₦airaland Forum

oluwafeolami:
wow wow wow, I sincerely appreciate d effort u put in writing dis piece.

u did not tell us what happened to d fake captain.

thanks bro...I think he was killed on that rescue night

MackHort:
Wow, really enjoyed the story
Its just with lot of suspense.
If you don't mind,
I will like to post the story on my blog and want to have your permission to do so!
Thanks!!
Waiting for your reply souloho19

pm me bro

hobbyheart:
Mr soul may God bless u real good for these wonderful piece I see God taking u places through his gift upon ur life . Ghost mood fully deactivated.

thanks for deactivating...I appreciate..amen and thanks for reading/commenting

subtlemee:
I'll be sad when this story ends because I'll have nothing to look forward to again

don't worry I can boldly tell you to anticipate another

dammyluv911:
wow dis is capitivating n full of suspense more ink 2 ur pen.am also serving in ebonyi

thanks...really? where in ebonyi

johncasey1:
Gradually Losing interest in this Story

?

OluwabuqqyYOLO:
How about you look forward to my texts?

lol... thanks for your comment in the other thread it felt really good

Queensiju:
Its getting hotter in here. Let these mother f***ers be xposd soonest abeg.

don't worry their cup is full

dview001:
souloho is a genius but the guy no dey gree update him just want kill us with suspense

no vex bro...I'm working on the next update right now

Amara felt love swell inside her as Nkiru led her to the room Osi was.
"He's recovering very swiftly...indeed he's a strong man" Nkiru observed as she parted the curtain and ushered Amara and Jelemba inside.
"Its not by his might...he serves a merciful and powerful God" Amara muttered in an almost inaudible voice.
Osi was fast asleep. He wore the hospital gown and Amara could see his chest was bandaged. She was also very grateful to see the steady rise and fall of his chest. Osi was breathing.
She and young Jelemba stood watching him in silence and Nkiru studied the both of them. She could see love, respect and dedication on both faces and she thought to herself that the tall man on the bed must be a special person indeed.
"Please do not wake him, he needs to rest...I have to go and attend to someone"
Amara didn't reply she was busy staring at Osi.
"Amara!"
Nkiru finally drew her attention.
"Normally I'm not supposed to leave you with him but because its you...so please try not to disturb him"
"I can't don't worry..seeing him is enough"
"Hmmn..you must really love him" Nkiru commented as she headed for the door.
Amara at first wanted to offer a protest but she let it go. Deep in her heart she knew her friend was right: she loved Osi.

Jelemba took a step closer to the bed and she was reminded of the little boy's presence. She sat on a little bed adjacent Osi's and patted the space next to her inviting him to sit.
"Jelemba...what is it you wanted to see pastor Osi for?" The boy looked at Osi a second longer, his actions not indicating he had heard her but finally after some seconds he moved slowly to the bed and settled beside her.
She waited for him to speak but when he remained mute she prodded him "Jelemba talk to me...I'm your friend, something is bothering you, what is it?"
The boy took a deep breath.
"When I was working with the dibia, we were called to consult the gods and expose the killer behind the crimes"
"Yes..the dibia said it was Okudili I can remember clearly...poor man"
"But aunty the thing was planned it was all a setup to make every one think Okudili was the killer"
Amara frowned "I don't understand, what do you mean by it was a setup?"
Before Jelemba could reply, the curtain was parted open again and nurse Nkiru came in but this time she was followed by two men.

She recognised the first man immediately, he was slim and she knew at once he was Gregory, Osi's friend and assistant youth pastor! The second man however was a stranger. He was an elderly man with patches of grey hair at his sides but he had a very powerful aura about him and his movements were very sharp and sure. At once she knew he had to be Osi's pastor. He was very fond of the man and had told her a lot about him.
Instinctively she got to her feet and greeted them "Good morning sir, morning pastor Greg...its so nice to see you again"
"Likewise" Gregory replied with a smile looking at her first then Jelemba but his smile disappeared when he caught sight of Osi on the bed.

The elderly man whom she had deduced correctly was Reverend Okorie didn't smile. He nodded absentmindedly in her direction as his eyes were immediately fastened on Osi.
He hurried to his youth pastor in short but powerful strides and stared at Osi's chest intently. When he was satisfied that Osi was indeed breathing he looked up at the nurse with concern written all over his face.
"You say he was stabbed"
"Yes last night, but he's recovering swiftly...its a miracle" Nkiru replied.
"Who stabbed him?" The reverend asked with a hard edge in his voice.
Nkiru hesitated and Amara replied him "it was Bartholomew sir...pastor Batholomew"
No word could describe the expression on Reverend Okorie and Gregory's faces the minute the words left her mouth. Shock was indeed a heavy understatement. The Reverend was the first to speak. He blinked several times in disbelief.
"Pastor Bartholomew? The very same pastor who reached out to me and requested that we honour his invitation for the crusade?"
"Yes sir. It is still very hard to swallow"
"Where is he now?" Gregory found his voice. Amara hesitated for a second "he's still at large"
"Jesus Christ" the Reverend muttered to himself.
"Reverend how did you meet this pastor?" Gregory asked him.
The reverend thought back. The news had really disorganised his thoughts to say the least he was shocked. He needed to sit down but he remained standing.
"I met him two years ago at a minister's workshop service in Lagos..he was my partner most of the time and very friendly..I took a liking to him immediately and we kept in touch.. I can't believe he's a serial rapist and serial killer"

There was silence as everyone seemed to digest the information. Even Jelemba and nurse Nkiru were unmoving as they stared at the Reverend.
Reverend Okorie suddenly flinched as a painful look flickered in his eyes.
Amara noticed his expression and asked worriedly "sir..pas-..Reverend what's wrong?"
"My God he was responsible for it" he said in almost a whisper.
"Responsible for what sir?" Amara asked again.
"During the four day program, one of the female ministers was brutally murdered and raped in the car lot during a Virgil service. It caused the meeting to end prematurely instead of a week. The general belief then was that the crime was carried out by a group of hooligans because the Church was located in a rough part of Lagos and the police made an arrest few days later but to think that all this while the culprit was..." His voice trailed off and he shook his head sadly. This time he couldn't withstand the urge and sat on the edge of the bed, close to Osi's feet.

°•°•°•°•

He was just thirteen years old when he stumbled on his father with a woman. His mother had been late three years earlier a day after his 10th birthday and his father never remarried.
That fateful day he had gone to the farm to harvest the cassava which was due. He quickly decided he would need a larger basket or at most another one.
So he hurried home unaware that his life was about to be changed forever.
He tiptoed round the house not willing to make noise and wake his father whom he thought was still sleeping. For some unknown reason, he found himself opening the curtain to his father's room. He wasn't prepared for what he saw. His father was butt nakèd with his trouser around his ankles. He was on top of a woman.
The woman looked familiar to Osi but he couldn't place her face. He stood still watching for some seconds and he saw the woman's hands were tied to the bed post and her legs were spread apart and tied to the foot of the bed. Her eyes were swollen and red from crying and her fair skin showed signs of bruises most likely as a result of slaps.

Maybe he gasped out in suprise or maybe his father felt his presence because his father turned and saw him.
"Are you not going to the farm again?"
"Yes...yes...yes sir...papa what's happening?"
"Come here boy" his father ordered him and he approached with uncertain movements. His father got down and pointed to the woman.
"Bartho climb this woman now" his father ordered him harshly. He obeyed and hurriedly took of his clothes. He caressed the woman and was shocked to see he was immediately hard.
"Take of your shirt boy...she's all yours we'll dispose her later today" his father encouraged him.
Bartholomew had never seen a woman's body talk less of touching one and this fair woman was very beautiful. He hurriedly took off his shirt.
His father smiled "you are indeed the bone of my bone. Remember this is our secret"
Bartholomew nodded and smiled wickedly, the cassava and basket were forgotten and a devil was born.


°•°•°•°•

The devil took a trip down memory lane as he moved round the house idly. He recalled all the girls he and his father had raped in the house. His father had been a master planner and selected the victims with precision and they were never linked to the others or to them. However He was worried that someone would remember or someone might know Pà Kenneth had two sons and put two and two together.
And the worst part was that he still needed a girl, any girl...he hadn't been successful with Amara the previous night and he really needed to release the built up pressure in him but he couldn't risk stepping outside. He would definitely be lynched on sight. His father had told him that the youths were seriously searching for him. They had even spread to the nearby village in case he had run away from Amaife. So he kept on pacing round, feeling uneasy and plotting his revenge on Amaife....and Osi.


°•°•°•°•
In the market square, the oldest man in Amaife thought hard for a plan. He needed to kill the young boy...he needed to silence him fast.

°•°•°•
Meanwhile in The Clinic, Amara and even Jelemba seemed to have forgotten the discussion they were having before the Reverend and Gregory's arrival.
They all held hands and prayed, offering thanks to God for saving their friend's and pastor's life.

But it wasn't over...not yet..safety was far from sure.

Lol

souloho19:
Note:
Updates would be as the spirit leads, If I don’t update once atleast in 48 hours pls its not my fault, something must be up.

I finish what I start I just need your patience..I can't update everyday like before cause I'm not in my house most times I can't help it.
Patience please..the story is winding down.
Gracias

that mirror story is something else... damn! abeg I'm waiting for the next piece

"Jelemba talk to me...what's wrong, where are you going?" Amara asked the young boy.
Jelemba seemed to have trouble remembering her at first. He squinted at her with a frown and frightened look but then he smiled shyly.
"Aunty...I'm looking for pastor...pastor Osi"
Amara smiled "I'm heading there myself, let's go together" she took his hand in hers "so you heard about what happened then?"
He looked at her with a blank expression "what happened aunty?"
Now it was Amara's turn to frown. She noticed the bible Jelemba gripped tightly but she didn't think the young boy only wanted to discuss scriptures. He seemed apprehensive.

"Jelemba...why do you want to see pastor Osi?" Amara asked
He opened his mouth to say something but he was interrupted.
"Amara!" Pa Kenneth thundered from across the market square. He walked briskly to where they stood,
"Pa Kenneth otu tu oma. (Good morning)"
"Morning dear...where's your father?" Pa Kenneth asked, but his eyes were on little Jelemba who Amara noticed had begun to squirm.
"Dé Nwachukwu is at home resting...he caught a little cold last night, he wasn't dressed properly"
"Oh...I'd pay him a visit later" pa Kenneth replied as Dé John. Approached them.
"Who is this young boy?" Pa Kenneth asked Amara.
"Oh...he's Jelemba..the medium- no I mean the former medium and aid to the dibia but he's a changed person now"
"No wonder he looks so familiar" pa Kenneth squatted down till he was eye level with Jelemba and Amara couldn't help but marvel at Pa Kenneth's fitness...the ease at which he squatted down and moved.
"How are you boy...do you need anything?"
Jelemba shook his head. He seemed to have suddenly lost his voice.
Dé John cleared his throat.
"Pa Ken..I've informed the town crier...there would be a meeting at the market square by noon today"
Pa Kenneth straightened up. He looked at the young boy a second too long before glancing at Amara who seemed oblivious to the tension that hung thickly in the air.
"Amara inform your father about the meeting by noon...but tell him he shouldn't bother if he doesn't feel too strong"
"Yes sir"
He looked at Jelemba again. "Dé John I'd like us to plan something for this young lad..edu action and his welfare..Amara bring him over later today"
"Yes sir"

°•°•°•°•
Reverend Okorie focused intently as he turned the page on his bible. He stared out the window for some seconds not saying anything. His mind was far away.
"Greg...how was the condition of the village when you people left it?" He asked him for what had to be the hundredth time.
"The villagers were happy...the man believed to be behind the crimes had been murdered recently and it was a time for joy..they were full of praises for their gods"
"Hmmm....what really made Osita to remain" the Reverend muttered to himself.
"Sir we'd be there in the next ten to fifteen minutes"

°•°•°•°•
For the first time in a long time the Clinic was full of activity. People crowded the writing room, walked down the narrow passages and even hung outside in the tiny compound.
They were there for the pastor.
They had come to love him and they saw him as their hero.
Amara saw her friend Nkiru immediately she entered the hospital.
"I don't want to go to the elder" Jelemba said suddenly
"What?" Amara blinked at him "pa Kenneth? He's going to take care of you...he's a good leader"
"I don't want to go" the boy said firmly with his voice rising
"Okay okay...we'd talk about it later" Amara said as her friend approached.
"Nkiru...how is he?"
The nurse smiled "he was awake few hours ago...he's still resting"
"Can I see him?"
"Yes of course...come with me"

please I appreciate your patience...I like to believe I have a reputation of updating frequently but honestly things have been out of my hands..my community have been having electrical issues...and its worse than before.
This next update is quite short although I have more pages written down..this is the quantity my battery will allow for now.
Jah bless y'all for reading and understanding.

Just read the first and its scary...nice description...really graphic....thanks for mentioning I'm not going anywhere..

To everything there is a season
A time for every purpose under heaven
A time to be born
And a time to die
A time to plant
And a time to harvest
A time to kill
And a time to heal
A time to weep
And a time to laugh
A time to gain
And a time to lose
A time for silence
And a time to speak
A time to love
And a time to hate
A time of war
And a time of peace
-Ecclesiastes 3



°•°•°•
It was a Saturday. It was a beautiful day, the sun those steadily signifying the official break of dawn. It reflected in the stream as it rose over the gulls at the foot of the woods. It was a beautiful sight, a breathtaking sight. But there was no one to appreciate it.
The people of Amaife were in a state of shock. The hunt for their beloved pastor was still underway and nobody could believe pastor Batholomew had carried out the terrible attacks.
The people could be seen in their twos and threes as they mumbled among themselves, walking to their farms, the market or the stream. Once in a while they would stop walking shake their heads in shock and dismay and look to the skt with a question mark on their faces.
Pastor Batholomew?
The youths were still carrying out the hunt for their pastor. They could be seen combing every inch of the village, checking every bush, every stall even dustbins...no Stine was literally left unturned.

A young bit of about thirteen wandered aimlessly among the villagers. He seemed lost and at first no one paid him any attention but on a second glance, the people hastily left his path and stared at him like he was stuck with some kind of disease that could spread if they got too close to him.
His name was Jelemba. He had been handpicked by the gods as their mess anger, the special one yo succeed the dibia.[/I] But now the [i]dibia was dead and Jelemba was no longer a medium for communication with the gods of the land. And what's more, he had agreed to let go of his diabolical ways and with the help of the tall pastor he had become a Christian. Not just a christian....a born again Christian.

Now his white satin wrapper was replaced with three quarter shorts bought for him by pastor Osi, his usually bare chest was covered with a T-shirt and his feet were in leather sandals. He held a bible in his hands courtesy of Osi and one of the reasons he was seat Hong for the pastor was because he had come across a couple of things he did not understand while reading. He needed his new friend to explain it to him. But that wasn't the mai. Reason he searched for Osi that morning.
You see a week earlier when his master the dibia was still alive, something had happened. Jelemba had observed something take place and at the time he didn't pay attention to it. As a matter of fact hr had forgotten about it totally but last night while reading his new bible (he loved reading it) he had come across the story of the betrayal of Jesus. How Judas had secretly met with the high priest and betrayed Jesus. Jelemba had paused his reading and stared into space as he recalled a similar scenario.

It had happened after his master had been summoned to commune with the gods and reveal the killer terrorising the maidens, the dibia had requested for items to perform a 'sacrifice'
That night, one of the elders had paid the dibia a visit and Jelemba in the process of polishing one of the mini statues had overhead the elder strike a deal similar to what he just read in the Bible. The elder had wanted the dibia to announce someone else as the killer.....a man named Okudili and Jelemba had listened, amused as they haggled on a price before settling on '30' satchels of tobacco.

Last night the Bible story had brought the memory and ever since young Jelemba knew he had to discuss the incident with pastor Osi.
The problem was he didn't know where the pastor was. The house he had taught and preached to him and where they had met subsequently was licked up. He had spent minutes knocking without any reply.
He walked towards the market square searching the faces and desperately hoping to see the tall pastor.

°•°•°•°•
Pa Kenneth and Dé john escorted Benedict the butcher and the last of the youths to the market square. Pa Kenneth had insisted they walk with Benedict as the butcher refused to open his abattoir until Batholomew was (in his own words) "impaled with my machete"

Dé John knew Pa Kenneth pro ably worried that the youths were going to return to Sofiri's house and torture the poor man, so he agreed and supported his elder. A part of him wondered why Pa Kenneth was so worried and bothered about Sofiri so much but he decided that was what made Pa Kenneth a special man and a great leader. He loved his people and he would go to great lengths to protect them.
Pa Kenneth held Benedict's shoulder, stopping the brisk movement of the young man.
"Benedict...you know a lot of people look up to you...you're a leader in your own might"
Benedict nodded stiffly. He was still very much bitter, he needed someone to vent his anger on very soon or else he lose his sanity. In this case the someone had to be Batholomew.

He agreed with the elder and turned away slowly. His right hand man saluted Dé john and followed him loyally.
"That mab has a lot of power and control" Dé John commented as they watched the backs of the young men.
"Pa Kenneth...elder...are you listening to me?"
But Pà Kenneth wasn't listening, his eyes had a distant look in them.
He was studying the young boy walking solemnly past the market stalls.
Could it be?
No it wasn't possible...
This young lad looked much Kore civilized....
Right?
Or was his eyes finally giving out on him?
He shook the thought from his mind but he couldn't help wondering that the young lad looked so much like the deceased dibia's aide.

°•°•°•°
Amara hardly slept a wink all night.
Not that she had enough time to sleep anyway.
Back in the hospital her father been very firm that they all go home and catch some sleep.
She had argued that it was already almost daybreak but her father had gotten angry and Amara had cut short her discussion with the European and gone home with her sister and Oluchi.

Now very early and she was already out of the house.
Oluchi, Joy and her father were all sleeping soundly in the house and she sneaked out and headed to the hospital with one thought on her mind: she had to check up on Osi.

She reminisced on what Steve had told her earlier in the hospital.
He had been framed. His wife had been raped and killed by his elder brother and so the DNA found at the crime scene had matched his and he had become a fugitive overnight.
When she had inquired what had caused his brother commit such a terrible crime he had become reserved and seemed unwilling to answer the question.
At which point her father had returned from tongue lashing doctor Ambrose and demanded they go home.

She didn't really care about Stevenson...her mind only had room for one person and that was Osi and she couldn't wait to see him. She hoped he was talking already...she would love to hear his voice...

She almost bumped into the young boy in her haste.
She almost snapped at first, but then she realized she was very much at fault.
So she apologised instead.
"Sorry boy...but watch where you're going next time...wait I know you"
He looked different but she was sure he was the one.
She had been with Osi when he had first approached the boy and as a matter of fact she had selected the sandals on his feet herself.
"Jelemba? How are you? Where are you off to so early?"

happy independence day FAM
please overlook/ bear with any typographical error you may see...I don't have the privilege to proof read recently

Sofiri was scared. He fumbled and began stammering as the youths marched round his house, ripping the place inside out.
Benedict glared at him and from the way he held his machete sofiri was scared the butcher was going to use it on him.
"Where is your brother?!" Benedict barked
"I-i-i....I don't know....I s...s-s-swear" he stammered as his voice shook with fear.
"But you knew of his evil deeds didn't you? And you protected him?!"
"I never knew...I don't even know what you're talking about"
"Sofiri what's happening...what did Batholomew do?" Mabel asked. She sounded confused and scared.

"Honey its nothing you go and rest...its late" Sofiri told his wife.
One of the young men reentered the parlour.
"He's not here..we searched everywhere"
Benedict grabbed Sofiri by the collar. He shoved him roughly on the wall and with amazing strength lifted him up till Sofiri's feet dangled on the air.
"Where is he? Tell me the truth..where would we find him? Answer me!!!"
Sofiri made a choking sound in his throat..
"Pleeease...I don't know.." His face was getting red.
Mabel held Benedict's hand and tried to remove it from Sofiri's throat.
"Benedict what are you doing? Butcher you want to kill my husband?!"
Two youths held her hands and pinned her back. But Mabel was a very fat woman and she struggled out of their grip by shrugging them off a little too easily.
She was immediately held back by about half a dozen young men.
Sofiri struggled to speak and Benedict reduced his grip a little.
"He would be in his home..he has his own house..I don't know where he is but he would have gone home" [of course he knew he wasn't home..he was locked up in his father's house]
"Don't mess with me Sofiri"
Benedict released him finally and he fell to his knees.
"Ben..why don't we teach him a lesson first" one of the young men suggested.
"Yes make we touch am small hand" another youth echoed.
Benedict nodded. He really needed to vent some of the rage that had built up in him.

By now Mabel was sobbing uncontrollably. She had stopped struggling and she pleaded with the youths as she cried.
"Please..don't hurt my husband..Sofiri is innocent..he can't hurt a fly"
Benedict spared her a glance "don't worry...we won't touch you..but your husband is an accomplice...he has to pay"

"I swear I'm not an accomplice...I never knew Batholomew was behind-"
One of the men struck him on the face, interrupting him with a backhand slap that reddened his cheek immediately.
"My friend would you shut up!"

"Hey..what's going on here? Let him be...release him at once"
It was Pa Kenneth. He barged into the parlour just as one of the young men gave Sofiri a kick to the groin.

"Pa Kenneth...elder..this man has been protecting his brother all along" Benedict explained to the old man as pa Kenneth strode over to his side..he looked angry.
"And what evidence do you have of that?" He thundered unable to keep the anger out of his voice.
"But elder.. They are brothers...there's no way-"
"Look at his wife...you see how you've hurt her..what is the difference between you and the killer right now?"
The youths fell silent and the ones who had Mabel pinned to the wall released her.
"Pa Kenneth we believe he assisted his brother all this while and in fact he knows where he is right now"
"Nonsense! Utter rubbish...there's no room for jungle justice in Amaife anymore...except for maybe Batholomew..but not for an innocent person!" Pa Kenneth affirmed strongly.
Pa Kenneth was well respected by everybody even the youths and their anger took the backseat.

°•°•°•
Dé Nwachukwu sighed as he leaned into his chair. He searched for his daughter, looking round the hospital and not seeing any sign of her.
Joy was fast asleep resting her shoulder on Oluchi.
"I think you girls should go home" he nudged Oluchi gently. She was also dozing off.
She nodded and sat up. "Dé...where...where's Amara"
As if in reply Amara burst into the waiting room. She had a spring in her step and her eyes were very bright.
Dé Nwachukwu got to his feet, he suddenly felt very hopeful. "Amara....what happened?"
"He's alive! He survived it" she hugged her father happily and Dé Nwachukwu gave a sigh of relief "thank God...oh Thank God"

°•°•°•°

The pain in his chest was very severe. He could feel it as he lay still on the bed with his eyes closed. An oxygen mask was strapped to his face and enabled breathing so he would not strain and put pressure on his chest from the exercise of breathing in and out.
An intravenous drip transferred blood to his veins. He had lost quite a large amount of blood and when Nkiru had called the doctor, he had quickly gotten a pint of blood and set up the drip.

The doctor himself was ashamed and embarrassed. He found it hard to look the nurse in the eye and locked himself in his office unwilling to talk to Dé Nwachukwu and admit he made a mistake.

Osi: Although his eyes were closed, he was still very much conscious. He pondered about the bright room he had been in...was it a spiritual realm?
The fight with Batholomew flashed behind his eyelids as his brain ironed out the details. He couldn't believe Batholomew was responsible for all the murders. Batholomew? Pastor Batholomew? The very same man who has invited them? The man who had prayed for the families after the attacks...after he attacked.

Bug something didn't add up in Osi's tired kind. He tried to grasp it but maybe he really needed rest...needed to rest his overworked mind. Fatigue had really drained him and he had almost died just minutes ago. Heck, he must have died for some minutes...his spirit left his body or did it not?
He blanked his mind and settled into a deep sleep but mere seconds later his eyes fluttered open in their own accord as the thought that had worried him earlier touched down.
The shoe size...Batholomew had large feet..there was no wat the shoe print he had found was left by him. He tried to think about it but his headache intensified. He gave up and drifted to sleep.

°•°•°•
Dé John arrived at the clinic shortly after sweating profusely. He wiped sweat from his brow with a handkerchief as he studied his friend "Dé Nwachukwu...I heard what happened...how is the pastor?"
"He's recovering...its a miracle!"
"Pastor Batholomew? Its unbelievable!"
"I know..I'm still in shock..." Dé Nwachukwu replied watching Stevenson walk in their direction. Hr noticed his movement was quite uncertain.
"What of Pà Kenneth...has he been here yet?"
"Yes....that reminds me, you're to join him at Sofiri's house the youths marched there earlier and in their rage they may actually harm him and his wife"
"Toor...I'd be going then...but if you ask nne the man may not be innocent, he deserves whatever is coming for him" he turned to leave and his eyes passed over Amara and the two girls (Joy and Oluchi) who were both sleeping soundly.
"Why don't you take them home?"
"Yessir...I'd do that" Amara replied him but she did not have any intention of leaving the clinic. Not yet.
Dé john shook hands with the European who was standing awkwardly and left.

Stevenson greeted Dé Nwachukwu and Amara solemnly "I'm sorry for what happened ..hope you're not hurt?" He asked Amara.
"I'm okay...hope you're not going to include this in the boom you're writing? It doesn't portray our culture in any sense"
"No..not at all...this is a very sad event"
Dé Nwachukwu excused himself. "I need to talk to the doctor...how can he just declare someone dead without even making an attempt to save him...he deserves a serious tongue lashing"

When he was gone, Stevenson sat down in the seat beside Amara. "Do you want to talk about it?"
She shook her head. She could still remember the sharp pain she had felt in between her legs.
"No...its something I'd like to forget" she replied him.
He nodded understandingly. Ankara studied him, she had something else she wanted to talk about with Steve. She remembered the newspaper clippings she had found in his case. The case he had held on to so protectively. She had really thought he was the devil after learning what he had done to his wife and now she needed clarity.
"Steve" she began "I saw the newspaper clips in your briefcase the other day"
She saw his fave become pale immediately "how....how is that possible?"
"Steve please explain to me what happened...did you kill your wife?"
She watched him intently and noticed different emotions flicker on his face. Shock, surprise, anger, embarrassment and finally resignation.
He put his face in his hands and sighed
"I knew it was going to catch up with me sooner or later" he was silent for some minutes as he left his face buried in his hands and when he looked up finally, there was pain. Raw pain on his face..
"I didn't kill my wife. I loved her dearly. She meant the world to me...no Amara...I didn't kill her"

°•°•°•°
PortHarcourt

Bishop Okorie paved round his bedroom worriedly. He had woken up about an hour ago with Osi's name sounding over and over in his heart. He felt the message clearly. "Pray for Osi" and immediately he had gotten on his knees and began to pray for his youth pastor. Now the feeling had passed but he was still very much worried.

He watched his wife sleeping soundly on the other side of the bed. She was a very deep sleeper. She could sleep through and Earthquake.
He watched her for some seconds although his mind was far away. Finally he reached a decision.

He brought out his phone and dialled a number.
Gregory picked up on the fourth ring. He sounded sleepy, the call had likely woken him up.
"H-hello" he said groggily.
,"Greg...its Reverend...get ready.. Get Samuel to get the bus ready...tomorrow you and I are going to Amaife"

thanks for your well wishes...I'm actually very very okay right now..and I promise to update..just need to transfer the written update to Nl...
never even knew about the FP been offline..thanks FAM you made it possible..
God bless you for your patience

marvwhite:
souloho19

i asked a question ealier,and you are yet to answer me

originally the devil was meant to be Stevenson while drafting the outline..but I knew it couldn't be so after introducing his character and readers already suspected it..lemme put it like this..at every point of the story the devil was one male character but I settled on Batholomew after Chinaza's death

bakeuhappy:
@souloho18 hope u r OK? It's so unlike you not to update.. pls try and update.. u r really doing a good job

tnx..been feeling feverish for a while..but I'm on meds now...I'd try and update today..
pls bear with me @ all

and yea missnande that part was meant to be Nkiru snapping her fingers.

sleekhoyen...smieling...donteanz...kingphillip..creeza..maryclaire1 etc...I sight you all..thanks for your comments

Osi was in a strange room. He opened his eyes and shut it immediately. The light was blinding, soo bright it hurt his eyes.
He opened one eye gently and studied the room. It was strange but there wasn't any window, just a room with four corner walls. At the end of the wall, was a small door. It was open.
He opened his eyes fully and swung down from the bed.

The corridor was brighter than the room and he didn't know if it was out of curiosity but he suddenly had a strong urge to explore.

The corridor was a long one, it seemed unending and Osi walked down the straight path.
"Hello...hello...is anybody there?"
There was no reply.
It seemed he was the only one in this place.
Whatever 'this place' was.

Finally after walking for what felt like hours he saw another door few feet ahead.
The room seemed to be the source of the bright light that filled the corridor and without being aware he took a step forward.

°•°•°•°
Doctor Ambrose patted Amara on the back as she sunk to the ground.
"I'm very sorry...he just lost too much blood and the Knife wound was just too deep and he got here too late, if only....."
His voice faded and Amara lost track of what he was saying.
She drew her knees to her chest and sobbed softly.
She could see Osi clearly in her mind's eye. His smile, his dimples, his bulging Adam's apple, his reassuring attitude...she could see him clearly how he had stared at her the first time she had seen him at the bus park, how he had startled her later and from there how they had started talking and become close.
She remembered his embarrassed look when she had kissed him at the hospital and then she remembered what felt like hours ago..how he had come to her rescue and fought the devil and now he was dead.
Why?
Why would God allow his servant...his son to be killed like that?
To be murdered so gruesomely?

She suddenly stopped crying and got to her feet.
Dr Ambrose was talking to her father, probably telling him the details of Osi's demise judging by the way her father kept shaking his head in dismay.

She walked away from them wiping her tears with the back of her hands as both men's voices became faint and inaudible.

She saw the nurse writing what looked like a death certificate in one of the rooms.
She knew the nurse quite well- Nkiru had been one of her close neighbours before she went to school in the city and even though she was few years older than Amara, both girls got along fine and had been quite close.
Now Nkiru was married and lived in the nearby village with her husband but she came to work everyday and worked her shifts diligently.

She looked up when Amara entered the room
"Amara..."
"Please Nkiru you have to do something...Osi can not die"
"Osi?" She dropped the pen and stood up. Her friend didn't look alright..she looked sick and Nkiru began to get worried.

"Osi the tall pastor that was brought in few minutes ago...knife wound to the chest...he's very tall"
"Oh...I'm so sorry...I didn't know you knew him"
"What do you mean you're sorry...you should be treating him"
Nkiru sighed sadly.
"Its very unfortunate but we don't have the equipment to JumpStart his heart and get him breathing again...and he was brought too late. The loss of blood was just too much"
"Nkiru" Amara's voice was calm. Too calm. "I don't think you understand...if you don't treat my friend I'm going to tear this clinic apart"

°•°•°•
Amara struggled for control as she saw Osi. He was on the table and he was steady. She felt a new wave of tears build up inside her but she forced it down.
Now more than ever she needed to be strong. Osi was not dead and no, she wasn't in denial.

Nkiru peeled Osi's shirt which was already red with his blood.
She looked at Amara and her eyes didn't hold much hope.
"I need you to give him mouth to mouth resuscitation...I need to find out if he has an open pneumothorax"

Amara didn't have any idea what the complicated word meant but she knew it was important.
She placed both hands on either side of Osi's face and covered his lips with hers. She blew air into his mouth.

Nkiru studied his chest intently while Amara performed CPR.
"Just as I thought...its an open pneumothorax" she looked at Amara and when she caught her blank look she explained. "That means its a sucking chest wound, usually caused by penetrating chest trauma..what we need to do is ensure he has a patent airway... So if by some miracle he can respirate normally."
She looked down at Osi again and frowned.
"I need to cover this wound if not air would move into his chest through the cavity...that would be grave"
"Please do it...we need to hurry" Amara urged her. She lowered her head again to blow more air.
She was worried..Osi hadn't responded in anyway to the CPR but she refused to believe the worst.
Instead she increased the pressure and blew as much air as possible into his mouth.

She felt a sudden movement and she jerked up.
"Nkiru...nurse!"
Nkiru was busy standing on a stool and getting gauze and bandages to block the chest wound and she almost fell when Amara shouted her name suddenly.
"He..I think he breathed...I felt a movement.. It was very low"
Nkiru hurried to her side and watched intently.
"Perform the CPR again" she instructed Amara.
After some seconds she said: "you're right...life hasn't left him completely but we're in a race against time...he doesn't have a pulse and I fear either his lungs or diaphragm has been damaged"
"So what do we do?"
Nkiru frowned deep in thought
"Our best hope would have been a defribulator but we don't have any"
"What's a defribu-...whatever?"

[Defibrillation is a process in which an electronic device sends an electric shock to the heart to stop an irregular heartbeat, and restore the normal heart rhythm.]

Finally Amara snapped her fingers. "I think I know what's wrong now..he was exposed for too long and too much air entered his thoracic cavity without escape and now the pressure from the trapped air is greater than the pressure in the lungs...any second from now and the lungs could collapse!"
"Lung collapse? Jesus Christ! what can we do??"
"He needs immediate needle decompression" as she spoke she hurried to the cabinet and rummaged around searching for something

She returned with a very large needle and Amara held her breath.
Nkiru shook her head..she seemed nervous. "I've never done this before"

"Nkiru...his life is in your hands..you can do it...you NEED to do it"

Nkiru took a lot of time (in Amara's opinion) staring intently at Osi's chest and tracing her fingers and searching for an entry point.

Amara got very impatient "just push it through the open wound already...too much time has been wasted!" The 'collapsed lungs' phrase had really gotten to her and it shook her to the core.

"I need to insert the needle into the second intercostal space at the midclavicular line of the injured spot to convert the tension into a simple open pneumothorax this would let air escape the pleural space and it won't build-"
"I get I get...I understand please carry on" Amara interrupted the nurse impatiently.
Finally she inserted the needle and by pulling the plunger extracted the trapped air from Osi's chest. It made a sucking sound as the air filled the plunger.

His Adam's apple bobbled and he made a deep sound in his throat.
"Oh my God!" Amara gasped.
Nkiru was equally shocked. She looked at Amara with wide eyes. "Okay...this just might work"

°•°•°•°•
The bright light seemed to attract Osi and he walked slowly towards it. He idly wondered where he was, and where everybody was although he couldn't remember specifically any of his friends or family or if he had any.
When he was a few feet from the entrance, the light went out suddenly.
Everywhere instantly became dim and very dark.
"No...no...no!! What's happening" he turned around in a state of panic as everywhere became pitch black.

And in the clinic in Amaife, his eyes twitched.

°•°•°•°•°•
Sofiri got home some minutes before 12am and a frantic Mabel opened the door for him. She was clearly worried.
"What happened...why did you spend so long?"
She leaned in to sniff his clothes gently so he wouldn't notice. Lately she had been feeling insecure and she half expected to get a whiff of a female perfume. But she didn't perceive anything of the sort.
Instead her husband looked very stressed and cross.
"What's wrong..are you okay?" She asked again. Rubbing his shoulders gently.
He shrugged her hands away roughly. "Look just serve me my dinner...I need to go to sleep...and next time don't ever invite anybody for dinner without discussing it with me again"
Her mouth opened in shock.
She was about to say something when a violent knock rattled the front door.
Sofiri flinched involuntarily he looked at his wife. She looked back. He looked at the door and swallowed. The door was pounded again and he finally found his voice "who...who's there?"
"Janjakere..kere o..kere.ooo..janjankere...!" The song was unmistakable it was equivalent to a war cry in Amaife...and the voices that chanted it where filled with much rage and vigour.
"Don't worry...don't be scared nothing would happen" Sofiri assured his wife. Although he didn't sound as reassuring as he had intended.

Benedict's voice thundered from outside "if you know you're hiding your brother you better bring him out now...if we find him inside we will kill you both!"

°•°•°•°
Dé Nwachukwu was still talking to the doctor when a nurse hurried towards them and called for the doctor. He recognised the young nurse as a little girl that used to live in the next compound. He didn't call out to her because he had trouble remembering her name, it was either Nkechi or Nkiru...or something that started with the letter N.
Secondly she seemed to be in a hurry. She bounced on her heels as she waited impatiently for Dr Ambrose.
"So Dé...please try and calm your daughter...I did my best..it was just too late.. Good night sir" he looked at his watch "or should I say good morning" he walked briskly to the nurse and she told him something. He looked back at Dé Nwachukwu and hurried off with the young lady.

Dé Nwachukwu sat down on the bench beside his daughter. Joy was already dozing, she rested her head on Oluchi's shoulder.
"Where's Amara?" Dr Nwachukwu asked her friend.
"Sir I don't know...I thought she went to the toilet"

He looked around but saw no sign of her. He was suddenly tired. He was hungry and cold. He hadn't even gone halfway with his meal before the interruption and his wrapper couldn't really cover up his chest entirely. He yawned tiredly.

"My friend"
He looked towards the entrance, at where the voice had come from.
It was Pa Kenneth.
"Elder"
"Dé"
Both men shook hands and Dé Nwachukwu got to his feet and moved away with pa Kenneth.
When they were out of earshot, pa Kenneth said "I heard what happened"
"Yes.. I still find it hard to believe...Batholomew! Most times he always addressed the people after you...we held him in such high regard..." His voice trailed of and he shook his head.
"Is very bad..unbelievable. But we have a role to play to ensure that no other innocent person suffers again..so many have suffered already"
Dé Nwachukwu nodded "I don't quite get you"
"I mean the pastors brother...I learnt the youths are marching to his house..they are agitated and could do anything to him..its up to us to prevent them from harming an innocent person"
Dé Nwachukwu nodded.
Someone else entered the hospital and he saw it was Stevenson the European.
"I have to stay here with my daughters pa...I can't leave them like this"
Pa Kenneth nodded. "I understand...I'm heading there now..should Dé John come, you direct him to my whereabouts"
Dé Nwachukwu nodded "I'd so that sir...take care"
He returned to his seat thinking that Pa Kenneth was indeed a true leader. A man of the people.

my ppl bear with me till tomorrow...it shouldn't have been this long...just one or two things

modified...okay its past 12 already okay..till later today then...I need to make arrangements for Osi's burial....

Dé Nwachukwu swung the powerful beam from the torchlight on his daughter. She looked frightened and her eyes were red and puffy. There was a clear bruise on her cheek from where Batholomew had struck her.
Dé Nwachukwu gritted his teeth in anger. But then he pointed the beam on the body she was kneeling over.
He recognised him as pastor Osi immediately.
He also saw that he was bleeding profusely.

"Don't worry..he's not going to die.." He assured his daughter although it looked like he was dead already.
"We need to get him to the clinic"
He leaned over Osi. His eyes were closed and out of fear of what he might discover De' Nwachukwu didn't check his breathing.
But he noticed the nasty wound to the chest was deep and he was losing more blood by the second.

Dé Nwachukwu had been wearing his normal indoor wear (which consisted of a singlet and wrapper) when he had been having dinner earlier.
Now he didn't think twice but removed his singlet and pressed it to Osi's chest to try and stop the bleeding. The cloth became red immediately.
"We need to lift him...he can't walk.. Amara get a grip, he's not going to die.."
He cautioned his daughter as fresh wave of tears fell down her cheeks and she sobbed uncontrollably.

Together they hefted Osi up. Actually Dé Nwachukwu had more of the weight as they wrapped Osi's hands round their shoulder and hefted him up. His feet dangled lifelessly dragging on the floor and Dé Nwachukwu feared the worst.
He looked over his shoulder at the second body on the floor.
He could recognize pastor Batholomew also. He also thought he was dead but he didn't ask.
For one his daughter was not going to hear. She was talking to Osi..telling him all sort of things and begging him not to die.
Secondly, 80% of the pastor's body mass was entirely on him. He was tasked with carrying Dé Nwachukwu through the woods and he couldn't waste his little energy by talking, The good thing was the village clinic wasn't far away. He desperately hoped they would be able to treat Osi and not refer them to the hospital outside Amaife.

°•°•°•°
They hadn't carried Osi for five minutes when they came across Joy and Oluchi. The two girls were accompanied by Benedict the butcher and about a dozen youths.
They all had weapons.
They were all angry.
"Where is he..where is Bartholomew?" Benedict demanded.
"He's back there..please help me with this man...he's dying..he saved my daughter"
Sheer youth came into play and Osi was balanced horizontally on the shoulders of four young men.
They hurried towards the village clinic with Dé John and the girls in tow, urging them on and saying "time is of the essence"
"Precious time has wasted.."
"Please hurry.."

°•°•°•
Benedict burst into the clearing with his machete in his hand and so much rage in his heart.
He couldn't believe his beloved Chinaza had been raped and killed by their pastor...he had one motive and that was to severe Bartholomew's head from his neck the minute he saw him.
His machete was good at separating meat at the abattoir, splitting the bones and separating the joints of cows and goats..
It would surely pass through the neck cartilage swiftly....

The men held wooden torches: sticks with the end dowsed in kerosene and set on fire and the flame burned brightly, illuminating the shadows.
They pointed the torches in every direction, the men spread round the clearing...kicking every suspicious looking bush, striking the ground with sticks and machete....
But there was no sign of Batholomew!

"Spread out...spread out!! He's somewhere here..we must find him and kill him tonight!!" Benedict shouted filled with rage.

°•°•°•°•

The devil could not run, walking took all of his energy..he had been struck into unconsciousness when Amara had hit him with the branch and the youths would have met him in his unconscious state.
But his brother had come to his rescue and he helped him, instructing him to place one foot in front of the other and he obeyed although it felt like his head would fall off.
Presently he could hear the sound of water flowing and he deduced correctly that they were at the stream.
"Where...where are we...." His voice trailed off
"Shhh...shhh...you're safe...I'm taking you to daddy...father would protect you"
Sofiri assured him as he tightened his hold around his shoulder. They waded through the shallow part of the stream as they crossed to the other end.


°•°•°•
The only medical center in Amaife, popularly called 'The clinic' was a small bungalow building. It was inadequately staffed with just a qualified doctor and two nurses which didn't really matter because until recently majority of the cases they should have received went to the dibia

Their luck was in and when Amara entered the clinic ahead of her father and her sister, she was glad to see Dr. Ambrose talking frantically to one of the nurses.
She couldn't hold herself, she called out to him.."Doctor...doctor..please..do something...the man that was brought in just now...please attend to him..please do something..!" Her voice sounded desperate.
Dr Ambrose looked at her. He recognised her immediately. "Amara...you mean you know the tall man..that was stabbed?"
"Yes..he's..he's my friend"
Dr. Ambrose looked sorrowful.
"I'm sorry...so sorry..he lost too much blood...he was d.o.a"
".o.a...?? What's that?" She held her breath... If she didn't know what it meant, his expression explained it clearly.
"It means he was dead on arrival" Dr. Ambrose explained solemnly.
Her whole world turned upside down.

°•°•°•°•°•
"Father.....we really must send him away from here...we only managed to escape, the youths are really searching for him...we should sneak him out now we have the chance" Sofiri told his father as they sat on low stools and watched Bartholomew stretch out on the mat on the floor.
"No...that is to risky..its better he stays with me for some weeks....till people think he is no longer in the village then one quiet night...when things have calmed a bit we'll take him out and he'd go to Lagos or maybe to the north"
"Hmm...you're indeed wise father...I believe you"

His father poured a fresh glass of palm wine in his mug. He had been woken from his sleep frantically by a frightened Sofiri and he needed palm wine to calm his nerves. He was an old man after all.

There was silence that seemed to stretch for hours as both men were lost in their thoughts. The only sound was the swallowing noise as the palmwine was consumed rapidly.

After a while Sofiri asked "How long have you known?"
His father sighed "deep down I always knew....I know I turned him into the beast he is today"

Another silence stretched between them again, longer than the last.
Finally the jug was emptied and his father stood up. "You should go home...go to your wife...put your home in order..everyone is going to be looking at you closely as the only family he has" he jerked his head to where Bartholomew lay sleeping when he said 'he'
Sofiri agreed and stood up.
He didn't want to tell his father he thought it was his wife's fault by inviting the stranger to his house earlier. No..that would be a mistake...if the devil was bad then the devil's father was much worse..

°•°•

"I knew I couldn't protect you much longer" his father said to him……
The devil struggled to sit up..his head still ached but the throbbing had reduced significantly.
"Papa..." His throat was dry "you....Okudili...?"
His father nodded "yes...I was at the Virgil and had gone to relieve myself when I ran into him...he was glad to see me and said he knew who was behind the killings...according to him he had seen you in a compromised position more than once but he only just put it together earlier that night..he believed I could help him and keep him safe from the youths and expose you. I agreed and I took him deeper into the shadows and it was good he was very drunk...the rest was easy"
Batholomew was silent. He knew what was coming next.
"You've been very sloppy boy...very careless and amateurish..."
"I'm sorry..I couldn't hold myself and I'm dying...I'm dying papa"
"Nonsense! Every member of the Kenneth lineage always lives to a ripe old age...I'm living proof of that!"

@ everyone...thanks for your comments... I won't forgive myself if I sleep off without updating and eyes are heavy..so without further ado...lemme just update..
Please do keep on commenting...its rili priceless

Oroolorun:
Oga Soul, don't let Osi to die if you don't want what happened in 1917 to happen in 2017 o.

As for the devil, he too must not die yet o, all this stones were not transported from Mecca for nothing o. the devil must be stone in the marketsquire.

...the stones would land don't worry...in fact a whole mountain would land on him..thanks boss

Creeza:
God will not forgive me if I read up to this point and not drop a comment... This is storytelling at its best.

Mr Soul, great story. Am curious though, I want more and also its burning at the back of my mind, you can even smell the aroma of curiosity : Do you read Edgar Wallace's novels?

One of my best mystery writers, and you are almost as perfect as him nice work bro. White Hats off.

¤¤¤

how did the branch get there? Hmmm? Suspense though.

You're forgiven bro...I might also have been guilty of the same thing in your story...thanks man..I need to write down this Edgar Wallace as one of the writers I need to look up..I've written two down so far...Gracias boss!

Neenie:
OP! If i say you are too good, aswear its an understatement. This story is so interesting........ i can vex dash u my virginity for giving us such a wonderful story More grace dear

Infact I'd need to appreciate your appreciation... but I have this phobia for virgins
Thanks for reading and commenting...Jah bless.
@ Tillaman manager I sight you

renybenks:
God! I'm here for an interview and all I can do to ease my tension is read ur update and it worked!!!!! like magic suspense replaced anxiety I don't even care how good and how many we are, here anymore. thanks a million.

wow...I'm rili glad the update achieved that...God bless you bro...I wish you all the best