It was a hot Wednesday afternoon in Abuja.

Inside a large church compound, workers moved around, arranging chairs and cleaning the area before the evening service. The church building was beautiful, with shiny tiled floors, large glass windows, and posters of upcoming crusades hanging on the walls.

At the top floor of the church office, Pastor Emmanuel sat in his air-conditioned office. The office was large and well-organized. A large Bible rested on his table beside a bottle of olive oil, prayer books, and framed photos of him preaching in different countries.

Pastor Emmanuel was known as a dramatic but funny pastor. He loved preaching loudly and always liked to act very serious, even during normal conversations.

That afternoon, he was expecting a visitor.

A few moments later, there was a knock on the door.

“Come in!” the pastor shouted.

The door opened, and a young man walked inside with a smile on his face.

The man’s name was Kelvin.

Kelvin was a church member and a successful businessman. He was humble, respectful, and always supported church programs whenever he could.

“Ah! My big man friend!” Pastor Emmanuel shouted happily as he stood up from his chair. “How are you?”

Kelvin laughed and shook his hand.

“I’m fine, sir.”

“Sit down, sit down,” the pastor said warmly.

Kelvin sat comfortably on the chair opposite him.

Pastor Emmanuel adjusted himself proudly in his seat.

“I heard you want to make a donation to the church,” he said, excitement already evident on his face.

“Yes, sir,” Kelvin replied calmly.

The pastor smiled immediately.

“That’s good. Very good. God will continue to bless you.”

As they talked, Pastor Emmanuel suddenly noticed the black can in Kelvin’s hand.

The pastor narrowed his eyes.

“What is that you are drinking?” he asked.

Kelvin looked surprised by the question but smiled politely.

“Energy drink, sir,” he replied, showing him the can.

Immediately, Pastor Emmanuel’s face changed.

“What?!” he shouted.

Kelvin almost jumped from his chair.

The pastor stood up immediately from his seat, as if someone had deeply offended him.

“How can you bring that kind of drink into my office?” he asked angrily.

People outside the office could almost hear his voice.

Kelvin blinked in confusion.

“Sir?”

“And how are you even drinking it?” the pastor continued dramatically. “Don’t you know this thing has the 666 mark? My friend, you want to go to hell?”

Kelvin quickly looked at the can, confused.

“Pastor, I don’t know o,” he said honestly. “There is no 666 here.”

Pastor Emmanuel stretched his hand quickly.

“Give me!”

Kelvin handed him the can carefully.

The pastor turned it upside down and pointed at the logo seriously.

“Can you see it now?” he asked loudly. “Look very well. Three signs. That is 666!”

Kelvin looked carefully at the can and suddenly laughed.

“Pastor no na,” he said, trying not to laugh too much. “It’s just a logo.”

Pastor Emmanuel frowned immediately.

“Don’t say that!” he warned. “As a child of God, you are not supposed to accept or use anything connected to 666.”

Kelvin nodded slowly while trying to hide his smile.

“Okay, sir.”

The office became quiet for a moment.

Kelvin slowly stood up from his chair.

“Pastor, no need for me to stay again,” he said calmly. “Let me be going.”

Pastor Emmanuel looked confused immediately.

“Ha? What about the donation?”

Kelvin shrugged casually.

“I can’t give you again na.”

The pastor’s eyes widened instantly.

“Why?” he asked quickly.

Kelvin folded his arms gently.

“Because you won’t accept it.”

Pastor Emmanuel looked even more confused.

“What do you mean?”

Kelvin smiled softly.

“The cheque I brought is written six hundred and sixty-six thousand naira.”

The pastor froze completely.

“N666,000,” Kelvin repeated.

The office became silent.

Pastor Emmanuel’s mouth opened slightly.

“N666,000?” he repeated slowly.

Kelvin nodded seriously.

“Yes, sir. Since you said anything with 666 will send somebody to hell, I don’t want you to go to hell because of my donation.”

For a few seconds, Pastor Emmanuel just stared at him.

Then suddenly, his expression changed completely.

“Ha!” he shouted, bursting into laughter.

Kelvin looked at him quietly.

Pastor Emmanuel quickly sat back down.

“My brother, relax na!” he said while laughing nervously. “I was joking. This is how we pastors joke sometimes.”

Kelvin raised an eyebrow.

“Joke?”

“Yes na!” the pastor replied quickly. “What is wrong with 666? Nothing. It’s just an ordinary number. People take things too seriously these days.”

Kelvin could barely hold his laughter.

“So the drink won’t send me to hell again?” he asked teasingly.

“Ah ah!” Pastor Emmanuel waved his hand immediately. “Who said so? It’s just a drink, na Ordinary energy drink.”

Kelvin laughed loudly.

The pastor laughed too, although slightly embarrassed.

Then Kelvin stretched the can toward him.

“Okay, sir,” he said jokingly. “Take it.”

Pastor Emmanuel looked at the drink for a moment.

“You sure?”

“Yes na. Drink am.”

The pastor carefully collected the can and looked around, as if hiding secret evidence.

Then he opened it.

Pssshhhhh.

The sound filled the office.

Kelvin folded his arms, waiting.

Pastor Emmanuel slowly took a sip.

Then another sip.

Suddenly, his eyes widened.

“Wow,” he said honestly.

Kelvin started laughing already.

The pastor looked at the can again, surprised.

“This thing sweet o!”

Kelvin laughed harder.

Pastor Emmanuel nodded seriously.

“I can even feel the energy already.”

Both of them burst into loud laughter.

Outside the office, one of the church workers passing by heard the laughter and shook his head.

“These pastors sef,” he muttered.

Inside the office, Pastor Emmanuel wiped his mouth and smiled.

“My brother, bring the cheque so that we can continue the work of God.”

Kelvin laughed and brought out the cheque from his folder.

Pastor Emmanuel collected it carefully like fragile gold.

“N666,000,” he read again slowly.

Then he looked up.

“You know, say this number is still somehow small?”

Kelvin laughed loudly.

“Pastor!”

Both of them laughed again.

Pastor Emmanuel proudly raised the energy drink can.

“My brother,” he said dramatically, “this drink cannot be wrong.”

And both of them laughed until tears nearly came out of their eyes.