Shh!! And stop calling on the devil

It was suppose to be a movie night but what I walked into was a devil casting, tongue speaking and feet stamping prayer session. I did a double take to make sure I was at the right place.  Of course I was because Kemi and Tolani were standing in one corner of the room, probably mad as hatters.  I had convinced them the previous night to come out for the movie night. I wondered how a movie night turned into a night vigil? If Mobola wanted to have a prayer night, all she was suppose to do was ask. Although, I don’t think I would have showed up if I knew this was going to be an Iso oru[1]. I can pray without ceasing but omo not tonight. I was tired.

As I walked across the living room to meet Kemi, Mobola's mother passed to me a white handkerchief, “fi bori e” [2] she said. I threw the cloth over the top of my head and tied it at the back while I said breathe prayers to God to take control of the situation going on in the living room. I managed to get to Kemi then whispered

“What happened? I thought u guys were watching Twilight? How did this become a night vigil? Where is Mobola?”

“It was a movie night until 30 minutes ago.  Mobola's youngest sister – I don’t remember her name….”

“Korede” I interjected

“Yes... that one, she sha fell asleep and then we heard her screaming Jesus over and over again”

“Kilode”?[3]

“She believed she was bound by the devil”

“Bound by the devil ke?  I don’t understand.”

“She said when she woke up, she was unable to move or speak for 5 minutes. It was as if she was frozen and something heavy was sitting on her chest. oh... she also said she saw a vampire in the room.”

I chuckled... “Which one? Jasper Cullen”

“Stop laughing because it's not funny. Their mother even broke the DVD into pieces”

“Stop it, you are lying”

“okay oh... shebi you have eyes, look over there now” she pointed to the broken dvd pieces laying on the carpet

“Ladies, please let's be of one accord. The devil is always looking for whom to devour. please stop talking and let the holy ghost do his job” Mobola's mother spoke

For reasons unknown to me, I stayed and prayed with them for 10 minutes before i took my leave. I would have thought in a household filled with registered and license practical nurses, someone should have known that what happened to Korede was Sleep Paralysis .

But as usual, ignorant culture took over

I am still shaking my head

________________

[1] Night Vigil

[2] Cover your head with it

[3] What happened

Their Dream

Hers

He shot her. He shot her three times, once in the chest and twice in the stomach. He then dragged her by her hair to the living room where his mother sat weeping. He pointed to his mother then said “look at my mother, are you happy now? This is what you have always wanted, isn’t it?” He then pushed her away and stared out the window while she bled and his mother wept.

She woke up with the pain in her stomach, the dream had felt so real and alive. He was lying beside her face up with one hand to his chest and the other hanging by the side of the bed. If it wasn’t for the sound of his snore, she won’t have known he was asleep. His eyes were half opened, jerking back and forth; a sign that tell he is in REM sleep. Dreaming. She looked at the clock and it says 4:30am; in fours hours, they will be on their way to the court house to get married. Last week, she had given him an ultimatum. “Choose one” she said “its either me or your mother”.

Last night he chose her. He chose her not only over his mother but his whole family. For the reason being that his father had supported his mother and his sisters supported their father.

Before she left his house at 5:02 am, she wrote him a note. “Honey, we can wait. Lets see if they will come around”.


His

The stream was fast rising. He needed to get both of them to the other side but there was no boat around. Suddenly he saw one, though it was full, he still hailed it. He recognized her parents and siblings, “we only have room for one “her father said. “Let her come in and you wait for your parents, their boat is coming behind us”. She climbed into the boat without question, not even to ask if he will be okay by himself. And off their boat went. He looked the other way just in time to see his parent’s boat “Mami, please I need a ride” he called out to his mother. “we have no more room. But since I can swim better than you, why don’t you take my space and I will swim to shore”. He was grateful for his mother’s suggestion and willing to comply. But just then, his father pulled his mother back into the boat and said “No, let him swim to the shore, remember he told us to mind our business in his affairs”.

He woke up tired and the feeling of loneliness and abandonment loomed large in his thoughts. The clock says 5:10am; he knows he has to get up in 2 hours to get ready for his wedding. He reached out to touch her but she was not there. He panicked, and called to her in the dark. It could be that she was using the bathroom, but he heard no answer. He turned on the light, to see a note on the dresser.

“Honey, we can wait. Lets see if they will come around” it said. Relief washed over him and he murmured to himself “and wait we shall my dear, wait we shall”.