30/06/2026
THE MPESA MESSAGE (Part 1)
The Alert
I stared at my M-Pesa balance for what felt like the tenth time that evening. KSh 27.00. That was all I had left 🥺. My rent was overdue, I had skipped lunch to save money, and I had no idea how I was going to survive the rest of the the week. Sitting alone in my small hostel room, I leaned back against the wall and laughed bitterly. University life wasn't supposed to be this hard.
Just as I was about to switch off my phone and sleep away my problems, it vibrated 📳. I picked it up without thinking. The message on the screen made me sit upright immediately.
"You have received KSh 50,000.00."
I blinked. Then I checked again.
Fifty thousand shillings. 😳
The sender's number was unfamiliar, and there was no name attached to it. My heart started pounding. There had to be some mistake.
For the next few minutes, I did nothing except stare at the screen. Questions raced through my mind. Who sent the money? Was it an accident? Was this some kind of scam? But another part of me was already thinking about all the problems this money could solve. Rent. Food. School fees. For the first time in weeks, I felt a tiny spark of hope. 🙏🏽
Then my phone vibrated again. 📳
I smiled nervously and opened the new message, expecting someone to ask for their money back. Instead, I read a single sentence that made my blood run cold:
"Don't spend it. They're watching."
I froze. 😨
Slowly, I looked up from my phone and turned toward the hostel window. For a brief second, I could have sworn I saw someone standing across the road, staring directly at my room.
I jumped to my feet and rushed to the window.
The road was empty.
No one.
I stood there for nearly a minute, trying to convince myself that I was imagining things.
Then my phone vibrated one last time. 📳
With shaking hands, I unlocked the screen.
The message read:
"Close the curtain."
Follow Ràmà dhan for part 2
