The Bath

In Prison.

PRESENT DAY

IBRAHIM'S POV

This last year had been a long journey for me with Nathaniel as I kept trying my best to put him back on track with Christ, he keeps cursing the day Stephanie had that that and he even cursed the day he set his eyes on her but I told him it did not really change anything except he accepted Jesus, his story is not quite palatable to listen to. Now I had to go for my youth service and he would returning back home today, I just wish I did not have to send someone to pick him and take him to the new place I have rented for him.

I hoped to be there to talk to him personally, but he still feels disappointed in himself and all he ever wishes for or talks about is death. I am sure if he read his father's letter he would not feel so bad. I wrote a letter for him in the house prepared for him and begged him to read that of his father after mine, if he still had it. I am fasting for all to go well and I hope it does.

Nathaniel's POV

Abraham is such a wonderful friend, he did not desert me and the place he rented for my death is quite wonderful, all my reasonable belongings were kept well. I do not even feel so comfortable with killing myself again but this is a promise I have to fulfill. From the look of things, both my mother and my father made it to heaven, unfortunately Stephanie did not and I am the cause of all their deaths so it really does no serious harm to be equal with Stephanie.

I am sure God understands. Ibrahim is funny I thought as I picked up a letter and it even reminded me of my father's fake letter I refused to open. The letter or article by Ibrahim was headed WAIT!!!, BEFORE YOU DO IT. I wondered how he knew what I wanted but I decided to read it anyways. I saw in a very neat handwriting.

NATHANIEL,

Please, before you throw this paper and do whatever it is you want to do to move on with life, please read this. I know this might be coming to you in a distressing situation and at a point when you do not know the next step to take but I want to assure you that everything would be fine soon. Pardon me as I ask if you are faring well at this last hour. I know the Grace of God is with you.

I want to tell you my story from the first time I met you and I really want you to please read it to the end, since I am not a man of too many words, I assure you that you will not be bored and it would be very short, I will be very straight to the point.

When I first resumed school, I had kept praying to Allah that I was serving then that he should connect me with a friend that would be my helpmate throughout my stay in school, I did not really like the idea that you were a Christian at first since I was the first son of a Chief Imam but later when we met in almost everywhere and you were given a bed space in my room coincidentally, I decided to try our friendship out. The little time I spent with you when we were still very close was a wonderful experience I must say and it lead me to the knowledge of Christ.

The way you talked and you were full of wisdom, vast knowledge made me want the Holy Spirit, always he revealed to you everything Allah could not reveal to his own children although we served him with all our hearts. I always enjoyed Bible stories and I was being indoctrinated in the way of Christ already till THE BATH that day. I then traced it back after you narrated the story back in prison to the day i asked you to tell me a story on Joseph when you arrived late at night but you just barked at me and went to bed. I felt disappointed and even asked another day and got a similar response, if you noticed well since then I never asked for another story because Tunde became my story narrator. You planted the seed of repentance but you left it for Tunde to grow and harvest.

When I even opened up to you, you answered in a nonchalant way that made me want to sever whatever relationship we had together but I just couldn't. When I spoke to our fellowship coordinator about your recent change in attitude and how I felt you have backslided, he asked me to keep praying for you. One day I saw a vision that you were struggling to get out of a thick mud until it swallowed you, we were in holidays then when I told you and all you could say is that you were at your friend's place since you did not want to travel so far away.I hope you do remember.

I kept praying for you and I am still praying for you that the light of Jesus that shined in me and called me out of darkness would bring you back to the fold. That was why through it all I did not leave you like everyone else did not only because I promised your mother but I played my part in helping you come back to God even as it is not easy I know.

Let me stop here as we both know all that has happened. Please before you make another step, still wait and have the second copy of your father's letter to read. I know you threw the first away but I wonder why you did.

You are blessed,

From Abraham.