₦airaland Forum

EPISODE 7

He kept as much distance between himself and the coffin as he could, praying that he might reach his destination safely before the deceased took a visit back to the land of the living. Each gallop the vehicle made as it plied the bad road was a significant bump in Karimu’s heart. He also wondered why the vehicle was not adorned with an anti-ghost leaf at least.

Then suddenly, there existed a movement in the coffin. Kamoru bolted upright in an instant; his mental pendulum began swinging from side to side at a breakneck speed. The volume of sweat that immediately oozed out from his skin trebled the initial. Kamoru was certain about the movement of the content of the coffin, but he still wanted to prove himself wrong; to know if, perhaps, it was his mind playing tricks on him, yet he dare not move closer to the coffin. And before he could dismiss the idea of opening the coffin the movement came again, this time more conspicuous than the former.

A definite yawn came from within the coffin and Kamoru felt like fainting.

‘Oh, I can’t believe I slept off.’ the occupier of the coffin proclaimed.

Before Kamoru could collapse into unconsciousness, the lid of the coffin suddenly banged open and a very white man in white garment slowly came rising up from within.

Most times in this case, fainting was never a wise decision; it could become just a one-way ticket to heaven. Therefore, anyone in Kamoru’s shoes might deem it fit to flee – and flee was what Kamoru himself actually did.

‘Ghost!’ Kamoru screamed at the top of his lungs. He had never seen an albino before, until now.

Then all hell broke free; the driver, on hearing the shriek, remembered the coffin and quickly stepped on the brakes.

Dawodu, the wonderful driver, was the first person to break a fast getaway; he was a gifted runner. The passenger beside Saka did not take time to open the door; he made his own escape through the window. The beholder of the corpse – Prince Kamoru – ran like he was being chased by a cutlass-weilding masquerade; occasionally falling down and rising up with renewed vigours and the determination to slip away from the abomination he had just witnessed – a corpse had come to life to take me!

Kamoru’s survival instinct was undeniably the sharpest among the bolting trio.

Sutana, just rising from a pleasant sleep, came instantly awake at seeing men running in such a maniacal frenzy. Suspecting that there was maybe a riot in action, he also scurried off without asking questions. But he was running in the direction the three men went. And when Kamoru looked behind him and saw the ghost bounding after him in his flowing gown, he ran with the speed of a bullet.

As Sutana was trying to catch up with them, the three men increased their speed, as though they’d each been fitted with a gear mechanism. They ran, ran and ran!

But Saka knew nothing about driving, so he spent the rest of the day with the lorry and his coffin as both ghost and men chased each other to the end of the earth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~THE END~~~~~~~~~~~~

I appreciate you for the time reading this piece. Kindly note that I will put a stop in posting stories for now till next month.

Taink you!

KelvinCoaster:
Nice update!

I can't stop laughing!!

Make sure that you're not eating or drinking o.

EPISODE 6

With efforts, Kamoru managed to hoist his bulky self to the back of the vehicle, and the lorry had already engaged in motion by the time he sighted the coffin. The kind of horror that registered itself on the prince’s visage was sensational.

Kamoru, although gigantic and robust, was a helpless feretrophobiac (someone with no fondness for coffins). This fear had been made manifest in him since the day he was wise enough to know their use. His fear disallowed him even from attending funerals. He’d always believed since childhood that corpses were always after him, trying to get him to join them in heaven.

He believed firmly that a corpse could rouse from a coffin and come after him because he’d dreamt about it many times than he could count; where corpses in large numbers struggled to pull his limbs. Each time that happened they were usually suspended between the realm of the earth and the underworlds. He was always waking up screaming and sweating and begging corpses that were not there to leave him alone.

On beholding the coffin now, the beat Kamoru’s heart skipped also skipped a beat. He prayed fervently that this was just another useless dream. Kamoru didn’t know that if you were in a dream you didn’t always remember to pray that the disaster befalling you in a dream was only a dream. Sweating even under the cool weather, Kamoru gave himself a tight pinch on the arm, expecting to feel no pain as a confirmation that he was really in a dream, but it wa not to be; the pinch hurt as hell.

The realization that what was happening to him was real brought him terror. He stifled a scream bobbing up from the depth of his mouth and what he was not able to control was the meek but innocent whimper of a kicked puppy. He was sure the coffin contained a corpse, and screaming aloud might wake the slumbering ghost. He wondered why the motorist refused to tell him about the presence of the coffin. Or was the motorist a ghost himself? And his passengers also messengers of Death? Were they trying to drive him straight to Old Salem?

Kamoru quickly dismissed the silly ideas. Maybe nobody knew about this coffin. Maybe it just materialised there by sorcery.

To be continued.

Taniaa:
Thumbs Up,keep it up

Thanks sis.

KelvinCoaster:
Oluspicy,you've got a nice piece here!

Your sense of humor blended with good sentences without typographic errors have made this story 'special' to me.


I will surely recommend you for an award just keep updating!

Thanks bro. Am just a learner.

EPISODE 5
Now it was the turn of Dawodu to be scared.

‘I see,’ he said, but he was seeing nothing, and his fear the man’s disposition was unmasked.

There was always something ominous in an albino wearing a white robe. Before he could change his mind about admitting the strange fellow in his lorry, Sutana had climbed the back, thereafter urging the driver to step in and start driving. A monkey couldn’t have impressed Dawodu more than he was at beholding the acrobatic display of Sutana as he climbed the back of the vehicle.

The driver slowly climbed into his vehicle, and as he drove on, he wondered if allowing the white-skinned and white-clothed man in the back of his lorry was a clever decision.

The journey continued steadily.

Then suddenly, without warning, the sky changed, the clouds gathered, and rain was threatened to be released soon. At this time, the trio that occupied the front of the truck had totally forgotten about the fourth man behind them; the man who would not look good in church if he got wet now.


Then the rain fell. It came very hard and loud; and within minutes, the road was about gathering potential floods. Sutana, however, could not help beating at the front for protection against the rising splats of the rain. His quest for help was rendered useless by the loud thunders that seemed not to take a moment to catch their breaths. There was no way anyone was going to help him out, he realised; the rain was going to bath him.

But Sutana was a fast-thinker, unfortunately. Before the rain could entirely drench him he came about a better means to guide against the downpours: the coffin. He stared for a moment at the object; it was smoothly scraped and painted brown – the maker had done a good job at it. Sutana approached the coffin and opened; the insides were padded white and it was looking quite cosy. For a moment, Sutana envied the dead, and he almost looked forward to dying. Without much ado, the white-clothed worshipper took the place of a corpse and closed himself inside the coffin. This was the only way he knew he could act to protect himself against the element, considering the circumstance.

But sadly, the comfort of the coffin was too warm that it caused a soporific effect on its first inhabitant. Before long, Sutana was deeply asleep.
*************************************

Less than half an hour later, the rain stopped and the weather became clear and cool. And as already mentioned, the lorry driver and his two passengers had totally forgotten the white-garmented man that had once occupied the back of the vehicle.

While Sutana remained asleep in the coffin, the journey continued surely.

Twenty and five minutes later, the kind motorist stopped to assist another stranded traveller; a tall fat man who claimed to be a prince of Ogbomosho land. The driver doubted the veracity in the robust man’s statement, because very few people of royal status would dress like beggars.

The fat man’s bushy hair and beards were unkempt, and lice seemed to have taken dwellings deep in the thick shadows of his beard. The man, who also claimed to be named Kamoru, was dressed in an undersized agbada, and the pair of sandals on his feet screamed for salvation, for the once thick soles of these footwears had been reduced to flat slivers as a result of numerous peregrinations subjected them by their master. Prince indeed!

‘The king would be so worried about me.’ lied Kamoru.

Maybe he was really being honest when he said he was a prince, reflected Dawodu. He wanted to ask Kamoru if he’d been mad for many years and had just miraculously regained his sanity. He had learnt about so many witches and wizards that had pitched tent in Ogbomosho since the time the little village was founded. Suspecting that the reply he might get was inimical to his own safety, Dawodu swallowed his question. That was not the kind of interrogation you make with a recovering lunatic, if he truly were. The motorist wasn’t any of his teeth, not quite yet.

‘Okay,’ said the driver. ‘Would you join my caravan?’

Kamoru smiled, ‘With all pleasure.’

‘But the front seats are occupied. How about staying at the back? We’re already half-way to Ogbomosho anyway.’

Dawodu had totally forgotten about the coffin, let alone the white-garmented zealot who was still busy snoozing in the death mansion.

To be continued.

EPISODE 4

N.B
Please make sure that you are not eating or drinking anything whatsoever while reading this piece, because the result might be unbearable and Oluspicy would not be liable for the cause.

Taink you.
*************************************
Little did Saka know about the misfortune that was bound to inhibit the success of the journey. They’d barely travelled five bus-stops when they encountered another lone traveller at the side of the road. The man, who was of a receding hairline and pot-bellied, was visibly weeping. This sob wrung such pity from the truck-driver that he was forced to step on the brake and demand the reason behind the smartly-dressed young man’s cry.

‘I’ve-I’ve been waiting here for over two hours with no vehicle to transport me. It’s so sad, so sad!’ he continued wailing.

‘Why didn’t you return home when you couldn’t find a vehicle?’

‘You don’t understand, sir. See, I have an interview to attend today; I’ve been jobless for years and today’s interview is the first in years, I can’t afford to miss it.’

‘Where is the company?’ asked the sympathetic driver.

‘It’s a cassava processing company in Ogbomosho.’

Dawodu knew the company, it was a popular one named Ogbomosho Cassava Barns.

‘Do you mind if I transport you there in my convertibles?’

The driver’s generous offer was not only the result of his kind heart but also because he was not totally comfortable with having only a coffin-maker beside him and a coffin behind. He felt like there was something quite ominous in this situation. Having the presence of a third party wouldn’t hurt terribly.

The job-seeker’s joy was demonstrated in a rather uncommon manner; he flew on Dawodu like an elated beau and kissed him on one of the disfigured cheeks. Saka almost puked with disgust at beholding such an unsightly sight.

The man climbed into the vehicle and perched himself jubilantly beside Saka. The odour that immediately greeted the coffin-maker was redolent; the man smelt of ginger. He extended his hand towards Saka in greeting.

Hi, my name is Sule.’ he smiled, revealing wretched gums in the process.

‘My name is Saka. Do you know that there is a coffin behind this lorry?’

The shock that came to the face of Sule was instantly replaced by a terror which could match the fear of someone who had come face-to-face with a ghost.

‘The coffin is empty,’ the handsome truck-driver quickly chipped in. He was sure the young man was ready to excuse himself from the lorry with a hasty retreat. But the assurance from his new saviour made the job-seeker relax back in his seat and a grin was perfectly plastered on his face.

Then the journey continued.

Hardly had they journeyed another fifteen minutes when another remarkable traveller was spotted trying to flag down the lorry.

The man was not only perspiring like a swimmer but also strangely dressed; he was white-skinned and was donned in a white garment that was in that time popularly worn by religious fanatics of the cherubim and seraphim gatherings, but the white linen was already turning black with sweat.

And of course, the truck-driver pulled over to help the angel out.

Dawodu, on getting down, discovered a stranger thing about the stranger he was about to help; the albino was barefooted. When asked, the stranger replied that strapping any footwear while still in the cloak of purity was against their religious beliefs. This explanation made Dawodu wonder whether his newest host was wearing anything under the white robe. Even the lower portion of the dress was swollen in such a trigonometrical proportion that would make Mary Magdalene run for cover. However, because the pronunciation of this religious man’s name tends to harden the arteries, the man told the driver to simply call him Sutana.

‘Where are you going, Sutana?’ Dawodu asked, evidently ready to help.

‘I’m going to church, and I’m almost late. This fuel scarcity is something else.’

‘Where is your church?’

At the outskirts of Ogbomosho. I just wish this sun was not as honest as it was today. I’m being baked alive here.’

‘Would you mind if I transported you there in my private jet?’

Sutana stared at the driver a moment before staring at the ‘jet’ itself; then he said to Dawodu.

‘The jet does not look like a private one to me, with those two marsupials perched inside.’

‘But that is the probem, there is no more space in the front seat,’ he thought about this and added, ‘You’ll have to use the back, that’s if you don’t mind.’

‘I don’t have a choice.’

‘But-er, there is a coffin at the back.’

The religious zealot’s expression, on hearing the new revelation, suggested he doubted the driver’s rationality, even his own. ‘A coffin?’

‘Yes,’ Dawodu replied quickly, ‘but it’s empty. I’m only helping out that skinny man in my lorry. I assure you, the coffin is empty.’

Sutana smiled broadly, ‘That’s not a problem; coffins don’t scare me, neither do corpses.’

‘Oh!’

‘I work in a mortuary.’

To be continued.

EPISODE 3
Pa Jimoh had chosen the wrong time to die; he kicked the bucket when fuel scarcity was rampant in the city yonder. With his faithful work of art beside him, Saka waited impatiently at the bus-stop, but the road was practically devoid of vehicles. The very few that plied the quiet road didn’t give the carpenter a second glance, and even those who gave were shied away at the sight of the corpse apartment. Most motorists believed that the presence of a coffin in their vehicles could cause doom to their journey, with or without corpse. Sometimes though, some braver ones would adorn their automobiles with leaves of unknown botanical nomenclatures, believing therefore that this action was enough to ward off both potential evils and evil potentials. Besides, everything in life has always boiled down to faith; but faith itself is limited.

Would you believe so much in faith that you’d take a bold step to the middle of a rail track with the firm belief that the speeding locomotive would bounce off you at impact? And it is not unusual to find that it is only readers who’d not misplaced their mental gadgets would find the mission an extremely ludicrous one. And if you trust otherwise, then the writer can only shrug his shoulder and urge you to prove him wrong.

Saka was already at the verge of giving up and returning home when he sighted an approaching lorry. There, he decided within himself that this one vehicle would not pass him by, no matter what it took. This was the perfect six-wheeler to transport him, coffin inclusive. He was determined to make the driver stop, and hand-flagging might not achieve that.

When the vehicle was closer, Saka suddenly leaped to the middle of the road. There was no one at the bus-stop to stop him from engaging in this suicidal mission. Everywhere was silent, as if the situation was not only inflation in fuel price but also an imposition of curfew. Although this feat was not unlike that of the demented incipient already mentioned in the former paragraph, Saka was one of the sanest people in all of humanity; because it takes a large degree of sanity and ingenuity to build such a remarkable coffin.

Fortunately, Saka was not flattened by the wheels of the truck, though almost. The driver had managed to repair the brakes the day before. The vehicle stopped at only a few inches from the carpenter.

Are you crazy?’ Screamed the driver in a thick Yoruba language. As he poked his head out through the window.

Saka could not help noticing the brutal tribal marks on the man’s cheeks. Whoever had carved this tally on his face had not intention of bestowing pulchritude. The lines were not even symmetrical; the driver’s ugliness was classic.

‘No, I am not crazy, just desperate. There’s a difference between insanity and desperation.’ answered Saka in like language.

‘What do you want?’

The facially-challenged man asked impatiently.

‘My name is Saka and I urgently need to get to the town of Ogbomosho.’

‘How does that concern me?’

‘You are going to drive me there.’

‘And a dozen beauty queens would fight over me.’ Spat the driver, whose name was Dawodu; an ugly name among ugly names.

‘Listen carefully to me, Prince Charming, I’m not leaving here unless you agree to transport me.’

Dawodu scoffed amusedly, ‘And you think your rigid presence here is a threat to my tipper? I can just run you over.’

Maybe Saka’s sanity had reached such a boiling point that a regular prefix had been added to his ‘sanity’, or the spirit of the deceased client was influencing him negatively, because the coffin-maker’s reply was sensationally inane.

‘I’ve memorized your plate number.’

The truck-driver stared at Saka for a long moment; what was running through his mind could be explained by only him, because he quietly but firmly replied, ‘My fee is ten naira.’

Of course, the amount charged during this prehistoric time was a direct equivalent five hundred times its value fifty years aft.

‘What!’ screamed the wide-eyed Saka. ‘That’s a fortune! I can only afford five naira.’

‘Deal.’

‘Come and let’s hoist that to the back of the lorry.’ Saka pointed at the coffin he’d left at the site of the road prior his maniacal bound before a moving engine. It was at this moment that Dawodu noticed the wooden object.

‘What’s that?’ he asked incredulously.

‘It’s a spaceship.’ Saka replied absent-mindedly.

‘It looks like a coffin.’

‘Wow, that’s very brilliant of you. You’re right, it’s a coffin,’ Saka said impatiently, ‘Now come and assist in lifting it.’

‘You are not planning to put that in my lorry, are you?’

The coffin-maker looked at the driver as if he had just said something incredibly silly.

‘No,’ he answered in anger, ‘I’m planning to string it on my waist like a bead.’

‘I’m not putting a corpse in my vehicle!’

‘The coffin is empty, genius!’

‘Prove me wrong.’

It was only after Saka had opened the coffin to show that it was truly empty that Dawodu assisted in lifting.

Then the journey began.

To be continued.

EPISODE 2

Pa Jimoh was really dead. There was no doubt whatsoever about that, for he truly and undeniably died from half a thousand stings and a broken vertebrae. He knew about his own death? Of course he did. How could it ever be otherwise? Because Pa Jimoh died a virgin, there was really not wet eye for his funeral. The reason behind his decided celibacy would forever remain a mystery even to the most seasoned of all detectives alive today.

Now, the mention of Pa Jimoh’s funeral brings the magic of the pen back to the first line of the immediate paragraph before this. Pa Jimoh was really dead. This must be distinctly assimilated or there would be nothing of consequence to fathom from the extraordinary sequence of events that succeeded his demise. And when a man dies and is still refused the peacefulness of a grave, then most people will agree that there is something still amiss with the world, as it has always been.

Jimoh, being the last of his race, was of no known family member to claim his corpse, let alone rewarding him with a befitting burial. It was only the kind indegenes of Ogbomosho that took it upon themselves to plant the loner, but they refused to do it without a coffin available. It was part of their culture in the remotest part of the village not to bury any corpse in the soil without first locking it in a casket. But the only coffin-maker they knew had his shop in the city, which was many kilometres away from the village. Having no other known maker of coffins, the village elders gathered together their resources and employed the service of Saka, a gifted coffin-maker.

These elders exhibited their generosity over the tapper’s corpse to a commendable degree. If they’d allowed themselves the pleasure of considering Pa Jimoh’s manners in his life they wouldn’t have made any step at burying him; they’d rather have watched the corpse rot and become meat for fowls of both air and land, for Pa Jimoh was known to be tight-fisted in his life; a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old man. He was a well from which no bucket had ever fetched a generous water.

No beggar who knew him implored of him to bestow a trifle, no children asked him what it was o’clock, no man or woman in the village ever once in all his life inquired the way to such and such a place, of Pa Jimoh. Even the blind men appeared to recognize him; for when they sensed him coming ahead, they would tap their canes and make their ways to their doorways. It almost seemed as though whenever it came to situations pertaining Jimoh, they revelled in their affliction. Some of them would console themselves by saying, ‘No eye at all is better than an evil eye!’

But even Jimoh himself did not give a trifle care to this obvious neglect; it was the very thing he liked, and he always defended himself by preaching about how he was the oldest inhabitant of the village at seventy-five, and that every other villager should always accord him the respect for an elder. Although he always emphasized how he was a year older than any other old man in the village, everybody knew that he was never an hour richer. And to have such an evil-embodiment die in the village without the benefit of a burial might spell misfortune for the growing generation of the village.

Saka worked round the clock to make a presentable coffin for Pa Jimoh, and when the work was ready the next day, Saka was impressed at his own achievement; because he’d never, until now, completed a casket in a single day. It was as though the spirit of the dead palm-wine tapper urged him to hasten up. He knew quite well that his client would likewise be duly impressed at the rapidity with which he completed the work. He also knew that the villagers could not wait to inter Jimoh and get it done with. But in the modern world, there was always Murphy’s Law that could not be avoided. And in this case at hand, everything worked together to make sure that the coffin built for Jimoh did not arrive Ogbomosho in time.

To be continued.

EPISODE 1

This work is really fictitious. And any character that is likely bonded to anyone whether dead or alive is purely coincidental. Most locations exist and it's been included to help make this work more realistic.
************************************************

The old and bad-tempered Pa Jimoh was dead, to begin with, but he did not go to his grave. And this deprivation of proper interment prevented among mourners any thought of planting over his head a mango tree.

The real cause of his demise, however, if brought to focus, would result in an esteem more mirth-inducing to any spectator at the sight of the incident than to the actual victim on whom such tragedy befell.

Pa Jimoh had already hoisted himself to the apex of a rather lofty palm tree before he met his end. His intention behind this ascent was merely to tap in the early wine, but instead, he found his own hand tapping on the delicate nest of snoozing hornets.

Not many mortals, if placed behind a judgemental desk, would put too much blame on the piqued wasps for their collective efforts in the attack on the feeble curmudgeon. And it would be unfair if this little but fatal brawl between insect and man was not elucidated in full detail.

The kind of irritation this swarm fostered could only be imagined after putting oneself in their thorax. Just imagine yourself a wasp making passionate insect love to your spouse in your apartment erected feet high on the branch of a palm, then suddenly poof! your castle was demolished by the single stroke of a hand.

And this destruction came not just from any hand but from the hand of Man; that specie with whom you have never been (and possibly will never be) of benign companionship. In this instance, the last thing a patriotic wasp would care about was decency; no male wasp would scramble to a wardrobe searching for a pair of trousers to cover its privates, and neither would a female scream for her pants and bra. What would they do? They’d call on immediate neighbours whose mansions had also been reduced to rubble and launch immediate attack on the human intruder.

Initiating the divide-and-conquer techniques, some wasps made their own attack on the human’s skull; thereby, in the process, reshaping the dimension of the tapper’s occiput into that which was totally different from the Creator’s initial design. But this was not what resulted to the old man’s demise; of course, something more brutal sufficed.

While some wasps families were busy assaulting the old man’s skull, others lodged themselves into the dark comfort of his rather oversized pair of trousers. The poor man wouldn’t have launched into that extraordinary wail even people far away had sworn hearing if those bees had shown kindness on their intruder. The offensive had found it incubent to sting him on the delicate tissue of the sac dangling between his thighs, while some were satisfied by only sticking their probosces on the flesh of that tender rope that always come with the sac. The agony could only be best described by someone who’d experienced a nearly equal attack.

So, it could be deduced that the latter attack was more brutal than the former, for it was at this moment that the old man forgot about the precarious position he was in; he’d disremembered that he was still perched against the stem of a tall tree. And because the pain was getting unbearable, Pa Jimoh let go. Witnessing the brutal event could cause one to see only figuratively the morals behind the anecdote that ‘the higher you fall the higher you bounce’, and the old man literally bounced when his slim body came in contact with the earth. And these mean insects returned to build another nest only after accompanying their victim to his final destination. A rather eccentric writer may be inspired to coin a catchy title from this tragedy: ‘Death by Sting’ would go the title.

To be continued.

dawno2008:
Good job @oluspicy, it was worth the time,nice endearing and so interesting, at least a snippets of the happenings in the glorious haven

Once again Weldon sir,may the Supreme lord reward you abundantly

Amen. And you too.

Keep your fingers crossed for another exciting piece soon.

EPISODE 27 (FINAL)

The End is Now
Promise in my perspective isn’t something all human should make, because no one is sure what tomorrow or days to come hold. In Heaven, the Supreme One takes promises very importance, when done to another party, He expected it to be fulfilled or else it becomes a debt on you which you carry around till the day you fulfil it.

That’s why I’m against the idea of promising. Only death can pay the debt of promise but if one dies before fulfilling his or her promise but already had the chance to fulfill the promise but didn’t, then death wouldn’t have enough dime to pay for that person’s promise.

But what would be my fate when I return to Heaven with a debt on me, a shame for eternity.

I made promise to Ranking to protect Tabitha but the promise was already drifting away from my reach and I knew I’ve to fulfill it.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Happy ending, a great phrase that humans so much believe in, tho many were compelled to believe that the phrase will always be the end of their life because of too much movie.

But the real fact is that out of 100% little ones, only 40% always have that phrase while others end in tragedy.

Before all people reading this story will fully indulge themselves to know what finally ended me, I can’t assure you that you might not be disappointed.

As I’ve told you before, not everyone have the opportunity to swim in the river of happy ending.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Brother Luci accepted his request and gave him the immortal sword.

"Watch out to how I will destroy the Earth which your father value most” he said before he disappeared into the ground in flame.

"This will be more than an ordinary sparring” brother Lucien said as he charged at me.

My time with humans especially Tabitha took it toll on me. I wasn’t very strong, brother Lucien took the pleasure of beating me to pulp, he was much stronger than I was, he dealt with me like a kid. I tried with all my strength to also fight him but I couldn’t land a single punch.

The sword in his hand was burning through my flesh as it touches me because I didn’t have my armour on me. He was inflicting pains on me, I knew it was to make me the feel the pain he felt when I defeated and hurt his pride in the magnificent hall. I knew that the more time I spend with brother Lucien, the closer Tabitha get to death. I knew that brother Luci would have to take her to the middle of the Earth, the water of creation inside Tabitha can’t survive more than a minute on Earth before it lose it potency, so brother Luci would have to take her their before he drains her of her blood and mix it with the hakintolite water.

I screamed in pain as the immortal sword cut through my left rib. The cut accompanied by burning pain sank deep into my body and I fell on my knee with no power or strength left inside me.

"Where’s that strength you displayed in the magnificent hall when you fought me then?” he asked with an angry voice.

"You disgraced me, embarrassed me and made me felt useless and worse of all, you made me lose my pride” he barked in an angry tone.

"Help me, I’m going to die, please save me, my love...”

I heard this tunes which were portrayed in Tabitha’s voice coming to me in a tone that portrayed fear and helplessness.

"I’ve been looking forward to this day ever since the day I came to Earth and now you’ve to pay for treating me that way” he added but I wasn’t listening as the image of Tabitha suddenly appeared in front of me. Tears was streaming down her beautiful face, and she looked helpless and pitiful.

"I know you’ll save me my love...” she said in a melancholy tone and was stretching her hand towards me, I tried to grab it but it disappeared when my hand was about to touch her.

I screamed loudly in anger and lightening started striking in a fearsome manner. Brother Lucien raised his sword to strike me at once but my armor as if being attracted by a magnetic force, flew to where we were and wore itself on me at once shielding brother Lucien's attack.

I stood up at once with a new adrenaline of energy circulating inside me. He tried to attack again but I swiftly rolled on the ground to dodge his attack and picked my sword which was laying on the floor. I turned and striked him from behind with all my strength, he lost balance and felt down but quickly stood up. My sword unlike the immortal sword isn’t capable of killing a meacena but is capable of inflicting pain on him when they’re struck with it.

He groaned in pain as he stretched the immortal sword at me but wasn’t balanced well on the ground as he kept staggering little by little, I knew he was trying to steady himself, I made motion to attacked him again and he quickly raised his sword up to also attack me but I aimed at his hand, as he waved his sword at me, I swerved to my left and quickly struck his hand with my sword and he was disarmed by that move as his sword fell down from his hand.

He quickly wanted to pick it back but I channelled all my strength into my right hand and gave him an uppercut, the force of the punch made him fly a bit before he landed on his back. I weaved my hand a bit in order to get rid of the pain I felt inside it.

The uppercut had so much force that I heard some funny sound inside my wrist, I felt like it was broken.

I picked the immortal sword and moved closer to him. Before he could say jack, the sword was already embedded in his chest. I watched as his body caught fire and bit by bit, it turned into ashes and the wind escorted it into the atmosphere.

I tried to connect with Tabitha but all I could get was a faint connection, I knew it was because she was being travelled underground. I knew their destination and I knew I had a chance of getting there in time to save Tabitha. They were going to Kaba in Mecca, that’s where the middle of the earth is located. But what I wasn’t sure is if I could make it that far in my human form. I wouldn’t have been worried if I was still an angel.

I brought out my wing as I head out of the house. The weather has already change to qualify the impending danger, I can best describe how the weather looked to lunar eclipse. When I got out I flew up at once, and started flying towards Mecca.

All little ones are all stiff, everywhere was silent as cars, lorry, every other vehicles and humans all were glued to the position they were before brother Luci did whatever he did that made them stiff.

With all the speed I could muster, I flew to Mecca, it got to a point, I felt myself blacking out on flight, I knew it was because I overdid it, I was not suppose to be flying such long distance in my human form, but the thought that I have to save the little ones and Tabitha kept me going.

It got to a point, my feathers started coming off, I was still a little bit far from Kaba when this started happening. And I knew if I didn’t make it to Kaba before all will come off, then I will crash midway. With my sore hands and tired self, I increased my pace again and kept on flying. I was getting weaker and I felt myself dying internally and my feathers won’t stop tripping off. I was feeling very thirsty and felt my oesophagus shutting down, I passed many rivers, sea, ocean and many water source but couldn’t have a drop of water because I felt like a second wasted will lead to the eradication of the Earth.

My wings were almost like that of a de-feathered chicken, when I saw the symbol in Kaba, tho I was still a little bit far from it. All the feathers were almost gone, my once glorious feather turned to something of the past. My eyesight was getting blurrier, and I wondered where I was going to get the strength to fight brother Luci and his agents even if I made it.
And it happened that when I was about to get to Kaba, my wings stopped functioning and I crashed on the floor with a loud thud. I fainted at once, tho I tried hard not to but I couldn’t control it. I didn’t not know how long I was gone but when I woke up, I was hearing a loud murmuring from afar, it was like incantation.
I knew it was coming from Kaba and by brother Luci and his agents. That means I got to Mecca before them.

I stood up feeling alright, I was surprised to see my wings on my back again in it full glory. I flew at once and headed to Kaba. My sword at my back and the immortal sword sheathed beside my leg. I saw a great view when I got to Kaba, the agents of brother Luci all having a dark glasses worn on their face formed a big circle chanting, while brother Luci was inside the circle with Tabitha who was tied up like a sacrificial lamb, she looked like she’d sustained many bruises on her body. Brother Luci had a small black knife in his hand and a calabash that looked sacred which I presumed contains the hakintolite water.

Brother Luci suddenly looked up and saw me hovering over them. He gave me a wicked grin which I didn’t know what it was but not for long.

"Plan B!!!” he suddenly shouted and all his agents suddenly brought out an object which I didn’t know what it was, they all hit it on the floor at once and a great blinding smoke filled everywhere. That was when I knew what the work of the sunshade the agents of brother Luci had on.

I was blinded temporarily by the smoke and couldn’t see anything, when the smoke weared off, I saw all brother Luci’s agents with bow and arrows in their hands aiming at me. I was sure the arrow will also have the melted part of the immortal sword in it.

Before I could escape, they all shot at me at a go, I quickly brought out my sword, I was able to use it to shield many arrows but many still find their way into my body and I fell down. I was directly falling into the circle but I didn’t know the force that pushed me away when I was about to land inside it and I fell outside of the circle groaning in a severe pain as the arrows were visibly on my head and my leg, only my chest was left out because of the armour I was having on.

I laid on the ground in pain as I saw brother Luci dipped the knife into Tabitha’s rib. Just then a lightening struck and scattered all the agents of brother Luci. Then I saw as the Heaven opened and the Greater One with brother Michael by his side on flying horses and armies of angels from the warriors department at their back also with sword in their hands.

Brother Luci on seeing this shivered in fear and tried to quickly finish what he started, seeing the backup coming to help me gave me a lot of strength, I stood up and I forced all the arrows playing chess in my body out at once, I ran with speed and with a flying kick, I sent brother Luci away from Tabitha who was bleeding profusely from where she was stabbed. I held her in my hand and started weeping as she looked at me weakly. Her breathing was weak, she looked at me and smile and tear drop released from her eye. She weakly raised her hand up and placed it on my cheek which was already wet with tears.

Brother Michael and the Greater One were already down and captured brother Luci.

"Benmanna” the Greater One called my name as he placed his hand on my shoulder.

"Please save her, she isn’t dead yet, it’s an easy task for you to save her ,please save her” I cried to the Greater One as I wept profusely.

"She’s going to live but you have to back out of this mission and agree that you’re going to allow another guardian angel take over” the Greater One said looking at me with pity.

""I agree, please just save her” I cried agreeing to his condition at once.

He placed his hand on the injured part of Tabitha and she became healed at once and all her bruises disappeared. She hugged me at once and thanked the Greater One for saving her.

The Greater One had to free brother Luci because killing him will foil the prophecy of the battle of Armageddon.

After everything has been settled, I left Tabitha to discuss with the Greater One.

"You made me proud boy, tho I believed in you but after seeing how everything took a sour turn, I didn’t know that you could still be devoted to your mission” he said to me smiling at me and I felt a tingling of pride rose within me.

"Does the Supreme One feel that way too?” I asked the Greater One with a countenance that showed that I was a little bit sad.

"Because of all your sins right?” He asked and I shook my head shamefully.

"I don’t know what the Supreme One is thinking because he didn’t share it with me, but it’s either you’re been punished or rewarded but the percentage that you’ll be punished is high” He replied me and I became scared, I felt like not returning to Heaven again.

"Okay, but who’s taking over from me?” I asked feeling sad.

"Michael” the Greater one answered shocking me.

The fact is that brother Michael has never serve as a guardian Angel before because he’s greater than that, he is the fierce warrior of Heaven and him taking the position of a guardian Angel is a little off.

"Did the Supreme One force him to do it?” I asked looking surprised.

"No, he nominated himself” the Greater One replied stunning me with more shock.

Brother Michael being a guardian Angel isn’t bad, but I feel for all the evil doers that might try to harm Tabitha especially Yemi. Brother Michael is ruthless unlike me that am still a bit merciful. I haven’t seen him smile once ever since have known him and I knew that any wrong move from Yemi towards Tabitha, she’s already gone.

"Okay, it’s good but what will happen to Tabitha, will she be given the honour to live with the memory of seeing you and the angels?” I asked not going into full details of the question.

"The divinity has been exposed too much and we will have to eradicate all the memories from her head and your memories from this Earth making all those who have your memories to forget about you.”

"Including Tabitha too?" I asked interrupting the Greater One.

"Yes” he replied me making me more sad.

"Okay, but can I ask for a favour?” I asked the Greater One with a pitiful eye.

"You’re free to” he replied.

"Please, let me return Tabitha home so that I can have the chance of bidding her farewell before she forget everything about me.

The Greater One contemplated on it for some seconds before agreeing to it.

"But you’ve to make it snappy because in the next one hour, you’ll regain your angelship back and all memories of you will be wiped away from this Earth” He warned me before He placed His hand on my wing and it became very big and stronger.

I thanked him before I moved to where Tabitha was, took her in my hand and started flying.

The journey wasn’t stressful this time and fast. I knew it was the doing of the Greater One. We spent only fifty minute before we got home where everyone were still glued to their spot. I took her to her room, she looked at me smiling and happy but I was sad because it wasn’t going to last.

"Do you remember the promise you asked me to make you this morning” I asked glaring into her eye.

"Yes” she responded.

"Here is my reply” I said and she changed her sitting posture glaring into my eye like if I speak the wrong word, she’s going to eat me raw.

"I can’t be with you forever, I’m going back to Heaven soon and another angel will take charge of in guarding you” I added using all my power to stop the tears lurking behind my pupil.

"No, I don’t want anyone except you, please don’t leave, I’m ready to follow you back to Heaven if it need to be, if you leave me alone, I won’t be able to forget you” she said with tears on her eye.

I couldn’t hold my tears again as I also started weeping profusely.

"You will, you will be able to forget me” I said amidst tears.

"No!, no!!, no!!!” she started screaming loudly.

"You’ve to forget about me, you have to continue living your life happily, get married to a good man, have cute kids and have a pleasant career” I said wiping the tears on her face off.

"Will I be able to see you again?” she asked calming down a little.

"I’m not sure” I answered her.

"Then I think I have to do this for the last time” she said as she brought her head closer to mine and kissed me passionately.

We were still kissing when I felt myself flickering, I knew my time was up. I quickly disengaged the kiss.

"Good bye Tabitha” I said as I finally became invisible and I attained my normal height and stature back.

"Goodbye Ben” she said surprising me.

"Did she not lose the memory if me?" I asked myself rhetorically as I flew out of her room.

I wanted that to be a form of mystery to me which I will be deliberating on when I get to Heaven, whether if she still remember me or not. I was already on my way to Heaven when I felt the urge that my story shouldn’t just be in dark like that, after all I went through, I feel like it’s some kind of compensation to me if people know my story.

I flew to one the highest rock I saw around, sculpted out a part with my sword, and wrote my story on it, I threw it down to Earth hoping it get into the hand of a story writer who will help portray the story of my life on e6arth to the people.

I looked down to the Earth again and started weeping as I knew I was going to miss it. I continued my journey back to Heaven with my heart in my mouth because I know not what await me by the Supreme One, but I thought He should still reward me because I was returning the immortal sword to Him, that was when I remembered that it has been long since I felt the immortal sword on my leg, I touched the place I put it and that was when I knew that I’ve lost the sword.

What now await me, reward or punishment.

~~~~~~~~~THE END~~~~~~~

I really appreciate you all for taking your time reading through this piece and without no iota of doubt, I believe you have been immersely blessed and learnt one or two didantic attributes from the beginning to the end.

EPISODE 26 (SEMI FINAL)

The end is near...
I looked at my back and I saw my wings protruding from it.

"I can explain” I said with fear as the reality dawn on me.

"You really have a lot to explain” she replied me looking at me with a terror filled eye, just then we heard a knock on the door.

My heart skipped a beat hearing the knock.

"Please hide yourself inside the bathroom” I whispered pleading to Tabitha but she stood where she was not moving.

"I promise to explain everything to you, please just do me this single favour of hiding yourself” I whispered with rubbing my two palms together.

"I’m not doing this for you” she whispered heading to the bathroom.

"I’m coming!” I shouted as the person knocked the door again. I used more effort than I normally use to shut the wings in before I opened the door and met Mona Lisa standing in the entrance.

"Oga talk say make I ask you if you help him see small madam Tabitha” she said staring at me in a weird way which gat me to look at my back, scared that my wings must have being out again, I heaved a sigh of relief when I saw that it wasn’t out.

"You said what?” I asked her as the fear that flashed through my spine before kicked what she said out of my memory but she didn’t answer, but kept on staring at me.

I knew the reason she was staring, that was not the first time such will be happening. I tapped her to return bring her back to world.

"Oga talk say make I ask you if you help him see small madam Tabitha” she said again stuttering in the process.

"No, I haven’t seen her” I lied to her and close the door and locked it from behind.

Tabitha came out of the bathroom at once and sat on the bed. I moved closer to her and knelt down.

"Do you remember this?” I said bringing out my wings and she opened her mouth wide in awe.

"You, you, you..” she stuttered without being able to make a sentence.

"Yes , I’m the one” I interrupted her when it seems she couldn’t make a complete sentence.

I explained everything to her from the Genesis, how she managed to see me then, how we always played before she was born, how she even love me then not sparing any detail out.

I told her how I lost my position when I save Nina. I couldn’t tell what was going through her mind as I narrated everything to her because her expression and mood didn’t change.

After I finished with my narration, she didn’t utter any word, just sat where she was looking at me with a look I couldn’t decipher its content and this made me a little bit scared.

"Thanks for saving Nina and sorry for your circumstances because you choose to save my sister” she finally utter making me feel a bit at peace.

"Tho I’m a little angry because I lost my mom and lost 9 years of my life to oblivion because of the incident that occurred then” she paused using her hand to clean the tears that has already escaped from her eyelid to her beautiful face.

"But it wasn’t your fault and from what you said, you’ve done more for me and it will be shameful of me to hold those two misfortunes that occurred to me on you, I still love you and believe me, your secret is safe with me” she said bringing her face closer to mine and kissed me deeply.

The kiss this time was short unlike the other ones.

"I’ve to go, dad must have turned everywhere upsidedown looking for...” she said after disengaging the kiss. And started heading to the door.

"Promise me one thing” she said stopping abruptly when she was about to get to the door.

"What’s that?” I asked her looking into her beautiful eye.

"Promise me that you will never leave alone" she said startling me and I was lost of words.

What she asked me to promise her was impossible because I was just another pawn on the game board of the Supreme One and He only knows His next move.

"I don’t know” I answered her looking perplexed.

"Okay, we will talk later” she said looking disappointed and headed out.

I sat down on my bed thinking about what she asked me to promise her, then suddenly a dark smoke started emitting from the floor of my room ,almost the same as the one that appeared in Tabitha's room.

I quickly grabbed my sword from where I placed it and stretched it at the flame ready for anything coming out of it.

I watched as the flame started transforming and later moulded out a man, he was in black and backing me, but I could easily tell that it was the person that saved the leader last time and looking at his back, I could tell that I knew him from somewhere.

"Brother Luci!" I exclaimed as the person turned to face me.

"Long time my boy” he said smiling
devilishly.

"How could this happen, are you the ruler that that evil man spoke of yesterday?” I asked looking perplexed.

"Yes my boy, I’m the ruler, the strongest, the powerful and the greatest man on Earth!” he screamed in an awfully terrified voice and lightning started striking unceasingly.

I wondered in my mind if people heard him.

Truth be told ,I’ve been looking forward to the day I will meet Brother Luci, rebellious or no rebellious, I like him, he’s the one who brought himself down to my level and became my friend in Heaven when other angels refused to, taught me how to sing and play all kind of musical instruments. I liked him so much that some days after his rebellion, I’d to fought the thought of joining him on Earth and here he is standing right in front of me.

I felt like hugging him but restrained myself against it.

"Why are you here?” I asked with a stern voice trying to hide what I really felt like asking behind it.

He’s now the antagonist whom I have to protect Tabitha from.

"Just here to see my boy it’s been long since I saw you, I missed you" he said looking like he meant it.

But what have learned in Heaven and some things I’ve came to know about Brother Luci is never to let your guard down when you’re with him, because Luci is very manipulative, cunning and very wise.

"Thanks, but if you’ll please excuse me I have someone to protect” I said pretending as if I was going out.

I knew staying with him for a long time can be very harmful, he can easily get into my head if that is his mission.

"Is this how you’re going to treat me, after many millenniums of years that we’ve seen ourselves?” he said looking pitiful.

"I’m sorry, but you know am here on an assignment and I can’t anchor a-get-together-party right now ” I said trying to hide all what I was really feeling like saying.

"Do you think the Supreme One is going to let you off or have mercy on you after all you’ve done on Earth, even if you jump in a lava just to show that you’re still doing what He sent you to do, you’re merely wasting your time” he said moving closer to me as the reality of what he said dawn on me.

I stood transfixed at the spot I was and I felt all my morale racing out of my body.

"I’ve missed you Benmanna and I would love to have you with me, no matter what you do, join my course and you’ll be free to do anything you wish, love anyone you wish to love without being scared of anyone” he said placing his hand on my shoulder.

It was an enticing offer but he has to do more than that if he want to tempt me.

"Would I be able to live and love Tabitha happily?” I asked him removing his hand from my shoulder.

I was fully aware that Tabitha had to be sacrificed in order for his course to fully kick start and I was sure that brother wouldn’t come here to ask me to sacrifice her in order to join his course. There must surely be an hidden agenda behind his visit. Brother Luci is wiser than that, I thought within myself.

"No, no!” I suddenly scream.

"What have you done?” I screamed loudly in a thunder like voice and quickly grabbed my sword.

"You’ve really grown, not that kid I always hangout with because of pity” he said laughing wildly and brought out the immortal sword.

It was not longer like it was before again, that was when I was able to solve another puzzle about the attack of the other day. Some part of the sword was melted into the sword the evil armies used that day, that was why it was able to make me bleed but lack potency as the real sword.

"Yes, I’m here to distract you while your precious perfect one is being kidnapped” he said pacing around the room slowly in a proud manner.

"No ,that can’t be possible, it’s daytime and it should be easy for me to sense any evil being around” I said looking worried.

"Hahaha...! Hahaha...!! Hahaha...!!! Yes you should, just that I had help from someone who isn’t evil in look but evil in thought” he said confusing me.

I ran outside and everywhere was silent. I ran downstairs and I saw Mona Lisa, but she’s stiff, she wasn’t breathing and not moving, she looked like she was glued to the spot she was, I ransacked the whole house and it was the same for everybody, only that Tabitha was not among the everybody.

I quickly connected to her and was successful with the connection, I brought out my wing and was about to fly when I saw a dagger flying towards me, I quickly dodged it.

"Going somewhere” Brother Luci said laughing wildly, attacked me at once with the immortal sword. It was a brutal fight between the two of us, we were of the same strength, if I was still an angel, I would have defeated him easily
and the sword in his hand was giving him an upper hand over me. I was doing a great job blocking the sword from getting into my body.

It got to a point that he finally knocked me down. As he wanted to stab me I screamed out.

"Killing me and killing Tabitha is only a waste, even if you extract the water of life from Tabitha’s body, you won’t be able to lay your hand on the hakintolite water, you know it only spring in the chamber of the Supreme One and you can get there!” I shouted at him.

"Not if I have help from someone closer to the chamber!” he said laughing wildly again.

"Help” I muttered surprisingly.

"Yes, I gat help, all these should have ended long time ago if not that of you who interrupted the plan” he said looking at me with disgust.

"Brother Lucien” I muttered slowly and lowly.

"You’ve really gotten wiser, I accolade you for that, but it’s too late for you now” he said proudly.

"But Brother Lucien can’t do that, no he won’t do that” I muttered weakly.

"Yes he can and will do that because he’s been with me from the beginning of time, he was my lifeline, that was why I left him in Heaven during my rebellion in case things went south, we didn’t do anything the last time he came as a guardian angel because I want him to earn the trust of the Supreme One and earning it means that he will be sent down again when we will kick start our plan at once because he has already gotten the hakintolite water but you intercepted him and came in his stead, but now, he’s breached the Heaven’s portal, remember
when a disruption occured in heaven, now he’s here with the hakintolite water” he said proudly looking at me with the eye of the victorious one.

Suddenly, someone with wing flew over to where we were standing, I wasn’t a little bit bittered to confirmed all what brother Luci
said when I saw the person to be brother Lucien.

"Long time Ben” he smirked at me and I stared at him with a bitter eye.

"Go Lucifer, the girl is already in the coven, leave Ben to me, we both have an unfinished business to attend to” he said with a wicked grin on his face.

Brother Luci accepted his request and gave him the immortal sword.

"Watch out to how I will destroy the Earth which your father value most” he said before he disappeared into the ground in flame.

"This will be more than an ordinary sparring" brother Lucien said as he charged at me.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

•Do you think Luci and Lucien will overpower Ben in this course?

•In case Ben lose this course, who do you think will help him out?

•Is there any chance of survival for Tabitha?

At least your positive comments are needed to unlock the last episode.

To be continued.

EPISODE 25 (QUARTER FINAL)

Finally in Shit
I was directly on her and my head directly opposite her and a little bit from hers. I felt her breathing increased and mine. I wanted to get up but I didn’t know the invisible force holding me down on her. I couldn’t overpower the force as felt my head moving closer to hers and she was also raising hers towards mine. Before I could think clear and avoid the situation, our lips were already locked and we started kissing.

She was kissing me as if her life depends on it, I flipped her over and she was on top of me, I drew her tighter to me by putting my hand on her waist, after some minutes I felt my thing stiffening, first time such would happen but I didn’t care, as I continued kissing her.

Some part of me were telling me to stop it but another part was urging me to continue, I sided with the urging side and continued. After some minutes we finally disengaged the kiss and Tabitha was breathing like she just run 800m race up a hill. She looked into my eye with her innocent looking face, I knew that was her first, I was kind of angry that it wasn’t my own first. Peace was the first person to break the seal.

"I love you so much Ben, I’ve been doing so since the day you saved me from my kidnappers” she said surprising me and the first question that came to my mind was "why did you now accuse me of kidnapping you?”

"The reason I accused you then was because I felt betrayed, you’re the first guy I’ve ever love and it was love at first sight, the feeling was very strong and I felt like I’ve loving you from a very long period of time, but when you started talking about my family, things you’re not supposed to know, I thought you’re among them. I hated myself for loving you and wanted to get away from you, but you chased me scaring me more not knowing you’re trying to save me. Especially from the trap, I saw it when we came back that night. Since then I’ve been blaming myself for my actions towards you. Can you imagine how happy I was when dad informed us that you’ll be staying with us that I even dreamt about...?” She suddenly stopped when she was aware of what she was about to say and smiled at me.

Throughout her story, I didn’t interrupt her, I only listened with keen interest and she was still on top of me but I couldn’t feel her weight.

Her facial expression suddenly changed and she looked into my eyeballs.

"Do you love me?" she asked with a serious tone catching me off-guard.

My memory suddenly went blank and I fear for the answer I should give her. Then I heard myself whispered "I do” to her surprising myself.

I didn’t know how the sentence managed to escape my lip but something was certain, that statement made Tabitha very happy as she smiled and lowered her head against mine and we started kissing again.

The events that occurred between Tabitha and I just kept on replaying in my head as we sat inside the car on our way home. She didn’t mind spending all the day kissing me inside the cloth testing room.

I was the one who stopped her and packed all the cloth I tested and have Tabitha’s approval dropping the cloth that caused the scene. I also got some fancy slippers and shoes before we head out of the place.

Tabitha paid the cashier with her credit card, the cashier couldn’t take her gaze off me, she was looking at me with a seductive eye and I could tell that Tabitha noticed it because of her sudden change of mood towards the cashier.

As we were about to get out, a girl ran to me and introduced herself to me without me asking her. She told me she would like us to be friend but Tabitha turned her down rudely and dragged me by my hand to the car. I was a little bit angry with her because of what she did and refused to speak to her on the way home. After some minutes of silence inside the car, she pressed a button attached to the roof of the car and a black shield suddenly blocked the driver’s side from we sitting at the back.

"Are you angry with me” she asked me looking pitiful.

"No!” I sternly replied her.

"Yes, you are, but am sorry, I just got a bit jealous, you’re every lady’s first choice and I couldn’t bear seeing another lady trying to flirt with you” she said with a sober voice.

"It’s okay” I replied her looking at her and smiled.

"Thank you” she said and tried to bring her lip closer to mine but I stopped her.

"Why?” she asked looking surprised.

"What if he tells your dad?” I said pointing to the driver's seat.

"You mean Aliyu?” she asked smiling and I replied "yes” looking worried.

"Don’t worry yourself about him, he can’t hear or see anything” she said jumping on me and started kissing me furiously.

She was kissing and massaging my body with her hand. Her hands were mostly wandering on my chest and I was disappointed with myself because I enjoyed every bit of it. After some minutes of intense kissing, I started getting a pricking feeling from my back, a feeling I always get only when my wings are coming out. I wanted to stop Tabitha at once but Aliyu helped me stopped her when pressed the horn signifying that we’ve gotten home. She disengaged the kiss and sat down adjusting her cloth and I adjusted mine too.

Dandy opened the gate and we entered. She assisted me in getting some of my loads in while I carried the remaining. When we entered, I saw Gabriel and Nina in the sitting room laughing to their fill. They stopped laughing and stood up when they noticed the presence of Tabitha and I.

"And that’s Ben I told you about” she said to Gabriel who was looking at me with his mouth widely opened.

Surprise was thickly written over his face, Nina had to hit him slightly before he got hold of himself.

"And Ben meet Gabriel our best male friend” she said to me and I waved my hand to him.

"Wad up Tabitha?” she greeted Tabitha and she answered him casually.

'We will be back soon” Tabitha said dragging me to my room.

"Are you sure he is human?” I heard Gabriel asked Nina and I smiled.

I was surprised that they’ve quickly settled the incident that occurred the last time. When we got to the entrance of my room I asked her to give me the packs of clothes in her hand but she refused and insisted on taking it inside herself, after much persuasion and she wasn’t yielding, I opened the door and allowed her in.

She closed the door and locked it as soon as we entered, drop what was in her hand and jumped on me kissing me intensely. We fell on my bed and continued the kissing, she clenched tight onto me and was kind of vibrating a little as we kissed.

My hands were only on her waist, nothing else. She suddenly stopped kissing me and started unbuttoning my shirt, I quickly stopped her at once.

"I think we should go and meet Nina and Gabriel downstairs they must have been wondering what took us long” I said standing up and the look of disappointment overshadowed her face.

When we got downstairs, I met Gabriel singing a song and Nina was listening smiling.

"Do you noticed that Gabriel’s voice is almost like a toad own?” Nina said to Tabitha and we all bursted into laugher.

"I don’t think so” Tabitha said siding with Gabriel and Gabriel appreciated her mockingly for it.

"What of you Ben, can you sing better than this toad voice boy?” Nina asked pointing to Gabriel who exclaimed the word "me” in a boastful tone and I replied yes.

"Okay, prove it” Nina said and Tabitha backed her up.

"Which song do you want me to sing?” I asked with pride.

The two girls joined their heads together and whispered some things.

"Sing TELL ME YOU LOVE ME by DEMI LOVATO” Nina said smiling.

"I haven’t heard it before but if you have it on your phone, play it for me once and I promise to sing it” I said with tingling of pride in my tone.

The look on their faces could be best described as that of disbelieve but Nina took her phone, played the song and gave it to me while I listened to it with keen attention, memorising every words of it and the tune being played to it. When I finished listening to it, I gave Nina her phone back she asked me if I was okay just listening to it once and I replied her yes.

I asked if they have any musical instrument, I knew they have keyboard, violin and guitar, the girls pestered their dad to buy it for them insisting that they wished to learn it but after a week of practice they abandoned it and stopped practicing.

Nina, Tabitha and Gabriel brought out the three musial instruments and asked me to chose the one I wished to use. I picked the keyboard and connected it plugged it into one of the electrical socket. I stood it and sat on a stool comfortably in front of it. I clearled my throat then started singing the song.

"�Oh no hear we go again, fighting over what I said, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”�

I started singing and playing the tune I heard being sang to the song to it, even more better. I closed my eye as I sang it.

�"Everything I need, is standing right in front of me, I know that we will be alright”�

The last lines of the song escaped my lips and I heard clapping from different angles, I opened my eye and was surprised to see Yemi and Ranking also clapping, I didn’t know they were at home even Mona Lisa was clapping and the three friends, only that Nina and Tabitha’s clapping was accompanied with tears on their face, you know women always tend to get emotional in every thing.

"I can’t believe I just heard the most sweetest voice on Earth, it’s just so wonderful” Ranking remarked almost losing words to... "and you’re very good with that” he added pointing to the keyboard.

Everyone of them took turns to accolade me on my performance except Tabitha who was staring at me like a mute.

They made me listen to different songs and I sang it all to them. Some of the songs I sand are "Perfect and shape of you by Ed Sheeran", "Mirror by Bruno Mars and Lil Wayne", "River by Eminem and Ed Sheeran, "Mutual, "Stitches and Mercy by Shawn Mendes", "Pillowtalk by Zayn , "If I was your man by the Vamps, "Sofa and 4days by Kiss Daniel, "I’m Yours by Alessia Cara. "Bodak Yellow by Cardi B, "Havana" by Camila Cabello and Young Thug, "Hate Sleeping Alone by Drake and many more.

If it wasn’t for the calling of the dinner bell, I would have sang to the other day. They didn’t wish for me to stop singing, they it was very cool with the way I was singing and my voice than the real owner of the songs.

Gabriel ate dinner with us before he later went home. Tabitha and Nina throughout supper were blaming me that I made them skip lunch and eat dinner late.

After dinner, Gabriel left for his house while Tabitha, Nina and I retired to our room. I asked for forgiveness for all my sins again and slept off. I woke up when I heard my door creaked gently signifying that someone was sneaking in.

"Who’s that?” I asked almost in a whisper.

"Shush, I’m the one” the person whose voice I recognized to be that of Tabitha said coming close to me.

"Why are you here?” I asked switching the light in my room on.

"I’m having trouble sleeping and I think that will be helped if I sleep with you” she said joining me on bed.

"No you can do that, what if your dad catch you here?” I said looking serious.

"He won’t” she said feigning to be asleep.

After trying to reason with her and she wasn’t yielding, I gave up and slept with my heart in my mouth.

"It would even be easy for me to protect her that way” I assured myself as I slept off.

When she saw that I have given up on sending her out and slept off she cuddled up with me and we slept like that. When I woke up in the morning, she wasn’t on bed with me again, I stood up and saw her leaning against a wall looking at me terrified, I couldn’t decipher why but her gaze was directly on my back.

I looked at my back and I saw my wings protruding from it.

"I can explain” I said with fear as the reality dawn on me.

"You really have a lot to explain” she replied me looking at me with a terror filled eye, just then we heard a knock on the door.

To be continued.

EPISODE 24

Enjoying the life
“What’s the meaning of this in my house?” Ranking asked with surprise as he stood at the entrance of my room looking shocked.

"How do I get myself out of this shit now?” was the thought that ran through my mind as I stood in front of Ranking as the fear of been thrown out gripped me.

"I...I...I am just, you know” I stuttered thinking of an excuse to give.

"I’m just practicing” I said waving the sword in my hand in the process and Ranking shifted back a bit in fear.

"I’m sorry” I quickly apologized.

"Really?" Ranking asked looking at me with a mixed feeling gaze, one I couldn’t decipher the message it was sending.

"But how did you brought all these in?” he said pointing at the sword and armour I had on.

"Because I can’t remember seeing it with you yesterday when we were talking” he added still looking at me with that same gaze.

"It was in my hand, maybe you didn’t notice it” I replied him confidently.

"Maybe” he said entering my room.

"This looks like real gold” he said touching my armour.

"How did you get it?” he asked looking friendly now.

"I don’t know if it’s made up of real gold but it was gifted to me by a very rich and powerful man who wanted me to protect one of his cherished person” I answered him grinning.

"Very good, and were you now able to protect the person’s cherished one?” he asked taking keen interest in my reply.

"I don’t know but currently I’m still doing fine concerning the person” I answered him praying he doesn’t make more inquiry about the person.

He suddenly did something that surprised me, he went on his kneels and held my hand.

"For some days now, I’ve been having some weird and scary dreams about Tabitha, it always start with her been pursued by someone covered in black, then she will fall into a big hole filled with many people covered in black, then they, then they...” he paused and I could see that tears was strolling down his face, he wiped his face with an handkerchief.

"...They always cut her flesh bit by bit while she scream in pain as they do it, I’m not the Joseph type and I rarely dream and when I do, but I have been having the same dream since the day her sister almost died, you can see my reason for wishing to send you to prison when I heard you kidnapped her, I thought it was related to the dream... (same day I lost my place as an angel)... I had the same dream again last night just a little different” he added and paused.

"What difference?” I asked impatiently.

"You were inside it, wearing this same armour and this sword in your hand, you defended her with all the strength you got, it even got to a point that you were weakened by the people in black but you didn’t give up and protected my precious little girl. I was very happy when I woke up from the dream because taking you in was the right thing, I wanted to come and thank you this morning even tho I found it unreasonable but I just felt the urge to do it and you can see how surprised I was when you opened the door and I saw you in the same armour” he said staring at me.

"It’s okay, it’s just a dream” I said trying to lift him from the floor but he resisted.

"I knew it was a dream but I’m sure it holds a significant meaning, Tabitha as you see, is my life, if anything should happen to her, then I might not find any reason to continue gracing this Earth. You’re still young, looking at you, you can’t be more than 22 but I’ve heard how strong you’re from Tabitha and the officer you knocked out, please protect my daughter, I haven’t been helpful towards her since she lost her mom with all I did but please help me to be helpful to her, this I plead of you” he said with a sober voice.

His voice and actions portrayed his sincerity towards all he said and I felt a great urge travelling inside me to protect Tabitha more.

"I swear to you that I will do all in my power to protect your girls, even if it will drain me of the last breath in me” I said crossing my heart.

"I trust you, change and come down for breakfast” he said leaving my room.

“Okay, I will!” I screamed at his back.

A faint smile which didn’t last grace my lip as I fell down with my back on the bed. Then when the thought of what happened that night flashed my mind, the smile disappeared at once.

Everything didn’t make sense, I didn’t think Yemi had a hand in it but why did they installed and press the doorbell before they came in, who’s the ruler, who was the one who came to rescue the leader, how did their sword managed to injured me? My mind was cramped as different sought of rhetoric questions passed through it.

Then remembering about Precious solved the mystic doorbell for me, she might the one that installed the doorbell to alert me of the evil ones presence, maybe she knew I was no longer an angel and would find my way back to the house, so she created the bell to alert me. She must have placed the darkness I felt from it when I was near it in order to gain my attention to it.

That was the best reasonable reason I could find for the mystic doorbell or why will the evil ones create awareness of their presence.

After trying to get answers for the remaining puzzles but couldn’t, I stood up from the bed and took my armour off, I looked at my bedsheet and saw it was stained with blood, blood invisible to human. I ignored it and took a shower before wearing the clothes I’ve been wearing for more than three days because I don’t have any to change into. The clothe I had on and my slippers were the only things Joyce got for me and I didn’t leave behind.

After I was through, I moved downstairs to the dining room but it was just being set by Mona Lisa the maid. I grunted in disappointment because I was very hungry, courtesy of the war I fought that night. I headed to the sitting room and saw Tabitha and Nina there, they were watching a movie, no the right expression was that the movie watching them because they were deeply engrossed with their chitchat than they were with the movie the TV was displaying.

"Good morning girls” I greeted them so they could notice my presence as I helped myself to one of the fancy chair in the room.

"Good morning Uncle Ben!” they both replied my greeting together, but their reply was accompanied with a kind of look that depict that I might be the one they were discussing.

"Ben” I said pretending to be interested in the movie the TV was displaying.

"What do you mean?” Tabitha asked looking at me.

"Call me Ben, spare me that uncle or usage of formal speech” I replied not taking my gaze from the TV.

"Okay, Ben” Tabitha answered with a sweet voice that was beyond perfection, to my ear, it was like a beautiful tune was played.

I didn’t say a word again, rather I pretended to be watching the movie, they were whispering now and giggling at interval, I was d–n sure then that I was their topic sentence. They were both stealing glances at me and smiling but I pretended not to notice. I thought about my beauty as people always say was the reason.

"Uncle Ben, sorry, Ben, have you ever had a plastic surgery before?" Tabitha asked diverting my attention from the movie which I didn’t even know what was going on in it.

"No” I replied turning to face them.

"Are you a Nigerian?” she asked again following my reply.

"You can say that” I replied smiling cutely and I could see vividly Tabitha’s cheek turning red.

"That’s very hard to believe” Nina said contributing to the conversation for the first time.

"You’re not the first to say that” I said smiling.

"And I won’t be the last” she replied and the three of us bursted into laughter.

"Looks like you’re all enjoying your time with Ben, sorry to kill the atmosphere, but it’s time to eat” Ranking interrupted, killing the atmosphere as he earlier stated and the girls grunted in disappointed.

They were booing their all the way to the dining room and all I could do was smile. When we got to the dining, Yemi wasn’t there, we sat down and I felt myself salivating as I saw stare at the different meals on the dining table.

The dining table has a high length with a short breadth, that it made the arrangement to be a seat at each end and two seats at each breadth making the single seat at each length to face each other and the four seats at the breadth too. Tabitha and Nina occupied the two seats at one end of the breadth while I occupied the one at the other end which was facing Tabitha’s own. So I was simultaneously facing Tabitha. I was surprised that none of them made any attempt to eat, that was when it occurred to me that they were waiting for Yemi. It wasn’t long before Yemi came out.

"Wow!” she gasped as she saw me, and smiled at me but I didn’t reciprocate the smile because I haven’t made arrangement for where I would be staying if Ranking kick me out.

She sat at the other end of the length thereby facing Ranking. A short prayer was offered by Ranking and everyone started serving what they wished to eat. The girls only took two slices of bread, placed an omelette inside of it and used a cup of warm tea to accompany it down. Ranking was battling a plate of rice but in front of him in another plate was different sorts of meat, carefully fried plantain and juice. Yemi was eating spaghetti, trust me, when I say spaghetti, it’s more than that, but am not ready to go into details.

I tried to copied Tabitha and Nina and also took two slices of bread and omelette in between it ,but it wasn’t as if I ate anything, which gat me wondering how the two girls were satisfied.

I didn’t know when I consumed 16 slices of bread but I wasn’t yet satisfied. I abandoned the bread and settled for yam and rich spice that was on the table.

Throughout my eating, Tabitha never missed a chance to steal a glance at me likewise Yemi, only Nina stole a few glances at me and I was sure Ranking was aware of it.

After consuming 10 slices of yam, I was finally satisfied. I drank two cups of juice to escort the meal. After we were through, Mona Lisa the maid was summoned to clear the leftovers, many which we didn’t touch.

"How was the meal, hope you enjoyed it” Ranking asked after the maid was through with the clearing of the table.

"Yes thank you” I replied him smiling.

"I bet you did, and can you please do me the favour of not smiling again, or can’t you just be kind towards the ugly ones here, must you add salt to our injury” he said and we all bursted into laughter.

"It’s ugly one not ones and not one of us here” Yemi said and we all bursted into laughter including Ranking.

"But dad you’re also handsome, just that when a truck stays beside a tricycle, its overshadows it” Nina said teasingly.

"And who’s the truck and who’s the tricycle?” Ranking asked feigning anger.

"You know the answer yourself” Tabitha answered and we all bursted into laughter again.

"The two of you are getting out of my today” Ranking said to the girls jokingly.

"As long as Ben follow us, it’s okay" Tabitha replied Ranking jokingly but I sensed some sincerity in the sentence and was shocked a bit by it.

"I think, it was this cloth that was on you when you were in the police station and also the one you wore here yesterday” Ranking asked me and I nodded to motion to him that he was right.

"I wasn’t able to change it due to my situation I told you about” I answered him looking pitiful and I really hate looking that way.

"Well, after you’ve rest, I will ask my driver to take you to my friend’s boutique, you can any cloth you wish” Ranking said looking at me with a pitiful eye.

"I will follow him” Tabitha said which surprised me and I could see that Yemi was displeased by it.

"Do anything you wish, thank you Lord for the food” Ranking said standing and headed out of the dining room.

Tabitha stood up and dragged me up from the table.

"Let's go to the boutique now” she said dragging me and I followed her.

When we got outside, Aliyu and Dandy were talking and when Dandy saw me, he pointed at me and Aliyu looked at me and I heard hi. exclaimed opening his mouth wide.

"That I no be human oo, I be baby” Aliyu said almost in a shout.

"Shey I no tell you, I be baby wey I they use they sell cloth” Dandy replied Aliyu. I knew he was referring me to a mannequin.

"Aliyu!” Tabitha screamed when he seemed not to be leaving Dandy to perform his duty.

He ran to where we were standing.

"Small madam, I they go out?” he asked in pidgin English.

"No, I they go in” she replied him in pidgin English and I smiled.

"Okay, bye-bye” Aliyu said going back to Dandy.

"Aliyu!” Tabitha screamed again and he ran back to us.

"Small madam, I they call me again?” he answered again.

"When will you learn?” she paused hissing.

"Go and get the car, we’re going Mrs. Cole’s shop!” she ordered him and he quickly obeyed it.

Some minute later, we were already on the road. The drive their wasn’t up to 30 minutes and half of it was done amidst pin drop silence and gaze from Tabitha and glances from Aliyu who kept stealing a glance at me through the rear mirror. After some minutes, Tabitha raised up a topic and from that topic, different topics started unveiling, we started chit chatting about many things. She asked me if I have a girlfriend and I replied no, she has that expression that shows that she didn’t believe me but she was satisfied with my answer and didn’t question me further. When we got to where we were going, Tabitha held my hands like we were dating and we entered. The feeling I got inside the boutique was exactly the same as the one I got the time I went with Joyce to a boutique, just that this time, I wasn’t the only one getting gaze, people inside the boutique were also gazing at Tabitha.

"They are really a perfect match” I heard someone said and I was sure Tabitha also heard it because a smile graced her lip at once making her more beautiful.

She took me to the secretary of the boutique, she showed her a card and she gladly took us to another part of the boutique to do our shopping there. She left us and returned to her spot.

The place she took us was filled with no soul except Tabitha and I but fully equipped with CCTV. Tabitha was the one who was doing the picking while I only did the testing. After I put the cloth on inside the small room meant for that purpose, I will come out and show it to her, then she will do the final screening and decides if we should take it or not. Then she gave me a cloth to go and test, the design of the cloth was different complex and almost impossible for me to wear, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get it on properly, it even looked like a female cloth, after many trial I resigned to trying it and brought it to her that I couldn’t get it on, she laughed at me and jokingly call me a village boy.

She explained to me how I was going to wear it and I returned to the room to try it. With her explanation, I was able to get the cloth on not until my two hands stuck inside it and I couldn’t get it out.

I called Tabitha to come and help me out, she first laughed at me mockingly when she saw me before she started helping me. But when she was trying to get it off me, I lost balance and wanted to fall down backward but she quickly drew me to her and we both fell down together, my hands released from the cloth during the falling and I was able to place my palm behind her head in order to avoid save her from hitting her head on the tiled floor. I was directly on her and my head directly opposite her and a little bit from hers. I felt her breathing increased and mine. I wanted to get up but I didn’t know the invisible force holding me down on her. I couldn’t overpower the force as felt my head moving closer to hers and she was also raising hers towards mine.

•What do you think Ben and Tabitha are trying to do?

To be continued.

EPISODE 23

Being a human can be said to be a difficult thing,temptation always lurking around ready to grip you and the flesh unable to resist it. When I was still an angel, I always thought the little one just naturally have disobedient spirit, that they just love rebelling against the Supreme One’s laid down rules for them.

Little did I know that being a human is a lifetime challenge. I haven’t stayed in human flesh up to a week and I could already be classified as a chronic sinner.

I have really tried in breaking all the laid down regulations of the Supreme One. I’ve lied, fought, even disdained my temple.

I’ve come to know that the greatest challenge is being a human.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

"I think I remember!" She suddenly exclaimed making my face to become pale at once.

"He is the person I saw the day I... ”

“Oga, the food don ready ooo” Mona Lisa the maid interrupted Tabitha with her pidgin English.

"Where is the dining?" I asked swiftly asked standing up. Tho I knew where the dining is but I didn’t want to make them to be suspicious of me.

"Follow me” the maid replied going to the dining and I quickly followed suit.

I was showering the maid appreciation in my mind, I felt like pecking her for saving me. I turned back and saw Tabitha’s gaze fixed on me and I quickly turned my head back to where I was going.

The maid showed me the dining room and left me to devour the delicacy prepared for me. I ate to satisfaction trying to shut the little scenario that Tabitha almost caused outta my mind in order not to lose my appetite because of the fear it will attract. After I finished eating, I went back to the sitting room and saw that the two girls were no longer there. Only Ranking and Yemi were there, Yemi’s head rested on Ranking’s chest with glass cups filled with wine in their hands as they chat. I told them I was through and ready to sleep and Mona Lisa was called to show me to my room (the guest room).

After I got to my room, I shut the door and took my clothes off as I made my way into the bathroom inside the room and had a nice shower, my first for that day. After I was through with the shower. I tied a towel around my waist and went on my kneel beside the bed.

"Supreme One, who made me, hallo be thy, for thou kingdom is at hand. Forgive me all my sins, tempt me no more for I’ve grown bored of it, return me to my position for I’ve learnt my lesson and will never disobey You again and if not grant me the power to execute my mission successfully on Earth. Hearken unto my pleas.
Yours in truth, Jikanen”.

I sent my message to the Supreme One and stamped it with my signature name in almost a whisper.

I switched the light off and retired to the king size bed inside the room and slept off. I suddenly woke up to the dinging of a doorbell, it was very loud and I was kinda uncomfortable with.

“Who could that be at this time of the night?” I asked myself rhetorically as I switched the light inside my room on and sat on the bed trying to hear if Dandy will open the gate for whoever it was that was pressing the doorbell, then I suddenly remembered that the house doesn’t posses any doorbell and I remembered about the mystic one I saw outside earlier.

I knew at once what was happening, the evil ones are coming and they placed the doorbell there to be alerting Yemi of their presence and she in spiritual form will open the door them and allow them passage into the house.

I looked at the wall clock inside the room and saw that It was exactly 1 am. I knew that their main mission is Tabitha and I’ve to stop them but I didn’t know how. They are in the spiritual realm and I in the physical realm, which means that I’m visible to human while they aren’t.

People will only see me battling nothing and think that I’m insane. I deliberated over it for a short time before an idea scraped my mind. I mustered my invisible self like I did on my first day in Joyce house. I didn’t know if it was going to work but I gat some faith that it would. I controlled my spiritual self to take my sword and controlled to the entrance of Tabitha’s room. Guarding it like a security with the sword in my hand.

After some time I saw like 50 people in black and red on a long queue, an old man who still looked agile with a staff designed with cowries in his hand led them towards Tabitha’s room. I presumed the man was their leader as he kept hitting the floor at interval with the staff. I looked through them all and was surprised not to see Yemi. I raised my sword up glaring at them with a furious eye ready to attack them.

They suddenly halt when they were about to get to me and a man clothed in another attire different from the others came forward to their leader.

"I think that security man can see us” he said glaring at me.

"I also think so but it is impossible for a mare mortal to see us” the leader replied the man.

"And why is he even guarding the room naked?” the man with the different attire said and I looked at myself and saw that I was really naked, I stupidly used my hand to cover my thing. (Am sure you understand what I meant)

"And he can see and hear us” the man in different attire said and returned to where he was standing before.

"Young man, is it true that you can see us?” the leader asked hitting the staff in his hand on the ground.

"You don’t need to stress yourself with that, what you need to stress yourself with is how you’re all going to escape from without getting hurt” I threatened with a stone face and they all bursted into laughter.

"I think you’re the one who need to run ,I don’t know how you managed to see us but I think we’ve the number advantage” the leader said and all his crew bursted into mocking laughter.

"I’m feeling good today, so am ready to spare you if you run now" he said hitting the staff in his hand on the ground.

I brought down my sword and did like I was contemplating on his offer, after some few seconds I left the entrance signifying to them to do what they they came there to do.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I fell down and my eye shut itself, I opened my eye and find myself inside my room on the bed, blood littering the bedsheet.

"I’ve to save her” I managed to say stretching my hands towards the door inside my room before I passed out.

But the worst thing about passing out was that my mind was still active, and I was fully aware that Tabitha was still in danger. I knew I had to do something but I was too powerless and helpless to do it. The instinct to go and save her was very high and burning through that I felt like my body was on fire.

With force, I managed to open my eye, I screamed silently as I used all the remaining strength in me to foster my healing, after all the injuries I procured from the first battle was gone, I quickly brought out my armour and wore it swiftly. I sat on the bed and conjured my spiritual self again, I ran out towards Tabitha’s room. When I got the entrance, I was surprised not to see anyone there again, even all the dead armies were nowhere to be found again, but my sword was on the ground there, I picked it up and entered into Tabitha’s room and I saw a beautiful event occurring, tho the event was a sought of violent one but I was deeply touched by it.

I saw Precious shielding Tabitha and the leader of the evil one was busy hitting her with his staff, her facial expression showed that she was very tired, but she refused to let go in order to buy time for me to come back for Tabitha.

When They noticed my presence, the leader stopped and looked at me with terror visible in his eye.

"Please save her” that was the last word from Precious' mouth before she fell down and scattered into ashes.

She was a good one, she trade her everlasting rest for the safety of her daughter, the injury she sustained was too severe for her to continue being a ghost, her soul is now lost and won’t find rest till eternity.

"Looks like you’re a tough one who doesn’t give up easily, well, let me give you an honourable death” he said moving towards me and his staff transformed to a long sword this time.

He tried to strike me but I dodged it, he was very keened on killing me but all I did was guard all his attack. After attacking for some period of time and couldn’t get me, he transformed into a big monster and roared loudly, I also brought out my wing, I could tell from his facial expression that he was very surprised to see my wing.

"Angel Benmanna please spare me" he pleaded going on his knee and transformed back.

I was very surprised to how he knew my name.

"How do you know my name?” I asked him tucking in my wings back.

"Even tho we haven’t seen you before but everyone of us know the name of the guardian angel guarding the perfect one” he replied me with a pitiful eye”.

"You knew that there was an Angel guarding her and yet you still have the gut to try and attack her?” I asked with a thunder-like voice”.

"It wasn’t our fault” he swiftly replied in his defense.

"Then whose fault is it?” I asked again.

"The ruler’s fault, he told us that he’s made sure that you lose your position as an Angel and you can no longer guard the perfect one again” he replied me stunning me with surprise.

"Made sure I lost my position as an Angel as how and who is this ruler you speak of?” I asked with surprise.

”I can’t tell you who the ruler is, just strike me dead here because an I’ll fate wait for me if I tell you and the ruler is a man who knows his way around his scheme” he answered laughing mockingly.

"Then you die!” I said raising my sword to kill him but a thick flame suddenly erupted from the floor shielding me from getting to the man, a human figure also erupted with the flame and covered the man and they disappeared into the ground but I caught a glimpse of the figure that erupted from the floor, I was sure it was someone I’ve seen before.

I moved closer to Tabitha who was sleeping peacefully on her bed, unaware of the great war that occurred. She looked more cute sleeping and very beautiful. I’ve been feeding my eye with that sight for a long time but it just seem I couldn’t get enough of it. I knew I was in love with her but I always deceive myself to believe that I wasn’t, that I was just devoted to protecting her.

I stood guard beside her till black shadow illuminating the Earth gave way for the morning light.

I watched as she woke up and stretched yawning, she suddenly sat on the bed and looked like she was remembering something, before a bright smile forced it way out of her lip and she placed her hand on her lip. I knew what it meant, she must have dreamt about someone kissing her and she really love it because her facial expression said it.

She stood up and went to stand in front of her dressing mirror. I was oblivious to what she was doing in front of it because my mind was trying to decipher who it was she could have dreamt of. I knew it couldn’t be Gabriel, or could it be that she has met a guy she love within the little time I was resting from my duty.

I shook of that idea when her door opened and Nina entered also wearing that beautiful smile that made it obvious that she was also happy.

"How was your night rest love?” Nina said as she entered and sat on the bed.

"It was very lovely and fine, the best I’ve had for a long time” Tabitha answered her smiling.

"Looks like something so romantic happened in it?" Nina asked teasingly.

"Yeah, in dream” Tabitha nodded her head shyly.

"And who could be the guy that made you have a romantic dream, something I don’t think has happened before?” Nina asked her dragging Tabitha to sit beside her on the bed.

"It was...”

I wasn’t able to hear her finish her statement before I had to reconnect with my main body when someone knocked on the door of my room. I stood up and opened the door forgetting that I still had the armor on me and sword in my hand.

“What’s the meaning of this in my house?” Ranking asked with surprise as he stood at the entrance of my room looking shocked.

"How do I get myself out of this shit now?” was the thought that ran through my mind as I stood in front of Ranking as the fear of been thrown out gripped me.

To be continued.

Oh!!! Am very sorry. I lost track on the post cos of my tight work schedule.

Besides, I've completed the story on my fb page since. I promise to do the needful.

My apologies.

EPISODE 22

I looked around and saw that Dandy was not in sight.

"Do you really think that me saving tabitha was a coincidence?” I said getting his attention.

"What do you meant by that?” he asked coming back to me.

"The reason I was able to save Tabitha was because I am a psychic and can feel it when someone is near death” I said mustering all the seriousness i could mustered and channeled it into my voice.

“You’re lying right, you just want me to accommodate you” Ranking said with a shaky voice.

“No am not, and currently your two daughters life are in danger and I’ve to be around them in order to be able to avert it or they will die” I said looking more serious like a fortune teller.

"No, you’re just trying to play on my intelligence, Dandy!” he screamed.

"Then the girls will just die like Precious did 11 years ago when you reversed your car and mistakenly hit her” I swiftly said before Dandy got to where we were.

The purse in his hand suddenly fell down and Ranking’s mouth was opened looking at me like he’s already lost it.

"Oga wetin I happen?” Dandy said running to where we were standing.

"Nothing, go back to your post” he said to Dandy with a shaky tone and Dandy returned at once.

“How do you know about Precious?” he asked me with a sober tone.

"That is not the right question, the right question should be, what is my connection with your family because I myself doesn’t know it, but I always feel and know everything happening to your family in my subconscious state” I said confusing him more.

He surveyed me from my head to toe before speaking again.

“And when are they going to be in danger?” he asked glaring at me.

"I don’t know but when I feel that someone is going to be in danger, it always happen within the period of two weeks” I lied blatantly.

He became silent for sometime then after deliberating within him if he should accept me or not, he came to a conclusion and spoke out.

"I can only take you in if you’re going to follow all the rules am going to give you” he said with a disturbing look.

“Okay I will follow everything” I replied him swiftly.

"Firstly, you will become my daughters personal bodyguard which am going to be paying you for it, and secondly, if after two weeks and nothing happen to my daughters, you’re going to be kicked out of the house and lastly, as I know you knew that you’re extremely handsome and I don’t trust that my wife and daughters will be able to resist you if you approach them, that’s the reason I was against giving you
accommodation before, but it seems am left without a choice now. So you must never approach my wife or daughter and if by
mistake, anyone of them approach you, especially my wife, make sure you resist them” he ordered and I replied him that I will obey his rules.

“And if I remember another one, I will inform you, let's go inside while we discuss your payment tomorrow” Ranking added going
inside the house and I followed him.

I met only Yemi inside the sitting room watching a movie, the two girls were nowhere to be found.

Ranking sat with Yemi and asked me to help myself to one of the seat inside the sitting room which I did.

Yemi’s gaze was transfixed on me as soon as I sat on one of the chair in the sitting room.

“Honey meet Ben, the saviour of our daughter” Ranking said when he noticed Yemi staring at me.

“So, this is the handsome fellow that saved Tabitha, he looked more handsome in reality than on news” Yemi said with a tone that
made me excited, because I knew she’s supposed to be angry with me for spoiling her plan but here she is looking at me like she adore me.

“Yeah” Ranking replied.

"If you had followed us to the police station this morning, you’d have seen him” Ranking added.

“But is he from here, because he doesn’t even look like a foreigner not to talk of being a Nigerian?” Yemi said with a confused tone.

I knew Ranking would have already being regretting his decision, I haven’t used up to
an hour in his house and his wife is already hitting on me.

“Lets forget about that for now, we will discuss more about him tomorrow, get him something to eat” Ranking ordered Yemi jealously.

“Okay” Yemi replied.

” Mona Lisa”! Yemi screamed thrice and an ugly looking short girl ran into the sitting room.
Even without being told, I already knew that she was the housemaid, her appearance said it all unlike Sophia.

“Madam na me be this” Mona Lisa said as she entered the sitting room.

“Where were you since that I was shouting your name?” Yemi screamed at her angrily.

“I’m sorry madam, I am wash plate inside kitchen and did not hearing that you calling me” she replied Yemi with soured English.

I almost laughed as she made me remember the stupid officer Victor their English were almost the same .

But I was surprised with the maid, the last time I was in the house, their was no maid and in just three days, an English Professor inside the house.

I almost asked them when they brought in an housemaid but cautioned myself.

Yemi hissed loudly at the maid and directed her attention to me.

"What will you like to have darling?" Yemi asked in a seductive which made started fearing for my stay inside the house at once.

I looked at Ranking’s face and saw that it still had “I will soon kick you out of this house” expression.

"What will you like to have?" Yemi repeated the question when I seemed not to answer her the first time.

“I’m okay with anything” I answered her almost inaudible.

"Okay, get him fried rice, plantain, chicken, sauce beef, and salad” Yemi ordered the maid and the maid disappeared from the sitting room.

"As per Tabitha recommendation that he’s skilled and can fight, and also good with disarming his opponent, I’m going to employ him as the girls personal bodyguard and he will be staying with us for the main time” Ranking said with regret lurking in his tone.

“You mean he is going to be living with us?” Yemi screamed excitedly.

That was when it occurred to me what Yemi was trying to do, she’s trying to use the jealousy key against me, she want Ranking to kick me out by making him jealous of me, and I might be wrong but I’m not sure yet, but out of all what Ranking said, how is it that it was “you mean he’s going to be living with us" that she was able to scream excitedly thereby cutting my lifeline short.

Ranking brought out his phone and dialed a number on it without minding his wife's question.

“Come downstairs with your sister, I’ve a surprise for you two” he said to the recipient before terminating the call.

After some seconds ,the elevator inside the house clicked and the two girls came out of it with only bum short and top bra on.

Tabitha was very beautiful and cool, I felt all the feelings that I’ve locked when I was still an angel unlocking at once. She was surprised to see me likewise Nina too, Nina must have seen me in the TV and recognized me.

"Meet your new bodyguard, Ben Manna”.

Ranking introduced me to the girl.

"What?!" The two girls exclaimed in unison.

"With what happened to you and your narration about how he saved you, I’ve scout and recruited him as your personal bodyguard.

“Thanks dad!” Tabitha shouted and jumped on her dad.

“You’re the best dad, now I gat the chance to pay him properly for what I did to him” she added joyously while Nina just stood where she was not knowing if she should also be happy or sad, but she stood there glaring at me like she is seeing a ghost.

Tabitha suddenly knelt in front of me “I’m sorry once again for last time, please protect my twinie and I very well” she pleaded folding her two hands together and I smirked.

"Looks like I’ve seen you from somewhere , a long time ago” she suddenly said looking into my eye scaring the shit out of me.

"He saved you, so you’ve already seen him before” Ranking interrupted and I heaved a sigh of relief.

“No dad, I think I saw him inside of this house many years ago” she said making my heart to skip a beat.

"I think I remember!" She suddenly exclaimed making my face to become pale at once.

"He is the person I saw the day I...

To be continued.