Chapter 3

By the time Braxton arrived home, the hustle and bustle he left for school had turned into a narrowly scanty highway with just a few nocturnal businesses indicating the presence of life. He was told by his driver who pleaded that one of the car's tires had been punctured by a nail on his way to pick him up. Finally, they were home.

A modern classic design tenement synonymous with rich folks. It stood grand amidst the other dwellings. With a total of three storeys, the view of the city from the interior was just endearing. As the car pulled to a halt, he heaved a sigh of relief as he entered the semi mansion only to be wholeheartedly welcomed by a commotion.

The maids were moving frantically about while his mother was wheeling two traveling suitcases down the stairs, one which he recognized to be his. His dad sipped from a glass of whiskey while staring menacingly at some papers haphazardly laid on the dining table. Not a single soul in the house was idle at that moment, except Braxton who just stood by the doorpost dumbfounded and anxious by the scene that played out before him. The last time the house was this rowdy was when his mother was abducted, an incident he had prayed fervently to never recur.

All he could do was walk in and scream at the top of his lungs and everyone's eyes diverted to him for a second and then back to what they were doing. Out of that group, his mother dropped the bags she juggled, led him upstairs to his room, and explained the state of matters to him.

" How was school today?" she started off trying to keep her composure calm so as not to frighten him.

" Fine. What's going on?" he blurted out in a demanding tone.

" Listen, Your father and I were ambushed on our way back. It seems to be your father's rivals because they isolated our car with ease and left us with death threats. We need to leave this city and lay low for a while somewhere else till this passes," she narrated with her face fixed on him.

" But mum, we have connections everywhere. All that's needed is less than 15 calls and this will be dissolved," he begged, knowing what he stood to lose, leaving the city.

Standing from her sitting position, she knelt to his height and cupped his face, " My sweet boy! I know how you feel, but right now we know some close people from the inside are betraying us so we can't take any chances. All that's left for you to do is round up your remaining belongings and come downstairs." His mom had always been a reliable confidant so he didn't hold back anything from her.

"I kissed her today mum," tears were already draining from his eyes, " how am I supposed to leave without saying goodbye?"

" Braxton, I know you love Pandora, but you can't love her when you're dead now, can you? Moreover, she is always there for you, you are already betrothed, remember?" Caressing his hair, she exited the room.

Braxton was heartbroken. There was no way he could reach out to his love as his mom had snatched away his phone and laptop. He lay there drying his tears with his favorite pillow and screaming her name endlessly.

Fearing delay, a maid rushed to him, consoled him, and helped him tidy up the rest of his items downstairs. Their house was still going to be theirs so they left some unnecessary items behind and loaded the rest of the cargo into a stealth truck.

Squeezed in between his mum and dad, Braxton dozes off before the journey kicks off, with only one name chanting in his mind; Pandora.