Authors: Faith
Church Whore 3
Church Whore 3
Copyright 2016 © King Publishing Group, LLC
Copyright 2016 © Faith
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
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Chapter 1
The fire trucks and EMS arrived, and the firemen jumped into action. An unconscious Ruthie was quickly put on a stretcher as the firemen assessed the scene. Inside of the Pavilion there was smoke-filled chaos. Screams and moans could be heard coming from the building.
Mama Eloise opened her eyes to see nothing but smoke. She shifted and pain shot through her body, but it didn’t faze her one bit. She knew all of her babies were in there and started to call out to her children. “Kids! Kids! Answer your mother!” As smoke filled her lungs she started to cough repeatedly.
“Mama? Are you hurt?”
Mama Eloise tried to distinguish which child that was, but the ringing in her ears made it difficult to distinguish whose voice it was.
“Mama, get your cell phone out and use it the light from it!” her child called out.
Mama Eloise reached in her pocket as she grunted in pain to get her cell phone. Her hands were trembling and she could barely grasp it. The prayer warrior in her kicked in and she began to pray. “Father God, please protect us in Jesus’ name!” That little prayer seemed to give her peace. She knew that God was in control, and although her pain didn’t subside, she had a renewed inner strength. She grabbed her phone and did as she was directed. She held her phone out, and although it didn’t help much, she was able to see a flickering light not too far from her.
“I see you, Mama! I see you!”
The light would go on and off, but each time it seemed to be getting closer. Mama Eloise kept pushing the button on her phone so that the light would continue to shine. As she approached the flickering light, she felt a hand grab her arm.
“Mama, I got you!” Edem said.
Edem had crawled through the smoke-filled rubble with flames erupting throughout the room to get to his mother.
“Oh, Edem, my baby!” Mama Eloise sobbed and began to cough uncontrollably.
“Stop talking, Mama. Cover your nose and your mouth. Take your jacket off if you can,” Edem instructed.
He needed to take his own advice, as he was overcome by the smoke. He too said a silent prayer and tried to labor his breathing before calling out to his siblings. He instructed them to do the same thing with their cellphones. “Don’t talk; just put your phone up so we know you’re okay!” he managed to get out between coughs as he held onto his mother’s hand.
Only three cellphone lights shown through the smoke, and he was concerned. Ruthie and his unborn babies raced through his mind.
My wife! My kids! We’ve got to get out of here!
His energy was draining quickly, and he said “Father, don’t leave me now!”
Exhausted, Edem gripped his mother’s hand even tighter, and she squeezed back with such force that an electric surge of energy ran through his body.
Just at that moment the Firemen were able to cut through the chains and locks on the door, and Pavilion doors opened.
“Over here!” Edem called out, and held his phone up so they could see the light.
________
News of the fire at First Assembly was spreading throughout the community.
Jezebel Harlot was sleeping soundly when Tamar came running into her room. “Turn on the TV! She did it! Mama did it! The church is in flames!” she screamed at the top of her lungs.
Jezebel sat straight up in bed, and Delilah entered the room. No one spoke as they watched the news coverage of the fire.
“Happy now?” Delilah said, and cut her eyes at Jezebel.
“What? Like this is my fault!” Jezebel hissed.
“We told you to warn your baby daddy, but you didn’t,” Tamar told her.
“I didn’t think that…” Jezebel couldn’t believe her eyes. She ran her hands through her hair.
“I’m going back. Delilah, are you coming?” Tamar announced.
“And what good are we going to do but end up in jail?” Jezebel asked.
“I don’t know, but I’m going,” Tamar said, and walked out of the room.
“Wait for me!” Delilah called after her sister as she looked back and pleaded with Jezebel with her eyes.
Jezebel understood the look, and grumbled as she got out of the bed. “I’m coming too.”
________
The members of First Assembly gathered behind the yellow caution tape the Greensboro Police Department had put up.
Memory pulled up with Madear riding shotgun. When Madear saw the condition of the church she started screaming, “Oh God! Oh God!”
“Calm down, Madear,” Memory told her as her eyes widened at the sight of the chaos. Memory parked the car and looked over at her grandmother. Madear was in tears, and all Memory could do was rub her arm.
Madear cried for about ten minutes before she gathered herself together. She pulled down the visor and looked in the mirror. “Okay, woman, get it together. God, you are in control. This is not the time to lose faith.” She wiped her eyes and looked over at Memory. “Let’s go,” she said.
Memory and Madear walked up to the yellow tape that roped off the scene. As she tried to go under the tape, but the police stopped her.
“Ma’am, you cannot enter here. Go over there with the rest of the people,” an officer said and pointed behind Madear.
She turned to look, and over on the grass, church members had gathered. “Officer, you don’t understand! My family is in there!” she pleaded.
“Ma’am, I’m sorry. You have to wait over there.” The officer’s voice was stern. He had repeated himself so many times in just a short time that he had lost his compassion.
“Boy—”
“Come on, Madear,” Memory said, and grabbed her hand and guided her away. She knew Madear was about to give the man the business just for doing his job.” As they walked over to where the congregation had gathered, they could hear their cries and sobs.
“Madear!” Deacon Denard Watkins cried out to her as she walked up. They embraced, and Madear then hugged the other members of the congregation.
Madear stood silently as she watched from a distance, not knowing if her friends were alive or dead. She tried to pray, but the cries from the congregation kept interfering with her prayers. “Stop it! Stop it right now! Where is your faith? I will not stand here and allow this pity party! Are you going to let the devil win? You better start praising
Him
in advance and let the devil know he’s messed with the wrong people! Now, stop all of that sniveling!” she admonished.
The congregation watched as Madear started to pace back and forth. She was one of the mothers of the church, and when she spoke people listened. They watched in confusion because she was muttering and they didn’t know what she was saying.
Finally she walked back over to them. “Listen, Church. I know that you’re scared, but remember that God does not give us the spirit of fear. And no matter how
we
feel out here, our family is in there.” She pointed towards the Pavilion. “So, let’s get it together, Church. You can’t have a pity party and a praise party at the same time, so let’s praise Him. Praise Him at the top of your lungs so Heaven, Hell and all of our family in there can hear you!”
“Amen, Madear! I’ll start,” Denard Watkins volunteered.
Madear put her hand out to stop him. “No, baby. I’ve got this.” She began clapping her hands.
“Makes no difference what the problem,
I can go to God in prayer.
Yes I have this blessed assurance,
I can go to God in prayer.
He will take my gloom and sorrow,
Turn my night into day.
He will comfort, strengthen and keep me.
I can go to God in prayer…”
The members of the church clapped as Madear belted out a song in praise. “Praise Him, Church! Praise Him right now!” She stirred up their souls, and the members joined in the singing.
“…I can call Him when I need Him,
Abba, Father up in Heaven;
I can go to God in prayer,
I can go to God in prayer…”
________
Lacey, Felicia and Tricia pulled up to the church. “Sweet Jesus!” Felicia screamed. “This can’t be real! This can’t be real!” She shook her head as she parked her car.
They rushed from the car and up to the yellow tape. Felicia felt her insides doing summer saults the closer they got.
“Please tell me my husband is okay!” Lacey begged.
“Ma’am, I’m going to need you to go wait over there,” the officer pointed again to where the church members had gathered.
“Our husbands are in there! Our sisters and our mother! What do you mean go over there?” Felicia snapped on the officer. She scanned the scene to see if she could recognize a familiar face to help.
“Ma’am, I’m just doing my job. I can’t let you through. I’m sorry.”
“I hope you never have to wonder about the fate of your loved ones and have to deal with someone like you!” Lacey said to him.
“Lacey?” Memory called out to her.
“Memory! They won’t tell us anything. Did you see Junior? Did you see anybody?” Lacey asked as tears streamed down her face.
“I’m sorry. When we got here it was already taped off. We thought y’all were in there too.” Memory was relieved to see them. “He’s no help,” she said, motioning towards the officer. “Come on over here with the rest of us. Madear got them over there having church.” Memory said, and guided them away from the scene.
Felicia called Tricia, who was at home with the baby, and filed her in.
“What are we going to do? I can’t lose Mud. I can’t!” Tricia cried over the speakerphone.
Felicia told her not to worry, and that she’ll call her back if she hears anything.
They all walked back to Lacey’s car feeling defeated. Their emotions were all over the place.
“Okay. I’ll tell Madear you’re okay, and I’ll be over to the car. I know it’s hard, but think positive thoughts. Don’t think the worst.” Memory went back over towards the area the congregation had gathered.
“Come on, Felicia. Memory’s right.”
________
Lacey and Felicia sat in the car staring at the flames coming out of the pavilion. “I can’t believe this is happening. Do you remember the last thing you said to Eddie?” Lacey asked.
“Umm, wait. Let me think. I think I said I’m about to go, and he said he had to meet with the family. I said alright, I’ll see you later. Oh my God! I didn’t kiss him! I just said I’ll see you later!” Felicia said and started to cry.
“I didn’t even speak to Junior tonight because I was mad at him. Jesus!” Lacey exclaimed and hit the steering wheel.
“What are we going to do if they don’t make it?” Felicia was becoming frantic.
“No, no!” Lacey said and shook her head rigorously. “I won’t accept that. We have been through too much. God knows just how much we can bear, and I can’t bear this. I’m pregnant, and I’m fighting for my marriage. No, no, I can’t do it. I won’t do it!” Lacey wiped her tears.
“We have overcome so much, and now this. How much more can a praying woman take? I’ve been praying, I’ve been doing everything I’m supposed to do, and we keep getting hit after hit after hit after hit.” Felicia pounded on her leg as she spoke.
“Felicia, you know like I know that’s how the enemy works. He attacks, he comes to kill, steal and destroy. But you have to hold on to your faith. I’m scared just like you are. Tricia just had a baby, and can you imagine how scared she is too? We have to stay strong for them. We always have to stay strong for them.”
“Lacey, I know you’re right, and we knew what we were getting into marrying into this family. Dealing with Church Whores is one thing, but I have been stalked, my baby girl was kidnapped, and now this?” Felicia threw her hands up in frustration.
“No, we didn’t know it was going to be to this extreme. But when you have a calling on your life, the enemy will do whatever he has to do to keep you from doing what God wants you to do. And in this moment, as scared as I am and as scared as you are, all we can do is pray. That’s all we can do,” Lacey stated and began to pray out loud:
“Dear Heavenly Father, we come to you in the name of Jesus. Although we don’t know how we will make it if you allow our family to perish, we are calling on the mighty name of Jesus, the Alpha the Omega, the beginning and the end. Father, please show up while our family is in the in the grip of despair, just like you saved those three Hebrew boys from the fiery furnace. Father, we ask that you walk into that building and hand deliver our family to us, Father God. We thank you in advance. We thank you in advance for healing. Lord, we need a supernatural turnaround in this situation. Father, I am sending out an SOS on behalf of my family, Lord. Lord, we thank you in advance for their lives, Lord. We thank you in advance for every blessing. Lord, keep our faith strong because your word said that you would never leave us nor forsake us. Father God, let them know that you are there in the mist of the fire with them and know that you are still in control. We will stand firm in our faith that you will not let this
harm us, and that you are going to take with the enemy meant for bad, and work it out for our good because that’s the kind of God we serve. Lord, I thank you, Lord. I thank you, Lord. I thank you. Amen.”