©Pandora Room: No return for whomsoever goes in©


Somewhere  within Lagos.

-Nine thirty p.m.(September 19 2020)


"This room you see," he held onto his right ear. " is not to be opened...don't ask me why but don't open it." He took a marker and crossed a streak on it. Like that of an occultic emblem depicting danger.


He looked at Nnamdi, my younger brother and patted his ebony hair. " you don't want to disobey me, right?" he strode towards the sitting room. We were transfixed. As to why he had warned us not to enter the room.


Our home was an historical house prob'ly of the 'medieval era' as people called it. But it was nicely decorated. Its constructs were made of Mud blocks. But only a few buildings in our vicinity could outshine it when it comes to design.


 "The owner of this house was the Aliko dangote of that time — even the palace couldn't compete with it." My father would always say each time we told him of the mockery our friends threw at us.


He would scream " T-E-L-L them to list twenty houses in their community that would beat our house in beauty...back stabbers...I know they couldn't.".


It was a bungalow. BANGA LEE as my friends would mock. It was a four bedroom flat, a small sized sitting room and two extra rooms. One was used by our father as a library. I always laugh my heart out each time I visited it. Only a fluffy chair, a mahogany table. A Ghana must go bag. which contained his pile of books I guess it's being decades he opened them.


I had sighted one or two rats scavenging  around. I shook my head.``Library for rats...muckery library!" I  jerked.


The other room which had just had its door cross marked. Was the supposed sacred room.


Our sitting room was not so spacious. But enough for us. A family of six, oh. Sorry! three.  

A mother and daughter disappeared into thin air just like that. I still believed they would return one day.


Our father took a framed picture on the mini fridge.

He focused so much on it as though it was anew. Embedded in the picture, Were a family of six. My father posed like a nigga, his right hand in his right pocket of his jean trouser and placed the other around our mother's shoulder. Our mother was fair in completion,fairly shorter than our father,plumpy and had a tiny noticeable scar on her left cheek. Four children afront them.


The black amongst the families was Emily the eldest child, we always wondered  who she had inherited her color from. She stood like a soldier, face squeezed. Certainly because she hated camera PHOTOGENIC. 


Beside her was Caroline whitish as ever. CARO-WHITE was the name given to her by friends. Squatted beside her, was Nnamdi covered in a teary face. I could still remember that face. It was because his video game was seized, so he could focus. 


Lastly was me the second born with a blushed face shy of the camera. Watermarked on the picture was: Banana island, Epemi's garden 24th september 2018.


Our father let out a sigh and placed it back its initial position.


Nnamdi tilted his face up. "Daddy, does that room have anything to do with our mother and sister?."


He gave us a stern look. " I said that room is a 'Pandora room' it's full of mysteries. You are far too young to comprehend...and lastly, no one should attempt that door. Case closed, go to bed." He herded us to bed.


Flood of thought ran through my head. The pangara door, pamgora door whatever he called it, was still a mystery to me. Why must we be restricted from entering? Or does it have to do without my mother and big sis disappearance.  Was my father a ritualist?. As my friends  adjudged. NO! But why did  he restrict us?  


I must unravel the mystery tomorrow morning. Whatever comes out of it would be on me.


The tickling hands of sleep massaged me into slumber...


The hunk of a car jolted me awake. "Dad's gura gura car...mtcheew, he  should barter it for  a pot." I hushed.


"Kids, come help your dad out with the car." he said blaring his horn. 


I hissed. Propped my arm on my cheek, and picked my phone. It was 8 O' clock, jeez I had slept off, anyways NO SCHOOL  we were in mid term break. Thank God.


I jumped off the bed, wore my velvet gown and strode lazily outside.


So far so good. After a debilitating push, the worst car in the whole universe finally cranked up to life. We waved at him as he zoomed off. We covered our nostrils out of the poisonous and deadly smoke ( carbon 4 oxide) from the car exhaust.


I closed the door behind. And l held Nnamdi by the hand. " Where did you say daddy kept that key?" I asked him.


" Which key?"

" the one to the pangora door"

" oh. Its Pandora door not pangora"

" see. Forget grammar, where is the key?"

" we are going in together,"

"Going where?.see—"

"The key is with me. So chill and let's go."


As we headed for the Pandora door. Thought right through the valley of my skull, as to how Nnamdi knew of my plan or was it an occurrence—I can't let him in. 


We had a pact. That he should stay behind should I not return.


As I unlocked the door, about to defile the family extant law. I pecked Nmadi on his forehead.

" sis Rita,do you really think we should be doing this?" He asked.


" Shhhhhh. No choice!... I have to… Understand?" I stammered.


" Look," I checked my wrist watch, it was Nine o' clock a.m.

"If I am not out in the next Thirty minutes, put a call across to daddy. Lastly, don't forget the house chores."


He nodded sheepishly. 


I slam the door behind  NO TEMO( in Spanish meaning: I am not afraid of the dark.) I mumbled and heaved a sigh.

…

The room was  barely visible. I was triggered to turn back. But I couldn't find the door. it had vanished.


I made a move. Missed my feet. Doubled. like an abyss, I plummeted undyingly . I closed my eyes and prayed.


I landed with a great thud. It's as if the impact had seized every single air from my lungs. I laid there struggling to catch some breath. 


I laid on my back, face tilted upwards. I squinted as a ray of light shone from a far distance. Could I have fallen so deep?It was as if I fell into a deep  well.


I stretched my hands.Slouched, I noticed I fell right on human skulls. I screamed. 


"Shhh. Silence...required…for the seekers are lurking behind."


A cool voice whispered.


The voice sounds familiar.


"M—,mum?". I stuttered.


™Musty strange


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