Chapter One

"I was thinking we should send the children to the art gallery at the local market since it's a holiday and there is no agenda for us, the gallery at Accra Central,". Mr. Sowah shouted from the bathroom to his wife.

"I don't think that will be a better idea. There is a fan fair at the famous Circle interchange park. Why don't we take them there?". Mrs. Sowah shouted back from the bedroom while she finished making the bed.

"Do you feel okay exposing the children to the crowd? What if something bad happens to them?". Mr. Sowah said, entering the bedroom.

"The children are going to have fun and you call it exposure to harm?". Mr. Sowah stood in front of the dressing mirror to dress.

"Please don't argue with me now, just tell the children to get ready". He finished sounding more imposing and not in the mood to go through it with her.

Ever since he settled down to work within the country, he had realised that the children were not taking their studies seriously. It was either they went out with their friends after school or do other stuff without doing their homeworks and he had had enough of it. He wouldn't have even allowed them to go out and have fun. Why? Because it's a holiday? But it would be like holding them captives and his wife would have to always snap at him, which he was not ready for.

Mrs. Sowah silently left the room and shut the door behind her. She walked to Mavis, her second born's room, and gently knocked on the door before entering.

"I'll call you back girl, I've got to go". Mavis said and hurriedly took out the earphones from her ears. "Mum, I've told to wait till I ask you in before you enter". She finished and stood up from her bed, irritated.

"I've told you that privacy should never be a subject to talk about in his house. Well, I am here to tell you to get ready for we would spend the holiday at the art gallery. , you've got thirty minutes." Mrs. Sowah said and stormed out of the room without waiting to hear anything her daughter would have to say.

Mavis stood still for a moment and wondered why on earth they would spend the holiday at the art gallery?

She walked to her wardrobe and took out a pink blouse and a black jean, not wanting to think about it too much.

Mavis got out of her room and walked to Joel's room. Her brother was on the opposite side of her room. It bisected the corridor into two rows: girls were on the right side and boys on the left.

Mavis knocked on her brother's door before entering. She suddenly froze at what she saw. Paintings of scary creatures hanged on the wall and the curtains in the room paved no light into the room, making it look scary.

"Have you forgotten why you're here?" Joel's deep voice sounded from the corner of the room where his bed was.

"What have you done here Joe". Mavis tilted her head, brushing her hair with her fingers as she turned to look at Joel with a stunned look.

"Why are you here May". Joel's voice was horse as he ignored Mavis' question.

"Mom and dad said we should get ready, we're going to the art gallery." Joel shot at his sister in disbelief.

"And since when did we visit art galleries?" Mavis gave him a question like look as if to ask 'how am I supposed to know?'

"I'm going to get breakfast because right now I can't really hear myself think." With that, she walked out and closed the door behind her.

It has always been at the fair. Ever since Joel's father had settled down and worked within the country, it was the fair he would take them to during holidays. But everything seemed to have changed and the impact of it was too hard to bear. His father would force him and his sister to learn and stop indulging in any activities and, what's worse, not going out with friends.

Joel lazily got out of bed and walked to the bathroom. He quickly took a shower and threw on black v-neck t-shirt and dark blue jeans and a pair of sneakers. He looked at himself in the mirror and took in his looks. His black hair always trimmed down you could see his underneath skin. He brushed it and put on his rimless glasses and walked out of his room, stopping at the door, he glanced back and thought if he should walk downstairs, his father would ask stupid questions because he had no camera and other stuff so he walked back inside and took a small hang bag with his notepad and his camera. Satisfied, he took his leather jacket and walked out of his room.

"What kept you jailed in your room for so long, Joe?". Mr. Sowah asked, sounding irritated.

Joel looked at him as though he was an alien. He walked to the dining table and sat down. He kept staring at his scrambled eggs with toasted bread with disgust.

"Are you not going to eat?" His mother said, sitting opposite him and glaring daggers at him like she'll scoop his very soul out.

"I'm not hungry". Joel whispered as though he was talking to himself, but his mom heard him.

"I am.....". She was interrupted when Mavis said in a more stern voice" I'm also not hungry".

"Will you two just cut the crap and finish your food?". Mr. Sowah yelled, stressing the last word, making both Joel and Mavis jump. Mrs. Sowah's lips curved into a small smile. Satisfied at what her husband had done.

"Now get yourselves out of the house and wait in the car". Mr. Sowah snapped, making Joel and Mavis stand, and stormed out.

Joel walked back in and, glad that no one was at the dining, he rushed to the table and packed his untouched food into his bag and dashed out.

"You know you should not have stood up to our father like that ". Mavis said, leaning against the car as she absentmindedly blew a bubble of gum and burst it.

"I know. It's just that he gets haughty sometimes, and it makes me wonder if I am really his son".

Before Mavis could say anything, Mr.Sowah and his wife walked out of the house with their faces like they have been arguing over something.

Joel hastened to the car and jumped into the back seat as Mavis joined him. Their parents joined them and Mr.Sowah quickly started the car and took off. Joel kept to himself until they reach their destination to avoid any extraneous arguments.

The ride to the art gallery was an hour's drive and it made Joel feel uncomfortable. He looked outside the window and saw people going about. Women hawking along the road side, agitated men pushing cart and children begging for money made the town lively though Joel wished it otherwise.

Joel looked to the other side of the road and was mesmerised by what he saw. A vast building which looked like what was to be the art gallery. He looked more closely and saw the inscription on the building which read, Artists Alliance Art Gallery.

"We are here". Mr. Sowah announced, pulling Joel out of his thoughts.

Joel and his sister exited the car and quickly made their way into the building.

"Wow. this is so cool". Mavis said as she walked from painting to painting.

Joel stood in front of a portrait, two men looking at each other with what looked like a throne sitting gracefully in the middle. They looked like two kings fighting over the throne. One king had on his head a thin round orb with a very long feather protruding from the side of his forehead moving upwards, his dark brown eyes holding power in them, making him look audacious. He had around on his shoulders towards his torso a brown fur which covered his broad chest. On his two biceps were bands made of the same brown fur and around his waistline to his knees, a tanned leather with brown striped fur. He stood majestically holding a long throwing assegai (spear) and a huge shield facing his opponent.

The other King was nothing like the first one. He had on his head a crown made of a Ram's horn curved all around his ears. His dark red eyes glaring dangers. He wore a silver amour made of a strange metal and held a bow and arrows. They had a red-colored skin which made them look so different and their background was that of deep creepy forest. The painting felt so real Joel thought he was in another realm. He reached out to touch it and when he did, his hand entered the painting. For a second Joel thought his eyes and hand were playing tricks on him so he did it again, but this time a strange force pulled him into the painting which hanged on the wall.

Joel's head spun like his life was soon going to drain from him. The spinning went on like forever until a gravitational force pulled him so hard that he hit the ground, knocking the air out from him, and he felt a sharp pain coursing all over his body. The next moment, he saw darkness swallowing his whole body, and that was the last thing he saw.

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Joel stood up and brushed off the dirt off of his body. He looked at his surrounding and got the glimpse of trees. He took out his glasses, cleaned it with his t-shirt and put them back on to take a better look. Everything started rushing back to him after he looked at the trees again. Something had pulled him into the painting. He began searching for clues to find anyone in the forest since he had watched in movies that in this state; it was not advisable to shout.

When his search yielded no results, he rested under a tree. He looked around and saw a portal but the moment he thought it was safe to go back; he heard a gunshot and fell on his stomach. When he heard it no more, stood up and got ready to go back, but the portal was gone. Gone like vanished.

"Good, so now how am I supposed to get back?". He asked himself and started walking, trying to find a way.

As Joel walk around, he saw red skinned, tall muscled men holding guns just like the men he saw in the painting. They both had red skins and from the distance, a strange power emitted from them, making their aura very strong. Joel, being curious, got closer to hiding behind a tree to take a better look at them. He mistakenly stepped on brunch and it cracked, making the two men catch his attention. They hurriedly pointed their guns at him. The two men spoke a different tongue. It was difficult for Joel to comprehend.

"I mean no harm". Joel said with both hands in the air. The two men looked at each other as though they've seen and head an alien talk.

"asikwazi kusuka kuphi". (Who are you) One man said, raising his gun in the air?

Joel looked at the man and tried to make a meaning from his gestures since he could not understand what they said. Joel looked at the man and pointed to himself, then he waved his arms and said, "I mean no harm".

The man looked at Joel, then to the other man and placed down his gun and pointed to Joel then reached out his both hands and turned them upside down, then up, repeatedly saying, "uvelaphi?". (Where are you coming from)

The other man laid down his gun and looked at his partner and Joel communicate in wonder. Joel continued with the signs. He pointed to himself and waved his hands backwards, trying to tell them he was coming from far away. The man then signaled Joel to come with them, but the other man disagreed, telling his partner it was risky.

"khona-ke kufanele simthumele enkosini ngoba uma simbulala, sizojeziswa". (then we must send him to the king, because if we do, he will be punished)The first man angrily told his partner and stormed off, followed by Joel.

Joel and the two men walk on a pathway with long weeds on either side. Joel had an awkward feeling for he sense something was not right. As they walked, Joel saw from a distance movement. Movements of people with red skin and it marveled him. How can all these people live in this place like this? Joel asked himself as they stopped in the middle of huts and trees.

Joel was interrupted by the second man when he was grabbed by two other men who looked like hunters. They pinned him down on his knees and tied him with a rope. The first man from the forest who Joel later got to know his name was Shaka stood there watching him with a blank expression.

"myise enkosini". (Take him to the King) The second man from the forest instructed the other three men, and they carried Joel away.

Joel then took his time to take in his environment. There were buildings made of red clay which had strolls on top. The people had red skin, and the women wore embroidered straight short dress with animal fur around their two legs. Their hair was silk and braided uniformly. The children had leather rapper around their waist.

Joel looked around as he saw people gathered around to look at him and when he looked up, he saw the clouds darkening into a pitch red which took him by surprise."What is happening?". Was the last thing he asked himself before he blacked out.