CONFLICTED

Chapter 27| Mad Tracy

Chapter 27: Mad Tracy

Christopher

We eventually got to the church. At the gate, which was left wide open, we were welcomed by the security officers. One of the men approached the SUV and spoke to my father through the window. He looked at us briefly and said something to them in the car ahead before backing away.

The SUV drove into the premises and we followed the officer's directions to the parking lot which had a number of other cars already parked in it. I glanced at Kelvin but he only switched off the engine and removed the key from ignition before hopping out. With a sigh, I alighted the car as well.

In as much as I was mad at him for making such a suggestion despite everything that had been happening lately, he was right about me behaving like my father. I never thought I would hear that from anyone and especially Kelvin.

It pained me that he pointed it out but it was really true. I was acting out the exact same way my father did when he lost his wife and back then, I criticized heavily him for it. Right now, I looked like an hypocrite. The fuck was I saying? I was an hypocrite.

He was probably angry as to why he had to deal with this attitude of mine again. Deciding to focus on the present, I pushed those thoughts to the back of my mind for now.

We met up with my father and the two women and we all approached the church. The building was painted a mix of cream and deep brown color, sheltered by an elongated roof. It had flower beds bordering it and making a pathway to its entrance.

Though my mind wasn't really on the church's structure. I was staring at Aunt Lydia's hand in my father's grasp.

~~~

We entered the church which was almost filled to it's capacity. Luckily, we found two empty seats somewhere at the front while the others sat elsewhere, somewhere at the back.

The preaching was pretty much boring to me as my mind kept drifting somewhere else the whole sermon. Kelvin seemed uninterested too with his eyes glued to his phone the whole time.

Not sure if I had mentioned this earlier but today was first Sunday of the month which meant anointment and communion for those who had done their confirmation in this church or elsewhere. Now before I get those weird looks, I knew nothing about the christian doctrine... Or the Christendom as a whole. It was the Reverend father who made the announcement to us.

Apparently, if one kept malice with another or had not been administered the sacrament of confirmation but decided to step forward and receive the holy bread and the communion, such person would fall sick. I found that absurd. I knew of Pentecostal churches that gave kids, even babies, the holy communion like some sort of snack. Here, it wasn't so.

Once again, I found myself searching for that slender figure amongst the choristers. Sorry, couldn't help myself. I was still perplexed by how such a powerful musical pipe could fit into that tiny body. She sang with a voice that stood out without trying too hard when the service began with a hymn.

That voice...

A voice that touched somewhere deep in my heart and elevated it. I couldn't fully fathom the feeling. It felt like being in a room of zero gravity; feeling all light like a feather and the mind only making an imitation of the body. I got goosebumps going up my arms just recollecting the sensation I got earlier.

No singer had been able to make me feel that way before. Strange right? I came to this church so that Anna could have a better chance of waking up. So that song was a first step right?

That song was nice though, pretty nice. So nice that I managed to remember a few of it's lyrics. I know it had something like rock of ages and some cling I cross or cross I cling, bla, bla, bla, it's all a blur.