October 6th,
Victory often feels like peace.
But sometimes, it draws the wolves closer.
Today, healing knocked.
But so did hostility.
***
Mayumi was sleeping when her sister arrived — Nima, tall, calm, eyes carrying the same soft fire Mayumi had.
She hugged me first. "Thank you for finding her."
I smiled faintly. "We didn't. God did."
She nodded, swallowing emotion. "Still. Thank you."
We packed Mayumi's few things quietly. She'd barely spoken since waking up, but her eyes… they said enough. Fear. Fire. And something fragile she didn't yet understand.
As Nima lifted her gently into the car, she paused. "I'll take her home to recover. But I know this isn't over."
I looked at her. "You're right. It's only begun."
The three of us walked back to campus together, silent at first. Until Anita said, "Did anyone else notice the way the nurses avoided looking at her?"
Tony sighed. "And the guard at the clinic… he made a call when we walked away. I'm almost sure of it."
The tension in the air felt thick — like something brewing.
We didn't have to wait long.
They cornered us on the edge of the department building. Darrey, flanked by three guys, all wearing smug grins and false casualness.
"Well, if it isn't the three little prayer warriors," Darrey sneered. "Back from another midnight miracle?"
"Get out of our way," I said evenly.
One of the guys stepped forward, phone in hand. "How about a little interview first, hm? Let's talk about how y'all sneak around campus at night disturbing the peace. Talking to yourself. Wailing. Casting spells, maybe?"
Tony's jaw clenched. "You're twisting things."
Darrey smiled. "Or maybe we're just showing people who you really are. Cultists pretending to be Christians. Isn't that right?"
Anita took a breath, standing beside me. "You want a scandal? We'll give you truth instead."
By now, a small crowd had begun gathering. Phones up. Whispers in the air.
Darrey raised his voice. "Tell them what you really do at night! Tell them what happened to that girl! Did she nearly die because of your madness?"
That was it.
I stepped forward. "You want to know what happened? Fine. A girl went missing. We prayed. God led us. She was found. That's the truth. And if you think darkness can shut us up, you haven't met the God we serve."
The air shifted.
Some students stared in silence.
A lecturer approached. "What's going on here?"
Darrey backed off slightly. "Nothing, sir. Just… discussing some disturbing behavior."
The lecturer looked from him to us, then walked away — but not without a warning glance.
The moment passed. The crowd thinned. But the seed had been sown — not scandal, but suspicion… and perhaps, curiosity.
***
I saw it in their eyes — fear. Not of us. But of something they can't explain.
But it's not our job to explain.
It's our job to burn.
So we will.