*”STRUCK DOWN”*
[EPISODES 10 & 11]
*_EPISODE TEN_*
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Debby saw herself walk through a path that seemed to have no end. As she wondered where she was headed and the force that kept making her legs walk, she saw two men in the right and on the left who looked like they have been patiently waiting for her to meet them.
“Young lady, where are you coming from, and where are you going to?” The man on her left asked as soon as she caught up with them.
“Ehmmm…… I……I think I’m coming from…. from one….” She stammered and stopped for a while as she didn’t seem to remember where she was coming from.
“Sir, the truth is I can’t recall anything, and I don’t seem to understand where I’m heading to either. If not that you stopped me, I’d probably still be walking because it seems as if I have no control over my legs in this strange place.” Debby said sincerity.
The two huge men exchanged looked before the one on her right opened his mouth to speak.
“There is a generation that is like a slag to me, the useless product of a refined material, a worthless thing. Because you’ve made yourself worthless, I will assemble you and melt you down; I’ll blow on you the fire of my wrath to melt you down in the furnace.” He said and stopped to look into the eyes of the puzzled young woman standing in front of him.
“You’re a city murderous to the core, obsessed with worthless ideas, only deriving pleasure in making yourself filthy. In all your killing, you’ve piled up guilt. In all your idol-making , you’ve become filthy. Because you’ve done this and so much more, thereby dragging my holy name to the dust, I’ll put you on display as the scarecrow of the nations, the world’s worst joke. From far and near they’ll all gather to watch and make fun of you.” The man said with so much anger in his voice. Immediately her instincts told her judgement was being passed against her based on how she had lived her life so far, she froze in fear.
“Please Sir, I don’t fully understand everything you’re saying but then i know I’m already being judged. Please have mercy on me Sir…..tamper justice with mercy.” Debby said on her knees.
The man looked down to where she was and became silent. In a short while, he opened his mouth and continued.
“Because of you and your stubbornness, the innocent are being extorted, robbery has not become the order of the day, the poor and needy are abused, and outsiders are kicked around at will, with no access to justice.” The man said. At this point, it seemed he was being been backed up by a thunderous voice so powerful that Debby shivered. She avoided his gaze as the face of the man now looked so fierce and dreadful to behold.
“Please Led, I’m sorry.” Debby pleaded in hot tears. By now, she had understood the man was talking about her destiny and how disappointed God is in her for coming home unfulfilled which has indirectly affected numerous lives attached to her destiny fulfilment.
“You had such a glorious destiny coupled with wonderful potentials hidden inside of you, but you left them lie unutilised and unused. Now you’re back here as a liability and a useless servant. He that discovers a talent of his and refused to make use of it is an unprofitable servant; but a person like you who never bothered to pay attention to your potentials and discover them is nothing but a useless servant.” The man on her left said, with a calm voice.
“I’m sorry Sir, I’m very sorry Sir. I never knew I was ever important. I’m a nobody, coming from parents who are nobodys and…..” Debby said and wanted to speak further when the man on his hand raised his right hand in a haste.
“You dare give excuses? For what exactly? The parents you are talking about, you were given to them to see they don’t die as nobodys. No one created by God is a nobody; it is the inability to utilize the potentials deposited inside of you as a result of your ignorance that amounts to your being a nobody because what you carry inside of you is never discovered or used.” The man said as she bowed her head in defeat.
“I’m sorry Sirs, I didn’t know I was this important. No one told me. If I had known I had alot of destinies attached to mine including that of my parents, I would’ve lived life differently.” Debby said with her head bowed.
“No one told you? Did you just say no one told you?” The man on her left asked calmly. Debby looked up to him and nodded in affirmative. He shook his head and waved his hand across the 2020196532a
“Kate please let me be and stop pestering my life around like a housefly. You’re unwanted in my space, don’t you get it? Friendship can’t happen between us. It is not by force abeg.” Debby watched her younger self flare up irritated as Kate sat beside her to during break period.
“Deborah you still don’t get it. I am not coming to you because I want to be your friend. If that had been my aim, I would’ve given up a long time ago because the insults you throw at me alone is enough to second-guess such desire.
I am here because Jesus wants you. He wants you to know Him say this young age to avoid making grievous mistakes in the future.” Kate said and Debby sighed heavily.
“I know of evangelists who pester innocent souls around with this give your life to Christ thing but your case is different. You’re not just pestering me, you’re being specific about my knowing him at this young age. Is that supposed to scare me or what?”
“Scare you? I don’t understand.”
“Listen I’ve agreed with you, I’ve prayed the salvation prayer with you so I’ve given my life to Christ; why still preaching to me for crying out loud?”
“It’s not about saying the salvation prayer and doin nothing afterwards Debby. That’s not what Jesus wants. He desires a relationship with you. I don’t know why I’m being specific about you but I know its because your case is different. There’s something big God wants to do through you. So many lives depend on you, and if you don’t follow God now at this early morning of your life, a lot of blood might be on your neck.” Debby heard Kate say as she saw here younger self paying little to know attention to what her then classmate was saying, instead was using her to eat the peanut she had bought.
“See look at that girl.” Debby said as she pointed to one of their classmates seated on a guy’s lap who happened to be their classmate as well.
“Don’t you think both of them need Jesus more than I do?” Debby asked as Kate shook her head.
“You’re still not getting it. Your destiny is different, and so is your glory. Even the Bible says one star differs from another in glory. I believe God is taking special interest in your case at this because there is a lot embedded inside of you, and He has made so much investment in your life.” Kate said and at this point, Debby turned around to face her.
“Okay now tell me; how come you know so much about me but so little about your family? At least this energy you’re using to know and tell me all these eery blessed day, if you redirect the energy towards your family, probably God would reveal something to you to get you out of the abject poverty you’ve found yourself in.” Debby said sneeringly
“Jesus Christ!” Kate exclaimed.
“What is Jesus Christ? Oh, you think I don’t know you can’t afford your school fees, not to talk of feeding. If not that your Aunty out of her good heart decided to be a helping hand you you and your entire family, I’m sure you wouldn’t be here with the opportunity to generate this noise to me daily. You would probable be in the streets, begging for bread in exchange for your low quality snacks you’d be selling.” Debby spoke further as Kate stared at her in amazement. Mere looked at her eyes, one could visibly sense she was hurt by Debby’s words.
“The two men in her right and left shook their heads in pity as they watched Kate walking out of the classroom to a more empty place to shed tears.
“God you know all things. Why would you send me to Debby if all I’d get are horrible and hurtful insults?
I’m tired Lord. I want to stop preaching to her but each time I make such decision in my heart, you never let me be and I find myself going back to her again.
I’m tired of all these Lord, I’m tired.” Kate said with a tearful and broken heart.
“It’s over. You’ve done enough warning and it is up to her to heed to it. You’ve done enough my child it is okay. Whatever happens to her afterwards, her blood wouldn’t be on your neck.” She heard the quiet voice of the Holy Spirit say to her.
“So no one told you, right?” The man on her right asked as the images cleared.
“The….I….it was not..” Debby stammered, visible shaking.
The two men ignored her expression and stared into space which immediately brought another image where Debby saw her younger self again, this time in church.
Seated in front of her was a middle-aged man who seemed to be having some negotiations with her.
“Daddy Mike!” She whispered to herself the moment she recognized the man’s face.
“But Daddy I’m not interested. I mean I have school to focus on and that consumes my time greatly that I almost have little amount of time left for myself.”
“There’s something called priority Debby. You can always make out time for what you wish to do. Besides, I’m not asking you to joing a group that’d require your presence here within the week either.
The Lord is strongly laying it in my heart to persuade you to join the children’s church, that’s where you calling lies.
The ministry is going to be interesting, I’m sure of that. Of all age brackets, the children are the most easily initiated and influenced and the devil takes advantage of this because they are the future, the next generation.
Who knows, God is leading you there to plant godly seeds in their heart and water it frequently so the devil wouldn’t have a hold on them.”
“Hmmm ……and if they don’t listen to me? What if I fail?” Debby asked as Daddy Mike smiled
“You didn’t call yourself Debby, God did. And for Him to be calling you now, it means he has long gone ahead of you to prepare the way.” Daddy explained as Debby shook her head.
“With all due respect Daddy, I don’t feel…..qualified for this kind of assignment. How can I be called when I’m in this kind of situation: hailing from a broken home, little faith and lots of unpleasant experiences.
Noo….. Maybe God should go find another person who’s perfect or at least better than I am.
I’m just a common girl trying to make efforts to see my life turns out to be better than my parents.”
“Hmmm…..I understand you Debby, but the gifts and calling of the Lord are without repentance.
God has put into your hands certain assignments only you can handle and God has made you the way you are because He wants you this way for this assignment.
About your background, I know it’s a message, but you can turn it to a message.” Daddy Mike said but Debby kept shaking her head.
“Daddy, I’m too common to be called….”
Hmmmm……. speechless.
Too common to be called. Do people feel that way, really?
©Princess Stories
*”STRUCK DOWN”*
*_EPISODE ELEVEN_*
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A call came in very early in the morning from an unknown number.
“Oh God, what sort of alarm is this one na? I just started sleeping.” Charity pouted on hearing her phone ring, thinking it was an alarm. She blindly sought for her phone, put it off and turned to the other side of the bed with her blanket to sleep a little further.
It was at the second ring that it occured to her it wasn’t an alarm. She turned to her phone and picked the call immediately, without checking who was calling.
“Hello?”
“Hello good morning. Please am I speaking with Charity?” The caller asked. Charity was taken aback by the question that she then check who was on the line.
“Yes please. How may I help you?” She responded, hoping it wasn’t a fraudulent call.
“I am Dr. Vincent, calling from Divine Hospital along Crescent Road. Do you know the place?”
“Yes I do. Any problem?”
“Well, I got your number from a patient who was brought in here earlier this morning. I just came in now to attend to her only to see a note lying on the side table with your number written in it. Probably you were tired and had to go home so you dropped your number to enable us reach you when we want to start treatment on her.” The Doctor explained and Charity stared at the phone number one more time.
“Me? Hospital? How?” She reasoned within.
“Okay Doctor. I’m actually confused at the moment but…..please what’s the name of the patient.”
“Is that a question I’m meant to answer? You brought her here, how come you don’t know her name?”
“Well, it is possible. I might’ve been a good Samaritan who just helped a stranger she saw knocked down by a vehicle across the street while heading home. And as a matter of fact, I didn’t bring anyone to your hospital. I haven’t stepped out of my house since today.”. Charity replied. The Doctor was silent for a while.
“In that case, your attention is needed at the hospital so we could resolve this right away.
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“You can stop here, I’ll take it from here.” Chief said to his driver who obeyed immediately.
As soon as Chief alighted from his car and waved, the driver sped off and Chief continued his journey on foot. After a ten minutes walk he arrived at a brown gate.
He knocked a few times before someone came from inside to open the gate for him.
“Is the Priest in?” He asked the gate man as soon as he was allowed into the compound. The gateman simply nodded in response to his question and Chief headed for the house.
He had free access into the parlour as the door was left ajar.
After removing his big Agbada and shows, he walked into a smaller room with his back.
Chief has his face bowed to the ground until the priest took note of, and acknowledged his presence.
“The deed has been done Baba, I have offered the sacrifice as demanded.” Chief said immediately he sat on the bare floor with his legs comfortably crossed.
“Hmmm…..you have done well.” The priest commended as they both watched in the air an image replaying how he spent the night with Debby.
“So I can be healed now?”
“Yes. The infirmity would be transfered to the lady in question. But….” The priest said and Chief’s heart almost skipped a beat on hearing the conditional word “but”.
“But what Baba?”
“Hmmm…..you surely would be healed, but your healing won’t be permanent.”
“My healing won’t be permanent? But….but why? I fulfilled all the conditions you told me are attached to my healing.”
“You didn’t complete the ritual, you only followed half of my instructions. I asked to get a young girl whom you’d become one with in spirit so the infirmity could be transfered to her after her spirit soul and body has been fully captured.
You only succeeded in hacking into her soul and body buh her spirit is till free .” The priest said and Chief became confused.
“But how come? I mean I followed all your instructions Baba, word for word.”
“I agree. You followed all my instructions but one. You were to chant certain incantations into her mouth to capture her spirit and seal up the ritual.” The priest said and Chief bowed his head in frustration.
“How did that skip my mind? How? How come I totally forgot up until now?” Chief soliloquized loudly with his head bowed as the priest smiled mischievously.
“But okay Baba what would happen now? Can I still be cured of this infirmity that is becoming life-threatening?”
“Yes you can, but like I said before it won’t be permanent.”
“What can I do to make it permanent at this juncture?”
“You have to repeat the process all over again. You’re joined with her already, so there’s no need going through the stress of making arrangements to hookup with her again. Just get her into the position for the ritual as you initially did and repeat the process, ensuring you get it right this time.” The priest said and Chief was downcast.
“How am I meant to achieve that now? It was really tough for me the first time that I had to go out of my way to ensure the ritual was done. How am I supposed to……oh no, this is gonna be difficult, so difficult.” Chief thought out. The priest on hearing his thoughts said nothing but quietly located a polythene bag in his shrine and brought out a white substance. After spitting on it thrice, he stretched it out to hand it over to Chief.
“Here. Make use of this and it’s make your mission a lot easier.”
“How do I make use of this?”
“When the time comes, you’d receive the directions.
If you make use of this well, all those involved in helping you in getting the girl would come to you of their own accord to render the help you need.” The priest said and Chief smiled satisfactorily.
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“Good morning. Please I’m Charity and I’m here to….” Charity said to the receptionist of the hospital she rushed into. Before she could finish her statement and completely introduce herself, the said receptionist cut in.
“Oh you’re Miss Charity? Welcome ma’am. Dr. Vincent has been expecting you. His office is that way.” She said in warm smiles as she pointed to a particular direction. Charity thanked her with a dashing smiles before leaving for the doctor’s office.
“Yes, come in please.” A deep voice responded to Charity’s knock on the office door.
“Good day Sir.” Charity greeted as soon as she walked in. For a moment, Dr. Vincent stopped what he was doing and stared at Charity, obviously smitten by her beauty.
“Please sit down.” He said shortly after snapping himself out of his dreamy mood.
“You’re the one k spoke with over the phone early this morning?”
“Yes.”
“Do you in any way know any of your friends who got injured and was rushed to the hospital in the early hours of today? Has anyone called you today to inform you of such news?” Dr. Vincent asked as Charity shook her head in the negative after giving his question a brief thought.
“That’s strange. Hmmmm…… Okay let’s go check the patient. You might probably recognize her.” The doctor said and with that they left his office for Debby’s ward.
“My God! Debby what happened to you? Doctor please what happened to her?” Charity asked, trying so hard not to get emotional as she held Debby’s hands.
“She was rushed in here in a very critical condition by someone we thought was you. According to the nurse on shift, you were so much in a hurry you refused to write down your name and attach at signature to I in our hospital diary at the reception.
We’ve run various test on her to figure out what might be wrong with her but surprisingly the results have shown she is medically okay and her systems are working fine the way they should.
But the result is the exact opposite of the reality on ground now. She’s been like this for the past 8 hours now
“8 hours??? Is she sleeping or in a coma?”
“I doubt if it’s right to say she’s merely sleeping.” The doctor said as Charity remained silent for a while.
“O Lord, I listened to your instructions and interceded for Debby throughout the night even when I didn’t feel like it. She’s the reason my eyes are baggy this morning because I didn’t have a sound sleep. Please let nothing happen to her.” Charity prayed silently in her heart and turned to face the doctor.
“Please can I have some moments with her alone?” She asked pleadingly, trying to conceal her shaky voice.
“Sure. Of course.” Dr. Vincent said and took his leave.
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Debby was on her knees, desperately pleading for her life as the two men who she had understood at that point to be angels, seized conversations with her.
“Please have mercy on me. Please beg Jesus for me🙏. He died for me. Please.” She pleaded as she shook the garment of the angel by her left in desperation. The angel looked down at her.
“There is no room for you on heaven.” He said.
“Then let me go back. Let me return to earth please, and I promise to have a change of heart. I’d live differently and in view of heaven do I’d always do right.”
“It’s too late for that Debby. You could’ve done all you’re promising to do now with the one life you had.” The angel replied and maintained a stern look afterwards.
Fear gripped Debby.
“No no no no no. Give me a second chance please.” She cried, shaking his garment vigorously, weeping sore.
“The people we give second chances to here are usually as a result of their past good deeds or the deed, or as a result of intercessory prayers made for them.
We’ve made a diligent search and there’s no one on your behalf. There’s no one to stand in the gap for you to increase your chances of going back to Earth and changing your ways.
Our hands are tied Deborah, there’s nothing we can…..”
“Wait…..” One of the angels said, interrupting the other.
“There’s a cry. A cry of mercy for her. Can you hear it?” He asked and they all went quiet to listen.
“Charity? Charity! Yes, that’s Charity’s voice! Oh thank God 🥺. Thank God, Thank God, Thank God🙏. Thank you Jesus.” Debby said with her head bowed as fresh tears of gratitude freely flowed down her cheeks.
“There’s someone standing in the gap for you, and I’ve recieved directions from The One to let you go back, on the condition you wouldn’t return here with excess luggage again and wicked acts filed against you.” The angel by her left said as Debby nodded in complete understanding.
The angel by her right waved his hand across the air and in the twinkle of an eye, there was a door in front of Debby.
“Behind that door lies the portal that’d lead you back to Earth. Walk straight on the path till you get to the door which will open to you of its own accord. Head on straight, don’t look left or right. Let your focus just be on getting to your destination.” The angel said and Debby thanked them wholeheartedly.
“When I see you again, we’d be rejoicing in heaven.” Debby said with sincere smiles to them as they didn’t respond but gave a nod and ordered her to go.
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Kadar was in the living room about calling his maid Abdul to prepare a meal for him when he felt an urge to head to his shrine immediately.
On getting in, he found his old clock ringing, indicating his most recent prey was on the verge of escaping his claws
“Impossible! I stayed up all night to ensure she doesn’t make it alive. What went wrong?” Kadar conversed with himself as he stared in complete amazement at the image that displayed Debby about regaining conscious in the hospital.
“But how?” He asked aloud and next he could clearly see her spirit heading towards a door with full concentration. He understood immediately and began speaking against it.
“No, she mustn’t get to that door, she mustn’t make it alive.” He roared and hastily wore his work clothes and began making incantations. He could see the effect of the spiritual exercise he was practising as the path Debby’s was treading on began to get confusing thus difficult to tread on.
“What’s happening?” She heard her say from the image clearly displaying her and he closed his eyes to intensify his incantations.
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Doctor Vincent walked into his patient’s ward to find Debby, Charity and one of his nurses inside.
“What are you trying to do?” He asked his staff who was tapping Charity continuously.
“I’m trying to wake her up. I’ve been here twice now and she’s been in this kneeling position. I guess she slept off during prayers.” The nurse replied.
“That’s alright, you don’t need to disturb. This could also be her way of praying you know, so let her be.” The doctor said as the nurse nodded and made use of the door.
“She must’ve been worn out from the lengthy prayers she’s been praying ever since she got here.” Dr. Vincent reasoned after checking to find out she was actually sleeping and not praying.
Sleep ehn…..God help us all.
*_To be Continued…_*
