A sudden tug on my body startled me, forcing a shuffle in my position. I glanced around me, there was no more crawling movement around my body.
The terrifying blast of air on my body seized. I felt my body land on the ground beneath me.
The sky became clear just for a minute, then everything went  dark again.

       My eyes opened one pop at a time. Nothing was there anymore, not even my father. It was just the bodies of Bolaji and I. 
Forcefully I got up and fell. I got up again, this time very slowly. The traces of Lashula  were no longer there. I took up a high note of thanks to God,  I stole  glance at my companion.
Getting to Bolaji was a little difficult because my legs wobbled. He was still out of it. Part of his face detailed a minor burn. His pulse was still strong.

             "Bolaji?" I called.

His hands moved before he snapped his  open. Pain hit him when he felt the wound on his face.

           "Can you stand?" I asked, searching his face.

         "Hmm, " He murmured.

Slowly, he got up wincing in pain as the sensation made it to his nerves. His palms also suffered little blisters as well.
When he saw his body had become temporarily damaged by burns, he began to weep like a baby. I made no attempt to stop him.
When his emotions passed, I gave him a hand. We helped ourselves get to the closest location from where we were, the ministers quarters.

      Pastor Kelvin was seated outside his flat, reading a book from his smartphone. As Bolaji and I dragged ourselves to his apartment, he ran to meet us. Helping Bolaji to his now empty chair.

         "What happened? He asked.

I avoided his eyes. I couldn't lie neither will I expose my father. I caught Bolaji eyes as it dug into my hesitation.

         "It was just a freak accident. " Bolaji answered.

Pastor Kevin wasn't buying it. He gave us a long disdainful gaze. "Okay. I hear you."

Bolaji couldn't let him sniff anything, so he expanded the story. "Actually, it's quite a long story. As you can see, I am not in a state to tell the story yet.  Just help me get to the clinic." He pleaded.

The Pastor eyed us suspiciously,  I knew he had more questions grazing through his mind. Pastor Kelvin was known for one obvious weakness.   
Gossip.
If we tell him anything right now, by morning, the whole country will hear about it.

        It was no news that a gossip mole was part of the leadership of the church. At a point, I even  wondered if he was the owner of the gossip blog that centers it's articles on churches and their misconduct.

The most annoying part was their unfiltered ability get the juiciest details about Generation Christian worship center. There was no doubt in me that they blog had an inside source.
I kept my suspicions to myself. Even Bolaji knew that any information in the hands of Pastor Kelvin would automatically become an early morning breaking news.

        Twenty minutes later, Bolaji was all wrapped up in bandages and different kinds of prescription handed over to him. 

When we made it to his apartment at the staff quarters,  it was almost morning light.  I made sure he got fed and took his medication. 
Soon the medication knocked him off. I tucked him into his bed SEVENet myself out of his apartment.

Tired, I walked back to my office and placed myself on my air bed. The events of the night still left me stunned. I didn't even know if I would ever see my father in the same light again.

But he fought to stay in control against Lashula. My mind was flipped through excuses till I found no more to give.
My phone buzzed. I answered and it was Jackson on the other end.

       "Thank goodness! We have been trying to get hold of you. How did it go?"

I shut my eyes to the light above me and calmed my very exhausted self.

         "Just got in now." I explained.

I heard them gasp in the background. "But, why?" Its been almost three hours and you are just getting home?" It was Zulema who complained.

The phone rustled in my ears, I guessed they where snatching off each other.

           "Is it you Dad again?" Diri asked with her tiny voice.

Air whooshed out of my mouth. How to answer that question perturbed me so much that I took my time before responding with a yes.

The phone moved again. I was in that room with them immediately. This time Ezekiel grabbed it from Diri. "So what happened?"

I heaved a sigh and focused on the screen of the phone before placing it on my ears. "Lashula happened."

The team gasped again. "Who again is Lashula?" Ezekiel asked.

I could already hear them arguing among themselves.

            "I said Lashula not shukura. So stop arguing whether you heard me right. And why is Nelson still zoned out?"

He couldn't have known that. I heard the phone crack in my ears again. Chuks voice came on. "How did you know that?"

That was when it dawned me that I have exposed myself. Let's talk tomorrow before you leave, okay? I didn't wait for an answer, I just hung up.

           Morning came with unexpected peace.  I turned to the other side of my bed and exhaled deeply. "Thank you Jesus!"

Thirty minutes after my morning prayers, I laid back down to stretch my long legs before the days job.
Something vibrated under my pillow, startling me.  I fished out my phone from where I hid it under my pillow. Isaiah 's name was on the screen.

           "Hello?" I spoke into the phone.

          "Good morning, Brother Jacob. Senior Pastor would like to see you."

My insides twisted at the mention of my father's title. I steamed in silence for a minute.

"Isaiah?" I called. "How about later? Now is not a good time."

His easy breathing on the phone showed he was willing to put his patience to work today."

He sighed, giving me that disappointed sound. "Oh! Bro Jacob, you are making this difficult."

    Distant shuffling and murmuring in the background intimated me that he wasn't alone in that room.

        "Brother Jacob? Could you hold for a second?" He asked.

Now it was my turn to be nervous. I didn't want to speak to him, my father.

        "Yes, I could do that. "

He placed me on hold. I patiently watched the clock across the room tick away.

        "Hello, Jacob." My mother's voice came through.

I swallowed hard. Then my mouth mute. Lord help me! I pleaded internally.
Another shuffling echoed in my ears before her voice chimed again. 

          "Jacob, are you there?"

I held my breath. I didn't really want to speak to anyone in the family. What i needed was time, time to figure this out on my own.
This morning, I'd planed to move into one of the rooms in the hostel, until things made sense to me.

        "Yes Mom, I'm here." I finally answered . Keeping the conversation short.

        "Come home." She pleaded.

My attention moved back to the clock on the wall. I just didn't want this circle of lies and mystery going on any further and the drama wasn't funny anymore. It'd become toxic and stifling.
          In addition to that, my spiritual life wasn't up for sale neither will it be the sacrifice for my family's redemption. In recent months, it'd been nothing but visible and invisible wars. I just couldn't take it.
Those times wasted on casting and binding, I could have invested it in my education and ministry.

        "Mum, I can't." I paused.  "At least not at this time."

My mother's breathing could be heard loudly over the phone. She was gulping air as if she was drowning. I felt her frustration, disappointment and trepidation.

       "Please Son, we are still your only parents. Come home." She desperately pleaded.
Before now, my mothers words were gold. I did every and anything she asks me to do. Even if she never spoke, one glance at me, and I'd be doing her bidding.
But things changed dramatically. I had to start thinking about myself too.

      "Mum, please keep Lena on the payroll and on her Job. It's important that she stays in that house. But when I'm ready, I will come home." I responded.

She stifled a sob and let out a deep groan. "Jacob, please." She sobbed.

A pool of tears had started gathering in my eyes, I pushed the emotion back. My fingers danced across the phone, settling on the red button.

Finally, I convinced myself that I made the right decision and hung up. I stared at the phone that hosted my mother's voice  a few minutes ago and pushed it back under the pillow.
Blinking away the tears from my eyes, I said a quick prayer and shut my eyes to the turmoil surrounding me.