Chapter 47 THE RITUAL

At 12am, under a full moon one early morning, Osano, Donald and Sobrina met at the hut. Osano and Donald came with sacrifices of selling their souls to the Devil, while Sobrina came with the sacrifice of them both - without their knowledge - and more if they prospered in the business.

Sobrina was the high Priestess, she lit the incense and the candles as the others watched from behind. They had raised an alter using stones. She poured red wine in the silver chalice and asked them to rise.

She had previously tutored them on how to conduct themselves - they must carefully bath - before appearing before the gods of Hell. And how to conduct themselves during the ritual. They arose, forming a small circle. She rang a bell and invoked the four crowned princes of Hell, pointing with her fingers, and turning counterclockwise. She said the required prayers. She lifted the chalice and drank, then passed it around from her left.

When they were done drinking, she dropped the chalice on the raised platform. She collected their neatly folded papers which was containing their written, blood signed sacrifices, and prayer, and burned them in the fires of the candles. She placed them in the silver plate on the platform. She also burned her own paper.

She then commanded them to sit and meditate briefly. After some minutes, they stood and began to sing, clapping and dancing happily in circle around the room.

When they were done, Sobrina said the closing prayer. They turned clockwise and the ritual was done.

She had warned Osano and Donald not to speak about the ritual. It was not a topic of discussion, not even amongst them. Whatever any of them experienced or saw during the ritual remained with them till their graves. In the morning, it was as if the night never happened.

Sobrina knew her sacrifice wasn't accepted.

"Even a thousand men cannot take the place of the one", her Demon had informed her. She kept her secret from the others and hoped her investment would prosper and they benefit as she had promised. But instead, she was duped. She lost over half the money she had saved for school during her last trip to Lagunde, in a popular platform over the internet. Her house was burgled and all her valuables were stolen. She had also built the Ponzi website, she gave it to be hosted, and it was stolen by the people who were supposed to host it, with the excuse that it malfunctioned. Sobrina was down to square zero.

She still attended church at WUCC from time to time, she went for midweek service one evening, and Reverend Saul preached about the love of Christ. It wasn't exactly the same with the message she had downloaded months ago, but it was extremely close.

Sobrina wept bitterly on the place she was seated. The Reverend noticed and asked her to see him after service. He expounded more on his message after Sobrina told him she couldn't believe it. And Sobrina finally gave her life to Christ.

She happily returned home, but her conscience couldn't allow her to leave Osano behind.

She had deceived both Osano and Donald. Osano used to attend a church before they met, he was combining a lot but at least he did.

Donald was just religious at heart and an open cultist.

Sobrina visited their meeting spot at Donald's place one evening, she met with Osano alone. She confessed about what had happened, and about the failed ritual and her new found faith. She begged him to join her to church.

Osano became her first convert. They decided Donald was beyond redemption. It was unheard-of for a renowned cultist to become born again.

Sobrina settled with rescuing only Osano.