I stepped inside the church, and chills ran down my spine. Tears welled up in my eyes as I walked towards the altar and fell to my knees. "Abba Father, I don't know what to do," I whispered, overcome with emotion. "I don't know if I should stay away from him or help him. Almighty Lord, he needs You. He's lost in the devil's grasp, Father. Please, have mercy on him, Lord Jesus Christ, and forgive him for his debts. His soul can't bear it anymore, Lord; he needs You more than anything, Father. You said in Your word that the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but You came to give us eternal life. Lord, You didn't create him to be played by the devil, just as You tested job. I pray that though he may be tested, you'll spare his life, my God. Don't agree with his death, Almighty God. All this I ask in Jesus' name," I said, crying uncontrollably.
I couldn't control myself; I felt bad for him. I felt sad for him. I felt like he was at his breaking point, and there was nobody to pull him out of the dark and into the light. I needed him; he needed me. I knew for a fact that we were meant for each other. That's why we had an unbreakable connection. When we touched, we connected in different ways. When we shared a kiss, it was like we were two souls but in one body. He was my greatest sin and temptation, and I was his greatest sin and temptation. But though we were forbidden lovers, I loved him.
My phone rang, breaking the silence. It was Slavvy. My heart skipped a beat as I answered, trying to compose myself. "H...hello," I stammered, wiping away tears.
"Hey, Testimony, it's Haze. I don't know what's going on with Slavvy, but I'm scared. What's happening to him? Can I please come get you?" His voice trembled with concern.
"Yeah, sure. I'll send you my location right now," I replied, my hands shaking as I sent Haze my location. Oh God, please have mercy, I cried.
A few minutes later, Haze picked me up and sped off to his place. Fear gripped my heart. What had happened to Slavvy?
As we entered the house, I was met with a scene of destruction. It looked like thieves had come in and destroyed everything in sight. Haze's face reflected his worry. "I honestly don't know what's going on with him. He's locked himself in his room since he got back from prison."
My heart sank as I followed Haze upstairs. We reached Slavvy's room, and Haze knocked on the door. "Slavvy, open up, man! You're stressing me out!" There was only silence.
Haze knocked again, his voice laced with concern. "Slavvy!" Still, there was no response.
My heart dropped, and I felt a sense of dread. "Slavvy," I called out softly, trying to keep my voice steady. "Can you please open the door? I need to talk to you."
It wasn't even a minute before he opened the door. He looked at me with bloodshot red eyes, his face a picture of misery. The room was a mess, with empty whisky bottles scattered everywhere.
"Slavvy," I whispered, my voice barely audible.
"I'll leave " Haze excused himself .
"I know you're disgusted, aren't you?" His tone was laced with sadness.
"No, I'm worried about you," I replied, taking a step closer.
He looked at me, his eyes searching. "Why? I'm nobody to you, am I?" His words cut deep, piercing my heart.
"I'm going to die," I said, my voice cracking.
Slavvy's eyes widened in shock, and he looked like he'd been punched in the gut. "What? No, no, no...!" He fell to his knees, overcome with emotion.
"I only have a few months left," I continued, tears streaming down my face. "I had cancer long before I met you, Slavvy. The day you took me to the hospital, I was on death's door. The doctor almost switched off the machines, Slavvy, and you left me like I was nothing to you." I cried, and he fell on his feet in front of me.
"Forgive me, Tess," he begged, his voice shaking. "I thought I was the curse. I thought you got sick because of me. I put your life in danger, and that's what triggered it. I was scared to lose someone... someone I love. Tess, I barely know you, yet I'm deeply in love with you. I've never loved anyone...like I love you. I was scared to be broken again, so I pushed you away." He paused, taking a deep breath. "Tess, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for everything."
As Slavvy poured his heart out, I felt my own heart shatter into a million pieces. I knelt down beside him, embracing him in a tight hug. We both cried bitterly, our tears mingling as we held each other.
"Don't leave me, please," Slavvy begged, his voice hoarse from crying. "I won't be able to breathe without you."
As I held him close, I felt his warm tears on my skin. I ran my hands over his back, and my heart skipped a beat as I felt something sticky. I pulled back, and Slavvy tried to hide it, but I saw the blood on his shirt.
"What's this?" I demanded, my voice shaking with concern.
Slavvy slowly turned around, revealing his back. It was filled with new, fresh, deep wounds. It looked like he had been beaten with an electric rope.
"Did the cops do this?" I asked, my voice trembling with rage.
Slavvy nodded, his eyes filled with shame. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I deserved it. After all, I'm a monster."
I felt a surge of anger and sadness. "Oh, God," I cried, holding my mouth to stop from screaming in pain. "Slavvy, why?"
He looked at me, his eyes filled with tears. "They don't treat me like a human being anymore. They see me as a psychopath. But I don't blame them. I've lost control over my body."
I felt a lump form in my throat as I listened to Slavvy's words. I knew I had to be strong for him.
"Slavvy," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "I'm here for you. I'll always be here for you."
He looked at me, his eyes searching for hope. And in that moment, I knew that I would do anything to save him, to help him, to love him.
"I want to rest from it all," Slavvy said, his voice cracking. "I can't bear this pain anymore. You know, when you came into my life, it was hell. I grew up in a very poor background. My father would beat up my mother in front of me. He would beat me up like I was nothing, absolutely nothing to him. We slept with hungry stomachs for days. One day, he joined the gangster life, killing people for money, and he was feared among all people. I guess that's where his filthy wealth comes from."
Slavvy's eyes clouded over, and his voice dropped to a whisper.
"One day, the people decided they'd had enough. They tied my parents up, and I came home from school to see them being burned alive in front of me. I heard their desperate screams. My mother was innocent in all this. They burned them until they became ashes, and they made me eat those ashes and spread them all over my body. That day, I swore to get my revenge on each and every one of them."
I felt a chill run down my spine as I listened to Slavvy's horrific story. My heart broke for him, and I knew I had to be there for him.
"I'm so sorry, Slavvy," I whispered, tears streaming down my face. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that."
Slavvy looked at me, his eyes filled with tears. "You're the only one who's ever shown me kindness, Tess. You're the only one who's ever made me feel human."
I took his hand in mine, and he didn't pull away. Instead, he squeezed my hand tightly, as if he never wanted to let me go.
"I need you, Slavvy," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I need you, and you need me. We need each other."
Slavvy looked at me, his eyes searching for hope.