SCATTERED BY FIRE : EPISODE 1 – 10
SCATTERED BY FIRE ?
Written By Tosin Ezekiel
Episode 2
After the de.ath of her mother, Chris was seeing Ella like his mummy. He stayed with her most times.
Because of Chris, Pastor D got used to Ella’s house. He would be there until Chris slept and would carry him home.
One of the nights, the three were in the sitting room watching television, Chris slept off as usual. But Pastor D refused to stand, he kept staring at the T.V though his mind was far away.
“I think Chris can sleep here,” Ella said as though she didn’t need an answer.
“Okay,” Pastor D said without looking at Ella.
Ella moved close and sat on the arm of the chair where Pastor D sat. “Are you okay?” She asked as she put off the T.V.
“Ermm, I just…” Tears rolled down his cheeks.
“Oh no, don’t cry, sir,” Ella said and rushed to the bedroom, came out with a white handkerchief, gently, she wiped Pastor D’s face and caressed it a little.
She placed one hand on his shoulder and they both remained silent for a minute. The only sound heard was Chris who snored because of catarrh.
Pastor D looked at Ella whose hand was on his shoulder and said, “Thank you for taking care of my boy. You did just like my late wife… I wish…”
Ella looked into his eyes straight with goosebumps over her body. She wished Pastor D would say more.
Pastor D felt heavy, he couldn’t say more. But none of them could control the emotion. Ella fell into his arms completely and they both had their first kss.
Though they never mentioned ‘I love you’ to each other, the love was crystal clear. It was hard to explain how the kssing started, nobody saw them, they stopped it themselves and promised to follow the normal process.
But the fear of what people would say kept them mute. Besides, Pastor D thought it was too early to marry and if he would marry, should it be her late wife’s friend? Everything looked complicated.
They both tried to maintain some distance but Chris wouldn’t allow it. Chris had become fond of Ella and he called her mummy.
One night, after the service, Nneka brought a biscuit for Chris.
She bent down and was trying to play with him when Chris sighted Ella from afar, he left the biscuit on is ground and ran to meet Ella.
Nneka was mad, he went home furiously without waiting for Joy. At home, she narrated to her father that something was fishy between Pastor D and Ella. Her mother was also there and she spoke first.
Mama Nneka: Eehhh, allow this young man. He has the right to remarry if he likes Ella. Why are you troubled?
Nneka: No, Mummy, this is not fair. Ella is just trying to do double-cross others because she has money. She’s too proud.
Mama Nneka: Is your problem Ella or the relationship…let me get you.
Daddy Nneka: Woman, allow your daughter to talk, please.
Daddy Nneka and Nneka walked out of the room to their balcony to discuss further. Nneka kept talking with gestures, she bent to describe how she was playing with Chris and that Ella called him from her. While trying to stand, her glasses fell from the storey building and shatter on the ground.
Mama Nneka rushed out, “What was that?”
Nneka: Nothing! Nothing!
Mama Nneka saw the glasses. She looked at both of them as if she were saying something. Daddy Nneka was an elder in the church and the church council.
Nneka kept spreading the rumour. No one knew why she was passionate about that. Each time people saw Ella carrying Chris, they remembered the rumour.
The rumour was spreading about their affair until the church authority called Pastor D to a panel. Pastor D was disliked by some elders because of his popularity and gifts.
He was asked just one question, “Are you doing anything with Ella that you wouldn’t do on the pulpit?”
He was to answer yes or no.
Pastor D: I can’t…can say yes, but I…
Daddy Nneka: You don’t need to explain. We have our answer already. That was how they said it.
This happened on a Saturday, Pastor D was asked to leave the meeting. The following Sunday, they called them up during the announcement. The announcer was the assistant Pastor who always felt pastor D was his competitor.
He announced that Pastor D and Ella were both doing something ungodly in the secret. Obviously, the assistant pastor didn’t have any love for the two. The agility he put in the announcement without any feeling attested to this.
Some thought it could be nothing more but fornication. It was a serious case in the church. Many of the youth were discouraged while some said,
“We said it, didn’t we say it?
We said it. All these scatter by fire scatter by fire, not knowing they were sleeping with each other around.”
SCATTERED BY FIRE : EPISODE 1 – 10
Nneka and Joy were talking after the service near the church toilet.
Nneka: Joy shey I told you. I told you. You see, you see now…
Joy: Nneka, it’s sad, but, Nne, they didn’t say it was fornicatuon.
Nneka: What could a man and a woman be doing in the secret than fornication?
Nneka began another humour telling others they could be doing nothing in secret than fornication. It became the top gist around. Others, who had always disliked Pastor D and Ella used the incident to preach.
Many had envied Ella’ success, they said she was desperate for a husband because she was proud of her money. Things fell part and were scattered by hatred, envy and gossip.
At the end of the service that day, Chris was jumping and running after Ella, shouting Mummy.
Pastor D carried him, but he was crying loudly.
“Mummy, mummy, daddy take me to mummy….
Chris wouldn’t stop crying as Pastor D left the church. “Mummy, mummy, daddy take me to mummy….”
Chris didn’t care to know what was going on, he just wanted love.
SCATTERED BY FIRE : EPISODE 1 – 10
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