The Voice

The room was dimly lit by the flicker of a single candle as Lila sat on the worn couch, her hands anxiously clasped together. The children were asleep, their soft breaths filling the quiet night.

She glanced at the clock, its ticking echoing through the room. Noah was late again, and worry gnawed at her heart.Suddenly, a loud “Knock, knock…” resounded on the door.“Thank God he’s back,” Lila muttered, quickly rising to her feet. She hurried to the door, relief washing over her as she opened it to find Noah standing there.But something was off.

Noah stepped inside without a word, his expression dark and unwelcoming. His silence cut through her relief like a knife.“Welcome back, my love,” she said softly, her voice tentative. “You’re late. I was worried, ”

"What are you worried about?” he interrupted sharply, his voice laced with bitterness. He dropped his bag to the floor with a loud thud, ignoring her attempt to embrace him.“Noah,” she began, hurt creeping into her voice, “what’s wrong? Did something happen?”

"What’s wrong?” he snapped, turning to face her with eyes blazing. “You! You’re the problem, Lila. Ever since I married you, have you ever worked? All you do is stay home, breeding kids like some rabbit.

You’re bad luck!”Lila recoiled as if struck, his words cutting deeper than any wound. She stared at him in disbelief, tears welling up in her eyes.

“Noah… how can you say that?” she whispered, her voice trembling.“I’m tired of this!” he shouted, throwing his hands up.

“This house, this life, it’s all because of you. I should have never married you.”Lila’s knees buckled, and she sank to the floor, sobbing quietly. Her chest heaved as she tried to process the weight of his words.

For years, she had stood by him, enduring his moods and struggles, all for the sake of their family. And now, he blamed her for it all.Unknown to them, Victory, their eight-year-old son, stood in the hallway, peering into the living room.

His small fists clenched at his sides as he watched his mother crumble under his father’s harsh words. Something snapped inside him. He couldn’t bear to see her hurt anymore.“Stop it!” Victory yelled, storming into the room.

Noah turned, startled to see his son standing there with defiance burning in his eyes. “What are you doing here?” Noah barked.“You can’t talk to Mama like that!” Victory shouted, his voice shaking with emotion.

“You’re the bad one, not her!”Noah’s eyes narrowed. “Watch your mouth, boy,” he warned.But Victory wasn’t backing down. He rushed forward, his small fists swinging as he tried to defend his mother.

Noah grabbed him effortlessly, his strength overwhelming the child. “You dare raise your hand at me?” Noah growled, delivering a sharp slap to Victory’s face.Victory fell to the ground, tears streaming down his cheeks, but he refused to cry out. Lila rushed to him, pulling him into her arms, shielding him from further harm.

“Noah, stop it!” she pleaded, her voice breaking.Noah scoffed and turned away, muttering under his breath as he stomped off to the bedroom. The sound of the door slamming echoed through the house.

 Lila held Victory close, her tears mingling with his as they clung to each other on the floor. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered, stroking his hair. “I’m sorry you had to see that. I’m sorry for everything.”

As the two comforted each other, a strange calm settled over Victory. He closed his eyes, trying to block out the pain, when suddenly, a soft yet commanding voice echoed in his mind.“Go to the back of the house,” the voice said.

Victory’s eyes shot open, startled. He looked around, but the room was empty except for his mother.“Under the tree,” the voice continued, steady and clear. “Behind the idol are stacks of cash.

Take them and give them to your mother. She will know what to do.”Victory sat up, his tears forgotten. “Mama,” he whispered, his voice urgent.“What is it, my love?” Lila asked, wiping his cheeks.

“I… I need to check something outside. I’ll be right back.”Before Lila could protest, Victory slipped out of her arms and ran to the backyard. The moonlight bathed the small yard in a silvery glow, illuminating the ancient tree that stood like a silent sentinel. At its base sat an old, weathered idol, partially hidden by overgrown weeds.

Victory approached cautiously, his heart pounding. He knelt before the idol and began digging with his hands, the dirt cool against his skin. After a few minutes, his fingers brushed against something solid.

He pulled it out, a small metal box, rusted at the edges.With trembling hands, he opened it to reveal bundles of cash, neatly stacked and wrapped in old cloth. His eyes widened in disbelief. How had it gotten there? Who had left it?

The voice had been right.He clutched the box tightly and ran back inside, where Lila was still sitting on the floor, her face buried in her hands.“Mama,” Victory called, his voice breathless.Lila looked up, startled.

“Victory, where have you been?”He set the box in front of her, opening it to reveal its contents. “For you, Mama. The room was quiet except for the faint sound of Victory’s shallow breathing. Lila sat on the couch, staring at the small metal box resting on the table in front of her. Inside were stacks of neatly bundled cash, their presence almost surreal.

Her hands trembled as she reached out to touch it again, as though she needed to confirm it wasn’t a dream.“Victory, where did you find this?” she asked, her voice a mix of awe and disbelief.Victory hesitated, his small face a picture of uncertainty. He didn’t want to lie to his mother, but he also didn’t know how to explain what had happened.

The voice he’d heard, the strange pull to the backyard, how could he put that into words?“I… I found it,” he said simply, avoiding her gaze.“Found it where?” Lila pressed, her curiosity growing.“In the backyard,” Victory replied, glancing at the door as if expecting someone to barge in. “

It was under the tree, behind that old idol.”Lila’s brow furrowed, confusion flickering across her face. The backyard had always been a neglected space, overgrown with weeds and dominated by the ancient tree. She had never paid much attention to the idol tucked behind it; it had always seemed like just another relic left by the previous occupants.“

Why were you digging there?” she asked, her voice soft but probing.Victory hesitated again, then shrugged. “I just… felt like I should,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.Lila stared at him for a long moment, her heart torn between suspicion and gratitude. Something about his answer didn’t sit right, but she could see the earnestness in his young eyes. Whatever had compelled him to dig there, he had brought her hope in a way she couldn’t have imagined.She pulled him into her arms, hugging him tightly.

“Thank you, my son,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “You don’t know what this means to me.”Victory hugged her back, his small arms wrapped around her as if to shield her from all the pain she had endured. He decided not to tell her about the voice or how it had guided him. Somehow, he felt it was better to keep that to himself.Later that night, as Noah slept soundly in the bedroom, oblivious to the turmoil he had caused, Lila and Victory sat together on the couch. The candlelight flickered, casting shadows on the walls, but Lila’s mind was already racing with possibilities.

The money was enough to start something, a small business, perhaps, or even a way to leave this place and build a new life. For years, she had been trapped in a cycle of dependency, bound to Noah’s anger and bitterness. But now, for the first time, she saw a way out.Victory sat beside her, watching her silently. He could sense the change in her, the way her shoulders straightened and her gaze sharpened. Though he was only a child, he felt a strange satisfaction knowing he had done something to help her.“Victory,” Lila said suddenly, breaking the silence.

“We have to be careful. Your father can’t know about this. Not yet.”He nodded, understanding the gravity of her words. “I won’t tell him, Mama. I promise.”She smiled, brushing a hand over his curls. “You’re my brave boy,” she said.

“One day, you’ll understand just how much you’ve done for me tonight.”Victory’s chest swelled with pride, but he didn’t say anything. Deep down, he knew that this moment was just the beginning.As the night stretched on, Lila began making plans, her mind abuzz with ideas for how to use the money. She didn’t know who had placed it there or why, but she chose to see it as a gift, a lifeline thrown to her in her darkest hour.Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Noah stirred in his sleep, oblivious to the shift happening in his household.

For years, he had controlled everything, his wife, his children, and the course of their lives. But now, a new chapter was unfolding, one that would challenge his authority and reshape their future.And as Lila and Victory held each other, their bond strengthened by the events of the night, a quiet determination settled in their hearts. Whatever challenges lay ahead, they would face them together. And for the first time in a long while, hope shone brightly in the small, candlelit room.