The Devil Wears Okrika

Chapter 19

"Osi what's going on...you can talk to me, you know that I'm there for you. I'm just a phone call away"
Osi paced the room as he held the phone to his ear.
The Reverend had called him not long ago. He must have gotten the report about his "nervous breakdown"
"Reverend...I know so much has happened in this one week, I've gotten obsessed with unravelling the killings that have been happening in this village, and as a result I find myself erring from the gospel"
The Reverend sighed over the line. "Son, I understand...I know it has become personal for you, but times like this you need to take a break. Throw yourself into the word, throw yourself into prayers and most importantly focus on the crusade. I believe this is the sixth day in that town but you've only held one night service, a vigil and a communion service..."
"Actually sir the reason was-"
"No son...no matter the reason......see, you're yoked to something else...you know what the yoke signifies don't you? You know the yoke is used to hold the direction of the oxen while plowing the field"
Osi blinked, he didn't understand the Reverend "yes sir, the yoke is used to hold the ox together to the direction of the field so they plough it withou-"
"Exactly, that's the key word...direction. And since you arrived that village you've been yoked to something...and whatever you're yoked to is the direction you're going to plough. Let me ask you something son, are you yoked to God?"
"Yes sir...I believe I am"
"Then why is everything so hard?"
Osi had no reply for that. Life was hard after all.
"You see...I can tell you're stressed...I can tell you're weak...that can only mean your direction isn't on the field God wants you to plough...he says come onto me when you're heavy laden and I would give you rest...for my yoke is easy and my burden light"
Osi was suddenly seeing sense in the counsel the Reverend was administering. He sat on the bed and scratched his jaw.
"So son..." the Reverend continued "you may be yoked to anger, yoked to grief over the killings...yoked to solving the crimes but the burden is too much for you and its facing you in the wrong direction...get yoked to God for the burden is light"

After the call, Osi sat still on the bed thinking of what the Reverend had told him. There was a heavy doze of truth in it and he thought of different ways he could apply it.

The truth was he had been yoked to the notion of proving the deacon wrong, the need to prove to everyone that he was a good leader, a good pastor and now he was getting hooked on the idea of exposing Steve as the killer but maybe...just maybe the Reverend was right and he got his priorities mixed?
He knew what he needed to do, he went on his knees.
.·.·.·.·.·
It was almost 5pm when he came out of the room.
Bukky hurried to his side. She was always like a mother hen. "How are you feeling now, you've not had anything to eat all day, let me dish your food"
He smiled at her.
"I'm fine Bukky...where is everybody?"
"The deacon is in his room, Samuel is around somewhere....Greg and Ovie said they would move around for a little evangelism"
"Wow...bless them...please get ready, we're holding a Vigil tonight"
"Tonight? That's terrific, that may be what everybody needs..but pastor you really should eat something first"
"Bukola" he held her shoulder and smiled "man shall not live by bread alone".

.·.·.·.·.·
It turned out bread was still very essential. And as Osi listened to his stomach growl as he supervised the finishing touches in the market square he admitted he was starving...no two ways about it.
The villagers had come out to watch and some of them assisted with arranging the chairs and speakers and even setting up the podium.
The people really needed the service now more than ever.
Osi felt a little ashamed of himself. He was grateful for the call that had put him in order but as he watched a young man assist Ovie set up a speaker he still thought of how he could expose Steve. He was sure now more than ever he was the one who had retrieved the letter from his pocket. Oh yes, the devil was white.

.·.·.·.·.·
"What time do we kick off?" Gregory joined him.
"10 pm should be perfect"
"Alright...I'm glad to see you bounce back"
"Where's the deacon?" He looked around searching for the man
Gregory just sighed "honestly only God knows"

.·.·.·.·.·
Amara passed by with Oluchi and her younger sister when the team was setting up the market square, this was around 6:30 in the evening. She called out when she saw Osi.
"Amara....good to see you" he nodded politely at the other girls.
"You're having a night service?"
"No a vigil....listen I'm really sorry about your friend...I'm so so sorry, I'd like you to attend tonight...I'd like you all to attend" he corrected extending the invitation to the other two girls.
"I'd love to but the only way we can come is if we have an escort preferably male" Amara said
"No problem...I'd come and pick you up around 9"
"I think I'd pass" Joy said.
"Me too...Paul has been acting weird and I'm sure he won't accept to take me" Oluchi sighed.
"That wouldn't be a problem...Osi and I can take the other path and pick you up" Amara assured her.
Oluchi looked at the pastor. "Hope it won't be too much stress for you?"
He could see she really needed to come for the service "of course not...just be ready by 9"

So now it was a quarter to 9 and he instructed Greg: "put on the generator and let Bukky just be singing. Play the piano, give the right atmosphere, you know what I mean"
"I read you loud and clear"

.·.·.·.·.·
He started down the path wishing two things:
1. That he had eaten something.
2. That he had brought a torchlight along. Seriously what was up with the moon nowadays?

"Pastor...how do you do?"
Stevenson materialised from the dark and smiled at Osi. His white teeth gleamed in the night. He looked like a phantom.
Osi looked at him as the emotions began to simmer...rage, shame, suspicion.....he forced it back bouncing the words: 'my yoke is easy' in his mind.
"Steve. I didn't see you when we were setting up"
"I was quite busy pastor...but I won't miss the service for anything"
"Okay..." He looked at the man remembering hours ago how rage had filled the smooth pale face and how he had almost choked him to death.
"Pastor I'm really really really sorry for my reaction earlier" Stevenson must have read his mind.
"Its nothing...I was at fault, I accept the blame"
But the European wasn't convinced.
"The thing is I've had a bad experience in my country with breaking and entering...I was shot in my stomach by robbers...I'd show you the scar but its dark"
"Oh...my apologies then, I didn't wish to trigger any memories with my action"
"So hope you can understand and forgive me for roughing you up earlier?"
But what about the letter you took? What did you mean when you asked me 'what did I find?' And what are the names of the dead girls doing in your pad?
But he strongly felt not to ask these questions so instead he nodded. "I totally understand...let's bury the matter"
Steve smiled. "I'd be glad to"

.·.·.·.·.·
Meanwhile just on the outskirt of Amaife....
The short man marched towards the stream. He needed to take a bath before anything. Okudili didn't care much for hygiene but right now he could pass out from his own body odour. He hadn't washed in days. The only chance he had, the useless girl had appeared from nowhere and began screaming like a mad witch and he had taken off immediately.
He had only the shirt on his back, he couldn't go home, his house was under watch by the angered youths.
His other shirt had been found ripped at the crime scene of the dibia and mama Ozioma. Okudili didn't know this, but he knew he was tired of running away from his hometown and from his people.
No one knew this but spending all your days, every minute and second at the center of attraction of the village which was the market square gave him a bird like view of everything in the village. He had seen a lot of things over the years and he knew a lot of secrets. If he was going down, he wasn't going down alone. He had a feeling once the elder heard what he had to say, the bounty on his head would be lifted.
He stripped at the stream, hiding his clothes and the bottle of alcohol under a bush. He kissed the bottle first. He would need to get really drunk before heading to the market square.