Into The Dark

6.

Parking her car, Selassi got out and locked the car. She approached the Christ The King Church which was based in Cantonments, an affluent area in Accra. There was little to no breeze passing by and Selassi cursed herself for choosing to meet with Father John, the Parish Priest during the day but she knew had to get started on the funeral arrangements now.

Entering the cool church, she took her shades off and walked towards the altar where Father John stood talking to one of his parishioners from the late morning mass.

 An average height man, he was able to see the young woman who once delighted him with raucous jokes as a child after mass and he notices the distant look in her eyes as she looked around, waiting for him patiently.

"My dear, you've grown so much," He said, instantly widening his arms and Selassi fell into his embrace.

" You haven't aged much, young man," She said jokingly as they parted and began walking towards to the back of the church.

They entered his office which was adorned with solid wood everywhere. They sat opposite each other,  a little sun peeked through the room as the ceiling fan made noise, cooling the room.

" Again, sorry for your loss. I can only imagine what you've been feeling for the last week or so." He said, clasping his hands together with a look of concern in his eyes.

"I'm coping as well as I can, Father. I just wanted to run through the mass details, I know Auntie Diane has been keeping with the arrangements but I wanted to see it for myself, you know" She said, shifting in her seat.

" The order of mass has been done but we need some hymns. You know your parents' favourite  hymns, yes?" He asked, moving his keyboard closer to him.

" Here is the list of the hymns," She said, giving him a small note. He began to type the hymns out whilst Selassi looked around, patiently waiting for him. Her eyes scanned the room, surveying the rich wood detailing that was clear throughout the office but something stopped her in her tracks.

It's face etched itself into the window, staring into her eyes and she wanted to look away but its stare was intoxicating and powerful that she started to gag, gripping the chair's armrest whilst blood poured ferociously from her nose and eyes.

The Fetish Priest continued in its stride, slipping through the wall and continued its torture with Selassi, controlling her movements with her head as her body remained paralysed in the chair, her cries were muffled with the pain intensifying.

Father John finally finished the list and as he turned his head, a terrifying sight unfolded in front of him. The blood fell from her eyes and mouth like trickling water as she groaned in pain with her focus still on the malevolent entity. 

Father John instantly reached out with a rosary, pressing it against her forehead as the fetish priest hissed, stamping its staff and disappearing into the wall. Selassi gasped for air before passing out instantly as Father John watched in despair.

It was hours later as Selassi's eyes fluttered open, a bright light blinded her vision a little as she attempted to sit up. Noticing she was in a hospital room, she tried to trace back what happened before but her memory was completely blank.  Taking out a mirror from her bag, the bruises resembled a deep purple colour as her eyes were laced with a crimson red colour.

 Attempting to forget what she witnessed, she tried to get up from the bed but her body ached so much that every movement incurred more pain. The door opened as the doctor and Father John walked in. 

Urging her to sit down, the doctor relayed that there was nothing wrong causing Selassi and Father John to lock at each other in disbelief. Leaving them in the room, they both seemed stunned by the report because they both knew something insidious occurred in that room, something that let them both a little rattled.

"Selassi, what's going on?" Father John inquired with concern.

"If you could tell, would you even believe me,?" Selassi uttered with a feeling of dejection. The priest wanted to say more but the circumstance felt so wrong to dig any further

As they left, the sense of heaviness was weighing her down inside and as Father John went his own way, she bumped into the young man from the supermarket. She was able to really see him now; long eyelashes, deep brown orbs and a charismatic grin that seemed permanently tattooed on his face.

" I wasn't expecting to see you soon but I'm definitely-" 

"What do you want? Are you following me?" She asked, raising one of her eyebrows.

It was hard not to admire her beauty, her luscious chestnut tone that adorned that perfect body of hers and the beautiful coils that cascaded onto her beautiful face. Everything about her made him more attracted but he knew not to detract from what he needed to do.

" It's a just happy coincidence that we meet again in such a similar manner. I'm James by the way" He said, picking up her hand to kiss it but she moved it swiftly.

" Whatever" She moved her hair slightly, revealing the distinct bruises all over her chest and neck that no one else seemed to see. 

As she went to grab a taxi, he continued to stare with an unmistakably malicious smirk before turning away and instantly disappearing in the crowd.

After getting her car and returning home, Selassi felt terrified about what was occurring as she looked at the bruises and marks all over her body and the first time, she finally sobbed with a gut-wrenching cry, falling onto her knees and grabbing her chest.

At this point, the realisation that her parents were dead and no longer around to comfort her when she needed them most was all too surreal for her. It had always been the three of them no matter.

Her heart finally broken and she wasn't sure how long it will be before it recovered, the looming presence of something unearthly seemed to circle and attribute to this torture that was grief.

.............................................................................................................................................................

Hey loves,

Another update.

As always vote and comment.

Love,

TamaraMensah