SaveThe Children - The right way.

Act one

Scene one

Early in the morning.

A wide shot of a cab driving along the road towards a lone building on the street. The car packs in front of the one story modern house. A couple is seen exiting the cab, hurriedly making their way towards the building. As they approach the house, they speak..  

Father: Can’t you remember where you left it?

Mother: I think on the dinning table. (shrugs). Calm down dear. We wont miss our flight.

Father: (pushes open the door Moves into the parlor and sights the ID card on the table.) Ah, there it is.

Mother: (observes the silent parlor, thoughtfully) I want to give Regina one last hug before we leave. Come with me?

Father: If we miss our flight….

Mother: (chuckles) We wont. Come on. She might be in her room, studying for her upcoming Junior WAEC. (mulls on the silence) I wonder where that cousin of yours is?

Light foot moves towards their daughters door. They swing it open.

Father: (freezes in shock)

Mother: (Screams at the sight that welcomes her eyes.)

The cousin was forcing himself on their struggling daughter, her pleas muffled by the gag on her mouth.

The cousin halts when he hears the scream. Jerks around. His eyes widen in surprise and then fear. He quickly rolls away from the shivering girl underneath him, pulling up his boxers

Mother: rushes to daughter, to peel off the piece of cloth about her mouth.

A hearty scream rips out from the daughters throat, face wildly panicked as she scrambles up, her naked legs tangling in the sheets and taking her to the floor in a heap.

Mother: Baby, (she whispers, attempts to moves towards her)

Daughter: (rears away from the hand that touched her shoulders, huddles back in sobs and screams knotted in her throat)

Father: What is this? (enraged) What are you doing to my daughter? What is this?

Cousin: Un - c - le (stutters, pulling up his fly)

Mother: Baby (approaches her softly) Its mummy.

Daughter: (unable to stop the tremors, her hands covers her mouth, rocking into a corner)

The mother kneels beside her daughter. Trembling hands envelopes her, even as her daughters eyes remain wild with shock, teeth clattering. The mother whispers soft caring words to her daughter who curls into a ball, whimpering

Daughter: Mum (shudders convulsively)

Mother: (sobs) Oh my baby! (presses a kiss to her temple) 

The father still standing, hands fisted, glares ominously at his cousin. He digs into his pocket to fish out his phone. And dials.

Scene two

Later in the evening

The sitting room.

The curtains are drawn shut. And the luminescence is gotten from the electrical bulb casting shadows on the morose faces. The daughter lays curled in her mothers lap, staring blankly at no one in particular. She is wearing a fresh dress and her hair is still slightly wet from the recent shower.

Aunt: I still can believe he would do such a thing. (shakes her head).

Mother: We have to report to the police. (looks down at her daughter, fresh tears filling up her eyes). He cant go scot-free.

Father: (shakes his head) No. It will bring shame to the family. Do you know how people will look at us? At her?

Aunt: Yes, I agree with my brother. Even Mama said the same thing. Also big brother in Port Harcourt. The stigma will be too much If we say anything, people will talk. Imagine the shame. Imagine the scandal. The disgrace. No, we should keep quiet. Sweep it under the rug.

Daughter: (raises her head from her mothers lap to stare sullenly at them.)

Mother: But he must be punished. (furious) He did an unspeakable thing.

Father: He will be taken back to the village. This is a family matter. There is no need to involve others. No reason to involve the police.

Aunt: Yes. (gives the girl in her mothers arms a soulful look). Besides she’s but a child. She will forget all about it soonest.

Father: (goes to his wife). Don’t worry. It will be fine. Lets put it behind us. It has happened, it has happened. As my sister said, she is a child. (tries to place an affectionate arm on his daughter. She shrinks away.) Children forgets things easily. She wont remember in six months. Sending him back to the village  is sufficient punishment for my cousin. Its well.

Lights fade

  The end

First question?

Is it really a family matter?

Second question.

Do you really think the child will forget due to her age?

And question three.

Is the punishment sufficient?

photo credit: medicalpress.com