SAINT MARY
©Kikelomo Fadugbagbe
Episode 5
Pastor Elijah followed him curiously.
The Doctor cleared his throat.
“Pastor sir, the lady over there is showing symptoms of leprosy.”
“Jesus Christ!”
“You know what that means, she has to be rehabilitated as soon as possible, all are muscles are weakened”
He slammed the table “God why?, this is too much for Mary!” His tears dropped uncontrollably.
“Pastor, stay calm I know you have faith, but please don’t risk putting her among other members. leprosy is a communicable disease and I’ve informed the government they won’t even allow me to discharge her. She’s going to a rehab center from here, if this happened in an uncivilized environment she would have been taken to the forest, but I assure you she will be fine.
“I can’t believe this is happening, Please can I go and see her”
“At your own risk” The replied frankly.
# EARLIER
The kidnappers had sold Mary’s baby to a yahoo boy named Deni. He took her to his ritualist in the middle of the night.
“Are you sure she’s 7days old?”
“Yes I’m very sure baba, today would have been her naming ceremony”
“Ok and you are sure the father and the mother are still alive.”
“That’s what they told me, Baba”
“As I said earlier, this is a 3 in one ritual, you are not only using the child, both parents are involved. Her father and mother will be down with leprosy while she becomes your pet, mind you, you must take good care of her. Once you are taking care of her, no cause for alarm. And as from today, you call her wealth.”
“Wealth. Ok thank you, sir”
He drove back to his house. He was shocked to see his girlfriend.
“Ha babe whose baby is that,” she asked curiously
“Dear, you didn’t tell me you are coming”
“Answer my question who owns the baby”
“I picked her from the gutter, only God knows who might have dropped her there”
“Oh my God she’s cute, she should be in an orphanage home instead”
“That’s true, I just love the baby, I can’t let her go. I’m keeping her” Deni and her girlfriend became fund of her.
Pastor Elijah in his state of distress organized an urgent meeting with his fellow members. Narrated what the Doctor told him.
“I would suggest we go and pray for her, if God can heal her from Madness then what is leprosy”
“Papa that idea is very bad” Rebecca stood up to counter him.
“We cannot risk our life for just one person”. Other members began to murmur
“Enough!, ok, dismiss, everybody, leave now!” He cried.
He fell on the altar, “God Mary is now part of me. Heal her please.” He begged
“Why are you hiding all this from me” Rebecca interrupted him
“Hide what?”
“That you are in love with Mary, you just said she’s part of you”
“Rebecca listen to yourself, are you making any sense”
“Stop that, stop pretending, you are a cheat, Have you forgotten how I fed you, From 100 level till now. From clothing to shopping. I’ve paid your school fees twice, how dare you cheat on me with that little witch.”
“Rebecca please, even if you don’t respect me, respect the anointing on my head”
“Oh you are deceived, who told you, you are anointed, Elijah you are so empty. Not too much talk, expect the worst from me.” She walked out angrily.
Madam Cecilia was seen shedding bitter tears. Her husband has been showing leprosy symptoms too. All the villagers had gathered to send him into a bush far away from the village. They tied him to some wood and began to push him.
Women surrounded Cecilia to console her as she mourn.
Mary was taken to the rehabilitation center, she met ten other persons there suffering from the same illness.
They got along so easily. And the morning of the next day, she woke them up for devotion.
“Morning devotion?” They asked surprisingly,.
“Yes where I was staying before I came here, we do devotion every morning.”
“Ok lead, we will follow…”
She began with worship songs..
To be continued..
(There is no denying that there is evil in this world but the light will always conquer the darkness. Watch out for the next episode)
Macmillianpen Novel
As Inspired by The Author Of Our Faith.
