"No fortune teller is needed to tell you how your life will go. Even a child can tell you the path you are headed," the man told Michael. This angered Michael more. "You will likely be unemployed for quite a while. You will develop a terrible attitude as time goes by. You'll hate your life and start projecting on everyone around you. You'll likely end up abusing substances. If you don't die of overdose, you'll probably end up in the streets where you'll rot...well, that is if you don't go to jail," the man looked at Michael, unblinking. "You are a failure...there's nothing wrong with being a failure. The problem starts when you remain one forever."

Michael was silent, the words echoing in his mind. He was still confused about who this man was and what solution he kept talking about. "Out of the goodness of your heart, huh? You want me to believe someone would help a stranger without getting anything in return?" he shouted.

"Do you want to hear a tale, boy?" the man asked.

"Look, man... I've had it with your nons—"

"See, a couple of years ago, there was a man who lived in poverty," the stranger interrupted. Michael stopped, despite himself, curious about what the man had to say.

The stranger continued, "This man wanted riches so badly that he sacrificed his friend for wealth and stole the luck of his friend's family for his own. With this newfound fortune, the man created a multimillion-dollar business, and his son went on to graduate from some of the best schools. Meanwhile, the family of the deceased friend struggled immensely. In return for helping the man, the Sangoma who facilitated this transformation asked for a human body every three months. Initially, the man complied, but as his riches grew, he became arrogant and stopped offering these bodies. The Sangoma waited and waited, but the man never came back."

The man got closer and closer to Micheal as he told the tale. “Nobody likes people who don’t hold their end of the bargain, right…boy?”

Michael was confused about what the man was getting at. "What does this story have to do with me?"

The stranger leaned forward, his eyes intense. "What if I told you that the man in the story is someone you know too well? And that the Sangoma, the one who helped him, is the same person speaking to you right now?" the man grinned, showing all his teeth.

Michael's eyes widened in disbelief. "You expect me to believe that you're some kind of... witch doctor?"

The man smirked. "You can believe whatever you want. But know this: I have the power to change your life. To give you the opportunity you've been desperately seeking."

“Wait, who exactly is the man in the story?”

“Don’t be dumb, boy. Who else in this small town acquired great fortune in little time”

“Billy’s father? No wait, that can’t be right. Then the friend you are talking about is… my father? You mean to tell me Billy’s dad sacrificed his childhood friend for riches… you are full of shit.” Exclaimed Micheal.

“Believe me, don’t believe me, hate me, love me…the truth will remain the truth.” The man replied.

Micheal was overwhelmed by what this “crazy” man was saying. He didn’t know what to think. “What are these artifacts for?” he pointed at the crystal ball and the bone.

The man’s eyes gleamed with a mix of amusement and seriousness. "Whisper into the bone, and the one who usurped your destiny will have his beloved son transformed into your puppet. The crystal shall serve as the mirror, reflecting every action he makes."

Michael’s eyes widened in disbelief as the man’s words sank in. “His beloved son… Billy? Wait, wait, wait, what the fuck is wrong with you? Why on earth would I want to do something like that?”

The man’s grin remained, a twisted satisfaction evident in his gaze. “Ah, so you do believe in my power then?”

“In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I reject the devil.” Prayed Micheal. “I’ve entertained your nonsense for too long” he looked outside and saw how dark it had gotten.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

“The devil is the one who stole everything from you. I’m the guardian angel sent to help you fulfill your destiny” mocked the man.

“And what do you get in return, oh so Great Guardian Angel?” asked Micheal sarcastically.

The man chuckled softly. "I get the satisfaction of knowing that I helped a desperate soul find his way. And perhaps, when the time comes, a small favor in return."

Michael frowned and looked at the crystal ball and bone on the pew. “Look.” when he looked back up the man was no more. It was as if he had disappeared into thin air. Micheal looked around to see if he was hiding but discovered it was just him, the dry bone, and the crystal ball who were left.

It was late, he had to leave soon. He questioned whether to take these artifacts with him or not.

Michael clutched the crystal ball and the dry bone tightly as he left the abandoned building, his mind swirling with confusion and apprehension. The weight of the artifacts in his hands felt oddly heavy, both physically and mentally. As he walked back home, the darkening sky seemed to mirror his troubled thoughts.

When Michael arrived home, his mother was already waiting for him at the door. Her face was etched with concern. “Michael, where have you been? It’s almost seven! You never stay out this late. I was worried sick.”

Michael put on a casual facade, though his mind was still reeling from the encounter with the strange man. “I was at Billy’s house. Just needed to pick up a gift he had for me,” he said, holding up the crystal ball. He didn’t show the finger-sized bone because he thought it would creep her out.

His mother’s worry softened slightly as she noticed the gift. “Oh, that’s nice. You must be hungry after such a long day. Would you like something to eat?”

Michael shook his head. “No, thanks. I’m not hungry.” He hurried past her and went straight to his room, eager to be alone

Once in his room, he placed the artifacts on his desk with a sense of trepidation. The crystal ball and the dry bone lay there, their presence a stark reminder of the bizarre encounter and the promises made by the man. Michael stared at them, his thoughts a chaotic mix of curiosity and doubt.

He began to question the validity of the man’s claims. “He was bullshitting, right?” he wondered aloud. “it’s probably some elaborate scam.” The things the man told him kept echoing in his head. Still though, curiosity overwhelmed him. As unbelievable as the story was, he wanted to check for himself if these things worked or not. He prayed they didn’t.

Determined to test the artifacts, Michael reached for the crystal ball. He looked at it for a minute. The man had disappeared without telling him how to activate the crystal ball. “Activate,” he said. Nothing happened. This was followed by more attempts “Unlock” , “Mirror, mirror on the wall,” but the ball remained inert. Frustrated, he gave it a firm tap.

Suddenly, the crystal ball began to glow white, it was blinding so Micheal had to squint. The light dimmed and he saw an image materialize within its depths. Michael’s eyes widened in disbelief as he saw Billy’s family at a grand dinner table, surrounded by opulence. Chandeliers bathed the room in a golden light, and a maid bustled around, serving a feast. A dog frolicked around their feet. It was like he was looking at a 3d video inside the crystal ball.

The sight was almost surreal. Michael could hear the faint sound of their conversation. The image was so vivid that it felt like he was peeking into their lives.

“Jesus, this is real,” Michael whispered, his heart racing. He watched with a mix of envy and amazement as Billy’s father spoke about business deals, and Billy’s mother shared a funny story. He could see them all: Billy, his father, mother, elder brother and younger sister.

Michael felt a pang of resentment. The luxury and ease of Billy’s life were in stark contrast to his own struggles. Micheal was shocked, he didn’t want all this to be true.

Michael then turned his attention to the dry bone. He recalled the man’s instructions about using it to control the father’s son like a puppet. With a shaky breath, he spoke to the bone. “Stand up.”

To his astonishment, Billy’s image in the crystal ball abruptly shifted. Billy stood up from his chair. He stood there for a few seconds before looking bewildered as he had no idea why he had just stood up. He then sat back down.

Michael’s heart pounded as he witnessed Billy’s confusion. The power he held felt immense and unsettling. He was overwhelmed by the moral implications of what he was doing. The idea of using this power to control his friend filled him with dread. What made his heart pound more was that the Mysterious man was telling the truth. If he was right about both these artifacts, then he was probably right about everything.

Micheal put the bone back to the desk as he felt controlling Billy like this was wicked. He continued to watch as Billy finished dinner. Micheal placed the crystal ball to the side when he saw Billy undress to take a shower. He tried to loosen his mind by playing an online game. He could barely focus. After a few minutes he grabbed the crystal ball again and saw Billy who was now eating snacks and settling in front of the laptop to work on coding. Michael felt a pang of guilt as he saw his friend’s normal routine, realizing the extent of the invasion of privacy he was engaging in.

As the night wore on, Michael’s fatigue began to catch up with him. He tried to distract himself with a game on his laptop but found his thoughts drifting back to Billy and the crystal ball. Eventually, he fell asleep at his desk, the glowing sphere casting eerie shadows across his face.