₦airaland Forum

IrishKez: Dear Royver,
I have followed your stories from 'I See Things Others Do Not See' to 'The Claw, The Tail, And The Cross' and now this very one, mostly as a ghost reader. Even before I officially joined nairaland I'd known and read your works. It's only right that I acknowledge your work and bid you to do more.

WELDON Sir!

thank you so much for appreciating my stories. A story isnt worth anything if it isn't read. I'm honoured.

MCCOYDESTINY: i sence that ayo make mistake about tayo's death, no he can't die just like that but it is true #RIPTAYO# haaa sola am sorry for you, tami why are you thinking like this i don't like it o, aftrall it won't be just take hearth. hmmmm oga royver thanks for update God will increase your ink and your mb and more strength in jesus name good morring sir

Good morning oh, though its a day after. Hmn, interesting view you have here. Temi should do some quick growing up after all she's been thru.

Nimen: Oga Roy u rock...
But you killed Arnold/Tayo

guess we visualized differently was thinking you'll kill Ayo, make Tayo the leader of the village vigilante, retire the dad, maybe kill the mum... And then the struggle comes to surviving the Underworlds maybe with some scenes of wonderful fighting from our heroine

but anyway sir, u good. Though i hope you ain't rushing this story
Thanks, anticipating the best after the tear

hmn, thats your personal visualization bro,
Tayo was a goner from page 1...

Independence day is here. We have a lot of problems as a country, we know. There is ample time to insult our nation. But today is Nigeria's birthday. Let's focus on the positives today and CELEBRATE!
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE!

I’ve been sleeping for hours now. They don’t want to wake me. I sit up and say a prayer for Bimpe, Arnold or is it Tayo, and Sola. I want to go and see her later in the day, this rumble hasn’t stopped and might go on till the end of today and I want to make sure at least the only friend I have left is doing alright.

Ayo is still trying to see if we can communicate with Ilorin and neighboring villages to know how they are faring. Nobody wants to venture out too far until the earthquakes are over, but we have gotten a few visitors from neighboring towns and villages.




It’s 2 o’ clock. I’m going to check on Sola. For goodness sake her house is only 30minutes walk from here. Haba.






I’m in my room with Sola. Sorry this is coming out disjointed but I think it’s because I am grieving. Sola was at home alone, hugging her mother’s clothes when I met her. Deji accompanied me, thank goodness my parents allowed me leave the house, I think they think it will do me good and besides the earthquake hasn’t started yet. Just this low rumbling, humming sound that I am so used to that sometimes I forget it’s there. We got to the house without incident and saw Sola like I said, hugging her mom’s clothes which when we were finally able to pry it from her hands were filled with ashes. SO she’s gone to wherever those that turn to ashes go to. I’m not even trying to make sense of it anymore.

She followed us back willingly. Seems like she spent the night alone yesterday. Mum was glad to see her and trust momsie, she quickly made something for her to eat.

Sola has been reading my diary and adding some parts I may have missed out. We are healing together. It’s not so bad, I guess, when you have someone you can relate to and talk with. Mum is delighted to hear us giggle and laugh. She says it’s a good sign.


CNN has some fresh news. Various countries of the developed world have been putting money together and building a huge satellite they will launch into space, something that will give everyone free wifi if I understand it correctly. Then we will be able to make calls and communicate better. There was something about building domes for large cities to trap air in case the explosion is worse than we anticipate but that is only for cities in the developed world. It all sounds like science fiction to me anyway. Anyhow Nigeria has always found a way to survive; hopefully we will survive this too


The borders of those countries have also been closed and a lot of foreign leaders and prominent people being sent back home. It was in NTA Lagos news that the United Kingdom refused one Nigerian Pastor from entering their country with his private jet. They believe that if world leaders stay in their countries and see there is no escape for them as well that they’ll work to save the nations they come from.


We still get power from the electricity stations, but usually only at night. It’s ironic that the light system is better now that the world is in chaos. I guess some people realize that light at night is now a necessity to avoid surprise attacks.


I’ll try and see if I can sketch how the American scientists say the world will look like when the final tear occurs. It doesn’t look so bad. We will have three earths instead of one. It looks interesting.


It’s eight o’clock and still nothing, just this dull underground humming noise. I thought I wouldn’t be able to sleep with it but I guess I am going to, my eyelids are already heavy. Sola is asleep on my bed already. She has been a real help for my psyche and I am feeling much better. I get the sneaky feeling Arnold likes her.





For the first time since we got home I take off my clothes, tie my towel and take a warm bath. Tomorrow is another day. Hopefully it won’t be our last.

[size=15pt]DAY 2: EVERYTHING WRITTEN[/size]

Yes, today I have been writing everything that has been happening for the past one week. Nothing much has happened today. The third tear is yet to come but there is this deep low rumble that is being heard all over the world, here included. Scientists are saying this last tear will be massive. Even the Under dwellers seem to know something big is coming. They have not attacked at all today.


There is no wind outside. The Sun has been up all day, not a single cloud in the sky. On any other occasion it would have been a bright and sunny day with children playing in the fields and neighbors washing clothes and gisting with each other. But now the fields are desolate, completely empty. Apparently the snakes come at night and mop up all the havoc done, all the blood spilt, and all the bodies unclaimed. Anyone looking at the fields today will not know anything happened there the day before. It’s an eerie feeling.



















I’m still writing.











Mom has given the baby to one of the neighbors, a woman who lost her child in all the confusion. She took the baby gratefully. Mom has changed Dad’s bandages and started him on antibiotics. They giggle and laugh together like teenagers, it’s like the stress of the past few days have brought them even closer together. I’m happy for them. The only thing that annoys me is that anytime I come out of my room to see what’s going on they start speaking in hushed tones, like they are saying something they don’t want me to hear.




I’m fine, really.








Deji is like the housekeeper. He keeps taking short trips out to scanvenge for food, fuel and other items. Once, he went as far as downhill to get some stuff from a supermarket. He came back with a lot of chocolate for me. Usually I wouldn’t have eaten the chocolate, would have been scared of getting fat or something. Guess it’s not much of a problem now.

Ayo has been organizing the youths as many of them were impressed with the way he fought yesterday. A few of his suspicious friends came over to the house to see him but he avoided them until they grew impatient and cornered him at the door. I snuck to the master bedroom to eavesdrop through the crack in the wall.


“So what do you say?” the first one says. “You can’t just start leading this group without registering with our oga.”


“Yes oh, you must respect oga oh.” The second one interjects.


“Look, I didn’t ask for this leadership.I can step down if that is what you people want…” Ayo says quietly


“No, no no.” First says. “See, the whole country is upside down, many of our guys got killed or missing in this matter and a lot of finances were lost. All we are saying is you impose some kind of levy for being the leader of the vigilante group…”


“It’s not really a vigilante group” Ayo says


“…and bring the money to our oga and we all share it!” first finishes and laughs. “Guy, why are you being so stubborn about this matter? Join you no join, give us our cut you no give, na wa oh!”


“Look, cant you see what is going on around us is more than this,now?” Ayo raises his voice a little. “The end of the world is near and you guys are not thinking of how much people are suffering its to come and be looking for how to collect tax…”


“Oga said we should we should come and collect, abi should we question him?” Second says.


“Maybe I need to speak with Oga myself then.” Ayo replies.


Immediately there is an awkward silence. I shift a bit to make myself more comfortable. Nothing is said for a long time. Then:


“You are not calling anybody; just do as you are told! This stubbornness is what I don’t like. We have delivered the message to you. Find us the cash by this evening or else.”


“Leave am, na only mouth e get, if I shock am now e go begin dey shake!” Second says.


Then they walk away. There are three of them. The third guy said nothing throughout.


I confront Ayo in the corridor. “Tell Dad.” I say, simply. "Mum must have let him know what was going on with you already anyway."


“No she didn't. In the confusion she forgot. and it's really not necessary, those guys are just touts looking for who to bully.” Ayo replies.


“Why didn’t you join them, Ayo?” I ask. Ayo raises his eyebrows and I add quickly, “Not that I want you to join bad gang, it’s just, I was wondering , if you were so secretive in not telling anybody your problem all this time, you might have joined and we wouldn’t even know. Why didn’t you join?”


“Because I don’t want to.” Ayo says. “I know I am the quiet, sometimes aggressive senior brother and I can be secretive at times, but it doesn’t mean I don’t know what is right from wrong.”


“How did Tayo die?”


The words escape my lips before I can stop them. But now that I have asked I stand my ground, not budging until I get an answer. Ayo sighs.


“It all happened so quickly. He was really brave and fought like someone who had been fighting all his life. He used a shovel, you see. I was swinging a machete one of the vigilantes had dropped and the last I saw him in action he was fighting a very large and strong one of the under-dwellers who was swinging a club. I rushed to help him but it was too late…”


“Go on.” I said. “I want to hear it.”


“The Under-dweller smashed his head in. By the time I got there he was on the floor with blood gushing out of his forehead and soaking his uniform…there was o much blood…I tried to get him out, see if he was still breathing or something but he didn’t respond. I’m so sorry sis.”


Tears had started flowing down my eyes again but I wiped them away.


“Isn’t there maybe a chance…” I begin but Ayo stops me by raising his hand.


“No. he wasn’t moving at all, Temi. And the Snakes don’t leave anything by morning. I’m sorry but you have to accept he is gone and move on.”


“And James?” I suddenly remember him, but Ayo shakes his head.


“I didn’t see him. Hopefully he made it but then he would have come back here so I’m not optimistic.





He pats me comfortingly on the shoulder and leaves.

SexySapphire: Eyaaaaah, R.I.P Tayo, he was a great hero and his demise will be deeply felt. I feel so sorry for Temi. I'm so glad Ayo made it out alive. I wish and pray strongly dat nothing bad happens to the Richard Family.

Really Royver, u're just too good with words. U remain one of ma bestest writers. Tnx so much for this update, God bless u roundabout.

thanks so much, your comment made me feel warm all over. Will continue to do my best to enthrall.

Jennimma: Great Royver,well done!

thanks miss

PrinceAdepoju: Urh, the death of a hero.
RIP Tayo.


Abeg, sir Royver, where are the other boys that fought with Tayo and Ayo?

they must have been lost in the battle, I'll look for them.

MCCOYDESTINY: you great well done how was your sunday going

fine o, went to mass, rain fell during communion and it looked like the world was going to end and people prayed real hard.

it was fun

tfabu: Royver thumbs up to you,ure doing a wonderful job here,more updates plssss

thanks, will update now.

JeffreyJamez: Chai!!.... this is chaos!!..... so Tayo died.... eiyah

So sad!!


ROYVER YOU IS THE BOMB!!!

thanks man.

whitemosquito: I want royver. Please. Date with him. Tenk.

Wishing you all a happy sunday

Beennkumar: Okay, why are my eyes getting wet?

The second update got me smiling.

just seeing this eh yaaaa

Ohibenemma: AWESOME imagination!

thank you sir!

edogho: if this is how d world will end, i pray i stay behind and fight. d serpent will be greatly disappointed cos those underground ppl go hear am. just need my bladed knocku chacku and heads will continue rolling with green blood everywhere. only those giant snakes will give problem. i think since they've got no eyes, there are other smart ways to deal with them. grand update sha. good morning under-dwellers on dis thread

nice one, someone who wouldn't mind staying behind!

renzyl: I plead d blood of Jesus on all under dwellers

are you praying for them or against them?

Queenxstar: That's right babe, this chilling in my spine is something else.

Dont worry, the darkest hour always comes before the dawn.

gracile: that's not her first kiss o, shebi Dare kissed her whilst in the forest..
and why do i have a feeling that there is more to the stray child, who has watched legion?

Nah, check again, Dare never kissed her on the mouth.
The baby? Hmmnn, let's see...

As

Mum has gone to the kitchen...

Maccoy1: Respect.....

thanks...I appreciate

Hello all,
This is a great idea, but wanted to suggest if it wouldn't be better on a Facebook closed group? Adding large groups to whatsapp or bbm has a way of hanging phones.

Whatdo you guys think? Dive pen?

drollster: Royver. sent you a PM. Please respond oh, biko.

OK will check now

Beennkumar: Good question.

Royver, please answer this.

Temi will ask Ayo this evening.

The story is gradually coming to an end. I want to thank all those who followed and commented, those who were in and out of ghost mode, those who PMed etc etc. It is an honour to write for you guys.

I virtually don't have time to answer all the comments but rest assured I see them and they warm my heart and encourage me to write more. Thanks once again.

See you guys this evening.

Timcy2: are u 4rm idemili in anambra?

why asking?

more updates by weekend.

I went to the parlor and saw Dad sleeping on the Sofa and mum sitting beside him. The generator was still on and mum had arranged the standing fan to blow on dad as he slept. She nodded at me and got up, going into the kitchen to prepare supper. I wondered where she was getting the zeal from to cook all this food. I think she was trying to use cooking to get our predicament out of her mind. I sat beside dad and enjoyed the cool air from the fan with him.


The television was tuned to CNN and they were repeating most of what we had heard or seen before, the vanishing people, the interview or interrogation of the Under-dweller, the vanishings from the planes and ships and other moving craft. An update showed that Australia had been torn into four parts by the earthquake and one part had been completely submerged by the sea. As the helicopters circled around and showed the carnage and destruction I was shocked at how the world had degenerated. People were not even interested in helping others, just themselves as they scrambled to save their lives. One scene showed a man sitting on top of his house which was floating in the sea and the helicopters being full couldn’t rescue him. He waved at them until he was out of sight.


I picked up the remote and changed the channel. Sky news and other channels were showing essentially the same thing. I tuned once more to
NTA and was surprised to see CNN reruns showing there. At least it showed someone was there and trying to get things up and running.


“Dad? Dad!”


Deji’s voice shot through the house like a bazooka. We were all on our feet at once, Dad limping and jumping hurriedly to the room and me running into mum’s arms. I heard Deji’s voice loud and clear:


“They aren’t going to make it!” Then- “Is that a baby on his back?”


“Get my other rifle.” Dad’s voice sounded very firm. “Check under the bed. Quick!”


I heard some noise as the bed was pushed aside and then some silence, and then a loud bang as Dad let off a shot. Mum held me tighter as I screamed and another shot went off.


“You got them! Quick, there are more running towards Tayo!”

Arnold?


I pried myself loose from my mother’s arms and ran to the front door, throwing it open in a fit of madness.

Ayo, Arnold and James were running with all their might towards the house. Ayo had something strapped to his back and I was trying to make out what it was when I saw what was making them run so fast.
There must have been more than a hundred of them. A whole crowd of them pursuing hotly and slowly catching up. The sun had gone down
considerably and was not affecting them at all. I gasped as Ayo stumbled but steadied himself. The thing he was carrying was slowing him down.
There was no way he would have used his gun, they were just too many.


A group of them broke off and went after James who suddenly swung around, using a big stick to defend himself. They backed off but began pursuit again. Arnold suddenly looked up and saw me. He shouted and waved as a group of them rushed towards him.
A gunshot from dad’s rifle and the one closest to Arnold fell to the ground.


“They are not going to make it!” Deji shouted.


Ayo suddenly stopped and handed his burden to Arnold. It struggled in their hands and I realized it was a baby. Ayo screamed something at Arnold and Ayo and they resumed running while Ayo stood his ground behind them, brandishing a gun and his cutlass.


They surrounded him, allowing Arnold and James to go. I watched in horror as they started taunting him, striking at him with their swords and spears. Ayo pointed the gun and shot into the sky and they withdrew a little. Then he threw the gun on the ground.


“He’s out of bullets!” Deji shouted.

He ran out of the room and went to the kitchen to grab a knife. He would have run out the door if Mum had not clung, screaming, to him.

“Leave me! Mom!”

I just stood there at the door, from the corner of my eye watching Arnold and James approaching and in the background Ayo parried with one of the under-dwellers. They were obviously more skilled with such weapons and soon Ayo clutched at his arm in pain as his cutlass went flying uselessly into the air. The one that had overpowered him rushed forward to finish him when he suddenly jerked backwards and fell dead to the floor.


We all turned in amazement to where the gunshot had come from. Out from behind the huge pile of Chief Akpati’s house’s ruins, a large group of our local vigilante emerged, adorned for battle. They were joined by others who had been watching the scene from their tents and ruins. Old men, young boys, strong youth,a anyone who could walk and carry a weapon joined the vigilantes. Some of them carried rifles and Dane guns, others came with machetes and heavy sticks. Some held leaves in their mouths and others had tied certain strange things to their waists, probably amulets and charms. They charged forward, shooting and shouting as they went.


The under-dwellers seemed to welcome the challenge. Apparently they seemed to enjoy combat. They abandoned Ayo and charged to meet the vigilantes and soon they clashed together in a confused tumble of gunshots, dust and clanging metal.


Arnold and James ran up to us and Arnold handed the baby over to my mother.


“We saw her on the road and couldn’t leave her…”


“My mom carried the baby and backed it without question.


“I’m going back!” James shouted wildly. “I’m going to avenge Emobor!”


“Wait, leave it to the men!” My mom shouted, but he was already running back to the fight.


Arnold looked at me. Dad had left the room and was standing at the entrance of the house with Deji, Mom and I.


“I have to go back too.” He said.


“It is not necessary, Tayo.” My Father said.


Arnold smiled. “I won’t be able to live with myself if I don’t help out in this fight now. I am a man just like those boys there. We are all struggling to survive and I must help in any way that I can.”


I was numb. I felt a strong foreboding and held Arnold’s hand.

“Don’t go!” I said. “Arnold, stay here.”

“See this girl, are you forming you like me now?” He chuckled. Then he suddenly leaned forward and kissed me on the lips.


And yes it was my first kiss.


And yes even in the heat of all that was going on, it was all I hoped it would be.


Time must have stood still because it felt that we had been kissing forever even though in reality it must have lasted only a few seconds. When his lips left mine and I opened my eyes I almost wept as I realized once again the situation we were in.


“Call me Tayo.” He said. “I like it.”


“Tayo.” I echoed.


Arnold took a step back, suddenly realizing my Dad had been there the whole time.


“Sorry Sir.” He said.


MY dad grunted but said nothing.


“Let me go and help your brother.” He said and ran back towards the fighting, picking a shovel at the sode of the road as he went.


My dad had a firm hand on Deji.


“Your brother is representing our family there. There’s no need for you to risk your life as well.” He said.


“But…”


“If anything happens to you who will take care of your mom and sister? Me with this my broken leg? No, son, you are not going anywhere.”

I must have stood at the door for a while because the next thing I knew, mum was touching my shoulder and leading me inside the house. I followed her, albeit reluctantly. I couldn't even make out anybody’s face again in the fight as the tears now running down my cheeks had blurred my sight.

Lunch was over in thirty minutes. There was a sense of urgency in the air although the boys laughed and bantered among themselves as if they were about embarking on a picnic. Sola sat beside me and ate a good portion of food. I could tell she was beginning to feel much better although she was still acting quiet and reserved. I cheered her up by telling her that she would meet her mother again soon, Ayo and the other boys were quite capable of taking good care of her, see as she was being treated as a queen , only her and four hefty guys, and pretty soon she started to laugh. My mom nodded encouragingly at me and offered her more food which she politely refused.


The boys wolfed down their Eba and Ewedu very quickly and also politely declined more food. Emobor’s arm had been bandaged by Deji and despite pleadings from my mom to stay and recover, he insisted on following the group to drop Sola in her place.


Soon they were all ready. Ayo went into the room to see Dad and came out with a reloaded gun. He smiled grimly and put the gun in a holster he had worn around his chest. He seemed very proud to be the one in charge of the cold hard weapon.


“Are you sure you didn’t join any…” I asked nervously. He laughed.

“No, I’ve seen them doing it like this in movies.” He said. “Okay, let’s move out.”


I hugged Sola one last time and bid her goodbye as she went out in the midst of all four boys who were busy laughing and chattering away. A shadow went past the crack in the wall and dad stuck his finger through and waved. The boys waved back and went on down the street. I looked around at the surrounding houses. All our neighbors’ houses had collapsed in great heaps that spotted the terrain here and there. Some people were scavenging among the piles of rubbish but they were not many. I wondered where all the townspeople were, or had they all turned to ashes as well?


Deji passed by me and headed towards Chief Akpati’s house carrying two empty Jerrycans.


“We fetched fuel there yesterday. The filling station is too far away and I don’t think anyone will even be there to sell fuel sef.” He said. “Let me get from Chief Akpati’s private stash and we can always repay him when and if things return to normal.”


“You don’t think he is dead?” I asked. “I thought you said his jeep tumbled down the hill.”


“I said, one of his jeeps.” Deji replied and started trotting off. “And no one knows who was inside."


I went back inside and shut the door.


Dad had come into the parlour and tuned back to CNN. The generator was still rumbling away outside. The wall clock chimed one o’clock. CNN was repeating the interview with the man who claimed to have come from under the Earth. Now, they were showing diagrams of how the Earth was structured according to the under dwellers. 3D animated drawings showed a hollow earth, a sphere inside a bigger sphere, connected together by many pillars, both spheres rotating in tandem with each other. The diagram zoomed in on three of the pillars which had collapsed, thus creating seismic activity and causing the huge Earthquakes. As I watched, the Earth diagram was broken into three different parts, two sections larger than the third.



“This is what the Under-dwellers believe will happen to the Earth in a few days time if these earthquakes persist. Geologists and scientists are reviewing the new information to see how authentic it is and If so, what can be done to prevent the End of the World as we know it. Dan Summers, for CNN, Washington.”



“Is the Earth going to split apart?” I exclaimed, taking a seat beside dad. He patted me on the back.


“It’s okay. Whatever happens we will be together.” He said.


“But what are our leaders doing about this?” Mom asked from the dining room. “What is Africa doing about it? Are our leaders ready for this kind of wahala?”


“Most of them are leaving the country to America on their private jets.” Dad chuckled. “ Everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die.”


“Don’t you know any of your friends that have private jets?” Mom asked. Dad shook his head with a little smile and tuned the channel to our local
news. NTA Lagos showed “Standby”.


“Ah, okay, this is promising; at least these guys might come up soon.” Dad said, settling down into the chair.” Let’s see what is happening in our country.”


“Dad, what about the lookout?” I asked


“It’s hot outside, I doubt they will attack in this blazing sun. But you can keep a lookout and let me know if you see anything suspicious. I just want to rest a bit. Deji will take over when he comes back.”


I nodded and went into the master bedroom. It smelt of iodine and bandages. It was a bit stuffy because of the heat but the ceiling fan was on and I sat directly below it for a while before going to look out the crack in the wall.


There was nothing suspicious happening outside.


I must have stayed there for about thirty minutes, looking outside, wondering about all that had happened, trying not to think of those we had lost, Mr. Abel, Bimpe… Wondering if we would survive all of this or if indeed these were the last days of the World.


Had we missed the rapture? But the Bible didn’t describe anything like earthquakes did it? It dawned on me that it did. What about people disappearing mysteriously in a pile of ashes?


Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust…


But the way I had always envisioned it, the way I think most people envisioned it, was a sudden loud trumpeting in the sky and people suddenly floating into the sky. And there had definitely been no mention of people under the Earth or great snakes…


I recalled the Snake that we had seen swallowing Dare. The terror in his eyes as he ran back and forth, looking for how to escape his predicament. I remember the leather girdle on the neck of the snake and realized it was probably what the under dwellers used for holding onto the snakes while riding them. I tried to imagine what their world would be like, little or no sunlight, what kind of food they ate; the diagram on television had shown a kind of underground ocean so they had enough water to rely on.


They must have been watching us for thousands of years, I thought.


I was looking out of the crack when suddenly the Sun went behind a thick cloud. Everywhere seemed to become even quieter than it had previously been. I spied through the crack at the field outside and immediately saw them come out of the stones and up from the ground, as if the ground was water and they were just surfacing from it. I tried to scream and call out for help but was too terrified to do so. They came up in their thousands and marched towards the house, hissing their strange language to each other. One of them broke through a hole in the ground just in front of our gate, sitting on a huge snake that tore out the ground as it rose. The snake turned and saw me and as I turned to run it struck at the house, destroying everything, sending everyone in it flying, dad, mom, we were all screaming and something grabbed my lag and I screamed the louder…



“Temi, Temi!!! Wake up! You are dreaming!”


I jumped to my feet and realized I had passed out in the bed under the fan. Deji was sitting on Dad’s chair, near the crack and was eating a biscuit even as he looked away from me and towards the crack in the wall.


“How long have I been sleeping?” I asked.


“About two hours.” Deji said quietly. “Dad said not to wake you.”


I stretched and yawned. “Are the boys back yet?” I asked.


“No.” Deji replied. I stood still.


“What? Sola’s house isn’t that far, Thirty minutes at most and they should be back. Have you tried calling?”


“Network is out again.” Deji said.


“WE have to go and look for them!” I shouted.


“Calm down.” Deji said. “The terrain has changed. It can’t take the same time it used to take going to her place before the Earthquake happened and our molehill became a mountain. They should be back soon.”


But I could tell from his tone of voice that he was worried.