FATE DECIDES 😏😏
689 Words
EPISODE 3
The sky was dark that evening, heavy with clouds that threatened rain. Emmanuel’s driver pulled the black car to a stop in front of the mansion. Emmanuel stepped out, swinging his schoolbag carelessly over one shoulder.
The wide compound was filled with flowers, trimmed neatly by gardeners. Security men stood by the gates, greeting him with respect. The house shone with bright lights, its tall windows glittering like gold.
Inside, the smell of roasted chicken filled the air. Emmanuel’s mother sat in the living room, scrolling through her phone. His father wasn’t home yet; he was always busy with business meetings.
“Welcome, my son,” his mother said without looking up.
“Good evening, Mum,” Emmanuel replied. He dropped his bag on the sofa and opened the fridge. Bottles of juice and cold water clinked as he pushed them around. He grabbed a can of soda and gulped it down, the cold sweetness rushing through his throat.
Later at dinner, his father finally came in. Mr. Adewale was a tall, broad man with a sharp voice. He sat at the head of the table as servants laid out plates of steaming food.
“How was school today, Emmanuel?” his father asked.
Emmanuel smirked. “The usual. People know better than to cross me.”
His father gave a short laugh. “That’s my boy. Always strong. Never let anyone look down on you.”
His mother smiled too, proud. Emmanuel’s chest swelled. In this house, he was a prince. He could do no wrong.
After dinner, Emmanuel went up to his room. The walls were filled with posters of expensive cars and football stars. He put on his headphones and blasted loud music while lying on his bed. The rain outside began to fall, tapping against the glass windows.
He closed his eyes. Slowly, the music faded, and sleep pulled him in.
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He was standing in darkness. All around him, shadows stretched far and wide. The ground beneath his feet was cold, and the air felt heavy. Emmanuel turned in a circle, confused.
“Hello?” he called. His voice echoed strangely, like it was trapped in a cave.
Then, a deep voice answered. “Emmanuel Adewale.”
A figure stepped forward, tall and bright like a flame. The light was so strong that Emmanuel had to cover his eyes.
“Who… who are you?” Emmanuel stammered.
“I am the keeper of balance,” the voice said. “You have lived with pride. You have mocked the weak. You have forgotten that wealth is not forever.”
Emmanuel frowned. “So what? I’ve done nothing wrong. People should know their place.”
The light pulsed brighter, almost angry. “Enough. You were given blessings, but you used them to hurt. Now the time has come for justice.”
Suddenly, images flashed around him — the boy in school with torn shoes, the girl picking her spilled groundnuts from the dirt, the classmates he mocked. Their sad eyes surrounded him.
“No!” Emmanuel shouted, covering his ears. “Stop showing me this!”
The voice thundered, shaking the ground. “You shall be given another chance. You will live again… but not as a prince. This time, you will learn the pain of those you despised. You will be reborn into a life of struggle, so you may understand the value of humility.”
Emmanuel’s heart raced. “No! I don’t want that! I’m rich, I’m powerful! You can’t take this from me!”
But the light grew brighter, swallowing everything. Emmanuel screamed as the ground opened beneath him, pulling him into a whirl of fire and wind.
The last thing he heard before darkness covered him again was the voice, calm and final:
“This is your judgment. This is your second life.”
The rain still poured outside the mansion windows. But in his room, Emmanuel’s chest had gone still. His headphones lay silent on the bed. His soda can rolled slowly to the floor.
The arrogant prince had fallen asleep.
And he would not wake up the same.
- Writer
