CHAPTER TWO THE 12: The Vision Made Plain (Episode 4)

Duncan was back home and back to his company. Things had changed a bit since he left for a while; he had a set meeting with his trainer Chris which was held in Duncan’s office. His ego had grown more muscles this time and Chris hated him for that.

“Nice work you did Duncan,” Chris complimented him. “We were so happy about your presentation,”

“I gave them all they wanted,” Duncan replied. “I hit the nail right on point,”

“Still, you need to be careful. Hope you honor all you said because your fans will be watching you put in some integrity to your words.”

“What now? Should I be shaking in my shoes because I have to nurse the twelve so the world will know I’m a good person?”

“You don’t have to be jealous of these kids,”

“Too late because I am green with envy, everybody talks about them, just everybody.”

“Trying to compete with the twelve is lost course Duncan,”

“Don’t try to buckle me down Chris, this is my game so let me play it my way.”

“I know it’s your game Duncan, but be careful not to let it slip out of your hands.”

The door suddenly opened and Michael walked in. “Hope I’m not interrupting,”

They stared at him.

“No you’re not,” Chris replied.

“And,” he looked at Duncan.

“Don’t think so,” he moved to the other side of the room.

“I’ll leave you two,” Chris excused himself.

“Hey, hey, hey don’t be shy now,” Michael tried to cuddle him with his words. “We enjoyed your show, you did great, and it was wonderful.”

“Shut up,” Duncan flared up. “Because I made you twelve look great isn’t it?”

“In most cases it’s another way of showing appreciation and we accept it, no need to say thank you again,”

“By the way, where are the others?”

“Out in the car, we didn’t see the need crowding up in here. I only came to give you your next success plan.”

“Have you ever felt the pain of losing?” Duncan asked him. “Because you are losing it already,”

“Grieving the lost of a child,”

“Uhh,” he nodded. “Maybe I should just kill a child since that will make you feel pain because I long to see you guys in pain,”

Michael smiled. “You won’t have to soil your hands with blood for a dream that will never happen. Millions of kids die every day but we are still strong, you know why? Because our joy is stronger and persistent than whatever pain may want to pop up,”

“I feel sorry for you twelve, if you will only see what’s coming your way you won’t stand there and talk about joy,”

“And I’m very sorry for you too because you fail to understand that fake things don’t last. If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken and never burry the feeling in pride that made you tell the truth then the little we tell you will build your universe but if you breath the words that made you lose and stop accepting honest defeats, no matter what we tell you, the light will never shine.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“If you don’t understand what that means then you don’t have a testimony.”

“Oh I didn’t know you were planning to share a testimony which might go like this, we were slaves to our talents, the one God gave us and after a long recitation of Luke 2:8-14, sang praise songs and blew out the Negro candles, we became free.”

Michael looked at him. “Yeah maybe, we are still working on it but what will your testimony be after this, that you walked with kings and lost the common touch? talked with crowds and lost your virtue?”

Duncan stared at him, his eyes began to shake. Michael smelled his victory. “I came to tell you this, register your name in one of the biggest financial board in the world now. You will be helping some kids every month with your money so log on to children’s world.com and you’ll get more info about them.”

“And why will I do that?” he asked.

“It’s another way of proving yourself. Singers care about humanity and this might be your own way of showing it.”

He walked to his laptop and typed some words.

“Remember we all have a testimony to share, what will be your own?”

"Am not doing this because of some stupid testimony alright, I only want my career successful.”

Maxwell nodded and walked out. Duncan took a deep breath and went back to his laptop. Michael met the others in the car.

“How did it go?” Shelly asked.

“Pretty well, he accepted it without any stupid complains,” he replied.

“That means he is one of our sponsors?” Shania asked.

“Ignorantly yes he will be,”

                Chris went to complain Duncan’s case to Randy in his office. When he walked in he found his boss facing the window admiring and gazing thoughtfully at the mountains. Chris stared at him for a while, so unusual, he thought. “Randy,” he called.

“Uh,” he turned. “Sorry I didn’t know you……”

“It’s ok,” Chris softly interrupted. “I came to tell you that Duncan is becoming so proud and disrespectful. He doesn’t want to listen to anybody, he  thinks he is head and shoulders over everybody.”

“Chris I think you should let Duncan be for now, he is happy about his success and beside the race is for him to run and cross the line alone,”

“Alone? When did it become a lone trip for Duncan?”

“What I mean is I have my own strings to pull with the twelve here. I have my own benefits to make; I want an access to their treasure.”

“What,” Chris became confused. “What treasure are you talking about, what treasure?”

“The twelve has a treasure, something so dear to them, something that can take a man to where ever he wishes to be, something that can make you a king and it’s something no man understands but it’s clear, very, very clear.”

“And what is this treasure?”

“I don’t know but I will find out and I can only do that if they trust me,”

“The twelve will never trust you.”

“Then I will do whatever it takes to make them trust me. I am dying to be rich, going crazy because I want to handle the twelve, not just their career but with this great treasure of theirs,”

“God, you are crazy. Stop being paranoid Randy, the twelve has no material treasure anywhere. What gave you that impression in the first place?”

“Because I’ve seen people handle things, but none, none! Was so precious, so costly, so profiting as this,”

Chris went speechless and immediately he felt pity for the twelve. How will they survive with so many indecent people around them? He shook his head and watched Randy digest what he had said.

               Not up to a month, the children who were sent out were doing a great work in their different cities. With their efforts, ideas and the help of God they brought little light to the children around them. That summer had been a mile stone for them especially for the children who went out for journalism, Anastasia, Lewis and faith at age 18, 17, 17 respectively. They had spotted a TV station and severally had visited it to observe how things were being done there, they booked an appointment with the manager of the TV station hoping to share their ideas to him and luckily that day, they were allowed to see him. He asked them into his office and the three young teenagers confidently walked in and sat down as he offered them sits.

“Sorry I’ve been putting off your appointment for two weeks now, I’ve got a lot on my plate lately. My name is Lennon Nisus what can I do for you?” the manager said.

“My name is Anastasia and this is Lewis and Faith. We are from the children’s world association and we will love to serve in your TV station voluntarily.”

The manager studied the three of them, they were very confident.

“I haven’t heard of the children’s world before. Who found it?”

“The twelve,” without stammering Faith replied and Lennon wished he could spit out his heart.

“They have a dream,” Lewis explained. “And that involves bringing young people like us to the awareness of our gifts and talents and how to use it to bless our world and our lives.”

The twelve sounded familiar and that name brought fresh memories to his mind about his past life with the spice, how he took care of them and introduced them to the life they had. A feeling he had always subdued came banging on his heart. His silence made the children think he was shutting them down.

“Sir we just want a one hour program in your schedule once every week probably Sunday,” Anastasia persisted. “A program just for young kids and teenagers like us,”

“Sir we will be grateful,” Lewis said. “The twelve will be grateful if you do this for us.”

That brought him back from memory lane.

“Brilliant! Understood,” He said. “But I still don’t get your point.”

“Okay sir,” faith stood up. “it is more blessed to give than to receive, show your child that serving others is a way of life, children need to be encouraged to do intentional deeds of kindness by learning how to see a need an respond to it. Second point, Persia’s rise and fall: originally the ancient world knows Persia as “Fars,” or “pars” or “Farsistan,” a name derived from the chief province. Which is more important to a child?”

“The first point,” he responded.

The children smiled and faith sat. “That’s the point we are trying to make.”

“Your request is good; I will put you on the list.”

The children celebrated the news.

“Starting tomorrow we will work out an advertisement for your show that will take place every Sunday as from 5PM. How long do you have to be here?”

“Till the end of summer,” Anastasia replied.

“Nice, I’m glad you kids are investing your time on something worth it and remember I love people who won’t forget the goal when they are placed on the spot light. It won’t be easy for you but you’re already here,”

“We are not worried,” Lewis said he had a confident smile on his face. “We’ve got good mentors.”

“You have so much faith in this twelve,”

“They have so much faith in what God gave us,” Faith told him, that day crumbled his entire world, the world he built with the stones he picked from the one he destroyed.

                Another membership meeting was held at Rolex centre and the same people were present. This not scare the twelve, they were use to their lifestyle now.

“Now that Duncan’s fame is gradually spreading, we have decided to organize a concert for the twelve featuring Duncan Steech.” Jakes said.

“What!” the twelve exclaimed. They didn’t expect that.

“It’s not actually going to be a concert for you twelve,” Benedict said. “It’s just a mirage to get more people to come. Duncan will be the main performing artist that day and the twelve will only do a song.”

A stream of delight welled up in Duncan, it split his lips into two and delightful smile was seen. The twelve relaxed their minds as long as they won’t be doing the greater work they were fine with it. Randy was pleased too except for Jan and Chris who didn’t care. “Preparations kick off immediately because we are anticipating a one month project so we need to a quick and good job.” Leon said.

“Your practice session kicks off tomorrow.” Jakes told them.

“But tomorrow is our day off,” Maul said.

“No day offs for you guys anymore,” Harrison said.

“That’s not fair; you are treating us like slaves,” Ben was a little harsh.

“When did you have the gods to talk back at us boy?” Jakes asked him sternly.

“Since the day they discovered their treasure,” Randy said and they all looked at him. The twelve understood him, Chris couldn’t stand it, and Jan didn’t have a better chance. Jakes asked. “What treasure?”

But he was interrupted by a phone call. It was Cindy’s phone ringing, when she looked at it, it was Anastasia. She looked at the rest of them and her eyes were trying to tell them how important it was for her to take the call.

“Put off the phone,” jakes ordered, she hesitated.

“I said put off the phone,” he shouted and Cindy shook. Larry took the phone from her and answered. “We are in a meeting, call you later,” he put it off.

“Better,” jakes eased himself. “As I was saying, your practice starts tomorrow and you will be under severe supervision to ensure that the practice runs effectively.”

“Just to let you know twelve,” Duncan said. “It will be glorious working with you and I did make a donation to those missionary kids,”

Duncan was almost revealing a secret and the twelve was scared they might sense a snitchal about it.

“You never told me you were helping some kids out there,” Randy attacked him.

“Yah some kids using their summer holiday to do service to humanity, they actually have so many sponsors. Just made myself one,”

“Under which organization,” Randy asked.

“I don’t know for sure, certainly one of those places that train children to be missionaries.”

All through the twelve listened like they knew nothing.

“And they asked you to help them?” Randy asked again.

“No,” Duncan’s answer was swift and sounded honest.  The twelve stared at Randy.

“I did it because I believe it’s another way of making peace with myself, I just want this concert to be something I won’t forget in a century.”

“Good start,” Randy withdrew the case.

After the twelve’s meeting at Rolex center, they drove back to their house. On their way Cindy returned Anastasia’s call.

“Hey Anastasia,” she said on the phone.

“Hi Cindy,” she sounded happy.

“Wow you are excited, what’s up?”

“We got a program in a TV station, highlights TV station.”  Anastasia told her.

“Amazing,” she screamed and the others smiled though they didn’t know what was said.

“Yeah, the manager will allow us run a one hour program every Sunday as from five, we just did the advertisement and it will be aired from today.”

“Wow great, we are going to be glued to highlights on Sunday to watch you guys,”

“Thank you, you see that’s why I called.”

“Great news let me tell the others.”

“Okay, faith and Lewis send their greetings.”

“Send our love to them as well. You all are doing great and we are proud of you all,”

“Thanks Cindy,”

The line went dead.

“They’ve got a TV program on highlights TV.”

Then they understood why Cindy screamed. Maul suddenly brought out her laptop and started typing seriously.

“What are you doing?” Zed asked her.

“Telling the world to watch highlights TV Sunday five o’clock.”

She replied.

“You are a sharp girl,” Michael said to her.

“Thank you,” she smiled at him and went back to what she was doing.

Sunday finally came and the so many people who received tweets from the twelve and instagram post advertising the TV program on highlights TV were about to find out why the twelve urged them not to miss the program. After church service, the twelve passed through their field to check on their horses while doing that they never stopped checking the time.  When it was 5PM they were glued to their TV and so was everyone who was opportune to access the channel either by internet or on their Television at home or on the streets or in bars.