"Again? " Bishop yelled at Zack who stood close to the bathroom door. His personal assistant of many years simple stared at nothing in particular, avoiding his boss's gaze.
Washing his hands in the bathroom sink, he flushed the toilet one more time before wiping his hands on his shirt. Zack's back was leaned on the wall close to the bathroom.
"So when did this new one happen?" Bishop stepped into his bedroom and sat on the recliner.
"Austin says it was sometime early this morning. He heard loud arguments and decided to run into the apartment and there the were." Zack paused, taking note of Bishop's expression.
His boss lifted his gaze at him, "So what happened?"
"Erm....well according to him, there were two Vivians' present."
The sharp way bishop rose to his feet scared Zack. He flinched, taking two steps away from him.
"What's the meaning of the nonsense you just spewed?" Bishop roared, grabbing Zack's shirt.
The young man looked at him pleadingly. "Please let me finish what Austin told me."
"Uhh huh .... Continue." His gaze not leaving the terrified man.
Zack continued but not after he had freed himself from bishops hold. "There were more than one Vivian in the room and a man who looked nothing human."
His boss's gaze stayed on him. When he didn't say any other thing, Bishop rushed into his flip flops and grabbed Zack's hand. "This is getting out of hand. " Let's get to her apartment. "
Two frantic knocks was all it took for Vivian to know it was her father rattling like that. As soon as her door opened, he breezed into her apartment without an invite. Racing into her bathroom and every room, he turned to his daughter, "Where are the others?"
A puzzled look danced on Vivian's face. "Others?" Her hands flew in the air in total confusion.
As bishops brows came together, he regarded her for a minute, "I said, where are you cohorts?"
"Have no faintest idea of what you're talking about." His daughter responded, keeping her hand in akimbo.
Her father stormed close to her. "If I were you, I'd better start talking. How can you deny what everyone is talking about."
"Then let those people provide their evidence." She retorted.
Her father raised his hands but quickly brought them down when the flashes of the last time beeped in his head. He looked down on his fingers and clinched them tight.
There's no need to continue going through this with you. I have sent an invite to Rev.father Ebuka. AKA, 'Ike Mmunso'."
His daughter scoffed. "You are all the same. No one with any form of blemish can take her away from me. And if I were you, I'd focus on what's mine than take another man's property."
Bishops eyes flew over to Zack who was standing by the door. "Did you say something?"
The young man who felt as though he wasn't himself few minutes ago shook his head and wiped his eyes. "I feel as though I'm coming down with something. I don't feel quite myself."
"That's not what I asked you. I said, did you speak?"
Zack shook his head. I haven't said a word since we got in here.
"Then who spoke?"
His eyes rushed to Vivian. "It was you!" His daughters head started to shake in denial.
"It wasn't your voice but it came from you! Who is in there? Who's inside of you?" He ran his hands around Vivian's neck and screamed loudly. "Tell me!"
"Kill her!" His daughter's voice spoke forcefully.
His hands withdrew from her neck which had turned red. Pulling himself off the floor where he'd tried to strangle her, he grabbed Zack and fled.
Vivian's loud croaky laughter followed his flight out of the room. And immediately the room went quiet again, leaving Vivian on the floor.
Few minutes later, Aston came out of Vivian. He briskly walked into the walls and disappeared.
Weeks later, Bishop Maitama was announced as the new president of Bishop's league. As he watched his image plastered on the television screen, he was surprised.
He'd never thought he could win and no one even interviewed his family.
He wasn't even sure the investigations were over yet and more so, he felt the whole thing was rushed.
His wife was by his side in a second and hugged him. "Congratulations big boy."
Bishop's tightened jaw loosened and he spared his wife a very scanty smile.
"You don't seem happy." Kaima observed.
The burdened Bishop sighed and watched the tall frame of his wife hover over him. "It may be my instinct or just nerves. But, I just feel like I'd fallen into a bees nest."
His wife slowly sat down and held his hand. They sat silently watching the news and well wishers send in their congratulations. An hour later, the reason for his fear appeared on television.
The Archbishop Daniel Daso had just died. His funeral will not hold until the new archbishop had been sworn in.
Bishop tapped his wife and both stared at each other fearfully. If rumors were anything to go by, the burial of any president of the archbishop's league carried a hefty fine of a human sacrifice.
But the league had always denied it and called out their critics to desist from painting the league black.
Now that the Archbishop was dead, the responsibility fell on Bishop Maitama to oversee the funeral. He sat back in his chair and listened to the palpitations of his heart.
If only he'd listened to that small voice that told him to cease and desist from that quest. if only he was obedient. If only, if only..... ran through his mind like a broken record. He couldn't go back now, he was in it and in it for life.
His wife whimpered as the reruns of the death of the archbishop kept playing on TV.
"What have we done?" She muttered under her breath.
He cuddled his wife and kissed her forehead. "I'm sure the rumors are not true. We are Christians and Christ is the only sacrifice that had been given, nothing else, no one else."
"Will you still take up the position?" Kaima asked, her eyes fearful.
Bishop unwrapped his hands from her shoulders. "I'm sure that's what I signed up for. I can't back out now."
"But...." Kaima began to plead.
"No, Lets look on the bright side. This maybe an opportunity to find out if those horrible rumors are true."
"How are you going to do that? The coronation is practically an initiation. You would be bound unto secrecy."
Bishop felt the air trap in his lungs, he cleared his throat and exhaled forcefully.
"Jesus, this can't be happening."
Wiping off the tiny film of sweat that had suddenly made a debut on his forehead, he weakly walked into his sleeping area leaving his wife moping into space.
YOU ARE READING
IF I WERE YOU. (Editing)
Mystery / Thriller"What is it now?" He yelled above the embers of the flame. Vivian who had crumbled to the floor stayed down, staring as the fire rose in the sky. Bishop Maitama's huge legs marched across to where Vivian lay. "Do you want to...
