UNIQUE

It was already making news that Pastor Adrian was missing. And his church members robbed at gun point during a live church service. Scenes from the peaceful robbery filled the TV screen.
Nkasi and I stole nervous glances at each other.

        "Thank God we were not in church today." Nkasi exhaled.

         "I agree, we would have been robbed blind." I concurred.

          "But who even sings while robbing people and allowing themselves to be broadcasted live?"

We busted off laughing. "Madness on steroids!" Nkasi offered.

We giggled some more. "But that guys voice was sleek and slippery." I added.
My friend pointed at me, "You are on point! Check out the way he harmonized that offering song."

I agreed, nodding my head. "He was so good."

        "But, I am only worried about Pastor Adrian." Nkasi complained with a gloomy look on her face. "In this country, when they kidnap you like this, your life officially ends."

           "What if he was not kidnapped?" I suggested.

Nkasi shook her head, "No, it looks very much like a kidnap. Even his secretary thinks so."

I rolled my eyes. Anything Pastor Adrian would always be suspicious to me.

         "You don't believe me?" I asked, focusing on my friend. She shook her head. "No."

A weak smile graced my lips as I dwelt  on her gullibility. "When my suspicion comes to pass, I hope you apologize for doubting me."

        "Till then, lets wait for a favorable news." Nkasi pleaded.

The church robbery scene was on all live TV networks. The church even issued a statement regarding their senior Pastor's kidnap.
My friend and I sat in silence and watched people give eye witness report to the media.

        At about 6pm later that same day, the screen suddenly showed 'breaking news'. Pastor Adrian was all smiles and thankful to people who sought to reach help and even those who set resources in motion to find him.

I waved at my friend who gazed at me in shock. "Didn't I tell you it was all for show?"
Nkasi didn't respond but pinned her eyes on the screen. "What's important is that he had been released."
Right there on the screen, people started gathering. His media department kept capturing scenes of his activities since his release. The man even went ahead to pray for people who hailed his safe return.

A reporter called him. He quickly swirled to listen to what he had to say.

        "Do you not think this your freedom is sudden? You were kidnapped for less than six hours ago? What about people who think this is a joke?"

Quick red glow crossed his face and immediately vanished. "When I tell you that I serve a living God, I kid not. This is what only Him can do."

The reporter wanted to ask a follow up question, but pastor Adrian was having none of that. He moved into the crowd shaking hands of people who came to celebrate with him.
My phone tumbled in my hand as I kept tossing it back and forth between my palms.
The only suggestion in my head was to contact Jacob. I still found the whole kidnap thing highly suspicious.

           His phone rang couple of times before his voice came on. "Hey!" I shouted.

His voice sounded husky and deep. "Hey to you too. Long time."

I smiled and tried to feel him but distance was a barrier. "Saw the news."

            "Yea, about my Dad, right?"

            "Yes."

          "Well, you are seeing it as I am also seeing it. I haven't even spoken to him yet."
I sighed. "So what really happened?"

I heard him stifle a cough before his voice became audible again. "We were in Church worshiping when they struck. I would say most of it was easy. They didn't hurt anyone which was quite comforting." He paused as though he expected me to say something.

           "Honestly, I don't know what to make out of it."

I nodded as though he could see me. "It is well. Things will work out."

           "That's what we are hoping for."

Our conversation was almost over, yet I didn't get any new information. Then it hit me that I didn't see his friends in the videos circulating the internet. "How about your friends?"

He chuckled. "Those ones? I'm sure they are already in Abuja now. They left this morning."

             "Okay. Meeting them was very insightful. So thanks for bringing them to my place."

               "Not a problem." Jacob said.

Silence passed between us before he found his voice. "Lets talk later, my dad wants a word with me."

             "Alright. Bye then." My phone clicked and I knew he'd hung up.

Nkasi suddenly stood up and headed for the door. "Lets get there and see what's cooking. I smiled. My friend was a closet gossip, A radio without battery.
Anything that she didn't get to the root off would never rest until she had her answers.

We stepped outside, only to realize we were not the only ones running towards the church campus. People trooped in as though it was a NOSWAH. We raced towards the gate and saw a crowd by the church auditorium. We couldn't even gain entrance into the sanctuary as people pushed themselves into the entrance.

             " What's going on?" I asked a lady who was struggling to get into the church.
She glanced at me quickly before continuing her struggle. The pastor decided to finish off the morning service now."

            "You don't say!"

           "Yes. Can't you see how people are rushing over here? He said he's putting the devil to shame."

Nkasi tapped me. Quickly I felt her hand pull me into a tight space of humans. Before I could ask what she was up to, we were already in the sanctuary. Few seats were still empty. We took the ones closer to the stage.

An uncoordinated choir were ministering in praise. "Its actually a church service." I conceded.

         "Told you that sitting at home will do us no good." I watched my friend cup her mouth in her hands to whisper something that didn't need whispering to me.

         After praise, Pastor King who was a victim of maltreatment by the gunmen stepped on stage and the screams almost deafened me.
A standing ovation followed as the people wouldn't let him speak. The older man stood their with tears in his eyes.

When the noise quieted down, he began to sing, flattening himself on the floor.
Rest of the church followed and knelt down. I'd watched the video and I knew this moment was a humbling one.

           "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for its the power of God unto salvation." He began.

            "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:10)

He jumped up and around the stage and forcefully spoke into the microphone. "And what shall we then say of these things? If God be for us?" He yelled at the crowd, who responded.

           "No one shall be against us!"

His foot stomped all over the stage in excitement. If you didn't know, you'd think he was the one kidnapped. But in some way, he was also a victim.
The choir raised a song and the crowd went wild. Pastor king finally led in very hot prayers before exiting the stage.

Pastor Adrian surface from above the stage. A black curtain unveiled his debut. I never even knew there was another stage up there. He was on all white suit with a matching white shoes.

        "Somebody shout.........!" The screams went higher.

        "Common! Common! Put the devil to shame! I said shout......!"

Yells of different degrees almost deafened me.

At his gesture, everyone quieted down. "Please take your place in Gods presence."

          "Yes!" The crowd screamed.

        "Few hours ago, the devil thought he could end my life, my work and even this mandate God has given me, but guess what?"

The crowd screamed again. "They lied!"

He nodded. "Yes, they lied! Seems we are all working in sync supernaturally."

Thunderous claps filled the room, with men and women standing in ovation to him. His hands moved down again to quiet the crowd.

        "Lets just say Jesus always, always does the impossible." People whistled in excitement.

This evening we only came to return sacrifices of praise to the king. For one more hour remaining in this service, we are only going to praise him.

      Soon afterwards, Jacob took over and began to worship. Pastor Adrian stood there dancing. After over thirty minutes of praise, he made a salvation call. I caught a swift disapproval glance stretch from Jacob to his Dad. He even shook his head.
Nkasi who was bawling in tears, got up to answer the call. I stopped her. Not today. She fought me to free her hand but I didn't budge. I held her down.

There was no way she would fall into Adrian's initiation process. I preferred to be the only one suffering from those demons.
As I held her in place, she pointed to the crowd. "What?"
She continued to point.

My gaze rose to meet the crowd. Everyone who went out for that salvation call had the crimson glow on their Left wrist.

I flashed shocked gaze back at her. "You can see them?" I asked in disbelief.

She nodded. "Can't everyone?"

It became clear at that point that my friend was more than I thought.