14 years ago.
A little girl, around 6 or 7, sat under a tree while her mother washed clothes by the lakeside. The warm sun shone over the gentle ripples of water.
Little Girl: "Mom! Look—I found these beside the tree!"
She held out some mangoes, smiling brightly.
Mother: laughs softly "Sweetie, you can eat them. I'll have some after I finish washing. But don't wash them here—the water's full of soap. Go over there, where the water's clean, and rinse them properly."
Little Girl: "Okay, Mom!"
The little girl skipped over, washed the mangoes in the clean part of the lake, and began to eat one. Later, as they walked home
Little Girl: "Mom, why didn't you eat the mango?"
Mother: "I'll eat it later, sweetie. Don't you think your little brother must be hungry at home? We should hurry."
Little Girl: "Well… Dad's there, so he must've fed him. I guess?"
They both laughed as they walked through the golden glow of sunset. The sky was painted in orange hues, the air filled with the rustling sound of wind moving through leaves and grass. They arrived home. As soon as the door opened, the little girl rushed inside, straight to the living room where her father sat watching TV.
Little Girl: "Daddy!"
He stood from the couch and lifted her up with a smile.
Father: "Hey, little princess! Did you help your mom today?"
Little Girl: grinning "Ugh… I guess."
They giggled together. The mother walked in from the bedroom, holding the sleeping little brother in her arms.
Mother: "Honey, did you feed him?"
Father: "Yeah, of course I did."
Mother: "That's why he's sleeping so deeply."
Little Girl: "Daddy! Next week he'll be four! Yay! My little brother's birthday is coming!"
The room was glowing with happiness and the warm light of a bulb. A perfect evening.
Midnight.
Everyone slept peacefully. Until the little girl suddenly woke up, clutching her stomach in pain. She groaned, her face pale and sweaty. Her parents awoke, alarmed. Suddenly, she rushed to the bathroom. Then vomits Blood in the toilet. Her parents froze, eyes wide with horror. The mother panicked. The father didn't hesitate—he picked up his daughter and rushed to the hospital. The mother followed, holding the baby close.
Scene change in Hospital.
The little girl lay unconscious on the bed. Her parents sat beside her, faces pale and trembling. A doctor and nurse entered the room. The father stood quickly.
Father: "Doctor, is she alright?!"
Doctor: serious tone "I can't say. This case… it's unlike anything I've ever seen. Her digestive organs—and even some of her vital organs—are changing. Their shape… their position… everything is shifting."
Mother: terrified "W-What does that mean…?"
Doctor: "If this transformation continues… she might not survive more than two or three weeks. That's all I can say for now."
The mother clutched the baby boy tightly, sobbing. Tears welled up in the father's eyes.
Father: "Doctor… please… there must be something you can do to save her…"
The doctor looked at them, sympathy in his eyes.
Doctor: "Do you know what she ate before this happened?"
The mother's eyes widened in realization.
Mother: "She… she ate a mango. She washed it in the lake. Then we had dinner."
Doctor: "Did any of you eat the mango too?"
Mother: "No… only her. She washed it alone."
Suddenly, the nurse beside the doctor glanced sharply at the mother, her expression tensing.
Nurse: "When exactly did the stomach pain begin?"
Mother: "At night… around 11:30."
The nurse's eyes widened slightly. Her face changed—subtly, but noticeably. Suspiciously.
Doctor: "Alright. We'll do everything we can."
A few hours later…
The nurse stood alone in a quiet corridor. She looked around, pulled out her phone, and dialed a number. After a few seconds—
Nurse: "Boss… we have a problem."
TO BE CONTINUED…9