THE AFTER-LEAP

 

THE AFTER-LEAP

Written by: Lizzy Oyebola Oyekunle

As I glanced over the several wraps of Shawarma, boxes of chocolate, bowls of candies and packs of fruit juice on the dressing table next to me, I wept!

 

“Holiness unto the Lord is my watchword and song…” My phone rang and my heart jumped into my mouth as I heard the tune. The song to my heart felt like sprinkling of salt on a festering wound!

 

As I was about to pick the call, I was shocked at what I found in my two hands- bales of money! They fell with a bang to the ground. I covered my mouth in shock.

 

“Oh Lord! My Father!” I cried in anguish as I shook uncontrollably. As I was about to stand up from the chair where I was seated, a white towel that was round my chest dropped and I was stark naked. My knees became weak at that and I fell down flat on the cold tiles.

 

My jaws gnashed against each other as I breathed heavily. In between my laps felt moist and I bent to look at what it was- blood!

 

“Jesus!…Lord!” I screamed at that.

_______

“Jesus, I worship you…oh my God…You are awesome” I was praying as I read some christian articles online. A message popped in and as I was about dragging down my notification pane to see who it was, the Holy Spirit nudged me.

 

“Don’t check. Pray on” He said. I obeyed and prayed on. Almost then, another message came in. As I saw the name, Edward, my heart skipped a beat and I jumped up.

 

“Pray on Adewumi. Don’t check” I could hear the Holy Spirit say but it was my crush that had just sent me a message. I had to see what it was.

 

“Adewumi, will you be my val?” I read aloud and I could feel heat spread through my face. I smiled sheepishly.

 

“Eddy guy, I am a child of God. I don’t believe in Val. God’s Love is to be celebrated every day” I typed with the remaining good girl in me. I smiled as I whispered some words of prayer with a half closed eye.

 

“Really? It’s about love o. Tell me, don’t you love me?” was his reply and I started laughing.

 

“Awnnn…Edward likes me” I muttered as I hugged my furry pillow.

 

“I love you with the love of Christ” I started typing again. I added with a popping red love emoticon.

 

“Adewumi!” I heard the Holy Spirit call but I couldn’t listen at that moment. I was busy!

 

“That settles it Adewumi. See, since the day I met you, I have always thought of holding you close to my heart. As your name implies, you have always been my heart’s desire” He sent in and my heart started racing. A part of me realized where the chat was heading, another part of me wanted to be naughty- I didn’t want to spoil the fun.

 

I could see that he was still typing so I waited for the next thing he wanted to say.

 

“Your lips are the moon-shaped type I love. I just love your roundness Adewumi. Even if it is an opportunity to touch those lips, I will not mind. Please will you be my val?” He asked again and I sighed heavily.

 

Stop Adewumi!

 

It isn’t bad Adewumi. What sin have you committed by chatting with him? He said it is only touching your lips. He doesn’t even want a kiss o. Just to run his finger over your lips. That’s all. Remember how much you have longed for your crush to acknowledge you. If you miss this chance huh…”

 

“If you really mean touching my lips, fine. But if it will go beyond that, I can’t do that o. Thanks for seeing the best in me” I typed and he sent a dancing emoticon.

 

“I will get us a room so we can see a movie in a hotel, eat some Sharwama and take chapman, pray and read the Bible, have time to look and study your succulent, beautiful lips and come back home. Thanks for the opportunity baby. I love you” He typed.

 

“I care” I replied, trying to be diplomatic with my spirit. Everything seemed very weird and I could see my body longing to be with him while my spirit screamed against it till it kept quiet!

 

There was a knock at the door and my mum stepped in.

 

“Hey girly!” She greeted as she walked close to me. I smiled.

 

“Hi mum!” I gave my mum a high-five as she sat down. I felt suddenly uncomfortable around her and my sensitive mum definitely felt it as she asked.

 

“What’s up?” She asked. I started laughing. Trying to make sure the worrying wrinkles leave my face. My mum didn’t look convinced though. I raised my phone to show her the christian article.

 

“I was reading this and praying when you entered mum”

 

“Okay. How is preparation for Val tomorrow now?” She asked and I swallowed.

 

“Val? I don’t do Val mum” I said and it was her turn to start laughing. I looked into her face, confused. She didn’t stop though. She even squeezed my hands in the euphoria of her laughter.

 

“Mum?” I tried calling her to order and almost immediately she stopped as tears ran down her face. She obviously had laughed too hard.

 

“Judas Iscariot was one of the twelve following Jesus. On an occasion, the Bible described him as a thief. Then, one day, as the death of Jesus drew near, He was discussing with His disciples when He said ‘Someone will betray me’. The disciples looked at one another. ‘Is it I Lord?” They started asking. The thief who didn’t want to be left out in the holiness count also said ‘Is it I Lord?” Hmmm…Jesus told him yes! He took bread, dipped it into the wine and said ‘The one who I give this to, that is him!’ and all eyes was fixed on Him as He gave it to Judas. Judas didn’t fall to the ground and reject the evil prophecy. He opened his mouth, received the bread and ate it! Jesus still told him again ‘What you want to do, do quickly’ and this man still stood up and went to the evil men. The one who I kiss, that is Him! Betraying the Lord with a Kiss! For just thirty pieces of silver! The money he couldn’t even spend! The money of blood!” Mum preached on and my heart stopped pumping intermittently.

 

She stood up and started moving to the door. I swallowed and I focused on her.

 

“Mum?”

 

“Don’t tell me you don’t understand all my talks my girl. You very much understand. You are so close to Jesus. He loves and cares for you. You have seen Him perform many miracles before your very eyes. Yet, He has called you a thief. He knows you, He sees!” She said and I readjusted in my seat.

 

A thief?

 

“Stealing a look at a guy who isn’t even a believer, stripping him naked in your head; watching porn and fondling with your body, you have been a thief, girl!” My mum dropped the bomb and I blinked intermittently as my mum spoke.

 

“Then, Jesus is saying Adewumi will betray me. She will throw my Word into the bin and sacrifice it on the table. She will betray me! You asked ‘Is it I Lord?’ He nods ‘yes’ and gives you the wine soaked bread. Will she take it? Will she not? Its her choice! It’s up to her!” My mum said with finality and was about turning the knob when I screamed.

 

“Mum, he only wants to touch my lips. Not even a kiss mum!” I was on my knees already, my head aching badly.

 

I wondered how possible it was it was for my mum to see things so clearly!

 

This revelation gifts though!

 

“Alone in the room, eating and enjoying Sharwama, drinking and sipping Chapman, touching and caressing the lips with the guy she has been committing fornication with in her head for long! Indeed it is just a lip touching ordeal, indeed it is!” She nodded with her mouth spread sideways and left the room.

 

I swallowed severally before falling on the cold tiles, shaking heavily.

 

________
“Ah, I still did it ooooo! After the several warning, I did! I have sacrificed my virginity, my blood, on the bed on fornication for pleasure! My crush has crushed me!” I looked down again as I felt pain in my inside.

 

Did he drug me? How did I even get to the hotel?

 

I scanned round again and stood up ashamed. I saw a paper on the bed and picked it up.

 

“Queen Adewumi, thank you for the opportunity to not only touch your lips but the nooks and crannies of your body. I have always heard that virgins are sweet, thank you for giving me the opportunity to have the experience too. With our sex tape, I have just won 500,000 naira from the International Valentine’s Day Porn Competition online as our video had the highest likes and comments. The ‘tithe’ from the money was what I used to purchase these goodies for you my goddess. Enjoy!” I read and my head became light as paper!

 

I leaned on the wall for support as I staggered, mucus rolling down my nostrils. Every part of me was literally shaking as I tried to breathed. As I collapsed to the floor again, the only word I could shout was:

 

“Nooooooooooooooooo!”

 

All the goodies he bought me indeed were like the thirty pieces of silver that made no sense again to Judas after he had done the real deal. Looking around the room, I was so sad that nothing made sense!

 

The saying that one should look before one leaps is very true. The after-leap look indeed is very brutal!

 

__________

“Adewumi, wake up! Sweetie, wake up!” I could hear my mum’s voice faintly from whatever planet I had travelled to. I could feel as my mum forced a ventilator down my throat. I must have relapsed into an asthmatic attack.

 

I opened my eyes to see my mum sweating profusely, speaking in tongues as she prayed.

 

“Did anything happen in your dream? Did anyone give you food to eat? Did someone call your name? Did you see a shrine?” My mum started asking as she removed the pipe from my throat. On a normal day, I could have burst out laughing at my mum’s speculations but I just couldn’t.

 

I spread my legs to check in between my laps, no blood!

“The white towel and…” I was saying when my mum beat her laps.

 

“Jesus my Lord! Did they use a white towel to wrap you, ehn? That’s an evil omen ooooo… Jésù!” She exclaimed again. When I couldn’t find the right word to explain things to her, I hurriedly got my phone.

 

The last messages on my phone were right there. I must have been shown the vision by God. He probably allowed a deep sleep to fall on me as I considered what answer to give to Edward’s question:

 

“Adewumi, will you be my val?”

 

I smiled as I read. My body still in discomfit.

 

God had just saved me again! He had just delivered me! Almighty Father!

 

I scrolled down the messages and found some other messages.

 

“Are you there?” was repeated for like thrice.

 

I muttered some words of prayers as I started typing.

 

“Edward, Valentine’s love for his girl might have been so touching in his days but the death of Jesus for you is far more sacrificial. Dying for the people who hated and killed Him is a love so profound to human understanding. To celebrate val with you therefore Edward, I will send you some loads of Christian books that explains how great the Love of Christ is. If you can join a group of friends tomorrow for us to talk about the best kind of love, it would be very great. If you will be in that Bible class, then, I will be your val. If not, I am so sorry bro! Moreso give your life to Christ. He worths serving!” I typed and smiled when I was done.

 

I faced my mum who was still looking shocked and held her shoulders in awe.

 

“Mum, I really can’t accept that wine-soaked bread! No not now! No not after all Jesus has done for me! I love Him forever!” I screamed and I could still see her looking for answers to the confusion in her head on my face.

 

I stood up and started dancing.

 

“Thank You Jesus! My love! Jesus is my love! My love forever!