JULY 1968, SOMEWHERE IN THE
EAST
BLACK SCREEN…
Echos of gun shots and
people running and crying for help.
CHIDI
Please... please,
I will do anything, do
Not kill my wife,
Let her go.
The bang of the gun echos with her last cry.
Immediately scene opens in
the Bush with Chukwuemeka (11 year old) and Chidi his father.
Chidi is standing behind
Chukwuemeka who is holding a 1911 pistol. He obviously just fired at an empty
can and didn’t miss
CHIDI
Good shot.
CHUKWUEMEKA
Why do I have to learn how
to shoot
I don’t want to fight, I
want to be
An engineer, I will not need
to kill
Anybody.
CHIDI
It is better to be prepared,
than to wait.
CHUKWUEMEKA
Prepared for what?
CHIDI
Anything.
Chiid takes the gun and puts
in some more bullets.
CHIDI
What happens when a wild animal
comes
For us, how
will kill it?
CHUKWUEMEKA
Kill it? Can’t I just talk
to it?
CHIDI
(Hands him the gun)
Some animals cannot be
reasoned with,
And your first responds is
to save yourself.
(Pointing to the can)
Again.
CHUKWUEMEKA
After this, can I go and
play with my friends?
CHIDI
Yes you can.
Chukuemaka aims for the last
can with one eyes closed and BANG.
VILLAGE PLAY GROUND
Chukuemeka running towards
his friends who are using a big guava fruit to play ball.
John
Ahhhh, see who is here?
All
Daddy’s boy.
CHUKWUEMEKA
Stop it, I do not like it.
JOHN
Okay where were you?
CHUKWUEMEKA
With my dad.
They all laugh.
JOHN
(sarcastic)
It is okay, it is good you
are here now.
Come and show us some of
your daddy skill.
Everyone laughs
CHUKWUEMEKA
(angry)
I am not playing again
Chukuemeka walks away to sit on the ground at
the edge of the filed.
JOHN
Haba, come now… we are just
joking.
CHUKWUEMEKA
Joke with yourselves.
NNAMDI
Let us leave him alone.
Nnamdi continues the game
and the other guys follow.
Chukuemeka lost in thought
drawing on the ground did not notice Ketumi standing by his side.
KETUMI
That is a very interesting
way to draw a head.
Chukuemeka staggers a little
seeing Ketumi, He looks back at his drawing
CHUKWUEMEKA
It is John’s head.
KETUMI
(Laughs)
It looks like his head.
CHUKWUEMEKA
(Smiles)
I can draw your head too.
KETUMI
God forbid.
CHUKWUEMEKA
You don’t trust me.
KETUMI
No, I do not.
She sits beside him.
KETUMI
Why are you not playing with
them?
CHUKWUEMEKA
I don’t feel like.
A whistling sound of a jet
passing nods everyone’s head up to see what is in the sky.
Most of the children there
are excited waving at the jet as it passes.
John runs towards
Chukwuemeka
JOHN
Did you see that, fast aeroplane?
CHUKWUEMEKA
No aeroplane
have pass this place before.
They watch till the plan
zoom to the village.
Chukwuemeka sees something
fall out of the plan and just before he could scream, BOOOOM, a loud explosion
scattering everyone in the field, as they run.
CHUKWUEMEKA
NOOOOOOOO!!!
The village is on fire.
John and Ketumi along with
others in the field are running away from the explosion, but Chukwuemeka is
still standing confuse.
JOHN
Emeka!!
John runs to pull him with
him, Chukwueemeka resist.
JOHN
What are you doing?
CHUKWUEMEKA
My dad is still there.
JOHN
Do not be stupid, he might
be dead,
the bush is safer, let us go.
KETUMI
Emeka please, let us go.
Chukwuemeka softly nods no
and runs towards the village.
John takes Ketumi and run
towards the bush.
VILLAGE, CHIDI’S HOUSE
There are soldiers everywhere, and the not soothing sound of gun shots fills the atmosphere.
Emeka is at the backyard
hiding behind a the door a man run past him and before he could go far, the man is
shot dead.
Emeka almost letting out a
scream, a hand grabs his mouth shut.
KENECHUKWU
Don't scream...
The
rough texture voice of Kenechukwu comforts
him, he will recognize his sisters voice anytime.
SOLDIER
(giddy)
I no fit miss.
SOLDIER 2
Did you hear anything?
SOLDIER
No, just the sound of my
perfect shot.
SOLDIER 2
There you go again.
SOLDIER
Let us round this up and
leave.
They leave.
She releases his mouth, he
hugs her afraid.
Kenechukwu is his elder
sister, she is 15 years old.
KENECHUKWU
It is okay.
CHUKWUEMEKA
Where is mom and dad?
KENECHUKWU
They are hiding inside.
The front door is kicked
open. With soldiers shooting randomly at will. Kicking every door open.
Chukwuemeka makes to go in
but Kenechukwu stops him promptly.
KENECHUKWU
What are you thinking?
CHUKWUEMEKA
I want help.
KENECHUKWUl
Are you stupid, do you want
to die?
The soldiers drag them out
SOLDIER
So you think you can hid
abi? Kill her.
Chukwuemeka trying to go
away from her grip crying.
CHUKWUEMEKA
Let me go please.
KENECHUKWU
Shut up.
CHIDI
Please... please,
I will do anything, do
Not kill my wife,
Let her go
The bang of the gun shot
echos with her last cry.
CHUKWUEMEKA
Mummmmm!!
Chidi sees his children
standing at the back door.
CHIDI
Run.
A soldier shoots Chidi dead
immediately.
Knenechukwu carries already crying Chukwuemeka on her shoulder to run
One of the soldiers aim to
shoot at them as they run.
SOLDIER 1
Don’t miss
SOLDIER
I never miss.
He fires and BANG