(The following day, at Herald’s mansion.)

Cardinal: Wow, you do have a big house, bro.

Herald: Thanks, bro. Thanks again for coming over to see me.

(Herald’s wife enters the living room and served both men two hot cups of tea. There is something weird about her, she seems to be staring at space. She is heavily pregnant and looks very tired.)

Cardinal: Your wife, she looks tired. Are you sure, she is okay.

Herald: Wait for a second. (Shouting.) Genevieve!

Genevieve: Yes, my dear husband.

Herald: Go to your room!

Genevieve: Yes, my dear husband.

Herald: Don’t come here until I call you.

Genevieve (repetitively): Yes, my dear husband.

(Genevieve leaves, as she climbed upstairs, Cardinal notices her hands stayed at the same position all the time. The way she walks looks weird. It’s as if someone is controlling her.)

Cardinal: What’s the meaning of that?

Herald: What?

Cardinal: I don’t mean to pry into your personal life, but there’s something odd about your wife. Are you sure she is okay?

Herald: Which is precisely why I invited you here.

Cardinal: Why? Is there a problem?

Herald: This is who I am. That woman you see over there is not my wife. My wife died along time ago due to a short illness. That was before I became rich. I was a very poor man, but unfortunately, my wife didn’t make it. She had acute pneumonia.

Cardinal: Then, if she’s not your wife, then who is she?

Herald: She is one of the slave girls I bought from a slave market.

Cardinal (confused): Slave market? I don’t understand.

Herald: I sacrificed her inorder to…

Cardinal (shouting): Jesus Christ! You did what?

Herald: You heard me, you can’t be rich without making some sacrifices.

Cardinal: Are you crazy? And you have the nerves to call yourself my friend. How I wish I knew who you were! You are nothing but a sick ritualist!

(Standing up and leaves.)

Herald (standing up): Wait!

Cardinal (grabbing him by the collar): Don’t you ever call me, you piece of sh…

Herald: Go ahead! Hit me! I’m not gonna fight back! C’mon do it! You don’t have a choice, Cardinal! What did you expect? Not all that glitters is gold!

Cardinal: Don’t you ever call me bro! You obviously don’t know the meaning of that word! I’m trying to restrain myself from punching your face right now. So, don’t provoke me, don’t let me lose the little respect I have for you.

Herald: Go on, pour all your anger on me! But the fact still remains that you are just a poor naive pathetic man!

Cardinal : You’re cruising for a bruising, you ritualist!

Cardinal swings a punch on Herald which sent him writhing on the sofa. Herald struggles to stand up, nose bleeding. Three of Herald’s bodyguard enter the living room, two of them grabbed Cardinal while one aims a gun at him, ready to shoot.)

Herald (to the bodyguards): Let the boy scout go! He thinks he is morally upright but he’s obviously naive.

Cardinal: Let me go you jerks!

Herald: Remember what I told you, Cardinal! If you change your mind, you know where to find me.

Cardinal: I will never!

(Cardinal leaves.)

(One year later, Cardinal is at home tending to his critically ill mother on her sickbed. His mother is sick again.)

Mom: My strength is slowly fading away… I don’t think I can make it, son.

Cardinal (sobbing): What are saying mama? Of course you’ll make it. You’ll make it. Stop saying otherwise, mama! Hang in there while I go get some help.

Mom: It is of no use… I want you to continue to be a good man… and may God be with you.

Cardinal: Mama, you’re talking as if you want to die sooner.

Mom: Remember, I’ll always be with you!

(Cardinal’s mom died in her sleep later that night. The burial conducted the following day. After the burial, Cardinal visits Herald at his mansion in Karen, Nairobi.)

Herald (to his bodyguards): Let him in. He’s my friend, don’t you forget that. You’re dismissed, I can take care of myself, for now. Go! (His bodyguards leave.) Cardinal! Cardinal! Long time no see! Huh? After the beating you gave me?

Cardinal: I’m… I’m sorry for the way I treated you the last time I was here…

Herald (interrupting): No! You don’t need to apologize, my friend! I mean I would have done the same thing if I was in your shoes. So, relax and have a drink with me! Which drink do you prefer? Vodka, Guinness or Tusker?

Cardinal: No, thanks.

Herald: (insisting): Oh come on, man! We’re friends and this is also your house. Feel free to do anything! I won’t take no for an answer.

Cardinal: Okay, if you insist, I’ll have Vodka.

Herald: Vodka! Your favorite! Coming right up! (Giving Cardinal a bottle of Vodka and a glass.) So, how are you?

Cardinal: I am not well, Herald. I’m not well.

Herald (a little bit concerned): Why? What happened?

Cardinal: My mother died last week.

Herald (dropping his glass on the floor): What?

Cardinal: She died of a heart attack. She was also suffering from Parkinson’s disease.

Herald: I’m sorry, man. Your mom was like my mom too. So, I understand your pain, bro. Once again, my deepest condolences from the bottom of my heart.

Cardinal (in Swahili): Nishapoa, kaka. I’m fine, bro.

Herald: And if there’s anything you need, I’m here for you, bro.

Cardinal: Thanks. By the way, where’s your wife, I haven’t seen her since I came here?

Herald (reluctantly): Well, she… she… She died.

Cardinal (surprised): She what?

Herald: Keep your voice, down.

Cardinal (murmuring): What did you do to her, Herald?

Herald: Don’t act like you’re new to this. I had to do what I had to do, to survive. The Cultic Men fraternity threatened to shorten my lifespan if I didn’t present Lord Abaddon his yearly sacrifice.

(A girl probably, a teenager, enters the room carrying a bottle of wine. She gives Herald a peck at the cheek. Then she proceeds to sit at Herald’s lap while smoking and drinking.)

Cardinal: Who is she?

Herald: She is my new wife. My next victim…of my love I mean. Sheila, meet Mr. Cardinal, my childhood friend. Mr. Cardinal, my wife-to-be.

Cardinal (to Sheila): Nice to meet you, Miss Sheila. (Offering his hands in greeting.)

(Sheila looks at Cardinal up and down with spite and goes upstairs without saying a word.)

Herald: I owe you an apology for whatever she did to you earlier. She doesn’t know what I’m about to do to her.

Cardinal: What are you planning to do with her?

Herald: You just wait and see.

Cardinal: And who is Abaddon?

Herald: He is Lord Abaddon, the king of the underworld. The giver of wealth, power and prosperity. Hail Abaddon, may his reign continue. (Long pause.) You’re supposed to answer “till the end of our days on earth”. But don’t worry, you’re new to this. And besides, you’re obviously not interested.

Cardinal: That’s precisely why I came here in the first place, Herald. I’ve decided to join your fraternity.

Herald: What? Are you sure you want to join us?

Cardinal: A hundred percent sure.

Herald (in a serious but harsh tone): This is not some child’s play where you join at your own convenience, Cardinal!

Cardinal: I am sure about this. Believe me when I say that I’m ready to join you. Or don’t you trust me anymore?

Herald: Very well then, tomorrow early in the morning, I’ll take you there. Make sure you stand your ground on this, because once you get in, there’s no going back.

Cardinal: I am ready.

Herald: Tomorrow morning at seven sharp! Not a minute more! You understand?

***