Chapter 4 – Scaly, the Pangolin

The first time Alexis saw Scaly, a pangolin with scales on it body and a short snout, was she found her wandering and looking frightened in the jungle trail. Alexis had gone hiking with her father, Victor, that day in the woods nearby their home. Both father and daughter were trekking pass dense vegetation on a cool and breezy day. Just as they passed a tall tree, out of the corner of her eyes, Alexis saw something rustling the undergrowth. Then she heard a faint growling sound, it did not scare her. “Dad, wait. I think there’s something there,” said Alexis pointing in the direction of the tall tree. Victor had stopped in his treks. His eyes were already fixed on where Alexis had said. Alexis tip toed as quietly as she could on the undergrowth. One crackle from the dried leaves could startle the creature and cause it to take flight. Victor followed silently and stealthily behind her daughter.

Scaly’s heart was now thumping. I can still move…slowly though, I’m injured. She thought. She regretted moving too quickly which led to Alexis’s attention. I’m lost, injured and I want to get home quickly! She thought again. But I’m far away from home! There’s no place for me to hide here! I’m going to get caught! She looked around the vegetation and undergrowth. Then she turned her head slowly sideways. From the corner of her eyes, she peeked and saw a human closing on her. Then the burly man with a jute bag in hand, lunged forward at the pangolin. In one quick swoop, his other hand clutched on the pangolin’s back and threw it into the jute bag. Immediately, he dashed away from the scene like an arrow making an U-turn. Both Victor and Alexis’s were stunned and speechless – they had just witnessed the kidnapping of an endangered animal!

What happens in the physical realm where humans eat, live and breath is often seen in our daily lives. They are mundane and often predictable. The events that happen in the spiritual realm are much more interesting, unseen, oblivious and far more impactful than the physical events that take place everyday.

“Excellent! These thugs did a great job! Hahahaha!” Laughed The Great Leader heartily upon receiving the message in his message inbox which had been planted into his brain. The technology brought by the Council Members of 7 to Sangkelila was far more advanced than what the engineers in Sangekelila had achieved. Only Members of the PFP party and authorized personnel had access to this unheard and uninitiated technology in Sangkelila. The Great Leader had no idea why the Council Members of 7 had ordered the capture of Scaly. He was only told that it would make a good addition to the Sangkelila Zoo to have a pangolin. The Great Leader waved his hand into the open air opening up a communications portal. Again, this technology had not yet arrived nor available in Sangkelila. In an instant the 7 Council Members appeared before the Great Leader, looking at the latter intently as if they had been disturbed from certain important activities in the Other Realm. “My Dear Lords, the thugs have the animal that you want,” reported The Great Leader. The 7 Council Members let out sounds of approval in their own distinctive manners. The Great Leader could sense that they were pleased.

The thug was panting as he ran as fast as he could to the vehicle waiting for him. Scaly was not a light animal with the amount of scales he had on him. The vehicle’s engine roared to life and a door opened ready for him to jump in. He lunged for the back seat as he fling the jute bag containing Scaly into the car. Scaly could feel himself flying through the air as if it was headed into a goal post. It grimaced in pain as the fling exerted pressure on his wound. Ouch! Can’t you be more gentle? I’ve already been captured! Before the thug reached the back seat, he was suspended in mid-air! Victor who was a national sprinter during his college days had caught up with the thug without too much effort. With his left hand he gripped the thug’s shirt. The thug struggled. Being close to the car’s door…bong! He hit his head against the door. “Damn it!” He yelled out. Meanwhile, Alexis dashed to the other side of the car to rescue Scaly. The driver got out of his seat. He threw a fist towards Alexis. She dodged it. Sent him a kick with her left leg which caused him to slam against the car! He got up, launched a flying kick aimed at Alexis. She swung open the car’s to block the incoming kick. The kick went through the window of the door shattering glass! He lost his balance with one leg caught dangling from the window. The shattered glass shards protruding from the window sill cut into his leg, immediately spilling blood. “Arghhhhh! You idiot!” yelled the driver as he lost his balance, fell to the ground with one leg stuck on the car window’s sill. Who’s the idiot? Thought Alexis as he watched the driver grimaced in pain. She made a dash for the jute bag with Scaly in it. Meanwhile, the thug was locked in battle with Victor. The thug was big and strong. Victor was slightly shorter and smaller. It was not an even match. Victor sized up his surroundings and formed a mental picture of his fight maneuvers. He would position himself in front of the car’s door where the thug was supposed to jump into the car earlier. The thug would take aim and throw punches at him. He need to position himself as close to the door as possible. When the thug’s punch came, he would dodge. The thug’s punch would hit the car’s door glass window, hopefully smashing it and hurting his fist. While the thug was in pain, Victor would move under the thug’s left arm, away from reach of the thug’s right arm. He would then rain a blow on the left calf of the thug with such strong force that it would cause him to kneel on the left knee. Simultaneously, he would send a smashing elbow knock to the thug’s head to knock him out! Got it! It will work! Thought Victor with confidence. One second to frame it. Three seconds to execute the maneuvers. The thug fell to the ground like a tonne of bricks. He saw the stars and Milky Way swirling around him before he closed his eyes and blacked out.

“How’s the pangolin?” Victor asked Alexis who was petting and caressing the creature in her arms. Alexis felt it shivering and trembling. “It’s would is still bleeding,” said Alexis pointing to a cut in Scaly’s right foot. Victor saw it. “Let’s get out of here and drive home first,” said Victor. Alexis nodded in agreement. “Help me call the Police when you’re in the car. These 2 thugs need to be put in jail!” Victor said as he pressed the “ON” button to start the engine.