Scene 1 – The Flickering Lantern
House No. 13, midnight. The wind howls through the cracks of the old wooden windows. The room is dim, a lantern flickering on the floor. Haris and Zain sleep on worn-out mats while Amina sits alone, staring at the carved wooden box she found beneath the floorboards.
(Narration)
The whispers were back. Soft, like a distant chant rising from the depths of the house. Every time Amina looked at the box, her heart pounded—not from fear, but from something far more dangerous. Hope.
(Amina traces her fingers over the box lid, the carved patterns like veins in rotting wood. Her hands tremble as she runs her thumb across the inscription she cannot fully understand—but she feels its meaning.)
Amina (whispering to herself):
"They said… nothing comes for free… but what if…"
(She glances at Haris, his tiny chest rising and falling in shallow breaths. Zain, curled up in the corner, clutches his schoolbag like a lifeline.)
Amina (to herself):
"Zain deserves more. Haris deserves more. I'm their mother… I have to do something."
(The lantern flickers violently as if reacting to her thoughts. A sudden coldness spreads across the room. She looks at the lid again. There's a small slit, like an opening for paper. Her mind races.)
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Scene 2 – The Decision
(Amina grabs an old notebook from Zain's bag and tears out a page. Her fingers hesitate with the pencil. She bites her lip, glancing toward the shadows pooling near the corners of the room.)
Amina (murmuring):
"If this is real… if this is evil… then may God forgive me. But if this can save us…"
(She writes slowly, the sound of pencil scratching loud in the silence.)
> "Let my son rise from this poverty."
(As soon as the last word is written, the lantern's flame bends sideways as if blown by invisible breath. A strong gust bursts through the room even though all windows are shut. Haris stirs in his sleep, mumbling incoherently. Zain groans and turns over.)
Amina (startled):
"What… what's happening?"
(The paper is yanked from her fingers by an unseen force and sucked into the slit on the box lid. The lid creaks as if something inside is shifting. A deep, guttural whisper echoes in the air.)
Voice (a whisper, chilling):
"Done."
(The lantern flickers wildly and then—blows out. The room plunges into darkness. Amina screams softly, covering her mouth.)
Amina (terrified whisper):
"Ya Allah… what have I done?"
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Scene 3 – Shadows in the Corners
(Moments later. Amina fumbles in the dark, finds the matchbox, and lights the lantern again. Her heart races. She looks at the box—silent now, like nothing happened. She grabs an old scarf and covers it, hiding it under the bed.)
(She tiptoes toward Haris, brushing his hair gently. He sleeps peacefully, but his skin feels oddly cold. Zain stirs awake, rubbing his eyes.)
Zain (sleepy):
"Ammi? Why are you still up? It's so late."
Amina (forcing calm):
"Just… couldn't sleep, beta. Go back to bed."
Zain (squinting at her):
"Ammi… were you crying?"
Amina (turning away):
"No, no… it's nothing. Sleep now."
(Zain notices the lantern still flickering unnaturally, casting long, twitching shadows across the cracked walls. He hugs his bag tighter and lies down, but his eyes remain open, watching his mother until he drifts off again.)
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Scene 4 – The Whisper Returns
(Hours later, while everyone sleeps, Amina lies awake, staring at the ceiling. The rain outside has stopped, leaving an eerie silence. Suddenly, the whisper returns—louder this time.)
Voice (whispering from beneath the bed):
"One wish granted… one price owed."
(Amina's breath catches. She leans over and peers under the bed—but sees nothing except the shadowed box. The whisper seems to seep through the wood itself.)
Voice (chilling, closer now):
"It begins."
(The lantern dies without warning. Darkness swallows the room. Amina clutches the blanket, her heart pounding like war drums as the chapter ends.)
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