1
“ADOPTION: THE UGLY TWIST”
BY
Max Alexander Malloy
4206 E. Tremont Ave.
Bronx, New York10465
347-293-5340
FAde In:
EXT.- CHEWA VILLAGE, MALAWI CENTRAL AFRICA - DAY
It’s the year 2012. In the middle of a dense, sweltering jungle, a cluster of huts thatched with thick, brownish leavesencompass the circular, Chewa village. On the side of an array of tattered huts,a mixture of flickering sunlight and bluish smoke billows amid the scattered trees,as an assembly ofCHEWAN women lean over tables,quietly preparingtheir daily meals.
The silent women are clad in skimpy, grassskirts; colorful bandanas encircle their heads as their arms and legs arebedecked withcolorful beads.Amid a swarm of pesky insects, giggling half-naked boys romp about playing with tiny bows and arrows.
On a curvy, dirtpath, beneath a grove of palm trees, three young men attired in short pants and colorful bandanas fastened around their heads pound out reverberating, rhythmic beats on their bongo drums.
male (v.o.)
This is the village of CHEWA,MALAWI, located in the sub-Sahara of Africa, in the southeast portion of the continent (Central Africa). Malawi is a landlocked country, bordered by Zambia on the west, Tanzania on the north, and Mozambique on the east, south, and southeast. The impoverish Chewa people are the largest ethnic group in Malawi. The proud Chewa people are known as a clannish tribe and adhere vehemently to their doctrine of no illegal adoptionsor salesof their children, orphanage or otherwise. This time honored dogma has stood the test of time, that is, until now.
A smiling White Woman,U.S. Congresswoman JANE MYERS, 30ish, in the company of her husband, PAUL, 30ish, and two well-dressed Chewansocial workers, ABENA BANDA, 40ish and NIA MHURA, 40ish, stroll into the middle of the village. Abena calls out to BAAKO,one young man who sits among a group of young drummers.
abena
(African Accent)
Hey, BAAKO, come over here; bring your wife, IFE, and the baby.
Baako, stops drumming, leaps-up to his feet, runs over and enters one of the village’s shabby huts.
Moments later, a smiling Baako emerges from the hut carrying his crying six-months-old baby Daughter, ESHEI, in his arm; Baako’s crying wife, IFE, trails them. Ife slumps down hard to the ground on her knees wailing helplessly to keep her Daughter, ESHEI.
IFE
(African Accent)
Baako, please! Please! you
Can’t sell my baby! Please, please don’t! Baako! Baako! I beg you!
Baako glares angrily at Ife and retorts.
baako
(African Accent)
But, Ife, we’re poor and we don’t have any money; shut up! Shut up woman!
Baako gentle presents baby Eshei to Abena the social worker. The grim-faced Abena accepts the crying baby and gently passes her to a grinning Congresswoman Myers as her proud husband, Paul, looks on with a gleeful smile.
All of the villagers rush over with gloomy expressions and shake their heads in disbelief.Ife, the tormented Mother, limps away in excruciating pain; she falls helplessly to the ground; several village women liftIfe up and escort her back to her hut.
A radiant Congresswoman JANE MYERS strokes the baby’s fat cheeks as her husband, PAUL, reaches into his pocket and presents a wad of dollar bills to Abena. Abena prorates the money and gives a share to Nia, her colleague and Baako, the grinning, selfish father.
congresswoman jane myers
(Shakes Baako’s hand)
Baako, my husband, Paul and I sincerely express our thanks to you and your wife, Ife, for allowing us to purchase little Eshei.
All of Baako’s friends depart sadly from the area. Baako ignores fellow villagers and speaks to Mrs. Myer.
baako
(Grinning)
Thanks, that’s all Ife and I ask.
paul myers
(To Abena and Nia)
Abena and Nia, Jane and I knew we couldn’t meet Malawi’s five-year residencyadoption law and the United States doesn’t have diplomatic relationship with Malwai. So, without your tireless effort and secret navigation,our acquisition of Esheiwould have been impossible; Jane and I kindly thank both of you heartedly.
Abena and Nia count their monies as broad grins sprout across their faces.
NIA
(African Accent)
Well, Mr. and Mrs. Myers, we want to thank you for looking us up. Oh, I almost forgot! Here’s Eschei’s doctored passport and other documents; and don’t worry, all of your papers are authentic enough to get you through immigration and custom.
Nia reaches into her purse, retrieves documents and presents them to Paul. The Myers and the social workers walk away from the village smiling and waving frantically to the villagers.
The angry Villagersrefuse to return their waves. The drummers pound a slow sorrowful cadence as all villagers ignore Baako.
As the solemn beat lingers, the village women return to their tables and preparetheir daily meals.
INT. BAAKO’S HUT – NIGHT
Baaka and Ife lay asleep on a straw manger. Ife wakes up and gazes over at her snoring husband. She rises up weeps silently and grabs a knife from the table.
She eases over to the manger, leans over the manger and angrily plunges the knife into Baako’s chest. Baako unleashes several piercing screams and suddenly stop.
Outside, loud voices are heard approaching Baako’s hut.
Ife lumbers over to the hut’s entrance and plunges the knife deep into her chest; she unleashes a shrill scream and staggers forward and falls outside onto the ground.
A few women hearing the loud screams rush over to the hut and find Ife’s lifeless body lying outside in front of the hut.
All of the women unleash a chorus of piercing screams. Later, several young men race to their drums and begin pounding a death message throughout the village.
INT. - INSIDE BAAKO’S HUT – NIGHT
Two male villagers rush into Baako’s hut and find his lifeless bodylying on the manger; the financial proceeds from his illegal baby transaction lieon the dirt floor.The solemn men exit the hut and bow their heads in sorrow.
EXT. - OUTSIDE THE HUT – NIGHT
As the solemn drum-beats echo throughout the village, the village men round-up the weeping women and they all walk over to the drummers, bow down upon their knees and mourn amid the slow cadence of the solemndrum beats.
THE NEXTAFRICANVILLAGE
EXT. - CENTRAL AFRICA - RUNDUVILLAGE, RUNDU NAMBIA – DAY
On the edge of a dense jungle, vibrant with resounding tribal drum rhythm, little naked tots chase a pack of mangy dogs about the village.Several shirtless men with loin cloths drapedaround their waist sit on the ground near their huts stringing together hunting bows.
A cluster of village women wears short skirts as their huge breasts loom covered with colorful halters. They talksilently while leaning over tables preparing their daily meals.
MALE (V.O.)
This is the village of Rundu, Namibia, located in the northern region of north Namibia, on the border of Angola.
(MALE (V.O.) (CONT’D).
Rundu is the capital city of the Kavango people. Like the impoverish people of Chewa, Malawi, the Kavango people are known as a proud, clannish tribe and adhere vehemently to their doctrine of no illegal adoptionsor sales of their children, orphans or otherwise. And in this ancient wilderness, the Kavano’s time honored dogma has stood the test of time, that is, until now.
EXT. DANCE CLUB & BAR - DAY
Inside a shoddy club, a White,American blonde actress, HOLLY CRANE, 35, her boyfriend, photographer GIG ROBERTS, 37, and Nanny, TRUDY WALES, 30, sit on a milk crates; they frownwhile drinking a pungent African beer. A few other White tourists sit on milk crates next to Holly and her entourage. Holly rises nervously from the crates and goes to the entrance and looks out. She shakes her head in disgust and returns to her seat.
Hollywhispers to Gig.
ACTRESS holly CRANE
(Annoyed)
Honey, those damn social workers haven’t arrived yet!
Three young African men sitting on stools up front near the bar pound their drums at a feverish pitch. In the rear,three young, shapely, African, female dancers stand prepared to dance.
The dancers wearcolorful, short skirts made from bamboo shoots with beer bottle caps attached to the bottom that jingle noisily. Skimpy, colorful bras cover their well endowed tits. Multicolored bandanas encircle their braided hair.
As the thunderous drumbeats kick into a higher gear, the smiling dancers dart onto the dance floor and for one hour, the sexy dancers,gyrate their voluptuous bodies to the high octave rhythm of thepulsating drum beats.
Finally the grueling dance exhibition comes to an end. The exuberant audience leaps and renders a thunderous ovation.
As the crowd file out of the dance club, Holly and her crew remains; they’re all alone.
Holly frowns while nervously sipping her pungent beer; she turns around and spots two well-dressed African Women entering the dance club. They’re followed by a young African couple; the woman carries a baby in her arms.
holly
(Smiling, relates to Gig)
Look honey, they are here; let’s get up and greet them.
Holly, Gig and Trudy stand up and approach the entourage. Holly smiles and introduces the well-dressed African women.
holly
Hello EKENE and MONIFA, this is my mate, Gig and this is my Nanny, Trudy. (Explains to Gig)
Honey, these are the two social workers who arranged the adoption.
EKENE and MONIFA flash broad smiles; Ekene introduces the married couple and their baby, NKIRU, to Holly and her entourage.
ekene
(African Accent)
Ms. Holly Crane, meet the father, AMANDI GIRMAand his wife, CHIZOBA.And this is their baby girl, NKIRU. The Girmas are offering Nkiru for adoption. After a long torturous debate, the Girmas have decided to placeNkiru into your care so that you may raise and imbue her with love and a scholarly, western upbringing.
Holly shakes the couple’s hands and plays with the baby’s fingers. Gig and Trudy shake the parents’ hands as well as the social workers, Ekene and Monifa.
EXT. - OUTSIDE THE DANCE CLUB WINDOWS – DAY
On both sides of the dance club, two curious African boys peer inside the dance hall. Ekene and Monifa look around nervously toward the entrance.The boys duck down to avoid detection.
Monifa
(African Accent,panicky)
Come on let’s rush thistransaction!
Ekene snatches the baby rudely from Chizoba’s arms.
ekene
(Frantic)
Yeah, folks we don’t mean to be rude but we must move faster! We all know this adoption is illegal and if we’re caught by the authorities, we’ll all be promptly killed!
Ekene thrusts baby Nkiru into Trudy’s arms. The Mother, Chizoba, bursts into tears, crying uncontrollably, as the father, Amandi, wipes away streams of tears.
holly
(Anxious)
Okay Gig, look into my bag and get the money; let’s go!
Gig looks into Holly’s large bag and quickly retrieves a large wad of bills. Meanwhile, a startled Monifa, who believes she hearsnoise outside the windows, walks cautiously over and looks out of the door and windows.
EXT. - OUTSIDE THE WINDOWS
While peering into the dance club windows, the young boys stoop down low to avoid detection.
INT. - DANCE CLUB – DAY
Monifa walks back over to the group and gives a nod indicating the course is clear.
Now Gig gives the wad of bills to Ekene. Ekene quickly counts the bills, gives portions to social worker, Monifa and Amandi.
Monifa reaches into her large pocketbook, retrieves phony adoption documents and a passport for baby Nkiru and gives them to Holly.
monifa
(To Holly)
Ms. Holly, here are the adoption papers and the passport. God bless all of you and please take care of Baby Nkiru.
Members of the two groups embrace each other.
holly
(To social workers)
Gig and I sincerely thank each of you for your heartfelt indulgence. Gig and I will stay in contact and we vow to cherish Nkiru with all of our love.
(To the Girmas)
Finally, Mr. and Mrs. Girma, we’ll keep close ties; we’ll send pictures but you must keep them hidden from the villagers.
amandi
(African Accent, teary eye)
Thank you very much. Take care of our baby.
chizoba
(African Accent, teary eye)
Thank you very much and may God bless you all and my little Nkiru.
EXT. - OUTSIDE THE DANCE CLUB WINDOWS - DAY
On both side of the dance club windows, the young boys quickly remove themselves from the windows and flee into the village.
EXT. - FRONT OF A LARGE HUT - DAY
The two young boys speak to three young men while pointing to the dance club. The young men immediately slump down on the ground and begin beating their drums, sending urgentcoded messages throughout the village, regarding the Girma family illegal sale of their babyto White foreigners.
INT. - DANCE CLUB - DAY
Ekene hears the emergency, coded drum message. She puts her hands to her lips and signals the group to be silent. The group all shudder with fear. Ekene walks briskly to the window and listens intensely. Now she dashes back to the group and speaks rapidly.
ekene
(Frightened)
Come on, we must get out of here! Someone must have seen us!
Holly, Gig, and Trudy, carrying baby Nkiru, flee from the dance club as the social workers and parents wave. The sullen parents embrace while wiping away each other flowing tears. Ekene and Monifa tap each of the parents’ shoulder and then flee from the club through a rear door. They all flee in separate directions into the jungle.
EXT. - THE JUNGLE - BLACK BMW – DAY
On a dirt road near the village, aBlack Chauffeur sits in a black BMW. Holly, Gig, and Trudy carrying baby Nkiru, leap into the back seat; the BMW speeds away.
INT. - AMANDI’S HUT– TWILIGHT
Amandi and Chizoba sit on the floor; Amandi grins wildly while counting his proceeds from the illegal sale of his Daughter; Chizoba holds her head down while crying uncontrollably. Suddenly, a startled Amandi looks over at the window and listen to a coded drum messages. He leaps up frantically and alerts Chizoba; she looks up in a daze but quickly deciphers the drum message, which signifies that she and her husband must be killed for selling their baby. Amandi tiptoes over to the window and peers out.
EXT. - FRONT OF A LARGE HUT - TWILIGHT
A large group of male villagersdance and chant wildly while pointing their spears at Amandi’s hut.
INT. - AMANDI’S HUT – TWILIGHT
While crawling on the floor thepetrified couple begins rapidly dragging and placing objects against the window and the porous entrance.
EXT. FRONT OF A LARGE HUT – DAY
Suddenly the frenetic warriors’ chant becomes louder as their unstoppable brigade begins a slow march to the Amandi’s hut. As the platoon arrives directly in front of Amandi’s hut, they stop; the angry Chief OBULAH yells.
village chief OBULAH
(African Accent)
Amandi and Chizoba, this is Chief, OBULAH! We know know you illegally sold your baby, Nkiru, so come out and explain yourselves me! You have thirty seconds and only thirty seconds!
After a short wait,the silent couple fails to show their faces to the Chief and his villagers. Chief Obulah raises his right hand, two men, each carrying two bottles of gasoline, move from the rear of the pack and approach Amandi’s hut.
The two menraise their bottles of gasoline above their heads, pause, and look back at the Chief, awaiting his signal. With his gold baton held high in his right hand, the Chief thrust his right hand forward.
The two men step closer to the hut and douse the dry hut with the bottles of gasoline. They toss two lit torches upon the gasoline-soaked hut; the hut ignites quickly into agleaming, crackling inferno. Within seconds loud screams are heard emanating from the blazing, collapsed hut.
INT. - INSIDE AMANDI’S HUT – TWILIGHT
Amandi and Chizoba lay on the floor, bellowing loud, pitiful screams, their interlockedburning bodies twist violently as the intense fire finally silence their mournful screams.
EXT. - FRONT OF AMANDI’S HUT – NIGHT
As small puffs of smoke ooze from the scattered debris, the village Chief holding his gold baton in his right hand, high above his head and makes an about-face. He thrust his baton forward and leads his tribe away from the Germas’eternal grave.