Rejoice maintained her cool after the realization of being roasted alive hit her… We both slept in peace. In between my sleep however, I kept thinking about where exactly we were. All night I heard some people chanting and I wondered what it was all about… By morning, the men came knocking at the door, telling us it was time for meditation… Rejoice and I went out really confused. To our utmost surprise, everyone was naked…. I almost screamed, Rejoice was bewildered as well. We were told to do same. There was a part of me that wanted to rebel , but a part of me forced me into obeying. Rejoice and I joined the troop as we all sat in meditation form. Surprisingly, being naked didn’t look like a big deal to them… It seem like their minds had been conditioned to seeing each other’s nakedness as no big deal. “ We serve the sun god and we control everything under the sun” the chief said “ Civilization is a sin and we choose to stay true to ourselves…” Different chants followed…. After about 10 minutes of chants, everyone stood up and started leaving for their rooms. The chief called me back… “ You!….” I froze knowing it was me…. I walked back to him “ It’s my daughter’s season of procreation, and she has chosen you to be the father of her unborn child” I felt like a spear had been thrown at my heart…. I wondered if this was how I was going to lose my celibacy I had kept for three months…. “ Do you have a reason why you shouldn’t copulate with my daughter?” I nodded my head wishing I could tell him I was HIV positive, but when he asked I said the plain truth… “ I am a Christian and my faith does not permit me to have sexual relations with a woman who is not my wife…” “ We can arrange for a marriage” “ I am already married to a woman and my faith does not permit me to be married to two women” “ But you can divorce her here and marry my daughter “ The chief said thinking Rejoice was my wife The chief was looking squarely at me, this was a case of forcing me to have sexual intercourse against my will… “ It’s either you copulate with my daughter or die…” the chief said….“ So what is your answer?” I stood there not saying a word, I looked at the daughter he was referring to, she shouldn’t have been more than 14 years old…. Invariably, the man was asking me to deflower his little daughter and by way of intercourse get her pregnant…. “ Prepare the fire!” The chief said to the men around him… “ Uncle Chuks do it, save your life !” Rejoice said as she saw how the men grabbed me and some other men were setting the fire to burn me to ashes… “ I will rather die than disappoint God again” I said with a tone of finality though I had tears dropping down my face… “ Nothing on the surface of this earth can ever make me commit sexual immorality again. Whether willingly or unwillingly. No one can force me to commit immorality… You better kill me …” I said with a tone of finality “ Stop!” The chief said and I felt he had a change of heart until I heard him say… “ Triple the fire…” I heard the chief say and truthfully I saw the men adding more wood and fuel to the fireplace. “ God is this how I will end my life? please forgive me, I know you gave me a second chance but I blew it by entertaining Rejoice back into my life, please save me Lord…” I cried aloud in my heart to the Lord As I drew near the fire, I felt the reality of the fire… My faith weakened, fear gripped my heart… I realized dying wasn’t an easy thing to do…. I turned back to deny my faith….”Just one Sexual Sin could be forgiven” I told myself as the fear of death was too real…. To be continued….
