MIDNIGHT HOUR
Akeelah is bruised all over her face and body, panting and gasping for air. Her prison mate has beaten her mercilessly, making her suffer with every tear and cry. She is forced into a chair while their leader sits on her comfortably. Unable to endure any longer, she sweats profusely, her fear intensifying as it causes her to lose consciousness, making the attackers even angrier.
Akeelah: (couldn’t hold on any longer, she breaks down in tears) Please, have mercy on meeeee... I can’t hold on anymore, I will die, please. At least let me take a break. (Mucus and tears stream down her sweaty and bruised face.)
Amaka: Ehn? Osi gini? You still get mouth to talk! You still dey talk? (Slaps her mouth and adds more weight on her back.)
Akeelah: (screams in pain) Somebody please help meeeee... help me! They are going to kill me... help me!!! Please... officers!!!!! (Her cries begin to wake other prisoners. Some feel pity for her and start yelling from their cells, ordering them to leave her alone and allow them to sleep. In the blink of an eye, the cell becomes extremely noisy, causing a riot. Officers barge in and order everyone to keep quiet. They finally obey after one person is used as a scapegoat—except Akeelah, who is finally left alone by Amaka but continues weeping in pain as she drags herself close to the gate.)
Officer 2: Who is that one again? Do you want me to deal with you as well?
Akeelah: (continues to cry louder, making everyone feel sorry for her until three policemen finally locate her cell. They could barely recognize her due to her swollen face covered in bruises.) Help me... I will die here, please help me...
Officer 2: (devastated) Who among you did this to her? (No response.) Are you three daft? I said, who did this to her?! (Furiously hits the gate with his gun but still no response.) You know what? That’s it! (Opens the gate and drags them all out.) You are going to spend a week in the worst cell—that smelly and infected one? Yes! That’s where you three are heading. (Extra officers come in and drag them to the next building.)
Officer 1: Sorry, young lady. You don’t deserve my sympathy because you’re actually a murderer. So, more like you’re receiving your punishment already.
(Suddenly, the oldest prisoner, who barely utters a word as she understands the situation on ground, gets up and speaks from her cell.)
Zatimah: Why don’t you bring her to my cell? I won’t bite. (Instantly, everyone in the cell begins to murmur and whisper. “If she goes there, then she’ll be killed by her.”)
Zatimah: I can hear you fools!
Akeelah: (suddenly falls to the ground and loses consciousness. The officers rush to her aid and carry her out of the cell to the emergency room.)
*************************************
The next morning (Lagos)
Ridwan: (running towards the gate) I'm coming, give me a sec. There is someone I... (Opens the gate and finds her in tears. He walks up to her in a low tone) Hey... (Embraces her) It’s okay. This is all my fault. I don't even think I can ever forgive myself for this.
Sefinat: (breaks down in tears) He was all I had left in the world, and he was taken away from me. Who did I offend to be punished this way? (Cries bitterly in his arms)
Ridwan: I’m sorry... Don’t cry... It’s okay... May his soul rest in perfect peace.
20 minutes later
Ridwan: Take this with you, just in case... you might need it.
Sefinat: (eyes swollen with tears but pulls herself together) Thank you so much for this, and thank you for the accommodation. You truly were a good friend to my brother.
Ridwan: It’s nothing... I wish I could come with you right now, but something came up. Please don’t be mad at my excuse.
Sefinat: It’s fine, you’re already helping. But are you sure this address is correct?
Ridwan: Yes. I’m 100% sure it is. I’ll be expecting your return soon, and please don’t get lost. If you notice you’re missing the address, call me immediately. Don’t take any irrational decisions—Lagos is a mad state o.
Sefinat: Alright, thank you... see yaa (waves and leaves with her small backpack).
Ridwan: (waves back) Take care... (Watches her disappear from his sight, then retreats inside).
(Curtain)
After a few hours of locating the house, she finally steps forward and knocks at the gate. After a few seconds without a response, she knocks again and again until Mr. and Mrs. Babatunde open the gate.
Mrs. Babatunde: (furiously scans her from head to toe) Is that why you want to break down my gate?
Sefinat: Uhmm, good afternoon sir and ma'am. My name is Sefinat. Sefin's twin sister.
Mr. Babatunde: Of course, we can see that—the resemblance is there. (Answers bluntly)
Mrs. Babatunde: So what are you doing at our house?
Sefinat: Well, uhnmm... I heard my brother passed away, even without any of you reaching out to me.
Mr. Babatunde: We knew you would find out eventually.
Mrs. Babatunde: What exactly brought you here, young lady?
Sefinat: (getting surprised by each of their responses) Well... anyways, I came here to make some inquiries about my brother's death. I was told he committed suicide, and that you closed the case at the police station.
Mrs. Babatunde: Yes, we did.
Sefinat: But why? Because my brother loved life more than anything. No matter what he was going through, taking his own life was—and will never be—on his list.
Mr. Babatunde: So you’re accusing us?
Sefinat: (can’t take it anymore) Look! This is my brother we are talking about... your son! He was killed, and you don't feel any remorse about it?
Mrs. Babatunde: And why should we? He wasn’t a good child anyway. He committed a lot of sins in this world. We couldn’t imagine being called his parents. It’s more like death is what he deserved.
Sefinat: (jaw drops in disbelief) Are you kidding me? (Tears drop from her face) Are you two even human at all?
Mr. Babatunde: How dare you talk to us that way? Do you know the shame he brought into our lives? I regret the day I adopted that boy. He was nothing but pain in our lives.
Mrs. Babatunde: Honey, talking to her is making me even angrier. Let’s not waste our precious time on people like this. Don’t let them rub their sinful lives off on us.
Sefinat: (panting heavily as tears stream down her face) Are you people even real? Can you two hear yourselves? How should I not think maybe you had a hand in his death? Maybe you sent someone to kill him because you're extremely wicked and don’t even have a soul. Wicked!
Mrs. Babatunde: I’m done with this girl. I’m calling the police. (Brings out her phone)
Mr. Babatunde: Better idea.
Sefinat: (crying bitterly) Okay, fine, I will leave. But please, I have one favor to ask.
Mrs. Babatunde: And what is that?
Sefinat: Please... can I at least have all my brother’s personal stuff? All the things in his drawers? I just want to keep his memories with me... please. (Wipes her own tears)
Mr. and Mrs. Babatunde look at each other in unison.
Few minutes later
Sefinat, walking down the street with a big carton of her brother's belongings, finally finds a bench under a tree. She moves there, sits, and cries her eyes out bitterly as she stares at the box. The crying goes on for almost an hour before she finally pulls herself together. She finds the courage to look into the box, and the first thing she sees is a small picture of him. She picks it up and realizes it was the photo they took at the orphanage a day before his adoption.
She admires the photo for a while, then begins to pick other things—one after the other.
**************************************
Few days later
Akeelah finally gains her consciousness. Body ache was the first to welcome her back to reality. She notices two officers standing by the door.
Officer 1: (steps forward) Well, how do you feel now?
Akeelah: How long have I slept like this?
Officer 2: Tonight makes it day 4.
Akeelah: (gasps weakly as tears stream down her face) Please, officers... I don’t want to go back to that cell with those killers, please
Officer 1: (chuckles) You’re also a killer now. Or have you forgotten?
Akeelah: (sadly lowers her head, sobbing bitterly)
Officer 2: Well... since you feel much better, time to return to your cell. Get up!
Akeelah: (obeys in tears)
*******************************
Officers: (open the gate) This is now your new cell. You better behave, or you'll be killed for real this time.
Akeelah: (nods sadly) Okay, sir. (She enters, and they lock the cell gate.)
Officer 3: Zatimah! Please don’t kill her, okay? (No response from Zatimah, who is busy meditating) All the best, girl. (They head out)
Akeelah nervously sits by the cell gate, hugging herself tightly and too scared to make a sound to avoid more problems. She maintains absolute silence for 30 minutes before she finally dozes off.
She later wakes up and remains in her spot, gently raises her head and finds Zatimah staring at her...
Akeelah: (speaks with a shaky voice) Good afternoon, ma’am?
Zatimah: (responds to her greeting with a nod without saying a word)
Akeelah: (realizes she’s the quiet type. She looks through the gate and notices all eyes are on her, as every other prisoner glances at the cell, wondering what might happen next.)
Zatimah: (finally speaks) You are pregnant. And you shouldn’t be… because neither you nor the child can survive this place for long.
Akeelah: (first looks behind her, hoping she was talking to someone else, but realizes it’s only the two of them in the cell) Me? I mean… are you talking to me, ma?
Zatimah: (shakes her head and turns around) You’re too stupid to be here. I wonder how you even killed someone with this level of stupidity. Just know you won’t last long here.