It was already late before everyone began to leave for the district. On reaching the district headquarters, they bid one another farewell as they made way for their respective rooms. Andrew got into his room and was about to lie down when he was a note on his bed.
"Who could have written me a letter?" he thought to himself. He opened the note and sat down to read the contents of the letter. A few seconds into the letter, he sprang up from his bed and began to pack a chunk of clothes into his box. He picked up his spear and dashed out of the room without a second thought.
"Please, be well," he said as he ran out of the district headquarters and headed towards the gate of Saikyu late at night.
The clouds had gathered and grew dark, and lightning struck at intervals as the winds struck the walls of the district headquarters creating a loud and crusty, yet, cold sound. It was an unexpected morning but those on missions still had to move out, even though it was clear that it could rain at any time.
"Hey, sleepyhead, get up!" Chioma said as she opened Tobi's door and stood by it. Tobi rolled and yawned on his bed feigning deafness to her words.
"I know you can hear me. Get up. We have an issue," Chioma said as she went inside the room and headed toward Tobi's bed.
"What issue?" Tobi reluctantly said as he yawned. He still lay on his bed with no plans of getting up.
"Andrew is missing," Chioma answered.
"What?!" Tobi exclaimed as he got up from his bed. "What do you mean Andrew is missing? We still partied together yesternight. How could he suddenly go missing?" Tobi said in disbelief.
"I met his room unlocked and empty and there was a note," Chioma responded.
"A note? What did the note say?" Tobi asked.
"I think Andrew's mother is gravely sick," Chioma replied with a worried look on her face. "So, get dressed. We need to meet with the commander since our captain is away. I'll be waiting outside your room," Chioma said and left the room closing the door behind her.
A few minutes after, Tobi came out dressed and they both headed for the commander's office. On getting there, they explained the situation to the commander and showed her the letter.
"Hmm. From his file, he is from Nakriya in Kirikara. I will inform the Commander of Kirikara of your coming. You are to work with one of their captains when you get there. Take this seal with you. By any means, you must find him. Okay?" Jumoke commanded with a stern look, which later reverted to a worried one.
"Yes, ma. We will make sure to find him," Tobi and Chioma chorused.
Immediately, they set out for Kirikara District. It took them ten days and ten nights to get to Kirikara whilst making a stop at Kirara before reaching Kirikara. Five other districts surrounded Kirikara. Usumi, Yosuma, and Makekatwa at the north, Kotakure at the south, and Kirara at the west.
Kirikara has not seen a downpour of rain since its creation and thus, referred to as the city of Mother Earth. Legend has it that Mother Earth created the district herself. The city shone brightly and gleamed with its building made from fine earth. The sun shone brighter and was hotter than that of Saikyu. Tobi and Chioma had to reduce the layers of their clothing.
It took another four days and four nights before they could reach the Nakriya area. The Nakriya area was situated at the far north of Kirikara. The Nakriya area can be likened to a slum. There were a lot of dirty and smelly areas littered with waste and stagnant water. Few people lived in this area as compared to other areas they passed through.
"What is wrong with this place?" Tobi thought to himself with a worried expression as he covered his nose.
"With that look, you must not have visited a slum before. Not everywhere is as nice and cosy as you think it is. Some people are just helpless and there's nothing you can do about it," Chioma mentioned.
"What do you mean nothing can be done about it? What are the leaders doing?" Tobi questioned as he frowned at her comments.
"Then, why not become the leader and help them?" Chioma asked as he looked at Tobi with her arms on her waist.
"I would have love to-"
"But you can't because you have other things to do, right? See, nobody is ready to help but complain," Chioma interrupted Tobi.
Not until they were directed to a small building, they kept moving around the area looking and asking around for Andrew's location. The building was a hospital. A lot of sick people were spread out outside the hospital because of insufficient bed spaces. Inside the hospital was a crowd of sick people at every corner of the hospital. There was hardly a space to move in.
It took them a few minutes before they could spot Andrew who sat beside a woman lying on the hospital bed. They fought and struggled with the crowd of people before they could finally reach Andrew.
"Good morning, Andrew," Tobi greeted from behind while panting.
"That voice," he said and turned to see who had greeted him. "Tobi, Chioma, what are you guys doing here?"
"We came here looking for you since you suddenly disappeared from the headquarters," Chioma answered with a tired look on her face.
"I am sorry for that," Andrew replied while feigning a smile with his right hand on the back of his head.
"You've been here since yesterday night?" Tobi asked as he looked around again.
"No. I've been here for five days," Andrew answered. Tobi and Chioma looked at each other before they returned their gaze to Andrew.
"How did you get here so fast? We spent fourteen days on the road," Chioma questioned.
"You guys must have passed through Kirara," Andrew said.
"Was there another shorter route?" Tobi asked.
"Yes. If you pass through Kotakure, it will take you only about eight to nine days on foot, Kotakure is just about half a day or less to Kirikara," Andrew answered.
"Whoa, So, how is your mother?" Chioma asked as she moved closer. The woman was sleeping but in respiratory distress. She was pale, dehydrated, and skinny, and her limbs were swollen.
"To be honest, I have not noticed any improvement since I came but she has been sleeping since I came," Andrew responded with his sullied expression.
"But what could have happened? I guess this was why the town felt empty," Tobi queried as he scanned the room for the umpteenth time. The room was so filled that it was getting hard to breath and they were all sweating.
"Nobody knows but I heard that people just suddenly had swollen legs and found it difficult to breathe. Then, their limbs would start to swell. The doctors are thinking that it is a new disease," Andrew answered.
"Hmmm. Something is fishy," Tobi noted.
"What's that?" Chioma asked.
"If it's a new disease, the district should have been notified but from the look of things, they don't even know what is happening here. Someone is blocking the chain of communication to the headquarters here in Kirikara,"
"That could be the case but-" Chioma said before a voice interrupted her.
"Hi. How are you? I want to examine her. Can I go ahead?" A man said. The man dressed in white overalls and a lady dressed in blue top and trousers followed him.
"Yes, you can," Andrew replied. The man proceeded to check her eyes, mouth, and abdomen. He pressed and rub the swollen leg. Then, he clenched his fists and pressed them on the left side of the woman's chest. Afterwards, he placed his ear on the right side of her chest. He turned to the nurse and told her some things before they moved to the next bed.
"Find out who those kids are and where they came from, everything you can find about them," the man instructed,
"Yes, boss" the lady replied, bowed, and left.
"Did anyone notice when the doctor got here?" Chioma questioned.
"I didn't" Tobi and Andrew replied as they looked at Chioma who had placed her hand on her chin.
"I'm starting to agree with Tobi. Something is fishy, particularly that doctor and the lady that followed him," Chioma said. "Tobi and I will go around the area and try to find some clues on what could have caused this outbreak," Chioma continued.
"Let me go with you," Andrew said.
"No. Someone has to stay with your mother and it's you," Tobi retorted before he patted Andrew's shoulders. "We will be fine," Tobi said before they headed out of the hospital.
"I think these kids are going to be a pain in the ass," a strange lady commented as she watched Tobi and Chioma leave the hospital.