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Fazemood:
Yeah the end indeed I concur because the fight between Light and darkness hasn't ended yet.

A very enlightening story Divepen1. Well done sir.

Indeed, we are still trusting in his grace to always overcome..

Fazemood:
Wow, why did it take so long to update this story? I almost forgot about it. Nice and interesting update I must say.

I wanted to go one after the other

***
Richard glanced at the pad again as his car sped, and he wondered what still held him to the belief that he would get what he wanted. He looked at the clock and wondered what would ever happen if Tina could stop doting over him. He had shown her times without number that he wasn't in the act of sleeping his co-workers or married woman or any woman at all. He was a celibate. It helped him think better. Yet, she kept trying to make him fall for her. Several times, she had undressed in front of him, using it as a bait, but he had always overcome her. Nevertheless, he gave her credit for her persistence. Even a guy would have backed down if he was the one asking for such a thing from a woman.
Then, out of nowhere, a woman ran into the road. Richard slammed on the brake of the car. The woman looked haggard, and her eyes were wide with fear. She was being chased by many of those security drones, which had their red laser light trained on her. She ran to the empty side of the car, opened the door, and jumped into it, filling the car with the stench of what smelt like drainage.
'Drive. Drive... Drive this maggot', she screamed and hit the front board with so much aggression that Richard feared it would split into two.
From experience, Richard knew he mustn't stay around for her pursuer to have a clue about who he was or where they went. He switched off the front light of the car, and hurriedly wore his night vision glasses which he picked from under his seat.
'Who are you?' He said as he drove off to the place he reserved for such case as this. He wasn't one of the best in his field because he always followed the rules or always called for backup whenever there was a problem. He was the best because he planned eventualities. With him, there was always a conspiracy and a contingency plan.
'They took him away. They've killed her. They will know it was me'; she said, breathing hard.
'Cool your nerve lady. Cool it. You're not making sense'.
'I know but everything is not making sense to me'.
'What are you talking about? Who are you? Who are they?' He said as he took his time to look at her now. She should be in her early forties, and from the necklace she wore, he was sure she either came from a wealthy home or was involved with someone from a wealthy home. But, if she was from a wealthy home, her hand wouldn't be wrinkled with ages and hard work. She was white. She was a lover of someone important.
'Did anything happen to your lover?'
'Yes... Just get me out of here'.
He nodded. At that period that people were disappearing, he didn't see a reason to help her, but his guts loved what it saw. And he was following it, irrespective of the consequence.
They had just turned a corner when two cars joined the numerous, regular cars on the street. The drones were still following them, and he knew he had to make them stop tracking him. He knew who the people in the cars were, and he smiled. Just what he needed at that time - a bit of fun and some shooting. Richard licked his lips and dragged out a box from the bottom of the other seat. Inhaling the coldness that came with them, he closed his eyes for a brief moment. They smelt good and made him smile. He caressed the pistols, speed-dialed number '4' on his phone, and knew it was time to play games.
***
'Did any of you find anything?’ The authoritative lady said as they gathered. Joyce had made the suggestion that they searched through the rail for anything that showed they could move down from whatever they were on or in. While they were doing that, the authoritative lady's job was to keep counting numbers until the last one of them returned.
Amidst the wailing, the stench, and the incessant grumpiness from people, they made their way back.
'I don't know if it's useful, I saw a sort of rope', someone said.
'Where's it?' Joyce asked.
'I can't...I don't remember where it is'.
'That's very wise of you', the authoritative lady said and groaned. 'I wish I could squeeze you right now'.
'Where's the place?'
'I don't know'.
'He doesn't know', the authoritative lady said. She had an accent from a country Joyce didn't know which. Accents were the major things that differentiated everybody in the world. Despite their prowess, they still always had that factor in their speech. In schools, the teachers always deducted marks for accents during tests and exams.
'Then, let's find it. Because I'm so tired of this darkness. The thought of it is killing', Joyce said. 'And, let's hold hands'.
Searching for the way out would take them a tiring long time, but she was happy to search for it. Like Carl would say, that meant there was hope.

7 Painful Knowledge
Carl walked with the others, dazed. He felt like ramming Sonia into the wall when he saw her. She was the reason they were there. Nothing could convince him otherwise. It was one thing to be obsessed with someone but orchestrating or influencing the person's kidnapping was terribly bad. She had just stolen him from his mother and he would fight that with all his might.
After Diana had introduced her to the recruits, she came to his side, looking stern.
'You will press this button', she said as she pressed a green button on the table. Her hand was shaking, but she took a great effort to keep it still.
'I should have known', Fred shouted from his seat. 'You're a filthy betraying, incorrigible, demented idiot', Fred railed from his seat. His handler leered at Sonia. Normally, Carl would have detested that, but then, the enemy of his enemy was his friend. He could sense the enmity between those two, and it felt good to be on the other side. Making Sonia his arch-enemy couldn't be scraped from his top priority, making an escape from the filthy place would go down a second-place on his to-do list.
'I'll kill you', Fred shouted as he began to move out of his seat.
His handler placed a firm grip on his shoulders and whispered something in his ears. Fred sat straight and smiled mischievously as he continually gave her a cold glare.
Carl threw her a quick glance. Her eyes seemed like that of a person without a soul, as if she didn't care what might happen to him. She looked at Carl. He heaved, shook and faced the table as the others were doing. The tables were empty and nothing indicated what he was to do next, but there was no way he would even give her audience. There was a black button sticking from the table as if it was peeping but was failing at doing that. He wondered what pressing it would do, but it would be irrational to press it. What if it led to the underground? He looked about and tried to spy on the way the others were doing, but he got nothing. That was what he meant when he said he wasn't supposed to be there. He was good at virtually nothing. The only thing he had won was while playing a game of chess, and that, according to his mother, was the reason he had the ability to hold his emotion in check until it was time to carry out the real act. So, even if it was his last day in that crazy world, he would ensure that he had his revenge. But it couldn't be in that dining room or in front of the whole lot of their army or the Peacelearners. It had to be something no one would ever expect.
'Press the button', Sonia said and placed her hand on his shoulder.
At that time, it looked as if the time had slowed down on its use. He slowly looked up at her, and said with clenched teeth. 'Don't you dare touch me.'
She withdrew her hand and pointed at the button. Iris threw him a quick glance. Her huge handler pulled her head towards her table.
'What?' Carl said.
'Face your button', Sonia said. 'And press it for crying out loud'.
Carl pressed the button and a large screen appeared on the table.
'Now make your choice of food. And try to pick all the food you might need. The order can only be made once. And you can't make a new one till the next time you are here to eat'.
Carl blinked repeatedly at the layers of food that laid before him. The table listed out a lot of food, one he couldn't imagine would be at his reach. In case they stayed for a longer time, he would ensure he chose one of each before he made his way out of the place. Since he was from Nigeria, they made sure his varieties were there. The food laid bare in front of him, and he felt gluttonous and didn't see anything bad in doing so. At least, if one was to die in a short while, one ought to do so with grace. He started by selecting the deserts, then proceeded to the drinks that comprised of palm wine, fermented millet drink and so much more. Although picking Palm wine was tempting, he didn't see a reason to pick it when he wasn't sure they preserved the freshness that characterized his type of Palm wine.
'Now press "enter"'.
'I can read', he said as he pressed 'enter'.
'I wasn't in charge of picking you', she said, bending to speak to him.
'How does that concern me? You knew', he whispered as he tried to control his anger.
'I didn't', she said, stood straight and shrugged. 'But I wouldn't be surprised'.
'Of course, when you could whisper names'.
'What are you insinuating?'
'It is very convenient to see two of us here- Freddy and me. Very convenient'.
'Even if you know nothing about me, you know I wouldn't have allowed that mule here'.
'That name can only be used by his friends, not some trickster'.
'Handlers', Diana called from the top. 'Now that you have done your job, you can move back till they are done eating'.
The handlers shifted and were on a straight line. Carl was dazzled by the way they did it without any plan. That means they are being trained to be a sort of soldier. Since they were kidnapped by those camouflaging soldiers, he was finding it hard to stop imagining the death of the man that gave him the micro card. The micro card? He hurriedly looked at his feet and saw that they were putting on leather shoe. That means, they had stripped them of all their possession. He did give Joyce before he left home. No, he dropped it on her table. Now, they were being provided for by this people. He would find his way out of the place to find his way home. Whatever that man wanted him to give Joyce was very important, and he was very stupid not to have hidden somewhere else.
'If you look at your table', Diana said.
Carl looked at his table and saw a time reading.
'You would see a time reading', Diana continued. 'It signifies the number of time remaining for you to finish eating'.
Carl eyes almost popped out of its socket. The countdown showed they had 75 seconds to finish eating.
'Are you for real?' Iris shouted and bent over her food.
Carl shook his head to ward off his thoughts about Sonia, Joyce and the old man as he rushed his food. He hated the excitement he saw on Fred's face. Fred was a fan of rushing food, and had won many competitions as regarding that. Most times, Carl would tease him about growing to the size of a hippopotamus but he wouldn't budge about food. According to him, he needed to eat a lot because he read a lot.
Immediately the countdown got to 00:00, the table slid open, and a round magnetic plate dragged their plates off the table-top into the opening. People around exclaimed.
'Are you for real?' Iris shouted.
Carl watched with surprise until he heard a noise. Someone had tried to hold onto the plate, but the machine was too fast that it pulled his hand with it. The person's handler hurriedly ran forward and hit a red button. The person removed his hands pushed back into his seat, sending it screeching as he tended to his hands.
'That's called a panic button', Diana said into the P.A System. 'It will only open if it senses that human's body is stuck in its teeth. So don't expect it to open for any other reason'.
Carl looked down and saw that the panic button was there also, but it was fading like the green one they used to summon the food screen. He stared at Fred, who shrugged. Regina waved at him and gestured at her head. He smiled. She had done something mischievous again. They really needed her to be close to them whenever they planned to escape. However, from what she had been saying, she found it exciting there. All he needed was to make her help him whether she loved to or not.
'Follow your handlers, they will direct you to your rooms', Diana said.
Carl expected them to move through the dining hall to their room, to sleep and prepare for the next day to know what would happen to them. But, they came out of the building and moved in an opposite direction. Carl looked about as he saw that the dining hall covered every other building that was behind it, making it look as if they were purposefully walled in. There were some fanciful buildings on the side of the dining hall. They were huge and were all made of glass, and had light reflecting from around it. Despite being made of glass; they still couldn't see the interior.
They marched on from the colored lights to the plain white light. The place was eerie because not even a single a cricket made any noise right there. The place they were headed had little or no light around it. He guessed that must be one of the training they were meant to have - to never take anything at face level.
'This road is bugged with crazy stuffs. They are not yet activated', Sonia said flippantly. 'By the time you will be coming out tomorrow, you have to be careful of them, they can be deceptive'.
'But why are you not telling me that?' Iris asked her handler from behind him.
'Who should guide who?' Her handler voice rumbled. 'If you don't listen to only what I teach you, you will meet yourself in the trial room. Or you will end up like her. She avoids all the trouble and we face all the trouble that's what we do'.
Carl wondered what the difference between Trial room and Punishment room was.
'So...' Iris said and her voice faded off.
Carl wished to see their faces. It would be a good thing to take his mind off his anger towards Sonia. The ground was unimpressive maybe because everywhere was dark or they kept moving as if they were climbing down from the top of a hill.
'So what?'
'Nothing'.
'Iris Cole, do you see me as a fool? If you are not careful, I will recommend you for the punishment room'.
Carl glanced at Sonia as she snickered.
'Why are you making sound, you Peacelearner?' Iris' handler said and pushed Carl.
Carl was perplexed and took a quick swipe of the hand at whoever she might be. One thing he had never learned to keep his cool around was bullying. He detested bullying and had never cared about its consequences. No one dared harass him because he was new. But Sonia was very fast, she caught his arm.
'You don't want to do that', she said.
'Leave my hand', Carl shouted at Sonia, who hurriedly released his hand. He brushed off the side she held. Others looked at them. One of the handlers said something to another handler up ahead and they sniggered. They continued walking as Iris' handler kept making bad comments about them, the Peacelearners and the old ones.
'And you...What were you about to say?'
Iris's voice pitched higher. 'I wanted to say. So, you want me to be like you?'
'That would be wise. If you really want to go far, you have to take the steps of those ahead'.
'Then, that's impossible. You are an slowpoke'.
People around made funny sounds. Sonia inhaled delightedly and shook her tongue.
Iris' handler shouted, 'Shut up! Every one of you. Shut up!'
Carl kept walking towards what was ahead of them, knowing they were in deep trouble from Iris' handler because she seemed to hate Iris and Sonia and him, indirectly.
The house ahead was very tall, but unlike others, it was deep in the woods. There were tall trees around it. Even in the darkness, he could see how horrible the place was, and that really surprised him. How would they use such a place for them when other buildings around were very beautiful? Sonia glanced at him and said, 'out of the ashes'.
Whatever that meant, he didn't want to find out the meaning. Even if he would, it was surely not from her. Everyone in front stopped. Carl also stopped beside Sonia, who had turned towards him as if she was staring at her most priced creation.
'To survive, you have to do what others don't want', Sonia whispered to him. 'Go to the top of the building to get the basic amenities others don't have. We are meant to leave you at this point. Remember, Greater purpose. Me and You. Be prepared'.
She turned towards the dining room and soon disappeared into the multicolored crowd of handlers.
Iris came near while some of the other walked off towards the house. There was something off about the house that made Carl feel there was something else to it. It was like gold, which could only be discovered when it had been made to go through rigorous drills. He would drill the place for things to make them enjoy their temporary stay and also for things that would be essential for escaping from that place.
Up ahead, there was a green light that looked like a laser. Many people were afraid of going into until someone stumbled into and nothing happened to him. Then, the others tool the initiative to cross the light.
Immediately they crossed the line, a mechanical voice congratulated and welcomed them to the home of the Peacelearners, where only the obedient and the wise enjoyed life. Afterwards, the computer went into series of history about the building. He would have loved to listen to how it was built, but it went on ranting about how many people stayed there for a single year and how many people made it out. If it had told him only about last year's result, Carl would rein his anger and hatred but when the computer started calling from 4000, he knew he was in a big problem.
'What do you think?' Iris said as she peered at the place from the top to the bottom of the building. It was so big that Carl had to strain his neck before he saw the top. That reminded him of what Sonia said. Even if he wanted to believe her, there was no way he would make it there that night. Yet, he didn't want to cuddle her idea especially now that he had seen her for the snake she was.
'Your handler didn't tell you anything', Carl asked.
'The girl behind me wants to be like you'.
'Why?'
'I don't know. I heard her say so. I guess it's because of your handler'.
'Then, I'll always trade places with her'.
'You don't want to, especially if you think of the dinosaur I have as a handler. I think she is really good'.
Carl stared up again, Iris tried to do the same, and groaned doing so. 'Sonia, my handler, told me to go to the top. But let me wait for'
Just at that time, Fred and Regina came towards them. Other Peacelearners were filing into the building acting all weird.
'Did your handler tell you anything?' Carl asked after he had introduced them - one to another.
'She only said I should find joy in any place I find myself, and I must agree with her', Regina said as she took Carl's hand and dropped a wrap of sweet into it.
'From your game box?' Carl asked as he unwrapped it absentmindedly.
'From the dining room. They didn't say we can't take away anything from the room. They only want us to figure it out but not let others know'.
Carl nodded, distracted as he calculated the distance from the bottom to the top. Even if he didn't get the exact time they would get to the top, he was sure that they would be extremely tired when they got to the top.
'You say it as if you are sure', Iris said as she rolled her neck.
'Guys, we can't stay here', Fred said.
'Where do we pick?' Iris ask.
'I'll pick the ground floor to easily get to anywhere I want', Regina said.
'As much as I hate what Sonia did, I still agree with her. The top floor is the best place'.
'Well, she didn't become the youngest handler by just staring at the building', Iris said. She blinked for a while. 'I'm tired, and I don't know why. I really want to rest. But I'll follow you guys. I don't know anyone else here'.
'I'm not sure I'll make it', Fred said, 'but I'll give it a try. My handler said I should copy your strategies. That he hates Sonia because her strategies were always right'.
'I like adventures. We might see things on the way to the top?' Regina said as she took the first step away from them towards the building.
'Then, let's get going', Carl said.
'Can I change you, guys' mind?' Iris said dejectedly. She wheezed as she looked at the top again. 'I don't think I can make it to the top'
'Then, we will' Carl said but was interrupted by Iris.
'Alone. I can't make it up there alone'.
'What? You wanted to stay down here. Have you seen the look of those guys on the ground floor? We can't survive around them', Regina said as she stared at Iris in utter disbelief, as if she was considering sleeping in a grave.
'Okay. You will lean on me', Carl said.
'Carl, we will...' Regina said and placed her hand on Carl.
He frowned as he brushed it off. 'We just met today and you've made me touch you at the wrong place and you are about to do something crazy again'.
Regina shrugged. 'Because I know nothing will happen between us. Besides what's the point? Statistically, handsome guys like you rarely ask out geeks like me. So, I'll pretend to be your sister and do what a sister will do to you like this', Regina said and placed her hand on his shoulder. Iris roared with laughter as they entered the house.

The end

Let's head over to

https://www.nairaland.com/4378038/purified-tomorrow-mad-awakening-science#65519023

Chapter 20
The Never-Ending Journey
Japheth watched Stella as she narrated her ordeal to the congregation that stared at her as if they were spectators watching the final penalty kick of their favorite team, and were afraid that any noise could let them lose the match.
Against his custom, he rescinded to the backseat of the church to catch people's reaction whenever she started her confession.
Upfront, Stella was shedding tears with a bowed head and tried hard to use to her shaky sweaty hands to hold the mic to her mouth. At that point, he understood how it was to escape from a powerful cage or person. It reminded him of a scene in the movie, the 100, where many of them were controlled by ALIE. Immediately Clarke Griffin drew the kill switch, everybody returned to their senses. It reminded him of himself, escaping the cage of Alexis.
When Stella left his place seven days ago, it took a while, but he tried to forgive her. Afterwards, he made sure he followed her progress as she stayed at a hotel. However, he couldn't bring himself to visit her. The pain of seeing her move forward with her plan still nudged his heart. Seeing her alone, could make him tie her down. He wasn't the forgiven type, but only a person that had been really forgiven can understand the true meaning of forgiveness.
That morning before he left home for church, she drove to his place, and requested to go to church in his car because she wasn't sure she would be in a good state of mind to drive herself back.
Suddenly, Pastor Praise came up on stage, looking furious. He yanked a mic off the lectern, and had to steady the lectern because he took the mic with aggression.
'Church, this is why I always preach that we should check every spirit. Thank God that I and the bible study teacher, Sister Christiana and Sister Gladys did a series of prayers. Can you see how my God is bringing them out? The fire of the Holy Ghost is bringing them out one by one and she would rot in hell with the devil'.
'Yes', the bible study secretary shouted from her seat.
Japheth was surprised. That wasn't the reaction he expected from the Pastor of God, and even the bible study secretary. What he expected to see was the joy in their eyes that a sinner was bold enough to declare her new status in Christ. Pastor Praise jumped about the hall as if Stella had just stepped on his tail. His venom wasn't only pouring from his words, they poured from the redness of his eyes, and the way the vein of his neck throbbed, one would be so careful not to taunt him.
He watched with disgust as some women made innuendos and sent insults to Stella. People kept exclaiming from the different corner of the church, railing curses at her. Many of them rambled off as if they weren't one of those that visited her for counseling and prayers.
'We will not allow her to go scot-free. The bible says we should kill every witch'.
'Yes', some people shouted, their voice echoing his fear. He brought out his tablet, he was prepared for this. Hurriedly, he began to move to the altar, and was soon followed by an array of protocol officers.
'See my wife is down there with sickness and I kept inviting this witch to my house to join me in prayers. Not knowing, she was the cause of the sickness. My spirit was telling me, but I was disobedient. Oh! I was disobedient, I need to ask God for forgiveness'.
'Ah'
Stella kept turning from Pastor Praise to the church as people started rising one after the other to rail judgment at her. The women had begun to drop their bag and some of them had gone to the extent of loosing their head ties, and wrapping it around their waste.
'Please I'm now a Christian', Stella pleaded. 'I love the lord'.
'You're a witch', Gladys shouted angrily, and threw her shoe at her.
He never saw that coming. The noise and bickers from the people of the church increased. The protocol officers, who were supposed to calm them down also joined them. The ministers rose and began to move towards Stella, where she was drowning herself in her own tears. Even men rose to be a part of the railing. Japheth was surprised. He knew Gladys was judgmental, but he never knew she could easily turn on the one whom she really adored. One man from the choir jumped too, the moment Gladys rose.
Even if what he feared wouldn't happen, he would prepare for any eventualities. He flipped open his tab, and began to stream the live feed of the event in the church. As soon as someone got close enough to spit on her, he increased his pace, and changed it to race. The people had begun to march towards her like Zombies, who had just sighted a living being.
'If you touch her. If you dare touch her', he shouted. 'I'm streaming it live. Yes. If you dare touch her You that ugly fat woman, get back. Don't touch her. I said don't touch her. Yes. If any of you attack her or me. The camera is in 3d mode. Both sides. I can see you from the back'.
He guided her forward and people screamed at her. The protocol on his ways parted ways. He couldn't tell the source of his sudden confidence, but he had to help her out of there. There was nothing in the world that would make him a party to this barbaric, devilish, incorrigible act.
'People, are you seeing me, Doctor Japheth Adeogun, of Black Town, Fortune City about to witness a mass murder at Wild Fire of God?'
He wrapped his hand around her as he tried to capture their wicked faces.
'Everybody, can you see this? World, are you seeing this? The church that we rely on to shield us from our sin are the ones trying to kill us', he shouted, and led her out as she was still wallowing in her tears. 'No one. None of them to trust'.
Gladys screamed something incomprehensible, but he had to increase his speed because in a few seconds, the congregation had started shouting. 'Witch! Get out!'
They entered his car, and he drove off amidst his people's curses, his own rants, and Stella's cry.
'You're leaving town', he grumbled.
'I'm not leaving'.
'Why?'
'I need to fight her'.
'Who?'
'Gladys. She is the new priestess of Black Town. She would destroy the church. She would destroy us. There is a prophecy. She would give birth to the most dreadful thing that had ever been born since the days of the giants'.
On his way home, Mirabel called to tell him she saw the livestream on her way to her church, and tried to know if he was fine, which he replied in the alternative. She promised to come visiting as soon as she returned from church.
He turned to Stella, ' you know what, ma? Instead of going home to cry your eyes out, let's go to a church'.
She nodded and wiped her face. 'At least, I can still serve God with my remaining age and start in a place I'm not known'.
That evening, when he was sure Stella was safe, when the tension had reduced, he asked Mirabel to be his girlfriend. Like every woman, she told him she would think about it. After their meeting, she agreed to go to his house with him to spend the rest of the evening, to watch a horror movie. Chuks was rude to her because she almost fell while typing into her phone as they walked into Japheth's house, but Japheth let it go because Chuks was drunk. He was free from Alexis, and Chuks would get over her. His life was becoming fresh, and as she marched into his house, trying hard not to get angry, he breathe-in fresh air. Freedom was beautiful.
Mirabel from the room shouted that his room was a disaster, that she would have to arrange it before she left for her house that evening.
He smiled as he turned to Chuks, who was vomiting, and said, ' tonight, I won't sleep'. ***
Everybody accepted the lie and Mr. Akanni sold it well. Pastor Praise spearheaded the prayer session in their new house. She watched every one of them walk about and pray in tongues, trying to sanctify the house.
After they sent Stella out of the church, she informed the pastor that Stella once occupied the house that belonged to her fiancé, that she needed them to come to pray for the sanctification of the house.
Available with her in the house was Pastor Praise, and his fat wife, who held hands like Fiona and Shrek. The prayer secretary and his assistant, the bible study secretary and her assistant, the fornicating assistant pastor, and his wife all moved about like scattered ants. Others prayed fervently, and she wished she could see their spiritual level like Stella could do. When they've all left, she would return to the power house to get more power. Mr. Akanni had immediately handed over the paper to her. She laughed at his foolishness because immediately after marriage, her demon had hinted that he must die in sacrifice for the great work ahead.
She meandered to Christiana's side and walked with her.
'Stop pretending', Gladys said with clenched teeth.
Christiana sighed, and flashed her a big plastic smile. The line above her upper lips made her look ominous. ' Pretending in what way, my dear sister'.
'I'm not your sister'.
'What do you mean then, rookie?'
'I'm your royal highness. I'm the priestess'.
Christiana chuckled, and hit Gladys gently on the shoulder. 'What do you know? You're a baby'.
'There's no need to fight'.
'Are you for real? Are you afraid mummy is not here to save you?' Christiana replied as the two of them walked away from the others to the other end of the house. 'I should have suspected she was a witch, but at least I give her respect for her diplomacy'.
'Like I said, we don't need to fight'.
'Yes, we need to lap from the same bowl and sleep together as if we don't know you're trying to use another type of knowledge to take control of Black Town and Fortune City'.
'We can work together. I'm starting the Wicca school soon'.
Christiana grinned. 'She wants to start Wicca school, so we should jump. We're not taking your offer. We're fine on our own'.
'In your archaic ways that made you not see Stella'.
'She was older than any of us. Let's give her that. You should also give us the fact we are more experienced. See I have to leave you to your painful journey'.
'We will train young girls together', Gladys said and grabbed her hand. Christiana turned red as she glanced at her hand and glowered at Gladys, who released them immediately.
'We are not training'
'Your young girls too. I have the resources. Lucifer would accept me soon'.
Christiana smiled at her. 'Where's your coven? You need a coven before he can give you his crown. Mummy didn't tell you. No. She didn't. She ran away to the merciful, long suffering God. So, as you can see that you're the Queen of your house, this accursed house'.
She petted Gladys' cheek, and flashed her a big smile. Gladys felt bad again. After getting power from the most powerful person in the whole of Nigeria, she still felt useless. She walked back dejectedly and had to control herself from crying. She had lost in all ways. She saw the way Japheth was rallying round Stella the other time.
She had lost Japheth and Elizabeth to Stella. She had lost control of the place to her inexperience and Christiana. She would find girls, a lot of them at that, and she would have the best school of witches in the world. They would excel and beat any witch that ever exist. She would show them her might. They would conquer the Christians also, anyone that came their way.

Charminee:
This is an eye opener. Divepen1 r u a member of koinonia?

I listen to a lot of his messages I.e Apostle's but the background for this book is Rebecca Brown

Chapter 19
Backstabbed
That Friday afternoon, as she sat at the back of the car, with Mr. Akanni at her side, and the lawyer in the front seat, she couldn't help but rejoice that she had gotten the best deal of her life.
When Elizabeth told her Stella came and preached to her, she brushed it off. What message could an old betraying witch possibly preach? She dialed Stella's phone number and called her all sort of names, none of which Stella denied. She got the address to her location and informed her that she had a business proposal for her.
Mr. Akanni got a lawyer to go with them to the hotel. When they got there, Gladys wished she could tear her skin, but she had to rein her emotions till she got what she wanted. People would soon see Stella as a witch, so it was advisable to steer clear of the reputation. She knew Stella wouldn't accept the offer.
So, when Stella rejected the offer, she could only smile. She called Mr. Akanni and the lawyer aside. Then, she explained to them that the only way they could easily gain possession was for Stella to agree that she rented the house from Mr. Akanni, and that he was ready to use the house again.
However, when they got to her, she told them she didn't need the house, and advised them to sell the house.
'Then, sign this thing and let's be done with it', Mr. Akanni snapped. She loved the fact that he was already tuning to her desire. All she needed now was to draft her resignation letter from her place of work, and to start preparing to search for a teaching job. The demons had informed her that she would be really blessed and wouldn't have any need for money or its equivalent.
Stella tried to talk to her in private, but she refused the offer. And when she offered to talk to Mr. Akanni also, he sensed the tension between the two of them and promised to talk to her later.
She was still happy when she entered the compound, and was so happy when Elizabeth came crying that her father was dead.
'That's a good news'.
Elizabeth inhaled sharply. 'No. Its not a good news. You killed my daddy. You're a witch. I will pray to God. He will punish you. I should have been saved earlier. I would have prayed to God to never let my wish about my daddy true. You're a witch'.
By this time, Elizabeth's mother had come out. Elizabeth ran past her into the room. Gladys was surprised at Elizabeth's reaction. She only wanted to help her. How could she feel sad over a man that was consistently hurting her mother?
Elizabeth's mother staggered with a bottle of Moet in her hand as came toward Gladys. 'Miss. G, don't mind the naughty girl. She couldn't believe her precious little crazy father was dead'.
Elizabeth's mother whooped and laughed loudly. Then, she belched and slumped to the ground. She laughed loudly again, and gulped down the drink. She raised the drink to the sky. 'May he die forever and ever and ever and ever, amen. The police said he was killed by a hit and run car'.
Gladys watched her rise and dance in awe, with gladness. That was someone that understood what she had done. Why would Elizabeth be angry at her for making her mother happy? That was one of the best things to happen to anyone that loved their mother.
'Some witnesses said his killer was a woman. He ran from a woman to another woman and was killed by a woman. What a fool', Elizabeth's mother said as she staggered away. She leapt for joy, fell and laughed at herself as she rolled on the ground.
Gladys felt stuck to the spot as she wondered why she would never always be the first. If Stella hadn't preached to Elizabeth, she would still have the chance to recruit her. Now, recruiting her would be like trying to pull-out a tree from a mountain. Stella always had a way to be above her. When she was a witch, she always beat her in power. Being a Christian didn't water that down. She would pay. Elizabeth had lost her position as her first recruit. She was now, probably Stella's first recruit. No. Life was cheating her. And Stella would pay in the most painful way.
She fumed into her room after opening the gate, and pulled her phone from her bag and dialed Pastor Praise' phone number. She would recruit Mr. Akanni to support her claim. He was her newest puppet.
'Hello, sir. This is GladysI need to talk to you about Sister Stella', she said as the phones got connected.

IRALIFE:
You're welcome sha
I really just got to know about your writing prowess recently. Grabbing the hot gate is actually your first work I'm reading but I like the concept of the novel. Thumbs up Bro

Thanks a lot. For this and the vote..

queenitee:
May God have mercy

Amen

Chapter 18
Portal Built
Gladys stared from her window as the morning began to unfold itself. There was only one thing she needed at the moment, and it would take a lot of effort to have what she needed. Many of the other Christian would see Stella's house as one that had been cursed and would see anyone living in it as accursed. Yet, she couldn't leave the house alone and the power it held. She couldn't watch it being sold to another. She couldn't think of how to do. The power in that house was just too good to be true. She felt them like the blood in her veins. There should be a way.
As she took up her phone and began to browse for alternative online, she remembered Mr. Akanni. Quickly, she went to her callhistory, and began to search for his number. She hadn't saved his phone number, and that made it a bit hard for her to get his number.
When the call got connected, he was elated and couldn't express how happy he was. She smiled as an evil thought began to parade her mind. If only he knew what she had in store for him.
'Mr. Akanni', she said with the coyest voice she could mutter.
'Sister. Gladys'.
'I'm ready to marry you'.
'Oh!'
'Yes. But on one condition'.
'Even if the conditions are up to a million, I would surmount them. You're the honey in the mountain, I've sharpened my ax for your sake'.
She giggled and silently sneered.
'Sister Stella, you know her now'.
'Who wouldn't know the fire woman?'
'Yes. She said she didn't want to live in her house anymore, and I love that house. Have you been there? That would be the most perfect place to spend the rest of our lives'.
He stopped talking for a moment, and she thought she had sent him away with her request. If he couldn't do it, she would need to find an alternative.
'I'm sorry for the silence. I was thanking God that you've even planned our future together. I will buy the house; I will buy ten if you want. This money is to be spent. And for you, my darling, I will buy the world if you want'.
She smiled as she explained to him that they have to get it urgently as it seemed Stella would be traveling soon. Mr. Akanni promised to be ready whenever she was. All she needed now was a way to find Stella. She would employ all the power she had at her disposal. The first step would be to browse the internet for the right incantation to find people.
Then Elizabeth knocked her door and called her. Her baby was around. Elizabeth would be her first student in her school of Wicca. They didn't have such in Nigeria, in Fortune City. How would it be that the first of its kind in her country would stem from Black Town?
'Baby' She said as she opened the door. 'Why are you crying?'
'Miss. G, my dad had bought a car'.
'That's good news'.
Elizabeth shook her head. 'No. For his new wife, and my mummy is crying again'.
She looked at Elizabeth and hugged the crying girl as her mind wandered off into how she could possibly help this girl. There was a curse she learnt on how to kill someone. She muttered it under her breathe. The man had caused enough pain for this little girl. It was high time he faced the consequences for his sins, and she would be the one to carry out the judgement.
'What do you want to happen to him?'
'I want him to die'.
'Are you sure?'
'Yes. He is causing too much pain for my mummy', the weeping girl said.
Gladys' smile broaden. The first step to being evil was, most times, trying to revenge or avenge someone. She loved that.
'Okay say his full name'.
Elizabeth said her father's full name while Gladys muttered the curse again.
'Say what you want?
'I want him to die'.
'So moth it be', Gladys said and led Elizabeth into the room.
As she fondled Elizabeth's hair, her mind wandered off to how to get to Stella, and how to make Stella feel the pain of deserting her. There should be something that would make Stella feel that pain.
'You demons that reside in me, what's the best way to get back at Stella', Gladys murmured.
'What's that?' Elizabeth asked.
'It's nothing. I was only feeling bad for your mother'.
'Okay', Elizabeth said and nodded.
The demons told her the best way to make Stella most miserable was to make Japheth fall again into his sins of fornication. And the only way she could do that was to get to a girl named Alexis, the girl he was having sex with. But if she didn't go earlier, Stella would encourage Japheth to talk to the girl and that would be disastrous for them because the girl was passionate and can be instrumental in the restoration of light to Black Town. If the light came back, all the power she craved would be useless against the numerous light that would flood the place.
'Baby, I'm going out', Gladys said.
Elizabeth nodded again and sat upright. That wasn't her first time of being left alone in Gladys' house. She could take care of herself. Gladys hurriedly wore a purple bell gown and a peach heels shoe. Then, she complemented it with a peach bag. She wanted to look her best when she was having her second recruit. Elizabeth would always be her first.
She drove all the way with the guide of the demons. She had her doubt, notwithstanding. Yet, she still drove down there. However, her fear depleted when she got to a house and asked for Alexis.
'From where?' replied a woman, who had come out of the house to answer her.
'A friend'.
The woman scanned her like a mother hen. She poked her head into the house, and shouted for Alexis that she had a visitor. If Alexis replied, Gladys couldnt tell because even after the woman dropped the curtain and stood straight, she didn't say anything. The only thing she did was to scornfully stare at her dress. Gladys wanted to check her dressing to see if she wore something bad.
Alexis came out too, looking distraught. She was putting on a blue denim bump short, and an orange spaghetti. Even if her hair was rough, and her eyes were puffy, she still had a sultry look.
As her orange flip-flop pattered on the floor, Gladys remembered how she always admired such flip-flops on Stella.
'Do I know you?' Alexis said as she moved nearer. Her mother stood poised as she glowered at her.
'Can we talk in private?' She said and glanced at Alexis' mother.
'Yes', Alexis replied and turned to the corner of her compound. Gladys was able to look about for the first time. The compound had varieties of trees and bushes, which must have been intended to serve as their mini-plantation. She felt disgusted by their arrangement.
When they got to the corner of the house, she didn't waste her time by exchanging pleasantries.
'I'm here to help you get Japheth back'.
Alexis dull eyes shone. 'Are you for real?'
'It's a tricky business, but its essential'.
'Are you kidding me? Anything. I will kill anything killable to get back my boy'.
Gladys smiled and explained to her that all it took her would be a member of a training she wanted to start in the month of March.
'Just that?'
'Just that'.
'I'm all in. How soon will I get Japheth back'.
'Oh that! So soon, and this time it would be a lasting one'.
They exchanged phone number and walked out of the compound. She was preparing for her Wicca school. She was on the path to enlightening the witches of Black Town. Even if she saw nothing in the house, she saw the smile on Alexis' mother's face when she saw her daughter smiling out as they came out of the corner. That meant that even Wicca could make others happy.
All she needed at the moment was the house. She knew Stella wouldn't accept their first offer, so she would quickly go home to draft a second offer.
***
As she paced the hotel, Stella couldn't help but feel grateful that Japheth called that morning to know how she was faring. He made her understand that she had been forgiven and that alone made her heart rejoice. But she still needed to preach to Gladys. Even if anything would happen, she had to give it try. So she dressed up, and boarded a UBER taxi. A lot of commendations had gone into appraising how Nigeria was becoming modernized by the presence of this UBER taxis.
When she got to Gladys' house, she couldn't forget the first day she came there. That was the day she brought Gladys home after being tortured by the demons. The gateman informed her that Gladys had gone out. She felt dejected and was about to look for the bike when she remembered the little girl that was all over Gladys the other time. If this girl became closer to Gladys without the knowledge of God, she would suffer.
'What of that little girl that is always with her?' She asked the gateman.
'Elizabeth'.
'Yes. That's her name. Can I see her? I would like to send a message to Gladys through her'.
The gateman gave her access to the compound, and directed her to Elizabeth's flat. Upon getting there, she told a woman she met there that she wanted to drop a message for Gladys through Elizabeth. Although she didn't like the subtle lie she was telling, it was worth it. Moreover, preaching to Elizabeth was a message to Gladys.
Talking to Elizabeth about Christ was relatively simple. The girl had been having a bit of knowledge about God from staying with Gladys. So, it was easy to preach to her. She gave her life to Christ, there. With starry eyes and a glad heart, Stella left the compound. But before she left, she told Elizabeth to inform Gladys of her visit. Now, she had saved a soul for Christ. She would teach the people of Black Town the reality of Christ.

Chapter 17
A Man's Shoe
The time to meet her first set of trouble was now. They sat astride each other, staring into each other's eyes after she had explained to him. Stella was so sure that if she faced Japheth now, there was no way she would have any fear whenever she was publicly confessing. Although it might shake them a bit, she was ready to point out the many mistakes many of them made while making requests to God. All in the name of aiming for greatness, many of them allowed their problem overwhelmed them, and made them prayed amiss.
She was sweating all through, and felt she should have run away to Greencity, where Heetah had once informed her would soon be in turmoil because its occupant would start killing one another because of heaven; or Brown Valley, which had been predicted to the be the home of world's problem. But she knew telling him was worthwhile. Paul of the Bible got a lot of souls to Christ because of his numerous public confession.
'So you mean to tell me that...'
'Yes'.
'I'm dead. You are a witch?'
'I was a witch'.
'That's ridiculous. Say someone else was the witch you were talking about, tell me it was something else and not you. Please'
She went down on her knee and clasped her hands together. 'Please forgive me. I have deceived you a lot'.
'But...But... Does that mean everything you taught me was wrong?'
She nodded repeatedly. 'Everything. Well most of them. They were not a lie, but they weren't something you ought to learn at this your stage'.
He rose from his seat and walked down to the window. She wondered what would happen this time. Gladys hadn't taken it well the other time. There was really no assurance that Japheth also would take it likely, but she had to make sure he forgave her. There were many things that could come along with her confession. One of them was a rejection of the logical people, who would treat like a little child who claimed to have seen Voldemort. They would take it as madness. However, none of them would matter if Japheth too took it badly as Gladys did. She needed him to be on her side.
He was the only Christian that could help her, she felt it in her bone. Yet, he was a baby Christian and would only feed her with the milk of the word of God. The softness of the word she would get would be too small to her desire, and that might make her tread the path Gladys took.
Since Japheth was a baby Christian, she was sure that his reaction would be embellished with tantrums and much bickering. He would react like every other baby Christian would. However, she still had the feeling that after everything he would understand her. Despite the fact that the timing was wrong, she had exposed his soft spiritual baby teeth to the hard bone of God's word. He had once sinned and would accept her like someone that was once in the darkness but had been forgiven. However, he wasn't Jesus.
He sauntered to her side and said, 'You have led me in the wrong direction and for this reason, God will punish you'.
He stormed out of the room. She burst into tears as she imagined what he would be feeling at the moment. She couldn't bring himself to leave town. There was a need for retribution or a need for her to make them know that she wasn't all that a prophet. That she was façade, a lie, and an unworthy person. And in case they accepted her, she would stay back with them to teach them how to come to the light of the word.
Japheth returned to the sitting room, where she was drowning herself in her own tears and guilt.
'You will go to our church, I mean my church and let them all know that you are a witch. That everything they know about you was a lie. You deceived me'.
His eyes were now red and he was sniffing repeatedly as he took his seat opposite her. If she was given the opportunity, she would have loved to clean his tears away, but at the moment he was like a glass that must be handled with care. He wouldn't stop until he got what he wanted. She would do that to please him and if that would be her first chance at saving a soul for Christ, she would love that.
'I'm so sorry. But are you saying that if I do this, you would still love God?'
'What do you care about God?'
'I just got saved. The feeling. Oh The peace. You don't want to face what I've faced for years, for centuries. I was in bondage from within and without. Despite being a witch I couldn't do what most witches were doing. Even when I was able to, there was always someone longing to get my type of power, someone trying to kill me. Now, I have no fear. I was rich but couldn't go about doing what other people were doing. I was like Hera was to Zeus. I was Satan's wife, who had been hidden away and used to do the most perilous of things', she said and tears streamed down her eyes as she watched him hold his head in desperation.
He raised his head and scanned her and shook his head.
'I said it. I knew something was wrong. I knew it. I couldn't place my hand on it. You were too happy, too holy. No blemish at all. That was impossible. That was surely impossible. But I didn't see this in you. You were...' He grasped into the space, trying to gesticulate his words. His face was ragged as he tried hard to put whatever he wanted to say into words. She nodded as he kept groaning for words.
'You could have been too holy. You were my role model. You just... You can't be a witch. I wanted to like you. Now, you're telling all those were What? A charade. A joke. You were a joke. You were nothing. That's impossible'.
'I'm sorry'.
He shifted to the edge of his chair: His eyes seemed to have a longing. She wanted to read his thought, but refrained herself. It was better to let things work in their natural state. Acting along with natural course would take time, but she had to learn to live like that. She always watched many witches that had gone out of Lucifer's camp, they always had a longing to test their power again. This one that she was now a Christian, she needed to employ every ability to use her natural senses and whenever the holy spirit baptized her, she would use him the way most of those Christian did.
'Don't let any other person know'.
She swallowed. He was choking her with his desire, and wanted her to be the perfect image he had placed in his mind. He wanted her to be the perfection he had always stared at, one he wanted to worship. It was sweet and she would have loved to remain in that position, but she was now a Christian. The first thing she needed right there was to break down that stature and tear down the poster of her that he had placed in his mind. She would trash and break down the images with no mercy. There was no perfection; everything was a plain charade.
'I'm sorry. I can't. God wouldn't be happy. I'm not high up there with the power and the holiness. I'm human. A witch. You should be afraid of me. You might not see my brooms or see me moving out of the river like a goddess. But that's what I am. I am not perfect. I'm a woman. Flesh and blood.'
He rose from his seat while shaking his head terribly. The tantrum would begin soon. She knew, but she needed to hand him a toy. But at this point there was none. She couldn't give him any talk about herself and expect him to back off.
'I have to do it. The many souls I have made miserable. The ones I have crushed in my hand and made cry. The pain I've caused No... The bible says we should confess our sin'.
'No. The bible didn't say that'.
She stared at him and looked him all over. She had the bible words all scribbled into her memory, and she could recite the bible non-stop for days.
'The Bible says we should ask God for forgiveness. Not the church', Japheth corrected.
She sat straight and felt it was time to yank the cane from him and thrash him with it. 'The bible makes us know that he who keeps his sin and...'
She just didn't see a reason to explain herself to this baby Christian. He didn't know how she would feel the moment she told the world about her ordeal. She rose and carried her bag.
' I only felt I should ask for your forgiveness.'
' See. What did my forgiveness do? Nothing'.
'At least, I felt at peace'.
She strolled out and burst into tears as she closed the door behind her. She felt at peace, but also couldn't stop feeling the pain and the tears.
***
She didn't know if she should cry or remain numb, but she needed to express herself. She needed to tell God how he failed her. She never even trusted him before, but Alexis was hoping he would answer her this time, and make her start becoming serious with him.
For many years, she hadn't seen a need to pray to him. But the only thing that was on her mind was how she would get back at God and Japheth. She turned on her bed, and heard her father trying to calm her mother in the parlor.

queenitee:
Comman continue na *winks*

Yes ma

IRALIFE:
Anywhere on Nairaland or on your thread?

On my thread o.. But thanks sha

queenitee:
Some things are better left unsaid ni o

Beeni oo

Fazemood:
"Anyone who love his life will lose it. And anyone who loses his life for my sake will gain it more in heaven." words of our Lord Jesus.

Stella has just lost two most important things in her life, even as she knew she could save them, she rather let them go than go back into Lucifer's hold. Her newly found freedom in Christ is the best experience she has ever had in all her 10 centuries life as a witch.

The salvation Christ Jesus gave us is pure and priceless.

The devil may take away all she acquired through him which by the way are impure, but he can never take away what Christ is giving to her which she is accepting whole heartedly and joyfully.

Thank you Divepen1, you are speaking power and encouragements to many through your stories. God bless you.

Thanks boss...

Chapter 16
Against The Callback
Stella was so sure things would work out fine when she got home. There was this tiredness that came after freedom. All one would want to do at that time was to rest, a lot; then, proceed to rejoicing for a long time. She planned on doing it, but she first needed to destroy everything that had ever tied her down to witchcraft. Her total freedom would require a lot of processes. Not only for her sake, so that everyone she would later meet would have a good life, at least something near it. No doubt, she had a lot of money with which she could easily get new things, but there was no way she could live in that haunted house anymore. Only God knew how many demons operated in that house.
The bible said that everything about her was new. For that reason, she would start by getting Papa out of the house, burning her powerhouse and her house and never ever return to her old way of life. Then, get a new house.
She made calls to different people to inquire about available houses for sale. However, they couldn't tell her any tangible thing. Yet, she wasn't perturbed. She would surely get a new one. In the case she didn't get one early, she could live in hotels for years without ever having a need of money. As much as she would have loved to leave the money, claiming it belonged to the devil, she knew that once sanctified, it had become one that was of God.
Not taking anything, she carried Jigg's cage, opened it, swept away the raven within, and locked the cage again. Whenever they left the house, she would pray to God to rid her and her pet of any demons that might have infested them. She dropped the cage on the center table, and hurried to her father's room to wake him. She wondered what was wrong with him with the way he kept sleeping even though she repeatedly woke him since he wasn't a deep sleeper. She dragged him out to her car. Of her numerous cars, she would leave with her Camry. As she dragged him to the car, she felt compelled to use some incantation to wake him, but she refused blatantly. The urge would definitely increase, but she must learn how to start relying on God for her needs.
Returning to the main building, she kept singing gleefully as she boogied into the store to carry one more cylinder of gas. She packed some of her clothes, and made sure she was ready to face whatever would come out of this new experience.
Then, she opened the gas cylinder in the kitchen. As she did so, she didn't feel any remorse or regret; instead, she felt peace and free. One can never know the true meaning of freedom if such person had never been in bondage. She crumbled to her chair and cried as the memory of the wasted years flooded back. God was kind enough to give her the freedom she had so much desired. Right now, she was so happy. 'Thank you lord. You're my salvation. Thank you for my freedom. Devil you're a liar. I have found a glorious light. Wow'.
Heetah was no longer causing her to have pain for saying the truth. She was finally getting blessed. With this same ecstasy, she rolled the gas cylinder to her power room. She didn't need the bloodshed anymore; she didn't need Heetah to survive. Although she had lived over nine centuries with him as her guide, she was sure God would help her. The holy spirit had been guiding people before now.
Upon waltzing into the dungeon, she was surprised to see a big pentagram operational at the center of the room. She saw the smoke and hoped she was wrong about what she was seeing. A demon, probably the same size as Heetah swayed within the pentagram. From the look of things, Gladys was elated to have pulled a feat none of her contemporary- rather, a thing a two-week-old witch shouldn't be able to do. Stella was dumbfounded, and had to close her mouth as the smoke began to choke her. The can of gas rolled out of her hands to the ground, rattling the unbalanced silence in the room. She hurriedly stopped it before it even went near the candles in the room.
'Gladys what are you doing?'
'I finally found human blood'.
'But, I told you to wait'.
'I did wait but waiting can be killing'.
'Gladys I found Christ. You have to go back to Christ. There's freedom there'.
Gladys gawked at her like a wolf who had recently torn a prey apart. Blood dripped from her hands, and was splattered everywhere in the room. Her face was smeared with blood in a hideous way. Despite the fact that Stella had witnessed a lot of blood bath, she was surprised at the propensity of Gladys, a greenhorn, a serious Christian, who was deceived into being a witch, to carry such terrible act of decapitating the gentle man on the ground. Stella always made sure she cleaned out the rotten smell and the murkiness that came with demons.
'Stop staining the floor...' Stella shook her head and beckoned to Gladys to move towards her, away from the enticing power of the demon in the pentagram. 'Come nearer'.
'You see? You can't be a Christian. You made me a witch. I didn't want it. You made me a witch'.
Stella ran excitedly to her. 'Don't you see. We can undo it. In Christ, there's liberty. God knew we would sin someday again and that was why he gave us Jesus. Our future sins are forgiven. Meaning we can come back to confess his forgiveness'.
'You were the devil's wife. You have the power. You were the eyes of Fortune City's Black Town. But you're becoming as blurry as glasses on the face of a 100-year-old grandma. I'll rip you out. I want your power'.
Gladys moved nearer and Stella shifted back. 'I'm not letting you be a Christian'.
She conjured a small demon and directed them towards Stella. Stella stared at her and conjured a bigger demon, which immediately tormented Gladys. No matter who this girl thought she was, she met her in this business. Her strength would never be compared to her in the world of the spirit. She was a giant, while Gladys was a molecule.
'So you think you this cankerworm can take me. I'll crush you. You can't suck out my power'.
Suddenly, Heetah popped out and laugh uncontrollably. She stared at it and released her hold on Gladys, who was now crying in pain like a baby. Stella felt the power surge through her again. It felt good.
'Yea. It felt good. You're not a Christian. You're still under the influence of my power', Heetah roared.
She cringed backward. That was so true. She had just fought Gladys with the authority of the devil. How was that even possible? The power in her ought to have stopped. Then, it occurred to her that the devil's power was more of conjuring and she was definitely good at that. What she just did was a minor conjuring? She scrubbed her hands as if she had dipped it into a bowl of acid.
Gladys, weak and writhing in pain, rose and joined Heetah in laughter.
'I detest you. You're bunch of fools. I'm a Christian', Stella cried as she scampered out of the room. Gladys and Heetah rushed after her. She carried her bag and ran out of the house. She was definitely knowing no peace if she stayed near the house, and that was why she should have sent it into its burning phase. She should have incinerated the house, happily watch it dance in ashes and see the evil that surrounded it fizzle out like the light they wanted her to quench. The house was a demon on its own. Anybody that bought it would have years of fighting demons. She ran off the house and looked back. She shouldn't have left Gladys in the house, the demons would suck out any chance of being good that was in her. But there was nothing she could do at that time than to run away from the house, and she couldn't possibly kill Gladys all in the name of burning the bridges.
'Are you not forgetting something?' Gladys shouted from the top of the balcony. Stella glanced up to see her parrot, dangling from Gladys' hand. It squeaked and made all the terrible noises it could, wriggling.
'Don't. Gladys, don't do this?'
'What are you talking about. This is what happens to neglected students. They do crazy things'.
'I'm not neglecting Don't Oh God. No Jiggs', she screamed and crumbled to the floor. Gladys wriggled the neck of her parrot and allowed its corpse crash on the tiles.
'God does know how to punish people', Stella yelled in tears.
'He would start with the elder witch. Heetah too had a message from Lord Lucifer'.
Heetah growled and, with a click of its fingers, set the car on fire. Her father laid inside, still sleeping as he burnt to death. She cried and edged towards the burning car, and screamed 'Jesus' repeatedly. Now, at this time, she was compelled to try to conjure magic.
'Come on, try it', Heetah shrieked as he repeatedly disappeared and reappeared at her side. His stench overpowered her for those short period of his being near her.
'Do it. Come on'.
She panted heavily. If she conjured another magic, she would give the devil the doorway to her again. She cried as she grabbed her bag from the floor, and ran out, weeping. She had lost two of the things she loved.
'If you don't come back, I swear I will tell the church', Gladys screamed after her.

Stella knew she was in a deep trouble. The first point of call should be Japheth. She tutored him. He had to understand her before he heard about her from others.
'Japheth where are you?'
'Home'.
'Okay. I'm coming'.

Chapter 15
Cutting The Last Rope
Japheth was so engrossed in his worry that he didn't see Stella walk up to him. There was no way Alexis would suddenly be hungry for God's word. She was definitely having an ulterior motive, and he wouldn't fall for her deception.
'Japheth, how is she?' Stella asked.
She had this unusual joy about her. Her joy exuded in her gaits and that made him wonder why she was that ecstatic.
'She is stabilizing'.
'What happened? As in why do you think she was doing that?'
'I don't know. But I think I need prayers'.
She nodded. 'Jesus can do all things.'
'Yes'.
'He can do all things. Can I see her now?'
'Yes, but she is sleeping'.
He led the way to the sleeping Alexis. Mirabel had helped him remove his stained singlet, and had gotten him a lab coat to cover himself. After saying a little prayer, Stella led the way outside.
'I thought I would stay late but I have to quickly get home to do something. My father is around, and I think he has to return to Greencity tonight'.
'Why so early?'
'Something wonderfully urgent came up'.
He watched her leave with awe. Funnily, Stella was becoming happier by day, while Gladys was becoming moodier and grumpier. He wondered if he won't finally stick with Stella. There was no way he wouldn't have any solution to his problem unless he stuck to his discipler.
As he was about to sit, it dawned on him that the reason he was seeing her in a such a way was because she seemed to look a little younger. The archaic look that always accompanied her being had given up its place for a youthful happiness and glow that was never present.
Still lost in thought, he didn't know when Mirabel got to his side. She tapped him, shifted back, and smiled wearily.
'Doctor Festus asked me to direct the Alexis' parents to you', she said and winked.
He grinned and rose to see elderly woman and man. The woman was draped in an Ankara dress, and had shabbily wrapped her scarf around her head. While the man wore a simple short-sleeve shirt on a bulky striped trouser. He was fat, so wearing something other than that might ruin the simple look he was trying to portray.
'Are you the man?' The woman asked scornfully.
'Mummy Feyi...'The man chided and extended a handshake in a way to show that he had everything under control. Japheth was so grateful for that.
'Please, let's have our seat', the man said and upon a single look from him, his angry wife sat. She looked like a dog that was growling, ready to pounce on him anytime. They introduced themselves as Alexis' parents. According to them, they didn't approve of her name. Her name was Feyisara, but they have come to accept it so far she could do the right things.
'So, what happened?' The man asked.
Japheth took his time to explain how they had been in a relationship and how he tried to break up with her because he found Christ, evading talks about their sexual intercourse. How would it be to tell her parents that he had been having premarital sex with a young girl?
'So, you're the one that changed our daughter', her father said, smiling. However, Japheth wasn't sure it was a good sign.
'I didn't change her...'
Her father waved his hands as if to brush the statement aside. 'In a good way. Our daughter changed even before you rededicated your life to Christ. Howbeit that now that you have the life of Christ in you that you want to send her away?'
'Are you encouraging her seeing men', Alexis' mother exclaimed.
'No. Don't get me wrong. I want you to remain her friend'.
Like an angel, Mirabel returned to inform the parents that Alexis was awake. Japheth rose to follow them.
'Hey, lover-boy, let her see her parent first', Mirabel pushed him back to his seat. Now, he was free from the clutch of Alexis. A few minutes later, Mirabel returned, dusted her gown and sat beside him. One reason he loved being around nurses was how their gown always dazzled him. Mirabel took his hand, and stared into his eyes.
'You're lucky. I don't know how I would have prayed for your release from prison if she ever died'.
He sighed and blinked back tears. She smiled and placed her head on his shoulder.
'Will you come to our church this Sunday?'
'I have a church'.
'They won't miss you'.
'My discipler is there. And she had really helped my growth'.
Mirabel nodded as she fondled his hands. He didn't know why he always allowed Alexis to cloud his mind when he was sure he loved Mirabel. But he couldn't think of her like he did Alexis. He and Mirabel were on different sides of their fields of desire. She wanted him to come to her through the path, but he wanted to cross the lawn.
'Now that she's awake, while she's with her parents, I think you can eat'.
'No...'
'Doctor Jaf, get up. You must eat something'.
He sighed and followed her.
'Why do you still want to remain attached her?' She suggested.
'She is my friend'.
'Indeed, a friend that is in love with her friend. I don't buy it'.
'I'm not joking. She is a friend. I'm still biding my time to start another relationship'.
'Come to my church, I'll take you to very beautiful ladies. No need to pray about them because I'll do that for you. And God will even tell you immediately you enter the church'.
He scoffed. 'I think I'll like to come to your church'.
She smiled as she began to point out things to the waiter across the counter. 'Really?'
' Yes. With a lot of guys'.
She smirked, turned to collect the food and nodded towards a table. Since she refused to accept his offer to carry the food, he pulled out a chair for her as she dropped the plates of food on the table.
'That's cool. I mean bringing guys. For what?'
'To invade your church'.
'Inva...'
'You have a lot of ladies; we need women in our lives'.
She squealed with laughter and tried to hit his hands, which he hurriedly withdrew. 'I'd better unfriend you before something happens'.
He held her hands and said, 'Thank you, Miry Miry powder... You have made me smile after a long time'. He gave her the name after they both watched a video skit by Woli Agba, Ayo Ajewole, a Nigerian comedian.
'Doc... Tor...Jaf, hope you're not seeing marriage visions concerning me?'
They laughed and proceeded to devour the food.

queenitee:
Hmmm

Hmmm naa ni

shyanaa:
Nice

Thanks

Fazemood:
Next pls... Quickly sir

Yes sir

Chapter 14
The Culture of the Other Side
Gladys kept jotting down on her book of spells as she concentrated on the movie about Wicca. When Stella made her get the books, Gladys had done so religiously because she was popular for her retentive memory. However, she understood how much she could do with the book. She saw the activities of some of the witches in her church on Wednesday. They were crude and reckless. If she had her way, she would have made sure they never operated in Black Town anymore till they were schooled in the knowledge of evil.
Gladys began watching the movie after ensuring that crazy man was gone. She didn't know what made him think she would help him. Even when she was a Christian, she had her limit to those she helped. There were things that should be done.
At that point, she remembered she hadn't done an incantation Stella taught her the previous day. Stella was stricter than any lecturer she had ever encountered. She had a perfect, crazy punishment for every offense. Gladys hurriedly got up and went to get candles. Stella had warned her to always hold a weapon to protect herself because this was the most trying times for her. The aura had been emitted into the atmosphere that she was soon to be something great. She claimed that people weren't after her when she was powerless, but now, they would go to any length to bring her down. So, she pocketed a small knife as she winked at her bottles of herbs. They were neatly arranged alphabetically and the sight of them gladdened her heart. She was a regular user before, and now, she would become an obsessive user because she noticed Stella and various websites online recommended them to her. It was as if everything in the world was preparing for this moment of her life, and she wouldn't throw it into the ditch. Instead, she would embrace it like a blanket in the cold.
Upon getting outside, she met Mrs. Jones, Elizabeth's mum.
'Miss. G', Mrs. Jones said. After getting that name from Elizabeth, all her neighbors had taken to calling her the nickname. Mrs. Jones was also going out of the compound. She wore a knotted crop peach T-shirt on a crazy Jeans trouser, which suited her slender body frame, and had a pink sunshade on. At a first glance, one would never assume she was married, especially with her sultry look.
'Mrs. Jones. Good evening'.
'You've been a bad bad girl, and I wonder how you bribed Elizabeth'.
She looked astounded. 'How? My sweet Elizabeth. What did I do wrong?'
'Where were you some weeks before? She even made me call your cell phone, and I even wanted to go as far as reporting to the police until she gave me one Mrs. Stella's number, who told me you traveled home'.
'Oh Yes, my mum was sick, and I returned the following week'.
'My God! How's is she now?'
For every statement Mrs. Jones gave, she always had a perfect lie to suit it. When they got to the gate, she scolded the gateman and told him to never direct people to her place without proper identification. Mrs. Jones garnished him with an insult or two before they departed at a corner of the end of the estate she resided. The moment she was alone, she felt a strange body following her. She would have tried astral projecting, but Stella had warned her against astral projection that it would make her look older before time. And because of this, many African and American witches became old before time. If she wanted to be a better witch, still beautiful and acceptable by Lucifer, she had to maintain her beauty.
Seeing this, she moved onward, passing the shop she had the intention of buying her candles from. She had ordered for bigger, colorful ones online. But before their arrival, she had to get some of them right now, and the only place she could get it was from those traders who sold wares for members of Celestial Church of Christ or Cherubim and Seraphim.
Immediately she turned to a corner, she hid. Even if she wasn't as strong or as fast as Stella she had been undergoing a little taekwondo training that would help her surmount whatever opposition that headed her way. Stella had told her that demons can be funny. They pushed witches to be desirous of taking others' lives, and if she let down her guard, she would be a scapegoat to the others. Gladys clutched the knife firmly, hoping to have her first taste of personal killing. Probably that would give her access to more power.
Suddenly the lanky obnoxious man, who came banging on her door, lamenting about his missing dead friends, sneaked into the corner. She watched him sneak past and peep. She didn't care if she would astral project or something, but there was a need to make him pay for stalking her. She pulled him from behind and placed the blade of the knife on his neck.
He struggled a bit but loosened up when he felt the blade knife on his neck.
'Why are you following me?'
The man stiffened as he heard her voice. 'Please. My friends'.
'What happened to them? I told you I didn't see them'.
'They entered. They entered the place. Miss, you need to understand my plea. They entered. Even if the son of the soil was drunk, he would remember what he saw. I was the watch. We went to steal. I'm not proud of it, but I was with them. So I was sure'.
She detested people like this, who were hungry to die. They were moths and were always carelessly roaming places they would be crushed. If this man had a discerning spirit even from God or Satan, he would have deciphered that something terrible had happened to his friends, and that there was no way he could get them back, get revenge for them.
She released her clutch and dialed Stella's number to know where she was. Stella informed her that she had left home on an urgent business. 'Okay. I have a spare key to her house. We can enter before she comes'.
The man spun excitedly. 'Thank you'.
'We will search the house together. What if they ran away? Have you considered that they might have absconded?'
' Miss Aunty They can't run away. We needed the money to care for the mother of one of us. For Gerald'.
She was tired of learning the basics, she needed more power and ability. All the books she had scavenged over the net would play out themselves through her hands that night, and Stella would be perplexed at her dexterity. That was the opportunity she needed. Stella had made her do some crazy stuffs together with her; therefore, she wouldn't object to her first practical class.
She guided the man through the gate of the house. Not just anybody could open the door of the house. Stella had done it that she was the only one able to enter or until she allowed anyone enter the compound, there was no way they would have access to the house. However, ever since Gladys began to enter the house, Stella made her cut herself and drop some of her blood at the doorpost, that would give her access to the house whenever she wanted.
So when they got to the house, she pretended to be on the watch-out for Stella. She let him into the house and pretended to search for anything that could implicate her. In the process, she stumbled on an old man, who was deeply in sleep in Stella's house.
Quickly, she muttered a sleeping curse, the first lessons she learnt. She said,' in a deep sleep ye shall be, remembering not what I hide from thee Magic work let this be, Let this spell work for me'.
She hurried out of the room, and stared into the inquisitive eyes of the lanky man, who would soon be a sacrificial lamb. She shook her head to his dismay, and they proceeded to battle with the locks of the rooms. The man couldn't open any of the rooms until she took turns to open them. Most times, while pretending to pick a lock, she used some of the door unlocking spells she learnt by rote method online to open the door.
They kept searching the massive buildings until they stumbled on the door of the power room, the underground room. The energy that exuded from that room enlarge her head, and hair rise on her body. The room was oddly smelling nice. Stella had a knack for keeping things clean, and she felt the only way she could enjoy her immortal body was to keep it excessively neat.
'Do you see light anywhere?' The man whispered.
'No' she said imitating his fearful whisper. 'Search around'.
'I'll use phone torchlight'.
Although she wasn't all that accustomed to the room, she still had a bit of idea of where he might be. As he fiddled with the phone, and his phone rang.
'Silence the phone', she scolded and placed her hands on the switch.
He picked the call regardless of Gladys' pretentious call for silence. So, she had to stay her hand. There wouldn't be any fun in making aware of where he was when he was still receiving a call.
'Hello. What? He didn't run away. We're still looking for money. No. What? That's a lie. No. That's a lie. She can't die', he yelled.
'What's that?' She asked impatiently.
'She is dead. Gerald's mother is dead', he wailed for a while and sniffed for a prolonged second. 'Ah! We must find his body. His death can't be in vain. Son of the soil wouldn't accept that. I will'
'I found a switch', she said, smiled cruelly and switched on the light. He was already siting on the ground, with his back to the place she wanted him to see. She screamed, pretending to be surprised. The man turned also and screamed as he saw what laid before him.
'Where are we?'
'That's Nnamdi. That's his head'.
He rushed to the washed corpse of his friends, and growled as he tugged at their body. Stella would have dumped them in the hole, but she had preserved them for lessons for Gladys. She claimed they didn't really need to have a fresh kill before Gladys learnt what she needed to know.
When she was sure he was engrossed in his grieving, Gladys looked about, grabbed an ax, slowly walked to him, and hoped she was doing the right thing. There were various ways of getting power. She could still go back to God, and not face the trauma of being a killer. But she couldn't easily forget the rawness in the power Stella wielded that Friday night, in controlling that demon that possessed her and those that tortured. She moved slowly to him, and with an open-eye, took a clean swipe at his head; she decapitated him.
At first, she stared at his headless body. She wanted that ax to knock him unconscious, injuring him a bit. She never knew it would be that sharp. His headless body flustered. Though uncanny, she felt excited about it. A regular feeling, according to the internet was that she would feel numb. But her excitement wasn't one of the things that were recorded as what she should experience on her first kill. Was her conscience that dead? Conscience be damned.
Although Stella informed her that the demons in her would make her feel excited about anything she did, she wasn't bothered. She had never imagined it would be as perfect as this. She laid him on the ground and watched with ecstasy as his body vibrated. She should feel disgusted, but everything looked amazing. There wasn't any chance she wouldn't give in to the temptation of using the blood of this man for the incantation. She would use everything in the room to serve her purpose.
She searched the house for a note to jot down the results she would get. She touched her ear, and smiled that she no longer had a reason to use her earring aid. Then, she glanced at the blood oozing on the floor, and jot down things she would need to start the process.

IRALIFE:
Souloho19- A Hole in the Wall Giaaaaana- Lethal Matrimony Kayo80- Tiwa's Redemption Avatarmode- Lost Trust Divepen1- Grabbing the hot gate

I've never seen your comments..

queenitee:
Yeah, Stella is free. I feel overwhelmed with tears.
Gladys, *sighs* God will help.

Amen oo

Fazemood:
Weeeh! Oh Lord Jesus, I thank you for Stella, thank you for being a loving darling Father. Thank you in Jesus name.

Best episode ever...Satan is a liar... wow!

Hallelujah.. Whewww

dimssy:
could it be that easy?

It can. That's the essence of the story. Salvation is not compulsorily altar. In the course of writing this book, I read reports of some ways some witches got saved. We feel it's too easy because of our human nature...

Chapter 13
The Path Taken
Stella sensed that something big would happen soon, but she was still drenched in her thought and didn't listen to Heetah as he made noise and tried to stop her from going to visit Japheth and the girl, who tried to kill herself at the Hospital. Of late, it had made her do ridiculous things. One that still baffled her was the training of the Grave mothers and those of the sisters of light that he compelled her to teach Gladys. Those were extremely intensive lessons that only the experienced witches must have access to. Despite being prepared for handing over to Gladys, she never considered it to be so fast. That showed that in the next three months, she would have to start preparing for the rites of her own final death.
She would have gone to meet Japheth immediately he called, but her father called that his car was parked outside her gate. Of all the fathers she had ever had in her lives, he was her favorite. Even in his old age, even after people speculated that she caused her mother's death, he still loved her. Many of them claimed her mother became seriously sick after she flogged Stella for not disobeying her. Yet, he still showered her with love.
He was the first person that made her have her first thought about changing path. He might have his own flaws, but unlike other Christians she had ever encountered, he tried to be good to everyone he met.
When he entered her massive compound, he was furious that she didn't come to visit her.
'You built a massive house for your father and dumped him there, alone'.
She directed his driver to the parking lot, and guided him into the room.
'But you have workers. Jacques, the driver; Mensah, your gardener; Idowu, your cook. You are not alone'.
'Only a fool makes strangers his family, and forgets his family'.
'I'm sorry. I've been busy'.
'Busy. Even busy bees still have to copulate, and have a family. The worker bees have time to sleep, and work with their family'.
' I'm sorry papa, let's go inside'.
After scolding her for a while, he relaxed. They discharged the driver, and asked him to return the car to their house in Greencity. She would drive him home the next day, and stay with for three weeks. Still watching her time, she listened absentmindedly as he said he only came visiting to see her, and as he joked about trying to escape being kidnapped for seeing visions. Although he hadn't seen any vision, he said he feared really seeing visions.
'But they have been found', she said after she tried to ensure he wasn't working himself up over a thing that no longer existed.
'They didn't find her, and my people will say that a ram that backs down the arena has gone'
'to gain more strength. I know'.
When she was about to leave the house, she made sure she reenergized the protective spell on the house to secure him, and she cast some illusion spell on some parts of the house to prevent him from moving into those wrong parts of the house. The Yorubas, her father's people, would say 'he who scrambles into a gourd cannot go with his child'. Even if her father wasn't her child, he was a kind father to her.
She left him playing with Jiggs, while she hurried off to the hospital. She had made it a habit to never drive in the night because of some years before, Heetah made her hit someone, and left him to die for no reason. It made her kill an innocent person and basked in the sadness she derived from doing such. Even if he wasn't innocent, she didn't have the right to kill him. Since the night was already veiling the earth, she decided that it would meet her at the hospital. So she walked down her Estate to get a bike.
Japheth was her project, her prey. Yet, he had a way of struggling, and almost jumping out of her grasp. There were days she assumed his light had fizzled out only to find the fading smoke pop into light again. Then, she realized that to quench the light of such people, she had to increase the way she showered him with love. She had to make him believe in her. And visiting him at the hospital, in his weakest time, was definitely a good way to go about it. She must definitely get to meet him now to increase her hold on his life. He would need help to resolve the problem she caused. Despite that, she still loved to see him suffer a bit before dipping his light into the cold sea of despair. She shook her head as she realized that it was Heetah sprinkling thought into her mind. Despite all, she loved it and said, ' It's time to wreak havoc'.
She was ready to let the world see Japheth's light being quenched. Lord Lucifer should come to meet a whole town in shambles, in their darkest time, with no sign of hope. She had to make Japheth's light quench immediately. The flickers of light were beginning to burn brighter, and it was affecting her mission. After this mission, all she needed was to finally have her rest in Lucifer's home.
She walked briskly across the street and saw a man watching her. Many of those drunk men are always being deceived into seeing her flesh, which looked beautiful. If they ever encountered what she carried inside, they would never even have a wish to become like her. But in that instance, all she needed was to get to the hospital.
So when she saw the same look of admiration on the bike man that gave her a lift, she felt sorry for him. He felt like someone that had lost most of his fortune and grace to the lust of women and alcoholic drinks. Yet, his light increased per time. She wondered where his source of light was.
'Madam, I can see you are a Christian', the bike man said.
'My father would say by your dressing you would be addressed', she said as she tried to decipher where he was leading her to.
'That's good'
She was doing well for now, and wouldn't need any disturbance. As she was on the bike, she had repeatedly begun to chant and to recite the incantations needed to make her visit to the hospital fruitful. So, it would be better he spat what he wanted to say and be done before she got to the hospital for she needed all the time in the world.
'So, are you born again?'
She eyed him. 'I'm a Christian. That means I'm born again'.
'Good. That means I found a sister in the Lord'.
She gave him a plastic smile and continued to chant. If he disturbed her once more, she would make sure he never talked again.
'So I've been reading a part of my bible of late. Can you please explain the meaning of "he has forgiven all our sins..."?'
'It means...' Her voice faded off as she stared into oblivion, realizing the truth in what she was about to say. 'It means that Jesus Christ died for all...'
'I know. I mean which of them...'
'No. It means that our sins of the past, present, and future'.
Heetah nudged her but she didn't budge.
'But if it means of the future, that's a bad thing now. Anybody can sin and would still come back'.
'Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound'.
'That's it'.
The pain that been growing in her began to elate. She inhaled loudly. Demons didn't always want the messages about God to be a total configuration of what God wanted for Christians.
'Then I think I'll just go back to that church that teaches us about what we should do to be holy because since I started this new church, they teach on God's grace'.
'Okay'.
Heetah nudged her. She wasn't supposed to indulge the bike man. She was supposed to snub him, and continue what she was doing, but she had been having a strange desire and this time around she knew how to secretly pray. She had consistently been making prayers to God as regarding such ability to choose.
'They said that I'm not a sinner. How can they say that?'
'I don't get you.'.
'I'm an alcoholic. Before I became a Christian, I used to drink. Even now, I still drink. They said that as a Christian, that I should stop calling myself alcoholic. That God has forgiven all my sins- past, future, and present. The thing is confusing'.
She stared at him and felt bad that another man who was about to come to the light of the truth had encountered her. She felt bad because she would extinguish his light.
'Where's this church?'
'Brown Valley. It's a fellowship'.
'You leave all the churches in Black Town and go to a church in Brown Valley. Are the churches here not more than the grain of a field? That's not wise. That's by the way. The message they are teaching you is wrong'.
'I said it', the man said as he swerved into a tarred road. Here, he began to shout to make himself audible. 'Although, when I started saying the things they told me to keep saying, the desire to drink alcoholic drink reduced, I can't just understand it'.
She stared at the back of the man's head, and felt like smacking him for being such a fool. Instead of heeding to what they told him, he was ranting about their method not being a right one. She felt like embracing or imagining the freedom he must have gotten those past weeks. The excitement that would have followed it would have been a monument, one that would forever ring at the back of her mind.
'That method is not good. If you fail, you won't know what to do again, you need the ordinances: the rules, the laws to keep you in check, to make you stay put in the love of God', she said.
'They said I should say I'm the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus'.
'Wow. That's a big one', she said before she could stop herself, just as they got to the hospital. Heetah must have been cross with her because pain ripped her chest. She groaned as she got down from the bike. Firstly, she disobeyed by going to visit Japheth. Now, she was helping a Christian, of all the people in the world.
'Madam are you alright?'
'I'm fine, thanks'.
She withdrew money from her purse to give the man, but he had already started his bike and turned.
'Your money'.
He stopped his bike. 'Madam you've given me something I can never stop paying for. So I owe you plenty. I'll leave that church'.
As she watched him drive off, she knew she would cry regardless of Heetah's hatred for such show of emotion.
'You should be happy', Heetah told her as he increased the pain in her chest. If only she could get the freedom this bike man was throwing away, all the wealth of the world notwithstanding. There was nothing better than freedom from Lucifer.
She rushed into the hospital and asked for the toilet. Her spiritual senses weren't functioning any longer. Even her physical senses too were getting obscured as Heetah began to choke life out of her. The intensity of the heat on her body made her know she had plunged herself into something worth punishing. But she ran into the toilet, not minding the fact that some people turned to look at her. Many of them might have assumed she was purging, and she was fine with that. But, no matter what they thought, she was definitely going to pray or die trying. When she got into the toilet, she was happy it was empty. She slumped on the floor in one of the cubicles.
'Oh God that Lucifer hates I'm so sorry. I'm a witch. A killer. A murderer. I'm everything bad in the world. I just need to change. Please forgive me. I want to be free from this way. I want to serve you. I want to be free. I confess Jesus'.
She was verse in the way of Christians, and knew that she wouldn't have that a hair-raising feeling or any ludicrous strange, magical happening to confirm if she was still a witch, but she knew that she was definitely saved. The bible said if she confessed that Jesus was her lord, she was saved.
A sudden glow of freedom coursed through her body. She whooped. Freedom was beautiful. She jumped about in the cubicle and wasn't concerned if people came around to the toilet.
Immediately she stepped out of the cubicle, Heetah materialized. He was the true definition of evil. The last time she saw it was when she was first inviting it into her life. It was huge and its head touched the ceiling. She froze, squealed, and ran back into the cubicle. Shaking terribly, she couldn't get herself to lock the door. He yanked the door open. As soon as it towered above the cubicle, courage eluded her, making her scream and run out through the open space.
'You have plunged yourself into trouble', it growled. She screeched and screamed as it materialized in front of her. Her head pounded as she withdrew until her back was touching the cold wall. It growled and puffed, advancing as if it was ready to smother her, making her cower and whimper in the corner.
'Jesus', she cried.
'I will kill you'.
Suddenly, a sort of peace engulfed her. 'You lie, Heetah. You're a liar and we both know your origin. You're a fool and an idiot. I'm a Christian'.
Heetah laughed hysterically, sending fear down her spine. 'You are not a Christian. A Christian that is still using the words fool, idiot in sentences'.
'No... It doesn't' matter'.
It wasn't a child's play that she had lived close to a thousand years, learning the mysteries of Christianity and how to make them fall. But the thing she never knew was how they enjoyed a stupid form of confidence. Despite her not hearing from God, she was so sure that Heetah couldn't possibly attack at that time.
'Heetah, I'm a child of God. The spirit of God beareth witness with my spirit that I'm a child of God'.
Heetah laughed. 'I'm still in there'.
She stood her ground as it advanced.
'No. Christ is in me. I'm a new creature. Old things are passed away'.
'We'll see about that'.
An old woman pushed the door and poked her head, making Heetah disappear.
'Hope all is well?'
Stella nodded stiffly as she straightened her skirt and wobbled out of the toilet. She looked about and burst into tears.
She was a Christian. It was real. Was she dreaming? God had accepted her without paying anything. There was no bloodshed. The only bloodshed belonged to the most divine one himself. She felt free after several years of living in different forms, like an immortal. She leapt like a goat, and didn't bother to check the faces of everyone around. Her heart and mouth quivered with joy as she dialed Japheth's number.

bereiweris:
I so much luv reading ur Stories sir more ink to ur pen @son of d soil when a child goes abt asking what killed his father, what killed his father will also kill him �

Thanks. Good early Monday morning dosage

Fazemood:
Gladys now isn't just a witch but wants to take over. Hmmm Okay

And there, we have her desires revealed

Chapter 12
The Mirror View
Gladys sat still, watching the sunset, and tried not to revert to the days it took her to get well emotionally and physically. Stella tried to hide her tears as she took care of her, but it streamed down most time. She kept telling Gladys how it was her fault, that in the new kingdom she was to be a member, and also a high priestess, she had to learn that obedience was the key. They weren't like every casual person that roamed the street. They were to direct the affairs of the world, and so many things that Stella saw as a burden, but Gladys saw as something that was worth exploring.
The only thing Gladys was in awe of was how such a tiny woman could wield such great power. At the click of her fingers, the demons kept appearing and disappearing. The energy in that room was so much that it made her lose all her will to agree with God. That was a taste of the power she had always craved. Against her wish, she had to take a coerced two-week leave from work.
Being in the system made her understand how ridiculous it was in Christendom. The power there was controlled by the holy spirit, and for the glory of God, without pride. Here, they had the ability to use power, and not attribute it to the devil.
It took her three days to fully revive, and the only places she did that was in Stella's house. She had placed her in various basins of concoction. She poured drinks for her from what she called a cauldron. Then, she gave her a day to rest at her house. When Stella helped her home, Elizabeth was all over her, asking her why she left without telling her. She could only smile painfully at the naivety of her mind. Gladys was a bomb that would soon explode. Stella had mended the tears in her clothe, and had washed it thoroughly for her.
Afterwards, Stella insisted that she started her lessons immediately. They were very intensive, and many of them left her drained throughout the remaining parts of the day.
Stella, in one of her numerous lessons, encouraged her to always source for energy from nature, and true to her words, her strength was returning. There was every possibility that with the herbs Stella recommended for her, she would gain her energy fast.
She would never have imagined that she would be the one to care less about the future or anything. The only things she had on her mind were power and Japheth. If she could overpower Stella, then she would have control over things. At least if she got enough power, the first thing she would want would be to raise an army or a sort of school for recruits. One of the first lessons Stella made her go through was how to detect other witches. She was surprised to see many people in her church were witches, and tend to do things irrationally.
Stella showed her how illiterate the witches in Black Town, Fortune City were. Even at her amateurish age, she was still knowledgeable about some things they weren't. Yet, Stella forbade her from ever being close to any of them. That was why she needed power, to never be under the paranoid Stella. Since she got the power, she had been having dreams of her teaching young ones how to have a school of witches.
The next thing on her agenda was how to get Japheth. Luckily, he was also trained by Stella, so making him turn over to her side was simply easy. She was biding her time. With the assurance of a Lion, she was sure she would get a spell to use to make Japheth love her. Whatever it would take, she was ready to make Japheth love her. He wasn't the Christian that wouldn't be able to fall to her control. She was, firstly, one that was vast in the knowledge of God. And now, she was a witch, whom all other witches would fear, even Stella.
Then, someone knocked the door as if he or she was afraid of waking the dead. Gladys rose gingerly from her bed, from where she was privy of watching the setting sun, and dragged herself to the sitting room, to the door as she tended to her jaw. When she was a Christian, things like this would have been a thing of joy because no one came visiting. They saw her as one that was great in Christ, one that didn't need visitation. Yet, she wasn't always perturbed.
She opened the door in expectation to see one of her neighbors or maybe a church member. Instead, she saw a lanky man. Upon seeing him, she regretted not sending her spirit to check for her. At least, it would have prepared her for the man who was looking as if he wanted to bore his eyes into her heart.
'What can I do for you?'
'You... Please, help me. My friends, Gerald and Nnamdi'.
Gladys eyed him angrily. At last, she finally saw something to expel her anger on.
'What are you talking about? Do I look like a sorceress or an herbalist? Please, get out of here'.
'Madam, please help me'.
Gladys shook her head, frustrated, and banged the door at his face. Some people are fond of bringing out the worse in others.
'Please', the man said as he repeatedly knocked the door.
She shook her head and meandered to her bed. No matter how hard he knocked, she wouldn't answer him. However, the man insisted. There was no way she could think straight with this noise. He was obnoxiously disturbing her. So, unless she made him leave, she was only deceiving herself.
Pulling the door, she stood straight to face him. 'Mr. Man, please stop disturbing me. I don't know what you are talking about and I don't even want to be involved or see you here anymore'.
The man went down on his knee. 'Please, you just have to help me. You need to help'.
She stared at his black lips and red eyes. Even if she never considered it before, she was sure he was a smoker.
'What are you blabbering about?'
The guy looked all about and stretched to look beyond her, into the room. She smirked and drew her door closer to herself.
'HeysHeysWhat's all this?'
He was a thief and was trying to scan for her properties. How could she be even sure he wasn't there to steal her things or attack her?
The man nodded repeatedly as he rubbed his hands repeatedly, pleading with her. 'My friends. That house. That big house you came out from that day. I have met a police detective, but he said he needed proof'.
She frowned as she tried to fathom what he was saying. 'What house? Which day? Can you stop being a thorn in my flesh this afternoon'?
She sighed and hit her forehead. She would liaise with other neighbors to talk some senses into the skull of the vulture they called their gateman. She couldn't understand how he would direct someone to her flat without first asking who the person was or getting permission from her.
With the way the lanky man in front her was acting, she could understand that he was a beggar. She knew their types; they would use anything to ask for money.
Although people get offended with those that are blunt, it was pathetic to listen to them trying to con her off her own money.
'How much do you need?'
The man looked surprised and shook his head. 'Aunty, I don't need your money. I need my friends. I need to find my friend. I need your help'.
'Are we not saying the same thing? You need my help and that's money. I'm coming'.
She rolled her eyes as she began to close the door to get her money. If she were still a Christian, she would have lambasted him with biblical scriptures about why he shouldn't be living life like that, but she wasn't sure she could do such. So, she hurried to the room to pick her bag so that she could return to her former position.
The guy pushed the door. It rammed into her, causing her to wince.
'Aunty! Oh God. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt...'
Gladys jumped in anger. 'Are you going insane? You're indeed insane. No need to weed out that fact. If not, you wouldn't want to remove my precious nose'.
'Aunty sorry. See that house. That big house you entered that day'.
'Which day? I told you I don't know any house. If you need money, tell me...'
The man shifted forward. ' No. That big house at Kojo Dray Close'.
Gladys stood straight as she realized what the man had suspected.
'You know too...' The man said in fear. 'You know...'
The man hurriedly went on his knee.' I thank God... I said it. I said it. I wasn't mad'.
Gladys was speechless. 'But what do you want me to do?'
'My friend... Didn't you see them?'
Gladys could remember the case of the two men. She was with Stella when she decapitated the two of them. Normally, she would have felt like crying as she remembered them, but she didn't feel any remorse. The man's friends had been innocent stepping stones to the greatness of another person.
Instead of killing him too, she felt she should let him go. Preferably, she would make him doubt what he must be assuming.
'Man Please leaveIf you don't leave I'll shout that you want to rape me'.
The man moved forward. 'You have to help me. I must find Gerald; his mother is about to die. She had been struggling in the hospital'.
She shook her head in dismay and asked with clenched teeth. 'What do you want me to do?'
'I saw you enter and leave there. So, I said to myself... Son of the soil, this is someone that can help you. My spirit always knows the kind people. You're kind'.
'Get out', she yelled. 'Help! He wants to...'
The man scrambled from her passage to the main compound. She banged the door again, and hoped to never see his hideous face anymore.
She sat still until she was sure he was gone. Then. she brought her phone and began to search information about witchcrafts.

queenitee:
I'm waiting., I'm excited too. I'm not sure I won't scream o.

Ehn, it's not my Chloe, but I thought... Ah Chloe, Issokay

Lol

Fazemood:
Obssesive obssession is a mental disorder. Nice work

Indeed... And it has been the root of most evil..