NYANGWONO

By
JUNGE
ACT 1.
FADE IN

EXT. SCHOOL GROUNDS. EVENING.

A small dusty field. Students and teachers alike have
arranged their seats around a raised podium.

Students clap their hands as their colleagues are called up

to receive their presents.
The M.C takes the mic and orders the school to silence. He
makes a remark, inviting the headteacher,as he takes his
seat.
HEADTEACHER.
And the top performers for the
leaving class this year are..

They are called in rising order, two boys proceed and the
first position goes to a girl, Moraa. They students clap and
cheer enthusiastically much to the chagrin of the boys up
there.
In the crowd a boy James gives her a standing ovation as he
cheers her proudly.
She is given the mic to speak.
As she begins to address them, the batteries die and as they
pass her the spare one, they hear ululation and music from
afar. The smile on her face fades away.

EXT. DIRT ROAD . EVENING

Two girls, Moraa and Nyaboke walk into view as they take a
corner into the main road. They’re dressed in incomplete
uniform, lacking shoes a tie or sweaters.
Chatting in earnest, they don’t notice the two boys in
uniform tailing them.

Around them the tall trees whoosh to the wind as a small

herd of goats graze peacefully under them by the side of the
road.
Amidst the serenity, a sound of singing and ululation rings
clearly, seemingly caught up in the wind.
Moraa slows down to adjust her bag but her focus is on the
sound as she looks into the trees.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 2.

NYABOKE
Carrying nothing on her back, she goes to help her friend
with her load. Offloading the specially wrapped prize first.
She looks to her friend and sees her lost in it.
(concerned)
You seem lost, didn’t you know it
was today?
MORAA

Holding the strap firmly and pulling it over her shoulder,

she looks to her friend puzzled
I did, i just forgot about it in
today’s excitement.
NYABOKE

Probing the gift, she starts to look for an unwrapping

point.
(agreeing)
Can’t blame you, you were busy
wiping the floor with those boys,

MORAA
Smiling weakly, almost blushing, drifting back to the noise.
NYABOKE

Trying to cheer her up.

So„how was it? how did it feel
being the first speaker.
MORAA

Glancing at Nyaboke.
Nice,..it was nice.
NYABOKE

Looking at her with skeptism, she makes a face, peering at

her with squinted eyes.
MORAA

Trying to avert from her gesture, she glances behind to see

the pair, her brother James and his friend Leonard Onchari.
Overwhelmed by Moraa’s persistence.
(blushing)
Fine, it was amazing„

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 3.

NYABOKE.
Looking towards the pair also, she waves and Leonard waves
back.
MORAA

Taking her friends arm she urges her to continue walking.

Don’t wave, now they’ll try to
catch up to us.

NYABOKE
Resisting.
(Jesting)
C’mon, lets show them your present„

MORAA
Pulling her arm.
(anxious)
No, lets keep walking, i want to
get home early.

NYABOKE
Resisting again.
You want to go and fantasize about
him „

MORAA
Looking back, she tries frantically to get her walking.
((denying))
Onchari„ no„ he’s just a friend, i
have other pressing things on my
mind.
NYABOKE
(mocking)
Like what, what could be more
pressing than your husband to be?
MORAA
Irritated, she tries to snatch the prize away from her, ,
Give me my prize i go home..

NYABOKE
(coaxing)
Not until you tell me what’s
bothering you so much,

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 4.

MORAA
Trying more forcefully, they start tugging each unwilling to
let go.
(desperately)
Just give it .
MORAA

Pulling at it, frustrated, the wrapping tears, revealing a

beautiful porcelain plate.
Look what you’ve done now,
She seems distraught, her eyes start welling up.

NYABOKE
Apologizing, she gives it back..
Im sorry, i didn’t mean to. But
please tell me whats bothering you
so much.

MORAA
She looks down at her present, a few tears streaming down
her cheeks.
I dont..i dont want to go Nango„ i
dont want to just drop everything
and go be someone’s wife,..
NYABOKE

Noticing the boys getting to closer, she turns and starts

walking with her.
But there’s nothing we can do about
it dear, we just have to go through
it and maybe we can get a better
life with our husbands, in your
case, you’ll be good.
MORAA
(lamenting)
That’s not enough for me,

NYABOKE
(trying to reason)
What else can you do?
MORAA

Blurting it out,
Escape!, will you come along, if i
tell you i have a plan?

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 5.

NYABOKE
Perplexed she draws back from her friend. She scratches her
head as she looks about indecisively.
I don’t know..you know my mother
would kill me if i tried, and my
uncles, what if they come looking
for me„
MORAA

Drawing closer to her friend, she takes her hand,

Look, i know what im asking is not
easy, but what if we make it and
the mission centre takes us in, we
could go to high school and who
knows maybe we could both be
doctors or teachers„
NYABOKE
She’s been looking down at the plate while Moraa was
speaking, she takes a few moments more then she looks up to
her friend.
So all this time you didn’t think
to tell me any of this,
MORAA
No, i did, i just thought,

NYABOKE
You thought that if you told me
today, id drop everything and
follow you?

MORAA
She’s dumbstruck,.. looking for an answer,she looks behind
and sees the pair coming towards them.

They seem to also be in an intense discussion with heavy

usage of aggressive gesturing.
The air around them comes alive with sound. Like an army
approaching, shrieking, metal clanging scraping and
whistling. She’s drawn to the noise, evading Nyaboke’s
accusatory look.
NYABOKE
Bringing her back to the conversation.
(aggresively)

(MORE) (CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 6.

NYABOKE (cont’d)
Tell me! Were you really going to
let me go alone? Does your mother
know?

MORAA
Hesitating, she minces words as the sounds in the air seem
to confuse her more.
Taking Nyaboke’s hand.
Please come with me,
NYABOKE
Her inquisitive look turns into a scowl when she realizes
her friend is serious, she pulls her hand away.

Behind them, a fight has developed as the boys’ tussle

forces them off the road into a bush.
NYABOKE(CONTINUED)

As they stand there in a stalemate, a group of girls burst

forth from a small path. They’re vibrant in colour, singing
ululating and dancing they start coming towards the pair.
The song will be an initiation song sang by the women of the
kissi community. it should contain elements of; urging them
to break from their childish behavior, the expectation of
the community to be represented by them in the preservation
of their culture and anything else that will be considered
viable to carry across this message.

The girls are dressed in traditional clothing and are

beckoning them to join in the dance. They hold out wreaths
made from banana leaves. They envelop them and dance around
them in a circle.
NYABOKE

Quickly accepting she joins them leaving Moraa in a trance.

GIRLS.
They continue dancing for Moraa, but after a while they
start getting weary and stop. Realizing their invitation
is rejected they start talking aggressively at her, trying
to put it forcefully on her head, despite her shrugging of
their attempts. Finally they push her away and start
insulting her.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 7.

MORAA
Holding back tears she heads off.
JAMES

As the girls shout he comes out of the bush. His head and
body is covered in dust. As he passes, he looks at the girls
who look back at him uniquely puzzled. He then heads into
the middle of the road and starts looking for his sister who
he sees heading off. He follows her.

END OF ACT 1
INTERLUDE
James walks slowly along a bushy path and Moraa is far off
into the distance. He takes off his sweater and begins
dusting it off as he notices the rest of his uniform is also
in a similar state.
As he takes of his tie he hears the sound of a couple
arguing violently. he heads to the fence and peeps through,
the light hits his face.
FLASHBACK CUTAWAY
The light of the kitchen fire hits his face through the gap
in the door that he is peeping through. His parents are
having a conversation about his sister.
MR MAKORI
(irritated)
Its never too early, don’t you
understand this,.. woman?

MOKEIRA
(retorting albeit in a
submissive tone)
And you? don’t you think i need to
be helped around here?

MR. MAKORI
(impressing)
But you could have already had it
and more, had you agreed last year
when i met that Chief from Nyamira.
He had already picked out the prize
cows from his herds. Just imagine
it, 25 heads of cattle, prize
bulls, fat heifers, chubby calves..

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 8.

MOKEIRA
(objecting)
All those heads of cattle couldn’t
live from this shamba, let alone
fitting, where would we even build
such pens..
MR MAKORI
(raising his voice in ire)
This shamba is big enough! Big
enough to fit even a thousand
heads! And two thousand could eat
from it for ten generations.
MOKEIRA
(retreating)
I’m sorry that’s not what i meant,
i only meant that i want her to
remain under my care for just a bit
longer.
MR MAKORI
(arrogantly)
What else is there to know? She
does her duties diligently and
she’s good mannered I’m sure that
makes a good wife,
MOKEIRA
(composed)
It is true what you say husband,
but can you just spare me some
months after she goes to Nango to
stay with her for just a bit
longer..
MR MAKORI
(lecturing condescendingly)
Listen here, you don’t seem to
understand the importance of time.
That time you want to be wasting
here gossiping and wandering around
the village is very valuable to
me. That time is to be used to
introduce her to the Onchari’s.
Time that will be spent picking ten
head of cattle, ten! 2 bulls 6
heifers and two calves, okay? Those
head of cattle then are taken to
the slaughter house in Kisii town
where we will be paid in time to
send James to a high school.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 9.

MR MAKORI(CONTINUED)
He’s stopped pacing around and is penively staring at his
wife with a burning gaze.
(continuing)
we miss that time, its gone for a
whole year. Whats my circumcised
son going to spend a whole year
doing here with you in the village?
Other people’s sons’ are going to
Nairobi, there’s money there, he
goes there,(deifying) my son, he
will come back a member of
parliament. On that closing day,
she’s going to Nango to see the
elder, when i get home i shouldn’t
find her here or else!

Turning towards the door and heading outside.

JAMES
Rising from the fence he continues home.

ACT 2

EXT. MZEE MAKORI’S BOMA. EVENING

Moraa gets home in a somber mood. She walks into the

compound with a reluctant demeanor and heads straight for
the stool next to her outdoor grounding pot. She sits there
for a while just looking at the ground until a few moments
later her brother comes following. He hangs his almost fully
removed uniform by a tree and goes towards his sister with
his bundle.
JAMES
Placing the bundle at the edge of the bench, he sits beside
her.
MORAA
She turns her head slightly and then looks down again.

JAMES
(slightly uplifting)
Ive noticed a dark cloud hanging
over you lately, its making your
skin paler.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 10.

MORAA
(exclaiming)
Hmm.
JAMES

Silent again, he looks down then looks at her.

MORAA
Feeling his eyes on him she looks away as tears start
watering her eyes.
JAMES
Reaching out he puts his hand on her shoulder.

MORAA
Shrugging it off, she turns her body away from him and looks
up.
JAMES

His hand on the bench, he tries to lift it but somehow cant

find the will to.
MORAA

Sniffling and wiping her face, she clears her throat and
then finding strength she looks towards the ground on his
side.
Did you talk to mom?
JAMES

Seemingly guilty he hesitates answering, then goes, looking

down.
Not yet.

MORAA
(Fear in her voice. )
Why not, did you not see the girls
going to Nango, they even took
Nyaboke with them.

JAMES
Looking at her.
((surprised))
Nyaboke went?

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 11.

MORAA
(panic in her voice)
Of course she went! Everyone is
going!

Her eyes start welling up again, she turns to him.

Even me, even me after you promised
James.
MORAA(CONTINUED)

She falls into his chest sobbing.

JAMES
Frozen, he holds her and says nothing. He looks at the sky
as he rubs her back. They stay like that for sometime.
Shaking his head slightly he looks down at her then goes.
Ill talk to her the minute she
comes home, you’re not going Nango.
(reassuringly)
Ill make sure they don’t take you
anywhere outside this gate.

EXT. RIVER-BANK. EVENING.

Moraa sits pensively staring into the river. Her two jerry
cans are tied to a tree branch slowly fetching the water.

Behind her a bush rattles slightly as we notice something

moving through the vegetation coming towards her.
In the thick undergrowth and bushes we see a dark
silhouetted figure observing her. Its eyes burn with a
malevolent yellow glare.

EXT.MZEE MAKORI’S COMPOUND. SUNSET.

James is seated in the middle of the compound fixated on a

molding a pot. His gear is spread out around him
haphazardly. A woman walks into frame. She is dressed quite
nicely and seems tired, mumbling to herself, she places her
hands akimbo and calls out to her son who obliviously
carries on.

MOKEIRA
My son!
JAMES

Turning back a bit surprised.

(MORE) (CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 12.

JAMES (cont’d)
Hello mom, where are you from?

MOKEIRA
(flatly)
Go bring me a seat and some water
and as you do that, call me your
sister.

JAMES
Standing up, he hesitates to answer her immediately and
mumbles something.
MOKEIRA
(irritated)
Eeeh?
JAMES
(fessing up)
She’s gone..

MOKEIRA
Looking seconds away from erupting
JAMES
(saving himself)
She’s gone to the river to fetch
water.
He goes to his new task.

MOKEIRA
Left on her own she continues mumbling as she looks towards
the sky.

JAMES
Out of view he is heard taking out a chair and cup. He
brings his mother the chair and goes to fetch her water. He
brings it to her, then heads back to his project.

MOKEIRA
Gulping thirstily she takes a break licks her lips and goes.
Come sit here i want to talk to
you.

JAMES
Obediently turning around he goes and sits by his mother.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 13.

MOKEIRA
Finishing the water, she puts the cup down. Takes a few
moments to breath then turns to her son.
(inquisitively)
Let me ask you something my son?
JAMES
(hesitantly)
Yes.
MOKEIRA
What did i do to deserve such a
perfect son like you?

JAMES
(puzzled)
I’m not sure im a perfect son but
maybe Nyasae favored you for me to
be healthy and strong.

MOKEIRA
(in agreement)
Yes..yes..(pausing). But he also
likes balance this God of ours and
maybe he saw it fit that i should
have your sister too.
JAMES
Aware of the direction of the conversation, tries to play
the fool.
Why do you say that?
MOKEIRA
Striking his head.
Don’t take me for a fool, weren’t
you with her when she refused to
join the girls heading to Nango?
(raising her voice) What was she
thinking embarrassing me like that?
All the other village girls were
there to be blessed by the elder
but your sister wasn’t!
JAMES
(in a low voice)
Im sorry mother.

MOKEIRA
Sorry?
She strikes him again, angering him.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 14.

I had to explain to the elder why

out of all the mothers present,
only my daughter was absent.
Striking him once more,
Sorry but you cant make sure your
sister respects us?
Striking again,
Tradition?

JAMES
Standing up.
Look here mother i don’t want you
hitting me anymore and i don’t want
Moraa to go to Nango.

MOKEIRA
In disbelief, she looks upwards towards her son and jumps
slightly up from her seat striking him with a stinging slap.
Don’t ever talk to me with such
disrespect again. When did you get
cut that you think you can talk to
me like you do to those classmates
of yours.
JAMES

Looking down in shame.

MOKEIRA
And don’t ever presume to tell me
what not to do with you or your
sister otherwise ill have your
father hear of this, is that what
you want?
JAMES
(in a low voice)
No.
Submissively he sits back down and his mother continues.
MOKEIRA
(half muttering)
Children these days, you think you
do what you want, go where you
want, you want to be like those
aeroplanes za wazungu. But you’re
still in my hut and until you’ve
felt the cut and bled from the
(MORE) (CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 15.

MOKEIRA (cont’d)
blade you have no direction if its
not coming from me or your father.
JAMES
Yes mother.

They sit in silence for a while until he stands up and goes

back to his project.
END OF ACT 2
INTERMISSION

EXT. RIVER-BANK. EVENING.

The cans are now full and a wind blows through stretching
the ropes holding them and they bang into each other as they
fight the current from taking them away.
Moraa is still sleeping but restlessly turning her head. A
bad dream.

P.O.V CUTAWAY
In the dream she’s standing at the same bank. Next to her in
a neat row are nine other girls. They stand shivering
looking into the abyss as a woman appears in front of them
with a knife. She goes through each of them, drawing closer
to Moraa picking at their flesh with it.
They hold their firmness at its sting but one of them
falters and starts crying. She’s slapped and kneels down
crying, begging.

Moraa starts breathing heavily, anxiously. Looking around

for an escape.
The sun is coming up and from the opposite bank, she spots
something peculiar. A shade of white and blue. A small line
of girls in uniform walk heading up the hill. She reaches
out and shouts,
MORAA
(wildly waving her arms)
Hey, hey,

They don’t hear her. She breaks off and tries running away
from the group and two figures start following her. She’s
almost at the bridge when they come in front of her and
block her path. She tries running towards the river but
another figure stops her, its yellow eyes burning.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 16.

Before she knows it they have her overpowered and are

dragging her back. She’s kicking and screaming but to no
avail. ....
She wakes up and looks around, dusk is already upon her.

END OF ACT 2
ACT 3

INT. KITCHEN. TWILIGHT.

Two shadows dance on the kitchen wall. Mother and son are
having dinner while warming themselves with the fire.
Mokeira is conversing with James as Moraa walks into the
kitchen carrying two 10 litre cans full of water and sets
them in the corner.
MOKEIRA
Moraa daughter of Makori! Where is
the pride in being a woman of the
tribe?

MORAA
(silent)
MOKEIRA
Im i speaking to ghosts? Why won’t
my daughter respond to my calls?
Moraa daughter of Makori!
MORAA
(meekly)
Yes mother!

MOKEIRA
Picking up a piece of dry firewood, she lurches at her and
grabbing her takes her outside and descends on her.

JAMES
Inside the kitchen, he stares at the fire as he listens
painfully to her cries of mercy. Eventually the cries turn
to James and he, unable to do anything grips his cup of soup
harder as he takes a sip. Moraa is then led away to her
bedroom and he hears the phrase ’get packing, you’re going
early in the morning’
 17.

INT. JAMES’ ROOM. 5.AM

James wakes up in the early hours of the morning. The
initiation music can be heard far off, drums boom through
the cold morning as ululations pierce through the walls of
his mud hut. He cracks his window and listens. Immediately
he jumps out of bed and heads outside. He crosses the yard
and heads for Moraa’s window. Knocking it, he whispers
loudly, "Moraa, Moraa".
Not hearing a response he runs back across to his room and
the sound of hurried dressing is heard. He runs out again.

EXT. MZEE MAKORI’S BOMA. 5. AM

He is half naked walking in a haze, between the end of the
night and the crack of first light. The music stops
dramatically a few moments after. Half a minute passes with
the stillness of the early morning then a wild painful
shriek rings out.
END OF ACT 3

ACT 4

EXT.RIVER BANK. MORNING

6.15am, the sun is already risen and the steam from the dew
is already up in the air. The river flows gently as its din
announced its presence in the valley.
JAMES

Walking in from the beaten path to the open river bank. No

one is around, they seem to have all vanished into thin air.
He walks slowly to the site as he looks around
investigating.

Up ahead he sees a few clothes, among them is Moraa’s

mainstay dress, on the ground, its partly torn and
haphazardly left.
He runs to it and picks it up and looking around he starts
shouting at the top of his voice, Moraa! Moraa!

He looks around again and notices small clearings in the

grass, the remnants of people who laid there. In each of the
clearings he notices small patches of blood, he looks again
to the one he’s standing over and notices that the patch is
significantly larger. To some extent flies have started to
gather and its congealed to form a clump.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 18.

He looks to the dress and notices its got blood on it too,

and quite alot, he looks to his trousers and notices the
streaks of blood left by the dress.
He falls to the ground and weeps.

EXT. MZEE MAKORI’S BOMA. MID-MORNING

James walks into the compound to find his mother preparing
different kinds of food, bundles wrapped in banana leaves
and a steaming pot of porridge that she’s slowly stirring.
MOKEIRA
Noticing her son, she calls out to him.
James, james,

JAMES
Walking straight to Moraa’s room.
MOKEIRA

She notices the dress in his hands and goes,

James! James! Where did you get
that?
JAMES
(not responding)
He glances at her with a burning rage and goes on towards
her door.
MOKEIRA

She goes to respond but then takes a closer look at the

dress, a look of alarm envelopes her anger and she is
dumbstruck, he watches as he barges in, then comes out in
quick succession.

JAMES
Coming towards her steaming and puffing.
Where is my sister?

MOKEIRA
I, i, i don’t..
JAMES
(bellowing)
Don’t lie to me, where is she?

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 19.

MOKEIRA
Looking at the dress in his left arm, and the marks of blood
on his clothes,
My son, don’t rush into anger,
sometimes things like these..
JAMES

Clutching the dress harder, he brings it up to chest level

( bellowing, )
Look at what they’ve done to
her,(accusatory) what you’ve done
to her.

MOKEIRA
Agitated under this line of fire, she attempts to deflect,
tears start forming in her eyes.
(threatened)
you won’t talk to me like this, i
am your mother, when your father
wakes „
JAMES
(retorting)
Go wake him! Go! You’re both
complicit and you don’t even know
where your daughter is.
MOKEIRA

Seeing the relentlessness in her son’s eyes,looks to calm

the situation, she sniffles and wipes her eyes with the edge
of her leso.
(easing the tension)
My son, in every group one or two
have a small accident, sometimes
they squirm because of fear and the
blade slips, it will be well, she
will heal just like the others. If
anything maybe they took her to the
elder to get special care, im sure
she’s fine.

JAMES
(continuing)
Does this look fine to you, aren’t
you even worried about her.

MOKEIRA
She lets go of the wooden cooking spoon, letting it sink
into the simmering porridge.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 20.

(defending)
Amidst the fresh round of tears trickling down her face
I am! of course i am, what mother
wouldn’t be?

They look at each other in earnest. James is aware of how

distraught he’s made his mother and he looks away.
A sound of commotion from the inside, a clearing throat and
a loud spit follows from inside.

The door hinges creak and a leg pops out followed by a

medium rail thin figure in leather.
MR MAKORI

He stretches and rubs his face with his hands as he slowly

opens his eyes.
(BOOMING)
Whats all the commotion about?
JAMES

Hiding the dress behind his back.

MOKEIRA
Looking down at her pot, she struggles to pull out the
cooking spoon.
MR MAKORI
(to james)
I brought the mabati last night,
its behind the house. Now i believe
your friends are coming today to
help you put it up.
JAMES
(submissively)
Yes father.
MR MAKORI
Good, i want you to be prepared for
tomorrow, nothing is more
important, has never been anything
more since the time of our
ancestors. Its a reminder to leave
behind the foolish things of our
childhood and be ready to become
full members of this community.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 21.

JAMES
Yes father.
MR MAKORI
(to mokeira)
Wife, if my porridge is ready,
serve it in my favorite calabash.
He slowly heads to the small tank and fetching water with a
can starts washing his face.

JAMES
Rushing to the kitchen, he throws the dress away behind the
kitchen and runs out with a seat for his father. His father
takes a seat and he is given the calabash to hand to him. He
gives it to his father. And as he does this, he looks back
towards his mother who he finds, strangely, looking back at
him, tears in her eyes. He sheds a tear, but then quickly
wipes it off in defiance.
Montage.

EXT. DIRT ROAD. DAY

James and his mates are walking to the elder’s. In addition
to everything else, he carries the beautiful black pot that
he was making earlier now full off soil. He seems
completely aloof and indifferent to them. He’s constantly
staring off into the distance.

INT. ELDER’S HEALING ROOM. DAY.

Moraa is lying unconscious in a bed made of hyde. There is

an assortment of herbs, small containers with concocted
remedies and beside the bed a revolting bloody waste bucket.
Flies make their rounds in the room.

EXT. ELDERS COMPOUND. NIGHT.

James is among a large group of boys dancing in around a
bonfire. Theyre dressed painted and decorated in traditional
garb. He’s the only one not singing, instead his body just
seems to be moving for him.
 22.

INT. ELDERS HEALING ROOM. DAY

A girl walks into the room holding a bucket of steaming hot
water. On uncovering Moraa, she closes it back and runs out
in alarm. The elder and a pair of paramedics come back with
a stretcher, she is taken away.

EXT. MZEE MAKORI’S BOMA. DAY

James is seated outside baskiing in the sun while pensively
looking at his potted plant. It hasn’t sprouted yet and it
seems to worry him. Mzee Makori walks into the background
with a man holding a surveyors tripod.

INT. MAWIO HOSPITAL. DAY

Moraa still lies unconscious. She is in a hospital bed with

two drips injected into her bloodstream. A nurse comes with
some medicine and injects into the drip mechanism. She takes
her temperature with her hand re-adjusts the drip then goes.

EXT. KISII TOWN, UNIFORM TAILORS. DAY

James looks down at his body in the mirror, he is in
uniform. There is alook of guilt on his face. In the
background Mr Makori is haggling with the tailor while
pointing constantly to James.

INT. MAWIO HOSPITAL. EVENING

The nurse finishes her rounds and leaves her bedside. Moraa
turns her head towards the window beside her bed and opens
her eyes for the first time. She looks around, she looks at
her hands with the drips and her body, weak and
prostrated. She tries to get up but she winces in pain and
goes back to her original position.

INT. HIGHSCHOOL DORM. EVENING

James sets the pot on the sill and on looking closer, he
notices its sprouted ever so slightly. A smile spreads
across his face but it soon turns to a grimace as he looks
away and goes.
 23.

INT. MAWIO HOSPITAL. DAY.

The drips from her bedside are gone. She seems healthier as
she is talking with the nurse, who is trying to get her to
take another mouthful of the food on her bedside. She smiles
at the nurse as she takes her hand and they bow down to
pray.

INT. HIGHSCHOOL CLASSROOM. DAY.

James is daydreaming in class. His attention is directed

towards the sky. The teacher calls him out as the other
students roar in laughter and he seems embarrased, he smiles
slightly as he focuses back on the board.

INT.MAWIO HOSPITAL. DAY.

The nurse is helping Moraa to sit up on her bed. She props
up a pillow behind her and as she gets comfortable a bowl of
food is placed infrontof her and the nurse helps her hold
the spoon properly as she tries to self feed. As she eats
the nurse is reading to her from a textbook.

INT. HIGHSCOOL DORM. DAY.

James comes to water his plant. He places the bottle beside
the pot as he first tends to it muclching it with tender
care, then he takes the bottle and pours in the water. Its
now growing well, he again lets out a weak smile that seems
overburdened by concern.

EXT. MAWIO HOSPITAL. DAY.

Moraa is being wheeled through the hospital grounds by the
nurse as they chat. Up ahead two nurses and a differently
dressed woman are standing talking. As soon as they
approach, the woman breaks off and runs to Moraa, getting on
her knees and hugging her, they embrace as they cry
together. The nurse watches contentedly.

EXT. TARMAC ROAD. MORNING

James and his school mates are walking along the road. Up
ahead there’s a signboard spelling out the name mawio
hospital. When they get to it, he waves as he breaks off
from the group and takes that road.

END OF ACT 4.
 24.

ACT 5.

INT.MAWIO HOSPITAL. MORNING

Moraa is lying in her bed silently reading. All around her
is the buzz of the hospital, little children crying and
their groaning mothers too weak to silence them. A figure
appears before her and she looks up. James stands there
smiling and holding a beautiful flower pot in his hands.
MORAA
Closing her book, she puts it to her side and smiles at her
brother.

JAMES
Hi,
MORAA
(weakly)
Hi.
JAMES
Looking around, her bedside table is strewn with books.
Look at this, you’re already ahead
of my entire class, most of us are
still struggling to pronounce mito,
mito..cho, mitocho„
MORAA
(smiling weakly)
Mitochondria.
JAMES
Yes, that the one,

Laughing slightly, he puts the pot on top of a book and

looks back at her.
(pausing)
You never cease to amaze me, even
here your dream is still alive.

MORAA
Nodding in agreement.
There’s nothing stopping me, and
when i get out of this bed..

JAMES
(reassuring)
And you will,

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 25.

MORAA
(asserting)
Ill be on the first bus to Nairobi.
JAMES

Looks at her with admiration and love, realizing her

strength.
MORAA(CONTINUED)

Trying to sit up, James helps her adjust to a better

position.
Can i see what you brought me?
JAMES

Reaching for it, he hands it to her.

MORAA
Holding it, her hands start budging under its weight, he
helps her hold it. They share a heartfelt moment as James
watches his sister’s unwavering determination. Then, Moraa’s
expression turns serious.
I need to tell you something
important,

JAMES
looking at her with concern
What is it?
MORAA
I found a way to get to Nairobi.
JAMES
(hopeful)
How?

MORAA
The sisters who run this hospital
have offered me a scholarship to
continue my education.

JAMES
Looks both surprised and relieved.
Thats amazing,
MORAA(CONTINUED)
Yes, but im still in this
ward.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 26.

JAMES
(confused)
You heal quickly. Remember that day
you got cut with the jembe then
everyone thought..

MORAA
(interrupting)
Its not like that this time..
JAMES
Why?
MORAA
Didnt you read the sign on the way
in?

JAMES
I did, it says VCT.
MORAA
yes, that means i have HIV,

JAMES
Looking even more confused.
MORAA
Its a disease James, it came from
the way we were cut. It kills, i
have only a few years left.
JAMES

Unable to fathom this, he releases the pot and it falls on

the bed. Distraught he buries his head in his hands.
MORAA
Crying slightly at the sight of her brothers grief, she
strokes his head in consolation.
I’ve made my peace with it, because
its my only way out. The nuns are
offering me the scholarship because
of it, they tell me the medicine in
Nairobi is what is going to give me
those years.
JAMES
Raising his head, he looks at her with tears in his eyes.
Its all my fault, i should have, i
should..

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 27.

MORAA
(consoling)
It wasn’t, its the world we live
in. I want you to be a strong man
for me and get permission from
father.
JAMES
Taking her hand..
I will! I will! I wont let you down
this time.
They embrace as Moraa continues to stroke his head gently.
FADE OUT.

JAMES
Putting down his bundle he tackles Leonard and they fall of
the road into the shamba.
MORAA AND NYABOKE