Living

17/08/2026

THE ANGEL FROM KATOR CHURCH.

PART TWO: THE DAY MY FRIENDS DISCOVERED I HAD FALLEN.

After I introduced myself to this beautiful woman and she accepted my proposal, I walked away from her like a man who had just received a presidential appointment.

I wasn't walking.

I was floating.

My feet were touching the ground, but spiritually, I was somewhere between Kator and heaven.

I reached my friends and they immediately noticed something was wrong with me.

One of them asked:

“Living, why are you smiling like someone who has just received money?”

I said:

“Nothing.”

He looked at me carefully.
“You are lying.”

I smiled again.

That smile betrayed me.

Then I finally announced:

“Gentlemen… I have a girlfriend.”

Silence.

Three seconds of silence.

Then the whole table exploded.

“WHO?”

“WHERE DID YOU FIND HER?”

“IS SHE FROM JUBA?”

“IS SHE HUMAN?”

One brother even stood up and asked:

“Are you sure she agreed, or did you misunderstand the situation?”

I showed them her picture.

My brother...

THE ROOM BECAME A PARLIAMENT.

Everybody gathered around my phone.

One guy zoomed in.

Another zoomed in again.

Someone said:

“Living, you didn't get a girlfriend. You got a national asset.”

Another said:

“Brother, protect this relationship. Don't allow unnecessary visitors.”

One wise man quietly looked at me and said:

“My brother, beautiful women are not for the weak-hearted.”

I nodded like a professor.

At that moment, I thought I had become an expert in relationships.

I started giving advice to people who had been married longer than I had been alive.

I told my friends:

“Gentlemen, love is about trust.”

One of them asked:

“How long have you known her?”

I said:

“Since Sunday.”
He looked at me.

I looked at him.

He shook his head and walked away.

But I didn't care.

I was in love.

And when a man is in love, common sense sometimes goes on annual leave.

Every morning, I woke up and checked my phone.

If she said:

“Good morning.”

My whole day was successful.

If she added:

“Have you eaten?”

I would start planning our children's names.

We started talking every day.

Morning.

Afternoon.

Evening.

Sometimes until midnight.

I was becoming so emotionally attached that even when my friends invited me to go out, I would say:

“I can't. I have plans.”
What plans?

Talking to my girlfriend.

My friends eventually stopped inviting me.

They said:
“Leave him. He is under new management.”

Then one Sunday, I went back to Kator Church.

This time I wasn't going to church for spiritual growth.

I had an appointment with destiny.

I arrived early.

I sat in the same place.

And when she entered...

My brother...

I almost stood up and applauded.

She smiled at me.

I smiled back.

Everything was perfect.

Until I noticed something.

She wasn't alone.

There was another woman walking beside her.

They looked remarkably similar.

I leaned toward my friend and whispered:

“Who is that?”

He said:
“I don't know.”

I watched them closely.

They sat together.

They whispered.

They laughed.

Then the woman looked directly at me.

She smiled.

I smiled back.

My friend grabbed my shoulder.

“Living…”
“What?”
“Please don't smile at every woman.”

I ignored him.

After the service, my girlfriend walked toward me with the woman.

She said:

“Living, I want you to meet someone.”

I smiled confidently.
“Nice to meet you.”

Then she said:
“This is my cousin.”

I shook her hand.

And my brother...

MY SPIRIT LEFT MY BODY.

Because her cousin was also extremely beautiful.

Not just beautiful.

Beautiful enough to make me question the fairness of God's distribution system.

I looked at my girlfriend.

Looked at her cousin.

Looked at my friend.

My friend was already laughing.

He whispered:
“Living, God is testing you again.”

I told him to shut up.

But that wasn't even the problem.

The real problem was what my girlfriend said next.

She looked at me and said:
“My cousin will be staying with you for two days.”

I froze.

My friend froze.

Even the birds outside seemed to stop singing.

I asked:
“With me?”

She smiled.
“Yes. You have water, food and electricity.”

My brother...
At that moment, I realized something very important:

Sometimes God doesn't test your spirituality inside the church.

Sometimes He sends the examination directly to your doorstep.

And unfortunately for me...

I was about to sit for the examination without knowing the questions.

TO BE CONTINUED…

✍🏾 Mariano
Ghetto President ✊🏾

16/08/2026

Most of you have suffered in relationships more than the lsraelites suffered in Egypt.

16/08/2026

THE WIZARD WHO DIED… AND ALMOST KILLED THE WHOLE VILLAGE!

PART SEVEN: THE VOICE INSIDE THE BOX.

After the tiny voice came from inside the box saying:

“Please… open.”

Nobody moved.

Not even the flies.

The entire village stood there staring at that small wooden box as if it had just announced itself as the new village chairman.

The old man had already started walking away.

The village chairman shouted:

“Grandpa! Where are you going?”

Without turning around, he replied:

“I have lived a good life. Don't involve me in this one.”

The priest raised his Bible.

“Everybody remain calm.”

One woman shouted:

“Father, YOU remain calm! You are holding the Bible. We are holding our lives!”

Then the box knocked again.

KNOCK. KNOCK.

The little voice returned:
“Please…”

One young man whispered:

“Maybe someone is trapped inside.”

Another replied:
“Who can fit inside that small box?”

The first man thought for a moment.
“A baby?”

Everybody looked at him.

He immediately shook his head.
“Forget what I just said.”

The village chairman slowly approached.

He stopped about three meters away.

“Who are you?”

Silence.

Then the voice replied:
“Open the box.”

The chairman stepped backward.
“First tell us your name.”
Silence.

“Where are you from?”
Silence.
“Why are you inside my box?”

The voice replied:
“It's not your box.”

The chairman nearly fainted.
“WHOSE BOX IS IT?”

The voice answered:
“Mine.”

At this point, even the elders had forgotten their traditional wisdom.

One elder whispered:
“Maybe we should burn it.”

The priest immediately objected:
“Don't burn it. We don't know what's inside.”

The old man shouted from a distance:
“THAT'S WHY YOU SHOULD BURN IT!”

Suddenly, the little boy stepped forward.

He looked at everyone.
“I can open it.”
The entire village shouted:

“NO!”
The boy looked confused.
“Why?”

The chairman replied:
“Because adults are handling this matter.”

The boy nodded.

Then he quietly picked up a stick.

The chairman saw him.
“PUT THAT DOWN!”

The boy put it down.

Then picked up a stone.
“PUT THAT DOWN TOO!”

The boy dropped it.

Then he reached for the box.

The entire village screamed:

“DON'T TOUCH IT!”

The boy stepped backward.

Then suddenly…

THE BOX MOVED.

Nobody touched it.

It moved by itself.

Just a few centimeters.

But that was enough.

The old man screamed:
“I AM DONE!”

And started running.
Everybody followed.

The chairman ran so fast that he left his slippers behind.

The priest ran while still holding the Bible.

One woman ran with her cooking pot.

Another man climbed onto a motorcycle that had no key.

Nobody cared.

SURVIVAL HAD BECOME THE ONLY PLAN.

Then the priest suddenly stopped.
He turned around.
“WAIT!”

Nobody stopped.
He shouted:
“THE BOX IS MOVING TOWARD US!”

The village increased speed.
Eventually, one brave young man realized something.

“Wait! It isn't moving!”
Everyone stopped.
He pointed at the ground.
The box was sitting on a small wooden board.
A goat was pushing the board from behind.

Silence.
The same goat.
The same goat that had discovered the metal box.

The same goat that had already caused enough trouble.
The old man looked at it.

Then looked at the villagers.
“I told you people this goat is not normal.”

The goat pushed the box again.
KNOCK!

The little voice came from inside.

“Please open.”
The young man finally stepped forward.

He looked underneath the box.

Then he started laughing.
“Everybody calm down.”

The chairman shouted:
“WHAT?”
The young man lifted the box slightly.

Underneath it was…

A SMALL BATTERY-POWERED TOY.

Everyone stared.
The young man pressed a button.

The same voice played:
“Please… open.”

Silence.
Then the entire village exploded with laughter.

The priest sat down.
One elder removed his hat.
The chairman held his head with both hands.

The old man simply stared at the sky.
“Creator…”
He paused.
“Why did you create me in this village?”

But just when everybody thought the mystery was finally solved…

The young man turned the box around.
There was a small inscription underneath.

He wiped away the dust.
Everybody gathered around.
It read:
PROPERTY OF AKOL'S ELECTRONICS, PLEASE RETURN IF FOUND.

The entire village became silent.
Then one elder slowly asked:
“So whose box is this?”

A young man replied:
“The electronics shop.”

The chairman looked furious.
“Then why was it brought here?”

Nobody knew.
Until the little boy suddenly raised his hand.
“I know.”

Everyone turned.
“What?”
He pointed toward the road.
“I saw Uncle Deng carrying it here this afternoon.”

Everybody turned toward Uncle Deng.

Uncle Deng froze.
“Me?”

The chairman stared at him.
“You brought this box?”
Uncle Deng scratched his head.
“I thought it was the box for the village generator.”

The entire village went silent.
The priest closed his Bible.
The old man slowly sat down.

Then one elder said:
“So we almost fought a wizard because Uncle Deng brought a toy?”

Uncle Deng defended himself:
“How was I supposed to know? The box was making noise!”

The old man immediately shouted:
“THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT A WIZARD WOULD WANT YOU TO THINK!”

The whole village burst into laughter.
But then…
The little boy looked toward the grave.

His smile disappeared.
He pointed.
“Grandpa…”

Everyone turned.
“What?”
The boy whispered:
“Why is there smoke coming from the wizard's grave?”

Silence.
The laughter stopped.
The elders slowly turned toward the grave.

A thin white smoke was rising from the fresh soil.
Nobody spoke.
The priest dropped his Bible.

The old man grabbed his jalabia.

The chairman took three steps backward.
Then the same old man whispered:

“Everybody…”
He swallowed hard.

“This time, don't run.”
A long silence followed.

Then…

THE GRAVE MOVED.
One small bump appeared in the soil.
Then another.

The villagers stared.
And suddenly…

BOOOOOOM!

Something shot out of the grave and landed beside the priest.

The priest screamed.

Everyone screamed.
The old man ran.

And the thing lying on the ground…

was a small…

GOAT HORN.
The entire village stood there in silence.
Then the old man turned around and shouted:

“WHO PUT THIS GOAT IN THE GRAVE?”
Nobody answered.

Because…
the goat was already standing behind him.

“MEEEEEEHHHH!”

The old man fainted.

And that was the moment the village finally understood one painful truth:

The wizard might have been dead…

…but between the goats, nails, boxes, toys and terrified villagers…

the village itself had become the real haunted house.

TO BE CONTINUED…

✍🏾 Mariano
Ghetto President ✊🏾

16/08/2026

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16/08/2026

As requested, I will create my stories WhatsApp channel or group, which one do you prefer?

15/08/2026

THE WIZARD WHO DIED… AND ALMOST KILLED THE WHOLE VILLAGE!

PART SIX: THE GOAT THAT KNEW TOO MUCH

After the priest finally explained that the mysterious note was not a prophecy, the village slowly began breathing again.

People returned from the bushes.

Some came from behind houses.

One man even came down from a mango tree after realizing he had been there for almost an hour.

The elders gathered everyone and declared:

“Nobody is allowed to run again without first confirming what is happening.”

Everybody agreed.

It was a very reasonable decision.

Unfortunately…

It lasted about thirty seconds.

Because the same goat that had appeared during the previous night suddenly walked into the middle of the crowd.

The goat stopped.

Looked at everybody.

Then looked directly at the grave.

“MEEEEEEHHHH!”

The old man immediately grabbed his jalabia.

“I DON'T TRUST THAT GOAT!

One young man laughed.

“Grandpa, it's just a goat.”

The old man pointed at it.

“That's exactly what it wants you to believe.”

The goat walked toward the grave.

Everybody stepped backward.

The goat walked closer.

Everybody stepped backward again.

The goat stopped.

Everybody stopped.

The goat scratched the ground with one hoof.

SCRATCH. SCRATCH.

The village became completely silent.

Then one woman whispered:

“Why is it digging?”

Another replied:

“Maybe it knows something.”

The chairman immediately shouted:

“NOBODY LET THAT GOAT DIG!”

Too late.

The goat dug again.

SCRATCH!

Then suddenly…

CLANG!

The hoof hit something metallic.

Everyone froze.

The young man who had discovered the box slowly walked forward.

“Wait…”

He looked at the goat.

Then at the ground.

Then at the elders.
“This goat may have found something.”

The old man shouted:

“OR THE WIZARD HAS FOUND THE GOAT!”

Nobody knew what that meant.

But everybody moved backward anyway.

The young man carefully removed some soil.

Then more.

And more.

Until something appeared.

It was a small metal object.

The priest bent down and picked it up.

He cleaned the dirt away.

Everybody gathered around.

It was an old key.

Silence.

One elder looked at the metal box.

Then at the key.

Then back at the box.

“Try it.”

The chairman immediately objected.

“Absolutely not.”

The elder asked:

“Why?”

The chairman replied:

“Because every time we try something in this village, somebody runs.

The priest took the key.

He inserted it into the lock of the metal box.

Everyone held their breath.

He turned it.

CLICK.

The box opened.

Nobody screamed.

Nobody ran.

Everybody just stared.

Inside was…

another smaller box.

The entire village went silent.

The old man slowly sat down.

“This man is still disturbing us from the grave.”

The priest lifted the smaller box.

There was writing on it.

He wiped away the dust and read:

“DO NOT OPEN.”

Everyone looked at each other.

The chairman immediately said:

“Good. Then don't open it.”

One young man nodded.

“Exactly.”

The priest put it down.

For approximately five seconds…

Everything was peaceful.

Then the little boy from earlier walked forward.

He looked at the box.

Looked at the elders.

Then asked:

“Why shouldn't we open it?”

The chairman shouted:

“BECAUSE IT SAYS DON'T OPEN!”

The boy nodded.

“Okay.”

He walked away.

Everybody relaxed.

Then…

BOOM!

The small box fell from the priest's hand.

The lid opened.

Everyone screamed.

“WAAAAAAAHHHHH!”

People started running again.

The old man ran faster than everybody.

One young man shouted:

“WE AGREED NOT TO RUN!”

Another shouted back:

“THE AGREEMENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED!”

The priest remained behind.

He slowly looked inside the box.

Then he started laughing.

Everyone stopped at a safe distance.
“What is it?”

He held it up.

It was…

A PAIR OF OLD EYEGLASSES. 👓

Silence.

The priest looked at the glasses.

Then looked at the villagers.

“That's it.”

Nobody believed him.

The old man slowly approached.

“Whose glasses?”

The priest turned them over.

There was a name engraved on the side.

He read it aloud.

“DENG.”

Everybody looked at Uncle Deng.

Uncle Deng looked confused.

“Why are you looking at me?”

The priest shook his head.
“Not you. The glasses belonged to the wizard.”

The village became silent again.

One elder asked:

“Why were they buried here?”

Nobody knew.

Then the little boy pointed at the grave.
“Maybe he was looking for them.”

The old man immediately shouted:

“STOP HELPING THE WIZARD!”

Everyone laughed.

Finally, after all the drama, the elders decided to take the box, the glasses and the mysterious note back to the village council.

The grave was left alone.

The goat was chased away.

People started going home.

For the first time in days…

peace had returned.

Or so we thought.

That evening, the village chairman was sitting outside his house when his little son came running.

“Daddy!”

“What?”

“Someone is at the gate.”

The chairman stood up.
“Who?”

The boy shook his head.

“I don't know.”

The chairman walked toward the gate.

He opened it.

Nobody was there.

He looked left.

Nothing.

Right.

Nothing.

Then he looked down.

There was a small wooden box sitting at his doorstep.

He froze.

On top of the box was a piece of paper.

Three words were written on it:

“OPEN ME TONIGHT.”

The chairman stared at it.

His wife came outside.

“What is that?”

He didn't answer.

She asked again:

“What's inside?”

The chairman slowly picked up the box.

Then he whispered:

“I don't know.”

His wife looked at him.

“Then open it.”

The chairman nearly dropped the box.

“ARE YOU INSANE?”

He immediately called the elders.

Within minutes, the whole village gathered outside his house.

The same people who had spent the entire day saying they were finished with the wizard…

were now standing around another mysterious box.

The old man arrived last.

He looked at the box.

Then looked at the crowd.

Then adjusted his jalabia.

“Before anybody touches that thing…”

Everyone became silent.

He continued:

“Check for nails.”

Everybody burst out laughing.

But the laughter stopped when the box suddenly made a sound.

KNOCK.

Silence.

Then…

KNOCK. KNOCK.

The chairman dropped the box.

Everyone stepped backward.

The old man grabbed his jalabia.

The priest raised his Bible.

The village chairman shouted:

“NOBODY OPEN THAT BOX!”

Then from inside the box…

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.

And a tiny voice whispered:

“Please… open.”

The entire village froze.

Nobody moved.

Nobody breathed.

Then the old man slowly whispered:

“I am going to another village.”

And he started walking away.

TO BE CONTINUED…

✍🏾 Mariano
Ghetto President ✊🏾

15/08/2026

Should I continue chapter 6 of The Wizard or continue with chapter 2 of Kator Angel?

15/08/2026

THE ANGEL FROM KATOR CHURCH.

PART ONE: THE DAY GOD TESTED MY SPIRITUALITY

Six years ago, I met a woman who almost made me believe that God still accepts special requests when creating human beings.

I met her at Kator Church.

Yes… Kator Church.

A place where you go seeking spiritual growth, peace, salvation and a closer relationship with God.

But sometimes…

God Himself decides to test your concentration.

My brother, this babe was fine.

Not ordinary fine.

Not “she looks good” fine.

I mean ANGEL-ON-EARTH FINE.

The kind of beauty that can make a soldier standing on high alert suddenly forget what he was guarding and start wondering whether heaven had opened a recruitment center in Kator.

And the way she carried herself?

Premium.

Everything looked properly organized, like God had personally supervised the final inspection.

At that moment, I knew:

“Living, today you didn't come to church alone. Destiny has entered the building.”

I gathered courage.

But approaching a woman that beautiful requires preparation.

I activated every ancient piece of wisdom I had inherited from the legendary elders of confidence.

I consulted the imaginary council of Abuok Ayom.

I summoned the dating spirits of Wet Panderdie Pandior and Wet Padhieu.

Then I activated the teachings of my senior lecturers:

Kuol Kuol Wol.
Tier Mangardit.
Dr. Benjamin Bang Bang.

My brother, I was fully equipped.

I walked toward her with the confidence of a man who had already seen the ending of the movie.

Then came the moment.

I introduced myself.

We talked.

She smiled.

I smiled.

She laughed.

I immediately interpreted that laugh as divine confirmation.

Then I decided to apply the sacred Jieng Men Mentality—that ancient confidence where, if a beautiful woman rejects you, you don't immediately disappear into the bush.

You ask:

“But why are you rejecting me?”

Because according to this philosophy, rejection is not necessarily the end of negotiations.

Sometimes…

It is simply the beginning of the investigation.

The confidence was so powerful that even the brothers from Agar Madong, Bor and Mading Aweil would understand the assignment.

Shout-out to Abraham Kuol Majuech, Deng Mam and Gãmãr Jûñiör.

You people know the mentality.

But fortunately…

I didn't need to investigate.

This particular angel accepted my proposal.

MY BROTHER!

I was over the moon.

I was doing mental press-ups inside my head.

If somebody had told me to run from Kator to Jebel that evening, I would have done it smiling.

I had never been that happy.

For the first time in my life, I understood what people meant when they said:

“Today is my lucky day.”

But then…

I committed the most important mistake of the entire relationship.

I immediately took her picture and posted it in our Hustlers WhatsApp Group.

My brother…

THE GROUP EXPLODED!

Messages everywhere.

Congratulations!

“Chairman has finally secured!”

“Another brother has crossed the border!”

“Who is she?”

“Where did you meet her?”

“Living is no longer living!”

The brotherhood was celebrating as if South Sudan had just won the World Cup.

Because in Hustlers' Code:

When your brother wins, you win.

When your brother gets a beautiful woman…

the entire brotherhood gets promoted.

But nobody knew…

That this beautiful beginning was about to take me through a journey I had never imagined.

Because sometimes…

The woman who looks like an angel when you meet her can become the biggest plot twist of your life.

And that, my brothers and sisters…

is where the real story begins.

TO BE CONTINUED…

✍🏽 Mariano
Ghetto President 🥷🏽

14/08/2026

I ATTENDED A TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE CEREMONY I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT.

I just came back from a traditional marriage ceremony where, to be completely honest, I knew absolutely nobody.

The bride? I don't know her.

The groom? None of my business.

In fact, I had ZERO plans of attending any marriage ceremony that day.

I was peacefully inside my house, minding my own business and dying my own death.

Then suddenly…

MUSIC!

Not just ordinary music ooo.

That traditional music started playing especially Emma Kembe’s “Let's Celebrate.”

My brother, that song is dangerous!

That thing can make a responsible adult start dancing from Juba and somehow find himself twerking halfway to Terekeka.

At first, I was just nodding my head.

Then my shoulders joined.

Then my waist developed its own political agenda.

Before I knew it, I was dancing alone inside my house like someone who had already been paid to perform at the wedding.

But the situation became worse.

I started smelling fried chicken and rice.

Now, I don't know whether it was actually the food or my stomach imagining things, but that rice smelled like it had my name written on it.

I tried to resist.

I told myself:

"Living, stay inside. You don't know these people. Have some dignity."

But the aroma said:

“Come outside, my son.”

How could I resist such a powerful invitation?

So I dressed up and stepped outside.

After a few minutes of serious investigation, I discovered that the ceremony was happening right behind my house.

Ah!

God had answered my prayers.

I entered the arena immediately.

Head held high. Chest out. Confidence at 100%.

I walked in like I had personally contributed money toward the wedding.

I found a seat very close to where the couple was sitting and settled down comfortably.

I started nodding to the music like a close family member.

Nobody suspected anything.

If anybody looked at me, they probably thought:

"That's one of the groom's people."

Meanwhile…

I WAS JUST A RANDOM MAN WHO FOLLOWED THE SMELL OF FRIED CHICKEN.

After some time, one of the ladies wearing an organizer's dress approached me.

She looked at me and asked:

“What will you eat?”

I didn't even hesitate.

I said:

“Rice and fried chicken.”

But I deliberately avoided looking directly into her eyes.

I didn't want her to discover the truth.

I didn't want her to look at my face and realize:

"This man came here because of food."

She left.

A few minutes later, she returned with my plate.

Rice. Fried chicken. And a can of malt.

At that point, I knew God was real.

I didn't waste time.

I attacked the food with the seriousness of a man defending his inheritance.

Rice disappeared.

Chicken disappeared.

The malt went straight after them to settle the situation.

When I finished eating, I stood up quietly.

No speeches.

No congratulations.

No dancing with the couple.

No pictures.

I didn't even properly look at the bride or groom.

I simply walked out and returned home.

Whether they love each other…

Whether they met yesterday…

Whether they have known each other for ten years…

Whether the marriage will produce ten children…

THAT ONE IS THEIR BUSINESS.

My own business was very simple:

I heard music.
I smelled fried chicken.
I followed the signal.
I ate.
I drank malt.
I went home.

Mission accomplished.

So wherever you are, bride and groom, congratulations!

Happy married life to both of you. ❤️

I may not know your names…

I may not know your families…

I may not even remember your faces…

BUT I WILL NEVER FORGET THAT FRIED CHICKEN.

✍🏽 Mariano
Ghetto President 🥷🏽

13/08/2026

THE WIZARD WHO DIED… AND ALMOST KILLED THE WHOLE VILLAGE!

PART FIVE: THE GRAVE THAT REFUSED TO REST.

After the old man screamed “NAIL!”, the entire village disappeared.

Not slowly.

Not respectfully.

They vanished!

People ran as if the dead wizard had personally called their names.

Some went toward the river.

Some went toward the bush.

Others simply ran without knowing where they were going.

One man ran past his own house and continued for another five minutes before realizing:

“Wait… this is my village. Why am I running?”
Meanwhile, the elders were furious.

One elder shouted:

“COME BACK! COME BACK! IT IS ONLY A NAIL!”
Nobody came back.

Another elder screamed:

“THE WIZARD IS DEAD!”

Someone from far away shouted:

“THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID LAST NIGHT!”

Eventually, after almost thirty minutes of hiding behind trees, houses and innocent goats, people slowly began returning.

The old man was still standing near the grave.

His jalabia was torn.

His walking stick was in one hand.

And the nail was in the other.

He looked at everybody and said:

“I told you people from the beginning. Something is wrong with this burial.”

One young man replied:

“Grandpa, the only thing wrong here is your relationship with nails.”

The old man became angry.

“You young people don't respect elders!”
Before anyone could answer…

KRAAAAK!

A strange sound came from the grave.

Everybody froze.

The old man's eyes widened.

He immediately dropped the nail.

“I'M DONE!”

And started running.

The entire village followed him.

Again.

But this time, one young man shouted:

“STOP!”

Nobody stopped.

He shouted louder:

“STOP! IT MAY BE NOTHING!”
Still nobody stopped.

Then the village chairman, who was hiding behind a tree, shouted:

“LET HIM CHECK FIRST!”

Everyone stopped.

The young man slowly walked toward the grave.

He bent down.

Listened.

Nothing.

He waited.

Then…

KRAAAAK!

He jumped backward.

“WHAT WAS THAT?!”
The elders looked at him.

He swallowed hard.

“I don't know.”

My people…

THE VILLAGE WAS FINISHED.

Nobody wanted to go near the grave again.

Then one little boy said:

“Maybe the wizard is trying to come out.”
His mother immediately covered his mouth.

“STOP TALKING!”
Another child whispered:

“Maybe he forgot something inside.”

The mother slapped her forehead.

“WHAT KIND OF SOMETHING DOES A DEAD WIZARD FORGET?”

The elders finally decided to investigate properly.

They brought a long stick.

Nobody was willing to touch the grave directly.

One elder said:

“Use the stick.”

The young man slowly pushed the stick into the soil.

Nothing.

He moved it again.

Nothing.

Then suddenly…

THE STICK HIT SOMETHING HARD!

KNOCK!

Everybody screamed.

The young man dropped the stick and ran.

The old man shouted:

“I KNEW IT! HE HAS A SECOND COFFIN!”

The elders were now confused.

One elder asked:

“How can somebody have a second coffin inside one grave?”

The old man replied:

“This is not an ordinary man!”

After almost an hour of arguments, the elders finally agreed to dig a little around the spot.

The young men began digging.

One shovel.

Two shovels.

Three shovels.

Then suddenly…

CLANG!

The shovel hit metal.

Everyone froze.

The young man slowly removed the soil.

Something shiny appeared.

The crowd moved closer.

One elder whispered:

“Don't touch it.”

Another said:

“We have already touched too many things today.”

The young man continued digging.

Finally, they pulled it out.

Everybody stared.

It was…

AN OLD METAL BOX.

Silence.

Nobody knew where it came from.

One elder looked at another.

“Was this here before?”

The other shook his head.

“I have never seen it.”

The village chairman immediately stepped backward.

“Nobody is opening that thing.”
Someone asked:

“Why?”

He replied:

“Because everything we open in this village gives us problems.”

But curiosity had already defeated common sense.

The elders gathered around.

The box was covered in mud and rust.

There was a small lock on it.

The old man looked at the box carefully.

Then suddenly his face changed.

“Wait…”

Everyone turned.

“What?”

He pointed at the box.

“I have seen this before.”

Silence.

The priest stepped forward.

“Where?”

The old man slowly replied:

“In the wizard's house.”

Nobody laughed this time.

The entire village became silent.

One elder asked:

“Are you sure?”

The old man nodded.

“Very sure.”

The chairman immediately said:

“Then leave it there.”

But before anybody could stop him, the little boy stepped forward.

He looked at the box.

Then looked at the elders.

“Should we open it?”

Everybody shouted:

“NO!”

The boy stepped back.

Then smiled.

“Okay.”

He turned around…

And accidentally kicked the box.

CLANK!

The lock broke.

The lid slowly opened.

Everyone screamed.

The old man fell backward.

The priest covered his face.

The chairman disappeared behind the nearest tree.

And inside the box…

There was a single piece of paper.

The young man picked it up.

Everyone gathered around.

He unfolded it.

There were only three words written on it:

“I WILL RETURN.”

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Then the old man suddenly stood up.

“WHOEVER WANTS THIS VILLAGE CAN HAVE IT!”

He picked up his walking stick and started running.

The village chairman shouted:

“EVERYBODY GO HOME!”

One woman replied:

“HOME WHERE?! THE WIZARD KNOWS WHERE WE LIVE!”

And just when everybody was preparing to run again…

The priest picked up the paper.

He looked at it carefully.

Then turned it around.

He started laughing.

Everyone stared at him.

“Why are you laughing?”

He pointed at the back of the paper.

There was another sentence.

“I WILL RETURN THIS PAPER TO THE OWNER TOMORROW.”

The entire village went silent.

The priest sighed.

“This isn't a prophecy.”

He looked at the elders.

“It's a note from the shopkeeper.”

Apparently, the wizard had borrowed something from the local shopkeeper before he died…

And the note was simply reminding someone to return the paper.

The elders stared at each other.

The old man slowly sat down.

He looked exhausted.

“At this point, even the dead man is innocent.”

One young man nodded.

“Yes, Grandpa.”

Then he looked at the grave.

“But your nails are still suspicious.”

The old man immediately looked down at his jalabia.

He grabbed it tightly.

“DON'T MENTION NAILS AGAIN!”

And just when everyone thought the madness was finally over…

From somewhere deep inside the bush…

A BABY GOAT BLEATED.

“MEEEEEEEHHH!”

The entire village screamed:

“THE WIZARD!”

And ran again.

TO BE CONTINUED…

✍🏾 Mariano
Ghetto President ✊🏾