Chapter 6

E sther was known as a very peaceful person in school. As the leading school chorister, she always lived exemplary life and hardly quarreled with anyone. On that fateful day, Esther was in a queue to fetch water. Just before her turn, another girl came and put her bucket in front of Esther's own. Ordinarily, as a peace-loving person, Esther would have allowed her to fetch rather than quarrel with her but because she was in haste, she refused to allow her.

"I am sorry I can't allow you. I need to get back to the dormitory and finish up my assignment," Esther explained to the girl.

"Why must it be me that you will not allow when you have been allowing others?" Amaka asked.

"Are you forcing me to be kind to you? See me see trouble o! Remove that bucket now before I will remove it by myself," Esther told her and everyone in queue shouted at the girl to behave herself because they had never seen Esther in that manner. Just then, Folake and Benny arrived at the scene, panting because of their run. Folake already knew that Esther was very angry and so she thought of how to stop her from fighting with Amaka.

Esther and Amaka were poised for the fight. Folake, pretending as if she was attempting to hold back Amaka, gently pushed her aside. Amaka stepped on the leg of one of the students that was already angry with her for her rudeness to Esther and, subsequently, a serious fight ensued between them. Before they could stop the fight, a student had already called a teacher to the scene. It was a serious offence to fight in school, punishable by two weeks of suspension. So, their own case was not different. Benny was not happy that Amaka and the girl she fought with went on suspension.

"See what you have caused now," Benny confronted Folake, "These innocent girls have been suspended for what they knew nothing about," she complained.

"I am sorry about that, but that was the only way to prevent Esther from fighting and getting suspended," Folake explained.

"You would have stopped the suspension entirely!" Benny maintained.

"It wouldn't have been that easy. Those people had sacrificed for this mission to be accomplished. Would you have preferred that Esther went on suspension while I faced what I saw in the dream?" she asked Benny who could not find a suitable answer.

Benny kept quiet but after a while, she

spoke out. "I am getting scared of this whole drama."

Folake assured her that nothing would happen to her.

The next Monday morning was the day the Man of God was to visit their school. Some of the students that were members of the marine kingdom refused to go to the assembly that morning. They stayed back in their dormitory that morning and hid under their beds so that the demons in them would not be cast out.

So when the Man of God climbed onto the podium on the assembly ground, he saw with spiritual eyes what baffled him. A good number of the students were already initiated into the marine cult and most of them did not even know. He ordered everyone to close their eyes for prayers. SERV Ao no go nos

"God of Children, the hour has come for you to deliver your children from this bondage of the evil ones. Send forth your spirit and make your presence manifest before your children gathered here," he prayed then began to sing. The students joined and they sang songs of worship. Esther did not even know when she took over from the Man of God.

Immediately Benny heard her voice, she to opened her eyes, looked at Folake and smiled. 2 Folake nodded her head and smiled back and they continued praying. As Esther sang, she v was moved by the spirit, pacing about the podium. The Man of God laid his hands on d her and her voice became more melodious than ever. As She sang and moved around, anywhere she passed, some students fell down and the demons were cast out from them. The Man of God noticed what was happening and he made a joyful praise onto the lord. Esther continued to move around like that and almost every student that was possessed by the evil spirit was set free. Some of them even made i some incredible confessions on how they had been operating. It was a very remarkable day into their school. Immediately after the deliverance, the principal declared that day a lesson-free day for all the students.

The Man of God pleaded with the school authority to allow Esther to organize singing lessons for students so that through singing, many more souls would be won for God. Of course the school authority did not hesitate to grant that request. So, Esther began to organize choir lessons and rehearsals. Students congratulated her on her success and on the miracles God performed through her voice.

Esther soon became the talk of the students/ throughout that period in her school and beyond. She thus became very popular and her spiritual powers grew.

Folake and Benny were very happy at the turn-out of things. The two of them celebrated it joyfully, but the celebration did not last M long. Folake's mood suddenly changed andad Benny noticed it and wondered why. "What is it again? Why has your mood suddenly changed when we should be celebrating the success of your mission?"m Benny asked.

"The mission is not yet accomplished, in fact the battle has just begun," Folake replied, di staring at an empty space.

"Do you know that you sound scary at ed times," Benny said, frowning. "What do you oy mean by that?" she asked further.

"Esther is in trouble. Those members who

were not delivered will come to see that they

initiate her into that cult or they will eliminate

her. The same thing they did to me in thes dream," Folake replied sadly, em svlovni "What? I thought all of them were

delivered," Benny said.edi

"No! Not all. Some of them dodged the ma assembly while some were too powerful to be delivered that time," Folake answered.

"So what do you do now? I suggest you report them to the school authority so that i they will either come out of it or face instant expulsion," Benny suggested.

"I do not think that would work because there is no material evidence that they are members of the marine cult," Folake replied.

"So, what do you do? Or will you allow Esther to pass through what you experienced in your dream?" Benny asked.

"That is why I said that the battle has just begun. I will have to stop their activities and you have to join me in this fight please," she pleaded.

Benny did not know when she shouted on top of her voice and attracted attention. Jon "What? Join you in what fight? Please o! I

am not seeing what you are seeing, so do not

involve me o!" Benny shouted.

Folake spent time trying to convince Benny to join her on her mission to save the students from the evil torment of the marine cultists. She, however, assured her that nothing would happen to her as they would use natural means to distract the activities of the evil ones.ous foodles med

"You don't have to be scared of anything. It's not going to be a spiritual thing. All we have to do is distract them physically after I must have seen their game plan," Folake explained to her. "How exactly do you mean? I'm really

scared ooo!" Benny said shaking with fright.

"Just like I did when Esther wanted to fight with Amaka. Don't worry, I will protect you along this journey," Folake assured her..

Benny reluctantly accepted to join Folake on her mission, but Folake had to again reassure her of her safety and also that it would not interfere so much with their studies