Butterfly Effect

BUTTERFLY EFFECT WRITTEN BY JOHN ORJIUDEH AND EDWARD UHALLA FADE IN: INT. CLUB - NIGHT Music blares loudly as guys and girls dance, AHMED (Mid 20s) sits amidst girls drinking and smoking, there is something bothering him, he picks his phone and sends a text. AHMED (TEXT) Daddy, I need money. He sighs and drops the phone, after a short while a call comes in, he looks at the caller and it's Daddy. He stands and walks away assuring others with gestures that all is well. EXT. CLUB - CONTINOUS Ahmed answers the call and walks faster, trying to make sure he is far away from the music and noise AHMED Good evening Sir VOICE What do you need more money for? AHMED For the project I told you about VOICE What project AHMED Daddy, I can't explain again now, I just need the money. VOICE So what?... You think I pluck money from trees AHMED No, I know you... Dad I need this money VOICE How much? VOICE (A beat) AHMED Not much, just 12 million naira. VOICE (A beat) You will hear from me AHMED Daddy I ... VOICE (Cuts in) I said you'll hear from me. Goodnight AHMED Thank you Dad. The call ends and Ahmed sighs as he walks back in. INT. CLUB - RESUMING Music still blares as everyone is on the dance floor now, Ahmed walks in and immediately everyone chants his name ALL Ahmed! Ahmed! Ahmed! Ahmed! AHMED Yo! have anything you want!... Bills on me! They all jump and scream joyously INT. D.P.O'S HOUSE - NIGHT D.P.O (50s) and his wife, FOLAKE (40s) lay in their room sleeping, D.P.O phone rings. Cam views Folake as she opens her eyes and lays still, D.P.O takes the phone and sits up as he answers it. D.P.O Oga Morning Sir! VOICE Morning. New assignment. We have a target this week. Our mandate is to deliver by Friday unfailingly. D.P.O The usual? VOICE This time the target is 20 million, you bring in 10 percent, that's 2 million, others will do same. D.P.O 2 million... Okay Sir, we will work towards it. VOICE Good. I should hear from you before weekend D.P.O Yes Sir... Bye Sir. The call ends as D.P.O. puts his phone down and Folake sits up as she looks at him, but he tries not to meet her gaze, he knows what's coming. FOLAKE Don't forget our children's excursion. D.P.O (Sighs) Please don't start FOLAKE You can use this opportunity to get the money, it's just one million naira D.P.O Just? you call one million naira just? FOLAKE What do you mean, don't you want your children to do what others are doing?... Don't you know that other people will use this opportunity to make money and settle their own bills too. Why don't you want to do same? D.P.O Folake, please go to bed, it's late. D.P.O lays back down and faces the other side as he closes his eyes, hoping she doesn't continue. FOLAKE (A beat) So you want other women to mock me ehn? what do you think they would say, that I cannot afford to pay my children's excursion fee?... Why do you always refuse to do what you are meant to do, if I ask money for aso-ebi, you will refuse, money to buy shoes, you will say I should manage what I have, money to sew trending attires like my friends do, you will say there is no money. Now you can get money if only you are wise, but like always you want to act like you are a saint. Not this time o, this time you must pay for my children's excursion, or else... She finally decides to stop as she lays down and closes her eyes angry. D.P.O opens his eyes as he ponders. INT. D.P.O'S OFFICE - DAY D.P.O sits in his office, lost in thought as he still ponders and his wife's words keeps resounding in his ears alongside a high pitch noise that seems to support her every word. Two officers steps in and salutes, jolting the D.P.O back to consciousness. D.P.O Easy... Sit The officers take their sit D.P.O (CONT'D) We have been given a new mandate, order from above. OFFICER 1 Oga, how much this time around? OFFICER 2 Shey na the normal? In a brief pause, D.P.O decides to give in to the pressure from his wife D.P.O No, our mandate has changed. Oga say make we bring 3 very large cows. OFFICER 1 3 million? OFFICER 2 Oga, but this one no go easy o D.P.O Wetin be the law again?... Obey before complain, so make we just do our job. We are to tender before weekend. OFFICERS Okay Sir. They stand and salute, the D.P.O dismisses them, they leave, he relaxes on his chair, sighs and sways the chair around gently while looking into space. INT. JIDENNA'S HOUSE - DAY Jidenna (Mid 20s) sits on the couch focused on a p.s game as his ears are blocked with a headphone, he listens to the commentary as he gives an undivided attention to the game. His Mother walks in and looks at him for a while MOTHER Jidenna! Jidenna! He doesn't hear her, she angrily walks to the socket and pulls off the plug, everything goes off. JIDENNA Mum! no mum!... Why!? Jidenna is totally frustrated, he was just about to score a goal. MOTHER Why what?... This is all you do everyday, play games, eat and sleep, when your mates are working. JIDENNA What do you want mum? MOTHER Go out there and get a Job JIDENNA Do you expect me to walk the streets all day in search of a a Job MOTHER If that is what it takes? yes. Or how else do you want to get a job? JIDENNA You know I have sent my resume to companies, I am waiting for their call. MOTHER Jidenna, if it were that easy, no one would be without a job, go out there and get a decent job, when did you become so lazy, I did not train you this way and... JIDENNA Enough mum!. Fine!. If you want me out, I will go out! Jidenna drops the game pad angrily, picks his phone and walks out. His mother sighs and walks back in. EXT. BAR - DAY Jidenna walks into the Bar, he looks to his side and sees a group of guys gisting and making a noise, BASSEY (late 20s) sits in their middle quietly as he smiles, Jidenna looks away and walks to the counter, he grabs a chair and orders for a drink as he ponders. JIDENNA (V.O) What else can I do to get a job... I am not lazy and of course I want a Job, but how do I get a job if there are no jobs, no vacancies. In this country unless you know someone that knows someone that can talk to someone on your behalf, it could take forever to get a job. What kind of system is this? He gets his drink and downs the content until he is satisfied ,then he relaxes and operates his phone. Suddenly there is a noise and before he understands what is happening, an officer jacks him by the belt and pulls him away, he looks around confused. EXT. ROAD - DAY Dramatic music sounds in the background, as the guys in the bar including Jidenna are forced by some police officers into a bus as people around stare. We hear some voices converse VOICE (In Yoruba) Why are they dragging those boys like that VOICE 2 (In Yoruba) There are Yahoo boys na, don't pity them ohhhh, they are the ones that are spoiling our country. VOICE (In Yoruba) But how sure are you? VOICE 2 (In Yoruba) Ahn ahn, don't you see the way they are dressed, see their hair, that's how you know they are Yahoo boys,419,all of them. VOICE (In Yoruba) But don't you think that if the society gave them a better option, they wouldn't do this. VOICE 2 (In Yoruba) No o, this ones are born thieves, even if this country was England, they will still steal from people. VOICE (In Yoruba) So where are they taking them to now? VOICE 2 (In Yoruba) I don't know ohhhh, and I don't care. It's better if they put all of them in prison, so they can learn their lessons. Stupid boys. INT. BUS - MOVING - CONTINOUS The guys are sited in the Bus, Jidenna still doesn't understand what is going on but the rifles make him keep his mouth shut. OFFICER 1 Make una call who go bail una now o, because if you enter cell, you fit no commot there again ohh, no talk say I no tell una. Jidenna hurriedly brings out his phone and makes a call. TIME CUT The bus moves along as two other police officers stand on the road, one is seen at a distance negotiating with a motorist, the other stands and exchanges salutation with the officers in the bus as the bus passes by. INT. CELL - DAY The guys are making a noise and complaining as Jidenna is pushed in and the cell is locked. Jidenna looks around and Bassey sits quietly at one end with a smile on his face, he beckons on Jidenna to join him. Jidenna takes his sit close to Bassey BASSEY My name is Bassey JIDENNA I'm Jidenna Bassey nods BASSEY You are not a G-Boy JIDENNA No! Of course not!... I did nothing wrong BASSEY No one here did anything wrong you know JIDENNA That is not true, this people here are fraudsters BASSEY In other words, we should be here and you shouldn't? JIDENNA Yes!... Jidenna is frustrated and laments JIDENNA (CONT'D) Oh God, what am I doing in a cell?. I did everything right, graduated from the University with honors, I served my country, I did the right thing, and what do I get, lumped in here with criminals. Bassey looks at him and laughs JIDENNA (CONT'D) What exactly is funny, this is no joke! BASSEY Did you take a hard look at those police officers? how much do you think they earn, they have bills to pay you know, they have children to take care of, and how do they survive? Oh, I'll tell you. With this... I did the right things too, but with a lot of people looking up to me to put food on the table, the only thing that matters the most to me is that I don't disappoint, I don't watch my family starve. So who is to blame, the policeman trying to pay his bills, or a man like me trying to survive? Jidenna pauses for a while, then shruggs JIDENNA Well, maybe we should just blame me, for trying to get a drink. They look at themselves and laugh. JIDENNA (CONT'D) So where does that leave me?, having done only the right things, but still ending up here with you. BASSEY You were in the right place at the wrong time. There is a brief silence between them. JIDENNA But there are other things you can do other than internet fraud, don't you think so? Bassey looks at him and smiles BASSEY Yes I know...Human or drug trafficking, kidnapping, or how does robbery sound, better?, and I can really use a gun you know Jidenna looks at Bassey in shock, Bassey sees his reaction and laughs out loud BASSEY Chill I'm just pulling your legs. So you see, there aren't many good options, if there were, you also wouldn't be at the Bar by that time. So it is unfair for you or anyone to judge or blame me for trying to survive. OFFICER 1 (O.S) Who be Jidenna for here! Jidenna looks at once and raises his hand. OFFICER 1 (O.S) My friend come outside,your mama don come bail you. Jidenna stands and makes to leave,he looks back again at Bassey who smiles at him. BASSEY Don't worry about me, I'll will be out of here in no time. Go on. Jidenna nods slightly and walks away. INT. D.P.O'S OFFICE/D.P.O'S HOUSE - DAY Dramatic music, plays in the background. MONTAGE - VARIOUS:-The D.p.o unzips a bag and grins as he shakes his officers who then salutes him and leave. -The D.P.O is seen making a call as he smiles from ear to ear and nods repeatedly, it is easily deduced that the caller is pleased with him. He drops his phone and sighs as he relaxes into his chair and sways. -In the house ,Folake whispers something to their children, they scream happily and jump embracing their father who in turn smiles at them, they run in happily and the smiles on the D.P.O's face dissolves as he looks at Folake sternly, she gives him an awkward smile. END OF MONTAGE: INT. JIDENNA'S HOUSE - DAY Jidenna walks to the dinning holding a cup of coffee, he sits and picks his phone, logs in to Instagram and scrolls as he sips his tea. He is surprised to see Bassey's picture pop up, he reads the caption and is shocked. CAPTION (TEXT) "An armed robber shot dead by the police while trying to resist arrest". One Bassey Ani was accosted by the police, while he tried to rob a couple in their car, Bassey was shot as he tried to resist arrest by pulling a gun at the officers. He was later confirmed dead by the doctors, after being taken to the hospital. Jidenna raises his head in total disbelief, he is not even sure what to believe anymore after moments of freezing in shock, he finally mutters something to himself. JIDENNA They killed him? INT. ROOM - DAY Ahmed lays asleep in the ruins of what must have been a wild party, as the girls lay naked around and on him. His phone rings, he wakes slowly and pushes the ladies on him away as he struggles to stand, he stands and finally grabs his phone and answers it. AHMED Hello Dad VOICE Yes. Ahmed, I have sent you the money you requested... I sent you 20 million naira, make sure to use it properly. AHMED (Grins) Thank you Dad, I will. VOICE. Good. The call ends and Ahmed looks around triumphantly, he walks to the window ,pulls out a cigarette and lights it, he takes a drag, exhales and laughs heartily. AHMED Life is good! FADE TO BLACK