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EXT: THE GATETWILIGHT. A HUGE IRON GATE ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF A BIG INDUSTRIAL CITY IN ENGLAND. ON TOP OF THE GATE A SIGN:
"HAPPY FUTURE A HOME FOR WAR ORPHANS".
THE GATE EXTENDS ON BOTH SIDES INTO A LONG WALL. THE GATE SLOWLY OPENS. A LONG LINE OF CHILDREN ENTER THE GATE. THEY DISAPPEAR BEHIND THE GATE INTO A DUSTY YARD. LEM'S VOICE IS HEARD OVER WHILE THE KIDS WALK IN THE YARD
Whenever I see mad birds
People bleeding
Burnt water
Fires
Wasted, devastated fields
Dead, deserted villages
Empty, deaf roads,
White short lightning
A drought
People in lines
A line, an echelon,
O, my God, I know that in that very moment
a man from a man is separated
That people are divided
O, my God!
I hear the scream.AS THE KIDS ENTER THE YARD, THEY LOOK AROUND THEM TRAING TO FIGURE OUT THE NEW “HOME”. THEY ARE CONFUSED, SCARED, AND TIRED.
EXT: THE YARD.
THE SAME EVENING. A LONG, LONG LINE, ALMOST LIKE A SERPENT SPREADS OUT IN FRONT OF THE WALL. THE KIDS/ORPHANS CONFUSED AND SCARED WAIT IN LINE FOR REGISTRATION. THE COUNSELORS YELL AT THEM: "SILENCE", "OBEY THE RULES", "STAY IN LINES". SHARP WHISTLES ARE HEARD. THE KIDS WHISPER SHARING THEIR PAIN AND TELLING KEYTEN HOW THEY WERE COUGHT AND BROUGHT IN THE ORPHANAGE.
LAZE
And then the storm started. A big bad storm.BOGOJA
A huge high snow covered the earth.BOSA
And the blooming trees froze.SOKOLE
All of a sudden all of the cheerful spring colors and sounds disappear.LEM
Nothing, absolutely nothing was left from that beautiful powerful light.KEYTEN
[almost not hearing what they say and looking at the wall]
We are behind the wall.LYUBA
We were all caught after the big snow.LEM
We were caught in the fields.BOSA
Some of us were caught in the gardens, some in the woods.LEM
I was caught in the basement.LYUBA
Some were caught on the cliffs.KEYTEN
Oh, my God, we are behind the wall. Look.LEM
It is all over there.KEYTEN
It stands there quietly like a snake.BOSA
It is huge. Long.LYUBA
If it hugs you, it will embrace you with its tail, and then you are done.METODI
There is no help. No escape.LEM
O, my God, we are trapped by that cursed wall.LYUBA
Are we separated from the outer world.BOSA
Are we isolated.SOKOLE
Are we alone.KEYTEN
Damn wall!
VINCE, ONE OF THE COUNSELORS WHO DO THE REGISTRATION SITS AT THE TABLE AT THE CENTER OF THE YARD. LOT OF STAMPS, PENCILS, AND FORMS ON THE TABLE BEFORE HIM.OLIVIA, THE PRINCIPAL COUNSELOR STANDS NEXT TO THE TABLE WITH HER WHISTLE BETWEEN HER TEETH AND GUARDS THE LINE.
OLIVIA
Silence. Obey the rules.THE PRINCIPAL OF THE "HOME", "BIG DADDY" JOHN ABERCOMBIE SMITH, FORMER ROYAL OFFICER, STANDS BEHIND THE TABLE CONTROLLING THE REGISTRATION. HE WEARS A MILITARY OVER-COAT. HE IS POWERFUL, PROUD, AND SELF-CONFIDENT. HE WALKS WITH A STRONG MILITARY STEP. HIS HANDS ARE BEHIND AND THE HEAD IS UP.
VINCE, THE FIRST COUNSELOR, CALLS THE NEXT KID IN LINE FOR AN INTERVIEW
OLIVIA
Don't talk in the line.VINCE
Next!LAZE COMES TO THE TABLE
VINCE
You!LAZE
Me?VINCE
Yes, you. What's your name?LAZE
Laze.VINCE
Mother? Father?LAZE
Jovan... Zvezda.VINCE MOVING HIS PALM GIVES A SIGN TO LAZE TO LEAVE. LAZE LEAVES
VINCE
Next!METODIJA GRISKOSKI STEPS FORWARD
VINCE
You?METODI
Metodi Grishkoski, father: Talesha, mother: Verica!BIG DADDY
That's good. Good job!VINCE
Next!SOKOLE
Father Krume, Mother Ljubinka!OLIVIA
Hold on! You! Your name.SOKOLE
Sokole Efrutoski.VINCE:
Next! Next!OLIVIA
Hurry up! Hurry up!VINCE
You!DONKA
Donka Kostadinoska! A daughter of Sande and Vesela Kostadinoski!VINCE
Next!LEM
Well, you know, I didn't like to upset my good uncle Ilko Kostadinoski and good aunt Kola. And so came out from the basement where I was hiding. And then when I was leaving for good he hugged me so hard I thought my bones would break.VINCE
What are you talking about?LEM
All right, he said. And I swear to God, I saw a tear in his eye then. All right, he said, but you just let these wicked times pass. You see, it is hard for all of us, son. You have to go to that dungeon.BIG DADDY
What?LEM
I swear to God, that is what he said – dungeon.BIG DADDY
Shut up, you little rat. What is your name?LEM
Lem Kostadinoski.VINCE
Next! Hurry up!LYUBA
I am... Lyubinka , the entire spring they were after us..OLIVIA
What?LYUBA
They were hunting us as if we were little beasts.OLIVIA
Who was...?LYUBA
They, from the humanitarian organizations. All sorts of hunters.OLIVIA
Hush! The names!LUBA
My father was Krste. My mother was Tasa.VINCE
That's enough! You. What is your father's name.KEYTEN
Father!VINCE
What is the name?KEYTEN
FatherVINCE
Mother's name?KEYTEN
Mother.
THE COUNSELORS ARE SCANDALIZED. BIG DADDY TAKES LEM'S AND KEYTEN'S EARS AND STARTS TO PULL THEM UP AS A SIGN OF PUNISHMENT
BIG DADDY
You little rats. Look over here, and remember. Discipline. That is what you need and that is what you will learn over here. You are dismissed. Mr. Finch hit that bell.
MR. FINCH, THE SEXTON, HITS THE BELL.INT: IN THE BEDROOM - THE DREAM
A DARK NIGHT. THE KIDS HAVE NIGHTMARES. FLASH-BACKS FROM THE JUST ENDED WAR.
DONKA
(WRITES A LETTER)
Yes, we are behind the wall.
We are kept inside.LYUBA
They were hunting us all over. The entire spring.
There were squadrons of officials from
"Red Cross", "Red Crescent".
Groups of counselors,
teachers, benefactors, instructors, humanitarians.
All sorts of hunters.LEM
We didn't know they were going to take us here,
in this house.
O, my god in an Orphanage. In a camp.
In a Home. Under a roof. In a soft bed.
We didn't know that they were going
to give us hot coffee.
A slice of bread, jam, and butter.
O, my God, we didn't know they were doing it
for our good.
To take care of us.
To take care of all those stinky things that were planned in detail in their handbooks.
O, my god! That was regulated by Law.SOKOLE
We are behind the wall.
The wall surrounds our "home"
The wall has its own history.
It hides something cursed from the past.
It hides all the mad energy of those
who had been imprisoned here before us.
There are strange and wired fingerprints
left on the wall's surface by the "locals"BOSA
O, my god, locals
That is what we called the mad.
The patients who were held here locked
before we came.
We were scared of their signs, spoors, and imprints.
Scared to death.
It seemed they were dancing on the wall.
They were ready to jump on us.
It seemed that their restless, tormented,
suffering souls were stamped on the wall.O, my God, you think they will be back any moment.
These spoors on the wall are proofs of their lives
Evidence of their human life.KEYTEN
All of a sudden before your eyes
an image of a huge sea begins to appear.
You see a storm on the wall.
Waves that have risen to the sky.
You see wide open wings.
Mad birds. Screams. Open mouths.
You see men's and women's voices, people drawing,
losing themselves.
O, my God, you see Hell.LEM
And, then you lose your mind.
And, you run away like a crazy.
And, you try to hide like a rat
wherever you can in the "home"
And you think some evil wind has entered the "home"
And you think it has attacked the kids.
Runs after them. Chases them.
And, then you realize that the entire building
has been turned into a wall.
All windows that you could have gone
to look at the great water are closed.
Build up. Break upon break.
Everything that looks at the great water is closed.
And, then you know it is a wall, only a big wall all around you.EXT: THE WALL - WELCOME HOME
A FOGGY MORNING. MR. FINCH, THE SEXTON, RINGS THE BELL AT THE CENTER OF THE YARD. THE DREAM IS BROKEN. THE LIGHT FROM THE SUN ON THE HORIZON APPEARS ON THE TOP OF THE WALL COVERED WITH BROKEN GLASS. CADETS FORCED OUT FROM THE HOUSE IN THAT EARLY, FOGGY MORNING STAND IN FRONT OF THE WALL AND STARE AT IT. THEY ARE BARE-FOOT, DIRTY, POORLY DRESSED. SOME OF THEM HAVE FEVER. SOME TRY TO MEASURE THE WALL, TO MEASURE THEIR PAIN.
BOSA
The wall is 30 feet high.LYUBA
No, it is 36 feet.SOLOKE
No, no. You are wrong! It is 60 feet high.LAZE
NO, you are wrong. The wall is 100 feet high.METODIJA
No, it is 18 feet.BOGOJA
No, the wall is 80 feet high.DONKA
Thirty fiveILKO
Fifty.MENKA
Seventeen.JANA
Eighty-five
MISUNDERSTANDINGS, CONFRONTATIONS, FIGHT. THE KIDS GET AT EACH OTHER’S THROATS. EVERYONE IS DEFENDING HIS OR HER NUMBER. EVERYONE IS FIGHTING FOR HIS/HER HEIGHT, LENGTH , OR DIMENISON OF THE WALL.
THE STAFF - COUNSELORS AND TEACHERS - RUN OUT FROM THE BUILDING AND ENTER THIS CURSED YARD. OLIVIA PATON LEADS THEM IN THEIR CONQUER OF THE SPACE
OLIVIA
(BLOWS THE WHISTLE THAT HANGS AROUND HER NECK, WHILE THE SEXTON STILL RINGS THE BELL)
Get in line! Get in Line! Fast!BUTCH
Form a line. Here!BOXER
Everybody in line. Line up here.THE KIDS, CONFUSED AND SCARED, REMAIN WHEREVER THEY WERE CAUGHT. THE STAFF COMES, GRABS EACH ONE OF THEM, AND HOLDING HIS/HER NECK, PULLS THEM IN THE LINE
OLIVIA
Line up in order. March forward!THE KIDS START MARCHING IN LINE
INT: THE BATHROOM
THE LONG LINE ENTERS THE HUGE BATHROOM.
OLIVIA BLOWS THE WHISTLE.
THE KIDS TAKE THEIR CLOTHS AND SHOES OFF.OLIVIA BLOWS THE WHISTLE.
THE KIDS TAKE A SHOWEROLIVIA BLOWS THE WHISTLE.
THE SHOWER STOPS.OLIVIA BLOWS THE WHISTLE.
THE KIDS ARE GIVEN HOUSE CLOTHES:OLIVIA BLOWS THE WHISTLE.
THE KIDS PUT ON THEIR NEW UNDERWEAR, SHIRTS, DRESSES, PANTS, SHOESOLIVIA BLOWS THE WHISTLE.
THEY ARE DRESSED AND UNIFORMEDOLIVIA BLOWS THE WHISTLE.
THE KIDS ARE ORDERED TO GO OUT IN THE YARDEXT: THE YARD
ON THE LEFT SIDE IS THE LINE OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN IN THE "HOME" LONGER, ON THE RIGHT ARE THE NEW COMERS. THEY ALL LOOK ALIKE.
SOME OF THE KIDS LOOK AT THE SKY. SOME AT THE WALL.OLIVIA BLOWS THE WHISTLE.
THE LINES COME TO ORDER. SILENCE.
"BIG DADDY" JOHN ABERCOMBIE SMITH, ENTERS THE YARD.
HE CIRCLES THE YARD AS AN EAGLE WHO HAS COME DOWN CLOSE TO THE EARTH, WATCHING ITS VICTIM. ALL OF A SUDDEN, HE STARTS TO SING.
THE KIDS, LINED UP, FREEZE WITH FEAR.BIG DADDY
(STOPS SINGING)
We will start at the beginning. I know you have many questions in our heads. Who is this man standing before us? Was he always alone as he seems to be at first? Did he have a home, close relatives, kids? Maybe he was a very happy father? Maybe he has dreamed about something? Desired? Maybe he had hopes? Maybe he loved?
(ALL OF A SUDDEN HE YELLS)You just get rid of all these questions in your damn heads immediately and forever! You will hear everything from the older cadets. They will tell you that I am sent here on a special assignment. To take care of you orphans - victims of the war. Then you will hear that it was done on my request... and many similar things. You just get rid of all these things in your heads... and obey the rules of the house. This is your home.
KEYTEN
(WHISPERING IN LEM'S EAR)
What's wrong with him? What kind of a dream is he having?LEM
It is sad, buddy. It is sad, when you are still alive but someone somewhere has erased you from the list.
BIG DADDY NOTICES THEMBIG DADDY
Rats. You rotten rats. Bandits. Look at these two squanders. Look at them and remember. You have to learn what is a rule, order, and discipline. At your age we were fighting the enemy. Remember! You are either going to be respected sons and daughters of your honorable parents or you are not going to be at all.KEYTEN
And , what the heck? Better not to be us at all .BIG DADDY TURNS FAST TO KEYTEN AND LEM, GETS THEM AT THE HEADS. HE HITS THEM HEAD TO HEAD.
BIG DADDY
And who are you?
(SLAPS KEYTEN STRONGLY)
Who?(HE DOES NOT WAIT FOR THE ANSWER AND SLAPS HIM AGAIN WHIT THE OTHER HAND)
METODI
Waaaou!!! I swear, he hits like a thunderstorm from a clear sky.BIG DADDY
(TO KEYTEN)
What was your name?KEYTEN
I am Isaac Keyten, The son of Keyten.BIG DADDY
You are Keyten's son? Think a little bit more. Haven't you forgotten something, Keyten's son? Have you forgotten your name?(BIG DADDY SLAPS HIM AGAIN THEN HE TURNS TO LEM WHO DISAPPEARS IN HIS SHADOW)
Do you like it here? Do you like the "home"? Tell me what is it that that you are missing here, ha? Daddy will do everything for you, son. (slams him again) And what did you say? What was your name, you little devil?
LEM
(LEM IS BLEEDING)
Lem. My name is Lem. Ile Kostadinoski's nephew.BIG DADDY
(SLAPS LEM AGAIN. LEM FALLS IN THE DUST AT HIS FEET. BIG DADDY TURNS TO KEYTEN)
Does anyone know this traitor here?
NO ANSWER. SILENCE. KEYTEN STANDS ALONE IN THE MIDST OF THAT WASTELAND OF A HOMEMETODI
You are crazy! Get down! Fall! He is not going to let you go unless he sees you on the ground. He may kill you. Fall down!LEM
Be a man, Keyten. Prevail. Don't fall!KEYTEN LOOKS AT LEM ON THE GROUND AND BLINKS HIS CHEERFUL EYES AT HIM
METODI
Don't be a fool. There is no one who has prevailed.BIG DADDY
You are laughing, ha? You are laughing, you little devil.LEM
Why are you doing this to us big daddy? We were at the Great Water.
BIG DADDY
(SHOCKED BY THE RESPONSE, STARTS TO YELL)
Separate them. Immediately.THE STAFF SEPARATES THEM AND TAKES THEM ON TWO OPPOSITE SIDES IN THE LINES
BIG DADDY
And one more thing. All walks along the Great Water are forbidden. Absolutely forbidden!(TURNS AROUND AND ON HIS WAY OUT OF THE YARD TO OLIVIA QUIETLY)
If you want to punish someone, to punish him for lifetime, then take away from him what is most dear to him. Remove that dear thing from his heart, pull it up, uproot it, cripple him, blind him, so he can't escape.
BIG DADDY LEAVES THE YARD
contact: naum@naumpanovski.net • 1-202-237-0163
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