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RED POP

A BLACK Midwestern Gothic Story

PART 1

It was that palpable time of the year, when the four winds hiss with forlorn energy-scapes and deceitful dreams deferred, over the enigmatic hamlet of Wilberforce, Ohio. Wilberforce is a BLACK Community consisting of an upper middle class residential neighborhood, two historically BLACK universities, one historically BLACK seminary, intertwining winding back roads that locals call “The Devils Backbone”…A small distinguished African-American Museum, a post office, a gas station, and most importantly, the Ancestors Breaths that warn, sing, sway…

Swaying simplicity of the midwestern country, luscious green rolling hills that ground its landscape. Aromas of farm life and slaughter houses far enough away not to be offensive, yet close enough to be undeniably next door. All of this making the bordering and mostly white town of Xenia, with its racist marrow coagulated throughout its seemingly straight vertebrae; an extension of Wilberforce and those who dwell therein.

Xenia’s necessity bearing makeup, forced integration whether BLACK Folks in Wilberforce desired to do so or not. For everyday needs from: shopping, recreation, K-12 schooling; all the way to public library access, court proceedings, and DMV services. Wilberforce and Xenia, so distinct yet colliding together as one under an auspicious changing of seasons…

When Summer tries to catch up with Autumn, because Autumn bartered light rays and warmth from Summer; promising to pay Summer back with more time…But Autumn’s fine and wayward ass was never going to concede to Summer’s bougie wiles to last longer. It was as if their deal was brokered on the wobbly table of “when I get my tax returns, imma pay you back,” type of vibes… Leading Summer, when it realized the diss, to fight to try to gain back what was lost, and Autumn to knuck back as if Summer had stole something from it. Their cool and very warm airs colliding so strongly, creating some of the very cyclones that the area was known for… So intense in its Percolator Dance brew, that even Oya herself be like,“Damn, just chill and get a cold red pop, you two! Shit! ”

And Tiera was so in tune with nature, with SPIRIT… More than she yet knew. She was learning and open to that learning… She was remembering how to trust the voice inside and flow. Learning to be spiritual and not religious. Tiera had experienced so much over the last decade that redefined what she was yet to define. She just wanted truth and was listening intently to the whispers in her soul… Sitting on the veranda drinking her favorite strawberry Faygo… Her ancient soul in a 27 year old body; observing this home place as if it were the first time. She was in tune indeed, and the familiar sights and sounds and smells were so much more bare and open and honest than she had ever known it. Tiera felt free and anxious all at the same time.

Tiera Grew up in Wilberforce, yet had a thick Xenia Accent that she never lost despite having been gone from the area for ten years. Most folks who lived in Wilberforce and were not implanted from elsewhere had the Xenia Accent. The Xenia Accent is one of the most unique accents in amerikkka. It’s the general amerikkkan accent, with a mix of a slight country drawl, and topped with a valley girl/guy overtone. It of course sounds different when a BLACK Person, who has ORIGINAL flowing through their veins speaks with it — You can’t help but hear Africa in the resonance and timbre of the voice, and all the preeminence that naturally exudes; it tells a different type of story…Becomes a dialect. Much different from those of nonblack people in the area. BLACK People from Xenia and Wilberforce are extensions of one another — Xenia BLACK Folk come to Wilberforce for a feeling of “home” and BLACK Folk in Wilberforce never complain about their duty to host; all while taking on the Xenia Kin’s way of allowing sound to reverb off words spoken and unspoken. Understanding. Kinship. A space of unified belonging.

And although the Xenia Accent shapes itself around its users steeped in BLACKNESS, AAVE in this accent comes off stereotypically “white” to some BLACK Folks from elsewhere. They mistakingly hear it as “too proper” in their obstructed ears. Yet, BLACK People from Wilberforce/Xenia have added their own AAVE to the proverbial pot of all the those descendent from enslaved AFRICANS in amerikkka — It still sets itself apart as unique and mesmorizing despite how some analyze its outgoing eclectic sound.

Tiera had escaped the suffocation that she was gasping from in her hometown by leaving right after high school. Sure she could have attended one of the HBCU’s in her backyard, but Tiera had literally grown up on their campuses: attending summer programs, step shows, concerts, convocations, celebrations, sporting events, parades, classes and even dances…She loved the flavor of BLACK College Life, but she had been living it ever since she could remember and was over it! Tiera wanted to get away from the familiar landscape and air that had nourished her formative years. So when she was accepted to La Sorbonne in Paris, France, to study Theatre and Dance on a combination of scholarships that covered every expense; Tiera was beyond ecstatic! And at 17 years old, she left her beloved great uncle who raised her, Wilberforce, Ohio, and the foreboding winds of her environment.

After university, Tiera went on to perform with a phenomenal theatre troupe called Unitè Panfricaine throughout the French speaking African World for two years, then she went on, after being discovered during a performance in Martinique, to become a top model with Elite Models in NYC.

No matter where Tiera went in the world, she would often have encounters with people who could see that she could perceive beyond the invisible, just like them… People who could tell that she was very special and that she was also very unaware of that specialness. Shamans, Witch Doctors, Traditional Healers, Priests/Priestesses of various orders, Christian Prophets — People she was afraid of at first because of her non-charismatic and traditional AME (African Methodist Episcopal ) upbringing. Tiera was told by Church Elders and Sunday School Teachers, lectured often, that non-Christian carriers of The Divine were demonic or just plain crazy.

Despite all the negative ideation towards non-Christian spirituality that she was indoctrinated with,Tiera felt a deep connection with these forbidden ones. They confirmed even without words, that there was a reason that she existed as she did. And as afraid as Tiera was of these mystics and truth bearers in forms she couldn’t embrace at first… Tiera began to encounter The Divine in these unknown ones more and more. Confused but also drawn to their light; Tiera allowed herself to be chipped off the porous rock on which she was planted; wading in the water of THE ALL THIS IS. And it was during this time that Tiera began to understand that one box couldn’t fully contain the truth. Tiera was orphaned at the age of six after her parents were purposely ran off Route 42 into a deep ditch, by an openly racist hunter local to the Xenia area. He was drunk and allowed his hate to act outwardly on his inner truth.

He never apologized during the trial, only smiled when given 10–15 years — A grave injustice! The racist hunter was paroled after five years, but was karmically killed by a drunk driver five days later. The day that the racist drunk driver was karmically killed was also Tiera’s 11th birthday. From that day on, she felt like God was real, and her parents were looking out for her. Tiera started living life again, eating heartily, joining activities, and her great uncle was so relieved, so relieved. He had been holding his breath for five whole years, waiting for Tiera to inhale vitality and exhale her pain in perpetual courtesy to one another.

The road that separated Xenia and Wilberforce by way of a two minute drive, is the same road that Tiera’s parents were killed on. BLACK Folk in Wilberforce ventured into Xenia daily, but only a few white people ventured into Wilberforce outside of passing through to get somewhere else. And those who did stop in; they were hunters who wanted to take advantage of the majestically wooded areas Wilberforce was abundantly blessed with, to find and hunt game. Route 42 was the real “Devils Backbone” and not the intricately sharp winding back roads that beautifully enveloped the Wilberforce Hills.

So many unspeakable acts had happened on Route 42 over the years. Not just racist violence but also strange unprovoked freak accidents, and one Black Sorority had even hazed a girl by tying her to a car and zipping down that formidable road. Route 42 is always paved and has never had any potholes… Always in order but mysteriously never maintained. It maintained itself. It had its own energy and that energy was very tangible.

Tiera’s Great Uncle Mark took his beloved baby girl, as he had always called her even before her parents execution, into his bachelors abode, that he happily turned into a warm and loving home for her. Uncle Mark was a professor of Anthropology at one of the HBCU’S in Wilberforce. The three-story, five bedroom, four and a half bath home that he owned was right across the street from the school he had been given tenure. The house, both universities (one private and one public), and the seminary were all situated right along Route 42. It was a grand white house with colossal pillars, a wrap around veranda, and about ten acres of land on its homestead.

This home and acreage had been in their family since the 1800’s, when their Ancestors who were fleeing for freedom on the Underground Railroad that ran through the area; instead of continuing on to Canada, they decided to settle in what would be known later as Wilberforce, Ohio. And though Uncle Mark was a man of faith in the AME church, he was very respectful of the many African Paths of spirituality that he had come to understand and study and teach. Always being careful to appear to keep an outward distance as a conscientious observer of sorts. And though Tiera could always tell that her uncle was more open minded than most people in their community, she also discerned that there was much more he wasn’t telling her about where he had been and what he had discovered during his years of research throughout Africa; before settling in his professorship at Central State University (CSU) across the road.

Uncle Mark wanted Tiera to be able to fit in without fuss or ostracizing, in the heavily Christian and somewhat mundane community in which they lived. He felt that she had already suffered enough in life, and wanted to spare her being othered if at all possible. However, Uncle Mark, like all the Divine Ones that Tiera had met during her own travels; he knew his babygirl was sensitive to higher realities and was very special.

At the height of Tiera’s modeling success in NYC, and her being based out of that city that never sleeps because its continually being gentrified; Tiera had an awakening in her soul. It was an all encompassing inferno that purified her eyes, especially her 3rd one. Like something out of a movie… Quickly everything inside of her had realigned. Time, it was just time. And in the twinkling of an eye, Tiera was changed and could see enough to start walking a new path on her life’s journey. Tiera had awakened to a higher reality that made her just want her true destiny to be fulfilled, and she was determined to find out what that even meant… She was determined to figure out how to navigate into her destiny as correctly and seamlessly as possible.

Tiera felt a bit embarrassed and humbled about being back in Wilberforce. She had sworn to herself and those foreboding winds, that she’d never comeback when she escaped for France. But 10 years later, there she sat on the veranda of their family home, drinking her red pop… On familiarly foreign ground; her vision was now so much more clearer yet not quite all knowing. It was surreal for Tiera. The kind of surreal that doesn’t allow you to be fully present in the moment, because you are consciously in shock and subconsciously overly engaged all at the same time.

Tiera didn’t know why she felt so strongly compelled to go back to what she called “A hole in the wall” but she did know that the guidance that she was receiving was true — She was being called back to her hometown, and somehow she had to navigate that reality, and all of the intrusive questions that she was about to get from everyone who had ever known her.

Tiera already knew that the gossip mill was churning before she had arrived back in Wilberforce. Her uncle couldn’t help but boast that his baby girl was coming home to see him finally, after an entire decade; all the while being completely aware that his loose lips gave him the responsibility of keeping people from bombarding Tiera right away. She needed time to settle in and just be. Tiera’s uncle knew it was odd that His TiTi was coming home when things were seemingly going so well, but he wanted to be gentle and understanding as he always had been with her… Find out what was going on, make sure she was okay.

Tiera and Uncle Mark spent a bit more time outside together, but the mosquitos quickly made them retreat indoors. A sudden humidity had filled the air, and the summer drapes that still hung and lined each window, were as still as statues in a museum. Uncle Mark went to his favorite chair to have a cigar; he only smoked a Montecristo №2 when he had a lot on his mind. He sat in this sable colored heirloom wicker rocking chair almost every evening; to read and reread the latest subscription of Matatu.

In this moment, Uncle Mark hoped the spicy warmth of the cigar and a good read would calm his nerves; give him some sort of clarity on what to do next. In spite of these whirlwinds within him, Uncle Mark knew his worry and concern were the least of what was stirring in his soul; he had to be very careful because he was already getting…Ideas.

Tiera went straight from outside on the veranda, to her bedroom upstairs. Uncle Mark had kept everything as she had left it, when she had journeyed off into the world 10 years ago. This gesture unexpectedly overwhelmed Tiera in such a positive manner, every time she walked into her bedroom since being back… Home. Nothing like the warm feeling of knowing you belong somewhere, even when you took it for granted for so long. Humility and gratefulness… It made Tiera smile and think about the blessing Uncle Mark was in her life.

And that feeling of deep love and trust for her uncle was always trying to be chipped away by fear. Her worst fear in the world would be that Uncle Mark would die and leave her; he was in his mid 70’s now. Even though he was extremely healthy and youthful, Tiera secretly dealt with this pestering disquiet within her. She would always pray that she would be allowed to die before he did. She couldn’t bear losing him and being in the world at the same time.

When Uncle Mark heard Tiera running bath water, and closing the creaking oak bathroom door behind her, he knew he had some time…He ran downstairs into the basement and kept it propped open, to prevent it from jamming shut, with an old wooden stick that had been serving in this capacity long before Tiera was even born. The basement was finished and had all modern conveniences, yet still very much inline with its original architecture and secrets.

On the north side of the basement, a brightly multi-colored Moroccan style couch and cushion type setup lined the wall. Behind it, there was this beautiful painting of the Ancient Yoruba Pantheon on white linen. It was painted by a student of Uncle Marks, at his specification, when he had first arrived back in the area from years of research abroad. The painted linen covered the entire wall. Uncle Mark quickly looked behind himself, cautiously, before carefully unhooking the linen painting’s left corner, to lay it upon the couch. He then pushed the couch off the wall, just enough for him to squeeze through, and he knocked 3 times.

Lighting the final candle on the table, Uncle Mark petitions,

The next morning, Uncle Mark got up early to start making breakfast. HE had pep in his step, and was humming the hymn “Great is Thy Faithfulness” as he flipped pancakes in rhythm to the song. His soul was at peace, and he was ready to weather whatever storm was brewing with his TiTi. The smell of turkey bacon, eggs, and warmed up maple syrup permeated the air. The only way Uncle Mark could willingly jostle Tiera out of bed so early, and put her in a good enough mood to go to church with him in a few hours. And like a horse being led by the smell of a carrot, Tiera fell for it… She fell for it all, and was soon running upstairs to put on church clothes that the folks in her small town wouldn’t be offended by.

On the short drive to their long time church, Uncle Mark could sense that Tiera was starting to regret having agreed to go with him. She knew all to well the questions, the looks, the rumors, and the overall church drama that awaited. He also knew that her confessions of where her heart was the night before, had left the two of them undone in ways words couldn’t quite describe. No love lost, but definitely so much yet to resolve. Uncle Mark tried to crack jokes to lighten the air, and when Tiera wouldn’t budge…Before they got out the car, ignoring the people already waving at them with curious glee…

Tiera tried to get into the service, but it was stale. The choir sang amusingly off key, and everyone kept looking at her the whole time. Their small AME church was so boring, not like other churches in the area who at least had some excitingness to them. It was dead AF, and her mind kept wandering back to the drum beats of Africa and its ways of indigenous spirituality. Tiera’s mind also revisited some of the Pentecostal tongue talking and shouting and bomb ass singing, in some of the churches of that denomination that she had visited over the years. Then remembrance of the Vodún ceremony she had happenstanced on once, which to her surprise, wasn’t much different from a Pentecostal Church Service — All of these experiences flooded to the forefront of her minds eye.

Allowing her mind to wander to and fro is how Tiera escaped and transcended her anxiety in this current church environment she found herself in. She pretended she was somewhere else, let her heart beat to the percussion in her soul, and kept a smile on her face so as to not give people something else to talk about.

After the first offering, a woman dressed in all white came in the church doors and sat beside Tiera. Uncle Mark was sitting on the front row with the deacons, and Tiera was trying to stay as low key as possible on the back row. Now, the fact that this mysterious woman was wearing all white wasn’t so odd, especially since a lot of the people in the church were doing so because it was the First Sunday. And on the First Sunday of every month, it was their church’s tradition to partake of Holy Communion.

The enigmatic woman had waist length salt-and-pepper colored locks, in her late 50’s, the complexion of butter, and a beauty with no cracks or crevices on her visage; typical BLACK Woman Magic. However, this non-apparition had no glow about her — She had no contagious warmth but she was far from off putting. She woman smiled at Tiera with Machiavellian-esque charm and jokingly whispered, “ Girl, this place is dead…You too alive to be here!” This unapologetically inappropriate statement made Tiera put her head down, as she tried to not laugh as loud as her body wanted to do in that respite filled instant. The woman and Tiera would continue to whisper back and forth during the church service, and remarkably no one seemed to notice.

When the church had gotten to the communion part of the service, Uncle Mark was helping to serve it to the congregation. When he saw that the woman, whom he recognized with great disdain, was sitting beside Tiera — It took everything in him to stay focused on the sanctity of the moment. When Uncle Mark got to the back row and offered them both the crushed up saltine crackers and store brand grape juice, the woman refused and Uncle Mark tried to hide his depth of annoyance. He handed his TiTi a cup that was sitting by itself on the tray, and she took a piece of broken saltine cracker. The moment when they drank the “Blood of Jesus” together as a congregation, Tiera giggled with a now genuine smile set on her face; she realized that Uncle Mark had filled her cup with her favorite red pop.

It had become a decidedly chilly day. Autumn had finally gotten the upper hand; the feud with Summer was won! For now. And Autumn’s winds were revving up so heavily, that it swayed the truck Tiera and Uncle Mark were riding home in, back and forth on its invisible trajectory; making it hard to stay on the side of the road purposed for them. Back up Route 42 the two slowly crept; Uncle Mark careful to give to the winds just enough to not cause the old truck to be tossed off the side of the road altogether. These winds were not unfamiliar, they were deliberate. However, the warnings in their bursts were not discerned by either Tiera or Uncle Mark as being significant to them.

The woman who had sat beside Tiera at church that day had explained during their whispering back and forth, that she was an overseer, which is a type of pastor, at a small fellowship in Xenia on South Detroit Street. Overseer Payne is how she invited Tiera to address her and Tiera obliged. Pain, I mean Overseer Payne explained to Tiera that she liked to visit different churches of all denominations on Sunday mornings… Looking for anyone who had what she called “special life force” in them, and who were desperately searching for a “fresh move of God” as she put it. Also her church, that wasn’t tied down to a specific label; it didn’t meet until Sunday evenings. All of this appealed to Tiera… Maybe this was why she felt so compelled to come back to Ohio…Maybe she was supposed to meet Overseer Payne and it would unlock more of her destiny…Light her path. And even though Tiera didn’t feel SPIRIT in the overseer like she had in the various people, of an array of spiritual practices, along her journey the last decade…Tiera also felt like she was inside of Overseer Payne’s words, and that made her feel known. This drew her in as if it were actual light beams in which she could find guidance.

Overseer Payne had slipped out of the AME church before the benediction the first time they met, and soon Tiera was caught up in the embraces of people she didn’t even realize that she missed. And though they were asking a lot of personal questions, Tiera felt hopeful and more confident in the predicament, having just met someone who may understand her.

Uncle Mark was not thrilled about seeing Overseer Pain with Tiera during the church service, and he started voicing so almost as soon as they got in the truck to go back home; all while carefully managing the familiar harsh winds blowing them on that road. He knew that he only had about 4 minutes or less before their conversation would be interrupted by their shifting right back out the car, and into the house. Uncle Mark was too anxious and couldn’t wait to warn her, so he got right to it!

Tiera didn’t want to go against her Uncle Mark’s wishes about her staying away from Overseer Payne, but she was drawn to that woman like a moth is to an inferno that will swallow it up if it gets too close. Tiera decided not to go to the service at The Pinnacle that evening, but was definitely planning on going next Sunday. She had to figure out a way to navigate everything, but she was feeling hopeful and that was worth everything to her at the time.

The next day, Tiera got into her Mitsubishi Galant that had been brand new when she was gifted it for her 16th birthday 11 years prior. It was in great shape, but wouldn’t start at first because it had been sitting under the carport unused. Uncle Mark was good about keeping it up, and he drove it around the block every now and again, but it had been a while since he had done so.

So after Uncle Mark gave Tiera’s old car a jump, it was as good as new. Smooth sailing. Dated, but working perfectly and physically in mint condition. Tiera had a list of items that was needed for the house and other errands to do, so she travelled down Route 42 into Xenia to go shopping.

While in Fulmer’s Grocery store, Tiera had retrieved everything on the pencil written list Uncle Mark had written out, and commenced to standing in the checkout line. When she was two people away from having her items scanned, Tiera suddenly remembered she had forgotten to pick up her favorite red pop. She excused herself from the people behind her, and hustled to the aisle where she could find her liquid comfort. As Tiera was bending down to grab a 24 can pack from the bottom shelf, she was met by a familiar face as she was mid stoop.

Overseer Payne turned around, smirked, and walked away gracefully. Tiera completely entranced.

At first Tiera was good at hiding that she was going to meet with the chosen, as they refered to themselves, at The Pinnacle. But soon enough, Uncle Mark heard reports from folks who saw her hanging with them all the time, and even doing their outreach and money pandering activities throughout Xenia. Tiera and Uncle Mark had always had very loving and calm disagreements, but now they were really bumping heads — Having yelling matches so fierce that a tornado would bow in obeisance. Sweet and humble Tiera was becoming more and more secretive and more and more egotistical. Uncle Mark was lighting up a cigar every day now, and he was also going behind the linen pantheon frequently. His nerves were getting bad, he was starting to look and feel old. Tiera noticed but didn’t care. She only cared about being chosen.

Uncle Mark tried to get every person he knew to try to talk sense into Tiera. She looked vivacious and alluring on the outside, but her eyes were now looking just like Overseer Payne’s… Vacant and Entrapping. Overseer Payne had a unique way of interpreting scriptures in the Bible, and because she did have the help of nefarious energies; she could perform certain miracles…Enough to keep her chosen in her grasp, but she was still very limited and sought more power.

More and more, Overseer Payne brainwashed and conditioned her chosen to inch further and further from the light; normalizing the bastardization of being a soul in a body. She had 3 levels of membership amongst the chosen: sanctification, cultivation, ascension. Everyone wanted to of course reach the ascension stage. This is where the most sacred mysteries and happening would be revealed. This is why they called their fellowship The Pinnacle. They were organized in a pyramid type fashion, trying to reach the top.

The pinnacle was covert and very competitive. Overseer Payne had her favorites, and Tiera became her most favorite, very quickly…The overseer saw something in Tiera that she hadn’t experienced in others amongst the chosen. Tiera was encouraged to develop her intuitive gifts, and even in their most underdeveloped stage, Tiera’s gifts were way more powerful than anyone else there; Overseer Payne included. The overseer wasn’t jealous of Tiera, but rather she saw Tiera as a key to a door she wanted to unlock. This of course made the other chosen secretly monstrously envious of Tiera, though they could never express it openly. Overseer Payne became motherly and nurturing toward Tiera in ways that she had been missing since her mother was killed. The overseer wanted Tiera all to herself for her purposes, so she planted seeds of discord in Tiera’s heart towards her beloved Uncle Mark. She used unethical magic to blind Tiera’s open eyes, and control her perceptions. It worked because Tiera herself was willingly, though deceived, completely open to Overseer’s Payne’s spiritual influence.

Uncle Mark watched as his beloved TiTi morphed into someone or something that he could have never imagined. He was heartbroken and his health was starting to fail him. TiTi was under such a strong delusion, that anytime her heart might feel bad about seeing her uncle in this progressively dilapidating state; a fence demon, planted by the overseer in Tiera’s subconscious, would rise up and stomp out those feelings. Everyone in town was still looking at Tiera, but now the curiosity and nosiness had turned into horror and shame. Folks would come over to visit and see about Uncle Mark, and upon first observance, marvel at how evil Tiera had become. Tiera would even laugh and jest when they would have prayer with Uncle Mark or ask her to join with them. She felt they didn’t have the real power like she did, and was overtaken by unbalanced ego and underestimation of her own fragility.

There was only a quorum of 5, including the overseer herself, who could be at the ascension level of membership. When Overseer Payne announced during a service that one of the ascension level members had been sent out to do “the work” and that she would be deciding who amongst them would take their place — Tiera smiled big and expected that she would be picked for this coveted spot. Tiera had become Overseer Payne’s favorite, and she was hands down the most spiritually gifted out of all the chosen. In spite of her strengths, Tiera wasn’t strong or discerning enough to see aerial view. She was still under carefully thought out manipulation by the overseer. Tiera had no idea that the overseer had plans for her that were certainly not divine. And Overseer Payne had been in Tiera’s head long enough to know how to execute those nefarious plans pending, with laser precision and tumultuous ease. The time was now approaching.

Tiera didn’t eat for three days, and walked around her family home like a zombie, when Overseer Payne picked someone else to be in the quorum. The chosen were surprised and delighted that Tiera hadn’t gotten the top spot, and Tiera was in a bottomless state of disbelief and disappointment. She felt betrayed and alone. Uncle Mark didn’t know what was going on, but he seen her crumbling before his eyes. He tried to show his heartbeat in niece form kindness, and he tried to show his TiTi that despite their rough patch; he had nothing but open arms toward her.

Tiera couldn’t receive her uncle’s love. She was confused and ashamed. The demon that had been placed around Tiera’s love for Uncle Mark in her subconscious was removed by Overseer Payne, and Tiera suddenly could now feel and see what she had been doing to her all that time. She felt she could never make up for the meanness that she had bestowed on him so unjustly. Tiera felt her only salvation now could only be through reaching the ascension level of membership… Someway, somehow, Tiera was determined to reach the top of The Pinnacle.

Tiera kept attending The Pinnacle and Overseer Payne continued to dote on her. Tiera was confused by the overseer favoring her, yet not choosing her for the quorum. Overseer Payne could see the pain and frustration that Tiera tried to hide about it, and this pleased her because it confirmed that she had Tiera right where she needed her to be. She was ready for the plan.

Uncle Mark was not at peace. He started being visited by the Ancestors in his dreams, and the Orisha on and behind the linen painting, when he’d meditate in front of their alters, that he had set up long ago. It was clear, Tiera was in danger. The message was being repeated to him in different ways, over and over. All while heartbreak was settling in Uncle Mark deeper and deeper. He had taken a leave of absence from the university, and he was trying to make himself whole despite all the turmoil in his life. And clarity came…Yes, even in the midst of the storm that bellowed deeply within and around him… When Uncle Mark got quiet, he received understanding — No longer in the dark about one important thing: It was his fault that TiTi had fallen into this cult.

Uncle Mark practiced Ifa and other spiritual practices that resonated with him in secret, while pretending to be a strict Christian only. But in reality, his spirituality encompassed the truth in all these spiritual paths. Unfortunately, Uncle mark was afraid that the small minded community in which they lived; that they wouldn’t accept him or Tiera if he were open about the realness and destiny and truth that he had found off the beaten path. And more than anything, Uncle Mark wanted Tiera to feel like she belonged and was safe; especially after her parents were killed. He thought he was protecting her, but really he stifled her gifts by fencing her in like this since she was a child. And now as an adult, this stifling made Tiera wander through wonder in desperation. Uncle Mark realized that not sharing his truth and not being open to the expansiveness in his niece; it was causing Tiera to find refuge with the wrong people. He was so sad, ashamed, sorry but he knew he couldn’t get lost there… He had to take action!

Upon this realization, Uncle Mark consulted with a Babalawo that he knew in another state, made the appropriate ebo, and wore his elekes openly and with pride. He was still a Christian Deacon, he was still a Khemetic Scientist, and he was still a son of Oya. He was embracing all of himself, and this breathed new life into him. For there are no contradictions in the bottomless, and he could finally breathe again. And now girded with the strength that the truth endows, Uncle Mark was ready to fight for his TiTi baby with all his heart.

Overseer Payne announced that they would be having their first Holy Communion Service. That it was going to be the most powerful they had ever experienced in their lives, and that by breathing pure life into Christ’s sacrifice; they’d finally be able to do greater than he did when he was on earth. Everyone cheered and was excited with glee. Tiera kept telling herself to be faithful, to be humble, and by doing so she would ascend soon…Maybe this communion would catapult her to where she needed to be, she thought… Her destiny? The thought this could somehow lead to her ascension sent Tiera spinning into a resounding chorus of illusionary delusions. She was smiling again, and it was a scary. Overseer Payne knew that Tiera wanted to be the best…That she wanted to be accepted. The overseer also knew that she had set Tiera up perfectly for what she really wanted from her.

Uncle Mark kept praying, meditating in his full capacity…Hoping to breakthrough to his TiTi. He decided that instead of being confrontational, he’d instead watch her like a hawk…Damn near stalk her if he had to, and he did just that! Uncle Mark kept remembering the warnings of danger and he wasn’t letting her out of his sight, as he tried to figure out how to save her.

The day of the Holy Communion ceremony came, and Tiera, dressed in all white, looked at herself in her full oval shaped mirror in her bedroom. No makeup, no frills… She was absolutely stunning to look at in her barest human form. Tiera smiled at the self-realization of her natural beauty, but quickly put it to the side. She had to keep her mind holy and humble for what was to come.

It was a unusually frigid day for this time of year, no sun visible in the sky. Uncle Mark heard Tiera bustling about, so he planted himself on the veranda. He wanted to ensure that he didn’t miss if she were to leave the house suddenly. And after having planted himself, a few minutes went by and Tiera was racing past him dressed in all white, which set off the alarms in Uncle Mark’s brain.

Usually the chosen at The Pinnacle were instructed to wear all black, and only the overseer wore all white. Uncle Mark knew this much and figured something significantly different was happening. He was on high alert and as soon as she pulled out from the carport, he jumped in his truck and followed her down Route 42. Tiera was so entranced and preoccupied with the communion ceremony about to commence, that she didn’t even notice that her uncle was right behind her the whole time.

When they approached The Pinnacle’s building, an old abandoned elementary school that had been repurposed for their use; Tiera was still unaware of her uncle’s presence. Uncle Mark knew that he needed to stay out of direct eyesight. He didn’t want anyone tipping off the Overseer that he was watching. He didn’t want to enrage Tiera and push her further into their control. He knew he had to get this just right.

All the windows in the building had been covered with white sheets, so that no one from the outside could see inside. There were hundreds of candles burning, the aroma of orange incense, and an alter with a huge basin in front of it. Tiera had been taking communion for years in her AME church, so she definitely didn’t imagine that this scene before her would be what The Pinnacle’s first communion would be like. And at the same time, Tiera also believed that the chosen didn’t do anything like other Christians…She felt they had the real truth and the real power of God. She reasoned within herself that this ceremony setup wasn’t strange; it shouldn’t look the same as her old church. And yet, there were whispers… Trying to warn her… The anxiousness, the unexplainable dread; they were all silenced within her by a desperate desire to cling to something she thought was everything for her.

The djembe drumbeats that began to be sounded, took Tiera’s soul back to her sun filled days and mystical nights in Mali. She immediately became entranced, lost in their rhythmic charms. Overseer Payne and the quorum of ascension stood together in front of the alter and basin. This almost knocked Tiera out of her trance-like state. She was forcibly confronted with having to fight to not feel disdain and jealousy, that she was not up there with them. Tiera tried very hard to put her challenging thoughts under subjection as the overseer always told them they must do to be greater.

The overseer led the quorum in an incantation that charmed all of the chosen in the audience like snakes… Everyone begin to sway back and forth, back and forth. Everyone was going more and more into a very deep spell. And at that moment the words first began to me invoked, Oya blew winds so strong that it made Uncle Mark’s truck sway where it was, even though it was turned off and not moving. Uncle Mark then heard a voice say, “ Go get your niece, now!” Startled and without hesitation, Uncle Mark ran over to the building. He tried the door, but it was locked!

“ Who will give up their life, so that others may live… Who will sacrifice their blood like Jesus once did,” howled Overseer Payne, as the quorum raised both of their hands to the sky. Tiera came out of her trance at those words… Something innately so strong and pure was battling the trance from the inside of her… Trying to help Tiera have clarity and not fall in so deeply to where she would have no control of herself at all. But as the overseer and quorum continued to say the incantation, those words kept trying to take Tiera under its control.

It was an intense battle. All the winds with hazardous debris and all the winds made of Ancestors Breaths were battling, colliding for control. The quorum of ascension was trying to guide everyone to the level of entrancement that was required for the ceremony to be carried out. However, they could definitely feel the resistance and got louder and louder. Despite their rigor, Tiera broke free of that incantation… Just enough. She could think clearly, all winds stilled — The Ancestors Breaths had won just like the winds of Autumn!

Tiera listened to the chant that was now not entrancing her any longer, and she thought it was beautiful…The strong gale that stopped the incantation from holding her; it couldn’t stop what had already taken over her before the ceremony. Those winds couldn’t stop what she wanted; charmed or not.Tiera still wanted to reach the top of the pinnacle. She started to reason that she could ascend by giving her blood and empowering The Pinnacle. She figured this would be more powerful than being in the quorum.

Unfortunately, the charms that had completely restructured Tiera’s thinking were other fence demons that were laid into her conscious long before this day. They were replaced by the one Overseer Payne had removed that caused enmity between Tiera and her uncle. These new fence demons thought for her in every way now. Her clarity was very much compromised. Psychically tuned into Tiera, the overseer began to smile when she saw all of her strategies had ensured Tiera wouldn’t be able to say no to her plan. Overseer Payne continued her fiery sermon of coercion, and Tiera finally stood up, unafraid. As Tiera began to slowly walk toward the alter and basin, Uncle Mark busted down that door…

If you have enjoyed this story and want to know what happens next, please clap, share, and consider sending a tip to (cashapp: $DOTA1 )so that I can continue to create content for you. Much gratitude…I can’t wait to tell you what happens next. Bye for now.

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