PRIESTESS OF KEBRA.
Episode 22.
By Amah’s Heart.
Sheila woke up in the middle of the night with a loud scream.
Bash who now sleeps in another chamber after his near death encounter with Sheila heard her screaming again in the middle of the night.
He has been ignoring her and this was the third time she was screaming.
Tonight’s scream was more louder than yesterday and a day before.
He decided to get up to know what exactly she was always screaming for.
Bash unlocked his room door and went to her chamber to check on her.
“, They want to kill me…. they are trying to kill me…
That was all she kept saying while panting heavily.
“Who is trying to kill you?
Bash asked confused.
“, Dembe’s God. His God attacked me and try to take my life….he wants to kill me. He attacks me every night and try to snuff life out of me…
Bash rolled his eyes in a rather confused state.
“Since is between you and Dembe’s God, I can’t do anything to help. I will rather return to sleep. Sort it out with him and if he finally kills you…then so be it. You are afraid to die but not afraid to take the lives of others. I hope you feel what those you cursed so much pain feels. I’m going to bed and by tomorrow I will be at the temple of the living God with Dembe. He is showing me ways to serve the invisible God… almost everyone in Kebra is gradually embracing this true light. They are coming to worship with the priestess right in the temple. You will be left out because your offense is huge. You are afraid of your mother, afraid of Dembe and his God… very soon you will also be afraid of me because I can’t be left out in this new life that was introduced to Kebra through Dembe.
Bash turned to leave, Sheila stood up and ran after him.
“Please don’t follow me Sheila, go back to your bed. I can’t sleep with my eyes close if we are in the same bed because I know what you are capable of doing.
“Bash I’m afraid. Dembe’s God may kill me before morning. I’m afraid… please don’t leave me at his mercy because I don’t want to die…I will sleep on the ground if you want me to but I don’t want to be alone…
Sheila pleaded. But Bash was no move by her plea.
“I’m not staying in the same room with you Sheila. Call your maids to keep you company but leave me out of whatever is trying to kill you…I won’t be part of it. You really have to go and make peace with both your mother, Dembe and everyone you have offended…that is the only way you can have peace. As of for me… I’m not interested again in this marriage. I’m still giving you time so that the information will sink in. I know you can’t return back to your mother’s house because of your atrocities and you can’t stay here either so start planning on what exactly to do with your life…
Sheila kept pleading to follow him but Bash strongly refused to stay in the same room with her.
“Mother will never forgive me. She will rather watch me stone to death than have a daughter like me. Dembe is not even somebody I want to talk about…he will throw spit over my grave if I die. I don’t have anywhere to go to Bash. mother has destroyed our priestess home and turned it into a worship centre to the God of Dembe. She burned the gods and destroyed everything we hold sacred. There is nothing left for me. No mother, no sister, no child of my own, not even a seat as the priestess of Kebra… Everything is gone and now you also want to leave me. My life will be empty with no hope and this God of Dembe will destroy me finally… please … don’t leave me.
Bash made a heavy sigh before saying.
“I’m sorry Sheila, you brought this upon yourself. I really can’t help you…
Bash walked into his chamber and locked the door firmly.
She sat beside Bash door, leaning her head on the wall afraid to go back to sleep again.
In the morning as Bash opened the door to come out of his room, he stumbled on Sheila lying in front of his door, she wrapped up herself in a tick shaw.
“, What in the Lord’s name are you doing lying on the ground in front of my door. Sheila…?
Sheila yawned loudly as she sat up from the ground.
“That God was going to kill me right in my bed. I decided to trick him by changing position. He probably searched for me on the bed in my chamber and since he couldn’t find me he left.
Bash suddenly started laughing hysterically.
“You speak like a child Sheila. So you thougt that you can actually hide from the invisible God??…
Few days later Sheila kept having sleepless nights. Her fear grew worst anytime the night draws close.
She suddenly started loosing weight and feeling sick.
“, Dembe’s God struck me down with this sickness. He was out to destroy me for every bad thing I did in the past…
She cried out. She was always afraid and hates to stay alone.
Anytime she is in her chamber she will imagine an invisible eyes watching her.
And with such imagination she will began to scream.
Bash was tired of the Continues drama from his wife.
He felt pity for Sheila with the way she was going down joined with her crazy attitude.
She was begining to act like a mad person, talking to herself and always running away from nothing.
She doesn’t sleep at night, and afraid during the day.
Bash decided to speak to the priestess and to Dembe just to plead for Sheila’s forgiveness.
Dembe obviously has nothing against Sheila and wish she could really see that his heart is pure towards her and he has always prayed for her.
The priestess who was gradually turning into a prophetess had this to say.
“Sheila is just like me when i was still serving and bowing to idols. I was heartless at some point and wanted everything to go my way. My husband was like a hindrance to my power and I try to remove him from the way. He got sick and later died. I moved on without much to regret over. I told my two daughters that men are not supposed to rule over them, I told them that they have power to do as they please and anybody that stands on the way should be removed. Aprin was different… she has always had a soft heart for people. Sheila swallowed all my words and buried her head in it. Sheila is my replica and I later regretted every thing that I did and how I sowed evil seed in my children’s heart. I didn’t want to have another type of myself on the seat..it would have been a total disaster. Sheila would have brought down doom on Kebra and the people at Large. I saw my young version in her and that was why I refused to accept her as the next priestess of Kebra even after Aprin died. It wasn’t so surprising when she tried to stab me to death or hang a crime she solely did on Dembe’s head… I and Dembe were hindrances on her way and she tries to remove us but heaven intervened on our behalf. God showed up and had mercy on me even when I’m undeserving. I’m not worthy yet he counted me worthy to be alive in the land of the living. I will use all I got, everything in me…to serve him. I dedicate the rest of my life to him alone. Sheila is still my daughter…if God can forgive all my sin and make me his vessel how much more Sheila. I have forgiven her and I’m only waiting for her to realize herself and come around. Tell her that I yawn to see her again. Is almost a year now that I almost died from her stab, the scar on my stomach serves as a reminder of God’s kindness. one of the reasons God brought me back to life is to help people like her to find their footing. I’m sure Dembe has no problem with her either. Sheila is only eaten by guilt. She remains my daughter and nothing will change that. I caused her to be so heartless with my word and action in the past but I can also help her to see the true light that has come stay in Kebra… please help Sheila to start seeing this light that you have also come to embrace. Don’t leave her… maybe God placed you in her life for such a purpose Just as Dembe was brought to us for such a time as this, to lead us out of darkness into a marvelous light..
Bash nodded to every word of his mother in-law and also that of Dembe.
He thanked them and left.
As he got home, he told Sheila what her mother had said but Sheila did not believe him.
“You want me to get into her trap so that they can kill me? I won’t… she and Dembe won’t see me to kill. They will be happy to watch me die… Even if I have to die let me die right here not under her poking eyes.
She refused to step out no matter how much Bash persuaded her.
The nightmare reduced but she was still acting like a crazy woman and getting sicker as each day comes.
Bash invited Dembe to come over and he did.
Sheila kept screaming in terror the moment she saw Dembe.
She was too weak to run if not she could have ran out of the house.
Dembe without minding began to rebuke every demon tormenting her.
He prayed for Sheila until her scream turned into a cry. She began to sob heavily.
Dembe tried his best to comfort her before leaving.
He came twice to see her and also prayed for her before Sheila agreed to go with him to see her mother.
She fell to her mother’s feet weeping bitterly, she was uncontrollable as she lay face down on her mother’s feet begging to be forgiven.
The priestess was happy to see her daughter again even though Sheila was almost turning into a dry bone.
She was very sick.
Sheila confessed wholeheartedly of all the terrible things she did in the past.
She said that was not worthy to be called a daughter because she doesn’t deserve such title.
Dembe told them the story of a prodigal son in the Bible. Who wanted his own wealth and his father had to give him his own share of the wealth. He left to a foreign land and squander all the money. He spent it all in living an extravagant life. After exhausting his wealth he became poor and couldn’t feed. He begged a swine dealer to allow him to be feeding the pigs just so that he can be able to eat out of the pigs pen. One day while attending to the swines he thought of how the servants in his father’s house eat and live so comfortably. He decided that he will journey back home and beg his father to make him one of his servant because he was not worthy to be called a son. He was hungry and dirty as he left for his journey. His father sighted him from afar and ran ahead to meet him. He embraced his son, asked the servants to clean him up and wear him a beautiful garment. The father called party and gathered people to celebrate with him that his son who was lost has returned home.
Dembe explained to them that the story of the prodigal son and his father is the Same way God reacts anytime one of his own turns away from sin and come back to him. The heavens and all the host of angels rejoices over one sinner’s repentance.
Sheila and Bash started attending fellowship. Jon and his family also comes around.
The priestess was very happy to meet Hannah after she was introduced.
She knew Hannah belongs to the tent makers family and she can’t take her away from them because through her the tent maker and his wife nursed a baby of their own. Hannah loves her parents and was growing to be God fearing and a beautiful damsel.
Many other families always gather at the temple of the living God right in the priestess compound on every worship day to pray, sing and worship together.
The news of Kebra traveled far and near.
Lydia heard about the good news of the people in Kebra.
People from Kish that traveled to Kebra returned back to Kish to testify that the city of Kebra has seen the light and many has given their life to Christ.
It was a great news , Lydia was very excited.
She decided to visit Kebra again. She told her father and brother. Lukas also wanted to go and see for himself too.
Before she set out for her journey. She ran to tell her good friend Cornelius that she will be going back to Kebra.
He was not so happy with the news of Lydia leaving but he wished Lydia the best.
Lydia thanked him for all his kindness and promised that she will always intercede for him in her prayers.
Nel assured her the same.
They hugged for sometime before Lydia Left to start packing her things for the journey.
She knew if she stays any longer she may change her mind from going because of Nel who she was gradually getting attached to.
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