Afflicted – Episode 8

AFFLICTED Episode 8

 

The doctors, absolutely scared, jump out of his way with looks of dread and confusion etched deeply on their faces.

The nurse is trembling rather badly by what she has seen, and she gives a startled scream and jump to one side as Maame Akua tries to get out of the bed.

The stranger is out of the ward again!

Amina quickly approaches Maame Akua and takes hold of her shoulders.

AMINA

(excitedly)

Mama, please, wait here! Don’t go anywhere, okay? I think we’re going to bring Akoto home!

MAAME AKUA

(puzzled)

What’s going on, my daughter? Where’s my son?

AMINA

(tearfully)

God sent us a helper, Mama! I’ll explain later, but I need to go!

Maame Akua holds Amina’s hand, and tears are running down her cheeks.

MAAME AKUA

(unsteadily)

Amina! You’ve been an angel! I saw you in a dream too, with Akoto, and he was so happy, and I know God wants you to be his partner! Forgive me, daughter, for being a bad Christian and thinking some tribes are better than others! I should have encouraged Akoto to love you a long time ago!

Amina smiles.

AMINA

Our God makes everything beautiful in His own time, Mama! And I know the time is now! Please, lie back down. We’ll be with you soon!

She turns and runs out of the ward after the stranger.

Doctor Kissiedu looks at Mama Akua for a moment, and then he suddenly curses and turns for the door.

He goes out and sees the stranger striding purposefully away.

Doctor Kissiedu begins to run hard, his heart thudding with sudden resolve.

He passes Amina, and then he reaches out and catches the arm of the stranger.

A violent vibration blasts through him, as if electricity is passing through him.

He gives a muted scream and scrambles back, and would have fallen if the stranger hadn’t reached out instantly to hold him steady.

THE STRANGER

I gave you a warning about touching me, Kuntukununku!

There is abject misery in the doctor’s eyes.

He is trembling fiercely.

DOC KISSIEDU

(pitifully)

Please, please! Please help my baby girl! She will be dead by the end of this week! Please, I beg of you, save her!

The stranger steps away from him and heads for the elevator without a word.

Doctor Kissiedu once again runs round him and falls down on his knees in tears, reaching out bravely to hold the man’s leg.

This time there is no violent vibration.

THE STRANGER

Now what ails you, Kuntukununku?

DOC KISSIEDU

(shouting)

I hate that name! But you can call me that, it’s okay! Please, my daughter! Please, please help her!!

THE STRANGER

I am but a mortal, Kuntukununku. I have no power to heal your daughter!

DOC KISSIEDU

(weeping)

Oh, please! Damn it! Damn it, man! That woman you just cured… damn it, she wasn’t expected to live! She was brain dead, man! Only her heart had a trace of life! She wasn’t supposed to wake up and be able to speak and be cured of all that massive organ and tissue damage! But you healed her!

THE STRANGER

Get out of my face, Kuntukununku! I have no powers, I told you, fool! I didn’t heal that woman. I’m but a messenger!

DOC KISSIEDU

(desperate)

What? But you healed that wo-

AMINA

(breaking in)

He didn’t heal the woman, Doc. God healed her. That’s what this man is trying to tell you!

Doctor Kissiedu’s eyes fill up with tears now.

Still on his knees he raises both his arms upward and shuts his eyes as tears rack his body.

DOC KISSIEDU

I believe now, sir, that God does exist, and that His son Jesus Christ died for my sins! I repent of my sins, please! I’ll be going to church with my wife, always! I’ll get baptized! I believe, God, dear Lord, please heal my daughter!!

The stranger looks at the broken man and steps past him again.

THE STRANGER

In two minutes your wife will call and tell you your daughter is now crying, and that the doctors have taken her out of the support system, and she is brea$t-feeding her! The Good Lord has heard your prayer, and Heaven is happy because another lost sheep has come home, Kuntukununku, you fool!!

The Doctor springs to his feet, but the elevator doors are open and the stranger has entered with Amina.

DOC KISSIEDU

Wait! Please, sir, wait! I-

The elevator doors swing close, and just then the doctor’s phone rings.

He takes it out with trembling hands.

It is his wife!

He picks the call.

DOC KISSIEDU

(weeping)

Hello, darling. Ewura Adwoa is up, out of the life support system, and you’re brea$t-feeding her for the first time, isn’t it? Wait for me, I’m coming over right now.

There is a strangled gasp in his ear, and his wife begins to cry uncontrollably.

MRS. KISSIEDU

(tremulously, stunned)

How did you know, my love? How did you hear of the awesome miracle that just happened? I was watching her and suddenly she opened her eyes and started crying and the doctors came in and took her out and listened to her heartbeats and gave her to me to feed and they’re all confused and waiting to run scans and tests and they can’t understand wh-

DOC KISSIEDU

(overwhelmed, weeping)

Darling, darling, darling, please breathe! Breathe, my love! I know what happened! I have the strangest news for you, darling. Wait, I’m coming over to the Maternity Ward right now! We’re going to church this Sunday!!

***********************

The stranger enters his Escalade, and Amina opens the passenger door and sits beside him.

He drives fast but carefully.

The interior if the car is luxurious, and she notices that there is a huge Bible in the backseat of the car.

She does not ask him where they are going because she knows already, and her body is tingling with anticipation.

She simply can’t wait to see Pastor or Reverend or Apostle Ebow Obuobi again!

There are a lot of vehicles in the car park of the Golgotha Heights International Church when they reach there.

The stranger parks the car and gets out quickly.

Amina also gets down and runs after him.

He enters through the doors of the church.

It is packed to capacity once again!

The upper and lower terraces are all filled to bursting limits.

A great banner announces the ordination of Reverend Obuobi to Apostle status.

There is a gigantic picture of Ebow Obuobi serving as the background of the podium.

Reverend Obuobi, wearing the beautiful ceremonial gown of Apostles, has already been ordained, and he is now walking towards the pulpit to preach as loud applause ring through the church.

Kesewaa is also getting off the podium after completing another beautiful song.

The stranger is striding purposefully down the aisle, and Amina notices with glee that he looks very angry indeed.

The new Apostle is smiling with pride, but suddenly he sees the stranger, and the smile disappears from his face.

He gasps, and quickly drops the microphone.

Reverend Obuobi moves from the pulpit, and his right hand quickly drops into his side pocket and he brings out one of his mysterious candies, similar to what he has used to ki*ll Bishop Osuanyi and strike down Akoto and his mother.

He moves forward and stands on the edge of the podium and looks at the stranger with confused eyes.

The stranger has reached the front, and many people are looking at him, both with fear and awe.

The stranger turns right and walks towards the door that leads to the interior offices and the Miracle Room.

An Usher suddenly approaches him with a grim scowling face.

USHER

This portion is out of bounds, sir. You can’t go this way! Kindly let me show you to a seat!

The stranger does not stop, but suddenly the golden curtain hanging in front of the door rips down the middle with a furious ripping sound with no one touching it, and then the door blasts off its hinges with a mad, furious, exploding sound!

The Usher turns, stares at the door and then he begins to quiver!

He swallows hard, and then he steps aside quickly.

Amina almost laughs as she watches the stunned looks on the faces of everyone present, especially Reverend Obuobi whom she can see is suddenly sweating profusely inside his ceremonial dress.

The stranger marches on, and Amina stops.

She is having so much fun watching the terror on the once-pompous face of Obuobi that she wants to savour it.

The stranger disappears into inside.

He locates the room where Akoto is lying weakly on a bed, and he enters.

He finds Akoto lying on the bed where Amina had left him earlier, still with leprous hands, crippled legs and a twisted mouth.

The stranger’s harsh face softens quickly as he sees the terrible thing Ebow has done to this humble Christian.

Akoto is watching, and he makes strange noises when he remembers what Amina had told him about a tall and handsome stranger coming to help them.

THE STRANGER

Because you have always served God, He will never abandon you, nor let your toe stumble! Be blessed, little brother! Stand up, in the name of Jesus, get dressed, and go home. Never abandon the path of righteousness, for God loves you!

Akoto feels a warm glow passing through him, and then his sick limbs straighten out, and he watches, dazed, humbled and filled with joy as the terrible affliction Obuobi has placed on him slowly disappears!

He looks up, but the stranger has left the room again!

He stands up, sniffing with passionate tears, and slowly begins to put on the rest of his clothes.

The stranger walks back into the church where there are mumblings of confusion all around, but the moment he appears all the noise dies down.

They all watch with trepidation as he mounts the podium and stands facing an evidently terrified Apostle Ebow Obuobi.

REV. OBUOBI

(uncertainly)

Who are you, and what do you want here?

THE STRANGER

(acidly)

You worker of iniquity! You vile evil man, filled with everything despicable! How dare you! Do you think you can touch the anointed children of God, Akoto Nyameboame, his mother and Osuanyi Ayeh and go scot free? Listen, the hand of God is stretched upon you, and judgement is passed on you this very day!

There are gasps of horror from the onlookers.

Apostle Obuobi takes a step back and pushes the candy between his teeth and begins to bite.

REV. OBUOBI

Keep away from me! I’m a man of God, and you don’t want to taste my power!

THE STRANGER

Funny little fool! Do you think biting the candy can harm me? Go on, bite it and bite off your legs, fool!

Obuobi bites, and he screams with pain as he feels his thighs puncturing painfully, and blood stains his dress.

His eyes open with wide sudden horror then.

The stranger turns and faces the congregation.

THE STRANGER

You fools! The Bible says judgement will begin from the house of the Lord, and for a fact I understand that now! You allowed this demon to lead this church? A man who has built his faith on evil, to trample on you and scatter you like wheat for his own selfish gains? Because you chased after signs and wonders, forgetting the righteous path of the Lord, you allowed this to happen in the house of the Lord!

REV. OBUOBI

(screaming)

It’s a lie! It’s all a lie!

The stranger whirls on him with fierce eyes.

THE STRANGER

A lie? So what you have sown in this church, without the knowledge of the late Bishop Osuanyi is a lie?

The stranger’s hand slashes downward, and immediately the area in the floor in front of the pulpit cracks open, revealing a secret crevice!

The crevice is just in front of where Kesewaa is standing, and she looks inside, and screams with terror!

She moves backwards fast, but loses her balance and falls down.

REV. OBUOBI

(screaming)

No, no, no, no, no, noooooo!!!!

People are looking into the crevice!

It contains a lot of hideous things!

There is a huge live anaconda in it!

There is a skull, there is blood, and there are pieces of human anatomy in it!

THE STRANGER

That is the source of his power, his evil power! A man who extols himself, and does not even acknowledge the authority of God and Jesus, and you all fall for his false worship! The evil one came, and succeeded in scattering you like wheat! May God have mercy on all of you!

He slashes his hand again, and immediately there is a whoosh as a great fire erupts in the crevice, burning the secret shrine.

The terrible anaconda rears out of the crevice, huge and terrible!

The people who had not yet seen it scream with terror, and there is a mad rush towards the entrance.

THE STRANGER

(angrily)

Perish, you vile thing, in the name of Jesus!

And the gigantic snake suddenly explodes into ashes.

Apostle Obuobi screams suddenly and falls on the podium, thrashing as if he himself is on fire!

REV. OBUOBI

(screaming)

HELP ME, PLEASE! PLEASE HELP ME! PLEASE, HELP ME PLEASE! HAVE MERCY! I’M DYING! I’M BURNING!!

 

Story continues…

©Aaron Ansah-Agyeman

All Rights Reserved

 

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