I pour out myself in this story as I step out of 2014. For all writers ...and readers. To Ife Olujuyigbe; gracious lady, may my immense love for you never fade. My enemy The wooden door slammed behind me, quivering the windowpanes of my room. One by one, the leather footwear I wore flung away, landing in corners here and there. I hurled the folder I was holding with great frustration as I rushed to the mattress in one edge of the room. I could no longer hold back the tears that had welled in my eyes at the words of the director. They began dribbling down my bony cheeks in warm portions as his words replayed in my head. Sorry, you cant have this job... You came in too late... That was my fourth interview in five years of graduating with an upper second class honors in accounting. My highly choosy nature had made me leave out other job offers. How could a second class holder like me turn out to be a school teacher or earn 20,000 naira monthly? The tears came out in gushes as memories of my first interview streamed to me. The bank manager had said Its so sad we wont be able to accommodate you Mr. John... Not with this kind of appearance her eyes descending and ascending over me like I was some kind of clown. 30 years old, single and jobless, I was tired of living. Mum had threatened to stop sending me money if I failed to change my attitude. Everyone talked about it, my attitude. I chose not to know what they were saying until this night. The numbers of crusades and deliverances I had attended were uncountable, still no change came. Pastor Kunle once said prayer should never be stopped. Pray your way into victory! He had yelled that hot afternoon inside our roofless church building. I had turned a praying machine after then. I surged out of the mattress towards the table in another corner, towards my big bible. The papers from the folder were now feathering down, I ignored them and grabbed the bible while stepping on some credentials. I still didnt care. The brown bible fixed to my right hand like a gun in the hand of a veteran soldier. The left swept away mucous and tears from my face as I got ready to pray. My fiercest one yet. God was either going to answer my question or receive my spirit back that night. I preferred praying in low light conditions, so I flipped the switch on a nearby wall, sending the room into partial darkness. It got saved from total darkness by beams of light that sneaked in through the window, so I could still see my way around. Not minding the pain that was now racing through me due to the long distance I had trekked, I sent my legs apart, humped my back and raised the bible with my two hands. Bringing it down like it was some kind of sword; I yelled How they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me... Many are they who say of my sooooooul! theres no help for him in God! ...Lord be my shield and show me my enemy... reveal the one who has been against my progress! Shortly, I forgot other words and dwelt on a phrase show me my enemy! Show me my enemy...... I chanted away in the partial darkness as my head moved vigorously with each syllable, the bible kept slashing the atmosphere crazily. Soon, I started feeling dizzy and fell. I didnt realize the floor and walls were quaking, until I began hearing hooves like plenty horses pounding the ground. Was God answering me? My wall clock fell and I anxiously rolled to check the time. I was almost taking back my former position when I got stuck, I could no longer move. Something was pinning me down. Terror raced through me as hands without owners appeared from the darkness and began reaching for me. They floated around, tickling my body and forcing laughter out of me. Gradually, a faceless male figure materialized above and joined in the dreadful laugh, his own more intense and unearthly. His body floated, held in place by nothing. Soon, one of the hands shot out and slowly slithered into my mouth, choking me with its fingers that tasted like burnt flesh. Unknown sound waves bashed into the windowpanes repeatedly till they could take no more, till they shattered, sending pieces around. Then there was silence. After the deafening silence, the figure said Im your enemy... Im responsible for your problems His voice was like a thousand children talking simultaneously. The sound, hollow, flat, dead, almost taking my breath away. I tightened my grip on the bible. I got jolted up by the hands and I stood vertically, this for some seconds unstoppered my mouth and I was able to scream. Blinking rapidly, I pronounced difficultly Jeee-ss-u-ssss! Violent relaxation surged through me as I breathed freedom. The hands left me and retreated backwards so I could now stand on my own. The man still lingered somewhere above. Sudden anger took charge of me and I darted forward, bible still in hand. He got angry too and whimpered. Stupid! Stupid beast, I hadnt gotten to it before it unleashed hell on me. Slaps from nowhere resoundingly began landing on my chest. My lungs burned for oxygen. I cared not. I just launched towards him. Everything else around him dissolved in my vision. He had no chance now, not the slightest glimmer. I was in control, I had the bible. I felt no pity, no fear. Only deadly calm. I raised the bible and forced it down against a force emanating from him now. Released at last, power slammed into his body. There came a hard impact to the air, soundless thunder. Things around, cups, books lifted and danced into the air as he shrunk to a tiny form. Relaxed, I read the wall clock on the floor. 10:30pm. Suddenly, he expanded his form. I gasped and bolted erect. Seated on the cold floor, covered in sweats, I was relieved it had only been a nightmare. I had slept off while praying. I soon dropped my back to the ground again after turning to confirm the windowpanes intact and exhaled hard. Wiping the sweats from my face, shock gripped me on seeing my wall clock fallen beside my head. How did it get there! I reflexly read the time. It was 10:29pm. My door creaked. It creaked and the stench of burning flesh began wafting in through the now slowly opening door. Too scared to stand, I fumbled beside myself, searching for the bible. It was nowhere to be found. The door stopped and stood wide. I looked below my eyebrows and saw no one. Just darkness. Suddenly, my bulb flickered on. It went off and again came on. I then saw him. The dark male figure, occupying the doorpost! My body shivered. I shuddered more as a tried to stand and found out I couldnt move. The light went off, and by the time it came on again, he had vanished. I shut my eyes as my bulb blasted to pieces. On opening them, life drained out of me. Hunched over me was the figure of my dream. I recognized him well now. Hello, my name is John, John the incorrigible, John the latecomer. Im the enemy you seek He said slowly with an eerie smile. I silently begged for death as I laid down, looking up at myself. ********* A grand new year to you all... Plenty love!
Posted on: Fri, 26 Dec 2014 15:31:47 +0000
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