The plane had landed, and so had they. But Vihaan felt like his soul hadn't boarded with him.
That evening, the small apartment was filled with the usual warmth — the golden hue of the kitchen light, the clinking of cutlery, and the scent of baked vegetables and cheese-filled rolls.
"So, so?! How was Egypt?" Liora leaned over the table, eyes wide with excitement.
Vihaan blinked, staring at his untouched plate. "It was... hot. And dusty. The pyramids were huge."
"That's it? You saw one of the greatest wonders of the world, and all you've got is 'hot and dusty'?" Liora pouted.
Their mother chuckled softly, placing more bread on their plates. "Let him breathe, sweetheart. He just got back."
Vihaan smiled faintly, but it didn't reach his eyes. His thoughts were miles away — buried in that ancient darkness under the pyramid.
Later that night, after Liora had gone to bed, his mother sat down beside him on the couch.
"You've been quiet. Quieter than usual," she said gently.
Vihaan glanced at her, then looked away. "Just tired, that's all."
She studied his face for a long moment. "Did something happen there? You seem… distant."
He hesitated, then gave her a reassuring smile. "No, Mom. Nothing happened. You don't need to worry about me. Go get some rest — you have work tomorrow."
She eventually nodded, gave him a soft kiss on the head, and went to bed.
Vihaan walked to his room, shut the door behind him, and sat by his desk. He rolled up his right sleeve and stared at the strange mark etched into his skin.
It pulsed faintly — not visible to anyone else, yet there. Real. Alive.
He turned to his laptop and began searching.
Hours passed.
Most of the results were nonsense — conspiracy theories and clickbait headlines. But then, he found it: a blurry photo of an old carving inside the pyramid. It was nearly erased with time… but the pattern matched.
His mark.
Vihaan leaned back, heart pounding. "Why me?" he whispered.
There were no answers.
Only more questions.
Eventually, he shut the laptop and crawled into bed. He had school tomorrow. Whatever this was — it could wait.
But the mark had other plans.
As Vihaan slept, the symbol on his hand began to glow softly. Light and darkness twisted around it like a slow-burning flame.
He dreamed.
No — he relived.
The fall.
The blood.
The betrayal.
And then her… the woman cloaked in shadow and power, her lips stained crimson as she drew blood from his mouth.
"You shall rise as my apostle."
Vihaan woke with a jolt.
Sweat drenched his forehead. His breath came in short, panicked bursts.
His heart raced. His eyes darted around the room. It was still early — dawn.
He stumbled to the bathroom and splashed cold water on his face. But when he looked in the mirror, something was off.
His skin… it was glowing. Not literally, but it looked clearer, smoother. Healthier. His eyes were sharper. Brighter.
Getting dressed, he noticed his baggy pants didn't quite cover his ankles. His shirt felt tighter across the shoulders.
"What the hell…?"
No time. He was already running late.
At breakfast, he devoured everything on the table.
"You're eating like you haven't seen food in days," his mom said, raising a brow.
"I guess… the food just tastes better today," he offered with a shrug.
She looked suspicious but said nothing.
Running to school, Vihaan was sure he'd be late. But somehow, despite his casual pace, he arrived early.
Walking through the hallway, everything felt louder. Clearer. He could hear every footstep, every whisper.
His mind swirled with confusion, anxiety bubbling under the surface.
"Why am I hearing everything like this…? This isn't normal."
In class, everyone noticed. Vihaan looked… different. Taller. Sharper. Stronger.
Even Brayden narrowed his eyes. "What the hell happened to you?"
Vihaan didn't answer. He couldn't. The whispers, the pencil scratches, even the breathing — everything was too loud.
"It's like I'm inside everyone's head… I can't focus."
He turned to the window, trying to ease the chaos in his mind.
But even there, something felt off.
The trees in the distance—he could see every leaf, every fluttering shadow.
The clouds above looked sharper, the sky more vivid, like someone had removed a filter from the world.
His vision… it was different too.
"It's like I'm inside everyone's head… I can't focus."
During the break, Miles tried to shoulder him into a locker.
But Miles was the one who bounced off.
Brayden stepped forward, angry. "You trying to be smart?"
A crowd gathered.
Brayden swung a punch.
Vihaan watched it — like it was in slow motion.
He dodged.
Again.
And again.
Gasps echoed around them.
Brayden lunged. Vihaan ducked and tripped him.
The bully crashed flat on his face.
Silence.
Vihaan stood there, stunned himself.
Even Alicia — cold, cruel Alicia — stared at him, eyes wide with something that almost looked like curiosity.
Vihaan turned and walked back into the classroom.
Students stepped aside like he was a different person.
Elias — his ex-best friend — tried to speak. Vihaan walked right past him without a glance.
"This can't be happening… what's wrong with me?"
The day ended. Vihaan walked home, thoughts racing.
"I felt stronger… faster… but that's not possible. Right?"
Then a voice.
"You put on quite a show today."
He froze.
Looking to his left — in the glass window of a store — he saw her.
That woman.
The same one from the pit.
Smiling at him.
Eyes glowing faintly in the reflection.
"We'll be seeing each other soon… very soon."
Written by Ghost_Writer_2020
Copyright © 2025 GhostWriter
All rights reserved. This story is an original work of fiction by the author. Any unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or adaptation without explicit permission is strictly prohibited.