The Strange Attorney
Calixthus embarked on the journey to meet his client in America and to defend him for killing the strange bird. He sat in the aircraft with one of his deputies who had accompanied him on the journey. The voice of a crew came through the in-built speaker in the aircraft requesting everyone to fasten their seat belts. After fasting their belts, the passengers stared at one another as the plane took off. When the plane reached a cruising altitude, Calixthus took a pen and began to write notes on the cases he wanted to mention during the trial.
Suddenly, a bearded man who was wearing glasses stood up in the aircraft and walked towards the toilet. The man brought out his cell phone inside the toilet and began to communicate to some people outside the plane.
"Hello. Is that the Big Guy?" He asked.
"Who is that?" Asked the Big Guy.
"It's me Ricky," he answered.
"Hi, Ricky. Where are you?" Asked the Big Guy.
"We are airborne already and will soon commence the operation. We will inform you from time to time about developments in the aircraft," answered Ricky.
Ricky later left the toilet and walked towards the cockpit to meet the pilot. He was joined by another man who was waiting in anticipation of the entry to the cockpit to give instructions to the pilot. Four other members of this squad of hijackers stood up from their seats and took strategic positions in the plane. When they were about to enter the cockpit, they brought out the guns they had concealed. The pilot and his assistant were smitten with fear when these men broke into the cockpit.
"Who are you and what do you want here?" Asked the pilot amidst fear.
"We are not here to harm you and we hope that you will not give us the opportunity. Just comply with our instructions and do not be funny. We will like to inform you that your aircraft has been hijacked," said Ricky as he pointed the gun at them.
"Hijacked?" Asked the pilot.
He was stupefied and really did not know what to say. The hijackers began to give instructions to the pilot and the Co- pilot on what they should do and the two of them complied.
"Take us to the next airport and we will let the government know our demands there. Give me the microphone and let me speak to the passengers," Instructed Ricky.
He was given the microphone and he began to speak to the passengers who were already terrified.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I greet you in the name of our leader who is known worldwide as the Big Guy, Leader of the Colonized People. He asked us to hijack this plane and my name is Ricky. I am the commander of this terror in the sky. I and other militant brothers are stationed in the corners of this aircraft and we will like you to cooperate with us. We do not intend to harm anyone as long as you cooperate. We are here to show to the world that we are angry about what they have done to our people all over the world and to say that we mean business this time around. We implore all passengers to call us whenever they want any clarification and the need arises. If you want to use the toilet, just raise your hands without any funny movement. If you play on our intelligence, we will be very ruthless. Right now, if you have a cell phone on board, raise your hand and we will come down to pick it up. Thank you," said Ricky.
The passengers listened to the scary information and were dumbfounded.
"How did they get on the plane?" Asked a woman in hush tones.
"What do they really want?" Asked another scared passenger.
"I wish I never traveled today," whispered another woman to her friend sitting near her.
"Are they going to kill us?" Asked a twelve years old boy.
"I don't know," answered his mother.
"What are we going to do now?" Asked the same twelve years old from his mother.
"I said that I do not know!" The woman whispered with freight.
"What is happening to the pilot? Is he the one still controlling the aircraft?" Asked a woman.
"One cannot be sure of what is happening," answered the man sitting next to her.
Calixthus, the attorney sat unmoved with the unfolding drama. He quickly thought of what he could do to save the situation. He looked at Francis, his deputy and asked him some questions without any of the hijackers suspecting that something was going on.
"Do you have the video camera in the compartment above?" Calixthus asked his deputy.
"I have it here," he answered.
"Fine. This is very good. As soon as I stand, you just begin to record," Calixthus instructed.
"No. You cannot do that. These people are very dangerous and deadly and they can do anything to harm us especially when we are airborne," He advised.
"You just do as I say. I am going to show these people that they have absolutely nothing and they are just braggarts. This will also help our court case," said Calixthus.
"What do you want to do?" Asked Francis.
"This is not the time to answer questions. Record whatever I do," he said to him before standing up.
He quickly brought out the horn of a goat from his pocket before the hijackers could notice that he was standing. He spat into the horn and began to say incantations into it;
"It is what we tell people that they hear,
It's what we say to people that they do
It's what I tell you hijackers that you should do without questioning
Whatever I tell all you hijackers
You have to do them and comply with my instructions
I shall not be disgraced by any of you hijackers
And you should obey everything that I tell you
All my unseen mothers and spirits will cooperate with me to disgrace you here today. I render all you hijackers powerless."
With the horn he was holding in his hand, he was able to carry out what looked like a remote control of the hijackers who to the amazement of everyone, began to obey him. It was at this point that Francis; his deputy who was afraid now began to record all the events. The hijackers behaved like robots as a result of the fetish materials used in the preparations inside the goat's horn. When he realized that the fetish in the goat's horn hypnotized the hijackers and rendered them useless, he spat three times into the horn again and began another round of incantation. Everyone in the plane was bewildered but the pilots and Ricky who were in the cockpit did not know what was going on.
"I command you hijackers to look stupid and foolish like a sheep.
From this moment as you look at me, become imbeciles.
I command you to become robots and obey my commands," he muttered into the goat's horn facing the hijackers who were standing in front of the passengers. Then, he changed to the incantation that he said the first time.
One of the hijackers moved forward trying to attack him.
"We have explosives on this aircraft and we will not hesitate to blow it up!" Said the hijacker.
"Please sir, sit down because these people are mean and they can blow up the plane as he has threatened," said one of the passengers to Calixthus.
But he was unruffled as he continued to mutter some words into the horn of the goat he held in his hand to the amazement of the passengers.
"Give me that gun in your hand!" He ordered the hijacker as he continued the incantation.
"It is believed by my ancestors and the spirits behind this fetish that I hold in my hand that the needle never refuses to obey the command of the cloth. Obey me right now and hand over your guns. Be good boys. Just hand over your guns to me and be good boys. Do not harm anyone in this aircraft. Yes. Be good boys."
Suddenly, some forces that cannot be explained overpowered the hijackers and they began to surrender their guns.
"Good. That is exactly what I asked you to do. You are nice boys. Hand over the guns and go back to your seats without questioning," said Calixthus.
The hijackers walked back to their seats and he followed them.
"They want to speak with you?" The Captain told Ricky
"What do they want?" Asked Ricky.
"They want to know your demands and how they can meet them if possible," said the Captain.
"Give it to me!" Hollered Ricky as he took the phone from the pilot.
"Yes. Who are you?" Asked Ricky
"I am Rufus and I am the Head of the Aviation Security. What exactly do you want? The government wants to know why you are holding people hostage and they are willing to cooperate with you. But do not harm any of the passengers. I repeat, do not harm the passengers," said Rufus.
"We are the members of the Colonized People. We are sick and tired of all the antics and games the government has been playing with our people," said the hijacker.
In the cockpit, the pilots and hijacker were beginning to have an idea that something was going on amongst the passengers. About the same time, aviation authorities were concerned about the lack of communication between them and the pilot. They have not known the demands of the hijackers at the time Calixthus went inside the cockpit and pointed the goat's horn at Ricky. Ricky and the other hijacker were hypnotized and rendered useless. They looked dumb as Calixthus muttered the incantations again.
"It is believed by my ancestors and the spirits behind this fetish that I hold before you that the needle never refuses to obey the command of the cloth. Obey me right now and hand over your guns. Be good boys. Just hand over your guns to me," said Calixthus.
"Who are you and how dare you come here?" Asked Ricky.
"It is not me that is speaking with you. It is the powers that have been given to me. It is the spirit of my ancestors. Just give me those guns. Do not disobey me. Give me your guns," said Calixthus.
Ricky later handed over his gun to the astonishment of those around as the aircraft flew through the clouds.
"Now, go back to your seats. Go back!" He ordered the hijackers.
The Captain did not believe what was unfolding in the aircraft as Ricky and his counterpart walked back to their seats. All the while, Francis was recording all the events. Calixthus went closer to Ricky and ordered him and his colleagues to sleep deeply.
" I order you hijackers to go on a deep sleep when I touch you. I order all you men with evil intentions to sleep deeply until this aircraft gets to its destination. Sleep very well. Sleep deeply until the aircraft lands," said Calixthus.
The hijackers fell into deep sleep and began to snore to everyone's amazement. It was unbelievable that the hunters had become the hunted and they were forced to sleep through a remote control fetish in form of a goat's horn.
The passengers were amazed that the hijackers fell into that kind of sleep, snoring without accomplishing their deadly mission. The aircraft later landed at an airport nearby. The media, the security personnel, and government officials waited for them on the tarmac. Everyone, including relations who had trooped to the airport was happy to see their loved ones. The story had gone round the media that the people were saved by a strange lawyer who used magic on the hijackers. The hijackers were woken from their slumber and handcuffed into a police van. The pilot and the crew of the aircraft introduced Calixthus to the authorities and the media.
Instantly, the lawyer had become a celebrity. Interestingly, the police Chief in charge of the airport where the aircraft landed wanted Calixthus to disclose the contents of the fetish and let him have some. But the lawyer did not disclose the contents and where he got the goat's horn. He also did not tell anyone that he was the one that was hired to defend the man who was being tried for killing the crow.
Hain met Calixthus, the attorney few hours after he got to the town and they both discussed the case before the court. The attorney informed Hain that he was up to the task of defending him and he would do everything possible to convince the jury that he was innocent. Calixthus also assured Hain that he already had all the legal books and cases to be cited to set him free. He confirmed the existence of magic and played the video of how the hijackers were demobilized in the aircraft when he was traveling to the America. Hain and John were very happy and they laughed as they watched the video. They were convinced that they hired the right lawyer.
During the second hearing of the case, the court was full of people. People thronged the premises from far and near. They were really interested in this bizarre story.
When the court called the case, Hain stood in the dock while Calixthus told the court that he was representing him. The pressure groups in court frowned at his appearance expecting that Hain would find no representation and it would be a speedy trial that would lead to his conviction and serve as a deterrent to others. At the entrance of the court, environment groups continued to stand with their placards that had inscriptions such as; ENEMY OF BIRDS, ENEMY OF ENVIRONMENT, BIRD KILLER, STRANGE MAN OF LITTLETONVILLE.
Inside the court, the prosecution read the charges to Hain. It went thus:
" That you Theophilus Hain of Bacillus Avenue, Littletonville, on the first of October, committed an offence that is punishable under the Endangered Species Act held an endangered bird in a dangerous manner that could kill.
That you Hain Theophilus, on the said day and month, failed to report to the appropriated authorities, that is the Wildlife Service that an endangered bird strayed into your apartment and thereby committed an offence that is punishable under the Endangered Species Act.
That you Theophilus Hain on the said day and month committed an offence under the Endangered Species Act by killing an Endangered bird outside your apartment in such a gruesome manner that will likely disrupt public peace."
After the charges were read, the court observed all those that were present in the court, looked at Hain's face, and asked:
"Are you guilty or not guilty?"
" I am not guilty your honor!" He answered.
Everyone murmured for a long time and it took the intervention of the judge before they could keep quiet.
"This will be a very interesting case," whispered one of the spectators as she smiled to Mrs. Rowstone who was sitting beside her.
Mrs. Rowstone looked at her and smiled. Apart from the government officials, no one else in court knew that she was the one who recorded one of the evidences that was to be used against Hain.
"Oh, it will be interesting. I even heard that they have brought a lawyer from the Caribbean," said Mrs. Rowstone sarcastically.
After a short hearing, the court adjourned the case.
©2002 StoriesByEmail.com
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