September 29th,
Sometimes, you don't know how much weight you've been carrying — until you step into the place where you first learned how to breathe.
Going home wasn't just a visit.
It was a reminder:
We are not alone in this fight.
***
Midweek came with a surprise notice — school declared an off-day for departmental reorganization, and students were allowed to travel if they wished.
Before I could plan, my phone buzzed.
Mom:"There's a friends-and-family get-together at church this weekend. Come home, please. Bring anyone you want."
I smiled. "Anita, want to come home with me?"
Her brows lifted. "Seriously?"
"You could use the peace. And my mom's cooking."
Tony chuckled. "Don't leave me out."
Home.
That one word carried weight I hadn't realized I was craving.
The air smelled of spice and peace.
The walls hummed with prayer and history.
And the hugs? They were healing.
Mom pulled Anita into a full embrace. "You're safe here, dear."
Dad clapped Tony on the back like they were comrades in battle. "Heard you've been making hell nervous."
That night, after dinner, we all gathered in the living room.
Raymond sat beside me, already scribbling on his notepad like he was collecting prophetic details.
Melissa curled up near Tony, listening closely.
And then… we told them everything.
The prayer walks.
Darrey.
Mayumi's disappearance.
The visions.
The marks.
The growing darkness.
Silence fell for a moment when we finished.
Then Mom looked at us, eyes steady and warm. "You've walked into territory that's long been contested."
Dad added, "But heaven never sends soldiers without backup."
We stood and began to pray.
What followed was like heaven opening in that living room.
Words of prophecy.
Declarations of fire.
Raymond saw things.
Melissa wept in the Spirit.
And somewhere in that prayer storm, I knew… we weren't going back the same.
Later, while helping Mom in the kitchen, I asked, "Why does it feel like something ancient is buried on that land?"
She looked at me for a moment before answering.
"There are places the enemy marks early. Long before buildings go up. Because he knows what God intends to do there."
She touched my shoulder gently. "That school is meant to birth revival. That's why the resistance is so strong."
***
We returned with more than memories.
We returned with intercessors. With warriors.
With a flame passed down through blood and covenant.
Let them mark our walls —
We've marked heaven.
And heaven… will answer.