"Dominated with darkness, the dungeon was filled with awe; the chirping sounds of crickets and hissing rats. I could clearly see the agony that anyone held captive in it would go through."
Giant footsteps walked in creating fear and sending chills in the nerves of all captives.
Holding a burning torch, he poured in oil to all lambs and walked out silently without saying a word.
Minutes after he was gone, another walked in holding in his palms two polished stones. He struck them together and lighted the first lamb, then dipped the feather of a fowl into the fire and lighted all the lambs in the dungeon.
The brightness brought to light a perfect view of what was abstract to the captives who struggled even to see as their sight had become accustomed with the darkness that held them in the dungeon for days.
I could see the faeces of the dwellers, yet they felt no irritation considering the agony of death that snared into their faces.
Chamber by chamber, compartment by compartment, a zigzag and none directional part led down owing to why it was called the dungeon.
No one could tell the story perfectly than one who had journeyed down its corridors. The sad story remains, no one ever makes it alive from there.
The dungeon was dug underground, its walls built with strong trees that had been burried into burned palm oil. Then strong mold was used to polish it with rocks.
I began searching for king Ndeh and his allies until the warrior opened the innermost chamber exposing their agonizing souls.
Then something that really enticed me came to my view.
There before my eyes were two men, but they were not blacks - they were white!
"White?" I question myself.
"What are white men doing in this place?" I asked myself again.
The first I saw a white man was in the city and never again but remember, I was about 200 years back in time.
Thrilled with the sight, I moved closer and posed to watch what was going to happen. I saw two rusty Bibles with them out of fashion.
Trembling to their feet, they sat up and looked to the direction of King Ndeh and his allies.
"Your royal majesty!" One of them greeted.
"King Ndeh was shocked. The voice he heard resembled that of one he knew closely. Who must it be? He wondered.
Turning to his left hand side, he exclaimed majestically! "White man! Is this really you?" He asked pointing at them and causing his allies to also throw a gaze.
"Yes your royal majesty! It is I Mr Frederick Stone and my brother John Mills."
"I can't believe this! Are you two still alive? My warriors and spies informed me of your capture and torture.I thought Zaki had murdered you long before now."
"Not exactly your royal majesty. We have been left here to rot, but the Lord Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit whom we preached to you and your people have kept us alive for reason not known to us until now." John Mills responded
"White people! I waited to for you, I and my people to receive you back but you never came back again. Despite our hardened hearts, I and my people became troubled to accept your Jesus, maybe he could save us from the wrath of Zaki but you never came back, although we warned you not to proceed to Buruku if you wanted your heads alive." King Ndeh said this time around having his allies sit closely to listen as he, Frederick Stone and John Mills conversed.
"Your Royal Majesty, the God of heaven and earth through our Lord Jesus Christ sent us all the way from the United kingdom to come and be His witness to the people of Africa and he gave us a destination of where we were to land - Ndehma.
Most of our brothers in other regions have been killed, some burned, some beheaded and some hunted like animals, but this life counts nothing to us. There is a life after here and that is where we desire to go anytime He wills that we go." John Mills said speaking of Jesus.
And with many reading, the two preached the message of Jesus, of his cross, resurrection and eternal life to Ndeh and his allies.
What baffled me was how the White evangelists were able to converse in the people's dialect. It would take a while before I could have an answer to the confusion.
"White people!" Kind Ndeh called out "Please give me this your Jesus. I and all my allies are ready to receive him into our lives. And please, if you ever get out of this place alive, go to my people! Reach out to them and tell them of this Jesus again. Persuade them and tell them I King Ndeh before my dead gave my life to Jesus." The king pleaded passionately.
"God be praised your royal majesty, but you cannot make the decision for others. They would have to make it by themselves."
Before Frederick Stone could finish, the others lifted their hands into the air.
The two evangelists then led the kings to Christ Joyfully.
"Praise be to the name of the Lord, that now we understand the reason for keeping us alive, though in the agony that brings joy to our souls that for his course we suffer.
If now I and my brother dies, praise be to the Lord of heaven and earth, that we died fulfilled" John Mills documented in his diary that evening.
I was taken aback and left mesmerized. The ways of God awed me to the marrow.
With continues teaching of the word and prayer, the kings were nurtured graciously into the knowledge of God and his kingdom.
(4 days after)
Days passed by and on the seventh, the afternoon of it was the day the kings were to be executed. As the guards walked in to lead them away, King Ndeh Approached Frederick Stone and John Mills and said to them;
"Thank you my brothers in our Lord Jesus Christ. Please remember my people! My only prayer now remains that when I die, the Lord should not allow my head hanged. If possible, let me be burned so that I can join the winds to witness the man Jesus."
Haven said these words, King Ndeh and his allies were led away.
Moment later, Frederick Stone and John Mills heard the drumming of the Buruku people, the war cry of warriors and wailings by the women.
With this, as it was the custom during execution, the evangelists knew that kind Ndeh and his allies were beheaded, and their heads placed before Zaki, the king of Buruku Kindred.
Bowing down their heads, they gave glory to God.