The Problem

The afternoon sun shone, a wicker basket filled with mangoes hung on her arm, its weight felt pleasant after a day of picking in the garden. A cheerful smile was etched on her lips as her footsteps approached her simple house, the smile immediately faded and froze.

The scene in front of her house made Alana's heart beat fast, her blood froze in her veins. Her mother, frozen in the middle of the yard, her body trembling, her eyes tightly closed. In front of her stood Serena, her hair flowing long, covering her pale face. Her hands were raised, her slender fingers forming strange movements, accompanied by whispers that sounded like spells. A thread of dim green light surrounded her mother's body, as if locking her in an invisible cage.