INT. CHETA'S ROOM.
"Zino gets up."
CHETA
Look, I have told you all I know.
ZINO
I know, but if I find out you are holding back any information I should know about. I mean anything; I will pull out your eyes and tongue.
CHETA
I told you all I know already.
I want to know what happened to Efe as much as you do.
ZINO
I hear you.
I have worked with the company in the past and know how they operate regarding issues like this. There is no way Efe got caught up in this shit without one of you aiding them.
(Goes closer to Cheta)
And I am going to find out which of you is the rat.
CHETA
I don't know about others, but it wasn't me. Efe is like a brother to me; I can never betray him like that.
ZINO
People change, and life happens.
CHETA
Well, I am not "people."
I am just the guy that grew up with Efe and loves him like a brother.
You've known me like forever and you know there is no way I could have sold Efe out.
ZINO
Hmm, we will see about that.
(Turns to leave.)
CHETA
I'm guessing you are going to do something about the company.
I want to help. I want to make them pay for what they did to Efe.
ZINO
(Turns to Cheta)
Easy boy, this is not your fight, and a piece of advice from me to you and others is to quit while you still can. The company is like the devil; they give you with one hand and take a lot more from you with the other. Walk away while you still can.
(Walks out of the room.)
_____________________________________
INT. BUHIGH PRISON, CELL.
"Dante turns to Mohammed."
DANTE
You shouldn't have left him.
(He hits his hand on the wall.)
MOHAMMED
Didn't you hear the part where I said he wanted to go after Marcus himself?
DANTE
You should have stopped him and stayed with him!
MOHAMMED
That would be holding him against his will!
DANTE
And so, what? That would have kept him safe!
MOHAMMED
It was only right that I helped Marcus.
The poor kid is fighting for his life right now because of Efe!
DANTE
And Efe is probably dead because you decided to save a worthless inmate's life and leave Efe unprotected.
MOHAMMED
Worthless?
What is your problem, Dude?
DANTE
What is my problem?
I should be asking you that!
Are you forgetting this is Buhigh?
JUDE
(Comes down from his bed)
That's enough guys!
Fighting isn't going to solve our problem right now.
We have to find out what happened to Efe.
MOHAMMED
My point exactly!
Pointing fingers won't make him appear right now.
DANTE
(Sits down.)
All I know is that you shouldn't have left him alone in the Arena knowing fully well that a thousand prisoners are after his life.
MOHAMMED
And what are the odds that I alone could have stopped them?
Have you ever given that a thought?
JUDE
(Turns to Dante)
Mohammed has a point!
DANTE
(Turns to Mohammed)
You shouldn't have left him alone!
_____________________________________
INT. CELL.
"Efe slowly opens his eyes."
EFE
Where am I?
(Struggles to make it past his blurry vision.)
TOM
He is waking up, Boss.
EFE
Where am I?
(He appears frightened as he makes it past his blurry vision.)
TOM
Relax, I am not going to hurt you.
EFE
Who are you?
Don't kill me please.
TOM
I am not going to kill you.
EFE
Then what do you want from me?
SHAGBA
(Walks in.)
An opportunity to meet the remarkable boy who defeated my strongest man.
Hello, Efe I am Shagba.
_____________________________________
INT. LAB
"Teni walks into the Laboratory alongside Funke."
FUNKE
What if he doesn't agree?
TENI
Why won't he agree?
FUNKE
Hello, because we are minors and what we are asking him to do is illegal.
TENI
This is Nigeria, Funke; those words mean nothing.
(Sights Collins behind the desk.)
Hello, handsome.
COLLINS
The answer is no, Teni.
TENI
But I haven't said anything.
COLLINS
You don't have to.
I know you, and when you are up to something stupid.
TENI
This isn't stupid; I need you to do something for me.
Remember what we discussed?
COLLINS
There is no way on earth I am doing that.
TENI
Collins, please, I need this.
COLLINS
I made it clear to you the other day that I can't do this!
And do you even realize I could lose my job and get arrested if I get caught?
TENI
I know, Collins, but don't act like this is your first time doing something like this.
COLLINS
Maybe you are right, but the difference between this and all of those other times is that I am running a DNA test brought to the lab by two minors who should be in school.
First and foremost, your Father will kill me before anything else.
TENI
Collins, I need this, please.
You know I wouldn't come to you if it wasn't important.
COLLINS
Teni, please go.
You are going to be late for school.
(Turns to Funke)
You should talk some sense into this friend of yours.
TENI
So, you are not going to help me?
COLLINS
Not a chance!
If you excuse me, I have a lot to do this morning.
(Turns to leave)
TENI
Okay, I guess your Father will mysteriously find out that you are still seeing "Chiamaka."
(Turns to leave)
COLLINS
Who is Chiamaka?
TENI
(Chuckles)
Really, Collins?
You want to play that game with me?
I'm talking about that thick, beautiful Igbo girl your Father said you are forbidden from seeing.
COLLINS
Teni...
TENI
If you need more details to awaken your memory, I am talking about the young lady that you dedicated all your weekend to.
(Turns to Funke)
Remind me where they spent last weekend.
FUNKE
That should be Chicken Republic and Cocktail Hotel and Suites.
COLLINS
That's enough!
FUNKE
The weekend before was ShopRite.
COLLINS
(Turns to Funke)
I said that's enough!
(Turns to Teni)
You don't have to do this, Teni!
TENI
Sure, I don't, but you have to do this for me in return.
COLLINS
(Takes a deep breath)
Fine, but I want to know why and for whom these DNA tests are for.
I want the whole story.
FUNKE
We can't tell you that!
COLLINS
Oh, yes, you can and you will!
TENI
Fine, we will tell you.
FUNKE
Teni, no!
TENI
(Turns to Funke)
Relax.
FUNKE
We can't tell him!
TENI
(Ignores Funke and turns to Collins.)
I will tell you, but first, I will have to tell Auntie Bukola precisely what happened to her car that weekend when she was out of town. That weekend, you and Chiamaka spent at Dreamland Resort.
COLLINS
You are worse than the devil, you know that.
TENI
(Smiles)
It's called bargain, cousin.
And you pushed me to do this.
COLLINS
Fine, give me the samples.
TENI
Now you are talking.
(Reaches out for her bag.)
When will they be ready?
COLLINS
A week from now.
FUNKE
A week?
That's too long.
COLLINS
Then I guess you can find someone who will get it done earlier.
TENI
It's fine. Just get it done.
(Give him the sample)
COLLINS
Get out of here!
TENI
Gladly.
____________________________________
INT. WINNER ACADEMY.
"Isio walks into the scene."
YOU ARE READING
Behind Bars
Teen Fiction"Behind Bars" is a screenplay that tells the story of Efe a 19-year-old genius who was framed for a drug-related crime while on his way to pursue a better life abroad. Efe is sentenced to prison, plunging him into a world of despair and misery. The...
