KARMA'S LOVE - Episode 14

Seun: “Nelson!! Nelson!! Wake up, we need to talk…..” Seun shook her husband awake.

Nelson: “What is it woman? Its midnight now! What’s the problem?”

Seun:“I know! I have something important to discuss with you. And you need to sit up and listen.”

Nelson: “It can’t wait for daytime when normal people have conversations?”

Seun: “No, it can’t.”

Nelson: “Okay, what is the problem?” He asked, sitting up.

Seun: “Hmmm, I went to see Pastor Jim today…”

Nelson: “What? Why? Why would you do that?”

Seun: “You think I don’t want all these problems to end? My life is at stake too oh. My children’s lives are also at stake so I want to know exactly what is happening to us. I thought it was a test, a trial but I realised it was more serious when you refused to tell me exactly what Pastor Jim said.”

Nelson: “So you went behind my back to see him?!”

Seun: “Behind your back as how? Did I use to tell you whenever I go to see him before?”

Nelson fumed impotently. What could that man have told her? She was looking at him so seriously, he was worried about what she had heard. Hopefully, the man didn’t tell her everything.

Seun: “Pastor Jim told me everything. He told me how you came to him for prayers and how he prayed and told you what the Holy Spirit revealed to him. But you refused to heed what he said and have decided to do this your own way.”

Nelson: “What does he mean by the Holy Spirit? Why are you so gullible? Is it everyone who says Jesus, Jesus that is working with the Holy Spirit?”

Seun: “What are you saying now? Suddenly, Pastor Jim is not a man of God abi? After all the answered prayers and divine revelations abi? Now that he has told you the truth, He’s no longer a man of God. Nelson, listen to me. Pastor Jim said he saw a sword coated with blood upon your head. He said the blood of a young girl is crying against you seriously. He says you must make restitution as quickly as possible.”
Nelson: “How can he tell you that? Doesn’t he respect privacy?”

Seun: “I am your wife, there is no privacy between us. I need to know these things. What if the sword hanging over you moves to me or my children?”

Nelson: “Eh ehen? So that’s your own concern with all of it, right? And now, they are your children, abi? The bible says it’s for better for worse, for richer or poorer, till…..”

Seun: “No! Not when you’re hiding secrets from me! Who did you kill? And why won’t you make restitution?”

Nelson: “I didn’t kill anybody!! And it doesn’t matter!!”

Seun: “It matters! It matters! Look at our lives right now! It matters!!”

Nelson: “The bible says that if a man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things have passed away and all things have become new! Christ has taken away the ordinances written against us and nailed it…..”

Seun: “Nelson, are you okay? Do you think giving your life to Christ automatically negates wrongdoing of the past?”

Nelson: “Yes, it does!!”

Seun: “You must confess your sins and make restitution!!”

Nelson: “You want me to find a family after over 20 years and tell them nonsense about their daughter? What do you think they will do? Hug me and tell me thank you?”

Seun: “Why don’t you try it first, Nelson?” She started crying. “Pastor Jim said it is the solution for us.”

Nelson: “Will it be a solution for you when I am in Prison?”

Seun: “If you truly have given your life to Christ, he would watch out for you and give you peace for those people.”

Nelson: “If Christ wanted to do anything, he would have cleared my slate when I gave my life to him. Just leave me with my life, Seun!”

Seun: “Okay, continue oh!! Continue your actions!! When you know death is the next bus stop abi? You want to make me a widow, right?”

Nelson: “Seun, see, I won’t die, okay? Look at this……” He brought out a rosary wrapped around his neck. “You see it? Nothing will happen to me as long as I have this.”

SEUN: “What is that?” She asked.

Nelson: “I got it from an Alfa that my Aunty took me to.”

Seun: “Ha!! Oooooooooo, Nelson! Now, you’re meeting an Alfa? You want to kill me? I will report you to your mother!!”

Nelson: “Don’t you dare go to my mother!! That day you’ll go back to your own mother!!” Seeing her hurt expression, he said “It’s just a backup. If Jesus fails, Allah will not!”

Seun: “Nelson, you’re making yourself more of object for the devil! This man oh!! You’ll kill me oh!!” She cried louder.

Nelson: “Stop, Seun. It is fine. I promise you.” He hugged her, hoping to comfort her.

However, Seun could not stop the sense of foreboding that held her bound. She knew that her husband was merely a sitting duck now. She would have to intercede for him and for her children to not bear the evil load of their father.

…………………………………

The man that got out of the Honda looked old and very frail. Holding him up was the Head Pastor of his Church and the Assistant Pastor. They were flanked by two other pastors and the wife of the Head Pastor.

Head Pastor: “Oya, hold him up, don’t let him slip. Brother James, look up and tell us, is this the office you came to?”

James: feeling very weak, whispered, “Yes sir, it is.”

Head Pastor: “Which office exactly?”

James: “It….its 3rd office…… on the….second floor sir.”

Head Pastor: “Pastor Jimi and Pastor Unubun, please go to the second floor, the 3rd office like he said and ask for Prophet…..prophet what, Brother James?”

James: “Prophet Agadi….Agadu…”

Head Pastor: “Did you hear?”

Pastor Jimi: “Yes sir.”

Head Pastor: “Quickly please…..”

The two young Pastors hurried into the building and up the flight of stairs.

Head Pastor: “Erm, Pastor Oluwanishola, please take Brother James phone and call his friend, Hudson again.”

Pastor Oluwanishola: “Okay sir.” He said as he collected the phone and begins to dial for the 38th time. He listens and smiles when he hears the phone ringing. “Pastor, Pastor, it is ringing oh!!”

Head PASTOR: “Really?? Very good!! Give it to me, please.” He collects the phone but is disappointed when the call isn’t picked.

Just then, the other two pastors come downstairs followed by a man wearing a guard uniform.

Pastor Unubun: “Pastor, we didn’t see the prophet but the security man has something to tell us.”

Head Pastor: “Yes? Good afternoon sir. Please can you help us? We are from the Christ Evangelical Outreach Ministry and we are here on behalf of our brother.” He points at James who leans weakly against the car. “We need to see prophet Agadi”

Security man: “Sir, when I see the 2 man here go upstairs, I know say something don happen. See, make I no lie you, that man fake. No be only una don come here oh, plenty people don come say because of scam. Them don take my Oga wey get our building go Police station say na him bring the guy come…”

Pastor Mrs: “Sir, please back up. Are you telling us this prophet does not exist??!!”

Security man: “Madam, na so I dey talk!! Na 419 him be!!”

James: “Ha! I am finished!! My life is finished!!”
Security man: “Oga, no talk like so! As long as life dey, you fit overcome.”

Head Pastor: “Young man, this prophet scammed this brother of the money he was supposed to take to India for a kidney transplant. How do you think we can get him??”

Security man: “Ewo oh!!” He shouted as he put his hands over his head. “How you go do am?”

Head pastor: “That’s our question!! Is it possible to see this your boss and see if we can get this guy?”

Security man: “Ha! My oga don dey for Police. Some people say the man thief the money for their land!! The money reach 42million and they come take my Oga!! Plenty people don come. Some say na rent he take from them, some say na car, plenty things, oga.”

Pastor Mrs: “Oh God, what do we do?”

Head Pastor: “We call his friend….dial him on my phone instead of Bro James’ phone….”

The Assistant Pastor quickly dials the number on the senior Pastor’s phone. After a few rings, he picks up and the phone is passed to James who is already weeping.

James: “Hudson!! Hudson!! What’s up? Can you…hear me?”

Hudson: “Yes, who is this?”

James: “Its James now…”

Hudson: “James, how far?”

James: “Hudson, I’m at the prophet’s office oh…..they…I wasn’t feeling better so I came but….they say he’s a scamme….they say he has stolen several…..”

Hudson: “Okay, what can I do?”

James: “Hudson now! You brought me to this guy, you said…..”

Hudson: “Wait, do you want to pin this on me?”

James: “Hudson, please help me out, I beg you! Don’t treat me like this. It’s been 3 weeks and I am dying.” He cried desperately.

Hudson: “So you no wan die? Guy leave matter abeg! I no force you pay money!”

James: “Hudson!! You t……t…..ol…d me…how the….prophet healed people ….you …know, that’s…..what you said.”

Hudson: Ehn so what? Guy, I don’t have money for you. Prophet don go oh!

James: “Hudson, did you plan with the prophet to scam me? You sound like you don’t pity me…”

Hudson: “Pity you?? Hahahhah! You, James!! So, that’s how your memory is short?!”

James: “Hudson, please don’t let me die, abeg.” He started crying.“I beg you, don’t back stab me like this.”

Hudson: “Make I hear!! You never stab anybody for back before? Why are you forming? As if it’s not you I knew in University!!”

James: “I’ve changed, I swear!! Hudson please, I’m not ready to die! Help me!”

Hudson: “You have changed right? You are a fool!! A bastard!! How dare you tell me about change? Did you forget you raped my cousin?? You might have forgotten but I didn’t……”

James: “Hudson, no please!! You said I should forget it, that…….” He was seized by a fit of coughing!! The Head Pastor collected the phone from him.

HP: “Mr Hudson, we believe that you are aware of the prophet who scammed your friend. It’s in your interest and that of Brother James to provide him as quickly as possible.”

Hudson: “I’m sorry sir. That cannot happen. I’ve taken my own share of the money and gone far away.”

HP: “Mr Hudson!!” He was aghast. “How can you do that to someone you call your friend?”

Hudson: “Which friend?? Please sir, leave that talk, James no be person. Ask him, does he think I forgot, he and his gang raped my cousin in school and they thought I had forgotten! Ask him about Ebube!! Ask him about the girl he and his gang raped that got him expelled!!! I was his friend and he did that to me!! The girl that committed suicide 11 years ago because she couldn’t cope. That’s why I looked for him and became his friend again. Only for revenge!!  Revenge is a dish best eaten cold and I am enjoying my own…”
HP: “Sir, the bible says that money gained by deceit is………… Sir!! Mr Hudson!!” All he got was a dial tone. “Ah!! Brother James, your friend is your down fall. He has cheated you!!”

James: “Oh God!! Oh God!! Help me!! Oh, please God, I don’t want to die.” James cried, resting his weary head against the car as tears poured out of his eyes. The pastor’s wife came and patted his back in comfort.

They loaded themselves into the car and back to church. In church, The Head Pastor called James to his office and told him what his friend said about a girl named Ebube. James remembered Ebube. The last rape that got him expelled.

He remembered Jennifer, the first girl, who had been from the state University, and then Ebun, and then Ada, the one they had killed and then Onome and then Ebube, the last in school. After school, there had been others. Girls, women whose names he hadn’t remembered or asked for. He nodded at the Pastor with glassy eyes and left the office.

As he was assisted to the tiny room that was given him in church, he wondered why he had never seen that Hudson was out for his blood. Despite everything with Ebube, Hudson had gone out of his way to maintain a friendship with him and remain his friend. He realised now that the guy had probably been planning his revenge for the past 19 years. And revenge it was for James could not think of anything worse that anyone could do to him.

In his room, he laughed as he took in the various bottles of potions that the prophet had made for him, wondering idly what was in it. He had wanted to live, to correct his errors, work passionately for God, enjoy marital bliss and have a few children to call his own. He realised now he wasn’t entitled to that now. Nemesis had come for him.

In the tiny room, he would end his life. No wife, no children, no mourners, no one to say he had lived a good life. A beggar. A sick man. He wished now that he had done things right. He wished he could go back and change a lot of things he did. But time had run out on him. He closed his eyes and let the tears squeeze out.



He didn’t die until three days later. Not only did his kidney give out, his heart did too.

Awww, now i feel sorry for James. Don’t want to miss the next episode?Tune in tomorrow.