THE BATTLE FOR A SAINTESS | PART FIVE
Inside a spacious executive office, fluorescent lights hummed softly above, blending with the steady whisper of air conditioners and the distant murmur of traffic flowing through the streets far below.
The marble floor reflected the pale glow of the ceiling lights. Long cream curtains framed a wide window overlooking the city skyline, where streaks of golden sunlight stretched across a polished mahogany desk.
Behind it, mounted neatly on the wall, a framed scripture stood as a silent witness over the room.
Excel sat upright in her leather chair, reviewing documents with steady focus. A stack of files lay arranged neatly before her. Her pen moved swiftly across a page, its scratching sound faint but precise in the quiet office.
The soft fragrance of fresh lilies drifted gently through the room from a vase positioned near the glass door. Beyond the office walls, staff members moved quietly along the tiled hallway, their footsteps muted by the thick carpeting.
A gentle knock echoed against the glass door.
Excel’s head lifted slightly from the papers as the office air seemed to pause for a moment. The stillness settled across the marble floor, sunlight glinting off the desk’s polished edge.
Excel’s voice broke the calm with quiet authority.
Excel (calm):
"Come in."
The glass door clicked softly as it opened. The hallway’s low murmur slipped briefly into the office before fading again. The scent of lilies stirred in the air as a young lady stepped inside slowly.
Her long dress was simple but neatly pressed, and her hair was modestly covered. Her fingers clutched the edge of her handbag tightly as if holding herself together.
Her eyes were already glossy with tears as she stepped carefully across the shining marble floor and stopped two steps before the desk, lowering her gaze.
Outside the office, a passing staff member slowed slightly, sensing the weight in the room.
The young lady's fingers curled faintly at her sides as she drew a small, unsteady breath, and when she spoke, her voice came out soft, almost fragile.
Young Lady (softly):
"Good day, Miss Excel."
The late afternoon sunlight shifted across the desk as Excel placed her pen down gently. The faint scratch of paper ceased. She leaned back slightly in her leather chair, studying the trembling young lady before her.
The office remained calm, but the atmosphere carried the fragile tension of a heart on the edge of breaking.
Excel’s gaze softened. She drew a quiet breath, her tone following—gentle, measured, and inviting, careful not to disturb the fragile moment.
Excel (polite):
"Please, how may I help you?"
The young lady’s lips trembled as though the words inside her were too heavy to hold. She swallowed hard, struggling to steady herself. Moisture gathered at the corners of her eyes as the office air felt suddenly thicker.
The faint buzz of fluorescent lights above seemed louder in the silence. The young lady's breath hitched—once, uneven—and her tone barely holding together.
Young Lady (pleading):
"Please… I need help."
Excel’s expression shifted almost immediately. Her posture straightened as she folded her hands neatly on the desk, her gaze sharpening with attentive concern.
Outside the glass walls, the hallway remained calm, yet something in the unseen realm leaned closer—as if heaven itself paused to listen.
Excel inclined her head slightly, holding the young lady’s gaze. A soft, steady breath followed, and her voice—calm, focused, and fully present.
Excel (attentive):
"Go ahead. I’m listening."
The young lady blinked rapidly as tears finally spilled down her cheeks. Her shoulders trembled, and the soft sound of her crying filled the room.
The muffled sobs carried faintly beyond the office walls, causing a secretary at a nearby desk to pause and glance toward the door before quietly returning to her work.
The sunlight glistened on the marble floor like scattered shards of glass beneath the young lady’s tears.
Her breath hitched, catching halfway in her throat. She pressed her lips together as if to hold the words back—but they broke through anyway, her voice shaking, fragile and uneven.
Young Lady (sobbing):
"I’ve heard so much about you. How you help people… how you lead many to Christ. I want to make God proud of me too…"
Excel inhaled slowly as her posture stiffened just a little. Compassion stirred within her chest, yet discipline held firm in her voice.
The calm authority of the office returned like a gentle boundary settling back into place. She straightened slightly, her tone following—gentle, yet edged with quiet control.
Excel (gently):
"Please, this is a working place, not a crying ground. Control yourself."
The young lady quickly wiped her face with the back of her hand. Her palm pressed over her mouth as she forced her breathing to steady.
The faint hum of the air conditioner carried through the quiet room while the golden sunlight shifted slightly across the floor.
She swallowed hard, drawing in a shaky breath before her voice slipped out, small and restrained.
Young Lady (composed):
"I’m sorry..."
Excel’s expression softened slightly now, the sharp edge of professionalism giving way to quiet understanding. The scent of lilies drifted gently between them as the tension in the room eased.
She drew a calm, even breath, her tone steady—anchored, patient, and quietly encouraging.
Excel (steady):
"Continue."
The young lady clasped her hands together tightly as she drew in a deep breath. Her shoulders lifted and fell as she gathered the courage to speak again. Her voice cracked, but she forced the words forward.
Young Lady (quieter):
"I was raised in a godly home. I love preaching the gospel… reaching out to the lost."
The office seemed to grow stiller with each sentence. Even the distant traffic below faded beneath the weight of her confession. The young lady’s tone trembled before the words flowed, fragile yet raw with hurt.
Young Lady (pained):
"But when I lost my parents… I have no one to care for me. I drifted into the world. I stopped praying. I stopped reading my Bible."
Excel’s eyes softened as the pain in the young lady’s voice echoed through the quiet office.
The young lady wiped her cheeks with trembling fingers, fighting against the flood of emotion rising again. Her voice hesitating at first, then searching for understanding.
Young Lady (reflective):
"But... this Scripture began to trouble me, ‘Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.’"
The words hung in the air like a sacred echo. The scripture from the Book of Revelation seemed to settle into the room itself. Her lips parting just slightly, and her tone soft, tentative, yet bright with longing.
Young Lady (hopeful):
"Hearing about you awakened something in me again."
The young lady’s knees suddenly bent beneath her. The soft tap of fabric against marble echoed faintly as she knelt on the polished floor.
Sunlight from the window caught the tears on her cheeks, making them shimmer like tiny crystals. Her chest rose and fell in uneven gasps, her voice trembled, soft yet urgent, carrying every ounce of her plea.
Young Lady (vulnerable):
"Please… I need a mentor. Help me serve the Lord faithfully."
The office fell completely silent. Even the hum of the air conditioner seemed to fade into the background. Outside, the distant honk of a car horn drifted faintly through the city streets below.
The sunlight streaming through the glass window illuminated the kneeling figure like a quiet moment suspended in time.
Excel’s fingers tightened slowly around each other as emotion rose quietly within her chest. Compassion pressed against the careful caution of leadership.
She rose from her chair and walked around the desk.
The sound of her heels echoed gently across the polished marble floor, each step measured and deliberate. She stopped in front of the kneeling young lady.
The golden light from the window wrapped softly around both of them. Excel’s voice lowered into a calm warmth.
Excel (softly):
"Please, stand up."
The young lady hesitated for a moment, her eyes searching Excel’s face, but she obeyed. Slowly she rose to her feet. The marble floor gleamed beneath them as the office air grew calm again.
Excel lifted her hand and placed it lightly on the young lady’s shoulder, letting the warmth of her touch speak before her voice did.
She inhaled softly, letting calm and reassurance settle in her chest, and then her words followed—steady, heartfelt, and unwavering.
Excel (sincere):
"I will help you. I will mentor you. We will walk this journey together."
The young lady gasped softly as relief surged through her like a sudden flood of light. Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks as she lowered her head again, but this time the tears carried gratitude instead of despair.
The unseen realm shifted once more—like a quiet victory beginning to form.
A shaky, breathy intake quivered in her chest, carrying the tremor of emotion before her tone broke through.
Young Lady (weeping):
"Thank you so much! May God bless you!"
Excel nodded gently, unaware that her decision had echoed far beyond the walls of the office.
She turned and walked toward her leather chair. The quiet rhythm of her footsteps tapped gently against the marble.
Just as she reached the chair, the young lady’s lips quivered. A fragile sound escaped her throat, barely louder than the hum of the fan.
Young Lady (nervous):
"Umm…"
The timid sound seemed to ripple through the room like a pebble touching still water. Excel halted mid-step, the golden light catching the side of her face as she slowly turned back.
The young lady’s hands trembled more noticeably now, her fingers twisting the hem of her modest dress as though the cloth itself could absorb the weight of her fear.
Her eyes lowering in uncertainty while the air itself seemed to pause between them. A tear slid down her cheek and dropped onto the shiny tile floor, the small sound of it echoing softly in the still room.
Excel studied her for a moment. The silence stretched gently across the office like a held breath. The lavender scent lingered faintly as the ceiling fan continued its quiet rotation above them.
She straightened slightly, folding her hands together before her. Her gaze remained calm, but caution flickered beneath it like a guarded flame. She drew a quiet breath, her voice following—soft, careful, and measured.
Excel (gently):
"Is there anything again?"
The question floated calmly into the space between them. Even the fading sunlight seemed to lean toward the moment, casting long quiet shadows across the marble floor.
The young lady’s throat tightened as though the words had opened a gate inside her heart. Her fingers clasped together slowly, knuckles whitening as she drew a shaky breath.
She lowered her eyes, inhaling unsteadily as though gathering the courage to step across an invisible line. Her tone emerged softly, the words fell into the room with desperate sincerity.
Young Lady (pleading):
"Please… I’ll be so grateful if you allow me to stay with you."
Excel’s eyes narrowed just a little as she listened, her posture steady while the evening breeze brushed faintly against the windows.
The young lady shifted her weight forward slightly, the light scrape of her heels against the tile breaking the silence. Her voice lowering as emotion thickened around it.
Young Lady (softly):
"It will be difficult for me to return to the Lord, if I continue staying with my friends. They are the reason I drifted."
The confession hung heavily in the air. Her watery eyes lifted slowly toward Excel, reflecting the fading sunlight like glass touched by rain.
The office seemed to grow quieter, as though the unseen spiritual realm itself leaned closer to witness the fragile turning of a soul.
The young lady's lips trembled again as the final plea rose from the depth of her chest.
Young Lady (pleading):
"Please… let me stay with you."
The plea lingered in the room like a prayer rising from broken ground. The ceiling fan continued its steady hum overhead, stirring the warm evening air while shadows slowly lengthened across the marble floor.
The weight of the request settled between them, pressing gently against Excel’s guarded heart.
Silence filled the office.
Excel’s fingers tightened slightly against each other. A small shift moved through her jaw as she turned and walked toward the tall window. Her steps were slow, thoughtful.
Outside the glass, the paved compound stretched quietly beneath the falling sun. A security guard paced steadily near the iron gate, his footsteps faint against the distant murmur of traffic.
Excel’s reflection looked back at her in the window glass. She had always guarded her space carefully. She preferred solitude.
Her home was a sanctuary—a sacred place of prayer, quiet study, and stillness before God. A place where the presence of the Lord often settled like dew upon the morning ground.
Her mind whispered caution. A quiet scripture seemed to rise within her spirit:
"The prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished." — Proverbs 22:3 (KJV)
Yet the sound of the young lady’s trembling voice lingered behind her. Her heart felt the weight of those tears.
Compassion began rising slowly within her chest like a tide drawn by unseen hands. The stillness of the office deepened, as though heaven itself waited upon the decision forming within her soul.
Excel turned back slowly, her eyes softening. A quiet breath slipped from her lips, and when she spoke, her tone came low and tender, carrying quiet resolve.
Excel (softly):
"Alright."
The single word moved through the quiet room like a gentle wind after a long drought. The spiritual heaviness in the atmosphere shifted subtly, as though a fragile victory had just been claimed.
The young lady’s eyes widened instantly, shock and relief colliding in her expression. A quiet gasp escaped her lips before she suddenly dropped to her knees again on the cool marble floor.
Her hands trembled as they pressed against the ground, breath unsteady as she struggled to contain the surge of emotion. Her voice soft and broken, yet filled with earnest gratitude.
Young Lady (grateful):
"Thank you, ma’am. I promise... you won’t regret."
The promise poured out with trembling gratitude. Her shoulders shook slightly as relief washed through her like rain after a long desert journey.
The fading sunlight poured across the office, illuminating the moment with warm golden light as though heaven itself acknowledged the mercy being shown.
Excel stepped forward quickly, bending to help her up from the marble floor. Her hands were gentle but firm as she lifted the young lady back to her feet.
A small smile touched Excel’s face—calm, warm, yet thoughtful.
However, something deeper had shifted—a quiet spiritual seed planted within the sacred walls of Excel’s sanctuary.
The young lady wiped her eyes and slowly gathered herself, standing a little straighter now than when she had entered. The tension that had filled the room earlier softened into quiet hope.
Outside the office, the hallway returned to its normal rhythm as staff continued their duties, unaware that something far greater than business had just taken place within the executive suite.
In realms unseen by human eyes, the atmosphere trembled faintly—as though invisible lines had been drawn.
Forces of heaven and darkness had both taken notice of the covenant that had just begun.
Heaven had witnessed the mercy.
Darkness had noticed the decision.
Inside the room, the fragrance of lilies lingered in the calm air.
And the decision had been made.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Written by Agbemawle Atsu Norvishi
© All Rights Reserved. Shared freely to bless and inspire.
Aatsujnk
Audio Premiere
Word: 0 / 0 (0%)
READY...
Comments
Post a Comment