Short stories

FROM A BETTER PLACE BEYOND THE GRAVE (2)

It was not an easy thing to do, but Esther had trained herself to recognize and respond to the signals from the Holy Spirit. It is better to err on the side of cautious
Esther waited, and spoke quietly to herself, as though she was speaking to someone, to another person within her.
“Guide, what’s wrong?.’’
A quiet voice rose within her.
“Stay back and pray for some minutes.” Esther knew that voice well, more than once, He, the Voice had warned her, comforted her, counseled her. She was intimate, but not familiar with that voice. Though unseen it was a voice she highly honoured.
“But I am late for work.” She said to herself. More than just a voice. Esther knew she was dealing with a Personality. A gentle, but the most powerful Spirit in the world- The Holy Spirit. A part of her wanted to jump out early, she had reasons, part of which was avoiding the hectic early-morning Lagos traffic.

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She slightly tilted her head towards her left shoulder and furrowed her eyebrows. She decided to pray in the car on her way to work. But, as she wanted to open the door, that Voice came up again, this time more authoritative. “Stay back!”.
Having decided against disobeying. She yielded, using the moment she waited to pray in other tongues. After five minutes, peace like a morning dew watered her troubled heart.
In the spirit world, especially when dealing with God’s Spirit. Inner peace is a sign safety. She knew she could leave. Esther rushed into her red Toyota Camry, gunned it to life and raced off. Moving the car faster than she used to, on the dusty road that linked her house to the main road.
Esther had barely covered 50 meters on the express road that led to her office. She struggled to believe if her eyes were still properly functioning, when she saw the scene that played before her.

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The end of the day’s activity was just beginning. Esther Adekola was closing up work for the hectic day, looking quite tired in her tight black skirt that hugged her thin frame. The first two buttons of her blue shirt were not in place, revealing the white camisole that covered her slightly bumpy bosom. To her , it was normal.
The cool atmosphere provided by the Air Conditioned in her overtly decorated office did little to drown the stress flowing in her body. It is being said that music has therapeutic effect.

Esther was using Beyoncé’s ”If I were a boy” as Stress Relief Therapy, gently shaking her small ”butt” to the music, while she arranged the file on her desk as she prepared to leave for home.
A knock on her office door caused her to look in that direction. ”Yes. How may I help you please?”
Her Favourite office Messenger, Uzor, gently opened the door, and almost at the same pace walked in, before he closed the door. Uzor, the first of the 4 children of a widowed mother, completed his secondary school education 5 months ago with an outstanding result.
He took the office job to raise money in order to further his education and support his mother. Esther loved Uzor’s brilliance, the way he comports himself. The ability she sees in him brings memory of Jide, who died of sickle cell Anemia some weeks before his West African Senior Examination. These memories created a bond between them, she treated him like Jide.
The shy Uzor bowed his head slightly, a gesture most Yorubas have mistakenly taken for respect. And spoke as someone rendering apology. ”I hope I am not disturbing you ma?”
”Let’s see if you won’t add to list of the things disturbing me.”

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Esther squinted her left eye as she replied, slightly shaking her body rhythmically to Beyoncé’s song.
”Ma, I want to invite you for…..” The rest of what he wanted to say glued to his tongue as he stretched his hands, wanting to give her a handbill. She didn’t collect it, she read it at a glance. ”Uzor, your church wants to teach me how to make money?” almost laughing out as she said that.
”Ma, it is our Annual Finance Convention, God will give you power to make more wealth.” He told her with utmost assurance. Esther wasn’t in the mood for argument, especially religious talk. She wasn’t a believer in formal religion, to her, most of those institutions democratize way God. And they end up giving a more distorted image of the God they present.
”I will come.” She said dismissively. Uzor wasn’t convinced. ”You want me to come?” He nodded in affirmation. ”Okay, I promise to come. Are you okay now?”
”Thank you ma. Good bye ma” He said with haste and, in joy as he left her office. Esther watched him leave her office, and she began to imagine the ability of religion to turn the most brilliant to fanatic. As person of her words, weeks later she went for the convention.
Her life took a new path…

To be continued…

Adekunle P_PEN

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About Author

Hello there,

I am Bolanle Temidayo Ogunleye, a Lawyer, a Christian Blogger and an author of two Amazon bestsellers- Love Beyond Words and Priceless.

Some of my readers know me by my pen name-TemidayoRiches.

I love writing. My writings will inspire you towards a closer walk with God.

Stay glued as I inspire you to live your best life.

Thank you!

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