© Ayo Omolayo
“So Ope, don’t go home and play with your spiritual life. You’re like a goat tied up to be slaughtered and escaped. Imagine what would happen if those who wanted to kill the goat are able to lay hands on that same goat again?”
“The goat will seriously regret why it allowed itself to be captured a second time. They way the enemy would make sure the goat cannot escape will shock you. They will seriously grab the goat and double the ropes used in binding it.
So please, don’t play with these instructions I gave you. You must be consistent in your quiet time. Study the bible and pray everyday. Don’t allow anything to make you feel I’m too tired, I cannot pray today, I’ll pray tomorrow. That’s how Satan penetrates.
The bible says that while men slept, the devil came and began to plant unwanted plants in the spirit of men. So don’t be careless with your spiritual life. Give it your entire attention. Is that okay?”
“Yes!” She said smiling.
“So what did that Principal tell you?” Fejiro asked.
“Nothing important! He was only trying to threaten me with demonic hierarchy. He was trying to frighten me with snipers and gunpowders. Spiritual, spiritual, spiritual gibberish. It’s all jamboree.”
“Or could it be that he was calling your attention to something important?” Ope asked.
“Something important? Like what?”
“Like spiritual principles that cannot be neglected!” She answered.
“Hmmmmm! That’s serious!” Robert said.
“There’s nothing serious about what’s going on. The devil is under my feet and so are all his agents.”
“You’re not wrong when you say that. But I remember you told me that you could not cast out that demon you saw in your dream until you fasted. You said you almost thought the bible was a lie and that the devil was very powerful. But it was all a spiritual principle that you neglected playing on you.
And the demon was laughing at your spiritual ignorance. Immediately the principle of fasting and prayers was applied, you appeared in the spirit realm with a sword and the demon was now the one begging.
I don’t think that guy was saying rubbish Juliet. Perhaps you were the one saying rubbish. You should have paid close attention to what he was saying!” Romeo said.
“So I’m saying rubbish, right?”
“No! I’m sorry! What I mean is…..”
“No I understand! Juliet is saying rubbish. The Juliet that rescued you from the pit of the devil is now saying rubbish. Thank you so much for telling me I’m saying rubbish!”
“I said I’m sorry!”
“Sorry for yourself!” I hissed.
“Juliet! It’s alright!” Ope said smiling.
We were still in that episode when the guy I saw Fejiro with the other day at the back of the school building, walked up to us.
“Feji baby! How are you?” He asked and placed his hand around her waist in the presence of everyone, as if he owned her.
Fejiro was too nice. She was smiling sheepishly and gently took off his hand from her waist. If I were to be the one, this guy would have taken at least two hot slaps.
“Oh! I didn’t know you are one of the members of mummy pastor’s church!”
“No! I……. I……….” Fejiro stammered.
“Is she your friend?” He asked.
“No!”
We all looked at her with shock written on our faces.
“No! I mean no! Yes I mean no! She’s….. she’s……… she’s one of my classmates.”
“Can I take you out?”
“Sure!” She said and he took her by the hand.
“Bye everyone!” She said waving at us.
I was just looking at her as if she was out of her mind. I can’t believe all this was happening right in my presence.
“Ope! Bring that girl back here!” I said as I boiled with anger.
“NO JULIET! LET HER GO!”
Ope had already left and it was too late to stop her.
“Young man! Leave this student now and go home!” She ordered.
“Hey you have no right here! This is her decision and my decision as well!”
“You better get out of here now before I report you to the school authorities for disobeying a senior student!”
That was exactly the button Ope needed to press. In Broadway academy, respect for seniors was something we took seriously. You cannot disobey a senior student and go scot free. You’ll be severely punished.
Immediately he found that that she was a senior student, he released her and left.
Ope took Fejiro by the hand and brought her to me.
She couldn’t look me in the eyes. Her eyes were blurred with tears.
“I’m sorry! I just don’t know what to say to get him away from me. I don’t want him anymore, but I don’t know how to send him away from me.”
It was a slap I used to reset her head.
Everyone was shocked when I slapped her.
“Juliet!” Romeo called is surprise.
She burst into tears and fell on her knees.
“Fejiro! I don’t understand the level of your stupidity!”
“Haaaaa! Juliet!” Romeo shouted.
“Shut up!” I shouted at him.
“Yes ma!” He said in a low tone. His eyes were blazing with anger.
“How can you watch someone cutting your throat into two and you are here saying you don’t know how to handle him? You’re here busy opening your mouth to say that you cannot find the right words to say no to the devil!”
She bowed her face and continued crying.
Ope reached down and rubbed her back.
“Don’t touch her!” I shouted.
She paused and stood erect.
“Let’s go!” I said and turned.
I marched furiously out of the premises with blazing eyes. I was ready to kill anyone that stood in my way.
Ope quickened her steps and followed me. Romeo also did the same. We left Fejiro on her knees crying. None of us said a word to the other. We kept walking untill I got to where we had to part ways.
I turned and waved goodbye at them. They didn’t reply. They just kept watching me like dummies. I didn’t border. I was just angry at everything right now.
I entered the house and threw my back pack on the sofa and ran upstairs. I missed my steps and fell as I moved too quickly. I fell on the stairs with my chest. I felt pain on my hands. I screamed in pain as I felt the place were I was wounded shooting pains to my brain.
I had a small cut on my wrist. I managed to crawl out of the staircase and sat down on the floor. My tears knew no bounds.
I didn’t know what to do. I was just sitting there in tears when a thought came to pray for Fejiro. I opened my mouth but nothing came out. Who the hell was I to open that filthy mouth to pray to God? I better close my mouth before God strikes me dead by himself.
What kind of heartless being was I? I was nothing but a failure. I’ve always being a failure to God and that’s all I’ll ever be. I’m nothing but a failure to God and to the destinies tied to me. I can’t believe I left Fejiro in that state. I was supposed to be there for her to stand in the place of prayers.
But what did I do? I messed up. I messed up so bad. Oh God! Please kill this failure of a person called Juliet.
I stood up and entered the room I shared with Susan. I fell on the bed and opened my mouth to force out these words to God.
“Daddy! I’m a failure. So just kill me please! You’re wasting your time on this girl Juliet! You’re seriously wasting your time on her. Just kill me!
At least! When you are investing on someone and there’s no profit, you go elsewhere! Please kill me and give my assignment to someone else. Romeo and Ope seem like a better option.
They are good people. They even knew when I was deviating and were humble enough to correct me. I’m too proud, pompous, arrogant and stupid. God please! For me not to end up bringing shame to your name, just kill me.
They said you know the end from the beginning. At least, you can see that in my case, only failure lies ahead of me.
At least you have seen what I can do. You have seen how much you have showered me with love and mercy endlessly. Yet I always repay your kindness by stabbing you in the heart. I always end up repaying your love with serious hatred. I always end up betraying the son of God with a kiss.
So what’s the point?”
I wept bitterly.
“Just kill me! Kill me Holy Spirit! Kill me! Can anything good come out of this Nazareth?”
“I WAS WAITING FOR YOU TO SAY THAT!” Came daddy’s response.
“No! Don’t tell me you want to still forgive me. Because even if you forgive me, I will still do more. So don’t border wasting your time and efforts.
“JULIET!”
“Stop! Just end me and I’ll be satisfied. That’s what I want. At least, you said if I ask anything in your name that you would do it.
In Jesus name, kill me!”
I knew God was saying something. I knew within me that he was speaking, but I shut down my ears. I resisted the voice of the Holy Ghost and held on to my death wish. I laid on the bed and waited for sleep. I just wanted to sleep right now.
That was how I noticed the door opened and two men walked in.
I jumped and sat up on the bed.
“Julie baby! You couldn’t even last a minute. Ah ah! What is it sef? I was thinking it would take us up to an hour to pull you down. But you were so cheap! Only a few minutes we got you. Haaa! Na wa oooo!” The principal said as he laughed in mockery.
What happened to all the mouth you were making since morning?”
I was now weeping endlessly.
“Why are you people just too wicked? Why can’t you allow the world to be a good place?” I asked in frustration.
“Aunty Juliet! It is Heaven that is a good place, not this world. This world belongs to the devil. We own it! If you want this world to be heaven on earth, you’ll have to sweat for it. That was the bargain Adam did on your behalf. With the sweat of your face shalt thou eat bread.
You must fight for what you want. Your tears is absolute nonsense. Your tears cannot help you in Spiritual warfare. Who are you crying for?” He asked and chuckled.
“I told you that we would meet soon.” He said grinning.
“And that when we would meet, you won’t be the talkative you were back then!”
I shook my head in regret.
“I told you you’re nothing but a failure. You didn’t understand. You were acting like superwoman.”
“Please stop!” I said tearfully.
“Anyway! Since you requested for death!” He said and drew out a dark sword.
“I decided you will die by my hand!”
Before I could say pim, the other man grabbed me and held my neck up to be slaughtered.
“Haaaaa! Don’t kill me!”
“No I have to! You told God you wanted to die! We are here to make it happen!”
“I didn’t know telling God to kill me would mean you would slit my throat with a knife. If I knew, I wouldn’t have said that. Please I don’t want to die! I wasn’t serious! I don’t want to die in the hands of my enemies!”
The man grabbing me covered my mouth.
To be continued…….
I can’t believe it’s happening so fast.
There’s something my Dad told me and it has never left me till today. He said that God never fails man. It is man that fails him and makes him look powerless.
The story is going to continue in the hands of Ope. She’ll be the one to tell us what happens next.
Can you say this word of prayer to God. Lord may my enemies never rejoice and celebrate victory over me!
