***Aholah's POV***
"Oh God oh God, Please God…" I wailed in the dark. "Help!!!!"
"Hey! What is your name?!" A sharp voice stopped her. I went on with her wailing, but my voice seemed to have ceased. I tried and tried to scream but nothing was heard anymore.
"Are you now dumb?"The voice came again. "I say what is your name?"
" Oholah Toluwanile. Who are you?" Lost, scared, confused I replied.
After a long and killing moment of silence and darkness, I was able to see a figure crouched by my side in the dark. It was then I realized how cold the place was. Gush! Where am I?
"I know you were praying to your God. I'm sorry I interrupted…" She began like a repentant sinner. " You came in yesterday and since then, you have not stopped calling this God. He hasn't come. He won't come. Maybe He does not exist. Or maybe he does. Then he doesn't know you because If He had known you, you wouldn't have gotten here in the first place. So it's crazy…"
" That's a lie." I snapped.
"What is a lie?"
"God is omnipresent. He is everywhere and he knows everyone." Oholah corrected.
" I tell you that if he knows you. Then there should have been an answer since last night. You took our sleep away from us calling on a God that doesn't know you."
Perplexed I replied." I don't know what you are talking about…"
***
*** Aholah's POV***
"Aholah! 6 o clock chapel!" That was Khadijah's voice! I jumped out of sleep. Still recuperating from my dreams, She was all over me with lament of how she's been trying to wake me, nothing was making sense.
My dreams…
But Chapel…
Morning devotion at Chapel starts 6am and this is already 6:05. I have never woken up this late.
Hm. And that weird dream.
Why is Khadijah here? She leaves this room 5am whenever chapel service starts 6am.
"I left chapel to wake you up, and you're still sitting there." She said as if reading my thought. I jumped down the bunk and threw on my bubu gown.
"I'm so sorry. Thank you very much. I'll be right behind you." She had left before I even finished.
Today, hear the word of the Lord, You will be my best day. I got some toothpaste in my mouth, rinsed it out and ran out.
Throughout my time at chapel I could not focus on anything.
Images of the night kept invading my thought. That place… definitely not a good place. Like a dark cage.
Me? Imprisoned? Caged? In the dark? A prisoner? No! I can't be.
I am the light of the world. That's what my father says? Or isn't that what God even says in his words? Which of dream is this?
I am a city that is set on a hill.
I am a lighted candle of the most high God and I cannot be hid.
I cannot be found in dark places because I give light to all that are in the house.
And in the presence of the light of the Lord who is in me, darkness evaporates.
Confessing these words were like hitting daggers on my heart. Why is it so difficult to confess it now? I do this almost every morning before. What is wrong with me? I sighed.
I learned in a movie that it is usually good to counter negative dreams by affirming the word of God and that was all I was doing during devotion that morning. Yes, I watch Christian movies too. I'm not that bad.
Yes, the light of God is in me and darkness cannot comprehend it.
Who is it that condemneth me? I whispered too myself remembering the voice the kept on saying that my "God does not know me".
Who is he that condemeth me, Adediwura Toluwanile?
Abi the pesin don dey craze. (or is the person insane?)
God knows me o abeg. (God knows me, please.
I may be doing some creepy things, but God understands…
I trailed off wishing I could fully convince myself that He did.
It is Christ that died for me. No, I am not condemned. God is ever merciful towards me. He knows my name. I rebuke every devilish manipulation of my dream life in the name of Jesus.
" Aholah..." A distant tap. No, a close tap that felt distant. I am really not in chapel this morning. God, it's not my fault. It is the dream o.
"Aholah, you were lost in thought. And Chaplain is looking in our direction, he will know you have not opened your bible since." It was Vera, my seat partner.
Chaplain's always looks in my direction.
'Pastors children must be up and doing'. He says. You know, this pressure from being a pastor's child and the high expectations that come with it is story for another day.
"oh!" I quickly turned open my bible and tried to bring myself back to the sermon.
"Lastly before we go into our round of prayers. I hope I have prepared our minds enough for these prayers because I want us to pray it with all understanding. The rage of spoilers in this generation is more targeted at us the believers, and it is a matter of necessity that we fight ourselves against them. Let somebody read Colossians 2:8" the preacher said. Obviously, that had almost completed the sermon, and I was just joining the service.
"Beware lest any man despoil you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the traditions of men, according to the rudimentary things of the world, and not according to Christ. " A girl said in a voice that was almost unheard.
"Children of God, even as we are about to wage war against spoilers and securing our destinies in Christ. The bible also warns that we take heed. Beware. You now know who spoilers are. Now face your neighbor and tell him or her "beware of spoilers"
"BEWARE OF SPOILERS!" We Echoed.
"AGAIN!'
"Beware of Spoilers!"
"TELL IT TO THREE FRIENDS!"
"Beware of spoilers!" I joined the exclaiming congregation in shouting but I knew deep inside that I have missed the sermon. I don't know who the goddamn spoiler is. I can't remember what he or When he said it. Not my fault --The dream.
God! I'm lost in my world. My thoughts are cluttered, and I can't seem to concentrate on anything. I need help.