The Redhouse Effect

MICHAEL OBENG

THE REDHOUSE EFFECT

ACT 1.

(there is a series of news narration going on)

“Breaking news is that a wildfire has started in the coniferous forest of Banff National Park in Canada. While the cause of the fire is unknown, there has been a lot of concerns raised about the recent dry climate accompanied with a lot of heatwaves…”

“NASA has captured various images of polar ice caps and temperate glaciers melting in Greenland and Antarctica. The increase in sea level, as a result of that, has led to a massive displacement of various sea creatures like seals, walruses…”

 

“The East African Community is having an emergency meeting in Mombasa, Kenya today to discuss the recent rise of positive IOD events in the coastal areas of several Eastern and Southern African countries…”

“A nine-foot-tall tsunami wave has struck the city of Mumbai in India at exactly 10:36 AM GMT today. The prime minister has responded by sending disaster management and relief crew to help victims of the disaster…”

“The US Navy has released pictures and videos of several dead marine creatures floating on the sea surface in the Gulf of Mexico. This comes as a result of alleged illegal fishing methods used by some fishermen, which authorities are still investigating…”

 

“Various weather satellites have captured images of increase sea levels around the globe. This has left many scientists and climatologists to predict that by the year 2050, several coastal areas around the world will be under the ocean.”

“News reaching us is that a forest fire has started in the West African country of Ghana, which emergency fire crews are struggling to battle. While the cause of the fire is currently unknown, there has been unconfirmed reports of arson on the part of some townfolks.”

 

BLACK OUT

V.O.

If anyone had predicted thousands of years ago that our beloved planet would come to this, no one would have believed! Not our ancestors, and certainly not their descendants. Earth, once a beautiful safe paradise, is now turning to our own graveyard. Question is, who is to blame? And is there any sliver of hope for us?

(there is a small explosion sound, and the scene opens to an orange-tinged sky and a smoking forest). My name is ABI SACKEY (camera focuses behind a little girl running across a plain. Her face is not seen yet). I live in a cabin with my father in a remote jungle in a West African country (scene cuts to an overhead shot of the cherry-red lodge surrounded by a fence in the rainforest. Camera shifts rapidly to the nearby village where children and adults alike can be heard shouting, playing or performing chores.)

My father, a farmer, used to do trophy hunting as a hobby… (camera focuses on a tall dark handsome man, with hard bright eyes, pointed nose and a bushy beard. He wears hunting clothes, with his rifle on his left shoulder, his machete sheathed on his right side, and his right hand holding the severed head of a large animal. He smokes from his pipe in content as he walks majestically)… and my mom used to protest about it till her passing. She died when attending a climate change forum in a neighbouring country (flashbacks of how MRS. SACKEY’s boat had been capsized in a sea storm, living no survivors).

That was two years ago, and life has not been easy for me (the scene cuts to the little girl who has finally reached where she is running to: a cemetery. She is standing before a particular tombstone, a flower in her left hand). But for better or worse, as long as life is still in me, there is always hope! (camera pans around to focus on ABI, a dark-skinned eight-year-old girl who looks up slowly with a melancholy but serene expression)

(FADE OUT)

EXT. THE CABIN – DAY

(FADE IN)

 

(MR SACKEY, in casual clothing, is preparing his chainsaw machine, while humming a tune and wiping the sweat off his face with his hanky. A couple of his friends dressed in lumbering gear burst into the compound).

FRIEND 1

Hey Joe. We’ve been waiting for ages. What have you been doing?

MR SACKEY

Sorry Bounty. I have been occupied with this machine. Doesn’t seem to want to start…

FRIEND 2

Come on! We will give it a kick when we reach there.

 

MR SACKEY

Of course, of course, Koomson. Can’t wait for the plunder. Heard the price of mahogany shot up on the market yesterday.

FRIEND 2

Heard it too. The boss is coming in today. We better hurry up and do the talking later.

MR SACKEY

Sure, sure. Um, Abi… (he turns to face ABI who has suddenly appeared out of nowhere and is standing a few meters in front of the shea butter tree, arms akimbo, and a disapproving look on her face. MR SACKEY sighs and puts the chainsaw machine down)

 

MR SACKEY

Guys, a moment…

(he walks over to ABI)

I am leaving. There’s a bowl of porridge and a loaf of bread on the table. Help yourself. I will return in the afternoon to prepare lunch. It’s rabbit stew today and a bunch of other delicacies… (he suddenly pauses as he beholds the sharp look his daughter is giving him)

 

ABI

You are deforesting again, I see.

MR SACKEY

Hardly. Just cutting a few trees for the firm. We will be paid handsomely, enabling me to pay your fees before the exams so you won’t drop out of school again.

ABI

Dad, do you replace those trees you cut down?

MR SACKEY

(scratching his chin)

Well, we.. we will take care of that soon. The high demand for wood has made us extremely busy resulting in oversights sometimes. But we are working on it.

 

ABI

You say this every day!

MR SACKEY

And you ask me this every time I prepare to go to work! Why don’t you give it a break, Miss Climatologist? At a young age you are still picking a lot of behaviours from your mother, God rest her soul.

ABI

Yes, yes and you forgot today is exactly two years she died.

(MR SACKEY is suddenly silent as he stares at his daughter as if in puzzlement. He finally stirs)

 

MR SACKEY

No I…I haven’t forgotten. I was planning to visit the cemetery together with you after work.

ABI

Don’t worry I have already been there. That is where I am coming from. But I just want you to remember something, Dad. All those years when mom used to argue with you deep into the night, there was a phrase she usually used to end the argument. ‘Your actions are going to bring doom upon you one day’. Well, as my father, no matter how far you’ve gone, I pray to God that doesn’t happen. (she turns and walks back to the huge tree, leaving her confused father behind)

BOUNTY

Hey Joe! Time’s running out. We gotta go.

 

The Redhouse Effect

THE WRITER

Michael Obeng is a young talented writer who hails from Jachie-Pramso, Kumasi. Michael started writing from childhood and has now decided to focus more on this craft after completing High School. He is a forex trader and loves reading, watching movies and listening to music.

He wrote The RedHouse Effect as a climate change screen writing competition, and now wants to give it to any willing producer to buy at a mutually satisfying price. Enjoy!

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https://aaron-ansah-agyeman.com/2020/08/15/premium-story-a-chriseffe-bliss-prodigal-episode-41-42/

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