"Oh Lord, lead us from the unreal to the real.
From darkness to light. From mortal to immortality.
Grant us peace in the celestial realm.
Grant us peace, not death on Earth.
May the flames be everlasting.
Látom."
"Látom."
"Alright everybody, let's warmly welcome our newest member, Corey."
Clap Clap Clap
"Welcome Corey!"
"Welcome Corey. Please tell us about yourself and what made you to join us. If you have any problem or problems, you can tell us about it. We'll help you in any way we can."
A man who looked to be in his sixties spoke with a smile as he looked at Corey. He was wearing black trousers and a long-sleeved black shirt with a chain on his neck. The chain had two black axes crossed diagonally as the pendant.
Corey looked at the man who was the pope of the temple of flames and who was also the person who prayed previously. He then shifted his attention away from the pope and then looked at his surroundings. Around him were ten people wearing the same chain and pendant as the pope, sitting on chairs in a circle.
When he came to the temple, he just wanted to pray on his own in the temple but surprisingly he met the pope and these current ten people in the temple.
At first he wanted to ignore them but then the pope persuaded him to join them and since he didn't want to be disrespectful to the pope, he decided to join them. He also learnt that today was Scriptural Study Day, which made him groan inwardly at his bad timing.
A few seconds later Corey sighed softly and then turned to the pope. He looked at the pope's face which had a smile and thought of what to say or to be more accurate, the best way to tell the pope he just wants to be alone and not be part of this scriptural nonsense.
"Thank you Sir Pope for letting me join you. Although I'm not yet an official member of the temple." Corey paused slightly to look for any change in the Pope's facial expression, but he saw no change so he continued.
"I would prefer it if I can get alone time with your god. I would like to speak with him." Corey spoke and still saw the Pope having the same amicable smile on his face.
"It's great that you want to speak with our God Ogun alone, but as the Pope, how can I see somebody in pain and not offer my help through my God." The pope spoke and Corey sighed softly.
He just wanted to be alone.
Was that so hard?
Just as he was about to speak, he heard the words of the Pope which shook him.
"Let me guess, you're having problems with your studies?"
Corey looked at the Pope with unconcealed shock.
"How did-"
"Figuring out a small problem like that is easy for our God Ogun." The Pope's smile widened slightly as he looked at the shocked look on Corey's face.
Corey's shocked face then changed to that of a hopeful one.
"Then can you please give me a solution?" Corey asked with a hopeful tone.
"Have you heard about the wisest man to ever live on the planet?" The pope did answer but asked a question.
Corey was stunned and confused.
He had never heard of anybody who was called the wisest man on the planet.
In fact, can somebody ever claim to be the wisest man on the planet?
Corey thought for a few seconds before giving up, he heard never heard of anybody who was called the wisest man on the planet.
"I've never heard of the wisest man on the planet sir." Corey replied.
The pope did not reply immediately and leaned back on his chair.
"I found some texts from the ancient days and those texts talked about a man that lived thousands of years before the ancient days we know of. Honestly when I read the contents of the texts I laughed at the absurdity of the texts." The pope chuckled softly as he remembered the texts.
"The texts say that the wisest man was called Solomon, King Solomon. Not only was he called the wisest to ever live on the planet, the texts also said he was the richest man to ever live on the planet. That he was so rich to the point that pure silver were like stones in his kingdom." The pope chuckled once more and shook his head as he spoke.
"Not only was he so 'rich' and 'wise', he also had so many wives and concubines. He had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. Can you believe that absurdity and nonsense?" The pope laughed so hard that a tear came out of his eye.
Even Corey had a disbelieving look on his face and wondered how somebody who was regarded as the wisest and richest man on the planet decided to have 700 wives and 300 concubines.
Didn't he know the stress of women?
How the hell did he even fuck them all?
As various questions were going through Corey's mind, the Pope stopped laughing and continued speaking.
"Although he had wealth, women and wisdom. What everybody praised him for during his time was his wisdom. Do you know how he got his so called 'unmatched wisdom'?" The pope questioned as he looked at Corey.
"He was born with it?" Corey answered with a not-so-sure expression.
"Hahaha." The pope chuckled softly and shook his head. "No, no, no. He was not born with it. He asked his own God for it."
Corey had a frown on his face when he heard that.
"So why are you telling me all of this? How would this help me?" Corey questioned.
The pope looked at Corey with a small smile and then spoke.
"I'm not going to force you to tell me what your exact problems are. Since you want to speak to Lord Ogun alone, I won't disturb you any more. I just want to guide you on what to ask for from Lord Ogun."
"If the contents of the ancient texts are true and a man could gain 'unmatched wisdom' by asking a so called 'Great God'. Then why can't you get wisdom from Lord Ogun so as to pass all your future exams and also not have problems with your education?."
Corey looked at the Pope with a suspicious look, wondering whether it would work.
The pope seeing his disbelieving expression smiled lightly. " There's no harm in trying right. Just kneel and pray to Ogun, ask for wisdom so as to pass all your exams. Ogun can do all things and is the greatest God, so just try to do it. Something as small as that is no problem for Lord Ogun."
Corey looked at the Pope for a few seconds before bowing his head.
"Thank you for your advice Pope. I'll do what you said." The pope chuckled softly and with a smile he spoke.
"Just don't forget to say the Lord's prayer." The pope reminded and Corey nodded.
"Can I take my leave by the way. I want to pray to Lord Ogun as soon as possible." Corey requested in the most polite way he could since he didn't want to disrespect the Pope.
"Yes you can." The Pope said with an amicable smile.
****
Inside Corey's Room
"Oh Lord, lead us from the unreal to the real.
From darkness to light. From mortal to immortality.
Grant us peace in the celestial realm.
Grant us peace, not death on Earth.
May the flames be everlasting.
Látom."
After saying the Lord's prayer, Corey paused and looked outside through his window. He could see the full moon and although it looked beautiful, a thought passed through his mind.
'What would happen to the world if the moon and sun got destroyed?'
Corey shook his head slightly to dispel that absurd thought and then took a deep breath. On his knees and palms placed together, he spoke.
"My Lord, Ogun. I have come to seek your help... Please and please. I need your help... Help me."
As Corey spoke, tears streamed down his face shocking him slightly. He paused and touched his face.
He could feel his tears.
"I'm crying." He chuckled self-depreciatingly.
"My Lord Ogun, please I need your help.
Please take my pain away.
Just take my pain away.
I'm tired.
I'm tired of this life.
I work so hard but I gain nothing.
I try so hard but I gain nothing.
Just take my pain away.
I'm tired.
Recently, people talk but I hear nothing.
My eyes are dull.
My heart is dead.
Is there any point in living.
I'm crying right now.
Please just come take my pain away.
I'm starting to fear for my future.
I can't see where my future lies.
What do I do?
I seriously just don't know what to do.
I fear seriously about my future.
What do I do?
Just take my pain away.
My parents speak but I no longer hear
Sometimes I just want to disappear
I seriously just need your help.
Why do I feel so dead inside?
I'm tired of all the failures.
Can't I just win for once?
Can't I just pass for once?
Ogun take my pain away.
Come help me.
Just… help…me."
Corey paused for a few seconds and then inhaled.
"You know what.
Fuck exams!
Fuck the teachers!
Fuck the schools!
Fuck everything!!
I try so fucking hard but I keep on failing!
They say work hard and you'll reap your rewards one day.
But all I got is tears all day.
What's now the point in me working so hard.
The pope said I should ask you for wisdom but would you even give me?!
Why would you even give me?
I don't even believe in you!
What I want from you is for there to be no schools.
Don't give me the wisdom.
Take away the schools and… my…pain.
Just take away my pain."
Drip Drip
Tears streamed down Corey's face down unto his bed as he wept in silence. A few seconds later, the room was silent. The only sound was from Corey's calm breathing.
He had fallen asleep.
Beep Beep
A few minutes after he fell, a beeping sound could be heard not only in his room, but on the entire planet.
After the beeping sound ended, a translucent screen appeared in front of everyone on the planet including the sleeping Corey.
IF YOU COULD BE GRANTED ONE WISH, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
REMAINING TIME: 02:59:58