THE DEVIL ON THE ALTAR
CHAPTER NINE
Every Wednesday was for prayer meeting in the fellowship. That was a time where every member of the fellowship looked forward to, mainly because it was always power-packed and the students were always revived and energized. The prayer was led by the president on most occasions and the prayer coordinator and other members of the prayer team assisted him. Missing the prayer was like missing an appointment with Jesus because every time spent in the prayer was always like the host of heaven and Jesus were bodily present in their midst. Every prayer request brought for the meeting was always transformed into testimonies. That made the prayer meeting to have more attendance than even Sunday service because other people from other fellowships also made it a duty to attend the meeting every week.
Wednesday came again and everyone was looking forward to the wonderful manifestation of the power of God through the fellowship president and other members of the prayer team. It was close to 6pm and the president was not in the church which was quite unusual for him because he always arrived hours before every church service. The prayer coordinator was calm since the president had informed him that he wouldn’t be around for the program and that he should anchor it on his behalf, but other members of the prayer team and other workers were worried about Paul’s absence. Patricia and Celestina were also worried about Paul’s absence and they all prayed for his well being.
The prayer went well, everywhere was charged and people really prayed and poured out their hearts to God but the absence of Paul was still felt and many people wished that he was around to lead the prayer. After the prayer, five sisters including Patricia and Celestina decided to pay Paul a visit after the prayer coordinator informed them that he was indisposed and that was why he couldn’t make it to the prayer.
They got to Paul’s residence at about 8:30pm and they met him wrapped up in a blanket like a little boy, shivering. Patricia was a little surprised to see him in that condition because she had always seen him as a superman who doesn’t fall sick or even have to deal with anything. Paul was a person that doesn’t wear a frown and he was always encouraging others, so it was quite alarming to see him in that condition.
“We are very sorry to have barged in on you like this,” Sis victory said after they had settled down in Paul’s room.
“That is not a problem. In fact I’m so elated to see you all. How was the prayer meeting?” Paul said.
“It went well, just that we missed you and the touch of your anointing,” Patricia answered on behalf of others.
“Thank God it went well and thank God for His anointing. It is actually God that chooses whosoever He will use and no one has the totality of the power of God. We all have a measure and it is available for all Christians who ask the Father,” Paul said.
“Our pastor has started a sermon for us here oh,” Sis Mercy said, making them all giggle, she had always been a funny person.
They played with Paul, helped him with cooking and even did some laundry for him before they eventually prayed with him and left.
When Patricia and Celestina got to their hostel they could not find the key to their room, they searched everywhere and were about giving up when Patricia’s phone rang. It was Paul that called her to ask whether she was the one that left her key at his place; she was so surprised to find out that her key was lost in his house. She confirmed the key was hers and he suggested that she went back to get it even when she insisted on waiting till the next day since it was around 10:30pm.
“This is a school environment and you can even walk around freely by 1am,” he said trying to convince her to return.
She yielded to his persuasions and begged Celestina to go with her but the latter refused stating that she has an early morning test the next day and couldn’t risk sleeping late, she said she would pass the night at their neighbour’s so Patricia should not bother calling her when she returns with the key.
Patricia could not understand why she was feeling so uneasy, she felt it was because it was so late and because she had to walk around alone so she decided to put on her earphone and listen to cool music which she did. Patricia got to Paul’s room at about 10:55pm; she knocked at the door hastily hoping to get her key and return without even entering but when Paul opened up he insisted she came in. He tried starting a conversation with her but Patricia was not listening, all that was on her mind was for her to get her key and return to her hostel.
“Have I offended you?” Paul asked, to Patricia’s amazement.
“Not at all, why would you say such a thing?” Patricia asked.
“I’m just wondering why you hardly talk to me and you are always in a hurry to go any time we manage to talk. In fact I noticed it the last time I visited you guys you were so cold to me, only Celestina was accommodating.”
Patricia was so surprised to hear that, she felt she had been relating with him well all along and she could not imagine that he saw her in that light. Paul was the one that paid for her mother’s treatment and the reason her mum is hale and healthy today so she was indebted to him and could not afford to pay him back with a cold attitude.
“I’m very sorry I made you feel that way but sincerely it has never been my intention to avoid you or be cold to you,” she said, hoping that her explanations were convincing enough.
Paul was seated on the edge of the only bed in his room while Patricia sat on the chair adjacent to the bed, he was looking down at the moment and Patricia hoped he would look up so she could read the expression on his face.
“I’m very sorry, sir,” she said, again looking at him.
“It is not a problem. I was just asking to find out if I had done anything wrong to you,” he said, still not looking at her.
He then began to cough, he was coughing so hard that Patricia became scared. She rushed into the kitchen to get water for him to drink so he could calm down. But all her efforts proved abortive and she was getting so confused, she checked the time and it was 11:24pm she didn’t know who to call at that moment.
The coughing ceased for a while and though she wanted to be on her way because of the time, she was scared of leaving him in that condition, especially after all he had done for her and what he just said. She sat beside him on the bed praying silently that he would fall asleep so she could at least leave him in a sleeping position, but the unexpected happened.
To be continued…
This Paul of a guy I don’t trust him one bit, he’s a wolf in sheep clothes