Battle Line

You don't have any need to be terrified of the one who can merely ruin the body. Jasmine let out a heave, and additional tears began to fall down her cheek.

"I M sorry" She wailed, "God, I'm sorry," she said while trying to move towards Jasmine. Mamila rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Have you made up your mind about this?" Nana turned her attention to Jasmine, who was sobbing violently. Ignoring Mamila, she moved closer to Jasmine, which prompted Mamila to pull Jasmine closer to herself.

She made a knife appear in her hand with a wave of her hand, and then she placed the knife on Jasmine's throat, allowing her to feel the edge of the blade.

Nana was overcome with fear as she heard Jasmine whimpering in Mamila's hands. "You still have one more chance" Mamila replied.

"If you don't acknowledge me as your god and kiss my feet, your friend is going to perish." "No temptation has befallen man save that which is common to him, but the God I serve is faithful, he will not fail me, and he will speak for me when he knows that I can take no more.

Who will speak for you when his wrath descends upon you? That is the question. "Who will speak for you?" she asked Mamila. 

Who will speak for you when his wrath descends upon you? That is the question. "Who will speak for you?" she asked Mamila.  Mamila's lips are curved into an unmistakable smile. Who will represent your friend in this matter? Mamila flung back..

"Let's see how long you can keep this attitude up until you give in completely.." As suddenly as it had appeared, the smile vanished from her face, and with that, she slashed Jasmine's throat.

Nana maintained her stance, and the only sound that reached her ears at that time was the clattering of the knife as it made its way from Mamila's palm to the ground below.

"I'll be coming back to you with another game in the near future. Get prepared and wait for me" Mamila said to Nana and immediately vanish into thin air.

  When Nana saw Jasmine's throat and mouth wide open, she finally came out of her state of shock. Blood began to spurt out of her mouth and throat.

It took a moment for Nana's brain to process what had just taken place, during which time her jaw was shaking like a goldfish. As the harsh truth dawned on her, she sped towards Jasmine in an attempt to catch her before she hit the ground.

Her hands were covered in the blood of Jasmine. Stuttering was present in everything that came out of Nana's lips, despite her best efforts to construct sentences, her voice failed her right at that moment.

The more Jasmine struggled to open her mouth to speak, the more blood gushed out of her throat. She was unable to communicate because of this.

She was finding difficult to talk or breath and In the end, she decided to stop struggling against death and instead succumbed to its grasp, Jasmine gave up the ghost.  Nana's eyes began to well up with tears as she became aware that Jasmine was no longer moving, and this brought her back to the harsh reality of the situation.

Everything that was around her became numb. The next thing that happened was a loud scream that came out of her mouth, and raw, agonizing tears began to stream down her face.

As Charles's worry seemed to travel through his veins on the backs of his blood cells, he felt an overwhelming urge to keep moving as much as humanly possible.

When he called Nana's number once again out of concern, and she didn't pick up the phone, his heart leapt into his chest, and a variety of various things began to run through his head.

When she didn't answer, the idea that Mamila had done something bad to her began to cloud his mind. He took a deep breath and dialed her number once more. He waited impatiently with a pounding heart. When she didn't answer, the thought that Mamila had done something bad to her began to overcloud his brain.

At that very instant, he raised his eyes and gazed upon the one he had gone to see just a few moments earlier when he had grown weary of merely waiting for Nana at her home and sat there doing nothing in particular.

Almost as soon as she told him that Mamila had visited her in the hospital, he had a sinking feeling that something was going to go horribly wrong. "My man," Chibyke, the man Charles had visited, remarked to him as he gave him a handshake and a light tap on the back.

"I had no idea that we would run into each other again." After Charles had taken a seat, Chibyke could be seen walking to a different chair to sit down. Chibyke had always been Charles's safety plug in times of danger, and while seating, he sucked on his teeth nervously.

He turns to him anytime he's having problems with anyone linked with the fraternity, and in exchange, he provides financial assistance and advice on how to run his business. He is more like a savior than anything else.

Chibyke expressed his shock by saying, "I have to confess that this is definitely a surprise."

"Who exactly are we going after this time...?" Chibyke asked.  Charles was bothered by the fact that he hadn't heard from Nana in the past hour and by the fact that he thought about her frequently.

He expelled a long sigh before turning his attention back to Chibyke and refocusing his sight on him. "At this point, there is not target." Charles said.  Chibyke arched his brows thoughtfully before he leaned back and rested in the chair.

"Could you do me a favor?" Charles added.. Before he began speaking, Chibyke leaned his head forward. What favor are you referring to? As further thoughts of Mamila doing something to Nana found their way into Charles's head, he forced himself to swallow hard. He thought of all the others he believed Mamila must have murdered, and the thought sent shivers down his spine.

"I need a gun.." Charles replied, bringing to mind what the elderly lady at the hospital had shared with him. "A gun..!" Chibyke restates... then he scoffs before continuing on with what he was saying.

"Are you serious?" "I am.., I need to kill someone" “Mann..” Chibyke clenched his teeth together in disbelief after hearing Charles's statement.

"You're not even close to being someone like that" "I am at my wit's end, Chibyke." In the middle was Charles. "I want a gun, and I require it at this very moment." Charles said with worry written all over him.  "Okay, cool down man." "First of all... Who the hell are you going to use a pistol on?"

When asked the question, Charles almost hissed at Chibyke.

"I can't tell you the information right now... I just need the gun," Charles said. "Okay I got it.." The response from Chibyke was a shrug of the shoulders and the statement, "But you're not this kind of guy. You bring the task, and if it needs to be done, we'll perform the killing for you and not you doing this kind of job." Chibyke stated.

"This has nothing to do with a job, guy."

Charles reprimanded him as his voice was somewhat trembling. Before continuing, he took a deep breath after realizing how harsh he was becoming 

"This is some private business that only I can settle," he said. So why settling it  with a gun? Chibyke queried him.

Charles's expression changed to one of annoyance when he realized he was unable to communicate with Nana because she was working with the devil. This infuriated him even more. "Are you assisting me in any way, or not?"

Chibyke let out a long sigh before leaning his back on the chair.

"Fine, I'll give you a handgun but you can't be caught with it, I spend a lot of money buying these firearms.." "Fine, I'll give it to you, but you have to promise me that you will be safe with and and not caught." Chibyke stated it clear to Charles again. "Hope this will relieve your worries man".

If any of it disappears, you may count on me to reimburse you in full. Charles stated . "I hope you are aware of what you are getting yourself into, man. are you sure it's not something that we can assist you with? Chibyke asked.

"Trust me.." Charles stated. "This is none of anyone else's business." "Fine, I'll give you a gun"

*******************************

When the goons heard the approaching footsteps going clip-clop down the bleached tile hallway, they assumed that none of them would be wearing such uncomfortable shoes. They were correct in their assumption.

When the commotion finally subsided, the pastor's wife could be seen peeking her head around the corner just before entering the room. One of the two men who have abducted John said, "Happy Sunday, mummy," and Jailer was one of them.

Beatrice's lips were encompassed by a tired smile that vanished almost as fast as it appeared.

As soon as she turned her attention away from Jailer and toward John, who was lying on the ground, lines of concern began to appear on her face. Jailer had been the subject of her attention until that point. "Is he still unconscious?" Beatrice enquired as she made her way toward hm.

Since we knocked him unconscious while he was in the van, he has been lying like this. The second thug called "Mano" responded. Beatrice exclaimed while gazing at her wrist watch, "Wake him up."

Jailer left the room and returned a short time later carrying a pail of water. Without pausing for thought, he poured the water over John's body and left the room.

John was brought sharply back to the present moment as he watched water trickle into the floor from every orifice on his body. It just lasted a split second, but it was long enough for him to feel the need to wipe his face with his hand.

As soon as his vision returned to normal, he turned his attention to the other individuals that were in the room with him. The shock caused him to shudder and flinch, and it brought back memories of what had occurred earlier.

Someone had sprayed in his face, and as he looked around the room, he noticed that his heart was beating erratically. Finally, he turned his attention back to them.

When John realized that pastor Alfred's wife was in the room, he muttered "You" with a pants breath.

"Yes me." Beatrice responded, and she followed her remarks with a smile that did not contain any mirth.    While the two men were standing next to her John cringed and stated, "You're the pastor's wife."

“Yes.” Beatrice said. It is said that my reputation comes before me. My reputation, which a pig like you was on the verge of destroying, was in jeopardy. John felt the gnawing pain of fear in his stomach.

"I don't comprehend.." He muttered it, his heart thumping with erratic beats as he spoke. "Why am I in this place?" Oh, are you seriously questioning me like that..? she asked with a show of annoyance.   John exhaled heavily but remained silent during the entire conversation.

"Would it be all right if I reminded you of that idiotic video you made? you foolish stupid boy"  John's thoughts  caught up with him rather rapidly hearing her say that.

Even though the video was prepared with the intention of bringing the pastor's career to an end, he never imagined that they would take action against the video.

"We were taken advantage of by your husband." John exclaimed, "He deceived us and took away our money with a promise to give us a lasting solution!" John responded.    What do you know about getting ripped off? Beatrice asked.

People like you may be found begging for money in the streets when my husband had his first convert. Do you, in your insignificant thoughts, have any idea how far we've come?

Then you should tell him to refund all of our money. Beatrice snorts and turns her attention to one of the thugs and instructed, "Jailer, in an  shoot him." When John heard those words, it sent shivers down John's spine as the jailer leveled a revolver at him in an attempt to Shoot him.

Before he yelled, he didn't give himself enough time to create a coherent thought in his head.

” No wait” “Wait.!” John  reiterates.

"Wait for what?" Beatrice asked.   "I'm sorry," John mumbled as he cringed in the direction of Jailer, who was still aiming the gun at him. "I was under the influence of alcohol when I recorded that video."

"You're kidding me!" Beatrice responded to him while she moved closer to him. "I deeply apologize...." John pleaded with a broken heart.

"No, you'll be sorry if you don't take down that video in five hours," the she said.

"There is no way that I could pull that off because everyone has seen the video." He said.

"Right on..., you're going to create another video, and you're going to say that certain men of God put you to the task, and you're going to state that my husband, pastor Alfred, and God's servant on earth is innocent of these accusations," she said.

John was hesitant to respond at first, but as soon as Jailer threatened him with the gun once more, he spoke up immediately.

"Alright, fine, I'll do it..., I'll create another video and say exactly what you've said." "Alright, fine, I'll do it..., I'll say precisely what you've said."

Beatrice smiled and nodded while taking a quick glance at the clock.

" And keep in mind that this conversation was never actually had. If you tell anyone about what happened or if you refuse to make up for what you did, these gentlemen will pay you another visit, and this time they won't be as polite as they are right now.

I'll be looking forward to seeing your video. As she stated. John took a few slow, deep breaths to bring himself back from the brink of panic as the question that kept popping into his thoughts came up once more.

"How in the hell did his life turn into such a pit of despair?" “Gentlemen..” Beatrice murmured as she turned her attention back to the thugs. It's time for me to go to church right now. You are aware of the best way to deal with him. The guys gave a knowing nod.

Before she left the building, she sneaked one more look in John's direction before turning away.

"Jailer, stoop down to John's eye level," the man said. "There are people you meet in this world and mess around with and they'll let you go free. There are some people you offend with what you say and people will applaud you. There are other people you offend and unknowingly drag trouble itself to your doorstep, and this is one of it." There are some people you do not mess with. Be careful man.

My suggestion to you, gentleman: don't be a blabber mouth, learn to mind your business, and carefully consider what you have to say before you say it.