That night, the room felt colder than usual.
Splendour tried to sleep, but her body wouldn't rest. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the stream again that same field, that same faint smile on Alfred's face.
She switched on her bedside lamp and whispered,
"God, please… if there's something wrong, show me mercy."
Her voice trembled.
She knelt beside the bed, clutching her Bible close, praying the way Naomi had taught her small, shaky words mixed with tears.
For a while, the silence held her like a blanket.
Then suddenly a soft whisper brushed her ear.
She froze.
It wasn't Enisa. It wasn't anyone.
Just a quiet, eerie voice that said her name.
"Splendour…"
She jerked up, looking around. Nothing.
Her heart raced. She picked up her phone immediately and called Alfred.
He answered half-asleep. "Baby, it's midnight, are you okay?"
"There's something strange, Alfred… I heard my name."
He chuckled. "You're too stressed, my love. You need sleep."
"I'm serious, Alfred."
"I know," he said softly. "But listen I'm here, okay? You're fine. Close your eyes and just think of me. I'll call you in the morning."
He sounded so sure, so calm. But when the call ended, the room still felt heavy.
Splendour lay back down, whispering one last prayer.
And that was when she noticed it the faint line of red across her palm.
Right where the cut had once healed.
She gasped softly, covering it with her blanket.
Tears welled in her eyes as she whispered,
"God… please, don't let this be what I think it is."
The door creaked open just then. Enisa walked in, rubbing her sleepy eyes.
"Splendour? What's going on? I heard you talking."
Splendour hesitated for a moment, then sighed deeply. "Enisa… I can't hide it anymore."
Enisa sat beside her. "Talk to me."
And Splendour did — everything. The blood covenant, Naomi's warning, Alfred's laughter, the dream, the whispers. Every detail poured out of her like a flood.
Enisa listened quietly, her eyes growing wide with fear.
"Splendour," she said finally, "this thing you've entered isn't ordinary. You need help real help."
Splendour's voice cracked. "I know, but Alfred doesn't believe any of it."
"Then stop trying to make him," Enisa said firmly. "This battle isn't about him anymore. It's about you. And you need to fight it the right way."
Splendour looked down at her palms again, trembling.
Enisa took her hand gently and whispered,
"We'll pray together tomorrow. You're not alone in this, okay?"
Splendour nodded, tears sliding down her cheeks.
For the first time that night, she felt a flicker of peace small, but real.
Still, deep inside, one question refused to fade:
What if forever was already too late to break?