Sall looked at Abdul, still uneasy, and asked in a low, almost hesitant voice:
— "Is your family aware of the existence of entities and all that comes with them?"
Abdul let out a soft sigh, his eyes calm but serious.
— "Our family, on my father's side, knows nothing. It's only our grandfather who taught me about the entities."
Sall froze, his face showing complete confusion. He couldn't hide his astonishment.
— "Why wasn't your father ever initiated into this?" he asked, his voice betraying his bewilderment.
Abdul shrugged gently, a faint smile on his lips, as if to say: I really don't know.
— "That… I have no idea," he admitted simply.
A heavy silence fell between them, thick with tension and unspoken questions. Then Abdul broke it with firm instructions:
— "Let's go inside. And whatever happens, don't mention the entities to my family. Understood?"
Sall nodded, though his worry only deepened. His thoughts swirled, particularly about his sister.
— "If my sister is possessed… why leave her with your family? Isn't that dangerous?" he asked, his voice tinged with anxiety.
Abdul sighed deeply, leaning his back against the car as if to gather his thoughts.
— "Contrary to what you might think, your sister isn't a ticking time bomb."
— "Her life isn't in danger?" Sall pressed, his heart racing.
— "Roughly speaking, yes…" Abdul replied in a measured but firm tone.
Sall frowned, perplexed.
— "What do you mean, 'roughly speaking'?" he asked, feeling the unease grow inside him.
Before Abdul could respond, the door of the house swung open. Abdul's mother appeared, a warm smile on her face, motioning them to come closer.
— "What are you doing out there? Come on, hurry!" she said, her voice firm yet caring.
The sun beat down heavily on Sall as he stepped forward, his heart tight in his chest. How will my sister behave? What if she's… different now? His thoughts tumbled chaotically, mixing fear and anticipation.
As they approached his aunt, he took a deep breath and spoke, a bit hesitant:
— "Hello, Aunt Awa."
The elderly woman responded softly, yet with a touch of nostalgia:
— "Hello, Sall. How have you been since you left the hospital?"
— "I… I've been okay," he replied, his voice trembling slightly but controlled.
Awa looked at him for a moment, then smiled and gestured them inside:
— "Come in. My husband isn't here at the moment; he went out on some business."
Sall stepped inside the house, still anxious and heart pounding. He could not anticipate the state in which he would find his sister.
Suddenly, his aunt called out:
— "Aïchata, come see your big brother! Sall is here!"
Sall froze, unable to react. His mind was paralyzed by anxiety and uncertainty. He was not prepared to see her again after four long years.
Descending the stairs, the young girl suddenly sprang forward and threw herself at him with a mischievous tone:
— "Haha! Got you, big dummy!"
Sall's mouth hung open for a moment, showing his total surprise. Then, gathering himself, he caught his sister and gently shook her, both of them laughing heartily.
After a few moments, he put her down and smiled:
— "Little rascal, I missed you."
Aïcha replied confidently, a playful grin on her face:
— "Don't worry, I get it… you can't live without me!"
Abdul, watching them from the entrance, frowned and stepped forward, a mix of astonishment and concern on his face:
— "Sall, follow me!" he said, his voice firm and commanding.
Sall straightened up and called to his sister:
— "Wait for me, Aïcha, I'll be right back!"
Once inside another room, Abdul grabbed Sall's arm and stared at him intensely.
— "I knew it… why is your ring squeezing your finger like this?"
Sall looked at his hand and felt the ring on his pinky tighten, cutting slightly into his skin. He frowned, puzzled.
— "I… I don't really know. It started squeezing the moment I touched my sister," he admitted, concern creeping into his voice.
Abdul nodded silently, watching Sall with a gravity that left no room for doubt. A subtle, supernatural tension filled the room, as if his sister's possession had awakened something latent, ready to manifest.