A Thief In The Church… Season 1 Part 3

The heart is like an elastic that can be
stretched. The thing is that when a heart is
stretched by an idea, it will never return to its
original position.
Since the idea of robbing the CHURCH got into
the heart of James, His life had not returned to
normal.
He sat on their 12inches mattrass in arm
akimbo, he was drawn in his own thoughts that
he did not notice when Peter walked into the
room. It was not until Peter coughed to get his
attention that he realised that someone was in
the room.
They lived in a batcher house ( a house made
with wood ). The environment was not a
conducive one to dwell in. The compound was
just like a final bus stop for refuse. When the
rain is heavy, the flood will carry materials of all
texture and deposit it in the compound.
Little wonder the place stinks like hell.
Their room was a bit small and almost empty
save for the mattrass, a little stove by the
corner of the room, some plates scattered on
the floor, a little transistor radio, the type that
Abraham lincoln use when he was yet to see
the light of whitehouse and Ofcos two ‘Ghana
must go ‘ bags.
James looked up from his sitting position to
behold his friend’s worried face. He knew that
there must be some bad news that was
troubling his friend.
” how did it go! ” he asked. Earlier on, Peter
had received a call from an anonymous caller
requesting to see him immediately.
” there’s a serious problem o! ” peter replied. ”
when i got to the place that the man that called
me directed. He said that he is a DOCTOR and
that a woman at the Hospital gave Him my
number and that the woman had been the for
about Three days now. I requested to see the
woman. When we got to the hospital, i saw my
mom lying on the hospital bed, she had
become a shadow of herself, the DOCTOR says
that she had kidney stone and that i need to
bring 250,000 naira for them to commence
treatment. Guy i’m so dead! ” Peter bursted
into fresh tears aside from the one that was
shed at the hospital.
” take it easy man. Put yourself together. ”
James comforted his friend with a path on his
back. ” i also have some sad news too! ” he
added with a drop in his countenance.
” what is kind of sad news! ” peter wiped his
eyes with the back of his palms.
” my father just pass on! ” James said calmly.
He was tired of weeping and worrying, since his
friend went out and that call came in, he had
done nothing short of weeping and worrying.
” i’m so sorry about that. ”
” it’s ok, it’s not your fault that the old man
decided to pass on at this time when things are
so dry. ” James said. ” the only thing that is left
now is for the living to take up responsibility. ”
he added.
” So what do you intend doing now? ” Peter
asked. ” i’m thinking of robbing that church
with a toy gun. ” James replied.
” are you out of your mind!, do you know what
you’re saying! ” Peter screamed.
” do you want your mother to die like my father
did! ” James replied ” no o, God forbid! ” Peter
shrugged.
” then you need to use to your head! ” James
started. ” but it’s not proper to steal from God.
” Peter countered.
” So it is good for men of God to drive in big
cars and live in big houses while their members
live in thatched houses and swim in poverty. Is
it good for the ushers to enrich themselves with
church fund?. My friend open your eyes and see
things clearly. That fund was for people like us
but this people won’t just let it come to us. ”
James concluded.
” hmm, but how do you want to carry out your
mission of stealing God’s money ” Peter
exhaled. ” stop calling it God’s money. For all i
know, God is in heaven and they don’t use naira
and dollar in heaven. ” James cut in.
” ok. so how do you intend carrying out this
mission without getting caught? ” Peter asked.
” we will go to that church at night today,
because by tomorrow they might take the
money to the bank. I saw that man carrying all
those money into one room at the back of the
church, i guess that is where the money is
being kept before being transferred to the
bank. ” james released his well packaged plans.
” how about the security men? ” Peter asked,
he was becoming interested in the whole deal.
” i know where we will use to get in unnoticed.
Trust me on that. ” James smiled.
” oboy you na baddo!, you don draft out
everything ” Peter haled
” that’s why they call me James bond! ” James
boasted. ” so are you in? ” he asked. ” why
not!, abi you want my mother to die ” Peter
replied.
” we move in by 9pm tonight. ” James said with
a wide grin.
The time was fast approaching for the operation
to take place.
The two friends were getting ready for their
mission that was tag as ” mission Impossible 4 ”
by James after drafting out the mental map of
the church.
” the time is now 8:30pm, we need to get ready
to avoid any unnecessary waste of time ” James
looked at the wristwatch he was putting on for
the hundredth time since dusk.
” I’m coming!, let me put the tools that we
need for the mission inside the bag. ” Peter
replied. He was carrying a black school bag
which contained a pair of scissors, a hammer, a
knife, a rope, two rechargeable touchlight, a
saw blade and other items.
They were Putting on a black coat and black
timberland to match.
James gave Peter one of the toy gun that he
was holding.
” guy!, i dey fear for this operation! ” Peter
voiced his fears. ” i don tell you before sey this
operation must to dey successful, even the
angels dey our side for this matter. No forget
say ‘ heaven dey help people wey don decide to
take step. ” James patted his friend on the
back. ” what if them come discover sey this
gun na toy gun, na im be say our own don
finish be that. ” Peter scratched his head in
confusion.
” guy!, you be fear fear man, na you wan tell
them say na toy gun? ” Peter shook his head in
the negative. ” then them no go fit know say
this gun na toy gun. Make we dey go jor! ”
James walked out of the house closely followed
by Peter.
In no time they were at the point where they
first saw the sign post of the Church. ” no worry
after today them go change your name to
‘SANCTUARY of Confusion’ ” James smiled after
looking at the sign post which stood as a gallant
soldier.
” wetin you talk? ” Peter asked looking around
to see if anybody was watching. ” i no talk
anything, i only dey tell the sign post say them
go soon change im name to SANCTUARY OF
CONFUSION. ” James replied with a wide grin.
They took the same route that they used in the
morning but this time they were not looking at
the pointer since James has the map in his
head.
They arrived at the gate of the Church and
discovered that the lightings were on. Peter
wanted to make a comment but James quickly
covered his mouth with his palm.
” from now onward we will use the code of
communication that we learnt in the afternoon.
No more talking do you understand! ” James
whispered into his ears, Peter gave a nod to
signify that he understood. James allowed an
interval of a minute to go by before carefully
removing his palm from Peter’s mouth. Peter
shot him a wicked look.
We will have to go through this gutter, i guess
that it will lead us to an opening in the fence,
we can use there to enter the church
compound.
” But… ” Peter was pulled into the gutter before
he could complete his statement. They crawled
inside the gutter towards the back of the
church. They discovered that there there was
an opening in the fence of the church that
allows water to empty into the gutter when the
flood is much, the only problem was that the
circular opening was covered by iron rod that
was constructed in a table mat form.
” give me the saw blade ” James whispered to
Peter. Peter gave him the saw blade and
watched him saw the iron one after the other.
When he was tired of sawing the iron, he
handed over the saw to Peter to continue from
where he stopped.
Finally they succeeded in sawing all the Iron
and crawled quietly into the church compound.
” that work being H… ” James covered Peter’s
mouth before he would complete the
statement. ” you want to spoil this Mission for
me! ” James whispered to Him.
” Who is there!!! ” Someone called out and
flashed a touch in their direction.

WATCH OUT FOR PART 4