TWIST (A script)

The story begins in an upscale hotel room. A man enters with a bottle; he is clearly drunk. He stumbles around the room until he falls down on the bed. He starts snoring almost immediately, then a knock on the door wakes him up.

MAN: (to himself) Finally. (louder) COME IN.

A barely dressed woman enters the room, with a wry smile on her face.

MAN: (playfully) Always keeping me waiting, eh? If no be say I like you, I for treat your fuck up since.

WOMAN: You no fit, na. You know you love me too much.

She sits on the bed, beside him and starts rubbing his chest.

WOMAN: Chief, chief. The one and only Chief AMADI of Ohaneze kingdom… I’ve been missing you oo. Ahn ahn, why didn’t you call me since na?

CHIEF AMADI: My darling, it’s my business. I’ve been so busy, ehn? But I’m around now… so we can have fun.

He smiles at her knowingly and she smiles back.

CHIEF AMADI: Shey, you came in the way you’ve been coming since?

WOMAN: Mmmn. Don’t worry, no one saw me. I did everything you said. Nobody know say na here I dey.

CHIEF AMADI: Good girl… Me too, I’ve sent Segun home so na just me and you, tonight.

WOMAN: Ahhh…but the way you are looking... be like say you no go fit.

CHIEF AMADI: Me? Ahn ahn, na today we first hook up? You know me na.. I just need to sleep small, then when I wake up, I go finish you.

The woman laughs heartily.

WOMAN: Anyway, you’re right sha. I made that cake that you like sha; maybe it can help you cus you know say you no dey eat. Just work, work.

CHIEF AMADI: Chai! You see, this is why you are my special baby.

The woman laughs and brings out the cake from her purse, as Chief Amadi caresses her body. She cuts a small piece with her hand, and gives it to him. He eats and she gives him another piece.

CHIEF AMADI: Hmmn, you are taking care of me oo.

WOMAN: Yes, now. I have to take care of my Chief.

He eats most of the cake and takes another sip from the liquor bottle. He sighs and relaxes on the bed. The woman snuggles close to him.

CHIEF AMADI: Yes, my baby. And you know I will always take care of you…

He starts dozing off.

CHIEF AMADI: I will take care of you plus your family plus… everybody…

WOMAN: (laughs) I know…but there’s no everybody oo. Na just me dey here.

Chief Amadi is half- asleep at this point and barely hears her. However, she continues talking.

WOMAN: My dad was killed last year… He was owing someone plenty money and he couldn’t pay him. They told him to do something to repay the debt, but it was very dangerous and he died in the process.

Chief Amadi is almost asleep, but hears some of what she says.

CHIEF AMADI: Don’t worry... don---….

He’s asleep now. The woman looks at him, and smiles. Then, she picks up her phone and looks at the home screen. Then, looks at her wristwatch. She lets out a satisfied sigh. Then sits and waits a bit. Then she looks at her wristwatch again.

WOMAN: Finally…

She gets up from the bed and walks to the top left side of the bed. She looks down at the Chief sleeping deeply on the bed. Then, she slaps him repeatedly until he opens his eyes. He looks confused at first, then tries to speak and get up but cannot do either. The woman watches him quietly. He looks up at her from the bed.

WOMAN: You’re probably wondering what’s going on… Well, the summary is that you’re paralyzed right now. It works really fast.

Chief Amadi’s eyes dart to the leftover cake on the nightstand, as realization dawns on him. He is obviously in distress but cannot move his body, or make any sounds due to the paralysis.

WOMAN: You know; I could have just left you to die in your sleep- because you are going to die tonight... in a few minutes actually- but I really want you to know why I’m doing this to you.

Chief looks at her in distress. Woman looks back indifferently.

WOMAN: ... I’ve looked for you for 10 years. 10 years! And then you just fell in to my lap (laughs). God works in mysterious ways, right?

She suddenly looks at her wristwatch.

WOMAN: Okay, we don’t have a lot of time before organs collapse completely and you die. And I don’t want that… I want to do the honors. So, the long and short which I’m sure you’re starting to figure out, is that my father… my dead father, was one of the people owing your company money. I’m sure you don’t even remember him, so no point mentioning his name. He died when you sent him and other debtors into that mine, when you knew! You knew it was not properly built! But money is more important to you, isn’t it? Isn’t it?!

She grabs his neck and chokes him until his eyes bulge, but he remains motionless. After a moment, she lets him go.

WOMAN: (to herself) No, no. The plan is going very well… don’t spoil it now. (to the Chief) So, are you still confused?

He stares at her, as he remains paralyzed.

WOMAN: After he died, my mum couldn’t take care of us on her own. The pressure got to her and she got addicted to drugs and… (starts sobbing) that was it for her. I don’t even know if she’s dead or alive right now. My siblings scattered everywhere and who knows? Maybe they’re dead too. Me that I ended up in ashawo house, I was even lucky. Because they actually took care of me… but anything could have happened to the rest of them. All this… because of your wickedness.

She cleans her tears, goes into the bathroom and gets a towel.

WOMAN: Since then, I’ve been daydreaming of doing to you what you did to my family. I don’t even care about the rest of your family; I just want you to feel the way my dad felt in that mine as he was dying. Hopeless, unable to breathe (her voice breaks) … I’ve had this plan in my head for years and then God decided to help me out. It’s very simple; the paralyzing substance has almost collapsed all your organs completely. If I leave you here, eventually your lungs will collapse and kill you. But I want to contribute…

She opens the towel and puts it over his face, covering it completely. Then she picks up the half-full liquor bottle and begins pouring the liquor over the towel.

WOMAN: THIS IS FOR MY FATHER, MY MOTHER, MY TWO BROTHERS AND TWO SISTERS! FUCK YOU!!!!

She empties the liquor on his face.

WOMAN: That should ensure your… smooth transition. (chuckles)

She packs up her things, making sure there is no evidence that she was there. She is about to leave, and pauses at the door. She looks at him and can see he is still breathing, but very slowly.

WOMAN: May your corpse rot in hell.

She exits and closes the door behind her.

END