Your Honor

11

JAMES'S POV

"Are you mad?"

That was the first statement that jolted me back to life. The trailer didn't hit me. Apperently, the driver seemed very experienced in situations like this. My eyes opened to meet a furious driver hitting his car in anger.

"If you wanted to die. You should have taken rat poison instead of saving yourself this stress. Why do you want to implicate me? I can barely make ends meet." He screamed.

"I am so sorry sir. I didn't mean to jump in front of the road ,I am injured sir. Please help me." I said dropping on my knees.

The driver inspected my injuries carefully, drinking in the possibilities of leaving me on the road to die or taking me to an hospital.

"Are you an armed robber."He said taking few steps backward.

"No sir, I was kidnapped." I said panting heavily.

"Alright, I'll get you to a hospital." He smiled.

He lifted me up from the tarred road and I dropped a shoulder on his waist to act as support. But with each step I took, blood kept trailing on like water. It followed me till I entered the trailer. My eyes were dizzy with weakness. But I blinked them severally to stay alive and awake. When the driver kicked the engine to a start, I knew it was all over. I survived from my kidnapper's den successfully.

A few hours later, the driver opened the passenger's seat and lifted me.A man dressed in white helped him and I figured him out to be a nurse. I was gradually loosing consciousness due to lack of sleep, food and a bleeding gunshot leg. Before I could walk, I was placed on a stretcher and wheeled hastily.

I was seeing stars. Everything felt white all of a sudden. My eyes kept closing and opening in a random way. I gripped the ends of the stretcher refusing to give in to unconsciousness. My heart beat was faster than normal and my leg was hurting literally.

"Sir please do you have any number we can contact to pay for your hospital dues in advance." The nurse screamed.

There was only one number that my brain could process. But my mouth was begging to be shut because I was completely dehydrated.

"0.....8....1...5....6..7...5....7...2...3......" I said with a croacked voice.

A huge smack was imprinted on my cheeks.

"Sir what's the last number. You need to say it." The nurse yelled again.

"It's 8." I said breathing heavily.

I heard voices. Voices that kept screaming at me to stay alive. I felt slaps and kicks. I felt drips engraving my shoulder and I felt an immense pain in my leg. They were trying to remove the bullet in my leg. I didn't know the true meaning of life slipping away from you until now.They didn't even sedate me.They made me feel every sharp inject of syringes. At a point I yelled in pain and everything went into darkness but I could still hear the annoying voices in my head.

Sir don't close your eyes.

Sir don't close your eyes.

****************

JOHN'S POV

I got to my office at the time the cleaners were finishing up tidying offices. I dismissed the cleaner cleaning my office as I felt it was very unnecessary since the office was always tidy. I stuck a hand into my suit pockets admiring myself from the glass windows. I arrived at the office very early because I had no work to do and loneliness was creeping into me slowly.

I heard the click of a door knob and I gasped in pretense amazement. A man dressed in a well tailored suit was staring at me smiling in a weird way and his entire body was oozing of affluence and class. His face felt familiar as I spun around and I saw his face on the portrait that was kissing the green wall.

"Good morning best friend." I said grabbing him into a forceful hug.

"I can't remember the last time you hugged me. So I am guessing you are either drunk or you are just faking this love." Ayo said releasing my arms from his neck.

"People change." I said patting his shoulder.

"I need to talk to you about something." Ayo said settling into a seat.

"Alright, go on." I said flopping on my chair.

"You remember the Danjuma's case coming up next week right?" Ayo said releasing the buttons of his suit jackets.

"Of course." I said in pretense understanding.

"You do understand why Father gave me this case. Don't you?" Ayo continued.

"Yeah I do." I said irritated.

"It's a big case for a lawyer like me and also for you. Danjuma would be so happy if you could do it." Ayo said smiling.

"Ayo,what exactly do you want me to do?" I said yelling.

"Calm down James. I am getting there." Ayo whispered.

"Danjuma wants to be found innocent. In other words you have to make sure he is acquitted and discharged" Ayo continued.

"And it's definitely not going to be for free." I said checking the time on my gold wristwatch.

"Of course. I know your worth." Ayo said shifting his head closer.

Before I could speak. Ayo interrupted.

"How about 10 million naira?" Ayo said winking.

"Wow, that's so huge." I said smiling.

"So you will do it." Ayo asked.

"Of course. Only a mad man would reject such offer." I said shaking his hands happily.

Ayo stood up and made to leave. He stopped on his tracks to look at me closely , at that point I knew I was done for. He probably knew that I wasn't James. I kept a straight face hiding behind the fearful face in my head.

"You look chubbier." Ayo laughed.

"Same goes for you." I said chuckling.

I felt relieved when I heard the clicking of the door. I was going to be a millionaire with just a case. I might probably bolt out after it. My temporary celebrations were halted by the loud vibration of the telephone siting on my desk.

What's it again.

"Hello." I said in the most irritated voice.

"Hello. Please is this the office number of James Okafor. He's being hospitalized in Saint Andrews Hospital. And we need you to pay the dues for his treatment." The voice echoing from the receiver said.

"Did you just say James Okafor?" I said in sheer shock.

"That's correct." The voice said.

"I'll send you the money as soon as possible. Please make it anonymous." I said in agitation.

"Alright sir." The voice said.

"And one more thing." I said.

"Okay?" The voice said.

"Make sure he stays alive." I yelled into the telephone.