Okoli woke up that morning with a strange heavy face. What he saw in a vision the previous night stood invisibly in his mind’s eye like a dreadful masquerade. It was shown where he was lying on an elevated hospital bed, being attended to by nurses. On waking up he rejected the frightening dream. Throughout the week the thought of sickness and death embittered his feelings, robbing his face of smiles. He reported his fears to all his kit and kin within and outside the country. Prayer requests to his relations dominated his text messages.

On the Saturday of that week, Okoli was returning from office and stopped over to buy sliced water melon. A particular slice caught his attention and he bought it. On reaching home he watched it in saline water and ate it. Little did he know that he was having handshake with the grave. The water melon he ate was contaminated with pernicious Amoeba. Soon after eating the fruit, loss of strength began. A little time later, the loss of strength became acute; Okoli felt energy leaving his frail body at a speed like a flood of water. He was fainting...