THE STRANGER
There was a time King Herod captured James, the brother of John, and had him killed with a sword, and the whole country rejoiced! This pleased the wicked King, and he captured Peter, intending to kill him too. He kept Peter behind four groups of soldiers, and Peter was bound with chains and was sleeping in the middle of two soldiers!
But the Christians gathered and PRAYED for Peter, and the Lord of Hosts sent his angel to Peter! The chains fell off Peter, and the angel led him out, and when they came to the iron gates the gates opened by themselves, and Peter walked free. It all happened because the church prayed! THEY PRAYED FOR PETER! But what do we see here?
Even if Pastor Zac Larbi is a demon-worshipper, this is the time he needs your prayers, not your condemnation! Christians should learn to pray for each other when someone is in trouble! You should stop the gossips, the rumor-mongering, judging others, the condemnation, the hypocrisy, the holier-than-thou attitudes because you’re all nothing without the grace of our Lord God! Pray! PRAY FOR EACH OTHER!
The stranger looks around the church, and no one dares to speak.
Finally, he links his hands behind him again, turns, descends the steps and heads for the entrance of the church.
Elder Senanu, trembling, holds his wife’s hand and they turn and head towards the entrance.
Apostle Aboah is suddenly scared.
Elder Senanu is the biggest financier of church programmes and he gives a lot of money in the church.
APOSTLE ABOAH
(nervously)
Elder? Elder Senanu, where are you going to? It is time to pray for Pastor Zac Larbi, please! That man is right, let’s pray! Come, Elder, please, let’s pray for Zac Larbi! ELDER SENANU, STOP THIS INSTANT, DAMN IT!!
But the Elder does not stop!
Ama Boatemaa and her parents get up too and follow the elder out of the church.
And then, in singles and in twos other people stand up and leave the church, turning deaf ears to the pastor’s screams!
Later, a male journalist flips through the pictures he has taken on his camcorder, and his face suddenly looks alarmed as he flicks the screen continuously.
MALE JOURNALIST
(agitated)
Oh, no, no, no, no!!
A female friend from another station looks at him with raised eyebrows.
FEMALE JOURNALIST
What’s it, my friend?
MALE JOURNALIST
It is gone! All my pictures and videos of that strange man! They’re all gone!
FEMALE JOURNALIST
What? You don’t mean it!
She also sets up her camera and checks.
Her photos and video recordings of the stranger’s dramatic show in the church are all gone!
And soon the news spread.
All the journalists frantically search for their coverage, which they want to be their main headlines.
It is the same.
None of them has the recordings or photos of the stranger.
Somehow, miraculously, every photo and video coverage of that strange man has vanished!
MALE JOURNALIST
Who was that man? Who the hell was that stranger?
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Location: THE AMPONSAH RESIDENCE
Mrs. AKUA AMPONSAH pushes open her daughter’s door.
Yaa Pomaa is lying on the bed in her beautiful night gown.
She is lying on her stomach, a laptop in front of her as she chats with her friends.
She looks up when the door opens and smiles at her mother.
MRS. AMPONSAH
There’s a call for you, dear, on the main line.
Yaa Pomaa turns over.
She is a very beautiful girl indeed, as sweet as the morning dew, and as lovely as the Garden of Eden.
YAA POMAA
(softly)
Who is it, Mom? Is it Ato?
MRS. AMPONSAH
(shaking her head)
Just pick the call, dear.
Yaa Pomaa puckers her lips with mock annoyance and reaches for the receiver.
Just then her father appears behind her mother, his face filled with reproach as he looks at his wife.
Yaa Pomaa lifts the receiver.
YAA POMAA
Hello.
The voice at the other end of the phone is gentle, hurt and shattered.
ZAC LARBI
(painfully)
Yaa. Is this how you treat me? You’ve never bothered to visit me in more than a year since my arrest, and you refuse to pick my calls. Why, Yaa? What have I done to you to deserve this?
Yaa Pomaa gasps, and looks at her mother with sudden accusing eyes filled with anger.
YAA POMAA
Zac! Why are you doing this to me? I’ve removed our engagement ring and given it back to Apostle Aboah, together with all the other items you presented! My parents have sent them back to Apostle Aboah, Zac! Please, stop pestering me! It is over between us!
ZAC LARBI
(weeping)
Oh, Yaa! So you also believe am capable of these terrible crimes? So you never even loved me just a little bit?
YAA POMAA
Stop it, Zac, please! You don’t expect me to stay engaged to a man who raped five women, killed them, cut off their heads and ate their hearts, do you? Can you just imagine the trauma my family and I went through, Zac? Please, I beg of you, stop calling me! I’ve now accepted Ato’s proposal, and we’re going to get married. Please, stay away from me. The little time you have left, you should use it to pray to God to forgive you!
ZAC LARBI
(shattered)
Ato? Ato Quaicoe? You’re going to marry the boy who made you pregnant once and refused to accept responsibility, forcing you to abort the baby and almost dying in the process? Is that the boy you’re going to marry now?
YAA POMAA
(shrilly)
Stop judging me, Zac! He has changed! His parents came to see mine! His father is also one of the richest men in the church and Apostle Aboah has already blessed the union! It is over, Zac. I’m sorry, but it’s over between you and me!
ZAC LARBI
(sadly)
Yaa! How can you treat me this way? Please, my love, don’t do this to me! Don’t break my heart in this most painful moment, in this darkest hour of my life!
Yaw Pomaa’s father, KWADWO BOSOMFI AMPONSAH, walks forward, takes the receiver from her hand, and slams it down on the phone.
Yaa Pomaa is weeping now.
Her father sits on the bed and takes her in his arms
AMPONSAH
(tenderly)
It is okay, my love, it is okay. Everything is going to be fine!
His wife watches them for a while and shakes her head.
MRS. AMPONSAH
(softly)
Kwadwo, are you sure we’re doing the right thing?
Her husband looks angrily at her.
AMPONSAH
What’s wrong with you, Akua? Why did you let her speak to that evil boy? I’m warning you for the very last time, Akua, don’t ever let that evil man near our daughter again!
MRS. AMPONSAH
None of you were in church yesterday evening, Kwadwo! I keep telling you there was a stranger there, a very terrible man who shut down the Apostle and almost cursed him! That man spoke like an angel, Yaa, and he says Zac might be innocent!
AMPONSAH
(furiously)
Innocent my ass! Innocent? That boy is devil, and by this time tomorrow he will be dead! Yaa is going to marry Ato, and that is the end of the matter!
MRS. AMPONSAH
(angrily)
Open your eyes, Kwadwo! Is it because Ato’s parents are rich? He’s bad for your daughter, Kwadwo! He’s a womanizer, a smoker, a liar, irresponsible, and a woman-beater and heaven know what else!
YAA POMAA
(shrilly)
MOM!!!
MRS. AMPONSAH
You know it is true, dear! I’m just trying to help!
YAA POMAA
Well, you’re not helping! I’m your daughter, so please support what I want! Zac is a murderer, and will be dead by tomorrow! Just support me, Mom, that is all I’m asking!
MRS. AMPONSAH
(shaking her head slowly)
If you had been in church last evening and heard that stranger, you wouldn’t be saying this! I only pray for you, and hope for the best for you. It is my hope that your dreams come true, Yaa, and I hope you don’t live to regret this day, both of you.
She turns and leaves the room.
Yaa Pomaa weeps, and her enraged father consoles her.
Tbc
