RED-HOOD 2 Kola cringed with fear as he heard his name being called the second time by that person.
By: Damilola A Dahunsi
Tags: Mothers, Teens, Youth, Teenagers, Parents

RED-HOOD 2

Kola cringed with fear as he heard his name being called the second time by that person. He looked up a bit to see if he could recognize her or anyone around but he couldn’t. The environment didn’t look familiar either. At the same time, he felt like he has been there severally. He was really confused as he couldn’t gather his thoughts properly.

The lady wearing the red hoodie and wide-brimmed hat had stopped tapping her foot. She raised up her head and smirked without opening her eyes. She opened her mouth to speak and suddenly, the clouds darkened and it seemed as though there was going to be a storm. Lightening flashed, with the sound of thunder accompanying it. One would have thought that it was as a result of the mysterious woman who opened her mouth to speak.

When she finally spoke, she asked, “Where is my due?"

Kola looked lost. It was obvious that he had no idea what she was talking about. He looked around as if to ask for a clue but of course, he was only met with deadly stares.

SECOND OFFERING

Kola was dragged roughly by a handsome-looking man in an orange suit towards the shack. As soon as they were in, he realized the shack was actually bigger than it looked from the outside. The inside looked and felt eerie not because it was dark but for some reasons unexplainable. It felt haunted. He was pushed down to his knees. In that position, he closed his eyes tightly, expecting the worse to happen. After about fifteen minutes, he realized that nothing happened. Gradually, he started to open his eyes until he saw that he was the only one left in the shack after he completely opened them, or maybe he thought so.

Kola began to contemplate on escaping from the place but at a second thought, reasoned that the place must have been tightly secured for his captors to have left him unbounded with no one guarding him. He also felt at disadvantage, thinking that even if he was left alone mistakenly, he wasnt sure he could make an escape because he neither know where he was nor remember the route to the place. He remembered that on his way down to the place, he didn’t notice any vehicle coming or going. Kola concluded that it was of no use trying to escape from the place.

After a long, troubled thought, he sighed. He wished there was at least a little more light in the shack so that it won’t feel scary. He had just finished thinking when he heard someone clapped twice. As soon as the person clapped, blue lights came on and they casted dancing shadows all over the walls. It was even scarier than before and he wished he had not wished for light. He turned back and saw the lady in a red hoodie behind him. Her wide-brimmed hat was off but she had her hood on. She faced him directly with her eyes closed, then said, “You seem quick witted. Im impressed. You made the right decision not to escape. Hmmm, but you are not so smart to have owed me, especially this long."

Her eyeballs rolled while they were still closed. It was as though she would open her eyes at any moment. Then she continued, "No one owes me..." She paused as if she remembered something, but then, abruptly, with a voice that seemed filled with compassion, she said, You shouldn’t have..." Although Kola was scared, yet he felt he should at least know what she was talking about. He tried hard to remember if he had ever met her or her men but he remembered nothing. So he summoned all the courage he could gather and asked her what he owed her. It was the greatest mistake he made in his life. It was too late to take back his words.

The lady became more inhuman. It was hard to tell if she got angry or crazy. She opened her eyes suddenly and uncovered her head. Kola was amazed at what he saw. She had exactly the eyes of a cat and her head was pierced with jewelries all over. The next moment, just half an inch away from him, she let out a hysterical laughter. He didn’t know how it happened but he just saw that they were so close that he could barely breathe. Kola cursed himself for ever wishing for her to open her eyes. He just wanted her to shut it back but she wouldn’t. Everything was happening like the horror movies he had seen in the past. He just didn’t expect that he would be faced with such in his life-time.

Amazingly, she did not hurt him physically but he already felt tormented. He wished those men he saw earlier could appear so he wouldn’t feel alone. When she spoke again, she said,

"This is the red-hood, I am the Red-hood. Seven years ago, you gave an abomination as a sacrifice. What did you dare?"

It was the first time she would speak in a loud voice. Since he met her, her voice was always small yet powerful whenever she spoke.

Kola remembered what happened seven years ago. He had joined the Lucky-guys club and it was with their help he was able to do all his exams easefully. He was even able to occupy some offices as the students representative in the university. He remembered that it was that very day his female friend, who always try to help him in reading and was trying to persuade him to put more effort to his studies, that he joined the club. It was one of the things he regretted doing. At that time, it seemed a great achievement but afterwards he understood better. The group seemed harmless and looked just like a meeting of boys who come together to help one another and have fun.

Although, he was warned by some of his fellowship brothers about the club. They told him that it was an evil-cult disguised as a harmless group. However, some guys in his hostel told him that the group is a harmless one. They told him that it was founded by some certain male students who had connections with the school authority. They use their connections to help group members that are faced with academic challenges. They also make an avenue to have fun so that student who are lucky to be a member would enjoy their stay on campus. It was also said that it was not easy to be a member of the group and only three people are recruited every year.

Kola remembered that he chose to listen to his hostel mates as against than his fellowship brothers. There were times that the school went on riot and it was rumored that the Lucky-guys club had started them. He dismissed it as a mere rumor and went ahead to join the group. He remembered that on the day he was recruited, he felt so lucky and happy. That day, they went through some rites and he was supposed to be skeptical about them but he dismissed it and felt that it was just a mere rite, just like the ones the school cadet often have yearly when they recruit new members.

On that day, his eyes were covered with a cloth. He remembered that he was taken to a place where he ate and drank with his eyes still closed. After that, he did some things that were inhumane. After all the activities were complete, he woke up and found himself on his bed. He let out a shout because he was scared of all the horrific things he saw himself do. He wondered at how he got to his bed so quickly. He had so many questions in his head. When he was fully awake, he found two of his group member looking at him with concern. They told him that he had so much to drink the night before and so they brought him home. When he told them everything he saw, they laughed and dismissed it as mere nightmare, the result of the drinks he had.

After that, he had similar occurrences. Sometimes, he would see himself master-minding a riot and after that, he would suddenly wake up to find himself on his bed and then he would hear the whole school talking about a riot that just happened.

When he was about to sit for his final exam, he dreamt that he sacrificed his father on an altar. He had hardly recovered from the dream that he got the news that his father was dead. He was devastated, he began to believe that something was not right, and that he was possibly in a cult. Of a truth, without any stress, ever since he joined the group, he always came out with flying colors. Yet, it was sad that he possibly lost his father due to the fact that he joined the group.

He went to meet the guy who was the head of the group at that time and accused them of manipulating him to do all sort of evil. He even stated his regrets of joining the group. He hoped that the leader would deny all the allegations but he only laughed and said to him, "Welcome. Now that your eyes are clearly opened, you have begun another phase, congratulations." Kola was very shocked. He was almost going ballistic with anger. He asked the leader, "What stupid congratulations is that? Are you admitting to the fact that you made me kill my father?"

The leader smiled and said, "That was supposed to be your last sacrifice for your first phase and also a thanksgiving offering for successful graduation but unfortunately, the great one rejected it. Now you are going to make atonement and ask for other options. So be prepared. Unless, you will lose all..." It was after the leader had spoken that he realized, that truly, he had been in a cult all along. He wept and pleaded with the man to reconsider. He even said that he was no longer interested in the group but the man replied and said, "No matter where you are and how old you get, you can never opt out."

Kola realized late that what he got was not success at all. He should have known that it wasn't just about the result but also the sincere efforts that one put into getting something that qualifies it as success. That same night, he had a dream and in the dream, he heard someone demanding for a due. Later, it stopped being just a dream as he would hear the voice when hes walking, having a conversation, eating, working etc. The voice seemed to follow him everywhere and every time. Sometimes, he would find himself subconsciously replying the voice and people began to think he was crazy. Kola lost his job, lost many of his relationship with people, and most devastatingly, lost himself.

Often, he would try to tell people that he wasn't crazy but his attempt at explaining alone makes him look crazier. He realized that whenever he tried to confide in someone and tell them what happened, he would totally forget what he wanted to say. As a result, he fell into depression and looked really sickly.

It happened that his elder sister was going to invite her pastor to their house. But while he was alone in his room, suddenly it got really dark and he heard a voice saying to him, "follow me, we are going on a journey." He was so terrified that he ran out of the house. It was then he saw the man in a black hoodie commanding him to stop. And after that, he found himself faced with the Red-hood in the shack.

Still, with all that he remembered, he didn't know how it all ties up with the Red-hood. He couldn't remember her and as far as he knows, he had never heard of the Red-hood. Red-hood raised up his chin and said to him, "Remember I told you, you either pay up your due or lose everything." After she had spoken, he remembered what his fellowship president told him. How that it is not everyone on campus that are students, that some just disguises as one. How it is not everyone you see that are humans but some are actually demons disguised as humans.

GOD’s SUCCESS MIRACLE MINISTRY

Kola' elder brother Felix, had started a ministry. At first he was a fervent worker in a very popular church. He was an usher and was privy to the amount donated to the church as offerings every time there was service. Every time the pastor was preaching, Felix would be day-dreaming of a day he would be like him, in fact even better than him. It was no news that the pastor owned a private jet and many cars. It was just as Felix wished for in the time past and the more he saw his pastor, the more he desired to be like him. He vowed that, one day, he would definitely become a successful pastor like his pastor.

Felix withdrew from the church, founded his own church and named it God’s Success Miracle ministry. The first lady, Ruth, who attended his church became his wife. You would be surprised to know that Felix had not stop his moral mis-conduct. He had made advances to Sister Ruth. At first sister Ruth declined but later she agreed. She saw it has an opportunity that should not pass her by. After all, she had long been praying to God to make her part of the successful ladies who got a husband. Sister Ruth had attended many of her friends wedding ceremonies and she often envied them for their successes. To her, ones she sees any lady flaunting an engagement ring, she would see it as great success irrespective of who the person is engaged to. She had always dreamt of the time she would also be able to post videos of her fiancé proposing to her.

The first time, she rejected pastor Felix because she knew he just wanted to have a fling with her. Afterwards, she came up with a plan to tie him down. After she agreed to date him, every Sunday after the church service, she would enter pastor Felix’s office pretending to see him for something important.

As soon as she enters, pastor Felix would grab her from behind and they would engage in lustful activities. Soon Sister Ruth became pregnant and she threatened to announce it on social media and to everyone who cares to listen if he doesn’t marry her. She also told him that she has a video of both of them having sexual activities together. Pastor Felix had no choice than to marry her and that was how she became his wife.

Pastor Felix was so impatient. Of course, he couldn’t do the work of the ministry rightly because his motive from the beginning was wrong and he was hooked-up with sinful activities. It happened that he was invited for a seminar where a pastor preached. The sermon touched him and he made a resolution. He did away with sexual lust but he found it hard to control his lust for money and fame. Every Sunday when he realized that the number of attendees did not increase, he would feel sad.

His wife Ruth was not helping matters at all as she would nag him and compare him to other men of God who are SUCCESSFUL. Soon he let his guard down and every dint of morals he had built-up crumbled.

On a Sunday while he was preaching, somebody walked in and it happened to be an old school-mate. He was really surprised. As soon as the service ended, the man walked into his office to see him. They exchanged pleasantries and talked about the old times. Then suddenly, the man, Ropo by name, said to Felix, "How far na, why is your church not full, abi you no dey use juju again?" Ropo ended his statement with a loud laugh. Felix was surprised and asked Ropo,

"Which juju, what are you talking about?"

Ropo, replying Felix, said to him that he should stop pretending. He told Bayo that back during school days everyone knew he was using juju to perform the miracles he did at the fellowship and also to gain recognition. He reminded him that he was aware of the girls he impregnated and how he asked them to abort it. So he said it was not possible for his kind of person to claim that he used the power of God.

Felix was really surprised and tried to defend himself but Ropo just dismissed him with a wave of his hand. He told Felix that he could help him to get fame that would boost the attendance of his church. Felix was delighted and asked how. Ropo told him that it was no big deal granted that he was ready to go on a journey. Felix shook with delight and said he was ready.

Back At The Red-hood

The bulky man received a call, the phone he used was connected to the one inside the shack. Ropo said, "Pastor Arifanla Felix is ready." The bulky man replied and said,

"Bring him over."

Kola knew without doubt that it was his brother they were referring to. He knew of his brother’s impatience and materialism.

It was too late to warn him...