The Call of the Cobra

THE CALL OF THE COBRA

TITLE – SIMBA GAME-CONSERVATION RANCH, TANZANIA.

101 EXT, VIEWS OF SIMBA RANCH, DAY.

MONTAGE, African bush with zebras, buffaloes, gazelles and giraffes.

A lone WHITE-BACKED VULTURE circles in the cloudless sky.

ZOOM to bungalow in the bush with a green tin roof. A large veranda runs along one side which overlooks an extensive lawn.

A separate BANDA (log cabin with 3 rooms) is on the opposite side of the lawn.

LUCY (16 y.o. English girl, bronzed, wearing shorts and T-shirt) kneels on the lawn, bottle-feeding a baby WARTHOG.

KIKI (16 y.o. MAASAI girl, also in shorts and T-shirt, and wearing a simple bead necklace) kneels opposite LUCY.

FUPI (Parson-Russell terrier), sits beside LUCY but is watching the VULTURE.

LUCY follows FUPI’s gaze and sees the VULTURE

LUCY

It’s probably a white-backed, Fupi; they’re the common ones.

LUCY smiles as FUPI seems to nod. She then frowns as the VULTURE begins to circle and drifts nearer.

LUCY

It’s coming nearer. Why? What’s it seen?

FUPI cocks her head and continues to watch the VULTURE.

LUCY

Nothing obvious, Fupi.

LUCY shrugs and turns back to the baby WARTHOG. She sets the feeder-bottle down, lifts him to her shoulder and gently pats his back. He gives a hiccup followed by a contented grunt.

KIKI

How do you call that one?

LUCY

He’s a warthog.

KIKI

A war dog?

LUCY

Not quite.

(smiles)

Kiki, we have to give him a name. What would be a good name?

KIKI

I think Tumbo is good.

LUCY

What does it mean?

KIKI

It means… I don’t know how you call it.

KIKI points to the WARTHOG’S tummy swollen with the milk Lucy has been feeding him.

KIKI

There, that is his tumbo.

LUCY

His tummy. What a great name! Tumbo it is.

(holds him up)

Tumbo, Tumbo. How do you like your new name?

The WARTHOG grunts. FUPI pricks her ears. The GIRLS laugh.

LUCY

You are just so cute.

KIKI

I think he is liking.

LUCY settles TUMBO onto his back and strokes his tummy.

LUCY (V.O.)

We are just so lucky, Kal, Ellie and me, coming to Tanzania for holidays, to the ranch managed by Mum’s cousin Craig, and his fiancée Anna.

TUMBO begins to snore.

LUCY gives a contented sigh and checks her watch.

LUCY (V.O.)

The flight from Dar es Salaam will soon be arriving in Arusha, and Mum, Dad and the others will be back for supper.

LUCY notices the vulture is even nearer.

LUCY

(frowning)

What is it?

SOUND: mobile phone rings.

LUCY

Here, Kiki, take Tumbo.

LUCY passes the sleeping warthog to KIKI, runs onto the veranda and grabs her mobile off the table.

LUCY

Hello.

LUCY’S 17 y.o. brother, KAL, is calling.

KAL (ON PHONE)

Hi, Lucy, it’s Kal. I’ve been trying to call you for ages. Where’ve you been?

LUCY

I’ve been looking after Tumbo.

KAL (ON PHONE)

Who?

LUCY

It doesn’t matter. Have you arrived?

KAL (ON PHONE)

No we haven’t! The useless taxi had an accident – the one Craig and I were in.

LUCY

Are you all right?

KAL (ON PHONE)

We’re fine, but the driver bashed his nose. Serves him right – stupid git. It was all his fault, anyway. We had to get another taxi and when we finally got to—

LUCY

You missed the flight?

KAL (ON PHONE)

Only me and Craig. Mum, Dad, Ellie and Anna were in another taxi.

LUCY

When’s the next flight?

KAL (ON PHONE)

Tomorrow afternoon. It really sucks.

LUCY

Kal, that doesn’t matter. The important thing is that everyone’s okay.

KAL (ON PHONE)

Yeah, but what a way to spend my seventeenth birthday, stuck in Dar in a rubbish hotel.

LUCY notices that KIKI is slumped forward sobbing.

LUCY

Kal, I’ve got to go. Talk to you later. Love you.

She slips the phone into the pocket of her shorts, runs back to KIKI and puts an arm round her shoulder.

LUCY

Kiki! What is it?

TUMBO is still sleeping peacefully, but tears are streaming down KIKI'S face.

LUCY

Kiki, tell me.

KIKI looks vaguely at LUCY but her eyes won’t focus.

KIKI

(whispers)

Ellie.

LUCY

Ellie! What about her?

KIKI’S eyes are wild as she stares into the sky.

LUCY follows her gaze and sees the VULTURE even nearer and still circling.

KIKI

(murmurs)

Ellie better but not better.

LUCY

Kiki, what do you mean?

KIKI stares vaguely at LUCY.

KIKI

Better but not better.

FUPI whines.

KIKI’S eyelids flutter. She shakes her head, and her eyes – red with tears – come back into focus.

KIKI

It was so bad, that plane—

LUCY

Plane? What plane?

KIKI

Lucy, I am fearing so much.

LUCY draws KIKI closer.

LUCY

It’s okay, Kiki. Kal has just called; he and Craig missed the flight. That’s all. The others are fine. You don’t have to worry.

KIKI tries to smile.

LUCY

I’ll get you a drink.

LUCY runs into the house and grabs a bottle of water from the fridge, runs back and passes the bottle to KIKI.

LUCY

There you go.

KIKI takes the bottle and turns an anguished face to LUCY.

KIKI

That was not the bad thing. It was—

SOUND: mobile phone in LUCY’S pocket rings. She pulls it out.

LUCY

Hello.

KAL (ON PHONE)

Lucy, it’s just been on the telly and—

LUCY

What’s been on telly?

There is a sob down the phone.

LUCY

Kal, what is it? Why are you talking in that funny voice?

KAL (ON PHONE)

The plane… the plane’s—

LUCY

What about it?

KAL (ON PHONE)

It’s… it’s blown up… it’s crashed.

LUCY lets the phone fall and it lies on the grass buzzing.

The VULTURE drifts away.

102 INT, BANDA, DAY.

Three months later

SOUND: scrabbling at the door of the BANDA.

LUCY, woken by the sound, sits up in bed. She pushes the mosquito net aside, slips off the bed and opens the door to let FUPI and TUMBO out into the early morning sunshine.

KAL is coming across the lawn carrying a tray. His face, arms and legs are tanned. He wears shorts, T-shirt and flip-flops.

KAL

(calls)

Hi. How’s Ellie?

LUCY draws the door shut behind her.

LUCY

She’s still—

ELLIE (O.S.)

Kal, come in.

LUCY pushes open the door and leads KAL into the room she shares with her elder sister, ELLIE.

KAL

I’ve brought your breakfast.

KAL places the tray on the bedside table and stands awkwardly by the bed.

ELLIE (18 y.o.) is pale and thin, having just spent three months in hospital. She takes KAL’S hand.

ELLIE

I’m going to get better.

KAL

Yeah, sure.

ELLIE grimaces as she struggles into a sitting position. LUCY places the tray on her lap; then studies her sister.

LUCY (V.O.)

After all those weeks in hospital, Ellie’s lost her tan, her eyes are sunken and her haggard face is pasty white. And she’s so thin. I wonder if she’ll she ever walk again? At least she survived: Dad, Mum and Anna, weren’t so lucky. And now Simba’s our home.

LUCY notices ELLIE’S questioning expression.

LUCY

What? What is it?

ELLIE holds LUCY’S gaze for a moment then flaps her hand.

ELLIE

Nothing. Off you go, guys, and have your breakfast.

LUCY

Sure you can manage? You’ll call us if—

ELLIE

Go on, push off.

LUCY and KAL walk across the lawn to the house.

103 EXT, VERANDA OF MAIN HOUSE, DAY.

SOUND: faint background voices from the radio.

CRAIG (white Tanzanian, early 30s, bronzed) wears a bush shirt, shorts and safari boots without socks. He sits at the table eating breakfast and listening to the radio. Lines of pain are etched on his face; there is a dull look in his eyes.

He looks up as LUCY and KAL arrive, and waves for them to join him at the table.

CRAIG

How’s Ellie?

LUCY

She says she’s going to get better.

CRAIG nods.

LUCY

I can’t believe it’s already—

CRAIG

Sh!

CRAIG turns up the radio.

NEWSREADER (ON RADIO)

… President yesterday announced that Chief Superintendent Reuben Kalima is to be appointed Commissioner of Police to succeed Patrick Mosolla, who was killed in the terrorist attack on the Air Tanzania Fokker Friendship flight TC 147 from Dar es Salaam to Arusha three months ago.

KAL

(exclaims)

Reuben!

NEWSREADER (ON RADIO)

Commissioner Kalima told our reporter that his first task will be to redouble police efforts to bring to justice the perpetrators of that appalling crime, but he admitted they were still no nearer to identifying the man who called himself Chui and claimed, in a call to Radio-Tanzania, to be responsible for the attack and for Commissioner Mosolla’s death. Meanwhile…

CRAIG turns the radio down and goes back to his breakfast.

KAL

That’s good about Reuben.

CRAIG

Sure.

LUCY

Is anything more known about that Chui person?

CRAIG shrugs.

LUCY

Why do you think he chose the Swahili word for leopard as a pseudonym – if that’s what it is?

CRAIG

Probably some nutter wanting cheap publicity.

LUCY struggles on.

LUCY

Do you think Reuben’ll be able to sort out this mess?

CRAIG

Let’s hope so. Tough assignment, though.

KAL

So was winning the Olympic steeplechase.

CRAIG

I guess this could be harder.

LUCY sips her tea and looks between KAL and CRAIG.

LUCY (V.O.)

Reuben Kalima: the Olympic gold medallist, Craig’s friend, our friend. Hard to believe that someone we know so well, is now head of the Tanzanian police. Will he really be able to—?

SOUND: the buzzer CRAIG has rigged up between the banda and the house, cuts through LUCY’S thoughts.

LUCY

I’ll see what Ellie wants.

104 INT/EXT, BANDA, DAY.

LUCY jumps up, runs across the lawn and opens the banda door.

LUCY

What is—?

ELLIE lies in a heap on the floor, surrounded by the debris of her breakfast.

LUCY rushes over and kneels beside her.

LUCY

What happened?

ELLIE

I tried to get out of bed.

LUCY

But why? Your legs.

ELLIE

I thought I was getting stronger.

(gives a wistful smile)

Getting out was the easy part.

LUCY

Ellie, you should have called us.

ELLIE

But I’ve got to start doing things for myself.

LUCY

You can’t rush it. Come on, let’s get you back. Put your arms round my neck.

LUCY lifts ELLIE up and pretends not to notice the tears, or the matchstick legs which flop like those of a puppet. She lays ELLIE down on the bed.

ELLIE

(panting)

Thanks.

LUCY

You’re not hurt?

ELLIE

No. Sorry about the mess.

LUCY

Forget it.

LUCY gathers up cereal, toast and broken crockery, and wipes the floor.

KAL (O.S.)

What happened?

CAMERA turns to KAL who is standing in the doorway with their Maasai friends KIKI and MATATA (same age as KAL and dressed in shorts and T-shirt).

LUCY

It’s okay, the tray slipped off the bed.

ELLIE

Here, Kiki, come and talk to me.

ELLIE pats the covers beside her.

ELLIE

Kal.

KAL

Yeah?

ELLIE points to a collection of boxes at the end of her bed.

ELLIE

That box: the big one. Could you and Matata take it outside and put the thing together.

KAL

Sure.

ELLIE

The other boxes have all Dad’s geology papers. I’ll sort through them one day.

KAL

Cool. Come on, Mat.

KAL and MATATA carry the box into the sunshine and begin ripping away the cardboard and assembling a wheelchair.

Shortly after, LUCY and KIKI join them.

KIKI

That is very fine!

KAL tightens the last nuts.

KAL

There you go, Kiki. You can be the first passenger. Go for it, Mat.

MATATA gives a huge grin as KIKI seats herself in the wheelchair. He then grasps the handles and races with her across the lawn whooping and laughing.

FUPI and TUMBO, who’ve been asleep under a tree, run to join in. Fupi barks encouragement and Tumbo runs behind grunting.

MATATA

Now you, Lucy!

LUCY swaps places with KIKI and places FUPI on her lap.

As MATATA set off, CRAIG comes to the edge of the veranda to see the cause of all the noise.

MATATA waves and loses control. The wheelchair tips, LUCY falls out and lies in a heap shaking with laughter.

CRAIG

You guys are crazy. Here.

He comes over, holds out his hand and pulls Lucy to her feet.

LUCY

Thanks.

CRAIG studies her.

LUCY

What?

CRAIG

I guess it’s… it’s time to move on.

He says this as much to himself as to LUCY. She holds his eyes for a moment.

LUCY (V.O.)

I know what he means. We’ve done enough grieving.

LUCY notices the sun seems to be shining more brightly. She turns and races across the lawn.

LUCY

(calls)

Come on, Kal.

LUCY bursts into the banda, KAL close behind.

ELLIE looks up, startled.

ELLIE

What is it? What was all that shrieking?

LUCY

You’ll see.

ELLIE

What? What do you mean?’

KAL

Mat’s taking you for a ride.

KAL lifts ELLIE her off the bed and carries her outside, where a grinning MATATA waits with the wheelchair.

MATATA

This gari very fine.

(gari = ‘vehicle’)

ELLIE

Are you sure this is a good idea?

MATATA

I very excellent driver.

KAL lowers ELLIE onto the seat, adjusts a blanket over her legs and indicates the arm-rests.

KAL

Hold on here.

ELLIE

Just go slowly, Matata.

MATATA

Pole, pole - slowly, slowly.

ELLIE grips the rests and tenses her body. Gradually, the tension eases, she relaxes and looks around.

CAMERA shows MONTAGE of the orange creeper cascading over the roof of the house, the sunbirds exploring its flowers, the zebras grazing a hundred metres away and giraffes in the distance.

ELLIE

I never thought I’d ever see these wonderful things again.

(inhales)

And smell those acacias.

CRAIG comes to join them. He takes one of ELLIE’S hands.

CRAIG

How’s it going?

ELLIE looks into his face.

ELLIE

I’m going to get better.

CRAIG

Yes, I know.

He kisses ELLIE’S hand.

LUCY blinks away tears, hoping the others haven’t noticed.

LUCY

Let’s have some elevenses. I’ll put the kettle on.

LUCY runs back to the house.

105 EXT, VERANDA, DAY.

The others follow. When they reach the veranda, KAL and MATATA carry the wheelchair up the steps and turn it so ELLIE can look out over the ranch.

ELLIE

Thanks, guys. It’s so much more beautiful than I remember.

LUCY (O.S.)

What do people want to drink?

SOUND: a muffled voice comes over the radio in the office at the end of the veranda.

CRAIG goes to answer it, returning a few minutes later.

KAL

Who was it?

CRAIG

(pauses)

It was Reuben.

KAL

Reuben!

CRAIG

Yes. He’s flying himself here. He’s due in twenty minutes.

LUCY emerges from the kitchen carrying a tray.

LUCY

Did he say why he was coming?

CRAIG

No, but he mentioned the word cobra.

LUCY

Cobra!

CRAIG

Yes. And he wasn’t talking about snakes.