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TALES OF THE ATLANTIC CHAPTER FOURTEEN
It was quarter past eight in the morning as I stood in the ‘normal bathroom’ brushing my teeth and preparing for the mock deliverance. I didn’t have a single idea of how it was going to be, though I wanted to hurry up and be done with it.“A very quiet place…body must be stable and motionless…” I was recalling what the half-naked lady had told me while reducing the air conditioner, before sitting cross-legged on the large bed. I was lucky that my neighbours had already gone to work before I started my ‘activity.’I didn’t even want to have anything to do with them because I felt everyone should keep to himself and herself, while God kept everybody. I checked the wall clock one more time before I started, and it showed forty minutes past eight.I got prepared, became motionless and for reasons only I myself could understand, focused my gaze on the portrait which showed the goddess arm in arm with her ‘twin sister’ in an orchard, posing for a painter. They were dressed in eighteenth cen
TALES OF THE ATLANTIC CHAPTER FIFTEEN
It was exactly two weeks since she had seen that vision on that fateful Thursday evening and the entire image of all she saw remained evergreen in her memory. With barely fifteen minutes left before the commencement of today’s Faith Clinic, she sat on one of the plastic chairs in the church and read her Bible.Although she prayed alone at home and sometimes in her office, she felt better and more relieved afterwards, whenever she prayed among her brethren or preferably with members of her prayer band. Suddenly, Deaconess Amadi felt a sudden chill, followed by thunder and lightning. She was surprised nobody else reacted to the sound. Maybe she was the only one who heard it. Closing her Bible, she decided to take a quick walk outside the church for fresh air when the chill enveloped her again.She quickened her steps until she was out of the gate, watching several members hurrying into the church.“You must be Deaconess Esther Amadi, the one who sees visions?”She turned sharply to her
TALES OF THE ATLANTIC CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN“I’m fed up with all these…my dear. I’m not going to that church again until this whole thing is over.” Chief Walter Amadi was surprised as he watched his wife pace the room looking frightened.“You heard your Pastor, everything is going to be fine, don’t scare yourself to death, it’s all a matter of time.”He soon gave her a bear hug which seemed to last forever, while her heartbeat soon returned to its normal rate, and thoughts of her vision and meeting with the goddess seemed distant from her mind that particular moment.It was the first meeting in October, as every initiate’s invisible double in the orb seemed to be rattled by the rage of the goddess of perfection. My invisible double believed he was the only ‘exception,’ due to the hatred I felt for her.My desire for revenge at that moment seemed to boil like volcanic larva with every passing second. Thirty minutes into the meeting, she let out a piercing scream, as her body exploded. Her body soon came back toge
TALES OF THE ATLANTIC CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Sitting down on a couch in the living room, I fondled the Marine Brothers Society ring which I couldn’t pull off, on the small finger on my right hand. I’d never thought in my wildest dreams that I’ll ever be a ‘murderer,’ now I had the blood of three people on my hands. I felt bad to my marrow, while I kept looking at my katana hanging on the wall.I picked up my mobile phone and tried to call Boma, but soon thought better of it, as I stood up and begun to pace the sitting room.Moments later, images from the dream I’d had in which my late father was begging me began to race into my mind, while I pondered on the consequences of my actions the day before. There were so many families who had members in occult societies, and for some, it felt like a ‘usual’ thing to them. The man who was an initiate was sometimes known to be one by his wife, children and family members.Though not all occult societies might have devastating consequences upon the wealth of its dead members, the family me
TALES OF THE ATLANTIC CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Senator Balarabe Shittu, who represented the Central Senatorial district in Jigawa State, was the definition of a rich, powerful and highly influential Nigerian politician and individual. Having joined Marine Brothers Society nineteen years ago, his wealth and power had risen to an unbelievable level. This led many people including his enemies to give him the nickname ‘Salaudeen’.He was fifty-five years of age, dark in complexion, handsome and jovial with a smooth Hausa accent. Senator Shittu stood at five feet ten and was always clad in expensive caftans, which were strictly imported from Pakistan, Qatar, Senegal and Dubai. He had three estates in the Nation’s capital – Abuja, Kano and Ogun State. Each estate comprised of five blocks of thirty flats and a two-bedroom flat, which was separate for his personal use.Money was never his problem, as he sometimes ordered branch managers of commercial banks to his palatial mansion in Abuja in bullion vans, whenever he felt like it. Having
TALES OF THE ATLANTIC CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Senator Balarabe Shittu, who represented the Central Senatorial district in Jigawa State, was the definition of a rich, powerful and highly influential Nigerian politician and individual. Having joined Marine Brothers Society nineteen years ago, his wealth and power had risen to an unbelievable level. This led many people including his enemies to give him the nickname ‘Salaudeen’.He was fifty-five years of age, dark in complexion, handsome and jovial with a smooth Hausa accent. Senator Shittu stood at five feet ten and was always clad in expensive caftans, which were strictly imported from Pakistan, Qatar, Senegal and Dubai. He had three estates in the Nation’s capital – Abuja, Kano and Ogun State. Each estate comprised of five blocks of thirty flats and a two-bedroom flat, which was separate for his personal use.Money was never his problem, as he sometimes ordered branch managers of commercial banks to his palatial mansion in Abuja in bullion vans, whenever he felt like it. Having
TALES OF THE ATLANTIC CHAPTER NINETEEN
December 1 2012I’d known from time immemorial that an idle mind was always the devil’s workshop. On this fateful evening, I wouldn’t describe what I‘m going to narrate next as due to idleness, but rather satisfying my curiousity. I remembered my dear mother dying slowly and painfully, after she’d been (‘wrongfully’) delivered by her late husband. I’d witnessed ‘proper’ deliverances carried out and their resultant effects which were usually immediate, if such a victim wasn’t a strong Christian.But today I was going to see what happened to an initiate whose ‘time was up.’ My invisible double arrived at the Senator’s palatial residence at seven in the morning, while he was awake, healthy and with his two lawyers cross-checking something that resembled his will. My invisible double almost laughed, because the document was going to be useless after his immediate family experienced what I and Boma just experienced.My invisible double walked out through the wall, with the intention of com
TALES OF THE ATLANTIC CHAPTER TWENTY
2013Two weeks into the New Year, I began to understand the kind of person an Marine Brothers Society initiate became – heartless. It was as if upon joining Marine Brothers Society, one’s heart turned into stone and immediately lacked human feelings and sympathy. This was why when I recently drove through my late mother’s church, I knew the ‘battle’ was gradually intensifying. Apart from that, I had to get all the spiritual power and protection I could muster.The look on the face of Timothy’s invisible double, the day he delivered the pretty lady near Casablanca, was one devoid of pity as he proceeded to deliver the poor lady who had no idea of what was going to befall her. The Timothy I’d known in the past, though a chronic womaniser would never hurt a fly, and always abhorred every form of violence.Somehow, I knew the presence of a Holy Bible inside my ‘Marine Brothers Society mansion’ was totally prohibited as an Marine Brothers Society initiate. I vividly remembered the painting
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- TALES OF THE ATLANTIC
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Timothy knew sleeping was the least of his worries as he brought the bottle of McDonnell’s to his mouth the fifth time. It was three o’clock in the morning and he also knew most Marine Brothers Society initiates would be doing something similar to what he was presently doing, wherever they were.His apprehension seemed to escalate when he noticed his Marine Brothers Society katana was not on the wooden rack, after his invisible double had returned from the silvery orb. He wished drunkenness would lull him to sleep, so he wouldn’t think about the consequences of what had just happened.He brought the bottle to his mouth the sixth time and cursed himself for contracting only one assassin to get rid of me. He thought about his money, cars, company, girlfriends, investments and stocks, but didn’t think about penury.I woke up on the altar the next morning to see Boma kneeling beside me, peering into my face like a nurse.“Hope you’re better?” she whispered.“Let’s go home…it’s all over,”
- TALES OF THE ATLANTIC
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Inside the church, despite the fading pains on my body from the accident, I knew I had no choice but to maintain that sedentary position, until my invisible double successfully concluded his ‘mission.’I ignored the heated prayers around me, while my buttocks remained ‘stuck’ upon a white plastic chair. It was a good thing the weather was cold and the mosquitoes were at bay, else we all would have been soaked in our perspiration before daybreak.I closed my eyes and opened them again, trying to imagine what was going on in the mind of my invisible double. Although I knew what he was presently doing, I knew there was nothing like the feeling of being there personally. Slowly, I turned my head towards Boma and saw her praying like her late mother.“You will die the same way you made my dragon die,” the goddess screamed at my invisible double before she slumped backwards onto the surface of the silvery altar and melted on the flat surface. All eyes were now on my invisible double as he r
- TALES OF THE ATLANTIC
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
At that moment, I felt sorry for Boma – for having to put her through the entire stress, knowing fully well she had to be at her desk tomorrow morning in the bank. Samuel Adefarasin had started praying in whispers, while Pastor Alozie opened his large leather Holy Bible.I never intended for anyone to get hurt in the process of carrying out my late mother’s wish. This was why I felt the weight of guilt, as thoughts of all the people I’d delivered since joining Marine Brothers Society, began to race into my mind.My eyes were still on the door which had since been shut. The circles of prayer warriors had just been formed, and Pastor Alozie looked like a ready medieval General for a much anticipated battle, he was sure he’d win. I only took my gaze from the door after Boma’s right hand held mine.She bent down and looked at me affectionately, while the other hand stroked my face.“It’ll soon be over Tonye…very soon,” she whispered to me in a soothing voice. I nodded as an usher went aro
- TALES OF THE ATLANTIC
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
I swore never to allow myself to be bothered by a woman again, when I was finally discharged from the specialist hospital, that fateful tenth day of July 2013, with a truckload of medication. Boma’s magnanimous branch manager had offered her official car and driver to take me home.I said goodbye to the Nigerian, Syrian and Indian doctors and nurses, who’d taken their time to cut and stitch me for more than three months. I was amused at Boma’s tears of joy, as we journeyed to her apartment that afternoon.“Please drive us to the church….” The driver looked surprised, while he stared at the traffic lights ahead.“Madam said I should drive you home from the hospital, not…”“I want to go to the church and thank God.”“Okay, just drop us and we’ll use a taxi to church-” Boma cut in. The driver seemed not to hear us until I made one last statement.“If you don’t take me to the church before going to her apartment Mr Kennedy, I’ll come to her bank tomorrow and tell the manager you drove us
- TALES OF THE ATLANTIC
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
After an intensive massage one afternoon, I thought about the other Marine Brothers Society initiates and wished they could witness everything I’d witnessed, especially Doris Onakposeba, in her present state. She was the least of my worries, since one of them had even tried to kill me, by procuring an assassin. Staying in the hospital was frustrating, due to the healing and recovery process, which went on at a snail-speed.Many things had improved in my daily routine, especially my feeding pattern. I now fed myself, though salty, spicy and fried foods were still disallowed from my diet. My body, especially my blood needed sugar, so I indulged in ice creams and sweets on several occasions.As for the portrait, I looked at it at every available moment. Sometimes, I imagined me and Boma as orphans who were running away from the goddess and dying in the process of surviving Marine Brothers Society’s pangs, while the time rapidly ticked away.It was the third Sunday in June as he itched fo
- TALES OF THE ATLANTIC
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
God had never failed or disappointed him ever since he became born-again two decades ago, and he knew he wouldn’t start now. As far as Pastor Alozie was concerned, the major battle at hand was the ‘third stage’ of the Marine Brothers Society saga he was now faced with. The ‘first stage’ was the attack by the naked demons in my house.The ‘second stage’ was the accident which incapacitated me and the ‘third and final stage’ was the proposed face-off between me, Pastor Alozie (any other ‘interested’ party and the goddess. On the day the last surgical operation was to take place, Boma and Pastor Alozie were given fifteen minutes to talk with me before I was reeled to the theatre.“I’ll come around immediately I’m through from work,” Boma whispered as she held my hands.I looked at her smooth face and thought of how my abdomen had been scarred with stitches. The psychologist had advised me to keep recollecting happy thoughts and memories before the surgical operation commenced.This made
- TALES OF THE ATLANTIC
CHAPTER THIRTY
If anybody had told me that my invisible double was still ‘alive’ and ‘functional,’ I’d laughed heartily at such a person. The door to my room opened slowly and I stopped laughing at the cartoon on the television. I thought it was a nurse and tried to prepare my buttocks for another round of morning injections.Instead of a cheerful feminine face in a white uniform, I was surprised at the huge, six feet figure carrying a hamper, while entering the room with a smiling face. He looked satisfied with the occupant he’d just met, as his right hand began to reach for the back of his waist.“Are you Tamunoonye?” he asked in a friendly tone. Before I opened my mouth to answer, I watched in surprise as his smile soon turned into a painful, ugly grimace. He began to stagger towards my bed, while the hamper and dagger dropped from his hands.The next moment, I saw his white silk shirt become soaked with blood, flowing from his mouth and nostrils. He began to gasp for breath as the shiny blade w
- TALES OF THE ATLANTIC
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
While Boma’s imaginary kiss landed on my forehead, Ibeabuchi put finishing touches to his ‘tools’ of work. As a former mobile policeman, he knew the modus operandi of the Police and Mobile Police respectively in the State. He was conversant with their nature and more importantly, how long they usually took to respond to a distress call.On the small table beside the window, two oiled pistols lay with a well sharpened service dagger between them. At that moment, he wasn’t concerned with the instruments of death before him, rather he marvelled at my picture, taken by a special camera inside the silvery orb.He tried to wonder why a handsome and suave gentleman deserved to die. Four hours ago, he’d received a message alert on his mobile phone.It informed him of his savings bank account with Union Bank, which had just been credited with Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira, by one Florence Adetuyi.. Upon completion of the assignment, he would receive the remaining half.Examining the p
- TALES OF THE ATLANTIC
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
The goddess sat on one of the chairs near the pool of ash, while she kept observing the portrait, which was now held by three ‘perfect assistants.’ It depicted her utmost perfection in a ceremonial military uniform, inspecting the corpses of six men tied to six wooden posts. Their heads were bowed and blood was flowing from their ripped abdomens.“Tonye, Tonye, Tonye…you were going to make me proud by being an exceptional Marine Brothers Society initiate, but your foolishness will now lead to your painful ascension.”The three naked women remained stone-faced as the goddess gave out a loud cackle which shook the entire orb.“A new initiate would find this very useful…see to that.” She rose up and made for the silvery altar, with the three women walking silently behind her. They overtook her when they were a metre to the silvery altar, before placing the portrait gingerly atop it.“Tonye, you disappointed me terribly,” she whispered to herself as the portrait was slowly absorbed by the
