It began on what seemed like a typical Monday night. Stone and Bright were in the living room, stuck between the allure of a movie and some overdue homework. Outside, the weather was still, an unnatural quiet settling in with the early dusk.
A piercing scream cut through the silence, originating from their cousin Victor's room. Rushing in, they found him sprawled on the floor, lifeless. His body bore no marks, untouched by any visible injury, yet clearly unconscious. Panic seized them.
They tried their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Brown, but the calls wouldn't go through. Soon after, the front door creaked open – their parents were back. Stunned by the sight, they struggled to make sense of it. Mrs. Stella, shaken but recalling a dark family secret, murmured, "This happened before... when I was growing up." She remembered a cousin who had collapsed in a similar way, falling into a 48-hour trance. Upon waking, that cousin was irrevocably changed, either blessed… or cursed. Victor was gently placed in bed. Hours passed. Then, his skin began to change, subtly but noticeably. His breathing was slow, steady, almost eerily so. No one ate dinner that night.
Stone and Bright were restless, fixated on their cousin, praying for his return. Their father, Mr. Brown, tried to be strong. But inwardly, he was as lost as the rest. As the hours ticked by, curiosity morphed into dread. What would Victor become?
Then, hour 48 arrived. Victor abruptly sat up, and a thunderclap erupted at the same moment. His body had transformed. His energy was unearthly. One eye was wide, glowing dimly; the other, tightly shut. Though only 9, he exuded the aura of an ancient being. He could hear things beyond walls. He shattered a glass, then put it back together. His hair had lengthened, his skin paled, and his presence felt... wrong. No one could comprehend him. No words. Only movements. His transformation horrified even the most logical minds. Mrs. Stella trembled. History was repeating itself. The last child this had happened to was branded a witch and banished, vanishing forever.
Stone and Bright found it impossible to focus in school. Their young minds, plagued by fear and questions, drifted. Then, Stella remembered something – a mysterious handkerchief blessed by a prophet, once kept by her deceased grandmother from another African nation. The handkerchief was never found. Amid their confusion, Mr. Brown received a call – Victor's parents were returning. Panic flared. Victor's parents were powerful figures, esteemed and well-known in society. They couldn't witness their son in this state. In that moment, Stella and Brown made a decision: they would pray. They prayed with tears, with faith, with desperation. As they entered Victor's room after their prayer, he looked at them and spoke clearly: "Do you know who I am? I've waited. Now that I am… no one can stop me." Mrs. Stella recoiled in terror. But Mr. Brown steadied her, and began praying louder. As they prayed, Victor's scream escalated, so powerful it caused the entire community to vibrate. The skies darkened. Thunder cracked. Neighbors locked their doors. The community leader emerged in alarm. Then, a chilling silence. Suddenly, lightning struck again. Everyone panicked. Stella was terrified, Brown held her tightly as they tried praying again. At that moment the atmosphere changed. Then chaos erupted. The sky turned crimson. A cloud of darkness enveloped the town. Birds scattered. Electricity failed. People froze in fear. And then… alien beings descended from the clouds. Everyone was locked in their homes, too frightened to speak. The aliens approached Brown and Stella's house. As they reached the door, Victor screamed one final time and levitated. Brown shouted, "JESUS!" Victor collapsed onto the floor. A dark, mysterious shadow rushed from his body and escaped through the window. Outside, it met the aliens. One of them cried out, "What have they done to deserve this treatment?" With that, they vanished. The sky cleared.
Neighbors rushed to Stella's house. Victor was unconscious but stable. The family explained what had happened. The townspeople revealed that Victor's hometown had a mysterious food curse. If one from there consumed a certain food, it could trigger hidden ancestral spirits. Then, a voice from heaven cried out—Victor was awake again. He called for Stella, begging for food. Then the sky lit up with a glowing message: "THANK YOU." Beneath it appeared: "Thank you Stella and Brown for believing in prayers." The community stood in awe. From that day on, neighbors gathered at Stella's house to pray, to discuss God's Word, and reflect on the power of faith. Victor lived on—but he was never the same again..