CWRC Anthology

THE GOD WHO SAVES

©2022 by  Christine Chinyere Chimnadindu Ezeala

Brought to you by Christian Writers and Readers Club.

"Where are you right now!" Liberty's mother shouted as she alighted the car, slamming the door behind her. 

"Calm down mom, I'm not a baby. I'm sixteen and I can look after myself," Liberty replied softly, taking a sip of her drink.

"You're not sixteen yet and even if you were, you can't take care of yourself! Okay, fine, you want to play hide and seek, I'll find you. And when I do, only you'll be responsible for the consequences."

She cut the call and entered a place called Young days, young us. It was a place where a majority of spoiled teenagers hung out, no surprise for her daughter too. 

Liberty was always around bad company, always with the wrong people at both the wrong and right times. This was nothing new to her mother since she turned fourteen.

Meanwhile, Liberty shook her head and threw her phone aside, and put a cracker in her mouth.

"What's with your old lady?" One of her 'friends', Ebube, asked her. 

"Just forget it, she feels like she's responsible for me or something, it's sickening. She should stick to her own life and let me be."

"So how about another shot?" Danielle, another person in her friend group cheered. 

The waiter, a quiet boy of their age brought in a tray of beer shots which they stood up to get. 

She took one and immediately downed the contents of her cup.

Easy as drinking water, she thought, after all, she'd been doing it for almost two years.

 "Okay you guys, keep on partying, I'm gonna go to the bathroom."

She got out of their booth and started walking toward the bathroom. Before she got in, someone pulled her by the arm. 

She recognized him as the waiter who brought them the drinks. 

"Yes, how can I help you?" She asked to remove her arm from his grip. 

"Leave," he said plainly. 

"I'm sorry what?" 

"I said leave this place, you need to get away from here, from this place, or else something bad will happen to you."

"What nonsense are you talking about?" She folded her arms and strangely looked at him.

"Listen to me and leave this place. You shouldn't be here," he once again tried to grab her and lead her out, but she pulled it back again.

"Listen, you're a waiter, so go wait on people, if I'm not safe, it's my wahala, you hear? Mind your own business."

With that, she turned around and entered the bathroom.

She splashed some water on her face and looked into the mirror. Her image was getting blurry in her eyes, but she shook it off and walked out. 

"Hey guys, I'm back!" They cheered again. 

As she was about to sit down, she became even dizzier and Danielle stood and caught her before she fell. 

"Is she out completely?" Ebube asked, standing up and moving his hand over her face.

"Like a night light."

"Let's go, the master will be here any minute," the rest got up to follow Ebube outside. 

They got up and one of the boys threw her over his shoulder. 

The waiter immediately reached into his pocket for her phone he'd taken earlier. 

He hurriedly called her mother who picked up on the second ring. 

"I see you're good at hiding and seeking."

"Miss, this isn't your daughter, I am a waiter who works at a bar called Fizzy. A bunch of teenagers she came with are planning on selling her. I request you come with the police right now."

"Are you serious? Okay wait, I'm coming now."

Flashback 

The waiter was taking some dirty plates outside when he heard some people at the back of the building. 

"You just need to wait about thirty minutes, we'll spike her drink and then bring her here, you can come back in the next thirty minutes."

"I won't give you the package until I see her. So hurry and make sure she's completely knocked out, I don't want trouble else you know what will happen to you."

"Yes sir, don't worry, things will be fine."

Minutes later, while they took their drinks from him, he sneakily grabbed the phone she'd thrown on the seat. 

Present 

He put down the phone and exhaled deeply, "you know what you are doing will make you lose your job right?" The bartender asked as he wiped the table. 

"I know, but I've seen way too many people going missing from this place, it's about time I take a stand. If the children won't stand for themselves, I'll stand for them."

"Nigeria needs people like you and the whole world. But why are you working here? The boss doesn't even care for your age, as long as you get money, you can buy anything."

"That's a story for another day. I need to make sure that that girl gets home safely."

He got up and walked to the back of the building, where he saw the truck and the teenagers around it, Liberty was laid on the ground. 

"She's a fine girl, I hope she has no health complications," the man, who had a mask on said looking down at Liberty.

"None that we know of, she's very healthy."

"I'll give you the package, remember to sell the drugs to the right clients, keep ninety percent of the money, the rest I'll collect."

Just as the man in the truck was about to hand them a package, police sirens were heard and the man took out a gun and shot one of them instead. 

The rest started scattering as the police started chasing after them. 

Liberty's mother ran to the spot where her daughter was lying unconscious. 

"Liberty, get up, get up now!" She shouted trying to awaken her daughter and tears started rolling down her cheeks. 

Soon the ambulance arrived and she was rushed to the hospital. 

The waiter exhaled deeply and closed his eyes thanking God, thanking the God of mercy and grace, the God who saves.

Ephesians 2:8

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.

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Email: ezealachristine@gmail.com

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