Day 5: The Mystery Girl

August 28, 1678

Dear brother,

Several weeks have passed, and there has been no sign for hope. All of us are still sick. Dada and Uncle are tiring from exhaustion. I’m still suffering from all those things I described in the past letter. It hurts to even talk now. Auntie and Mommy seem to be getting a bit worse. Auntie can’t eat anything as she ends up throwing up and coughing up a lot of blood. Mommy can’t talk to us anymore because of the bumps she has in her mouth. Out of me, Auntie, and Mommy, I’m the only one that has some energy to do anything. Mommy and Auntie remain in bed, Daddy and Uncle watch over them, and I’m free to rest and wander.

I walked around town today. Traders seemed quieter than usual, and everyone who lives here seem to be slightly dead. The sickness has been ravaging through the town like crazy. At least one person from each family has been attacked by this vicious monster, and none of us know what has actually been causing it. Some of the traders have been struck with our disease, but others remain normal and completely healthy.

As I was walking, I noticed this girl, small and innocent, hiding behind a barrel of fish. She seemed tense but confident. I’ve never seen this girl before. If she had been born here, I would’ve known her, so she’s definitely not a native. Thomas came by as I was observing her. On the bright side, he forgave me for our last encounter. On the down side, he had never seen the girl before either. We estimated her to be about seven years old, but she seemed to not have a chaperone. Since Thomas had been around many various trading posts in different countries, he’s learned to notice people who are out of the ordinary, and she is a girl that he has seen at each post. No one has ever claimed her to his/her child. He’s asked around in different countries, and no one ever knows who he is talking about.

Through it all, she should not be outside during this time of sickness. With everything going around, it is dangerous for her to be remotely near main places of the town, particularly the trading post. We have approached the girl, but she looks at us with her big eyes and walks away. We’ve asked around everyone of who she is and whether any of the traders knew her parents, but so far all of our questions remain unanswered.

This girl remains as the second biggest mystery here in Dacca. Our biggest mystery is that of the illness and why it seems to be targeting a lot of us. More natives have fallen ill than traders, but some traders are still ill. The girl seems to go around interacting with the sick, and yet she remains immune to the illnesses that have taken over our town. Thomas and I are both intrigued by this girl’s behaviour. None of us seem to be getting better, and we are unsure of what to do. Yesterday, we saw the girl go towards the swampy, marshy woods area we used to play at when you were still here. I’m not sure why she would head in that direction, but I want to follow her. I haven’t been able to go because Dada wants me to stay in for a little while to help watch Mommy and Auntie while he returns to work. I’m not allowed back at the construction site. Thomas has agreed that he will follow the girl and tell me what he sees. Hopefully, I can see him tomorrow.

Lovingly confused,

Chayana

Day 4: The Blood Marks

August 7, 1678

Dear brother,

The weather is still really hot here. Things at home are getting even worse. Auntie’s condition isn’t any better than the last time, if not worse. Dada’s still ok, but he’s starting to feel warm and more tired than usual. Mommy’s been in bed for days now, and she won’t come out to see Uncle or Auntie or even me. As for me, I’ve gotten better and walking without a toe, but it still feels weird to not have anything there. My coughing has continued, but it seems as though I can control it a bit more. When I went to the doctor’s to see what he could give me, mommy, and Auntie, he gave me some herb things and when away as everyone else in town is getting sick.

The boy I had met earlier is still here! I thought he had left, but turns out his father is staying in town to trade while his partner does all the exporting. His name is Thomas, and he’s just a bit older than me. Dada hasn’t really technically been allowing me to leave the house, but I sneak out when he’s not paying attention to see him. I mean, there are a lot of boys in town, don’t get me wrong. Thomas is just different. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t know the town like we do, so he just seems so new. Or maybe it’s because I’m tired of all the boys at home. But, I may have messed EVERYTHING up with him…

The other night, I snuck out of the house to meet with Thomas. I’ve been able to hide my toe from him (quite literally since it’s gone…), but coughing up blood is getting a bit more difficult. I’ve been keeping one of dad’s old handkerchiefs with me to catch the blood as I cough. I’ve been coughing up blood for the past couple days, and these bumps have been growing on the sides of my mouth. It hurts to chew and everything, but if you look at my mouth you can see them pretty easily. Dada pointed it out to me before I could even tell what was growing. I’ve started wearing a scarf around my mouth again (like mommy made me do when I was younger), but as a result, I can’t cough conspicuously. When Dada was caring for mommy, I snuck out to see Thomas (as I usually do). With the scarf around me, he thought it was cute to have a change in my clothing (I can’t believe he liked it!). But of course, I thought all was fine and I didn’t take Dada’s handkerchief with me. When I was with Thomas, I started coughing so vigorously that the blood was spewing everywhere. I ran home as fast as I could crying. When I snuck back in through the window, both Mommy and Dada were asleep, so I cried myself to sleep.

I found out Auntie is starting to get those bumps in her mouth. Mommy is feeling better, but not well enough. Uncle and Dada have been rotating through Dada’s work so that both can take care of all of us. The heat is making everything ten times worse. I don’t know how much longer I can stand here. Nothing seems to be getting better, and traders are still coming from all around to sell their stuff in the markets. I hope you write back soon. I really miss you.

Love,

Chayana

Day 3: Death Do Us Part

July 27, 1678

Dear brother,

Traders are still coming from all over the place. They won’t stop coming. Dada’s construction on the temple has been delayed because people from all over keep disturbing him.

Everyone here is still sick. Mommy and Dada are still fine, but Auntie and Uncle are getting sick. The green, black thing I had with my toe has now spread to them. My toe got so bad that the doctor cut if off. You can’t imagine how different it is to not have a big toe.

A few days ago, I snuck to see dada at work. I shouldn’t have been walking, but I just couldn’t help it. I met a boy on the way to construction. He’s a foreigner, the son of an English trader. He’s a very cute boy, and I just couldn’t help but talk to him. So, instead of going to see dada, I talked to him for hours on end. He’s only in town for a couple more days, but we’ve already made plans to see each other again. Dada almost caught me when he was walking back from work, but I managed to sneak through back home before anyone noticed I was gone. The only problem is I don’t know how to tell him about my missing toe. The thing is absolutely disgusting, but he can never see. He can’t know I work with dada in construction either. Back in England, all girls stay at home and take care of husbands while boys work. I even told him I stay at home instead of going to work with dada. I live a tough life now…

Cough. Cough. I’m dying. It’s been a day since I’ve talked to the boy. From what I’ve heard, he’s going to be in town longer than I expected. I think I’m dying. I’m definitely dying. Mommy says I will be ok, but I feel dead.

Brother, I know you have worried since my last letter. I fear to worry you more, but I need to worry you more. I’ve begun coughing up blood, and mommy now has that dead skin stuff I had. Auntie has begun getting chills, but Uncle is better. Dada has had to take off work to watch over me. I’ve been afraid to go see the boy I met, but I’ve begun feeling really hot all the time and have started having trouble breathing. The doctor has come to see what is wrong, but everyone in town is getting sick. I can’t sleep laying down in fear I’ll choke to death. I try to get up and help dada around the house, but I get put back down. He worries even more as I haven’t had as much of an appetite.

I just went to check on Auntie, and she has begun coughing blood as well. The town talk has it that the traders have been spreading disease among us. Dada can’t go to work anymore because he has to take care of us as Mommy is having difficulty walking now. Many of her toes have the green stuff that I had.

I don’t know what has been happening. Quite a few traders have left in fear of catching any of this sickness many of us seem to have. I haven’t left the house in days. Mommy and Auntie sleep all day now. I’ve tried sneaking out to see Mushu, but dada keeps catching me. I wish you could come home, Brother. I don’t know how long we can last here anymore. We’re slowly losing hope...write back soon.

I miss you,

Chayana