BUREAU OF LIFE [PART IV]

Continued...

As Lathan drifted into nothingness, he felt a presence so heavy that he floated on the essence of the presence. He tried opening his eyes but they were sealed tight. Then he heard a voice, so inexplicable it could only have been Elion’s. It sounded like a blend of wind chimes, tropical forests and underwater sonar.

“How does it feel to have arrived at the top, gained everything, and lost your soul?” The Voice asked.

Lathan tried to respond but his vocal chords felt like they’d been surgically excavated by a freshman medical student.

“You counter has approximately forty-seven seconds to go,” the Voice continued. “But it can be extended”

“Help me. Help me,” Lathan thought.

“Sing for me once again,” the Voice said. “Proclaim me your Lord, and your years will be increased."

“I will sing for you my Lord.” Lathan thought. “Anything. Please, just end this pain.”

“I didn’t hear that.” The Voice mocked as the grip around Lathan’s throat loosened. Lathan gasped for breath in large spurts, as he opened his eyes. He swooned, sucked frantically, closed his eyes, coughed and opened his eyes. The figure that Lathan saw was so majestic that Lathan vibrated in cold dread, this was Elion in flesh, or a close second. Amidst the pain in his throat, Lathan quickly grovelled at the figure in reverence.

Luciel, the head of Barakh’alal department in the Bureau, stood at a towering 7 ft 6”. His whole body was aglow with the glory he had just received from Lathan, his muscles rippled with tiny sparks and his chiselled physique was pure art from Zion. He had to bend to avoid hitting the ceiling.

“My Lord.” Lathan moaned as his whole being froze and unfroze intermittently. 

***

Amaziel paced her office in an attempt to denounce the evidence of the reports that just popped up on her screen.

“He must have had his reasons,” Huntoel said calmly, from the white cotton-stuffed sofa floating slightly above the white wooden floors.

“This has always been your problem, seeing good even in everyone’s bad,” Amaziel raved in inapt anxiety. Yadah had informed her about the lost minister who was dying of poisoning and while she was dishing out instructions to Huntoel, another dispatch arrived saying that Luciel had taken care of it. “That’s not even his department.”

“I believe he was available on hand and saved us the flight.” Huntoel reasoned. “The question should be ‘what was he doing in code 234?’”

“Elion mandated a halal campaign across code 234.” Amaziel answered and leaned on her glass desk.

“Explains a lot,” Huntoel deduced that Luciel was on earth at that same time to coordinate the concerted praises of believers across Nigeria for the release of grace - grace that was required to lead the nation into the next level of democracy.

Amaziel’s hologram slid out of her wrist and Mackel, the doorman, popped up

“My office,” Mackel said softly, “now.”

“Huntoel is with me sir--"

“Come with him.” Mackel added. Then the hologram slid back in.

“He knows.” Huntoel said. He knew Mackel had read the glory charts in his office and must have noticed spikes on Luciel’s radar. Mackel was the Bureau Chief, but only the departmental heads and unit bosses were privy to that information. Mackel manned the post of the porter as a reminder to all who knew his true position that true leadership is service.

To be continued...

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