Fourth Estate Scene 6 to 8

The Fourth Estate

Written by Ucip Zabit

Scene 6
At a garbage dump in the city later that week, Mateso and a group of street children are playing. They scavenge for items, and discover a plastic bag with half a loaf of bread in it.

As they decide what to do with the bread, an older street kid arrives and grabs the bread from Mateso.  

The two eyeball each for a while, then the bigger street kid pushes past Mateso and his friends and heads off with the bread. Mateso backs off.

Scene 7
Later that night, on the outside of a high rise building, Mateso and his fellow street children try to find  a place to sleep for the night, but a security guard chases them away. The children run off and disappear into the night.

Scene 8
Outside another high rise building that same night Mateso and his friends are asleep on a patio. Suddenly, one of the children is snatched and whisked away into the darkness. The others remain asleep.

Suddenly a shrill scream cuts through the night. The other children wake up in fear.

A young voice cries out “Stop it, you’re hurting me, please stop, I don’t want to”.

A young street child runs out of the darkness and towards Mateso, closely followed by a security guard pulling up his trousers.

The security guard approaches Mateso. “Hey, you, you’re new around here. I’ve never seen you before. You look pretty. Come here, I want to talk to you”. He stretches out his hand and beckons.   

“You think you’re gonna hurt me too? I’m not like that” Mateso answers.

The security guard makes a lunge to grab Mateso.  Mateso side step then kicks him in thestomach. The security guard’s eyes bulge, and Mateso kicks him in the ribs. The guard gasps

before Mateso kicks him in the stomach again, and then runs off.

Fourth Estate scene 5

The Fourth Estate

Written by Ucip Zabit

Tibazpro1@gmail.com

Scene 5
Outside the house the following morning, Tabu is seated sorting through a bundle of spinach. Her face and throat are badly bruised, and her lip is cut. Her close friend Mama Visa rushes in. She is taken aback by Tabu’s appearance. “ I found this letter under my door this morning” she shows Tabu the piece of paper and begins to read. “I have killed Tabu, and her son. I’m leaving, don’t look for me” she reads. “What does this mean?” she asks Tabu.

“What do you think it means” laughs Tabu. “As you can see it’s another failed relationship. So what’s new?”

Mateso opens the door and comes outside. His eye is swollen, his lip cut and he’s carrying a back pack. “Mum, I’m leaving” he announces.

“Where are you going my child?” Tabu asks plainly.

“I’m not sure, but I won’t be back until I’m man enough to make some money to take of care of you” the young boy replies coolly.
Tabu stands up. “No Mateso, you are still at school, you are still a student.”

“No Mum” Mateso interjects fiercely. “I cannot see you suffer any longer without doing anything. I’m leaving. I love you.”Mateso walks past his mother and leaves.

Tabu, distraught and panicky, calls out to her son.

“ Where are you going like that? Please don’t go. Mateso you get back here right now you hear? You are still a baby! You are MY baby. Mama Visa please help me”.

Mateso walks on, doesn’t look back. His mother watches and begins to cry, as Mama Visa watches helplessly.

Fourth Estate Scene 4

The Fourth Estate

Written by Ucip Zabit

Tibazpro1@gmail.com

Scene 4
On an unlit street, late at night, 13 years later, a man staggers. He is very drunk. He reaches the door to a house and leans on it for support, then bangs the door fiercely.

Inside Tabu suddenly wakes up from her sleep. “Who's there at this hour?” she asks, pursing her full lips and holding the bed sheet tighter to her heaving chest. Tabu checks the clock on the wall and sees it’s 3 in the morning.

The front door suddenly flies open and her boyfriend crashes in, falling onto the sitting room floor. Tabu jumps out of bed.

“Why do you always do this? … come home so late. Why are you always drunk? Where have you been for the past 3 days?’ she questions.

Her drunk boyfriend starts to gargle in anger “Shut up. I said shut up. That’s it. That’s it. I’ve had it. Just shut up!” He grabs her and punches her.

Tabu falls to the ground and he follows her and starts to choke her. Tabu struggles to breathe, but her boyfriend is intent on killing her in his drunken stupor. His gruff hands continue to squeeze her throat as she continues to gasp, eyes bulging, tongue swelling. The stench from his alcoholic breath is overpowering.

A young teenager armed with a wooden stool suddenly bursts into the room and brings his weapon crashing down on the man’s back. The blow is enough to send the man sprawling across the floor with a grunt. Tabu’s eyes are wild and popping as she looks at her son standing there, adrenalin pumping. “Mateso … wait … don’t” she croaks.

The man’s bloodshot eyes focus on the teenage boy. He gathers himself and lunges at Mateso,   punching him in the face twice, then punching him in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him.

Tabu gasps and gags but can’t move. “No wait …” she moans. The man punches Mateso again in the face and knocks him out. Tabu’s beautiful eyes tear and she sinks into unconsciousness with the beaten body of her son beside her.

Her boyfriend, looks around confused, bewildered, and staggers out the door. He heads off into the darkness.

Fourth Estate Scene 1 to 3

The Fourth Estate

Written by Ucip Zabit

Tibazpro1@gmail.com

Scene 1
It’s late at night. Mama Visa and Tabu are crawling to the hospital. Tabu is heavily pregnant, and her labour pains force her to lean against Mama Visa for support. There are heavy clouds in the sky, and Tabu’s beautiful nilotic face reflects the pain of her labour.

“Try to make it my dear, we have nearly reached the hospital” Mama Visa whispers.
Tabu nearly collapses with the next contraction.

“ I’m exhausted Mama Visa. If I were able I would discard this load right here”.

 “We’re not there yet. Being a woman is courageous. Later, you will forget all the suffering Tabu. Yes, you will forget” Mama Visa reassures her friend, placing her slender dark hand on Tabu’s shoulder.

Tabu bends over in pain, and squats down. Mama Visa looks up at the sky and the heavens open up, her large black eyes and thin slender lips curling in anticipation. It begins to rain. They continue walking into the night.

The two reach the hospital and pass through the entrance. The place is dimly lit with no sign of life around.

Scene 2
Inside the reception area of the hospital Tabu is half conscious on the floor. She is placed on an old metal trolley and is pushed into a labour ward by an old nurse with a happy face. With Mama Visa in tow, she enters the delivery room. The screams of a woman can be heard, followed by the cries of a new born baby. Outside the delivery room Mama Visa smiles to herself.

Scene 3
Inside the recovery room the next morning, Tabu is in bed resting, her slender body covered only with a worn hospital frock.  Next to her Mama Visa who is holding the new born, leans over and kisses the baby, then kisses Tabu and hands her her baby.
“Congratulations. You have yourself a lovely baby boy. He’s a big boy.  That’s why he was so troublesome. What are you going to call him?” Mama Visa asks Tabu.

“ This was a difficult pregnancy, but in the end it turned out well. I am thankful to God. He shall be called Mateso”.

Mama Visa’s face shows concern. “ Be careful with names that bring bad luck in the future!” she snaps.

“Don’t worry, we’ll be ok.” Tabu replies as she looks at her new bundle of joy.