February 18, 1920.
Cabinda City.
By mid-February, all of Cabinda had sunk into panic. As East Africa's bridgehead city connecting with Europe and America, Cabinda had suffered the harshest blow in this epidemic.
"The entire city is now in a state where every rustling wind and crane's cry puts people on edge. Taverns, restaurants, clubs, and other establishments that once buzzed with voices now stand deserted, while pedestrians are few and far between on the streets..." a reporter from Cabinda's East African radio news broadcast reported to the public.
Listening to the broadcast on the radio, Cabinda resident Rabe said to his wife and children, "The epidemic is getting worse and worse. Don't go wandering around outside if you have no reason to."
Because of the epidemic, schools in Cabinda City had extended their holidays, so Mr. Rabe's two sons and one daughter were all staying home.
His wife said, "We've rarely gone out since the end of last month. But going out is obviously unavoidable. We have enough firewood, rice, oil, salt, and other necessities stored up, but vegetables, fruit, meat, and other things that don't keep well still have to be bought regularly."
Rabe said, "Even if you have to go out, wear your masks properly. At least they can do something. I heard European and American countries have started wearing masks too. They used to laugh at us for it. Sure enough, the wheel of fortune turns—now they're the ones caught between advancing and retreating."
"The news said London's cases have already reached several hundred thousand. Compared with that, Cabinda City's outbreak is practically insignificant, and this is still when our city is at its worst."
As the place in East Africa hardest hit by the epidemic, Cabinda City had only discovered around a thousand cases so