Afflicted. Episode 15

Afflicted
Episode 15
The stranger enters his Escalade, and Amina opens the passenger door and sits beside him.
He drives fast but carefully.
The interior if the car is luxurious, and she notices that there is a huge Bible in the backseat of the car.
She does not ask him where they are going because she knows already, and her body is tingling with anticipation.
She simply can’t wait to see Pastor or Reverend or Apostle Ebow Obuobi again!
There are a lot of vehicles in the car park of the Golgotha Heights International Church when they reach there.
The stranger parks the car and gets out quickly.
Amina also gets down and runs after him.
He enters through the doors of the church.
It is packed to capacity once again!
The upper and lower terraces are all filled to bursting limits.
A great banner announces the ordination of Reverend Obuobi to Apostle status.
There is a gigantic picture of Ebow Obuobi serving as the background of the podium.
Reverend Obuobi, wearing the beautiful ceremonial gown of Apostles, has already been ordained, and he is now walking towards the pulpit to preach as loud applause ring through the church.
Kesewaa is also getting off the podium after completing another beautiful song.
The stranger is striding purposefully down the aisle, and Amina notices with glee that he looks very angry indeed.
The new Apostle is smiling with pride, but suddenly he sees the stranger, and the smile disappears from his face.
He gasps, and quickly drops the microphone.
Reverend Obuobi moves from the pulpit, and his right hand quickly drops into his side pocket and he brings out one of his mysterious candies, similar to what he has used to kill Bishop Osuanyi and strike down Akoto and his mother.
He moves forward and stands on the edge of the podium and looks at the stranger with confused eyes.
The stranger has reached the front, and many people are looking at him, both with fear and awe.
The stranger turns right and walks towards the door that leads to the interior offices and the Miracle Room.
An Usher suddenly approaches him with a grim scowling face.
USHER
This portion is out of bounds, sir. You can’t go this way! Kindly let me show you to a seat!
The stranger does not stop, but suddenly the golden curtain hanging in front of the door rips down the middle with a furious ripping sound with no one touching it, and then the door blasts off its hinges with a mad, furious, exploding sound!
The Usher turns, stares at the door and then he begins to quiver!
He swallows hard, and then he steps aside quickly.
Amina almost laughs as she watches the stunned looks on the faces of everyone present, especially Reverend Obuobi whom she can see is suddenly sweating profusely inside his ceremonial dress.
The stranger marches on, and Amina stops.
She is having so much fun watching the terror on the once-pompous face of Obuobi that she wants to savour it.
The stranger disappears into inside.
He locates the room where Akoto is lying weakly on a bed, and he enters.
He finds Akoto lying on the bed where Amina had left him earlier, still with leprous hands, crippled legs and a twisted mouth.
The stranger’s harsh face softens quickly as he sees the terrible thing Ebow has done to this humble Christian.
Akoto is watching, and he makes strange noises when he remembers what Amina had told him about a tall and handsome stranger coming to help them.
THE STRANGER
Because you have always served God, He will never abandon you, nor let your toe stumble! Be blessed, little brother! Stand up, in the name of Jesus, get dressed, and go home. Never abandon the path of righteousness, for God loves you!
Akoto feels a warm glow passing through him, and then his sick limbs straighten out, and he watches, dazed, humbled and filled with joy as the terrible affliction Obuobi has placed on him slowly disappears!
He looks up, but the stranger has left the room again!
He stands up, sniffing with passionate tears, and slowly begins to put on the rest of his clothes.
The stranger walks back into the church where there are mumblings of confusion all around, but the moment he appears all the noise dies down.
They all watch with trepidation as he mounts the podium and stands facing an evidently terrified Apostle Ebow Obuobi.
REV. OBUOBI
(uncertainly)
Who are you, and what do you want here?
THE STRANGER
(acidly)
You worker of iniquity! You vile evil man, filled with everything despicable! How dare you! Do you think you can touch the anointed children of God, Akoto Nyameboame, his mother and Osuanyi Ayeh and go scot free? Listen, the hand of God is stretched upon you, and judgement is passed on you this very day!
There are gasps of horror from the onlookers.
Apostle Obuobi takes a step back and pushes the candy between his teeth and begins to bite.
REV. OBUOBI
Keep away from me! I’m a man of God, and you don’t want to taste my power!
THE STRANGER
Funny little fool! Do you think biting the candy can harm me? Go on, bite it and bite off your legs, fool!
Obuobi bites, and he screams with pain as he feels his thighs puncturing painfully, and blood stains his dress.
His eyes open with wide sudden horror then.
The stranger turns and faces the congregation.
THE STRANGER
You fools! The Bible says judgement will begin from the house of the Lord, and for a fact I understand that now! You allowed this demon to lead this church? A man who has built his faith on evil, to trample on you and scatter you like wheat for his own selfish gains? Because you chased after signs and wonders, forgetting the righteous path of the Lord, you allowed this to happen in the house of the Lord!
REV. OBUOBI
(screaming)
It’s a lie! It’s all a lie!
The stranger whirls on him with fierce eyes.
THE STRANGER
A lie? So what you have sown in this church, without the knowledge of the late Bishop Osuanyi is a lie?
The stranger’s hand slashes downward, and immediately the area in the floor in front of the pulpit cracks open, revealing a secret crevice!
The crevice is just in front of where Kesewaa is standing, and she looks inside, and screams with terror!
She moves backwards fast, but loses her balance and falls down.
REV. OBUOBI
(screaming)
No, no, no, no, no, noooooo!!!!
People are looking into the crevice!
It contains a lot of hideous things!
There is a huge live anaconda in it!
There is a skull, there is blood, and there are pieces of human anatomy in it!
THE STRANGER
That is the source of his power, his evil power! A man who extols himself, and does not even acknowledge the authority of God and Jesus, and you all fall for his false worship! The evil one came, and succeeded in scattering you like wheat! May God have mercy on all of you!
He slashes his hand again, and immediately there is a whoosh as a great fire erupts in the crevice, burning the secret shrine.
The terrible anaconda rears out of the crevice, huge and terrible!
The people who had not yet seen it scream with terror, and there is a mad rush towards the entrance.
THE STRANGER
(angrily)
Perish, you vile thing, in the name of Jesus!
And the gigantic snake suddenly explodes into ashes.
Apostle Obuobi screams suddenly and falls on the podium, thrashing as if he himself is on fire!
REV. OBUOBI
(screaming)
HELP ME, PLEASE! PLEASE HELP ME! PLEASE, HELP ME PLEASE! HAVE