In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

121 C Chapter 13 t 9:15 pm, Matipa came out of the house in her apostolic garments and locked the door. Peza was in the sitting room watching television, which would occupy him until he slept in the sofa. If the demon came in her absence, it would find the door locked. Peza wasn’t to speak or betray his presence in the dwelling. If it tried to break the door, Peza would quietly climb out of the house through the back window in the bedroom and run to Mr Keneas' house. Mr Gilchrist Keneas kept a loaded pistol all the time. The mill manager would come and shoot dead the demon, if it had human life in it. Matipa walked away from her house and out of the compound. The prophecy troubled her. She just had to see the man who spoke with angels and God for him to allay her fears. The past two days the thought of her husband had tortured her. Ever since she had learnt of his dark side, she had never feared for him the way she did now. Lately, with an intense singleness of mind, she was praying for nothing but his urgent return, and calling for injury and disability to the prophesied demon. Ever since the prophecy of the demon, she slept fitfully. The previous night she dreamt struggling through nightmarish landscapes peopled by fire-spitting demons. Akar featured in the dream, his back turned to her. Things she couldn’t see occupied him. A yawning gulf stood between them. She called to him, but demonic winds captured her words and sent them in the wrong direction. She took the path to the cemetery and the obelisk. She would bypass the shrine and head westwards for about fifteen minutes to the prophet’s residence. She had many things to ponder and told herself she mustn’t be scared of the ghosts of strangers who had been of no consequence to her when they were alive. As a precaution, she would sing songs in honour of the Archangel Michael. If there were A 122 any evil spirits lurking, the belligerent archangel would drive them away, or smite them. She walked boldly, her mind preoccupied with the prophet’s words in their exactitude. “Your husband is alive and well. He’s in one piece though he exiled himself from light. By appearance, God cut him from the same silk as the Devil. In a few days, a demon of impeccable manners shall come looking for your husband. I repeat this in the hearing of the council of elders: A demon of impeccable manners shall come looking for your husband, Madzimai Matipa. Your husband must be home to meet the demon. You shall recognise him from his good manners and the plumage of the raven, which is his clothing. The claws of the eagle are this demon’s grip. Of Enoch, God dictated word by word to Moses: Enoch walked with God and was not. As if not to be outdone, this fiend walks with the Devil and he shall be not. The Devil shows his pleasure to those who please him by displeasing them. I cannot tell you more. You’re soft spiritually and fear for the flesh.” The prophet had turned to the twelve elders and posed a question to Madzibaba Tinashe. The memory of the whole event of yester night was vivid in her mind. “For a man to sustain the life in him, how many lungs does he need?” The elder was at a loss for an answer, but responded hesitantly. “Two, my lord, he had stammered. A person can do with one in an emergency or illness.” “Beware the demon spits venom and shoots quills. Its urine is inflammable. Madzibaba Tinashe, from it put the same distance a saint would put between himself and a brothel. From Adam’s rib cage, God drew a bone and made Eve. Let no one use something of such creative value to take the other’s life. This is my message to you, Madzibaba Tinashe.” The elder had crossed himself thrice and sat dumbfounded. She had enquired from the prophet how she could protect herself from the coming demon. His response was somewhat evasive: “Madzimai Matipa, if a dying buffalo staggers in your direction, you can only move out of its way to avoid injury. You can recite all the Psalms, but if you don’t want the sight of blood don’t...

Share