AARON ANSAH-AGYEMAN
THE MACHINE GUN PREACHER
EPISODE 16
Jon Fii flinched from the sheer violence in the man in black.
He followed lethargically as the man walked almost casually to the edge of the lakeโฆ and simply continued across as if the lake was a solid concrete.
Jon Fii gasped and stepped forward, and immediately felt a swift, jarring electric shock bracing through him and making him scream with frenzied pain.
The handsome man standing on the lake turned swiftly and glared at him. For a brief moment, there was great concern on his face before the fury once more reigned supreme.
โStay back, damn it!โ he hissed fiercely, and Jon Fii moved back and sat down on the ground as painful ripples moved through his body.
He watched, awestruck, as the handsome man walked across the lake towards Sophia, and slowly the heatwaves on the lake began to increase. Jon saw moonlight dimming, and the darkness stealing rapidly across the lake.
The handsome man walking across looked into the sky briefly.
โIf I be a servant of God, strengthened by His divine power, called into the vocation of an Unblind, I command the sun over this vile place, to remain, until I complete my call, in my Lord Jesusโ name!โ
He had spoken softly, but in the unreal space of evil they were in, his words sounded so amplified that Jon winced as it hurt his eardrums. And then, wonder of wonders, unbelievably, amazingly, Jon saw the moon receding, and then incredible sunlight covered the lake!
โDear God, whoโs this man that even commands the elements?โ Jon Fii whispered with indescribable wonder.
Suddenly, he saw Sophia screaming at the man approaching her as she remained suspended in the airspace above the lake.
โYE TURD!โ she bellowed in a voice that was various, as if many voices were speaking at the same time. โYE MENSTRUAL CLOT! HALT THEIR PROGRESS OR THE MAIDEN BE TORN TO PIECES!โ
โShut the f**k up,โ the handsome man said calmly. โYou distort the righteous ways of the Lord, taking that which does belong to you! Come out of her.โ
โNAY, NAY, NAY!โ the demons bellowed. โTHOU HATH NOโฆโ
โF**k it, I have no time to dally with you!โ the young man cried furiously. โIn the name of Jesus git the hell outta her now!โ
And the four-headed monster crashed out of Sophia, and shimmered with fear on the surface of the lake. The tall, handsome man reached out and caught the girlโs body as she fell from the air, and then he looked at the frightened demon on the lake with grim fury.
Jon Fii saw him speaking and commanding, but he did not see the hideous demon that had come out of Sophia.
โPLEASE, SERVANT OF THE MOST HIGH, CAST WE INTO THE FISHES FOR THOU HATH NO AUTHORITY TO END US!โ they said in trembling voices.
โDeath Cloud, to me!โ he said softly.
Immediately, a fearsome, scary, ash-like entity appeared behind the four-headed demon! This new entity bulged with screeching fury, causing the lake to sizzle and boil in a frightening manner. There were hideous things in the cloud-like thing, hissing and trying to get at the demon!
And the demon made horrible sounds of terror now, trying vainly to disappear into the lake, but held in place by the divine order the handsome man had placed on it.
โPLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASEโฆ NAY, NAY, NAAAY!โ it cried.
โTake that vile thing outta my sight,โ the handsome man said.
And the Death Cloud pounced on the demon with a wail that was as horrible as it was frightening.
The handsome young man turned away as the Death Cloud tore into the demon, shredding and consuming it with relentless fury, and then in a flash, it was gone!
The sunlight went out immediately, and a calm, beautiful moon shone on the lake. Jon Fii got to his feet with tears of gratitude in his eyes as the young man stepped off the beautiful lake and handed the inert figure of Sophia to Jon, who looked at her calm, beautiful face with horror.
โOh, Lord!โ he murmured with fear. โNo, no, no! Is she okay? Please tell me sheโs okay!โ
โTake her home to her parents,โ the handsome man said, and his voice was not so aggressive anymore. โLay her in her old room, and pray for her. She will wake up then. Now go! Iโm gonna release the inmates of the shrine and cure them, and the shrine will burn down. Believe me, you donโt wanna be here.โ
Jon Fii nodded, too overcome with emotions to trust his voice for a moment.
โThank you, sir,โ he said finally as tears fell from his face and down on Sophiaโs face. โThank you so much.โ
โDo not blaspheme!โ the man said sharply. โIโm but a vessel, like you. You know where your thanks is due.โ
Jon nodded again.
โI thank you, my Lord, my gracious, wonderful, omnipotent God!โ he whispered frantically.
โNow git,โ the handsome man said.
โPlease, please!โ Jon said frantically. โI know the Lord sent me here for a purposeโฆ to redeem this district from bondage. I am a pastor, and I see youโre also a worker in the vine. I beg of you, really beg of you, who are you? Even a first name would suffice.โ
The handsome young man glared at him fiercely for a moment.
โNameโs Boat,โ he said calmly. โYaw Boat.โ
โThank you,โ Jon Fii said with a smile. โYouโre not a pastor, are you?โ
โUnblind,โ Boat said. โGodโs special soldier. Enough of the jawing. Git, Pastor Jon Fii.โ
Jon Fii could not help himself.
Overcome with great emotion, his faith restored in the Lord he served, he carefully put Sophia on the ground and swiftly embraced Yaw Boat. The handsome man stiffened for a moment, but he did not embrace the young pastor back.
โIdiot,โ Yaw Boat said calmly, and Jon Fii laughed shakily and stepped back from the tall, handsome, well-built man.
โThank you, Yaw,โ he said. โIโm also Yaw, you know, and Iโm happy you also are. Youโre indeed, Godโs soldier. I wish that one day, my faith will grow to match your own.โ
Boat said nothing.
Jon Fii bent to pick up Sophia, and then he heard Boatโs long sigh.
โThe girl,โ Boat said, and his voice was suddenly a bit sad. โWhat are your plans for her?โ
Jon Fii stood up with Sophiaโs limp body in his arms. He smiled radiantly in the moonlight.
โI love her,โ he said with a rush of emotion. โFor the first time, I love a woman. And I believe God made this union for me. But why? Why do you look like that?โ
Boatโs face was screwed up with sudden emotion. He sighed again.
โShe does not have long to live,โ he said finally.
Jon Fii gasped as sudden pain hit his heart, and agony flitted across his handsome features.
โWhat?โ he whispered painfully. โWhat did you say?โ
Boat looked him squarely in the eyes.
โIโm sorry, pastor, but that girl doesnโt have long to live,โ he said gently. โHer parents love the Lord now, ever since they repented, and they have prayed for their daughter continuously, beseeching the Lord to save their child. The Lord heard their prayers, and brought you here to redeem her, and the people here whom He has chosen to bless.โ
โYes, yes, thatโs great news!โ Jon Fii said, his voice agitated. โBut Sophie? What do you mean she hasnโt got long to live?โ
โItโs her destiny, man,โ Boat said calmly. โYou must be happy she was redeemed, and did not die in her sins. Baptize her, let her live in the Lord. But donโt marry her.โ
โDamn you, Boat!โ Jon Fii cried in agony. โI love her, did you hear me? Do you have a woman you love?โ
He suddenly saw the beautiful golden ring on the manโs finger.
โYouโre married!โ he cried in pain. โYou know what love is! I presume you love your wife, right?โ
โNicole,โ Boat said simply. โI adore her.โ
โAnd I adore Sophia too!โ Jon Fii screamed. โCanโt you understand? I adore Sophie! If sheโs going to die that soon why did God allow me to love her so suddenly and so fiercely?โ
โIโm not God, idiot!โ Boat said calmly. โIt is appointed unto man once to die. The Lord knows best, man. Death is inevitable. Be happy for her that she goes to a better place.โ
โDamn you!โ Jon Fii screamed in pain. โDamn you, man! Whatever it is, pray for her! Heal her! Iโve seen the special powers the Lord has granted you! Heal this woman of any infirmity, please! I beg of you!โ
โStop the damn blasphemy, idiot!โ Boat screamed at him. โIโm without power! Everything I do works only if it is in line with the wishes of the Lord we serve! You have a problem, take it to Him!โ
โYes, I will!โ Jon Fii cried. โI will, and God will extend her life!โ
โNo, He wonโt,โ Boat said calmly. โIt is her appointed time. And when it is appointed, she goes. It happens, man.โ
โNo!โ Jon Fii screamed. โShut up, please, oh please! I donโt want her to die! She wonโt die!โ
Boat sighed.
โWith the power of the Lord I can help take the love you have for her out of your heart,โ he said calmly. โThat way, you wonโt feel her passing too much. Is that what you want?โ
โNo!โ Jon Fii screamed. โI donโt care if she dies today, or tomorrow, man! Iโm going to care for her, and love her, and make her happy, and share memories with her! But Iโm going to pray for her too, man! And God will listen, and extend her life, and let her live to a ripe old age with me!โ
โSheโs gonna die,โ Yaw Boat said as he walked past Jon Fii. โDo what you have to do. But sheโs gonna die as has been appointed.โ
Jon Fiiโs tears fell as he watched the blessed man walking casually away from him.
โYaw Boat, youโre not God!โ he screamed. โIn the book of Isaiah chapter thirty-eight, Isaiah prophesied that Hezekiah was going to die! Hezekiah turned his face to the Lord and prayed fervently! Do you know what that prayer did, Boat, huh? It made God change His mind about Hezekiah, and God made him live for fifteen more years! I believe in scripture, Boat! And I believe in prayer! God is going to extend Sophieโs life, do you hear me? She will live!โ
โOkay, Hezekiah,โ Boat said without pausing. โIdiot.โ
