EVERYONE in the Village is AFRAID of the TWINS

In a serene African village, nestled beside ancient, rustling trees, lived Nia and her husband. Their home was quiet, filled with a love that had deepened over many years but was shadowed by the silence of an empty cradle. Nia had conceived several times, but each pregnancy had tragically ended in miscarriage after only a few weeks.

The pressure from the husband’s family was relentless. They suggested he marry another, whispering that Nia was a witch whose miscarriages were rituals for dark arts. But the husband, a man of unwavering devotion, loved his wife deeply and remained confident that one day, Nia would bear him a child.

After many years of waiting, Nia became pregnant again. The villagers, skeptical and hardened by past disappointments, anticipated another failure. “This is how she always is,” they muttered. “A few weeks pregnant, and then she uses it for her ritual.”

But against all odds, Nia carried the child past the usual weeks, past nine months, and to the astonishment of the entire village, she gave birth to twins: two beautiful, healthy girls named Mera and Nana.

This was an unprecedented event; twins had never been born in their village before. The community rejoiced, seeing Nia’s deliverance as a profound blessing. People traveled from all around, showering the family with gifts, for twins were considered a mark of great favor.

The Mystery of the Sisters

As Mera and Nana grew, they became the village’s most beloved figures—rays of sunshine adored by everyone. Men and women would visit just to spend time with them, even taking them out to shower them with treats before returning them safely home. Their charm was like a spell.

However, as the girls matured, a strange incident showed the villagers another, more unsettling side of the twins.

Amanda, a well-known trader, often took the girls with her. One day, at the bustling market, Mera and Nana began eating her food without permission. Furious, Amanda scolded and beat them. The twins did not cry; instead, they simply laughed and issued a chilling declaration: the marks from the beating would appear on Amanda’s own daughter when she returned home.

Amanda dismissed their words as mere child’s talk. But when she returned to her compound, she was horrified. Her daughter was there, weeping, with marks on her back in the exact spots where Amanda had struck the twins. The trader told the villagers about it, but they dismissed her, thinking she was dreaming or exaggerating.

Yet, the incident marked a turning point. The more Mera and Nana grew, the more mysterious they became. Their ability to transfer pain to others sowed a mix of fear and awe in the villagers’ hearts. The twins, once seen only as a blessing, were now viewed with caution.

The Feared Old Woman

Their strange power grew even more apparent one day when they crossed paths with the most feared woman in the village, known for her quick, harsh temper.

While playing, the twins accidentally knocked over the old woman’s cooking pot, spilling the porridge. Knowing the woman’s reputation, they immediately apologized, trying to explain it was a mistake. Enraged, the old woman began to curse them, eventually forcing them to kneel and hold heavy stones as punishment.

Distressed by the unfairness despite their apology, the twins uttered a chilling curse of their own. They declared that whenever the old woman tried to enter her hut, the dwelling would keep moving further away, always out of reach.

The old woman, like Amanda before her, scoffed, dismissing it as childish threats. Soon, however, she discovered the terrifying truth. As she attempted to enter her hut, it seemed to glide backward. No matter how much she walked, she could never bridge the distance. She walked and walked, but her door kept stepping further away.

Exhausted and frightened, she publicly begged the twins for forgiveness.

The villagers who had gathered around were astounded. The fearsome woman who had instilled terror in them for years was now pleading with the young sisters. This event significantly altered the perception of Mera and Nana. The twins, once adored for their charm, were now both revered and feared for their extraordinary, almost supernatural powers.

The Lure of the Forbidden River

As Mera and Nana got older, their special powers, which once garnered love and attention, began to inspire fear. The villagers, once charmed, now kept their distance, afraid of what the twins could do. This fear changed everything; even the young men who might have sought their friendship or affection steered clear. Being near their strange power was too frightening.

Mera and Nana started to feel desperately alone. Their powers, while amazing, made it impossible to make friends or form any close bond. Lonely and longing to be like other young people, they wished they could play and laugh without making others afraid. They wanted a normal life.

This desire led them to contemplate breaking the one important rule their mother, Nia, had sternly imposed: never go near the river. Nia had never explained why, but her seriousness about the rule had always been absolute.

Curious and determined to change their lonely existence, Mera and Nana decided to go to the river—the one place they had always been told to avoid. This choice, driven by a yearning for belonging, was the beginning of a profound change in their lives.

The Transformation

Excited for an adventure, Mera and Nana made their way to the river. It was a place of life, busy with people washing, swimming, and enjoying the cool water. The twins desperately wanted to be a part of this.

At first, their presence caused a stir. People began to leave, gathering their belongings and quickly moving away from the water’s edge. The twins called out to them, pleading for a chance to be seen as just another part of the community. They assured everyone they meant no harm, only wishing to play and share in the river’s joy.

Slowly, some people decided to stay. They were cautious, but soon, things began to feel normal. The twins were laughing and splashing with the others; their dream of fitting in seemed to be coming true.

But then, the unexpected happened.

One of the girls playfully splashed water onto Mera. Right away, Mera began to change. Her skin started to look like fish scales, and she was rapidly transforming into a fish. Nana, trying desperately to help her sister, touched the water and began changing as well.

Panic seized the crowd. Everyone ran to get Nia, the twins’ mother.

When Nia arrived and saw her daughters turning into river creatures, her heart broke. Her sadness filled the air, a reflection of the utter helplessness she felt as her beautiful children underwent a transformation no one could understand.

The Secret and the Sacrifice

In the midst of the chaos and confusion, the village priest revealed a great secret. Mera and Nana, he declared, were actually children of the River Goddess. This was a truth Nia had kept hidden out of fear.

Overcome by grief, Nia confessed everything. Desperate not to lose her husband and her place in the village years ago, she had gone to an herbalist. The herbalist had asked the River Goddess to grant Nia children, but there was one sacred rule: the children must never touch the river, or they would return to the goddess.

There was no way to change the twins back; they belonged to the river now.

Desperate, Nia ran to find the herbalist, only to discover he had died a few years prior. There was truly no other way. With heavy hearts and much crying and praying, the village had to make a sorrowful choice: they carried Mera and Nana back to the river, giving them back to the goddess.

But as they released the twins, something amazing happened.

The river took Mera, making her one of its own, but it sent Nana back to the land, human once more. Everyone was amazed to witness the power and the kindness of the River Goddess.

Nia and Nana embraced on the riverbank, their hearts a mix of happiness and profound grief. They had to learn to live with the absence of Mera, who was now part of the flowing water. Nia finally learned a powerful lesson: to always wait for God’s time, for it is always the best.

The story of Mera and Nana, the twins once called both blessing and curse, transformed into a tale about love, sacrifice, trust, and acceptance. They found peace, learned to be thankful every day, and always felt a special connection to the river—the force that had given them so much and also taken away.