The Devil Wears Okrika

Chapter 20

Osi himself took the stage. He had a specific message to share with the villagers. He believed God had used the Reverend's call earlier to speak to him. It had recharged him and he knew the people needed to hear it to.
He spoke passionately about the killings, about the effect it would have on the villagers, about the fear, anger, sorrow...he told them how they could not allow themselves to be yoked to all these negative feelings.
"God is telling us tonight...."(actually by 12:33am it was morning already) "he's telling you to come to him...get yoked to him, are you burdened with fear, grief, anger, regret? You need to make a conscious effort today to be yoked to God...because he tells us his burden is light..."

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"I know why you won't give Paul any face" Oluchi whispered to Amara. She had been watching her friend since the tall pastor began his sermon and she suddenly knew her friend had feelings for the man.
"Shhh...focus" Amara cautioned her without looking. She had a serious look on her face and Oluchi sobered up immediately.

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Ovie was on usher duty which he hated. He didn't like standing for long and as a matter of fact he had mastered the drumset partly because sitting down was guaranteed. However they were short on personnel. No one had imagined the turnout for the Virgil would be as much as this. The crowd tripled the number that had turned up during the previous service.
It was ironic that the recent killings had halted the progress of the crusade when in fact the people needed it now more than ever.
But that was by the way. Right now Ovie was overweight and he needed to rest. He scanned around for an empty seat. He walked slowly to the last row and tapped an elderly man who had fallen asleep with his mouth wide open. Only when the man woke up that Ovie realized it was Pa Kenneth. The old man looked very tired and Ovie felt like telling the man he could continue sleeping but he moved on. His legs were killing him he needed to get to the empty seat on the other row.
He gave a sigh of relief and stretched back, causing a creaking sound from the plastic chair.
That was when he heard the sound. It sounded like a hissing sound and Ovie had half turned in his seat wondering who was sleeping behind him, at first he saw nothing then he hoped it wasn't a snake.
But then he saw the man, he was half naked or maybe he was stark naked because the light from the bulb didn't quite reach the tree and a part of his body was in the shadows.
Ovie stood up wondering what had caused this. 'I hope he's under the anointing...' He mumbled to himself.
He reached the man and switched on his torchlight.
It wasn't anointing. No far from it, the man lay twitching on the floor and making convulsive movements. He was dying. It seemed he tried to speak or maybe he tried to shout but his throat had been sliced and more blood sprayed from his dislodged jugular like a bloody fountain resulting in the peculiar sound that Ovie had heard. Something gleaned just beside the head and Ovie looked at it. It was a piece of broken bottle. A liquor bottle. He was sure that was the murder weapon.
Ovie switched off the torch. He felt he was being watched. Whoever had done this was among the congregation seated here or maybe the killer was in the shadows watching him...waiting to grab him.
He tried to flashback and recall if anybody had passed him heading towards that direction but he couldn't recall.
Whatever noise any struggle would have caused must have been drowned by the massive speakers at the two opposite ends of the podium.
Ovie left the body and returned to his seat. He was not prepared to cause any panic, not when there was finally a sense of order. No sir...he didn't see anything.

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"I didn't know that your brother still came for the service" Amara tugged her friend's hand. The service had ended and people were socialising before leaving. Most would not be going back to bed because in a few hours they'd be going to open their shops or heading to their respective workplace.
She had been looking out for Osi but then she had seen Paul talking to a young man. But Oluchi wasn't paying attention. She was talking to Steve and even a blind man would be able to tell she was attracted to him. She touched her hair too many times, smiled too much and paid the man too much attention.
Amara gave up. She narrowed her eyes and marched to where Paul stood. Ever since Ezinne's death, she was looking at everybody with a very big microscope. And by everybody she meant Paul.
"Mister man, Oluchi said you were not coming" she announced barging in on his conversation with the young man.
"Okay but the thing be say-" he turned around and she could swear he was jittery.
"Oh...Amara...I changed my mind...this is Sofiri..Sofiri this is Amara"
"I know him very well...but we thought you wouldn't come"
"Yes...but I could hear the songs from my place and I couldn't sleep so I decided to come" he faced her fully, forgetting the man he had been talking with.
"I can't sleep Amara...you've been hunting dreams"
"Erm….hmmmm....Paul we go see later now...Amara later" Sofiri excused himself and went in search of his brother.
"Paul...biko...please please don't start....you're hiding things from me...how do you expect me to feel...or how do you expect my feelings for you to grow when you're not straight with me" (yes if that was what it took, she was willing to tow the path of seduction)
His ears stood at attention. Did she just admit to having feelings for him? "I can never hide anything from you, I swear it"
"Really...okay for starters...tell me why they call you Emeka...and tell me for how long you've been around"
"Amara I'd tell you I promise...but its late...let me come to your place later in the morning.....we'd talk very well"