... I had searched everywhere for him, from our bedroom to the backyard but he was nowhere to be found. I rushed back into the house to ask my children if they knew his whereabouts, or if he told them that he was going somewhere but none of them had an idea of where he had gone.
"I don't understand. Dad hasn't been feeling too well and he doesn't even know anyone here yet. So where has he gone?" My son too asked rhetorically.
We were still there confused, when we suddenly heard knocks on the door. My heart skipped as I turned swiftly toward the direction where the knock came from. We hadn't recovered from last night's sh0ck, even the van driver left very early without a word to any of us. There came the knocks again and my children and I turned swiftly to look at each other, and then the door.
"Who is that?" My son asked with eyes glued towards that direction.
"It's Layla" The voice said.
"The little girl" Said my daughter, looking at me.
"Open the door" I instructed and my daughter hurried to the door and had it unlocked.
As soon as the door opened, the little girl rushed in.
"Good afternoon ma, good afternoon aunty, good afternoon uncle" She greeted bending her knees.
"Good afternoon" We replied in chorus.
"How are you?" I asked with a smile.
"I'm fine ma." She said.
"Ma, the pastor is in church preaching, and I heard my Daddy say that some elders are already in the palace planning on how to chase him out of there with weap0ns" She said scratching her head.
Our jaws dropped immediately, as the three of us turned to look at each other.
"Please, take me to the church" I said in a trembl!ng tone.
"Ok ma" Layla said with a nod, and we all followed her to the church.
We started to hear my husband's voice from afar as we approached, preaching at the top of his voice.
"What's all these for Christ's sake?" I lamented while rushing towards the church.
As soon as he saw us, he paused. I and the kids hurried to him while Layla stood by the corner.
"We need to leave here now!" I said on reaching him.
"What's going on?" He quizzed looking at us one after the other.
"I don't understand, we were warned to leave this place in three days. I was expecting you to wake up so we start making preparations for us to leave, only to be nowhere to be found. The little girl came to inform us that you were here, and that they are currently planning at the palace to come att@ck you with weap0ns. Please we must leave now"
By Blessing-Enejo Abrahams Elleywrites.
"Let them come. I didn't send myself here, God sent me" he said raising his Bible.
"Dad please, stop it now. We know that God sent you, but at this point I don't know if God will even support what you're doing. Does it mean that our lives and yours don't even matter to you?" My daughter said fuming in @nger.
"Keep quiet! Do not speak of God like that" My son r@ged.
"That's ok, it's ok" I yelled.
"Darling, have you seen what you've caused? Please I beg you, let's leave here before they meet us here" I said rubbing both palms together but he just stood there smiling.
"You know what? You all can leave. I haven't finished with the message I was passing across" He said with the Bible to his chest.
"Passing a message across to who?" I quizzed looking around.
"These are empty seats. Don't you see?"
He smiled again and then looked at me.
"You see, very soon, all these empty chairs will be filled with people, and some won't even have seats to sit on. They will stand outside by the windows to listen to the message of God" He said still smiling.
"Go with the kids. If you don't see me in one or two hours, just know that like Christ, I have been persecuted" He added.
"What?!" I exclaimed.
"We are never going to leave here without you" I added.
"Dad, look, I understand what you are trying to do ok? But at this point, you need to give this a second thought. Mom is not ready to leave without you, can we just go home now, please?" My 15 year old son said.
My husband sighed and then hugged me.
"Let's go" He said with a smile.
I wasn't just happy on our way home, I kept turning and looking around to make sure that none of those Palace people saw us. His arms were around my shoulders but mine were folded and for the first time I doubted God's love.
" Did He send us here to d!e if we are not able to win souls? Did God love us at all? " I thought to myself as we walked.
We reached home, and Layla was still with us. I was trying to open the front door when I noticed that the lock had been spoilt. I looked swiftly at my husband with my mouth agape.
"What is it?" He quizzed on seeing my expression.
"The lock, it's been spoilt" I said pointing toward it and he rushed forward to look at it.
"Who could have done this?" He asked looking at us one after the other.
And then, a little boy who was riding a tire by the house stopped all of a sudden.
"Layla, I will tell your Mommy" He said and then sprinted away.
"Layla please, I think you should go home now" I said to her.
"Okay ma" She replied.
"Bye bye ma" She added and then left.
I and the children were sc@red to go in but my husband took the lead and we followed. Everything in the living room and the bedroom was intact. So why was our door spoilt?
"What did that person come here for then?" My son quizzed.
"Who knows?" I replied still looking around.
I then told the kids to go in and pack their bags that we were all living the next day and they both left to pack their bags while my husband sat there without a word. After packing everything, I went into the kitchen to make something for us to eat cos we hadn't eaten but I discovered that our gas, foodstuff, and water were nowhere to be found. I rushed into the living room to inform my husband about it and we all ran back into the kitchen searching everywhere but found none.
"You know what? As soon as the day breaks, we're out of here" I thundered as I stomped away into the bedroom.
Later that night, we were so famished but there was nothing we could do. My husband had gone out earlier to get us a few things but no one wanted to sell to him. My kids had even slept off after complaining of hunger but I was still in the living room sitting in one of the couches and at the same time pondering on what was going on when I heard a whisper by the window.
"Who is that?" I asked so fr!ghtened.
"Layla ma. I brought you food" She said in silent whispers.
I rushed to the window to properly see her.
"What?!" I exclaimed.
"From where?" I quizzed.
"It's my portion ma, take it. I heard my parents discussing how the palace guards came and took your things away from the kitchen. So I brought my portion of food for you people cos I know you must be hungry" She said.
I smiled and then shook my head.
"Never mind Layla, please go and eat your food. Thank you so much" I said smiling but she shook her head.
"I'm not leaving here if you don't take it" She said and I had to take it. That little portion was what my kids and I ate that night.
The following morning as early as 5am, I woke my husband telling him that we should leave but he refused. Well, I left him there and I and the kids went outside carrying our bags with the car keys but the car was nowhere to be found...
To be continued!
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