Her long shiny black gown shone in the dim light. Her heels pierced through the sand. She wasn't thirteen here. She was ancient. The master had just told her that she shouldn't forget about her mission. She nodded.

She made a motion with her hands and an image showed on her palm. Two girls sleeping. Twins.

Get rid of her.

She nodded. Before it's too late.

"I can only do this through her sister."

"It's fine. I give you a month."

She nodded.

..................

Running..... Running. My feet gave in. I couldn't breathe. It was coming. So close. My eyes. I felt it's breath and before I could close my eyes, I felt it. I shouldn't have. I should have listened. It pierced through. I saw blood. Then it all went dark.

................

I woke up gasping. Cold sweat. I was crying. I wiped my tears. It didn't help the pain. My eyes stung. I looked round. It was still dark outside. Helsa was lying down fast asleep.

Nothing to worry about. She's so lucky. I felt bitter. Bitter against her.

She stirred. I hissed. I got up and walked outside. The sand outside was dry. Unusual. I walked with bare feet. I sighed. I climbed a tree successfully even though my eyes failed me twice. I sat on a branch. I needed to clear my head.

I untied my hair and threw the band away. Hugging the tree as I felt the pain subside. The incident replayed in my head.

India. Stay here.

No.

Stay here. This place is not safe.

No. I want to follow you.

I felt tears gather in my eyes. Not helping.

I wiped my face dry with my top. I sighed.

I felt the wind call out to me. It was brushing around me. Grazing my skin. It was almost unnatural. I thought.

Then I heard a voice. At least I thought I heard a voice.
India.

A peaceful voice. And the whispers continued. I closed my eyes.

I know you're going through so much.

"Who are you?" I asked after I knew I wasn't imagining it.

I am.

"So you're the one who they always talk about." I sighed. "I didn't think you were real." I opened my eyes. There were some rays of sun peeking out from the sky.

No answer.

I sighed and got off the branch. Tears forming in my eyes again. This time, a lump in my throat. I was going to break down. Normally, whenever I cry, I would just bring my tears down. No hiccups, no coughing just silent tears but now, I was going to cry.

I ran into the bush. My eyes closed. I was just running. I saw a stump and sat down on it. Wailing.

No one could help me. I buried my face in my palms.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

(Matthew 11:28) (In case you were wondering)

"How can I be sure?" My voice was croaky.
Silence. I groaned.

"India?" It was Helsa.

I looked up. She was wearing cool pyjamas she made herself. I couldn't even put thread through a needle.

"What is it?" I snapped in a bitter voice.
She exhaled.

"Are you okay?"

"Do I look okay?" I sniffed. "Just go away. Go to bed." I covered my face.

"Jesus loves you."

I didn't answer. I couldn't.

"I can't. He can't. Just go away!" She didn't move. "I said go away!" I saw tears drip down her face. She ran to me and hugged me. Her hands were tight around me. She was crying.

"I'm sorry you feel like this. Jesus Christ loves you."

I hugged her back. I was going to try. I sniffed. I let go of the really tight hug. "Yeah. I hope so. He was talking to me a moment ago." I gave her a weak smile.

Her mouth dangled open.

"What?! I have to go fasting sometimes and in deep worship before I hear the voice of the Lion of Judah you know." She smiled.

"Let's go inside. There's school today you know."

"Wait up. Are you going to accept him as you Lord and saviour and father?"
She said with an eyebrow up and hand stretched out to me.

"Yes." I held her hand.

Then, she led me to Christ. I was born again, afresh, new. I felt Joy.

"Jesus. I'm so happy you made this day that I accepted you. I love you so much. I give my life to you. I believe you died for me and rose again so I may be justified. Thank you Jesus for saving my soul. I am now born again."

Then, she prayed for me. She looked so happy. We went inside for a quick rest. Even though I couldn't sleep. I had company. I could see different beings. It started small like seeing what would happen in the next few seconds and then to seeing ugly things that I thought were demons.

I lay on my bed. Looking up. I saw light bouncing around me. I smiled. I whispered a thank you.

Helsa was singing. I couldn't wait to tell her.

She passed me her Bible when she was done studying. I sighed. It was still the same Bible.
Why?

"I'm going to bathe now okay?" She said.

"Sure."

When she left, I passed the Bible silently back to her place.

No way. It was all about old people who sinned and got punished.

Read it. The same voice said.

I picked the book and opened it. She had highlighted almost every verse.

"Wow."

My eyes fell on a verse. It made my heart skip a beat or two.

Proverbs 3:7
[7]Do not be wise in your own eyes;
    fear the Lord and shun evil.

Shun evil
Fear the Lord
Do not be wise in your own eyes

I sighed.

"I'm sorry for everything." I closed the Bible.

If I had known this earlier, I might not have had this attack.
.......
Running. But, I couldn't go further. So tired. I shouldn't have come here. My heart was heaving. I felt it's breath on me.
.......

Forget the past. I have healed your pain. Read.

I opened to another part. This part looked so rough. It must've been opened a lot of times. The whole chapter was highlighted but two verses were circled.

1 Thessalonians 5:16 $ 7
[16]Rejoice always,
[17]pray continually

I smiled. I saw a glow emit from the Bible and warmth filled me.

Helsa came in.

"Aww. She's reading the word." I stood up and put my hands on her shoulders.

"Helsa, I can see."

"Yeah. I know. You weren't blind to begin with." She rolled her eyes. She giggled.

"I can see light and hear the voice and see devils. And floating lights."

Her eyes were wide in shock.

"You are gifted!" She was happy with me. I could tell.

She told me something about having to get a close relationship with God but I think I was too caught up with the gift to listen.

As if she heard my thoughts, she said: "India, you have to listen up. He wants to draw you closer and there must be a reason why he gave you all these gifts so early." She was so serious that I gulped.

"Now, go have your bath." She pointed outside.

"Okay momma." I said with a smirk.

I went outside. The water left was just enough for my parents and I to have our baths. I got a bucket and fetched some for my use. When I got to the bathroom, I tripped
And
Fell.
The
Water
Was
All
Gone.

My physical sight was still not good enough. I sighed and rubbed my ankle.

There was no way I would use out of my parents' water to bathe. I got the bucket and made my way to the stream. It was already bright outside and many people were awake. Some children getting ready for school. My mind wandered to Tiffany. Was she going to school here?

I walked towards her house. Luckily, it was on the way to the stream. I looked into the ever open door. I saw Tiffany brushing her long hair. She looked outside and smiled at me. She came out.

"Good morning Helsa."

"Hi."

"Are you still up for the walk again today?" But, I didn't quite get what she said.

"Pardon me?"
She spoke too fast and her accent was still a bit foreign to me.

"You didn't hear me really? I asked if you were still going for the walk I talked about yesterday?"

"Oh, well, I'm actually going to school."

"Okay. Maybe later."

"How long are you staying here?"

"Hmm.. I don't know actually." She grinned.

"Okay. I'm just going to fetch some water. Byee."

"Yeah bye."
Weird. I felt weird talking to her.

Go home.

It was firm. I couldn't hesitate. I turned around and ran home.
"Helsa?" I said as I threw the bucket away on hearing worried tones.

"India!"

"What's going on?"

"It's Papa. He's not breathing well."

"Why?" I gasped. I saw a gas wrap itself around his neck. Tightly.

"You came just in time. What can you see?"

"Something is strangling him. Where's Mama?"

"She-she ....."

"She what?"

"She hasn't woken up this morning." She turned to face my father hiding her tears.

We held hands and prayed. The gas untangled and vanished. He could breathe again. He was coughing trying to catch his breath. I stood and walked to Mama's room. She was lying down. Her spirit gone.

I wanted to pray for her to come back but I heard him again.

No. Let her go.

I cried. I lay on the floor not knowing what to do.

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.

(‭‭1 Corinthians 16:13 NLT‬‬)

The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.

(Psalms 9:9 NLT‬‬)

I nodded tears streaming down my cheeks. They were attacked.
I rubbed my face and bathed using water from what was left.

We wore our uniforms and informed our neighbours about our mother. Soon, half of the village was in our house mourning. My dad was taken to the hospital.

Helsa and I made our way to school. Our school was in the next village. We passed by her house. She was outside again. I waved to her but she didn't wave back.

She hissed. Helsa smiled.

As we were approaching school, we saw some girls out age that joined as we were walking. I trusted Helsa to give them a preaching. She was good at it and she always had this convicting voice.

At school, my eyes opened. They were everywhere. Ugly disgusting demons. I told Helsa but she couldn't see them. She shrugged. It was getting too much for me. In math class, I saw a snake demon move around the class biting some students. When it got to me, about to bite me, I stepped on it and said "I destroy you in Jesus name!"

Then it vanished. No one noticed. This is a new life. A new life in Christ.

I got a pocket Bible. It turned out that I had always had one but I never used it. I read Isaiah 60.
Verse 2 was the perfect description of what I saw.

Isaiah 60:2
[2]See, darkness covers the earth
    and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
    and his glory appears over you.

I rubbed my head. The bursar warned us to tell our parents to pay our school fees before the next week. I sighed and heard Helsa sigh as well. It took my father at least half the term before he could pay.

I excused myself to use the restroom. The school was a beautiful one established by a rich man. It had all the necessary facilities. It was much better than any other school in the whole state. The teachers were well trained and the uniform was nice. The school was clean it was every child's dream to go there. Unfortunately, it took a long time before my father could pay the fees and he could be drunk sometimes and beat us up whenever we told him.

Now, he seemed to be working harder and saving money for us. But now that my mother was gone, I just can't think of how life would be. I always blamed her for marrying my father but I never really asked he why because I felt she didn't care about my situation.

I sighed.

I didn't think deep about what could've caused it. Now, it was too late to ask her. I splashed some water on my face. Then I heard another voice but this one gave no peace at all.

India.. India... Indiaa.....

"What?" It was like a whisp of smoke. It reminded me of the incident. I gasped. It sounded just like the it.

It grew bigger getting closer to me but I couldn't run. I was just hyperventilating. I felt it carry me into an empty place. I was floating in a void. I'm darkness.

Call upon me an I will answer you.

"Jesus!" And I was back in the restroom. On the floor.

It was too much for me and I fainted. An opening of a door and a scream was all I heard before I entered into oblivion.

.......
My eyes. I felt it. A screech. It's breath. My eyes were open. I felt a root or twine-like thing wrap around my legs. No escape. Then, so quickly, no mercy, it pierced holes into my eyes. Deep holes. And I fell. Blood everywhere. I kept falling and falling. The ground was gone. It was never ending. I shouldn't have gone. I should've stayed back.
.........

"Wake up please! Wake up!" It was Helsa.

"Hmm?" I rolled. Nightmare forgotten.

"I saw it."

"Hmm?" My brain still fuzzy.

"The void."

"What void?"

～～～～～～～～～✷
Hey guyssss 🥲
It's Onome again.🙂
Wow. Longest chapter yet.😆
Three chaps in a day. Wow. This one might get delayed though.😣
Sorry about that😐
How was it?🥲
Lemme hear your thoughts 💭🙂

Another part of the incident. Whoop whoop!🤭 There's still a lot more for India and she's gotta buckle up.😵‍💫 Helsa is so surprised at how gifted her sister is. Like wow!😮

Tiffany is becoming a nuisance though.😤 What I her own problem sef? 😒*Becomes angry and shoves Tiffany away*😬
And the mother died why? 😣😫😩🥲🙂

🎵Read your Bible pray every day of our want to grow 🎶
🥺❤️
Pray.
Pray for Nigeria too. Jesus loves you. I love you.
*Winks wildy*

🔥🕊️🦅