Unexpected fate

Deva was a 16-year-old boy who loved football more than anything. He dreamed of playing for the Indian national team someday, and he practiced every day with his friends at the local ground. He was the best striker in his school team, and he had a knack for scoring goals.

One day, as he was walking home from school, he saw a group of boys teasing and bullying a girl. She was wearing a football jersey, and they were mocking her for trying to play a "man's game". Deva felt angry and decided to intervene. He told the boys to leave her alone, and challenged them to a one-on-one match. He said that if he won, they would have to apologize to the girl and never bother her again. The boys agreed, thinking that they could easily beat him.

Deva played with all his skill and passion, and soon he was leading by two goals. The boys were furious, and they started to play dirty. They kicked and pushed him, trying to injure him. Deva ignored their fouls and kept playing. He was about to score his third goal, when one of the boys tackled him from behind and tripped him. Deva fell to the ground, and hit his head on a rock. He lost consciousness, and the boys ran away, leaving him bleeding.

The girl, who had been watching the whole scene, rushed to his side. She recognized him as Deva, the star player of the school team. She had always admired him for his talent and courage, and she felt sorry for him. She took out a bottle of water from her backpack and sprinkled some on his face. She hoped that he would wake up soon.

But something strange happened. As the water touched his skin, it started to glow. A faint blue light enveloped his body, and he began to twitch. The girl gasped, and backed away. She didn't know what was going on, but she felt a surge of fear.

Deva opened his eyes, and groaned. He felt a sharp pain in his head, and a weird sensation in his chest. He touched his face, and felt something soft and smooth. He looked at his hands, and saw that they were slender and delicate. He looked down at his body, and screamed.

He was no longer a boy. He had turned into a girl.


Deva was in shock. He couldn't believe what had happened to him. He looked around, hoping that no one had seen him. He saw the girl, who was staring at him with a mix of horror and curiosity. She was the only witness to his transformation.

"Who are you?" Deva asked, in a voice that sounded high-pitched and unfamiliar.

"I'm Rani. I go to your school. I'm in the girls' football team." She said, nervously.

"What did you do to me?" Deva demanded, angrily.

"I didn't do anything! I swear! I just tried to help you. I don't know what happened. It was the water. It must have been magic or something." She said, defensively.

"Magic? What kind of magic? How do I change back?" Deva asked, desperately.

"I don't know. I don't know anything about magic. Maybe it was a curse. Maybe someone cursed you." She suggested.

"A curse? Who would curse me? And why?" Deva wondered.

"Maybe someone who hates you. Maybe someone who is jealous of you. Maybe someone who wants to ruin your life." She said, speculating.

Deva thought hard. He tried to remember if he had any enemies. He couldn't think of anyone who would hate him enough to do this to him. He was a good student, a good friend, a good son. He had never harmed anyone. He had never done anything wrong.

Except for one thing.

He had played football.

He had played football against the rules.

He had played football against the gods.

Deva remembered the legend that his grandfather had told him when he was a child. The legend of the **Karma Ball**. A sacred ball that was created by the gods to test the mortals. A ball that had the power to grant wishes, but also to punish sins. A ball that was hidden in a secret temple, guarded by a fierce dragon. A ball that was forbidden to be touched by anyone.

Deva had touched it.

He had touched it by accident, when he was exploring the temple with his friends. He had found the ball in a dark chamber, and he had picked it up, curious. He had felt a strange sensation, as if the ball was alive. He had heard a voice in his head, asking him what he wanted.

He had wished to be the best football player in the world.

He had wished to be the best football player in the world, and he had paid the price.
He had paid the price, by becoming a girl.
Deva realized that he had made a terrible mistake. He had angered the gods, and they had punished him by changing his gender. He wondered if there was any way to reverse the curse, and to restore his original form.

He decided to go back to the temple, and to return the Karma Ball. He hoped that by doing so, he would appease the gods, and they would undo their wrath. He asked Rani to help him, and to keep his secret. She agreed, feeling sorry for him, and curious about the ball.

They took a bus to the outskirts of the city, where the temple was located. It was an ancient and abandoned structure, covered with vines and moss. It looked eerie and mysterious, and no one ever visited it. Deva and Rani had to sneak past the fence, and to avoid the guard dogs. They reached the entrance of the temple, and entered the dark corridor.

They followed the same path that Deva had taken with his friends, when he had found the ball. They passed by several chambers, filled with statues, paintings, and relics. They saw images of gods and goddesses, of heroes and villains, of animals and monsters. They felt a sense of awe and fear, as they walked deeper into the temple.

They finally reached the chamber where the ball was hidden. It was a small and circular room, with a dome-shaped ceiling. In the center of the room, there was a pedestal, with a hole on top. That was where the ball was supposed to be. But it was empty.

The ball was gone.

Deva and Rani looked at each other, shocked. They didn't know what to do. They searched the room, hoping to find some clue or hint. They found nothing.

Someone had taken the ball.

Someone had taken the ball, and Deva was stuck as a girl forever and he was forced to accept his fate