Scribe Anointing

11

Cynthia's shrill scream came across from the phone and Louise had to remove the phone from her ears lest they bled.

"You won, girl! Jesus did it!"

Louise could almost picture the girl jumping and running around her room.

"What?" Louise asked. Her mind wasn't processing what she had just heard. Her mind was occupied with the exam she had to tackle in a few minutes.

"The writing competition! You came first. They just announced it on their Facebook page now! You know I started following their social media because of you. Girl, check your mail. I'm sure you've been sent a message! I'm so happy for you, Louise!"

Louise's jaw went slack and she blinked multiple times.
"Are you seriously serious?" she said into the phone.

"Who is that?" Binti quipped. They were together in the hall, revising their notes, about to write their final paper for the semester.

Louise gestured to Binti to pause for a second.

"How can I be joking about this amazing news?" Cynthia said.

"Okay, okay, let me breathe. The thing is, I'm about to write my final paper. Pray for me. Oh, the invigilator is around already. Bye."

"Success is yours in Jesus' name."

It had been over a month since Louise clicked Submit on the Light Bearers writing competition website.

She didn't think she would win because there were other better writers. And from what she had seen from previous winners on the website, her writing was like a baby's babblings beside their creative prowess.

Three hours later, Louise finished writing her last paper. She bowed her head on the table and prayed.

When she emerged from the hall and stretched, she took out her phone and slid into her email inbox. Sure, the congratulatory message was waiting. Overwhelmed, she began to shed tears of joy.

In no time, the organizers sent the money for her transport and accommodation so she could attend the award ceremony in Abuja.

She told her parents the happy news.
The day of the award was just a week away. Her proud parents accompanied her to the event.

Unbelievably, Cynthia also found her way to the venue, since she was based in Abuja herself.

The two girls screamed like crazy when they saw each other. This was the first time they were meeting each other physically so their joy was palpable.

The award ceremony was glamorous. The venue was top-notch and the MC was a perfect clown and hype man.

Testimony time came.

"I have been following Louise's writing since she began a year ago. Before then, I was deeply depressed and battled with insomnia. But ever since I started reading her stories, I was delivered," a girl said, with tears in her eyes.

"My boy was a vagabond, but as I started praying in line with Louise's story, my boy came back home and gave his life to Jesus," a bubbly woman announced.

The testimonies kept rolling in. Louise could only weep.

After she delivered her emotional speech, Louise knelt and with tear-blurred eyes watched as the audience gave her a standing ovation.

"This one's for you, Jesus," she whispered, lifting the gold award.