CHAPTER 1

The Tour

Lutheran Hospital, El Deols.

The atmosphere in the hospital was cool and calm. The tiled floor of the hospital shone through the reflection of the bright lights from the white bulbs, testifying to the diligent work of the cleaners who took care of the floor. The white painted walls and the medical calendars and posters on them added to the beauty of the hospital. The Doctors and Nurses smartly dressed in their white overalls and gowns went about their responsibilities as quietly as possible. But even with so much beauty seen in the building of the hospital, no beauty was seen on the faces of those at the reception except a few whose cases were that of successful childbirth.

In one of the wards at the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital laid a six feet two inches tall man. Even in the hospital bed, the features of his well-built muscled body was a sight to behold. In his state, he was a perfect description of a sleeping lion. His facial expression, even in unconsciousness, was enough to send chills down the spines of a common man. His fist, which was used to being tightened for fist fights, had difficulties straightening even in that state.

The medical ventilator machine was placed beside his bed, and the tubes were connected into his body, helping to keep him alive in his unconscious state. On the thirty first day of May, his body was taken out from a body bag dropped on a rock in the Nura River.

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Nura Village

The darkness of the night was gradually approaching, and the scorching effect of the sun had totally given way for the coldness of the evening. The trees and leaves were dancing happily to the rhythm produced by the rushing wind while the insects and other bush animals could be seen coming out of the places they had hidden themselves to escape the harshness of the sun.

It was Cara and Tom's second day on their visit to Nura. Cara, who was working on a project that involved studying human behaviour in relation to their environment, had chosen a rare place, Nura, to be her case study. Her boyfriend had been forced to accompany her to Nura on the planned five day visit.

Tom, Cara, and Osey, their tour guide, stood on a rock on the Nura Hill from where they could get a good view of the flowing Nura River and the vast field around it.

Cara looked radiant, and her beauty glowed even under the evening light. She was a young woman of twenty-six. Perfect light skinned lady with a beautiful oval face, beautiful lips, and well shaped chin. Her body was the perfect figure eight and the complete definition of elegance. Her long dark natural hair was well arranged behind her, and it stopped a bit after her shoulder. She was tall for a lady, five feet seven inches.

Tom was about the same height as her. He had a handsome round dark face with clean shaven hair. His beards were neatly carved and shiny dark. He was a bit darker than her but less slender than she was. He was two years older than her.

Osey, the tour guide was taller than the two but had a rather ungraceful slenderness. The back of his head seemed flat, and his standing posture was almost bent. He stood by Cara's right while Tom stood at the left.

"I've heard so many distasteful things about this river, I don't know how true they are." Cara remarked as she looked towards the river from where she stood.

"I'm afraid those things you heard may be right ma'am, no one goes to the Nura River, it is a very dangerous one, even though it looks like a beautiful view from above. In its beauty lies its deceptiveness," Osey replied.

She turned her face to him after thirty seconds, all the while her eyes had been on the beautiful view below.

"Tell me why it is considered as dangerous. It doesn't look dangerous in any way to me." Cara said.

"That's because you've not seen it in its dangerous times," Osey replied.

Then I looked away to the river water flowing gently. "Sometimes, it gets mad and begins to flow abnormally. It becomes so destructive then."

Cara looked at the man's face again, trying to understand what he meant. She thought he could be talking about the wet season when there was an abundance of rainfall resulting in the increase in quantity and velocity of water. If that was the case, then the people of Nura were only troubled by their ignorance and illiteracy.

"When do we go back to the lodge?" Tom asked Cara.

He seemed not to be enjoying the conversation. All he wanted was to get back to a comfortable bed and take a good rest.

"Shortly Tom," Cara took a brief glance at him. He was staring at her expressionlessly. She held him by the arm and wrapped her fingers around his. She let out a breath. "Tom, this place is beautiful. If the people of Nura would only realise, it could become a place of attraction to the world."

"It's a waste of time to make them believe so. They are already so convinced that it's a curse to them, and nothing can make them change their mind. So I suggest we just focus on our reason for coming here, instead of making them see what they would not see," Tom shrugged as he replied uninterestedly.

"But don't you think all they need to have a better view of this beautiful gift of nature is more information and exposure?"

Cara asked, looking into his eyes.

"It's a waste of time Cara, civilization may never get here till the twenty-second century," Tom answered. "What we need to do is leave now. It's late."

At that moment, a heavy wind swept across the land and blew cold moist air on their bodies.

"I think he's right, ma'am, we need to leave here. When the wind starts moving like this, it's a bad sign for those it meets up here." Osey spoke.

"Bad sign?" She turned to him, shaking her head. The people of Nura never ceased to amaze her with their superstitious beliefs.

"Yes, it could mean something wrong is about to happen between the two of you." Osey replied. "We have to go away from here now before the wind blows more evil in this direction."

Cara turned her face to Tom, who was already nudging her. "Let's go, Cara."

She turned again to have one more view of the beautiful place. Her eyes hovered around in a brief glance. She almost turned before she noticed something. Three men were now at the bank of the river. They had a big bag with them, and it seemed to be containing something heavy.

"Hey, look here. I thought you said nobody comes to this river," she called Osey's attention.

Osey, who had already turned, turned back again immediately. His eyes followed in the direction she was pointing to him. He squinted on seeing the men at the bank of the river.

"Those men are dressed like strangers," Osey voiced out softly, staring more intently.

"Of course, they have to be strangers," Tom put in.

"But…" Osey frowned as he squinted more deeply. He moved from his position and turned to where Tom was standing. "They are discussing in our dialect," he added as he began to walk carefully down towards a huge stone. He hid behind the stone and peeped at the men from there.

It was still from a very far distance but the echoes of the sound through the air and the loudness of the men who were unaware of the presence of people around enabled him to catch some of their words.