Black Mass

  Sheddy they call him. A local gin dealer with a shop that entertains more than a hundred of his kind each morning and evening. If you don't know how humans of the same standing attract themselves as magnets do to nails, go to the Sheddy''s shop every evening and learn. Around 31 and had this little psychological problem from childhood that stayed with him to adulthood. No one even came for him for apprenticeship. He will go to the illegal local brewers and fill about two mighty white gallons with that illegally improper refined gin and sell to those with psychological problems like him that come from all over the town each evening. Humans are gregarious animals, they like to meet there to end their not-too-good day with a 'short' or two before staggering home.

Not minding that he's a mental case, he is the type that goes to church and village meetings because that is how it is done. He pays whatever is due, you claiming to be sound pay, and contributes in his way to the agenda of any meeting he is in even if they are often on the so-so side. Attend masses each Sunday, some morning masses, and other religious activities in the church like others. Belong to societies in the church like others and pay his annual dues in the church like others. Activities like the annual station of the cross during the Lenten period were what ushered in problems that many were still asking the priest and police to abandon for the man has mental problems but they thought otherwise. The plot and plan that went into the heist he was behind baffles the priest and the police. "Such master moves can't come from disturbed minds" as officers believed and from the look of things, many people stand too. 

It all started on a normal Lenten period like every other Sheddy has ever attended in his 31 years of existence. The only difference is that the statues in use this very year were shining, and glittering and made many focus on it more than what each of the 14 of them stands for. Sheddy's attraction to them went miles further than others. On the second week of the stations, something clicked in his mind and he's surprised to realize that he was more than interested in the religious aspect of those shiny statues stories surrounding them had started emerging. One had it that it was bought by a millionaire that went on pilgrimage to Rome and shared with all the third world countries and another claimed it's loaned to each member country by the Vatican and afterward, it would be returned to them for other countries turn. "It's healing powers" so said stories following it from countries it's ever visited. One legend has it. Such a tale attracted more number of the Catholics in the town to the St Clifford's parish on the second Friday for stations of the cross. That's when Sheddy's demon got the better of him and he started seeing the economic aspect of the statues rather than the religious and aesthetic aspects that attracted him initially. Gold he heard is a big money if traded well. He started thinking about how to get his hands on those statues. Head or tail, he will gain from laying hands on them. How to make his dreams a reality started occupying his thoughts. But they were hanged high in the already high walls of the church. You needed a ladder for this kind of work. 'Work' not theft but work like they Christian things like that over here.

If he's not cured of his poverty magically, he will be made rich by force. He smiled at the thought as it bounces itself around in his head. Sign that heaven supports his yet to be thoughtout- plans. What's wrong with the ordinary ones they had been using" He queried himself "don't God answer prayers on such ordinaries?" he eyed the station of the cross booklet in his hands, eyed the images in it, sighed seriously. For the first time, the doubt about fairness of God crossed his mind. He sighed again and some around him started casting glances towards him. He spent that day eyeing the statues and eyeing the walls and casting glances at the four corners of the church and started noticing what he had not seen all these while, yet they were there all along. He went home that very day, started seeking for where to get the type of ladder that will aid such operation. "Sliding type electricians use will do" he thought. " Sliding what will do" he's startled by the woman standing not five steps away from him. He answered with a fake smirk and sigh. He's surprised he did not see the lady coming. "Give me that my usual"she said sitting down on a chair eyeing him. He slap himself a little and reminded himself to be around spirit and body everytime. He's not made a move and he's slipping already.

"Thank heaven it's only this loser around" he murmured. Two days later, he went far to the village in his town bordering another town to ask of a sliding ladder. He dressed like electrician with wires and screwdrivers hanging here and there. At least, his attire will throw suspicion away from the minds of the people that saw him with the ladder in those far villages.

He had known a week earlier that only way he will dress like electrician and carrying ladder where he's known without attracting curious stares is if he follows a bushy part instead of the major road. He had paid who paid a woman to spread rumors of the bushy part route being dangerous. People of the five villages that comes to church in St Clifford prefer that short route from church and markets instead of the major road. He needed to put the fear of Satan in the minds of those who followed that route I followed to make sure he did not meet the faces that know him while with the ladder. For the past three days, that little gambit had worked like magic. Male and female cleared from the route like misty clouds do. The jumper suit he bought at bend-down market had cost him a little fortune but he's sure his little caper will compensate well for all the overheads. A day latter around 9 pm, he went to work. The villagers had always scurried back homes before 7 pm since rape, maiming and shooting story started spreading like a wild fire. 9 pm, the town turns into a graveyard. So quiet and lonely. He covered his head with a hat his head nearly fall inside and went to work fishing the ladder from its hidding place. He stealthily made his way towards the eastern side of the church with his ladder and sack bag and got to his destination without any incident. He placed the ladder on the particular window he know will aid his entry and escape with ease. Fished out a screwdriver from his belt and placed it on the window ledger and applied force. Four minutes later he's dragging the ladder up and repositioning it inside the dead church. All light were off, including in the alter. He went down with his mini pencil torchlight guiding the way. 36 minutes later, he's hauling 14 glittering statues wrapped in a cement paper before being placed face down and deposited in the sack bag and went as silently, as he had came. Fresh shoe, fresh gloves, popular idea in the mind of people that he has mental problems. Nothing of him's being left behind. He counted himself out of list of suspects.

The catechist was the first to notice that the statues were missing. "you took the statues away?" he enquired of the senior seminarian on apostolic works in the parish while getting the altar ready for the morning mass. The priest was alerted. He came to see for himself. The man of God was speechless. They had never experienced such in the history of the church in that state since creation. That morning mass was delayed for about an hour, congregants gathered in tens and twenties discussing the theft in hushed tones. "Which satan is behind this operation?" they kept asking themselves. This can't be the work of a mortal. Some quipped. That line of the incident was gaining ground when the priest and some church elders rosed from their emergency hurried meeting. They had concluded at the orders of the priest to halt contacting the police first and warn the people of how serious they'e decided to take the issue and their decision has nothing to do with monetary value of the items even though it matters too. "But violating the house of God is throwing challenge to heaven and they're going to act." he decided to tell them that if the person that made away with those statues don't return them or tell them through any means were to go and collect them within a week, they are going to conduct a BLACK MASS service for the person and within two weeks, that person and his family, their future generations to the fourth are going to wish they had never been created. Poverty will never leave that person, persons and their generation alone. The priest assured all. The morning mass was said in a solemn mood. People went home and the news of the theft and threat of poverty to the generations to come followed their spreading. Sheddy was sitting all the while in his usual position in the church observing events role out from the priest and elders. Not for once did he blink from the anger and threat dripping like hell from the priest. What he wanted more information on is the black mass part. What does that means, how does it work . First time he's hearing such a thing, and the priest was not mincing words from what Sheddy observed. He's personally annoyed to the level he never believed possible. Each gathering in the church he never fails to remind them what black mass stands for and when it's commencing. The deadline came and the priest turned out wearing black rob with the colors Alter were decorated turned black, black bible, mass servants and catechist all on black. Black candle was a gigantic one that were emitting a kind of scents many have never perceived. It hightened the peoples fear and Sheddy were little moved initially but after two day of pretending that all were well, he found out truly that all were well with him or so he truly believed. He went about his business without qualms. 

The only thing he's noticed were amiss with him's that his thoughts constantly switches itself towards that topic even when he don't want to go to that area. This can't be normal he reasoned. The statues are resting in the trunks of the Hausa dealers in state capitals, ladder returned to the owners and jumpers washed and retired. The black mass and its paraphernalia were losing its hold on the congregants but the priest'snot letting down. He's determine and seems to have issues with God now and he intends to see it through with him. Two weeks later, he met with the church elders again and told them it's time to see the police. They all went to the sub-station in their town there.

The station was a little one with about 50 officers at work there. The police chief was surprised when he heard what brought them. "Why'd you waited for so long, by now, maybe those statues is in the factory somewhere in Asia being remolded into necklace you will buy with your money. I still don't understand your why for waiting so long." The priest told him about black mass and receiving go ahead orders. He smirked. "don't you know time is of great essence in investigation?" 

"Anyway, let start with what we have" after taking their statements, he sent his two boys to go and photograph the window and see if there's anything they can still pick up. Next Sunday, he sent about 35 of his mufti wearing boys and girls to dress in their best camouflage dress, and behavior and go start attending services and events in the church and all mingling and laughing at their best. 

Two weeks of services and events in the church did not turn up any lead. It's mingling with store owners in the market not far from the church that a 'lead' that wasn't promising initially manifested. They had heard that the route people prefer taking were too dangerous these days so, they needed to take the long routes and reasons for closing each day thirty minutes from normal time. When they indirectly pressed, they heard of stories of rape, maiming and shooting. They reported back. Further follow up meetings and all focus were turned to that route. 

    For a week plus, not a single sign of squirrel misbehaving let alone human. Where did this story came from and who are the victims of these rape and shootings? They went back to their office for another brainstorming and this time around, they focused on the victims of the stories. After three days of snooping around turned up a man claimed rape and turned to another town nearby, Ukuto community a man shooting was attached to his name in Amaike town and another in Amaike his name was attached shooting in Ukuto. The three were hauled to the station for questioning. Three hours of questioning and threatening produced the name of the payer behind the remours. He's picked up within minutes and after subjecting him to torture, he came out with another name in Ukuto who paid him to pay the woman. That fellow was picked up too and that was how Sheddy's name cropped up. He's picked up within minutes. 

They forgot six of them in a cell there for three days without looking their way. Their toilet is a bucket placed there by the corner. They pee and shit inside and all the six were using it.On the afternoon of the fourth day, they were so eager to open their mouth and put pen to paper that you would not doubt the

After drilling them for hours, Sheddy led them to the state capital where they arrested about five Hausa gold dealers. Back at the station, they followed the same forgotten tactics on them even though they recovered about 60% of the stolen items. Four days later, the Hausa dealers were speaking better english than they initially claimed to know. 

    " Good to know our station can teach spoken English without accent in four days only Alhaji. It means if we spent a month here or two, we can even speak latin without an accent, right?- maybe if we don't understand each other well today in english, we might try Latin."

The Hausa guy was eyeing him with fear written all over him. "So Alhaji, what do you say made the statues hanging peacefully on the walls of St Clifford to develop wings and found their way into your boxes?"

 "Haba officer, my work is to buy and no ask questions. I no know anything st Cliffort and I no know anything about Amaife. I just buy gife you your money, that all"

" you just buy and no questions, right?" 

 "Chikina officer"

" good. Now, you are answering the question and I will not swear to my understanding you well. Maybe, we will try Latin later in one month time. Right?"

" haba officer. I speak slowly, slowly, you understand well, well."

" Okay. Slowly always does it better. So Alhaji, what do you say happened to the other statues?"

"I sell already last week to my yellow man for little gain"

" This my yellow man stay in the capital?"

" NO. He stay in yellow man land and will come three months after three months. Four times in a year"

" Yeah. Before you just buy, with no questions and now, you ask your your yellow man questions. How come?"

" I no ask, he tell me"

" How much do you buy these statues and how much do you sell?

 "I pay 1.6m in full, then I sell 4 for 8.6m only"

"1.6 in cash, you are wealthy and only sell 4 for 8.6, right?

"And, when is this your yellow man coming again?"

After drilling him for more than thirty-two minutes, it's the time for Sheddy who seemed to be taking it all religiously. His mind kept returning to the black mass. 

" I think you are a smart ass" the officer started "people like you should not be selling local gins, and lifting statues. You are supposed to be working for us even while still selling that your gin. What do you say?"

Sheddy was eyeing him with trepidation wondering if his ears were hearing fake or something. He never even for once believed he was qualified for any office work. He is not just that type but now....."

" To think you are playing it so well, the whole town, the priest, and yourself shows you are naturally meant for this work not selling fake gins. What do you do with the money they paid you?"

" bought land, bought motorcycle for commercial purpose sir"

" cut the sir shit out. We are talking about employment and handing over all you hardened criminal customers and their gin-induced utterances from them you ever overheard. What do you say?"

when the police chief told them his plans on the Asian buyer and sheddy. They refused to assent to his plan and warned of copycats having wrong ideas in their heads. The officer was calculating on getting hardened ones in numbers through him but the priest is worrying about others having wrong ideas. They agreed to keep him out of the courtroom but in the station for at least a year and a half.