha and Chichi were like partnered mad scientists, always reeking of crushed flowers, having stained fingers and constant pleased and half-crazy grins on their faces. Sasha’s hair had even grown twice its length, as if he were taking some kind of magical vitamins. The braids at the ends of his cornrows reached down his back now.