The Animals Petition

Chapter 1 THE EMERGENCY MEETING Orkoti, the chief wether, a big billy is the community leader. He convened all comrades for an emergency meeting. He started; "We have a very big problem that has stayed with for long, and it still with us more than ever. As you can all see, (pointing hands to a direction of dried grasses), we are gradually moving into our season of hell, the season we are killed, slaughtered, murdered and assassinated for sins committed by none of us. The season that sheer wickedness by mankind descends on us hotter than hell fire" He paused and continued; 'I am not speaking in proverbs, I am trying to reawaken our consciousness on the pains we pass through year in and out from the start of the earth. This problem is brought by mankind. They are always celebrating one festival or another, today and tomorrow, and anytime there is such occasion they must s*******r one comrade for themselves as meat. Our population is decreasing seasonally due to high mortality rate which is the result of wickedness orchestrated by mankind for love of our flesh which they call meat. It is high time we stand up to this challenge and let mankind know that we are not finding their cruelty funny, and let them know that these incessant killings come to an end. This is the reason for convening you comrades. As you can see the change in weather and atmosphere, that seasonal breeze of festivity will soon come, and the painful loss of lives will dawn on us as reality than imagined. My take, comrades' Mr. Tom, a tomcat who is the eldest from his family representing his kin in the council stands as he speaks; ' good day comrades. I Mr tom, representing my kin in the council will always contribute on issues in ways to benefit my kin in particular, but also our folk as a whole. We are aware that killing of our fellows as done by mankind is an age long phenomenon. It's older than all of us here. Though, one may, if with a better option, resist yielding to the ever growing cruelty exhibited by mankind. At this point, I would request to ask, Chief wether, do you by any chance have an idea of the way out of this age long mess?' Orkoti, the chief wether,a castrated he goat who is the eldest from the goat family, who also doubles as the chairman of the council stands; 'thank you so much comrade Tom. As you all know, this matter is between life and death, and it's our problem. So, I don't think of a way out as a person, since it's not my family affair, that's why I brought it to your knowledge for a collective decision that would be acceptable by all members concerning the rightful way to go from here.' he concluded. Engineer Dumbo, a male ram, eldest in the sheep's family, representative in the council demands for permission to speak by raising his hand. The chairman, chief wether grants him the permission as he speaks; ' there is nothing good about the day, but since greetings is necessary even in sad moments, I consider it important to say good day to comrades. I am Engineer dumbo, that's the name all of you call me. I don't know what my forefathers did that everyone that comes from our family is referred to as slow in brain even we are practically more intelligent than many people. He continued; ' my take on this issue is short and clear. Mobile forces and stop the wanton killings. Enough is enough! We cannot be showing high level of diplomacy while our fellows die in cold blood day and night. Let us fight to end it, or die, all of us.' Mr.Tom stands from his seat with a grimacing face, a show of disapproval of what a fellow elder, Engineer Dumbo has just said. He started; ' On your own, that's what I will tell you. I can't honour an invitation to an emergency meeting to sign a pact for the death of my entire kin. I will never be part of the fight against mankind. Not only me, no one from my family.' The place becomes rowdy as many are in support of declaring war on mankind, while others were in support of Mr.Tom, who they respect so much as the one with a more close relationship between man than others. The chairman, elder chief wether, calls for calm, reminding all the elders of the significance of the times for such a meeting, having in mind the fact that, the breeze signal of Christmas in late November is a message deepening the pains in their hearts how they would die in the hands of mankind for the purpose of cerebrating Christmas. Orkoti further pleads with the elders to shun personal biases and work together to forge an alliance across family biased lines in order to tackle their age long challenge, which according to him, is work for the future succeeding generations. Nom Iywa, the eldest in the dog family, who doubles as the secretary of the elders' council requests permission to speak; 'distinguished elders, do permit me to stand by the existing protocols. Trying times are a visitor to all generations. There is no such generation that had lived which honest history has not told of its trying timings. I will consider this as our trying time. A time like this, when bitterness of soul brings forth such thoughts as this, one needs to be careful. We should not be easy to decide the way to go for now. However, allowing the killings to continue as unprovoked as our fathers had allowed it in the past shouldn't be an option. We must fight, but we must be careful too. My take'. Mr.Wacko, the eldest in the fowl family, a representative in the council stands as he seeks permission to speak. ' Good day comrades. I am happy that chief wether, the big and fat billy of our generation made it possible for us to gather here for this wonderful meeting. We all are victims of this cruel act by mankind, but if you one would ask me, I will gladly tell you, and without mincing words that, my kin, my family suffers these killings more than all other families. I know the pains our fellow brothers and sisters are passing through because of these wanton killings. Many have gone to school and have mingled with mankind better than us. They have their ways to escape the wrath of man, perhaps to be housed and fed with table leftovers. It's good that they have found favour with man and are exempted from suffering the emotional pains of such losses. However, some of us that our kins are suffering these pains, we will fight till we all die to stop this nonsense.' He concluded. The disagreement between those who want war and those who want peace became tensed. It was at this moment that the former chairman of the council, elder Bull requested for permission to contribute on the issue. The permission was given immediately as he spoke. “The chairman and my fellow distinguished elders in council, it is indeed a mess that both of us have found ourselves in, having being helpless in the face of our adversities as orchestrated by mankind. However, it will benefit us more to be diplomatic than taking issues up with the bitterness in us without reservations. I know it is not easy to have to sit and watch your fellows being mercilessly slaughtered in cold blood for the eating pleasure of others, but the Almighty that created the universe this way will not forsake us. Taking on arms to fight mankind would be the worst mistake to be recorded in history, and I am sure our succeeding generations wouldn't forgive us for such absurdity if allowed. I therefore suggest that we look forward to getting a solution to this than declaring war on mankind. My take'. The chairman, Mr. orkoti called on all the comrades to take a break to call it a day, but also to bear in mind that war against intimidation has just began. All the animals nodded in acceptance as they all prepare to take their leaves.