Lights out

It began as a practical joke, but at the end, no one was laughing. It seemed innocent enough at first because Ama and I have a history of playing pranks on each other. But we had never really considered playing pranks on a group of people, or family members. Well, not until this morning. The day started off normally, when I mean normally, I mean the day was freaking hot as hell. So, yeah, it was a normal Saturday morning and Ama came over to my house which was close to his. 

My parents knew him, so he could come up to my room whenever he wanted. My mum had just returned from Mass. Apparently she had been having nightmares about her elder brother who died a few months ago. She didn’t tell me about the nightmares that morning. She welcomed Ama and ushered him upstairs. Ama and I wanted to go visit the family of my deceased uncle; which meant my four cousins and their nanny, their mum had travelled. 

“Wake up sleepy head”, Ama said, dragging my pillow from under my head.

 “Must you be violent?” I asked Ama, sitting up grudgingly.

 “Sorry Ifeanyi, but I have the biggest prank in history. Your expertise would be needed of course”, Ama said, grinning from ear to ear. 

“First of all Ama, you’ve never asked for my help when you play pranks and secondly, I don’t feel like pranking, we’re going to my late uncle’s house”, I replied, getting ready to take my bath. 

“Just hear me out Ifeanyi before you opt out”, Ama pleaded.

 “Alright, alright, let’s hear it”, I said. So Ama told me, it sounded awesome, like something that would result in a good laugh. So I decided to join him make a fool of my clueless cousins and their nanny.

We made a list of the things we needed and went to the hardware store to get them. We decided that for our prank to be more effective, we should visit in the evening. So I told my mum I was going to Ama’s house and we left at 5:00pm. I must say, we are complete geniuses. We got to the mansion at 5:30pm and aunty Becca, the nanny opened the door for us. My four cousins, Ada, Ben, Obinna and Ifunanya were so happy to see Ama and I. Ada is 16, so am I, Ben is 15, Obinna is 13 and Ifu is 11. Our prank would totally work. Ama stayed with them in the living room, while I arranged our stuff. Aunty Becca prepared dinner for us and disappeared into the house. We didn’t see her for most of the night. If I wasn’t so engrossed in planning my prank, maybe I would have thought that weird. 

“Let’s play a game”, Ama said, after we had had dinner. 

“Shouldn’t you guys be leaving”, Ada replied, more of a statement than a question. 

“After one game”, I answered, “you guys seem to need fun around here.”

Ada shrugged and suggested we play a game of  cards. Wonderful. Everyone was engrossed in the game, when I pressed a button on a tiny remote I had made earlier and a sound like thunder rumbling raked the house. Ifunanya jumped and cried loudly. I tried so hard not to laugh as I pressed another button and the lights went out for about 5 seconds with everyone screaming. I pressed a button again and the lights came back on, but Ama was no longer in our midst. 

“Where’s Ama?” Obinna asked, looking around. 

We called on him but he didn’t  answer. I knew where he was, obviously, but we just wanted to scare my cousins. Yes, it was wicked, but it was funny. I was still amused at what I did when I saw a flash across the sky and the next thing that followed was thunder rumbling. This time, we were all startled, myself included. OK, I thought, I don’t need the fake thunder sounds, it was probably going to rain. Which meant Ama and I were stuck in my uncle’s house for a while. I was still thinking of what I’d tell my mum if I got home late when the light flickered again, then went off. That wasn’t me, I thought, and definitely not Ama, he wasn’t with the remote. The lights came on again, and what I saw scared the shit out of me, or rather who I didn’t see. Ifunanya was gone! 

“What’s going on here?” Obinna spoke up for first time, “where are Ama and Ifunanya? They were right here now.”

 “I honestly wish I knew”, I replied, no longer sure of myself. We searched the entire house for Ama and Ifunanya but we didn’t find them. I didn’t see Ama where I thought he’d be hiding and I had nothing to do with Ifu’s disappearance.

 “Has anyone seen Aunty Becca?” Ada asked. 

This made us realize we were looking for three people. 

“I haven’t seen her since we had dinner”, I said. By then, it had started raining hard outside. I could feel the goosebumps rising all over my body. I just didn’t know if it was from fear or cold.

 “I have to call my mum”, Ada said as soon as we got to the living room again. She picked up the telephone on the table and put it back on the receiver with disgust. “The line is cut”, she said, “give me your phone Ifeanyi.” I would have willingly given it to her, if I could find it, but it wasn’t in my pocket, where it definitely should have been.

 “OK, I’m really scared now”, said Ben, almost in tears. 

“Let’s just go out and tell Musa”, Obinna said. 

Musa was the gateman. We all headed for the door that led outside, which we had not thought of since the ordeal started. The door refused to open, we couldn’t find the key. Ada checked the back door, same thing. Ben quickly ran to the balcony to shout for Musa,  but it was either Musa had gone deaf or he too had vanished, because he didn’t answer. “Are you guys trying to tell me that we are trapped in this big house and people are mysteriously disappearing and there’s no one to help us?” I asked no one in particular. 

“Jee, Ifeanyi, thanks for stating the obvious”, Ada replied sarcastically.

 I stared at her with disgust, here I was panicking and she was being annoying. I heard something that sounded like my ringtone. All our faces lit up with hopes as we ran towards the sound. I found it amongst the things I set up for the prank and picked the call before anyone asked me what all those technical stuff was doing in the waiting room.

 “Hello mum”, I said with relief for it was my mum calling.

 “Where are you, Ifeanyi?” She asked. “I’ve been having nightmares about your uncle’s family, are you still with Ama—”

"You’ve been what?” I cut her off, “mum why didn’t you tell me about the nightmares before now, I’m in uncle’s house.”

 “No!” my mum screamed, “get out of there now.”

“Mum, come quick, something is happening here and I don’t understand what it is… “hello, hello!” I screamed with panic. I couldn’t hear my mum again. In fact, my phone just died mysteriously. Just then, the lights flickered and went off again. I could hear Ada screaming, “no, not again, God please.” Three seconds later, the lights came on and Ben was gone.

Three of us screamed so loud and ran to the front door which refused to open, naturally. I said a silent prayer hoping my mum got to us before we all disappeared from the house. We decided to try other exits like the windows. But the frames prevented us from climbing out. 

“Guess we’re all going to disappear too”,  Obinna said. Ada tried to soothe her brother while I thought, maybe we could climb down from the balcony, so far, that was the only door leading outside that could open. Without saying anything, I ran upstairs, with Ada and Obinna behind me. The rain still poured hard as I stepped out. It was a long way down, I realized as I looked over the rails.

 “Are you crazy Ifeanyi, you’ll fall to your death if you are actually thinking of climbing or jumping down”, Ada said with concern. 

“I’m not going to do nothing but wait for the lights to flicker again and one of us disappears”, I said, “who’s it going to be next, you, Obinna, me? We have to get out of here.” 

Before Ada could reply, the lights flickered. Great, why did I mention it. This is the end for me.

 I closed my eyes and opened it and found myself in a dark room, with very little light. I saw Ama, Ifunanya and Ben tied to different chairs all gagged and eyes closed. Then I noticed Musa was on the floor, bleeding. So this was where we came to when the lights go out. I was about to wake my cousins when I heard Aunty Becca’s voice.

 “Welcome Ifeanyi, you’ll complete my little sacrifice. I've been waiting for you.”  She laughed wickedly. 

So this was the end for me. I die because I wanted to prank my cousins. If only I was at home and didn’t listen to Ama. As Aunty Becca approached me with a knife, I heard someone calling my name from a distance. It sounded like my mum’s voice. Yes, she did come to save me. It became louder and louder, suddenly I opened my eyes and jumped up from my bed, sweating. 

“Ifeanyi, are you alright, you’ve been screaming in your sleep”, my mum asked me. I looked around and found myself on my bed in my bedroom, with Ama and my mum. I took in a deep breath as I realized I had been dreaming. No, not dreaming, I had been having a nightmare. My mum kissed my forehead as I assured her I was fine. She left I and Ama alone. 

“Guy, you were just screaming like a small girl”, Ama laughed at me. Typical of him to laugh. I stood to go to the bathroom when I heard him say, “I have the biggest prank in history.” 

I stopped dead in my walk and turned to him. I mustered the most serious voice ever and said, “I’m never pranking again Ama, and I’m not going to see my cousins, not today not any time soon.” I went into the bathroom and left him to ponder why I was so serious. I didn’t care, nothing was taking me close to Aunty Becca or any prank ever again.