Chapter 9 THE GREAT SNAIL ESCAPE

Peace returned to Sikakrom. For about three days.

Then the snails disappeared.

Every single one of them.

Gone.

Snail farms? Empty.

Snail paths? Deserted.

Snail selfie booth? Vacant.

Auntie Akos sounded the alarm. "They've staged a rebellion!"

Kweku"Google" was panicking. "I was supposed to give a speech as Snail King. Now I look like a fraud!"

Rumors flew.

"The snails joined a circus."

"They were kidnapped by greedy villagers from Surododum."

"They've gone on pilgrimage to the sacred mud in Keta."

T.T. the Trickster saw opportunity.

"We must investigate," he said, donning a fedora and oversized sunglasses. "Operation Shell Hunt begins now!"

The search party was a mix of children, old men with walking sticks, and one suspicious cat named Pepper who looked like she knew too much.

Posters were drawn: "MISSING: 458 Snails. Last seen relaxing near okra farm. Answers to: squelch."

They followed slime trails for hours.

Finally, behind the old cocoa shed, they found them.

The snails were holding a conference.

Hundreds of them, gathered in a perfect spiral.

At the center sat an elder snail wearing what looked like a crown made of bottle cap.

"Brothers and sisters," the elder snail said in perfectly understandable Ga, "we are tired of being chased, chewed, and charmed. We demand rights!"

Auntie Mansa fainted.

"They can talk!" shouted Pastor Isaiah.

"No," whispered Kweku, "I think someone's doing ventriloquism."

It was Pepper the cat. Her tail pointed toward a bush where Mr. Boampong sat with a walkie-talkie and loudspeaker.

"We're testing for empathy this time," he explained.

But the village didn't care.

They called a meeting. Voted unanimously. And passed a new law:

"From this day forward, all snails are to be treated as Citizens of Sikakrom, with rights to roam, rest, and reject pepper soup."

That night, snail-shaped lanterns were lit.

Children recited:

"Snails are slow, but wisdom grows.

Respect their pace, give them grace."

And for once, Sikakrom truly felt united.

Even if it was because of imaginary talking snails.