One thing about life is that you are relevant only when your heart is constantly pumping, and when it is pumping, you will either spend your life serving the work you signed up for, or be with your family.
The first encounter with this infestation found me in the company of my lovely wife Kate and my two daughters Cassie and Anna.
Cassie being the smallest just 5 years old, was small enough to recognize my dark short beards, constantly touching them whenever I carried her up close to my chin and the other Anna was the eldest, 7 years and stubborn just like her dad and strong like her mother.
*Reports have been coming of both people and their livestock behaving abnormally, some have managed to describe this as something awkward and unseen in the parts of China before*
The news from the television sounded serious but I wasn't bothered since the modern world was full of surprises and the rise of various diseases. Right there I received a call. "A doctors job is to make sure no life is lost," I mumbled to myself as I repeated the orders numerously shouted at me by my superior before I could manage to escape my next assignment.
He immediately hanged up and pinned the location which wasn't known to me until five minutes ago. The last thing I needed was a pin taking me miles away from home especially to China. What kind of emergency could it be? It better be good or I'll be dammed if it weren't.
"You have to go again!? but you promised to take us to the park," Cassie's cries screamed into my ears with a feeling of how an inadequate father I had been, constantly on the move ever since I up this job. Barely two months into my leave and I was ready to hit the road. *To serve* those are the words that echoed in my brain as a Military scientist and study in mutation and biological viruses.
"I promise to be back as soon as the work is done and go to the park and later visit your aunt Martha, okay sweetie!?"
I tried to impose my fatherly charm on them and sure it worked for the umpteenth time now.
"Okay, I love you daddy." Cassie said as she hugged me together with Anna. They were my world and my work was slowly taking me away from them.
I swear I was running out of excuses at this point. My dearest wife stood at the door staring at the remarkable lies I was spewing having been married for the most part of our lives. She too was going to be mad at me and scold me when I got back as she always did only that this time the assignment was like no other.
The best part of working for your country, my country, I don't know about yours, is that you will most certainly get whatever you need for the assignments handed to you. Aaah! and there it was, the famous BLACK HAWK Helicopter in the flesh. Anyone who doesn't know anything about helicopters be sure I don't either, it's design is what I care to admire.
This was my ride to the unknown and I must say it wasn't bad at all
I love my job and one thing I have learnt about it is emergencies never turn out to be that complicated unless there is unrest around the country. And this time there was commotion, a sense of distress like no other. There was abnormal traffic, fumes from burning cars and siren sounds across the country with news being cast on various public televisions.
As the helicopter took to the air all I kept thinking of were the two little girls I had left behind. Good thing they were under the protection of the government guards as part of my royalties in this field. I had previously contemplated quitting my job and focus more on my family, but the amount of security it assured me over the years were inexplicably helpful.
Why would I risk being unprotected especially with the uncertainty in the country, bombing, rogues and political differences turning into war being just but a few of the reasons.
One thing about being in a strange place is language barrier, and this was already becoming challenging as I set foot in the nearby town next to the airport in a remote location, far from the city of China.
Kuijiu was my destination and my lips were already cursing the place which was proving hard to find. Dressed in my casual wear, a tourist bucket hat, khaki trouser, a white loose shirt a pair of loafers, I was already burning in the scorching sun. The weather was different out here and adaption was not a choice.
As I moved around asking for Kuijiu, I happened to bump into a local American who happened to be visiting most parts of China for the second time.
"Hello! Do you know this place, or if you have heard of it? Oh sorry, forgive my manners I haven't really introduced myself properly," I asked, already frustrated going in circles at the busy market which had been named Sichuan market by the residents there.
"Aah yes! If you are heading there right now, you better hurry and board that bus over there. If you miss it the next bus will be arriving tomorrow at noon. The place is located a few kilometres from here into the misty mountains."
Immediately my legs became itchy ready to escape the tales of my informer who was almost ready to give me the history of the village. The bus was already on the move and I had no choice but swing my bag onto my back and chase after the bus which was slowly gaining speed.
"My name is Bradley cooper," I shouted as I waved at the good Samaritan from a distance, dangling loosely on the bus door waiting for the old driver to flang open its doors so I could find a seat.