Normalcy in Norksville had packed its bags and left but we would yet know it.
Quite shortly after my dad left, reports of missing people gradually rented the air. As if the man knew something we didn't and decided not to take us along with him. In a way, this statement is true.
No one took the issue seriously at first. We had enough maybes for it. The symptoms were blamed on climate change. The disappearances were pinned on relocation, runaway teens etc. Of course, each excuse had loopholes. The stories were not adding up. Family members of the victims were also refuting the claims.
The whole madness began roughly two years ago. It grew worse when the flies theory surfaced a while later. Observers began to link the symptoms and disappearance of the victims to their prior encounters with the flies which was debunked by the "Malvas" of Norksville who thought they were mere superstitions.
I bet the flies wanted to prove a point because the cases seemed to have increased after that theory came about.
Everyone had something to say about what brought the flies. This reminds me of one funny conversation I overheard in school briefly before my mother's experience.
"They are not ordinary houseflies or fruitflies. I think you can always tell the difference if you see them". Tola sounded passionate.
"God forbid I do". Phoebe replied dismissively.
"God has nothing to do with it". Ryan cut in sharply.
Even I could feel the tension rise by the awkward silence.
"Well, I heard the flies can detect lies". Joel broke the silence.
"What?" That was Phoebe's tiny voice again.
"Because lies rhyme with flies?" Ryan joked.
"Not what I heard. I heard the flies are triggered by illicit sex". Carl sounded serious.
"Godly judgemental flies? Lovely. Get condoms, guys". Ryan teased and they all laughed.
"But come on! I don't think that can be true. Some children are missing too" Tola spoke with that same passion in his tone.
There was silence again so I glanced at them. They stared at one another with a knowing look.
After a while, Anya, who had only been laughing the whole time, stopped abruptly. "Shut my back door! No way! You guys, no!"
The rest cackled.
I could guess what went through their minds but I disagree. Not just because of the obscenity of their thought but my experiences.
I had witnessed an incident two months earlier.
I was at the bookshop, a few streets away from Uncle Coeus' house. While I was in the queue, two kids were playing. I knew one was the son of the shopowner but I didn't know who and whose the other kid was. Was a familiar face to the shopowner's son by the looks of it.
I wasn't totally paying attention to them but I think he did not want to play with the boy anymore so he faked a long-suffering cry until the boy left to meet some elderly folks standing by. Then, he stopped and gave a self-satisfied smirk.
As the shopowner came out to see her son, the flies came. She warded them off casually and they buzzed off. I could see that they had bitten the child lightly on his neck but he didn't seem to feel the pain. I don't think the shopowner even noticed it.
I became nervous. It was like seeing my mum's incident replay before me. I wanted to wait to watch what would happen to him but I couldn't. My hands were trembling like they had a mind of their own. So, I went back home.
It was reported a few days later that the boy was missing.
Our local Sheriff has been at his wits end in the investigation of the occurrences. In his defence, it would be hard for anyone to work with those piles of outlandish witness testimonies.
With this rumour of tears-detecting flies, a strange market blossomed overnight. People began to sell heavily tinted sunglasses, talismans,"tear-preventing" concoctions and drinks which were mostly full of Job's tears seeds and verbena twigs, fly repellants and so on.
Spanking children or even teasing them to tears became an extreme sport. Funerals were either held out of town or grief was swallowed whole. Even the unbelieving knew nothing was normal about the occurrences. I guess they were just trying to keep up appearances.
The painful thing was that every time I witnessed the occurrences, Malva was nowhere to be found.
"People are scared, Daucus. So, they're making up stories". He said to me one of those times I attempted convincing him again.
"That, or you are the problem". His tone was annoyingly breezy.
"I'm flattered you think I have some superpowers to make people vanish but I'll pass. This is damn real, Malva". I picked at my hair briefly. I could feel my frustration rise.
"The disappearances? That's messed up," Malva conceded.
"But flies? Come on. This is not some B-grade horror movie. We need actual security. I mean, better locks, maybe a neighborhood watch and a few more streetlights". His nonchalance was infuriating.
"If you are serious about the flies, get bug spray". He expertly flicked a bottle cap into one of the flower vases in the living room and walked away.
I remember holding my face in my palms and muttering, "it's not just in my head" repeatedly.
When I was done, a heavy sigh escaped my lips and I decided I would not stress myself convincing him anymore.
*******
The postman came that afternoon and handed my mum a letter. We were together in the living room, talking about sweet nothings when he came. Malva was fast asleep.
She wanted to open it to read it immediately but she seemed to have seen something on it that changed her mind. She had this worried look which she tried to hide as she went into her room. I became curious. So, I stayed by her door, spying at her through the keyhole.
I rarely saw my mum worried like that. She was always bubbling with life and vigour even after my dad had fled for who-knows-why.
She opened the letter, read through and made an expression I could not make sense of. She looked in my direction. I guess she knew I was there all along. I quickly tried to hide by the wall, away from the door, hoping to tiptoe away if I had heard her footsteps. As I heard sounds of moving objects and her faint straining voice, I tiptoed back to the living room.
After a while, I couldn't hear anything. I peeped again. This time, the letter wasn't with her anymore. It wasn't even in sight. I couldn't explain it.
I knocked and opened the door with the intention to make a joke about her magical skills. As she saw me, she began to sob with an expressionless face.
"Wow! It gets better". I thought.
For a moment, I forgot why I had opened the door. I felt she needed a moment. I sat on the stool close to the dressing mirror across the room, staring at her as if to divine her predicament.
Then, the flies came; a swarm of iridescent, silver-winged flies with a low, collective hum that vibrated in one's bones.
That was my first time seeing the flies.
I was unsure how they had entered the room. It all happened so fast. They paced the room for a bit and came towards her. I was scared. My mum swung her hand in the air to ward them off but they buzzed around endlessly.
Eventually, one of the flies bit her arm. I wanted to shout but I found myself muttering, "mum".
That was all I was able to mutter.