DAVID'S POV
A man in white came to me. His eyes were like fire, voice deep like the oceans.
"David," he said, "do a conference. Heal the people. Tell the world of my word."
"Yes, sir," I replied without hesitation. We spoke of great things nations, cities, lives that will be changed. I listened with trembling awe.
Then I woke up.
My heart beat steady as I looked around. My wife lay beside me, peaceful.
"Baby, you okay?" I whispered.
"Yes, darling," she smiled, half-asleep.
I got up, humming praises, lifting my voice in worship as I walked to the kitchen. The aroma of peace filled my home. There, my three kids ran in circles around the table.
"Papa!" they shouted, rushing into my arms.
"What are you two up to now?" I laughed, picking them up. Joy like a river flowed through me.
"Hope you've all prayed?" I asked, eyeing them playfully.
"Yes, Paa!" they chorused.
I smiled. "Have you eaten?"
"Yes, papa! We have service today, from 9am to 2pm."
"Good. Let's get ready."
Church was packed.
After soul-lifting praise, dancing, and heartfelt testimonies, the orphanage children came forward to thank me. Many under our foundation stood to speak widows, students, the broken… all healed, restored.
Then came the deliverance session.
As I laid hands, demons screamed, chains broke, and mercy oh, God's mercy came pouring down like rain. Happiness filled the room like thick incense. I was overwhelmed with joy
Later that day...
I was on my way out when I heard shouting near the back of the church.
"Thief!"
I turned sharply and walked toward the noise.
"What's happening?"
"Pastor! We caught him trying to steal the generator engine and diesel!"
They dragged a rough-looking young man, no older than twenty.
I looked him in the eye. "Let him go," I said.
"Sir?"
"I said let him go. Walk with me, young man."
He hesitated, but followed. I told my wife, "Take the children home with your car. I'll be back."
He entered mine, silent, arms folded.
As I drove, I asked, "What's your name?"
"Shola," he muttered.
"Shola… why did you do it?"
He scoffed. "Please don't start. You rich pastors, you think life is easy. You know nothing about the streets. You walk around with your heads high, preaching from your cars and pulpits."
I smiled gently. "Don't say that, Shola. In fact… I was once like you. Let me tell you who David once .
I turned the ignition, the car humming softly as I glanced at the boy beside me. He looked angry defensive. But I saw something in his eyes. Something I once saw in the mirror.
"Shola… you think I was born in a mansion? Nah… let me tell you a story. Let me tell you who David once was."
THE MEMORY — FLASHBACK
It was dark, the city was alive with madness. Neon lights flickered, music pounded through the cracked walls of a dirty club. My head was spinning, not from the music, but from the weed I had just smoked out back.
"Dave! Come make we run this next round!" Chuka, my closest guy, waved a bottle in the air as girls surrounded us.
I leaned back on the couch, a girl grinding on me like her life depended on it. I had money—dirty money from selling drugs, robbing warehouses, and rigging bets. I felt untouchable.
I whispered to the girl, and she giggled, leading me behind the building. I had my way with her, my body numb and my heart even number.
Afterwards, I reached into my pocket, pulled out a needle. No second thoughts I injected myself. The high came rushing in. My body floated, and I laughed like a madman.
The next day, we planned a hit.
"Man just enter with plenty cash, e go collect by tomorrow," Chuka whispered.
I nodded. "We move with formation. Fire—how far the gun?"
My guy on the phone replied, "I dey bring am first light."
We all cheered, clinking cheap liquor bottles, lost in the fog of sin and false power. I thought I was king of the world. But deep down… I was broken. Lost.
The next day, the air was thick with tension. We loaded big guns into the trunk. My heart didn't race. It was cold, just like the metal in my hand. I was numb to fear.
We drove deep into a quiet neighborhood.
"Everybody mask up," I ordered.
As we approached the compound, Chuka kicked the gate open. We stormed the house. The door shattered under Jay Jay's boot.
"Who dey?" one of my boys called out mockingly.
"August visitors don come o!" Chuka laughed, cocking his shotgun.
A man stumbled down the stairs, barefoot, trembling. His wife and kids were screaming from behind him.
"Oya! Lie down!" I barked, pressing the barrel of my gun against his chest.
The children froze on the floor, tears streaming down their faces.
"Where the money?" I demanded.
"What money?" the man stuttered, trying to stall.
Jay Jay stepped forward and slammed his rifle butt into the man's skull. He hit the floor with a grunt.
"You dey mad? You dey ask which money?" Jay Jay growled.
"Move in and search the place!" I shouted. One of my boys ran into the back room.
Still angry, I yanked the man's son off the floor and pointed my gun at his head.
"If you no bring the money now, I go scatter this boy's head!"
"No, please!" the wife screamed. "Chidi! Chidi go and bring them the money! Give them everything, please!"
The boy looked at his mother, then at me, and back at his father. He was shaking all over.
"Better listen to your wife, Chidi," I said, voice low and dangerous. "Don't make me shoot them all. They look like good children… I hate wasting good people."
The man's pride collapsed. "Okay, okay," he said weakly, and motioned to one of my boys to follow him.
They returned minutes later with two bags cash, gold, phones.
"Good man," I smirked, grabbing the bag. "This wasn't so hard."
We fled before the police could react. Tires screeched, hearts pounded but not mine. I was already used to this madness.
The robbing continued.
We became bold, reckless crashing weddings, hijacking shipments, tearing through towns. The money flowed like a river. Women? Plenty. Booze? Endless.
We drank like kings. We smoked like we owned the world.
But darkness was growing inside me.
Then one night, as we passed a blunt around and counted money, Jay Jay leaned in.
"David," he said, "this our hustle dey alright, but I think we need to go higher."
I narrowed my eyes. "How?"
"E get one baba. Baba Onilu. He go do something for us. He go fortify us, and bless this our drug runs. Make dem customs and police no dey catch us again."
I paused. "You sure?"
Jay Jay nodded. "Very sure. My cousin don do am. Now him dey move cocaine for port, nobody dey see am."
I glanced at Fire, Chuka, and the others. They all nodded. Greed danced in their eyes.
"Alright," I said, sealing our fate with a puff of smoke. "Let's go see this baba."