FATAL DISCOVERY
EPISODE 1
When she left the office there was no sign that it was going to rain. The sun was at its blazing best though the wind too was blowing softly, preventing the weather from being steamy. Armanda was on the verge of tears. The last thing she had been expecting late that Friday afternoon was to be called into the Editor’s office and told to go research into why incidents of Onchocercaisis, was on the rise in certain parts of the Northern and Volta Regions. She wondered how her boyfriend, Enoch will take the news. They both had been looking forward to the Christmas holidays which were only two days away. They had plans of visiting the estuary of the River Volta at Ada and picnicking on the river aboard the Dodi Princess, the holiday cruise boat.
“I am sorry, Armanda. The board specifically asked for the research to be done by you and the findings published just after the holidays. They chose you because of your brilliant work on elephantiasis recently,” Mr Quaye had told her in his office. Armanda had wanted to protest but recognizing that it was an exercise in futility, kept quiet. The editor had then signed a cheque of GH ¢3, 000 for her to cover the cost of transport, lodging and feeding for the five days she will spend in the North.
“I’II find a way of making it up to you, Armanda”, an apologetic Mr Quaye told her before she walked out of his office. Even her colleagues on the paper were unenthused about the assignment given her.
“I am sure this is going to be one Christmas you ‘II like to forget in a hurry,” Moses, a sports reporter of the newspaper said.
Without a word, Armanda had gone for her bag, hugged Nana Ama Bonsu, her closest friend at the work place and then stepped out of the office. Nana Ama could not see her off because she was preparing a front-page news item for the Editor’s perusal.
“Madam! You close?” a voice asked Armanda when she went through the main gate of the newspaper firm. She whirled around to face Jasper, the security man. “Sorry, Jasper, I didn’t see you. Yes, I am going home early because I am travelling up North tomorrow to undertake an assignment,” she said, with a faint apologetic smile.
Jasper, the security man, was a good friend whom she always said good bye to whenever she closes from work. On this occasion, however, deeply buried in thought, she had forgotten to say good-bye to him. Instead of walking down to the lorry station nearby to catch a taxi home, Amanda decided to walk till she was tired. Then she will pick a taxi home. She needed the walking to get the anger off her system. If there was anything she would have wanted most that very moment, it was to face the board of the company and tell them her piece of mind. Christmas was in the offing and everybody was looking forward to the holidays. She had no doubt that members of the board too were getting themselves into the holiday mood, preparing to have a lovely time with their wives, husbands, children and other loved ones. Yet, this was the time they chose to send her up north to go research into the causes of the reported rapid spread of Onchocercaisis, otherwise known as River Blindness. So angry was Amanda she did not notice the weather changing suddenly and rapidly. Even if she had noticed it, she wouldn’t have cared. As far as she was concerned, anything, even the rain beating her, was better than going to the north two days before Christmas to research into the spread of an eye disease.
But, the rain caught her off guard. She was oblivious to it when the first few drops landed on her skin but when it came down full force, she was startled. Amanda pursed her lips together and walked on, the anger in her swelling, heading towards its zenith.
“My dear Amanda, anger can destroy you. So, always destroy it before it destroys you. Take in very deep breath for at least ten times when you are angry,” she said to herself, re-echoing the advice of her late grandmother. The old lady had repeated this sentence to her so often that she could say it verbatim at any time. The rain lashed at her skin mercilessly. But, she didn’t care. Soon, her entire dress was drenched. She checked to see if her bag was well closed. It was. Amanda walked on. She did not notice the black Mercedes Benz drive pass but when it stopped and started reversing, she noticed it. She stopped walking and waited. The car reached her and then one of the tinted glasses rolled down.
“Hi! Get in.” said the husky voice. Amanda did not answer. Instead, she started walking on. The shocked driver waited for a few seconds and then drove forward, closing up on her.
“I am sorry, Armanda. The board specifically asked for the research to be done by you and the findings published just after the holidays. They chose you because of your brilliant work on elephantiasis recently,” Mr Quaye had told her in his office. Armanda had wanted to protest but recognizing that it was an exercise in futility, kept quiet. The editor had then signed a cheque of GH ¢3, 000 for her to cover the cost of transport, lodging and feeding for the five days she will spend in the North.
“I’II find a way of making it up to you, Armanda”, an apologetic Mr Quaye told her before she walked out of his office. Even her colleagues on the paper were unenthused about the assignment given her.
“I am sure this is going to be one Christmas you ‘II like to forget in a hurry,” Moses, a sports reporter of the newspaper said.
Without a word, Armanda had gone for her bag, hugged Nana Ama Bonsu, her closest friend at the work place and then stepped out of the office. Nana Ama could not see her off because she was preparing a front-page news item for the Editor’s perusal.
“Madam! You close?” a voice asked Armanda when she went through the main gate of the newspaper firm. She whirled around to face Jasper, the security man. “Sorry, Jasper, I didn’t see you. Yes, I am going home early because I am travelling up North tomorrow to undertake an assignment,” she said, with a faint apologetic smile.
Jasper, the security man, was a good friend whom she always said good bye to whenever she closes from work. On this occasion, however, deeply buried in thought, she had forgotten to say good-bye to him. Instead of walking down to the lorry station nearby to catch a taxi home, Amanda decided to walk till she was tired. Then she will pick a taxi home. She needed the walking to get the anger off her system. If there was anything she would have wanted most that very moment, it was to face the board of the company and tell them her piece of mind. Christmas was in the offing and everybody was looking forward to the holidays. She had no doubt that members of the board too were getting themselves into the holiday mood, preparing to have a lovely time with their wives, husbands, children and other loved ones. Yet, this was the time they chose to send her up north to go research into the causes of the reported rapid spread of Onchocercaisis, otherwise known as River Blindness. So angry was Amanda she did not notice the weather changing suddenly and rapidly. Even if she had noticed it, she wouldn’t have cared. As far as she was concerned, anything, even the rain beating her, was better than going to the north two days before Christmas to research into the spread of an eye disease.
But, the rain caught her off guard. She was oblivious to it when the first few drops landed on her skin but when it came down full force, she was startled. Amanda pursed her lips together and walked on, the anger in her swelling, heading towards its zenith.
“My dear Amanda, anger can destroy you. So, always destroy it before it destroys you. Take in very deep breath for at least ten times when you are angry,” she said to herself, re-echoing the advice of her late grandmother. The old lady had repeated this sentence to her so often that she could say it verbatim at any time. The rain lashed at her skin mercilessly. But, she didn’t care. Soon, her entire dress was drenched. She checked to see if her bag was well closed. It was. Amanda walked on. She did not notice the black Mercedes Benz drive pass but when it stopped and started reversing, she noticed it. She stopped walking and waited. The car reached her and then one of the tinted glasses rolled down.
“Hi! Get in.” said the husky voice. Amanda did not answer. Instead, she started walking on. The shocked driver waited for a few seconds and then drove forward, closing up on her.
To be continued. ........
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