Chronicles of Flames

Two 🔥

They both laughed, loud enough for a tone deaf aged man miles away to hear clearly. The peals of their mirth spread through the span of the kitchen space. Ella was certain that she had laughed more in this singular hour than in her whole lifetime.

Deb had taken Ella to her cozy apartment tucked in a quiet neighborhood in the eastern suburbs of the Mainland Coastal  Campus. Compare that to the chaos that is the norm in the main ports of Ivory Town and you will have two charged poles that can never meet.

Deb took time to tell Ella all that had been happening, which eventually led to their meeting.
How the Holy Spirit had revealed to her that she would soon encounter someone that is a very important tool for Him and that she was to be the iron to sharpen her.
How she had already begun interceding for her for about two months prior their meeting.
How sometimes, while in the place of groaning for this unknown person, she would see brief but vivid visions of water and lilac eyes.
How she had felt so prompted in her spirit to drive to Mkesea Tanks that Thursday immediately after her rounds at the college's clinic.
Thankfully, she had obeyed and here they were.

All Ella could say was, "Woah! I find it a little hard to believe that anyone would go this extra mile for me. You have no idea what I've been through." The last part was painfully whispered.

"You're right," Deborah admitted, "I don't know everything about you. But I sure know someone who has been eyeing you for such a long time that he was willing to go any extent for you," Deborah said.

Ella smiled and fiddled with the edge of the silk gown she wore. It was one of the dresses Deborah had given her and just as she had suspected, it fit like a wing to a butterfly. "You're talking about the one who calls himself the Redeemer right?"

"Oooh!" Deb said comically, wriggling her eyebrows and clapping her hands spontaneously, "I've got a smart lady seated by me."
Ella blushed and looked at her hand while Deborah chuckled.
By this time, she had successfully tied the fringe of the gown into a knot.
She still couldn't place why she felt nervous even though she felt safe here.
She felt bare and vulnerable. Was it because her powers were stripped off her?

"But do you know that he took your place in death so that you can live?" Deborah sounded serious but her voice was soft.

Ella looked up. She remembered the altar and along with it the feeling of death ice cold hands closing in on her. She remembered the Redeemer's lighted face and his punctured hand.

Did he really become an exchange in her place of death?
Why would anyone do that?

"He did?" her voice carried uncertainty and fearful awe. The little she knew about the Christian God was that he was One who allowed his loyal subjects to be slaughtered by the Evil Lord's agents. At least that was all she had the access of seeing while still affiliated with the underworld. Nobody ever told her he loved or cared. Now it was clear she had been looking through the wrong side of the lens.

"Yes! Just so you and I can be saved."

"Pfft... I know I'm the one who needs saving," Ella whispered.

Deborah smiled in a somewhat sad manner. "Maybe telling you a little bit about myself will reaffirm to you that there is indeed no one God cannot save."

She took in a deep breath and sharply exhaled as she ran her hand through her curly hair which she had let down in the most carefree manner.

"I don't say this often, but I feel I have to. There was once a time when I was bisexual."

Ella's eye widened but she quickly concealed her shock. She couldn't imagine this primp and proper, miss-goodie-two-shoes Deborah being a 'bisexual'.