Eery feeling

*the loud pitch tenor voice of an opera singer in the backgroud*

The hall is pitch dark with reflection of light coming from the stage,a man and woman dressed in medieval roman costumes belting high notes and singing their hearts out,men in the audience looking spellbound and women fanning themselves,breathing hard,captivated by the singers on stage,my brother's voice broke my attention

"Oh my God,Maj,are u teary?" Hamz's voice jolted me from my reverie,I was so taken with the opera I was listening to my eyes got tearful,I quickly wiped away my tears with the back of my palms as I responded,"oh Hamz,its opera...opeeeraaaa" I stressed, "yea,I know and am super bored" Hamz retorted, "oh Hamz,opera and classical music are an amazing art and makes u appreciate things better,especially things around u and also nature" I tried to convince my younger bro, "NO WAY! I wanna go home,I don't know why I followed u and Mom here,a normal guy shouldn't shits like this unless they are gay" Hamz snapped,I rolled my eyes as Mom asked us to both quiet down, "that's the stereotype" I countered, "listening to classical music and operas has nothing to do with homosexuality,gays watch footballs too u kno" I replied, "I just want to go home" Hamz said with a long yawn as he sinks back into his cushioned seat. Mom has always been a lover of art and classical music and the opera since her teenage years and of all her children,I was the one who absorbed the love for the arts and especially opera,I find it relaxing and intriguing. A week before,Mom came home from work beaming with smiles,telling me an opera show would be taking place at the dome in the federal capital and we should all come,QT and Karl quickly declined coming as I jumped with excitement at the news,asking which company or organisation put up the show,Hamz who was eating on the dining table,smiled and reluctantly agreed to come with us just to see what it was all about. Back at the theatre,Hamz whipped out his phone and started playing games on this phone and the sounds distracting people around us,I would occasionally make to grab the phone and he would quickly stretch his hand out of my reach,Mom gave us both an icy look that could kill,snapping her fingers at Hamz,demanding for his phone and he grudgingly handed the phone to her, "its about how achilles fell" I whispered to Hamz,he gave me a condescending look then turning back to stage,he whispered back, "I thought they were going to teach amazing sex styled",I almost chocked on my outburst of laughter as I covered my mouth,Mom gave us another icy cool that says "last warning". The show went on for another 45 minutes and it came to an end,Hamz couldn't be happier as he sprang to his feet,dusting himself unnecessarily and looking ready to get out of the venue as Mom greeted friends and other opera goers,as we made to leave,Mom bumped into an indian-burmese man,he wore a white suit and cream head turban with herbert Macaulay-styled mustache,he also came to watch the opera,Mom quickly apologized as the man said its cool,his accent and voice sounding like an extra on spongebob's cartoon,we made to go and he called Mom back,greeted her again and asked if she was a widow,Mom looking surprised said yes and inquired how he knew,he introduced himself as a vet doctor, dr ashish valayaeh from india,a prophet and very much connected to jinns,Mom took a step back,welcomed him to nigeria and bid him farewell,urging us to move along, " Lily of the beauty spring" he called out,Mom looked back in an instant,her face contorted with lines of shock,her mouth agape," that's what he calls you isn't it?" Dr ashish said" ,Mom's eyelashes twinkle rapidly as Hamz and I shared worried glances, "your late husband,that's what he calls you right?" He continued, "How on earth did you know that?not even our kids knows he calls me that", Mom said,her hands grabbing us tightly, dr ashish smiled and shook his head, "looking at you at the opera,I could perceive some force around you and I read "lily of the beauty spring"" he continued," you get troubles from your late husband's family don't u?" ,Mom who was by now convinced he must be what he said he is,stammered and answered, "ye...yea...yes...sir..they do", I pinched Mom slightly urging us to leave the place as we were beginning to be the last people in the hall as the cast and crew of the show were on stage having a meeting and taking down props, dr ashish smiled and asked me why am pinching my Mom,I was shocked and stammered "n...no,I..er...I wasn't doing that", "don't lie son" he countered, facing Mom,he gave her a bracelet to be worn for 7 days and pray to a clean water when she gets home and drink,Mom asked what the bracelet was for and he simply said "protection....I leave u in peace" and he left. "Mom throw that thing away" I said the moment dr ashish left, "yes Mom,that man gave me the jitters,I support Maj,Mom thorw it away" but she didn't,she wiped a tear on her left eye and wrapped the bracelet in a tissue paper she brought out of her purse and put it inside and said she was going to find out about it,Mom is ever the type that contacts marabouts,soothsayers and the likes,I knew she wouldn't throw the stuff away,I said a silent prayer in my heart willing us all into the hands of God and we left for home.
    On getting home,we kicked our shoes off as Hamz jumped on the sofa,lamenting to Karl and QT how much he suffered listening to crap they call opera,Mom didn't say much,only that we make sure we lock up the whole place and ensure the security lights were switched on before we go to bed,I prepared me some green tea and sat watching wrestling with my brothers on cable,as I got dizzy,I went upstairs and got into bed and few minutes later,heard as my brothers were still discussing the wrestling bouts climbing upstairs as QT and Hamz went into their rooms bidding Karl goodnight,Karl came into the room,turned on the light as I cringed as the rays of light hit my eyes,he smiled and apologised, quickly took off his clothes,leaving just his briefs and got into bed, "what's the meaning of this rubbish Karl,wearing just briefs and getting under the duvet with me,I don't like it" he laughed and said "we can't be gay and incestuous at the same time lovely brother of mine,remember who once said that?" I smiled and he turned off the light and we went to sleep.
     It must have been around 2am,I felt a chilly breeze sweep through the curtains into the room,it felt good as I turned under the duvet so the fresh air would hit my behind which has got heated up as I slept on it for hours,Karl's soft snooze had quieten down,his "american" hair all scattered,I thought I heard the door creak or maybe I thought I was dreaming,Karl's essays on the reading desk opposite the desk blown on the ground by the wind,my half open eye lids slid back tight as I slept,suddenly I heard a frightening scream coming from Mom's bedroom as she called God's name,I woke up with a start,Karl woke and switch on the lights,"robbers" he said,he quickly made for the chest of drawers and opened the last chest which is always locked,he pulled out a revolver,all this happened quickly,I covered my mouth in shock! "U have a gun K? I asked, "ofcourse,I was once in the US army" was all he said as he made for the door,I quietly tiptoed behind,calling my brothers with my phone,we opened the door and.... KEEP UP