Chapter Four: A Familiar Face.
Jessy got home that night but looked disturbed. His wife, Mariah was not happy with his behaviour. He was quiet. After taking a shower, he sat down in the diner with his two hands on the table and stared at the meal placed before him.
“Is anything the matter, darling?” Mariah asked as she poured some red wine in his glass. As if she could read his mind, “I’ve never seen you this worried, would you like to talk about it, baby?” She sat on the chair next to him.
Jessy gently raised his head and gazed into her eyes, she smiled and turned her head the other way.
“Darling,” Mariah said. “I am here for you.” She placed her warm hand on top of his, and smiled in a concerned manner, “I want you to be happy. You deserve to be happy, they’ll find him. Do not let…”
“I’ll be in the study.” He responded, “Got a speech to write for this meeting coming up with these African leaders, darling. Will join you in the bedroom once done.” He got up, kissed her on the forehead and walked away.
“It’s your favourite; lobster covered in egg on a bed of fried potatoes, darling.” She said, “Are you sure about…”
“I’ll be fine, dear.” He responded.
“Okay.” She said as she sighed heavily, “Love you!”
“Love you too.” His voice fainted.
Jessy took his time in the study, he waited until he was sure his wife was asleep. Around midnight, he walked into the bedroom and as usual, gently lied beside her. Mariah was on the bed; the right side of her face rested on the pillow. Jessy was behind her, he switched on the bedside lamp on his own side of the bed and picked a novel that was kept next to the lamp. After a long thought, when he was sure she was dead asleep, he gently brushed her hair as though trying to kiss her, and with his thumb he cautiously lifted her left ear. As Mariah turned, Jessy kissed her, she then buried her head in his chest.
He could hear the sound of his heartbeat.
Jessy was terrified with the glimpse of what he had discovered. Palm was right.
“Goodnight, my king.” She whispered.
“Goodnight, Mariah,” he responded.
It took him a while to shut his eyes. Jessy’s mind wandered in fright. He tried to remain calm so she wouldn’t notice.
The following morning, Jessy dressed up and was about to rush out when Mariah woke up.
“Darling, where are you going?” She said, “What’s going on lately, I don’t understand you. Is everything okay, my love?”
Mariah got off the bed in her night gown and walked to him. “I told you not to worry too much," she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. "The Rel-Pol will find him.”
“There has been some disturbances at the temple, I think some resistance tried to destroy the altar according to the message I received.”
“Let the police and the temple guards deal with it, you can’t go about showing up every time something goes wrong, relax.” She said as she bit her lower lip seductively, “But if you insist then let me get dressed and follow you.”
“No, my love,” he interjected. “I don’t want you putting too much pressure on this sexy body. You just stay home okay, you’ve really tried, you know, been with me throughout the festival and all. You’re a queen and should stay close to the throne.” He kissed her on the forehead then her lips, “Hmm! Your breath, just like jasmine.” He tapped her on the bum, “Your eyes, they always make me feel like my heart is riding on the fastest horse!”
“Aww!” She responded, “Alright cowboy…just one ride before you leave then.” She bit his left ear, pulled down her nighty and seductively walked backwards to the bed. She laid on her back and spread her legs to the delight of his sight, “Come, baby.”
Jessy stood there for a few seconds, then walked towards the bed.
“Take-off-your-shirt.” She commanded, “You naughty boy.”
He took his clothes off.
While they made love, she could tell his mind was far away from where his body was.
Jessy didn’t hesitate to leave as soon as they were done. He kissed her, got dressed once more and quickly walked out of the bedroom.
Jessy arrived at the precinct in his white limousine. As usual, he asked his driver to wait behind. On sighting him, the officers were about to leave as they did the previous day but he ordered them to stay. He collected the keys to Palm’s cell.
“How do I get her out of Mariah’s body?” He said.
“You can’t. That body must be destroyed before she vacates it.” Palm said as he stood to his feet.
Jessy could not look him in the eye.
“You were right.” Jessy said, “All along I thought…”
“She’s your handler.” Palm said, “You don’t make this kind of deal with the enemy of man’s soul and expect to be in control of everything. You are a great asset to the kingdom of darkness, Jessy. So they made sure the right person to manage you is placed right next to your heart. This thing you did is no joke, it’s not some dream you’d wake up from. I wish it was.”
“Mariah.” Jessy responded, “What…where is she, how can I get her back?”
“You can’t,” he answered, “She’s trapped on the other side.
“Is she going to hell?” He asked.
“I’m not the one to judge,” Palm said, “We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. And all shall witness Him in His glory. He’ll pour His mercy upon the righteous and they shall be one with Him. When it’s all said and done there won’t be need for a human body, for it is like a tent. The children of God shall inhabit new heavenly bodies.”
“She’ll make it. I know.” He said, “Do you think he’d ever…forgive me?”
Palm sighted, walked to Jessy and placed his hand on Jessy’s shoulder then looked straight into his eyes.
“I understand,” he said, “Palm, I now understand why she wanted you dead. You’re the only one I trust; if I was the ship, you’re that anchor that always secure me at the shore. Your words have always been a keystone to my heart. But I have failed you, and I’ve failed Him. It’s now I see why He placed you in my life; to support me and also to hinder me from making the wrong decisions. He placed you in my life so I’d learn from you. You always put your trust in Him no matter what, even when death visited you, you called out to Him. I didn’t take advantage of such knowledge, I refused to learn anything from it.”
Palm hugged him. They held each other and cried together.
“I’m so sorry, Palm.” He said as he sobbed, “I am sorry about Tamara, I know I can’t bring her back or undo any of these foolish things I’ve done. I know it’s unforgivable in His sight but, you have to find a way to forgive me. I’m sincerely sorry.”
“Say no more, Jes.” He said, “Say no more. I’ll pray for you.”
“Now, how do we kill this bitch?” Jessy said.
“I’ll need any type of liquid once we get near her.” He said.
“Let’s go and pay the whore…in her own coins then!” Jessy said, “But first, I want to pull something to its knees!”
“You don’t have to,” he said.
“Do you know what I’m talking about?” Jessy asked.
“The statue.” He said, “It won’t fall, yes it was erected by men but shall not fall by their hands. It’ll stay erected until the second coming of the Lord.’
“But I’m done with this shit, Palm!” He said, “This thing ends today, friend.”
“No, Jes.” Palm said, “It won’t just end like that.”
“What do you mean?” Jessy asked.
“When you traded your soul for all of these, there were pages in the contract that’d stretch to ends of the earth you didn’t pay attention to, and won’t be able to even if given a thousand years to read.” He said, “You’re to lose your own life on the day of your awakening, which might be today. I am not sure. The deceiver himself will take charge of your body and continue to rule the people.”
Jessy was quiet.
“And once you go against her, he’d come because she’ll send a distress signal.” Palm added.
“How do we stop her?” He asked.
“We can’t, no one can!” Palm replied.
Jessy turned his back on Palm and walked towards the bar.
“So, if we kill her…he’ll come?” Jessy asked.
“I think that’s what might happen.” He responded, “If we make an attempt to kill her, he’d come down, take over your body and rule the worlds with his queen by his side.”
“I don’t get it.” He said.
“This is not about killing her or stopping the reign of the dark one in our realm in flesh.” Palm said, “There’s no stopping what is to come, it’s only a matter of time.”
“I cannot stop anything.” Jessy said, “I can’t stop them, the dark one can’t be killed?”
“Not by any of us,” he said. “That’s Jehovah’s work, not ours!”
Jessy sighed and placed his hands on his head.
“He will not forgive me, God?” He said, “I’ve deceived His children.”
“Even some of the elect!” Palm said.
“I just want to see Mariah, again.” He said, “I want to go and see my Mariah. I thought that woman was her, I was happy because I thought I’ve finally made Mariah happy too. She came from a poor background just like me, you know. Will the Lord ever let me see his face once again?”
“You will see the Lord on the day of judgment,” Palm said, “Where every knee shall bow before Him in praise. That day, even those who reject Him shall see Him in His glory and shall experience the pure love and peace in His sight. Then He shall separate His own from the rest. The gates of mercy hall be shut against those who refused to accept His son, Jesus.”
“What about you, Palm?” He asked.
“I’ll lead the people here on earth, those who refused to bow to the wicked one.” He said, “For the dark one and his entire army shall torment the souls of men, as they prepare for the last battle with the angels and sons of God.”
“You’ll lead the resistance.” He said.
“Something like that.” Palm remarked.
“Your affliction prepared you for leadership,” he said as he sighed. “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go ask the whore to send the telegram. I’ve had enough of this flesh…” he looked at his hands as though they do not belong to him, “It feels heavy, this body…It’s like my soul can’t wait to fly out of it. I went about pretending to be happy all along, but all the while it’s like the weight of the entire world is placed upon my shoulders. Now I understand why.” He turned to Palm, “I’m ready, when you are.”
Palm walked behind his friend, Jessy, as they stepped out of the precinct. The chief of Rel-Pol arrived in time to meet them.
“Your majesty, I didn’t know you’d come this early.” Said the chief, “Forgive me, I was…”
“His nephew was the one who shot Tamara,” Jessy interjected, “I ordered him be sent on exile.”
Palm stared at the chief then turned to Jessy.
“Pardon him.” Palm said, “Let him go.”
“You never change, do you?” Jessy responded, “See, this is why I never wanted to be like you.”
Palm smiled.
“Your nephew is pardoned.” Jessy said to the chief, “What do you have to say?”
The chief ran and knelt before Palm and kissed his feet. Palm moved back and told the man not to repeat such a thing.
Jessy and Palm entered the limousine and zoomed off.
“You didn’t have to make him do that.” Palm said.
“You have no idea how it feels like to command men!” Jessy said, “It feels good to order them around and have the whole world kissing your ass.” He giggled, “I can’t lie, I like it. I don’t expect you to understand.”
“I’m not judging.” Palm said.
“Yeah, I know.” He responded.
Jessy ordered the limousine driver to take them to the beach.
“You can’t put the statue down, Jessy.” Palm said, “It’s being held by a legion!”
“I’m not trying to,” he said. “Today’s my birthday, our Mariah would want to throw a surprise party in my name, and I love the big entrance. I am a big man, friend. I should go down in a big way! I want to watch the sun go down for the last time.”
The driver took them to the beach. Jessy pulled out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it. Palm’s heart became heavy, tears rolled down from his eyes again. He cried for his friend, because Jessy didn’t seem to be bothered about his fate.