The Witness of Usehjiki

Two

Present day

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"Shhh," the woman in his lap whispered into his ear as Kuwin quivered beneath her, his hands clamped around her waist, begging for the tingling feeling of ecstasy to never end. It felt like the world around him had tipped over, pouring out in overstimulation of his senses to the point that Kuwin was sure he could hear colors and see the taste of her skin even though his eyes remained shut.

As he pulsed within her, she slowed her movements to accommodate him because, really Kuwin wasn't sure how much more he could take if she kept moving. He longed for her for as long as he knew her, watching her glowing, dark skin from the pulpit as she swayed in worship, listening to her velvety voice every time she spoke to him in that whispery manner that was sure to drive any man crazy.

He knew.

Kuwin wasn't a coward who shied away from accountability. He knew before he'd approached her. He'd been swimming in lust for months, fighting what was plain as day, knowing that one day he would fall. It was his fault and his only. He would bear that with his whole chest.

But none of that was enough to take away from the otherworldly, tremendousness of the entire experience. Even currently, as she placed delicate, feathery kisses on his face, bringing Kuwin back to consciousness, he couldn't even be bothered to muster up some shame. He'd been sworn to celibacy for all his life, but he'd taken one day... one day to see what it was. One day to experience before he died. One day to know a woman in the way he'd always wanted to.

He hadn't taken it lightly, either. Osa wasn't a woman he'd met off the street. She wasn't some crazy seductress; at whose feet he could lay the blame. She was pristine in her mannerisms and perfect in her way, always kept a safe distance, able to command respect without a single word. He'd watched her for months to the point of obsession and even though Kuwin always took every problem to God, Osa was one problem he'd kept to himself.

Kuwin Usop was a god-fearing man with a kind heart and a generous soul. At least that's what people always said about him. Even though he had a huge family and a mother who'd hated letting him leave home, Kuwin had moved out the moment he got a call from God.

The moment he'd told her, it was as if she knew he'd be gone like his relatives before him. But he couldn't stay. He had work to do. He roamed Usehjiki, sharing the word of God till he settled in Emami, a sub-state in Usobo.

Success in this endeavor hadn't been easy, but it had seemed almost immediate. Every time he settled to share, Kuwin gathered a crowd. Every time he spoke, his words were met with understanding and a need to hear more. He rose in fame and with each year, Kuwin devoured the Bible more because he needed to know more. He needed to be closer. And with a congregation growing behind him, Kuwin wanted nothing more than to be able to provide the assistance they needed.

He lived on the fifth floor of one of his apartment buildings and usually, every night, Kuwin loved to stand on his balcony and sing quiet praises.

Kuwin had chosen to do things a little differently that night, as he lay in Osa's embrace, in a blissed-out haze. He had been dreading that night ever since he was old enough to understand. Even though he'd been serious about his faith for twenty years, there were moments, in between. Moments plagued with doubt and fear. Moments that followed him into his prayers and came out in dreams.

At first, he'd told himself that the night before his fortieth birthday would be a battle that he would fight, with God at his side. Whatever generational curse was something Kuwin was going to break in the name of Jesus. And yet, the closer his birthday drew, the more his faith wavered, tampering with his core and making him question everything.