C4 CHANGES

Several seconds later, she found her voice. She forced some words past her throat and then pushed them out of her shivering lips. “Darling, I am finding it so hard to understand you or believe that you are the one saying all these words. I believe in hard work. And with God's blessing, wealth is attainable—”

She stopped talking when she noticed Quande’s eyes redden. Summoning more courage she continued. “And besides, we aren’t doing badly at all. The economy in the home is a little above average and I am not complaining. I know it is quite a while since you lost your job but the good Lord will always provide a better one someday. For now, let’s enjoy the little he has given us. And remember, I have never kept my monthly paycheque from you either.” Gilly’s eyes were still on him and she noticed he was calm.

Her words seemed to be sinking into him, she thought.

Silent fell on them for a while, and then she continued. “Darling, there are two kinds of wealth, the God-given wealth and the ill-gotten wealth. The latter is not what we seek. Remember God’s blessing makes you rich and adds no sorrow. Have you not read that we should seek first his kingdom? And his righteousness and other things will be added unto us. Things the Gentiles seek after. He will add them to us. But we need to be patient and observe his words for there will be a performance of his word if we hold fast unto it.

“Darling, ill-gotten wealth is not our portion. I do not know which one you went out to seek these early hours of the day. But honestly, I have this strange feeling you need some rest. We can talk about this later, okay? But first, let me get the bathroom ready for you. You need a warm bath and then—”

Quande lifted his hands in objection. “What’s the matter with you, sweetheart? I’m talking serious business here and you think I need rest? Are you out of your mind or something? Or am I speaking Spanish or Garman? I didn’t remember speaking Latin to you either.

“How do you think I feel without money in my pocket? To spend for other miscellaneous expenses that never come up in our regular home budget? Not to talk about fuelling the car for our weekly use—the kids must be driven to school. I must go look for a job and all that—”

“I am not complaining, darling.” Gilly didn’t let him finish.

Quande not happy he was interrupted started off stammering. “P—p—please allow me.” He stood up in annoyance “The financial burden is tearing our budget apart. Can’t you see that even your monthly paycheque can’t solve most of our house expenses as it uses to? Inflation is high and your salary is never increased. The economy is flogging hard on us and we desperately need a change. I don’t care how it comes but a change is what we need and we must have it.”

He knew Gilly was listening but wondered if his words made an impact on her godly heart.

Minutes later, he spoke at the top of his voice. “I’m beginning to think you are losing your mind. Perhaps I’m wrong—it can’t be. You just turned thirty-two. And your Dad started losing his mind when he was fifty-one, right?”

Gilly closed her eyes. She wondered what Quande was driving at or implying.

Seconds later, she opened her eyes and glared at him. “Please don’t bring my Dad into this. He has nothing to do with it. This is our matter and not that of my late father, okay? Why are you doing this to me? Are you trying to walk back old painful memories on me? Come on darling, let’s be serious for once and talk like married partners, we are.”

Quande knew he had hit her hard. He knew how to put anger on her face when he wants to see one. “It is alright, but you started this. Why talk about rest and bathroom when I was talking about something serious—”

Gilly hit back. “Wealth is no magic and you know it. You can’t just wake up and go to the backyard or somewhere and pluck it up from an orange tree. It doesn’t work that way. But if we seek the kingdom of God—”

Quande flared up, “Hey, please don’t start your preaching. I need my breakfast now. Please go inside the kitchen and get me my food. Keep your kingdom talk to yourself and get me my food on the table. I’m hungry!”

Gilly stood up and stared at him for a while. She most times wondered if Quande was her ideal husband. He doesn’t seem to enjoy hearing the word of God.

How then can his faith grow to push out compelling temptations that appear to be fast engulfing him?

She hissed angrily as she hurried into the kitchen but careful Quande never heard her.

Quande lifted his head immediately as he noticed Gilly had walked out of the sitting room. He took a deep breath—dragging in a large volume of air into his lungs and releasing it out gradually.

He felt relieved now as his eyes wander around the sitting room for the first time since he entered.

He could tell Gilly’s questions had sounded like a bomb. And their conversation which seemed more like a long interview had also taken him through hell.

He closed his eyes as he relaxed on his seat now wearied with the thought of what tomorrow had in store.

********************

The secret hall was painted red except for the altar where the master, Paul Rakky was seated. It had a fascinating rainbow color, which looked more like sky blue and other abnormalities of color mixtures.

Quande could see that his face shone and his eyes appeared like he got bloodstains on them. And that created a burning fear in his heart. He wasn’t so sure why he came here but if there was anything he knew he can’t do right now was for him to walk away.

Away from the secret hall that was hidden from the eyes of natural men. It was too late now, he thought as his eyes revolved around like an owl eager to see everything at once, just everything going on in the hall. His heart pounded fast and every passing second. He noticed it took a different beat. He felt sharp pains crawling through his heart region. And that got him even more nervous as he drummed the fingers of his left hand on his kneecap where he sat.

He sat down with his buttocks glued to his seat. A seat he had kept warm for the past hour.

He glanced again at Paul Rakky. Who was the physical representation of the invisible grandmaster—Demian Idolish.

Quande watched him speak for a while and only became more alert when he saw him pointing a diamond rod at Richi. And then the thick voice that followed made him fidget in his seat. “Please bring in your student. He must be made to pass through the covenant of wazobiam and be initiated into the blood of Kura. We don’t have so much time on our side. Bring him to the altar now.”

Quande’s throat felt hot for seconds. What is he going to do?

Why is he calling him to the altar? Or he wants to—

Blood!

His thought fade as they came crawling.

His eyes bulged but knew it was time. And the time is now or never!

Richi stood up and beaconed on Quande, who was seated at the tail end of the secret hall.

A hall popularly called the Calwalls of dark secrets. He knew Richi wanted him to come over to the altar. He walked forward and then started for the altar at the instruction of Richi, who had placed a red rope on his shoulder as his sponsor. Immediately, he stood on the red carpet on the altar. The initiation began.

Thirty minutes later; he heard the strange voice of the invisible grandmaster Demian Idolish. His voice echoed in the hall, making the hall vibrates, but he had only said a word, “Done,” and that climaxed the initiation.