Meeting The Voice

The air in the church was thick with solemnity, the congregation's voices rising in unison as they sang the hymn, “Hark thy soul, it’s thy lamb...” The choir's melody echoed through the sacred space, but Victory sat on the wooden pew, distant and detached.His thoughts were far from the hymn, lost in the sting of his father’s words from the night before.

“Obanje,” Noah had spat at him, the venom in his voice unmistakable. “You’re nothing but a warlock, a cursed child who brings bad luck to this family.”The insult lingered like a shadow over Victory’s young heart. At just eight years old, the weight of such words bore down on him heavily. He had only wanted to stand up for his mother during yet another heated argument with Noah, but instead, he’d become the target of his father’s anger.

As the hymn continued, Victory’s mind spiraled deeper into anger, hurt, and confusion. Was he truly cursed? Why did Noah hate him so much?Suddenly, the voice came again - calm, steady, and chillingly familiar.“What do you wish to happen to him?”Victory froze, his small hands gripping the edge of the pew. He recognized this voice.

It was the same one that had led him to the hidden money beneath the idol in their backyard.“What do you wish to happen to him?” the voice repeated, more insistent this time.Victory's chest tightened, his young mind battling with emotions he didn’t fully understand. His father’s cruel words replayed in his head, fueling the anger simmering within him.“I… I want him gone,” he whispered in his heart. “I want him dead.”The moment the thought solidified, Victory felt a strange sensation.

A warmth coursed through his body, a feeling of strength and power unlike anything he’d ever experienced. He looked around the church, but no one else seemed to notice the shift in the air.Far away, Noah was storming down a deserted dirt path.

The night was eerily quiet, save for the crunch of his boots against the gravel. After his argument with Lila earlier, he’d decided to leave the house, unable to bear her tears or Victory’s defiant stares.“Bad luck,” he muttered under his breath, cursing Victory’s name.

“That boy is nothing but trouble. I should’ve left him and his mother long ago.”The path grew darker as the moon disappeared behind thick clouds. Noah’s anger burned hot, fueling each step as he stomped further into the shadows.

But then, the strange feeling began. His chest tightened, a sharp pain radiating through his body. He stumbled, clutching at his heart as panic set in.“No… no…” he gasped, falling to his knees. The pain intensified, and he felt his strength leaving him.He tried to scream for help, but the words wouldn’t come.

The world around him blurred, and the last thing he saw was the dim outline of the path ahead before everything went black.Back in the church, Victory shuddered. A chill ran down his spine, and for a moment, he felt as though the entire world had shifted.“Victory, are you okay?” Lila asked, noticing his pale face.He nodded quickly, avoiding her gaze.

“I’m fine, Mama.”But he wasn’t fine. Deep down, he knew something had happened—something connected to the wish he had made.Later that evening, as the congregation left the church and made their way home, Lila grew concerned. Noah had not returned, and his absence left an unsettling silence in the house. She tried to busy herself with the children, but her worry grew with each passing hour.

When a loud knock came at the door, her heart leapt into her throat. She rushed to open it, hoping it was Noah, but instead found two men standing on the porch. Their faces were grim, and one of them held his cap in his hands, twisting it nervously.“Good evening,” one of them said, his voice low. “We’re sorry to disturb you, ma’am, but there’s been… an incident.”Lila’s heart sank. “What kind of incident?” she asked, her voice trembling.“It’s your husband,” the other man said.

“He was found on the path near the old market. It looks like he… collapsed.”The words hit her like a physical blow. “Collapsed? What do you mean? Where is he now?” “He didn’t make it,” the first man said gently.

“We’re so sorry.”Lila stumbled backward, her hands covering her mouth as tears filled her eyes. Victory, who had been listening from the corner, felt his stomach churn. His wish had come true, and the weight of that realization left him frozen in place.

The men left shortly after, promising to arrange for Noah’s body to be brought back. Lila sat in stunned silence, her tears falling silently as she tried to process the news.Victory approached her cautiously, his small hand reaching out to touch hers. “Mama,” he said softly, his voice quivering.She looked at him, her eyes red and swollen. “Oh, my son,” she whispered, pulling him into a tight embrace.As they held each other, Victory couldn’t bring himself to tell her the truth.

He didn’t tell her about the voice, or the wish he had made. Instead, he vowed to protect her, to make up for the pain he had caused in ways she would never know.Meanwhile, far away, Destiny sat in his room, a sly smile on his face. “Finally,” he muttered to himself, his eyes gleaming with malice.

“The brat did it. Let’s see what happens next.”Unbeknownst to Victory or Lila, forces beyond their understanding were at play, intertwining their lives with a destiny they could not yet foresee. And as the night deepened, the line between innocence and darkness blurred further, leaving a shadow over the family’s uncertain future.

The room was dimly lit, with Destiny sitting cross-legged on his bed, tears streaming down his face. His mother, Amaka, entered, alarmed at his sobs.“Destiny, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?” she asked, her voice filled with concern.Destiny sniffled, wiping his tears with the back of his hand.

“A boy at school called me a bastard,” he muttered, his voice trembling.Amaka’s face hardened with anger. “Who dares to call my son that? Don’t they know you have a father?” She stood abruptly, pacing the room.

“We’ll go and see your father right now. Let’s see who will call you a bastard after that!”Destiny’s heart leapt with excitement, but he hid his smile. His plan had worked perfectly. Soon, he thought, he would see that imp face-to-face.The ride to Noah’s house was tense.

Amaka fumed quietly, rehearsing the words she would unleash upon him. Destiny sat beside her, his excitement barely contained.When they arrived, Amaka wasted no time. She stormed to the front door, banging on it with enough force to rattle the hinges.“Noah!” she shouted. “Come out and face your responsibilities! Shameless man, come and see your son!”The door opened slowly, but it wasn’t Noah who emerged. Instead, Lila stood in the doorway, flanked by a few of Noah’s friends. Her expression was unreadable, but the tension in her posture was unmistakable.“What is going on here?” Lila asked coldly.Amaka barely glanced at her. “I’m here for Noah.

He’s hiding inside, isn’t he? Tell him to come out and face me like a man!”One of Noah’s friends stepped forward, his face somber. “Amaka, Noah is dead.”Amaka froze, her fury evaporating in an instant. “What?”“He passed away a week ago,” the man continued. “We buried him two days ago.”Lila’s jaw tightened, but she said nothing, her emotions carefully hidden. Amaka staggered backward, momentarily stunned by the news. Destiny, however, remained unfazed.

Lila’s eyes darted toward Destiny, narrowing slightly as the boy’s calm demeanor stood in stark contrast to his mother’s shock. Noah’s friend leaned toward her and whispered something in her ear. Whatever he said made her face pale.The tension between the two women was thick, but Lila chose restraint, stepping back into the house without another word.As the adults argued, Destiny turned to Victory, who stood quietly nearby, watching the scene unfold.

Their eyes met, and suddenly a voice echoed in Victory’s mind.“We meet again,” the voice said, low and chilling.Victory stiffened, glancing around for the source of the voice. But it wasn’t coming from anyone in the room—it was inside his head.Looking back at Destiny, he saw the boy’s lips curl into a faint smile.“You… you’re the Voice,” Victory thought, his heart pounding.“Yes, I am,” Destiny replied, his smile widening. Their conversation unfolded in silence, their words exchanged not through speech but through their thoughts.

For the first time, Victory realized that the strange events surrounding him ran far deeper than he could have ever imagined.