Naga: The Lost Dynasty

.Growing up in a broken home has its own challenges, and I can say I've seen it all. From the constant fights between my parents to my mom's sudden departure, it's been one roller-coaster ride. The absence of a parent has affected me in ways I cannot even begin to explain. But despite all that, I am grateful for the strength that I have gained from these experiences. Over the years, I have learned to be self-sufficient and independent, and I have also learned to appreciate the value of family and the importance of nurturing relationships. It hasn't been easy, but I believe that everything happens for a reason and that these experiences have shaped me into the person that I am today. As I look to the future, I am hopeful that I will continue to grow and learn from my experiences. I am also determined to break the cycle of broken homes and to create a loving and stable family of my own someday. Let me introduce myself. My name is Osasenaga Osadolor, but I prefer to go by "Naga." My name means "praise," which is funny because whenever I sing, I sound like a dying whale. I am an eighteen-year-old female and the second child in a family of three. I have two brothers, one older and the other younger, which makes me the only girl in the family. Our family has faced its share of challenges. Our mother left us when we were young, which forced my father to raise us single-handedly. Despite this, my father has been a rock for our family, and I am grateful for all that he has done for us. My older brother, Michael, is currently studying civil engineering and is twenty-three years old. He has been a great role model for my younger brother and me. We have grown up together, and our bond as siblings is unbreakable. My younger brother, Osahon, is sixteen years old and is still in secondary school. I completed secondary school last year and was admitted into the University of Benin this year to study foreign languages. However, despite my academic achievements, I am deeply troubled by the trend of broken homes that seems to be increasing in our society. This was brought to the forefront of my mind about two months ago when our mother unexpectedly returned after abandoning our family years ago. She claimed that she had finally found herself, and my father allowed her back into our lives. This event left me feeling extremely irritated and frustrated. The pain and trauma that our family had endured as a result of her actions cannot simply be swept under the rug. I believe that parents have a responsibility to provide a stable and loving environment for their children, and the trend of broken homes only serves to perpetuate pain and instability. I take a deep breath and try to focus on my surroundings, but what I see makes me want to cry. My room is a complete mess, and I feel a heavy sigh escape from my lips as I take it all in. While it's supposed to be a typical teenage girl's room, complete with a comfortable bed, a reading table and chair, a spacious wardrobe, and even a bathroom, my bad habit of never folding my clothes has turned it into a complete disaster zone. As I sit on my reading chair, the sheer clutter of my room makes me feel mentally exhausted. I'm jolted out of my thoughts by my younger brother's piercing scream. "Naga!" he yells from downstairs, and I can feel a headache coming on. "What?!" I shout back, rubbing my temples. I get up from my chair and make my way to the door, opening it and walking out into the hallway. I make my way down the hall, but my brother's screams only get louder. "Naga!!!" he screams again, but I refuse to answer him. If I did, I might just give in to my urge to strangle him. As I finally reach the stairs, I see the little devil standing at the foot of them, looking up at me with a mischievous grin on his face. "Osahon, if I slap you, your father won't even recognize you," I threaten him, but as I speak to the devil of a brother, I forget to watch my steps. Suddenly, I trip and fall down the last stair, letting out a loud "Ouch!" in pain. My brother just laughs, feeling smug about his little joke. Frustrated, I sit on the floor and stare at the offending stair. It seems like it's always trying to trip me up whenever it gets the chance. Finally, I get up and face my brother. "What do you want?" I ask, trying to hide my annoyance behind a frown. "Daddy's calling you. Next time, answer when he calls," my brother says before running off and leaving me standing there. If looks could kill, he should have died a thousand times over. I swear, sometimes I wonder if someone would buy him from me. I turn and walk towards the glass door at the foot of the stairs. It leads to the parlour and three other doors, one for the kitchen, one for the store, and one for the toilet. I enter the parlour, which had two doors. One led to the dining area that connected to the kitchen, while the other was my dad's study. I knocked on the door to his study, and he called out for me to come in. I opened the door and stepped inside. My dad's study was simple, with a large table and an office chair. There was a sofa close to the door, and two book stands on either side of the wall. "You called me?" I ask as I sit down on the sofa. My dad looks at me and chuckles. "You fell down again," he says, teasing me. "I don't know why those stairs don't like me, but at least I'm happy to be going to school," I said, while rolling my eyes. My dad chuckled. "You need to be more careful," he replied, and I shrugged. He placed a ₦500 note on the table. "Go buy a bag of water," he instructed me. "Why didn't Osahon go, and why weren't we supplied with water?" I asked. "Osahon is helping your mother in the kitchen, and the sachet water company is on a break," my dad explained, giving me a knowing look. I took the money and walked out, not uttering a single word as I closed the door I heard my dad say " you will not understand Naga, you won't at all" well I didn't want to understand. As I walked past the door and reached the middle of the parlor, I glanced towards the dining area and saw my mom setting the table. I froze at the sight of her, but she noticed me and smiled. "Naga, be fast so we can eat," she said. I looked at her for a moment before hissing and walking away. I slammed the door shut and looked up at the sky. It was already six in the evening. Tears threatened to fall from my eyes, but I refused to let them. In my mind, crying was a sign of weakness. I walked out of the compound and looked back at our house with a sigh. The evening sky was painted in shades of pink and purple, and a cool breeze wafted through the air. I began my walk to the next street, which wasn't too far. As I walked, I couldn't help but think about the tension that had been brewing in my family since she came back. I know I was rude, but that's how we have been since she returned. I don't want to talk to her. At first, I refused to eat her food, but my dad got angry and gave me an ultimatum: either stay under his roof and eat what he eats, or move out and do what I like. I chose the former, but that argument with my dad made me hate her even more. She just came back and she wants to tear my family apart, even though she's not a part of it. I don't know why Osahon forgave her, but to me, he's a fool for doing so. After all, she had abandoned us without a second thought. As I walked, lost in thought, I finally arrived at the shop, or should I say, the caravan shop. The lady who owns the shop is someone I love dearly. She is a stout, light-complexioned woman, and we affectionately call her mummy Tessa. I put on a fake smile and greeted her, "Mummy Tessa, good evening." She returned the smile, "Good evening, dear. What do you want to buy?" I thought for a moment before replying, "Ehhnnn, one bag of water." Mummy Tessa handed me the bag of water, and I paid her before turning to leave. As I walked away from the shop, my mind was still consumed with thoughts of my family and the tension that had been brewing since the return of the person who had caused it all. I knew I couldn't keep avoiding her forever, but I just didn't know how to face her. As I walked, the cool breeze continued to blow, and the sky turned from pink to a deep shade of blue. It was a beautiful evening, but I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in my heart. I knew I had to confront my feelings and figure out a way to move past them if I wanted to find peace within my family I woke up in a strange place, surrounded by unfamiliar sights and sounds. I sat up slowly, feeling disoriented and confused. As I looked around, I realized that I was no longer in my own time plane. I tried to remember how I got here, but my memories were hazy and fragmented. All I could recall was the sound of someone shouting before everything went dark. As I tried to make sense of my surroundings, a woman approached me. She was dressed in a flowing gown and had a kind smile on her face. "Welcome, dear one," she said. "You have been brought here for a purpose." I looked at her, my mind racing with questions. "Where am I?" I asked. "You are in a different time and place than the one you knew before," she replied. "You have been brought here to fulfill a destiny that only you can achieve." I felt a sense of fear and uncertainty wash over me. What was this destiny she spoke of, and how was I supposed to fulfill it? The woman seemed to sense my fear and took my hand. "Fear not, dear one," she said. "You have been given a second chance at life, and with it comes a great responsibility. But you are not alone. There are others who will help you on your journey." As she spoke, I felt a sense of hope and determination rise within me. Maybe this was my chance to make a difference, to do something meaningful with my life. With that thought in mind, I took a deep breath and stood up. "I'm ready," I said, my voice filled with determination. The woman smiled at me. "Good," she said. "Your journey begins now." In the beginning there was hope.