Unseen Hands - Revival in Ethiopia

The woman's terrified scream tore through the humid air, a stark, visceral interruption to the rhythmic rush of the river. My blood ran cold, then surged. Another life, on the edge. The river's hungry maw beckoned, but my purpose, my very being, screamed back: 'Act. Save. Protect.'

“(DISTANT, PANICKED) ...going under! Help him! Please!”

The screams echo, a brutal percussion against the relentless rush of the river. My mind is a storm, calculating current speed, downstream hazards, the victim's diminishing chances. Every passing second is a lifetime lost, every ripple a testament to the unforgiving flow. This is why I am here. To stand between the hungry maw and a fragile life.

“(FADING, WOMANS VOICE) ...VILLAGE! HELP! HES GOING DOWN! (MAN, DETERMINED) I’ll try!”

The current was a monster, a true predator hidden beneath the surface. It tore at me, pulled me under, filled my lungs with its bitter, churning truth. My purpose, my very being, screamed 'Act! Save! Protect!', but this time, the acting was mere survival against an overwhelming force. The cold, the dark... I thought I was lost. Then, a blur of motion, a splash, and a desperate, unyielding grip. Someone else. Coming for *me*.

“(VILLAGER 1, PANICKED) Hes in! Oh, by the ancestors, he jumped! (VILLAGER 2, URGENT) Look! Where are they? Both are gone! (VILLAGER 3, GASPS) There! Hes got him! (VILLAGER 4, WHISPERING) Is he... is he alive?”

the cold bite of the water, the dull ache in my chest, the frantic faces above me. I was on solid ground, mud clinging to my skin, but the silence was wrong. A vital hum missing from the world. A beat, a rhythm… gone. And then I saw him.

“(VILLAGER 1, RELIEVED) Hes breathing! Thank the ancestors, he lives! (VILLAGER 2, URGENT) Water! Get him water! (RESCUER VILLAGER, HOARSE, EXHAUSTED) I… found him… too late…”