TOO LATE TO GATHER

We all said yes to the training.
We all said yes to joining the fight.
At the beginning, the commander gave his commands;
“You all will be in this camp, in preparation for battle.
Start a camp fire and keep it burning everyday.
Gather the woods in the day because the night is too late to go gather the woods.
There must always be woods to keep up the fire.
It is how you mark out your territory and keep the enemies away”.

He gave the commands and appointed two men to be our leaders in his absence.
Gerald to control the first group and Desmond to control the second group.
And he left.
Everything we needed, we had access to and every supplies for our upkeep were available.
We lacked nothing and we never went hungry.
All we had to do was have meetings and trainings as Group A and Group B, led by Gerald and Desmond respectively.
Majority of us had pre-existing friendships before being selected for the duty though we were called individually.

A quick recap of what happened before camp

I remember what I was doing and all that happened before I got there but I still can’t fathom how and why I was selected.
I was outside our house, making diagrams and sketches on paper and on the floor and trying to figure out how to get a good masterpiece.

My Dad called for me and I ran quickly to answer him. I didn’t know he had company. It was on my arrival I realized there was a lady with him, dressed in what I classify as a male outfit; a workshop jumpsuit.

After greeting her, my Dad told me to pay attention to what the lady was doing. Apparently, she was the plumber who had repaired our pumping machine and replaced some pipes and controls and she was there to show us how to maneuver through the new arrangements. I followed her explanations attentively until I saw Williams, the son of our our neighbor from a distance, walking around my drawing space. As he was trying to pick my ruler, I ran towards him to collect it from him and that is all I can remember that happened on the last day I spent at home before I found myself in the camp.

Whether I slept and woke up at the camp or whether I walked in myself, I know not but I couldn’t remember being forced down there here.

I opened my eyes and saw myself in a beautiful room and a beautiful woman in military uniform was sitting next to me on the bed. I was surprised yet without fear.
There was a sense of calmness and peace over the room and as I closed my eyes to take it in, she didn’t interrupt.
I opened my eyes to look at her and she smiled at me and said; “Welcome on board Daniella”

And as if she heard the question on my mind, she said;
“I have been sent here to explain why you are here to you. You have been chosen with some others to be trained as soldiers who will stand and defend your people against the attack of the enemies.

“But I don’t have any skills” I managed to say.

Again she smiled at me and said “The master specializes in building the unqualified into being qualified. All that is left is your decision.
Are you willing to be a part of this journey?”

And I said Yes.
She ticked a gadget in her hands and the light in my room turned green.
That was the beginning for me.

All I needed for upkeep were made available, feeding inclusive and all clothing sewn to fit my stature were in the wardrobe in my room.

The first day we were called to assemble, I saw the crowd and I was amazed. And that was the day we were addressed by the Commander.
It was after some days in camp I saw some of my friends. My school friends and my church friends.

As I continued, I reflected on how I had seen a female plumber and wondered how a female could take up a Job like that. And now I could only imagine what someone would think of a female like myself in military.

Gerald and Desmond continued the leadership roles assigned to them and we obeyed the rules and were attentive and cooperative during meetings and trainings.

However, after a while, some people started missing training and giving excuses.
Not long after, Gerald and Desmond got into an argument and there was division.

Some were in support of Gerald, others went with Desmond and some of us were neutral.

No one cared about getting the woods to keep the fire burning anymore, all of us did as we liked as our leaders were also out of roles.

When someone mentioned the rule of the commander, another replied saying;
“Don’t be a coward soldier, the fence around the fence is high enough to protect us from the enemies”

Another said;
“The days we have kept the fire burning is enough to have scared the enemies away, if there’s even any enemy in the first place”

I was concerned too and I joined in the conversation.
“I am worried about how we all have stopped training and also about these divisions we have going on amongst us”

“Hey girl, the training we have had are enough to fight, so you have nothing to worry about” Veronica, a friend I met first in school and who had also been selected replied me.

When it was late in the evening of the same day, a party was organized to “ease the stress” they said.

I was a part of the party. With music playing so loud and without stop. We were all enjoying the moment and soon forgot about our assignment.

All of a sudden, the music stopped playing and those in charge were trying to get it fixed.

I decided to take a walk to the outdoor restroom and as I went I heard someone call out to me to ask me what was going on.

I smiled and told him the music stopped all of a sudden but it was being rectified.

I resumed walking and was humming a song when I noticed the holes on the fence. As I looked back to call the attention of the person who called out to me seconds ago.

I said “We have been carried away and now the enemies have attacked”

I looked back to the holes to see venomous serpents crawling in through the holes.

I shouted
“The enemies are here!!!”

But it was too late.
The snakes grew bigger and increased in numbers.

None of us expected that and we were all caught off guard.

There was no camp fire and the woods had been used up.

I kept on shouting to alert the others but as I tried running away from the fence as they drew nearer, I knew it was really too late and it was over.

We have not only failed our people but we have successfully gotten ourselves killed…

I was still moving when one of the snakes got closer to attack me and I fell.

Rising up from the fall was an awakening from my sleep.
It was all a dream.

I shook with fear as I recalled all I saw.
This was both a warning and a call back to action.

END NOTES

A warning to you oh soldier!. To keep up the work and not neglect the duty.
A warning to you oh Leader!. To work together with your fellow leaders and ensure oneness in the Army.

The fire you have had burning is the reason the enemies have been kept away.
Your decision to stop the burning makes the environment cold for the creeping agents of the dark.
Your attraction to the world is a distraction!
Don’t get carried away, else you will be ignorant of the workings of the enemy around you and he’ll attack when you do not expect.

Refire comrade!!!
Gather the woods and ignite the fire again..

Awake Intercessors!!!

The enemy is not sleeping and he’s not relenting creating new techniques of attack.

Not to cause fear but to cause a stir within.

God strengthen us all.

Amen.