After an intensive massage one afternoon, I thought about the other Ebie initiates and wished they could witness everything I’d witnessed, especially Diane Orek, 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 Tarami as orphans who were running away from the goddess and dying in the process of surviving Ebie’s pangs, while the time rapidly ticked away. It was the third Sunday in June as he itched for the meeting to come to an end. If he

At that moment, I felt sorry for Tarami – for having to put her through the entire stress, knowing fully well she had to be at her desk tomorrow morning in the bank. Saret Andeki 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 Ebie, 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 Tarami’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 around the church audit

Timmy 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 Ebie initiates would be doing something similar to what he was presently doing, wherever they were.His apprehension seemed to escalate when he noticed his Ebie katana was not on the wooden rack, after his invisible double had returned from the marine sphere. 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 Tarami kneeling beside me, peering into my face like a nurse.“Hope you’re better?” she whispered.“Let’s go home…it’s all over,” I whispered while looking around the