The Redhouse Effect

MICHAEL OBENG

THE REDHOUSE EFFECT

EPISODE 4

                                                                        ABI

                                                     No! No! No! Oh God!

  (the rabbit SPRINGS suddenly appears on the bank, its once pure white hairs now partly brown. It gives a cry of alarm when it sees ABI in danger, and that is when the latter notices it.)

                                                           ABI

                                        Springs, clear off now! Clear…glup!

  (the rabbit quickly turns, spots a rope instantly and quickly bounds over to it. With a sharp expert bite, it snaps the rope at one end, and drags it laboriously with its mouth back to the Lake. ABI yells as she makes an effort to take hold of the rope. She finally succeeds in grabbing hold and drags herself out of the water, just a second before the rope snaps)

                                                                   ABI       

                                                     (coughing out water)

         Thank you, Springs! Thank you very much! Now let’s go find my father, shall we?

  (without warning, she scoops handfuls of cold water and splutter them on the bunny till it is drenched from ear to toe. Forgetting her slippers, she turns back to the fiery forest and runs off, the wet rabbit following her lead. She jumps over the smoldering branch, while the rabbit climbs over it. She reaches the tree trunk, while parting burning branches with her bare hands. Her clothes and body are now steaming, as the great fire around her is reacting with the water on her body )

                                                                   ABI

                                                  Dad! Dad where are you?!

  (she is about to pick up the pace when she stubs a toe hard on something and falls on the ground. It is revealed to be the corpse of a burnt deer. ABI gasps in horror as she slowly gets up and looks around her. There are various corpses of dead animals and birds scattered around. ABI weeps)

                                                                    ABI

                                               Springs, let’s get out of here!

  (she runs along again, this time laboriously. The rabbit maintains pace with her)

                                                                    ABI

                                              Dad? Where are you, Dad?!

   (cut to the rabbit SPRINGS looking at a particular spot intently. Meanwhile, the camera continues to go around ABI has she glances desperately at several directions searching for her dad)

                                                                    ABI

                                                 Dad?! Please answer me!

                                          (SPRINGS nudges ABI’s ankle softly)

                                                                    ABI

                                                        What is it, Springs?

  (the rabbit jerks its head to a particular spot beneath another huge tree, almost hidden out of sight. Camera slowly zooms in on ABI’s face as she opens her eyes and mouth wide in shock)

                                                                   ABI

                                                            Holy Yeshua!

  (her father, in his lumbering apparel, is lying still; his machete next to him. His eyes are closed. He appears to be alone, as his two friends are nowhere to be seen. ABI turns to the rabbit)

                                                                   ABI

                                   Go get help, Springs! I will attend to…

  (the words had barely left her mouth when the rabbit turns and speeds off to the village, leaving behind ABI and her comatose father. She kneels beside him, but before she can do anything, she is alerted by a very terrible creaking noise above. She looks up and sees the now fire-infested huge tree towering over bending and about to fall. ABI hurriedly gets up and grabs both of her father’s legs, pulling him back inch by inch as the tree is breaking snap by snap. The tree finally gives way, an avalanche of fire pondering down. ABI screams and yanks her father back with all her might, just seconds before the smoldering tree hit the spot MR SACKEY had been lying on with a loud BOOM! The shockwave sends ABI flying back to land very hard somewhere in the thicket. She cries out in sheer pain, but almost immediately gets up again and rushes forward to check up on her father. She kneels beside her comatose dad and places two fingers on his throat to check for a pulse. She takes her closer look at him. His hair is badly singed; there is a clot of blood on the side of his head. ABI suppresses a sob and takes hold of her father on each side of his arm. She then shakes him vigorously)

                                                                   ABI

                 Wake up, Dad! Please wake up! Wake up! Please! Dad! Dad?!

  (MR SACKEY suddenly opens his eyes wide, struggling to gasp for breath. ABI immediately rallies excitedly)

                                                                   ABI

                      Dad! You’re awake! Thank God! You’re okay! You’re okay!

MICHAEL OBENG THE WRITER