A Curse of Madness

Ebony Richard

16600 Collingham Dr

Detroit, MI 48205

(313) 646-8100

FADE IN:

EXT. SOUTH AFRICAN RIVERSIDE - DAY

BEGINNING SEQUENCE SUBTITLED

SPOKEN IN SOUTH AFRICA’S NATIVE LANGUAGE

FIVE YOUNG GIRLS are at the river washing clothes.

KENA

Hey Niana, are you going to marry Khan?

NIANA

No, I will never marry him.

KENA

Why not, what’s wrong with him?

NIANA

He is narrow-minded and pig headed. I will

never marry a tribesman, and I suggest you

don’t either, if you know what’s good for

you.

NAOMI

Don’t say that to her. If father heard you

talking like that you’d be in big trouble.

NIANA

(with attitude)

Shut up Naomi. I’m trying to teach her to

have her own mind, unlike you. As I was

saying. Kena, if you don’t want to be treated

like a servant, you won’t marry a tribesman.

Washing clothes, the two youngest girls stand there listening to them bicker

back and fourth.

Just then THREE TRIBESMEN walk up.

TRIBESMAN ONE

Hello ladies, what are you doing this far

down the river?

CONTINUED

Looking uneasy, the girls say nothing and continue to wash clothes.

TRIBESMAN ONE

Hey, I’m talking to you?

NIANA

(attitude)

We’re washing clothes. Can’t you see?

TRIBESMAN ONE

You have a smart mouth. Maybe I should teach

you some manners.

NAOMI

(gathering clothes)

We don’t want any trouble. We’ll just go back

down the river where we belong.

The two youngest girls begin the gather clothes.

Tribesman one looks at tribesman two and nods his head toward Naomi.

TRIBESMAN TWO

(grabbing Naomi’s arm)

Your not going anywhere...we’re not done here.

TRIBESMAN ONE

(sinister look)

You girls need to be taught how a lady

should behave.

NAOMI

(trying to jerk her arm away)

Let go of my arm. I need to take my sisters

home.

TRIBESMAN ONE

(grabbing Niana’s arm)

And we need to turn you girls into women.

Niana spits in the face of tribesman one.

He lets her go and wipes his face in disgust.

CONTINUED

The girls grab some of their clothing and try to run.

Naomi snatches her arm away from tribesman two.

The tribesmen grab Kena, Naomi, and Niana.

TRIBESMAN ONE

(dragging Niana down the

river)

Come here.

LENA

(yelling)

Help! Let them go, please!

KENA

(trying to pull away from

tribesman three)

Stop please!

With a look of regret tribesman three pull’s Kena away.

NIANA

(being dragged off)

Let us go!

NAOMI

(yelling at the youngest

two)

Run..go get father!

The youngest girls run down the river dropping pieces of clothing.

The tribesmen drag Kena, Naomi, and Niana down the river.

EXT. SOUTH AFRICAN VILLAGE - DAY

The two youngest girls see their FATHER sitting outside sharpening an arrow.

LENA

(panting)

Father, father they took them.

CONTINUED

FATHER

(standing up)

Calm down Lena. What are you talking about?

LENA

(panting)

The tribesmen from the other tribe, they

took Kena, Naomi, and Niana.

FATHER

(frantic)

What, where were you when they took them?!

LENA

(panting)

We were just by the river washing clothes.

TYE

(upset crying)

They said they would make them women.

FATHER

(panicked)

Oh no, you and Tye stay here.

The Father grabs his bow and arrow, and runs off toward the river.

He follows the trial of clothing and finds his daughters dead and badly

beaten, with most of their clothing torn off.

He walks over to the bodies and falls to his knees.

FATHER

(crying and yelling)

Oh no, Oh, not my babies!

He tries to cover kena’s breast, but her clothing is ripped into pieces too

small to cover them.

FATHER

(crying, sobbing, still

trying to cover Kena)

It’s okay. It’s okay. Oh, why would they do this?

CONTINUED

He takes a piece of jewelry off of his three daughters, and clinches it in his

hand. He kneels there crying and sobbing, holding the jewelry to his heart.

He stands up and looks down the river.

FATHER

(yelling)

They will pay, they will pay. Do you hear me?

You will all pay!

INT. EMPTY ROOM IN VILLAGE HOUSE - NIGHT

The room is dark, the only light is from the black candles on the floor.

surrounding the father.

Sitting on the floor, legs folded, rocking back and fourth, he takes the

jewelry from a pouch. Clutching the jewelry in his hand he closes his eyes.

FATHER

(repeating, chanting)

Soufrage-soufrage-soufrage-knocka

SIX DAYS LATER

EXT. SOUTH AFRICAN VILLAGE - DAY

A tribe of people are doing their usual activities. Children are playing.

Women are weaving baskets.

Tribesmen are talking amongst one another.

There are several small houses in the village. Suddenly, tribesman three is

chased out of one of the houses by tribesman two.

Tribesman two’s eyes are wide and blood shot. His lips are dry and ashy,

and he is wielding a dagger in his hand.

TRIBESMAN THREE

(yelling and running)

Help! Somebody help me! He’s gone mad!

CONTINUED

Tribesman two is in close pursuit.

Tribesman three turns around, grabs tribesman two’s arm and they begin to

struggle.

TRIBESMAN THREE

Why are you doing this?

Suddenly, an arrow pierces Tribesman two’s back and the tip comes out

through his chest.

Tribesman two looks at down at the arrow as blood trickles out of his

mouth. He falls to the ground.

Tribesman three sighs in relief.

Tribesman one walks up to Tribesman three, with bow and arrow in hand.

TRIBESMAN ONE

Are you okay?

TRIBESMAN THREE

(panting)

He was trying to kill me.

TRIBESMAN ONE

(pointing at a wound on

the back of tribesman

two’s neck)

What is that?

Other tribesmen begin to gather around.

TRIBESMAN ONE

(still pointing at the

wound on his neck)

Does any one know what this is?

A LITTLE BOY comes into the circle.

LITTLE BOY

I know, come and see.

CONTINUED

The boy leads the men back to the house, the two men ran from.

They stand in the doorway of the one room house.

LITTLE BOY

(pointing to the

corner of the ceiling)

Look there.

A wasp nest sits in the corner of the ceiling, just above a cot.

TRIBESMAN ONE

(yelling)

Burn it down!

Two tribesmen set the house on fire.

The fire spreads rapidly burning the entire village, including most of the

villagers.

TRIBESMAN ONE

(screaming and on fire)

Help, Help!

The villagers scream as they burn.

TEN YEARS LATER - SPOKEN IN ENGLISH

INT. SOUTH AFRICAN AIRPORT - DAY

A MAN and a WOMAN have de-boarded a plane in South Africa.

They are greeted by an AFRICAN MAN.

DOJOU

(smiling)

Hello, Doctor and Mrs. Grey, I presume.

DR. DUSTIN GREY

(holding out his hand)

Yes... and you are?

CONTINUED

DOJOU

(shaking his hand)

My name is Dojou. I will be one of the escorts

taking you and your wife around town, until

you get familiar with the area. Let’s get your

luggage and I’ll take you home. I know you’ve

had a long flight and your probably tired.

MRS. DIANE GREY

Yes, it was a long flight.

EXT. SOUTH AFRICAN TOWN - DAY

The three are riding in the car down a dirt road. Diane and Dustin are

sitting in the back seat.

DOJOU

(looking at them out

the rear view mirror)

A small village used to sit on the grounds

you know...it burned to the ground in an

accidental fire.

DIANE

On what grounds?

DOJOU

On the grounds where your house sits.

Diane looks at Dustin as if she is worried.

DUSTIN

Everything’s fine honey. That was ten

years ago.

DIANE

You knew that?

DUSTIN

Of course I knew.

They pull up to a large Victorian style home.

CONTINUED

DIANE

(looking out the car window)

Oh my, its beautiful... it’s not at all what I was

expecting.

DUSTIN

I know isn’t it? I knew you’d love it.

DOJOU

(stopping the car)

Here we are.

They all get out of the car.

Diane and Dustin go up to the house.

DIANE

Do you have your key?

DUSTIN

(pulling the key from his

pants pocket)

Right here.

Dustin opens the door and they both enter the house.

INT. DUSTIN/DIANE’S HOME - DAY

They both stand in the foyer looking around quietly.

There is furniture still there, but it is covered with white cloth sheets.

DIANE

(surprised)

Oh... the last family left the furniture?

DUSTIN

(smiling)

Yeah, I told you I got a great deal.

Diane hangs her purse on the banister.

CONTINUED

DIANE

(hanging her purse on the

banister)

I’m going to look around upstairs.

Dojou comes in with some luggage.

DOJOU

(setting the luggage

down)

Well I think that’s everything.

DUSTIN

Thank you, Dojou.

DOJOU

Your’re welcome, sir. If you need anything

else just give us a call. We’re about five

minutes away and someone is always available.

Your phones should already be working.

Dustin pulls some money from his pants pocket.

DUSTIN

(tipping Dojou)

Great, thanks again.

Dojou walks out and Dustin shuts the door.

Diane walks into one of the bedrooms upstairs.

Looking around she sees a bed and a large red wood dresser in the room.

DIANE

(rubbing her hands

across the dresser)

It’s beautiful.

Diane walks over to the bed and sits on it.

DIANE

(bouncing up and down

on the bed)

This would drive me crazy.

(MORE)CONTINUED

CONTINUED

DIANE (CONT’D)

It isn’t comfortable at all.

Just then, a wasp comes out of a hole in the floor nearly stinging Diane’s

foot.

She gets up just in time, leaving the room, and shutting the door behind

her. She never even notices the wasp.

Dustin walks into a room downstairs.

The room has a large desk and book shelves filled with books.

DUSTIN

Let me guess, this must be the study.

He reaches for one of the books on the shelf. It reads the Logic of Medicine.

As Dustin tries to pull the book out, he realizes it not a book at all but a

hidden compartment in the shelf.

He opens the compartment and pulls out a metal lock box.

DUSTIN

(opening the box)

Now, what do we have here?

Dustin opens the box and inside he finds an antique gun.

DUSTIN

(whispering)

Beautiful.

Just then Diane walks in the room and Dustin turns around.

DUSTIN

(startled)

Oh, honey.

She sees the gun and immediately backs up folding her arms.

DIANE

(uncomfortable)

You know I don’t like guns. What is that doing

here?

CONTINUED

DUSTIN

It must have belonged to the last family

that lived here, don’t worry I’ll get rid of it.

Dustin puts the gun back into the box.

He walks out of the room kissing her on the forehead on the way out.

He goes to the back door, opens it and goes outside.

EXT. BACKYARD - DAY

Looking around, he takes the gun out of the box.

He throws the box away and stuffs the gun into the back of his pants.

Dustin goes back into the house.

INT. HOME - DAY

As he is walking back to the study, he notices a bedroom.

He goes inside, shutting the door behind him.

Dustin takes the gun out of his pants and looks at it.

He looks at the bed then stuffs the gun under the mattress.

DUSTIN

(putting the gun under

the mattress)

Sorry honey.

Dustin leaves the bedroom.

He comes back to the study. He watches Diane from the doorway.

Diane stands there, with her arms still folded and seemingly in a daze.

Diane hears the sound of gunshots, in her head. (BANG, BANG)

Dustin enters the room.

CONTINUED

DUSTIN

(hugging her)

It’s okay, it’s gone. Are you alright?

DIANE

Yes, I’m fine. Actually, I’m a little hungry. Do

you want to get some lunch?

DUSTIN

(looking at his watch)

I’m sorry honey. I really need to get over to

the hospital. They’re waiting for me.

Diane looks at Dustin with a look of disappointment, on her face.

DUSTIN

Don’t worry... I’ll be back soon.

While I’m gone you can check out the house.

By the looks of things I’m sure you’ll have plenty

to show me when I get back.

He kisses her on the forehead.

Dustin walks over to the phone, on the desk in the study.

He picks it up and dials the number on the card, Dojou gave him.

DUSTIN

(on the phone)

Hi this is Dr. Grey.... I’m ready to go to the

hospital.

VOICE ON THE PHONE:

We’ll send somebody to pick you up.

DUSTIN

(on the phone)

Thank you.

Dustin hangs up and leaves the card by the phone.

Dustin goes to the front door and grabs his briefcase.

CONTINUED

DUSTIN

(yelling)

I’m leaving.

Dustin walks out the door.

Diane is in the kitchen, looking around. It’s a large kitchen with a nook

connected.. An island sits in the middle of the kitchen. There is a table in the

nook but, it’s covered with a white cloth sheet.

Diane walks over to the table and pulls off the cover, coughing from the dust

in the air.

Diane walks over to the refrigerator and opens it. It’s empty, but clean.

DIANE

I guess I’d better work on the kitchen first.

Diane walks back to the study and picks up the phone.

DIANE

(on the phone)

Hello, this is Mrs. Grey...I’d like to go into

town and do some shopping.

VOICE ON THE PHONE

I’ll send someone right away.

DIANE

(on the phone)

Thank you.

Diane hangs up the phone.

Diane walks back toward the front of the house, into the family room. She

pulls the cloth sheets off of the couch and dust flies through the air.

Diane fans the dust out of her face with her hand.

DIANE

(coughing)

We’ve got to do something about this dust.

CONTINUED

Covering her mouth, she pulls the sheet off of the chair. Again the dust

floats through the air. She hears what sounds like a KNOCK at the door.

Diane goes to the front door and opens it.

GONGI

(standing at the door)

Hello, Mrs. Grey... I’m Gongi, your escort.

DIANE

Nice to meet you Gongi. Just let me grab

my purse and we can go.

Diane goes to the stairs and grabs her purse off of the banister.

DIANE

I’m ready.

Diane walks out the door.

EXT. FRONT YARD - LATE AFTERNOON

They both get into the car. Diane is in the back seat.

GONGI

(looking at Diane through

the rear view mirror)

So...where would you like to go?

DIANE

Well, I’d like to get some groceries

and some things for the house.

GONGI

I know just the place to go...there is a plaza

in town, with lots of different shops.

DIANE

That sounds great.

EXT. TOWN PLAZA - DAY

CONTINUED

The car stops in the plaza. There are plenty of stores around. There are

other people walking around shopping.

GONGI

I’ll park here and wait for you to finish

your shopping.

DIANE

(smiling slightly)

Thank you, Gongi.

Diane gets out of the car, puts on her sunglasses, and shuts the car door.

INT. HOSPITAL - LATE AFTERNOON

Dr. Dustin Grey walks up to the nurses station at the hospital.

There is one nurse AFRICAN NURSE behind the desk filing charts. .

DR. DUSTIN GREY

Excuse me.

The nurse walks over to Dr. Dustin Grey

AFRICAN NURSE ONE

(pleasantly)

Yes, can I help you?

DR. DUSTIN GREY

As a matter of fact you can... I’m Dr. Grey,

I need you to page Dr. Jambi for me.

AFRICAN NURSE ONE

(smiling)

Of course... Dr. Grey, he’s been expecting you.

Just then DR. JAMBI walks down the hall toward them.

AFRICAN NURSE ONE

(pointing at Dr. Jambi)

Oh.... there he is now.

CONTINUED

Dr. Jambi walks up to Dr. Dustin Grey as if he already knows who he is.

DR. JAMBI

(reaching his hand out)

Dr. Grey.

DR. DUSTIN GREY

(shaking his hand)

Yes... how did you know?

DR. JAMBI

(smiling)

The briefcase gave you away.

Dr. Dustin Grey looks at his briefcase and smiles.

DR. DUSTIN GREY

(smiling)

Oh...I’ve carried it for years.

Dr. Grey and Dr. Jambi begin to walk down the hall.

DR. JAMBI

I’m glad you made it....how was your flight?

DR. GREY

It was fine.

DR. JAMBI

Good, good.... so.. are you ready

to tackle the problem at hand?

DR. GREY

As ready as I can be.

Dr. Jambi leads him to a room door.

DR. JAMBI

(holding his hand out

toward the door)

After you.

Dr. Grey opens the door and he and Dr. Jambi walk in.

CONTINUED

The hospital room is large and houses about ten sick African patients.

There are four African nurses in the room tending to the patients.

Dr. Jambi walks over to one of the beds and takes the patient’s

chart from the pocket on the back of the bed.

DR. JAMBI

(handing the chart to

Dr. Grey)

Here take a look....they’re all the same.

Dr. Grey takes the chart and begins to scan through it.

DR. GREY