TITLE: THE UNWANTED




FADE IN
EXT. BEFORE A HOUSE. DAY.
Tense and charged climate, in front of a building. People, old and young, men and women stand in two and threes at different corners of the house. Amids confusion and apprehension that cling to the air, the alarm of an approaching police van and an ambulance seizes the air. The police van and the ambulance stop abruptly in front of the building. Three uniformed policemen instantaneously alight from the police van while two women alight from the ambulance. The police two of the policemen accompany the two women into the building. Few seconds later, a man, a woman and a boy are respectively wheeled out of the building. Some of the on-lookers greet the sight with tears and lamentation. The lamentation gradually subsides and is later replaced with Temilolu’s voice.

TEMILOLU (VO)
I was born into and live in a world where happiness, desires and love are mysteries that can neither be imagined nor experienced. All my life, I have come to understand the fact that I am worthy of no ones passion and care. Nobody, not evenin my family, the ones I dearly love, wishes to be identified with me. My skin repulses and scares them. Sometimes I wish I was not who I am and still hold my birth the greatest error of nature.
I am Temiloluwa, 14 years old, born into a family of four; my parent and my younger brother. At home, among my own people, am exiled. Grandmother sees me a waste, father never wanted me while mother though seems to care, won’t mind keeping me moody for the love of her son. My brother, a child that he his, is innocent. But I suffered for him.
At home, it is Temilolu the unwanted, in school, it is temilolu the odd. Every where I go, I am Temilolu the sufferer of the plague of VITILIGO, who everyone must avoid. Parents hate me...

FADE OUT

INT. ROOM. MORNING.
Temiloluwa (14) enters the room) from the inner room. She settles on the settee, looking through her school note. Her mother, Rhoda enters from the inner room and is surprised to see her.
RHODA (Surprised)
Temilolu! What are you still doing around at this time? Won’t you go to school?
TEMILOLUWA
I will go but…
RHODA
But what? Don’t you see the time? It’s 7:30. You are running late!
TEMILOLUWA
I know. But Folusho is still on bed and father told me not to wake him.
RHODA
Not to wake him? At this time? Folusho! Folu...

Rhoda exits into the inner room
TEMILOLUWA (VO)
Such is the hell I face at home. Mother understands my explanation. I can’t take my bathe until after Folusho and every other member of the family has taken theirs despite the fact that I don’t share bathing soap and sponge with the rest of them. Father fears sharing soap with me is dangerous to the family’s health and ensures this rule is adhered to by every member of the family. But this day, Folusho violated the rule.

Rhoda reappears with Folusho (14), who looks dozy. She hands her the bathing soap and the sponge case and direct him to the bathroom.
RHODA
Do quick, you are delaying your sister. She said she has a test to write this morning. Or do you want me to come and bath you?
FFOLUSHO
I will soon be done.

Rhoda returns to the inner room while Folusho exits into the bathroom. Minutes later, Folusho reappears with a towel around his kneck. Rhoda reappears, sees him with the towel.

RHODA (Shocked)
What is that around your neck, boy!
FOLUSHO (Confused)
What... I can’t find my... the other one and I have to...
RHODA (Nearly in tears)
My God! This is Temilolu’s towel! Have you ever seen anyone sharing her towel with her? You are a naughty boy!

Rhoda drags him back to the bathroom.
TEMILOLUWA (VO)
That day, mother dragged Folusho back to the bathroom, rewashed him creamed him with antioxidants she could lay her hands on. This day, I became aware of how mother sees me and my deformities. I cried all through, but mother was unconcerned about my feelings as she is of her son being infected by my deformity.

INT. ROOM DAY
Inside the sitting room, Mr. Patrick, his wife, Rhoda and children are in the sitting. Some knocks are heard at the door and Rhoda stands to open the door.
TEMILOLUWA (VO)
Another rule that binds my living with my family is, I am not expected to be the first to open the door for visitors or serve water or food to the visitors.

Mr. and Mrs. Durodola, and their daughter, who is of Temiloluwa’s age, are led into the room by Rhoda. Folusho rushes to meet them while Temiloluwa, timidly stands by.

PATRICK
I didn’t know you meant coming today.
Mr. Durodola
Well, I like proving you wrong.
PATRICK
Mrs. Durodola, you are welcome to my home.
Mrs. Durodola
It’s my pleasure to be here.
Rhoda
Let me go and prepare your meal.
Rhoda leaves why Folusho exits playfully.
Mr. Durodola
Is that not Your son? Folusho... such a cute boy he is. He has become a man. And where is...
PATRICK
Temilolu... she is the one sitting over there.
MR DURODOLA
What an unfortunate child. I cpould harly recognize her.Come over here and greet me, daughter.

Temiloluwa kneels in greeting him.

Daughter (Mrs. Durodola)
Mummy, I want to drink water.
PATRICK
You want water... darling! Mummy Funsho! Funsho!

No response.
PATRICK
Temilolu, go and tell your mummy to bring a cup of water. Duro, is this your daughter? Oh! It is been long since I saw her. what a beautiful girl she is! How lucky you...

Temiloluwa prepares to go.
TEMILOLUWA (VO)
As I stood to leave, I heard father saying something about the young girl’s beauty. She was of my age and father confessed she was beautiful. Father had never said that to me. Nobody had. And nobody would ever say I am. I am not beautiful, I thought. I could have been but for my deformity. This got me thinking for a while. Mr. Durodola, as father observed, was lucky to have his daughter. What about my father? He was never proud of me. I wonder if my birth had not been greeted with tears and solemnity instead of joy and laughter. I went in search of mother, I did not see her. As a result, I went to fetch the water.

Temiloluwa reappears with a cup of water. When she reches the girl she tries giving the cup to her. The girl seeing her two-colored hand and face screams. Mr. and Mrs. Durodola and Patrick, out of fright, rush to care for the frightened girl.
PATRICK
Take it easy daughter. It’s nothing. How many times have I told you not to...

TEMILOLUWA
Father started scolding me. Right in the presence of his friends, he called me names a father would never call his child. I felt like cry. But I could not. I only felt sorry for being so much defaced.

INT. ROOM. MORNING.
The camera reveals Grandmother, a woman in her late sixties in the sitting room. She sit on the chair, holding a baby boy in her hand. Rhoda sits not far away from her while Temiloluwa sit beside her mother.

TEMILOLUWA (VO)
As long as I can remember, it has not always been this bad at home. Father though hates me, he never showed it, at least not in a mean way. Mother was my friend. She fought for me against father and some hostile outsiders, who wouldn’t stop calling me names. My parents’ altitude towards me changed as soon as Folusho was given birth to. I was seven years older than Folusho, but mother and Father believed I was holding the position meant for him. At first, I could not bear the humiliation I faced from my own family. But who would I turn or complain to? If I run from home, who will listen to me or take me into his house? I was the pariah, the unwanted. Who could I run to? Grandmother?

Grandmother is seen, observing the hands, body face and the skin of the baby she is holding.
GRANDMOTHER
My daughter, now I can commend you. You have done perfectly well. We thought it will never happen. But you proved us wrong. You have just given us a child, the one we can be proud of and call ours. Just make sure you don’t let them sleep together. I wouldn’t forgive you if my son turns out to be like her.
RHODA
Grandmother, it is nothing. The rashes in Temiloluwa’s skin aren’t infectious.
GRANDMOTHER
I don’t want to care if they are or not. Or request for is the immunity of my son against it.

TEMILOLUWA (VO)
Mother knew vitiligo isn’t infectious yet she isolated me from home and happiness. My deformed skin is not transmissible yet I was treated like a leper and made to live like a pariah who shares his loneliness and dejection with no one.
FADE OUT.

INT. ROOM. DAY
Patrick is at the sitting room reading news paper while Rhoda is appearing from the inner room. The door that leads out of the room opens and Temiloluwa and Folusho enters in their school uniform, each holding a report card.

TEMILOLUWA (VO)
My deformity only affects my look; it does nothing to my brain. I was brilliant more than anyone could imagine. In spite my loneliness, I was always atop my class. I love to be a journalist but father wouldn’t support the idea. He said my look doesn’t qualify me for any decent job.

RHODA (To the children)
Oh, children, you are back. How was school?
TEMILOLUWA AND FOLUSHO (Respectively)
It was fine, ma.
RHODA
Come and show me your card. I hope you make us proud.
Rhoda collects the card from both, give one to Patrick and look through the other.

After checking the card.
RHODA (Hugs Temiloluwa)
Temilolu, you are wonderful! You done so well. How am very proud of you. Dear, check your daughter’s card, she came first as usual.
PATRICK
How come you come you have a poor result Folusho. You must have been playing too much. We, apparently, need to put you on extra lesson. You must not keep on like this.
RHODA
You don’t mean he failed again!
PATRICK
Woefully.
RHODA
Oh, my God! But why,son? Dear, check Temilolu’s card. See and see...
PATRICK
I don’t have to. I knew she would come first. The problem is that she we will have to stop her school now
TEMILOLUWA (Shocked)
Why, daddy!
RHODA
Why, dear. She is ...
PATRICK
I know she doesn’t deserve it. But it is something we must do on time.
RHODA
But she is just in JSS 3. Why can’t you...
PATRICK
I can’t afford to pay her school fees next term. all text books we have been buying for her... everything as regard her school is a waste. She has to stop!
RHODA
Let give her chance to get to s.s.s 3. At least...
RHODA (crying)
Mother, you won’t do this to me. I want to go to school. I want to be a journalist.
PATRICK
You can’t my daughter. I so much wish you could. But... see... see...
RHODA
Then I will be a ...
PATRICK
You can’t be anything like you think of, my daughter. It is so... so...

Temiloluwa begins to cry
PATRICK
I’m sorry I have to let you know this.

Rhoda hugs her, placating her with her own cry.

TEMILOLUWA (VO)
Mother hugged me. I was surprised. It been long I had body contact with her. I was surprised she let my tears drop freely on her hands. My viutiligo wasn’t infectious after all. Father told me I could not be a journalist nor anything I could think of. What then would I be? A beggar or a cleaner? I wanted to be a journalist. I cried as I saw my dream and ambition running out of my reach. If at all I had any happiness, it was in my dream to become something in life. But now, that dream is being taken away from me. I will have to live and die for nothing. I hate father for tarnishing my dream. I hate mother for letting him do so. I hate Folusho, for getting all the attention and privileges I am denied. I hate them all and I want them dead. This made me poisoned them. Perhaps, I would live.

INT. ROOM. DAY.
Temiloluwa is seen at the dinning, looking here and there to ensure no one approaches. She brinks out some particle, pours it inside the food on the dinning table and leaves. Few minutes later, Patrick, Rhoda and Folusho settle to eat.
TEMILOLUWA (VO)
I have seen it done in movies. And I tried it out. I bought two different potent rat poisons and mixed it with their meal. I want them dead because they made me a stranger, an unwanted in my home.

Camera reveals the opening scene. Police men hand-coughed Temiloluwa and leads her to the waiting police van.

TEMILOLUWA (VO)
I called the police myself, and told them I have killed my people. People called me names. Some said I have committed a heinous crime, a crime bigger than my age. But none knew I had, right since the day I was born, been enduring sufferings that no man can endure. I only want to live, want to be accepted into the social and family clime. But people will not let me. Wherever they are taking me to, I hope never to come back, because if I do, I will do this again.

The police van and the ambulance speed off
FADE OUT