THE JANJI AND THE MYSTERY OF THE READING CABINET

THE JANJI AND THE MYSTERY OF THE READING CABINET

                         

                CHAPTER ONE
                  
          A DREADFUL WELCOME

On the further side of the country was the Black House Academy. It was an old manor that seemed to have been here for a long time. This school was for orphans and abandoned children.  It stood amidst the dark forest and a lake on the east side. Its stature looked as though it was abandoned for a long time. At the gate was no guard except for the sleepy old dog with fluffy ears. This old gate was always open, seemed tired from its rusty hinges tonight.
Last week, the Janji children arrived at the school. On their first arrival, it was day, being bought by two gentlemen Mr Reynard and Mr Kalungi.
"It's very safe here children," said Mr Reynard with a smile that the elder of the Janji didn't approve it was safe here.
" Children sorry we are," said Kalungi in a ridiculous tone. This made Reynard stamp on his feet.
" You crazy Kalungi," barked Reynard. " You think this is a party invitation
"Of course, they're going to be taken to," said Kalungi in a rather childish tone of voice as he rubbed his long fingers.
" Yeah, since we haven't tracked down any of your closest relatives," said Reynard, "we're going to take you to Black House Academy,"
"And that may be exciting for you," said Kalungi. And here they are, sitting in a room that held the pleasant smell of garlic and rotten cabbages.
" That scent prevents us from sleeping," whispered one of the boys to Mukisa, who was holding his nose with a piece of black cloth.
"And it's an insult to block your nose from the stench," whispered a girl next to him on his right.
" It's an insult, for someone not appreciating," said a slender woman, her voice echoing all over and fading into the night ." The essence of our culinary skills is in our daily social values.
Almost this was going to make Amiira, burst into a laugh, but stopped.
" And what's the name of that teacher? "Amiira asked sly trying to not be loud at the same time.
"She's Madam Mamake," said, the boy. " But we call her Slendershot,"
" What ?" amazed Amiira looking at Madam Mamake who was now looking more than terrifying and like a mere skeleton, under the dim white light. Making out an artistic outline of her slender body.
" And today we have got new companions," said Madam Mamake giving rise to Amiira tap out her deep conversation. " And may they try to sand up here In front and introduce themselves to us."
The whole classroom had a dim limit with silence as the light inside.
The Janji siblings looked at each other there and then back at Madam Mamake who also gave them a sharp look as the other students did.
" Thinking they haven't heard," Madam Mamake's voice echoed.
Amiira the eldest of the Janji children stood and so did her siblings and walked up in In front of the class. They stood facing the class as their bodies shook with great nervousness.
As they stood there, without a single word, a total eerie silence had fallen in the classroom. Suddenly Danze and Mukisa felt a thud on their shoulders that nearly made them jump out of their shoes. They looked at their clasped shoulders that were clutched by Madam Mamake's talon-like fingers.
" Oh yeah," said Madam Mamake as a few spits of saliva fell upon them, but they dared not to protest. " Let them introduce themselves to us then."
Mukisa and Danze's bodies were aching especially the shoulders, at every Madam Mamake's speech as massive slaps landed. They dared to try to move away but they were pulled back.
" And so we start with the eldest," spat Madam Mamake.
" My name is Amiira Janji," said Amiira with a little shudder in her speech.
" Hahaha!," laughed Madam Mamake, her laugh turning evil and reverberating. " Their names Haunts as their misfortune.
Amiira and her siblings felt as though they had suddenly dropped into a frozen lake after Madam Mamake's curt words. They stood quite motionless as Danze and Mukisa still suffered the slaps descending on them at every Madam Mamake's speech.
" Am Danze Janji," said Danze in a rather shaky voice with his eyes fixed back at the charts that hung on the walls.
"Am Mukisa Janji!" said Mukisa, now with great attention to Madam Mamake's speech as it always came with a price of slaps upon him and Danze.
' Okay," said Madam Mamake. " Now you can go back to your seats. " And most importantly of all Janji of misfortune, you have to read the dark rules of this place carefully."
" Dark rules?", muttered Amiira as Madam Mamake went out of the room.
"The dark rules," said Danze looking at Mukisa who looked back.
" Yeah," said the boy called Nsimbe pulling out a thick parchment of paper and giving them to Amiira.
Amiira and her siblings took the parchment and laid it on the table. To their amazement the paper was blank.
" It's like this," said Nsimbe wiping the paper with his hands. Suddenly words appeared.
Amiira held the paper and started to read.
We're or you're unfortunately welcome to Black House Academy feel at home as you read our pleasant rules.
No walking during the day
Walking is done at night starting from 7 pm to 5 am
Breakfast is served at 7 pm
Lunch is served at 12 am
Dinner is served at 5 am
READING is a MUST
Respect your teachers and everyone at BLACK HOUSE ACADEMY
The library is free to all but not the forbidden section
Any misbehaving is treated with a reward of detention unsatisfying reason or excuse. He or she will be given a set of three world encyclopaedias to review and write an essay about each subject.
Escape is our priority for you to do and if caught one is given a reward to feed the hungry crocodiles at East lake.
Everyone has to engage in the school's co-circular activities like sports and physical education.
" This is very strange," said Amiira.
"That's it," said Nsimbe with a frown on his face.
" Reading is our thing," said Mukisa.
" Encyclopedias!," exclaimed Danze with amazement.
" We've read lots of books," said Amiira.
" Children here rarely read," said Nsimbe in a rather great disappointment.
" That's why they are still locked in here," said Amiira ." In this strange place,"
Nsimbe looked at these siblings in amazement at what they were saying.
" Do you know the curse of the two wizards?" asked Nsimbe.
"Just myths," said Amiira looking away.
" Aha what's about it?" said Danze looking at Nsimbe.
" Nothing much,"said Nsimbe,"And by the way what happened to your parents?
" Died, mysteriously,"
" Oh sorry ,"said Nsimbe ," My parents died and my two siblings,"
" What?" said Dean. " How?"
" It was very tragic," said Nsimbe, with a frown upon his face ." They died in a car crash but I was the only one who survived with no harm. But strangely enough, the bodies o,f the other victims were nowhere " WELL!," a thunderous voice was heard in the classroom that made everyone look back.
The Janji looked back with Nsimbe. It was madam Mamake.
" I only wish any of you here," spat Madam Mamake as her eyes widely widened, " would want to witness the dark trap doors of the dead men's skull, upon your necks.
Instantly, the whole classroom had gone eerie silent after Madam Mamake's torment.
" YEAH!," said the whole classroom in unison.
" And go to the library," shouted Madam Mamake.
There were several murmurs and gasps of anger.
" Children here," said Nsimbe," don't want to read."
' How naive of them," said Amiira standing up." I think a person who grants you a book may not be evil."
" Certainly, said Danze." So let's go get a chance".