

THE MUTES

By

Usama Mehmood

MAY 21, 1980.

1. INT. MADARSA ROOM – KARACHI – PAKISTAN – DAY

Eight, six year old boys are discussing and chatting each other about different topics. Room is plain with a single carpet and a standing-fan.

BOY – 1

(Bragging) My uncle (mamo), you guys, yesterday when he came to our house and did a trick.

BOY – 2

What trick?

Others murmur as well.

BOY – 1

He stopped a moving fan just by his fingers.

Wow (All at once). Everyone seems to take interest of Boy – 1's anecdote.

Ameer, same age, who is sitting in a bit distant and is listening to them while doing his reading, said LOUDLY.

AMEER

I can do it by my tongue.

Majority of Boys

What?

AMEER

I can stop the fan by my tongue. Do you guys want me to show?

The standing-fan in the room is an old one, rusty. They take out the outer round lid and three wings of the fan are in the continuous-speedy motion.

We see AMEER taking his tongue out in slow motion and boys seeing very closely and getting excited and horrified at the same time. We see from AMEER facial reaction that he is regretting the decision but just to stop the daily bragging of BOY – 1, he have to do it. NOW.

AMEER's tongue gets closer and closer, when it's about to touch the moving wings screen BLACK OUT. We hear screams in black screen.

2. INT. HOSPITAL – KARACHI – NIGHT (SAME DAY)

We see AMEER looking straight into camera, he have dark circles due to a lot of crying. His mouth shut. Camera zooms out slowly.

DOCTOR (VOICE OVER)

Normally if any organ is dislocated, we are able to surgically fix it but tongue is a different matter, unfortunately. He wouldn't able to talk ever again.

We never see doctor and/or AMEER's parents face. Camera zooms out on AMEER in deep shock.

We then see small clips of his parents trying to make a conversation with him in his room but he is non-responsive and he wasn't a vocal boy that much before the incident and he wants to be left alone more after it.

We see clips of his parents interviewing and hiring Sign-language teachers. AMEER is subsequently having trouble getting used to them.

Then we see in a short clip of AMEER crying at living room couch but it's not a usual cry but an involuntary sound out of his mouth and his mother with tears on her face, trying to console and hug him.

We see AMEER a few months older and hear her mother voice over from other room that she is taking her to a supermarket for a change and he should connect with other people more. We see him on his bed (BROAD DAY LIGHT OUTSIDE) taking sheet over his head on disgrace.

Short clips where MOTHER is buying different groceries and other supplies, AMEER has no interest and he is just following her without looking right at the people around him.

3. EXT. PARKING LOT – SUPERMARKET – DAY

AMEER is sitting in passenger seat. MOTHER has a trolley full of supplies and she is filling the trunk of the car with them. AMEER now bored, looking at her MOTHER from rear view mirror, opens the radio and a CATCHY 80s PAKISTAN POP song is playing and it's in last verse. He increases the volume.

Song ends. Parking lot is empty. Radio host is barking something and as usual AMEER is not interested, he looks for his MOTHER, what's taking her so long. She can't be seen from rear view but trolley (half full with supplies is visible), HE tries side mirror, two guys, one pointing gun on MOTHER's chest. Other guy grabs her left earing and snatches it out of her ear. A file of blood erupts and MOTHER is in so much pain that she can't even cry out loudly.

AMEER comes out of car and attack the guy with the gun. The guy shoves off the kid. He hits the trolley, which scrolls down the parking aisle. AMEER attacks again but this time the guy fires at AMEER's head.

HE goes down in slow-motion and his head hit the ground. MOTHER, who is still suffering from her wound and down on the floor, her long hair covering her head. SHE looks up, sees her son and the guys running out of her eyes. SHE grabs her SON and we see them from a distant.

Radio host plays a song and which is continued to the next scene.

4. INT. ROOM – HOSPITAL – NIGHT

We see MOTHER with her left ear covered in white bandage and she is holding her SON right hand with both her hand and sobbing.

DOCTOR (VOICE OVER)

He is in deep coma; bullet is still in his head.

We are afraid, if we operate, he might not survive the operation.

DOCTOR is speaking to AMEER's father, who we haven't seen on the screen yet.

5. INT. ROOM – HOSPITAL – NIGHT (93 DAYS LATER)

AMEER opens his eyes. HE tries to murmur something but no words comes out but a slid of saliva from right edge of his lips. HE remembers he can't speak. His FATHER is sitting on an uncomfortably, distant from his bed.

AMEER (IN HIS HEART)

BABA, I NEED SOME WATER.

KMIYAR

MOTHER IS IN NEXT ROOM. SHE WILL BE HERE SHORTLY.

AMEER in disbelief looks to his right, a person is sitting, calmly in a robotic way.

AMEER (IN HIS HEART)

WHAT?

KMIYAR

MOTHER IS IN NEXT ROOM. SHE WILL BE BACK. IT'S BEEN

LONG—

AMEER (IN HIS HEART)

HUHH? CAN YOU LISTEN TO ME? WHO ARE YOU?

KMIYAR

I AM KMIYAR. WE ARE FRIENDS.

AMEER again calls for his FATHER who's still asleep and unmoved. HE went to deep sleep himself again. Listening to distant voice of KMIYAR saying:

KMIYAR

HEY CHAY, MOTHER IS BACK! OKAY, YOU SLEEP NOW.

I AM HERE WHEN YOU COME BACK AGAIN.

Screen is AMEER's eyes now. We see him coming back; HE opens eyes but quickly shuts it due to brightness in the room. HE blinks numerous times, his MOTHER notices. We hear MOTHER calling for doctor and nurses.

NURSE

AMEER! AMEEEEEER! Open your eyes, if you can listen to me. How are you feeling? Any pain on your head?

MOTHER

Are you stupid? He can't respond to you. AMEER,

Doctor is coming, just stay with me Son. Call the

Doctor, you idiot.

KMIYAR comes back to hospital room, holding snacks and 80s bottle of soda.

KMIYAR

HEY CHAY! YOU'RE BACK.

KMIYAR is a delusional friend of AMEER which came into existent because of injury to his head (bullet is still inside his brain), they both can speak to each other unlike to situations where AMEER is learning sign language to interact with other people.

AMEER is still about 9 years old and KMIYAR is of same age. They grow together. KMIYAR is a selfish alter-ego of AMEER. He will tease, sarcastically and depress AMEER life a bit more.

6. INT./EXT. – CAR – ROAD – DAY

We see that AMEER is sitting behind the car, PARENTS on front seat. KMIYAR who is sitting next to AMEER, is looking out of window, astonish to see the world which is new to him.

AMEER looks at KMIYAR in disbelieve. KMIYAR rolls down his side of car-window. His FATHER looks through the rear-view mirror, confuse, why AMEER is rolling down other side of car-window. FATHER looks at the mother who notices it too but, facially expresses to his FATHER to ignore it.

7. INT. – DINING ROOM – HOME – NIGHT

We see MOTHER helping AMEER with the meal, one bite at a time. AMEER is looking at KMIYAR who is sitting on couch next to FATHER in other room, watching TV. MOTHER notices AMEER stare as well.

8. INT. – AMEER's ROOM – HOME – SAME NIGHT

AMEER

Why can't they see you?

KMIYAR

I am only your friend.

AMEER

Where are your parents? Where do you live-

KMIYAR

I live with you.

AMEER

I don't want you to.

We see AMEER lips and tongue movement making an understandable-to-only-KMIYAR verbal sentences.

KMIYAR

I am not going anywhere. I don't know anyone else.

AMEER

'Where' will you sleep?

KMIYAR

I want to read this book, 'then'.

KMIAYR picks a curriculum science book, the same AMEER's MOTHER used to home school him before his accident.

We see AMEER staring at KMIYAR and when to sleep. (Camera takes shot right at the edge of the room to tell audience, in this big room (world), they both could understand each other and they are friends to their loneliness.

Years pass by:

We see with music playing in background, MOTHER is home schooling on couch, AMEER who isn't interested but KMIYAR (sitting next to AMEER) taking everything seriously and is showing eagerness to learn new thing. Which in a subconscious way, AMEER is learning as well through KMIYAR.

12 Years pass by:

AMEER and KMIYAR are all grown up.

9. INT. – DEAN ROOM – ENGINEERING UNIVESITY – DAY

We see AMEER's FATHER arguing Dean to admit his Son and showing him AMEER's academic grades.

DEAN

He wouldn't be able to adjust here. How do you

he will participate in class activities.

FATHER

He is normal like us, he was born normal.

Here is best Neurologist Certificate showing

he has perfectly fine mentally.

DEAN

It's a rare case for us. We are top University

in the country and—

FATHER

I will make a sizeable donation to University's

Trust.

DEAN

You know, we have plans to construct new sports

Complex in an empty land next to our premises, if

Your architecture firm could help us in—

FATHER

We are in.

AMMER's FATHER has a successful Architecture firm and he has convinced the dean to admit AMEER in Civil Engineering.

10. INT. – CLASS ROOM – UNIVERSITY – DAY

We see AMEER sitting behind-row seats in the class. KMIYAR is sitting next to him. KMIYAR tries to divert AMEER's attention to a girl sitting up front and passes a slur remarks about her, to which AMEER smiles.

Attendance time, Professor is calling every student name. AMEER is worried how he will say "Present, Sir"

We see AMEER's name is call, and on second calling, he stands up confusing-horrifyingly and murmurs something like to high pitch cry.

Everyone laughs thinking AMEER is making fun of the teacher because he looks quite normal to have any apparent deficiency to do this involuntarily. Professor ignores, being them new students.

11. INT. – CLASS ROOM – UNIVERSITY – NEXT DAY

A different subject's class. Class completed. Professor calls for attendance. AMEER's name is call, he did the same thing. Whole class laughs again. This Professor takes it seriously, calls him up front, insults him badly. AMEER's listens with head low and staring the floor, Professor ask him if he will obey the class etiquettes is future, AMEER nodding all along.

When Professor tells him to get back to his seat, AMEER says, in sign language, "THANK YOU".

After the class, in the university garden, AMEER waits for his MOTHER to pick him, KMIYAR is teasing him:

12. EXT. – GARDEN/PARK – UNIVERSITY – DAY

KMIYAR

LOOK AT HER HAIR! OH MY GOD! SHE IS EVEN MORE

BEAUTIFUL THEN WE SAW SLIM ONE IN OUR CLASS.

AMEER

COULD YOU SHUT IT FOR FEW MINUTES, I AM TRYING

TO READ OUR CIRRICULUM FOR THE SEMESTER. IF WE—

KMIYAR

HEY HEYYYYY! Someone is coming towards us.

AMEER

WHO?—

MAHA, the same girl KMIYAR made fun of in class yesterday and was referring to her as 'slim one' moments earlier, is standing behind AMEER.

She comes in front of him.

MAHA (In Sign Language)

How are you? Can we speak?

AMEER astonish by the fact someone other than his Parents or Sign language teachers he had, knows how to speak sign language.

AMEER (In SIGN, nervously)

Yes, are you deaf or mute? I meant like--

AMEER gets more nervous, seeing a strange person, let alone a beautiful girl is speaking to her and surprisingly in language in he could communicate.

MAHA's FRIEND

Are you coming or what?

MAHA

YES! (Turning towards the friend, out loud).

No.(towards AMEER, In sign) My younger sister was

deaf, so we all in the Family learned sign language.

But she died years ago.

AMEER who is now disappointed, for a moment, hoped MAHA to be mute or deaf.

MAHA (Sign)

I have to go. We are in the same class. See

you tomorrow.

MAHA actually caught earlier in the class, AMEER's saying THANK YOU in sign language and that's why she came to meet him when she saw him in the alone in the garden.

KMIYAR

(Laughing so hard at AMEER).

AND YOU THOUGHT— (Can't control his laughing)

AMEER

FUCK OFF, YOU TWATTT!!

KMIYAR

(Laughing more louder and harder)

We see MOTHER car turns up, she horns.

13. INT. /EXT. – CAR – PARKING LOT – DAY

AMEER (Sign)

Where the hell were you? (Angriness apparent facially)

MOTHER (out loud)

Sorry, Hon... I had to--

(Bear in mind, that AMEER can listen perfectly, it's just when he has to express himself, he says in sign language).

AMEER (Sign)

Whatever.

14. EXT. – HALL WAY – UNIVERSITY – DAY

We see AMEER is used to now with the environment of the external world and University. Days have passed since MAHA's first encounter. AMEER is walking down the hall way and KMIYAR as usual being corky and provoking AMEER to check out girls passing by and slurring sexual remarks at each of them.

MAHA sees AMEER from distance, excuses SAM (her long-known-friend), and comes running down in front of AMEER and—

MAHA (Sign)

Hey, you gave this great ability to hide yourself from others. I haven't seen you for a while.

AMEER (Sign)

You don't have to speak in sign language to me. I can hear and understand you perfectly.

MAHA (Out loud)

Oh, I didn't know. That's good.

AMEER (Sign)

I suppose.

We see them walking. When AMEER is in conversation with MAHA, KMIYAR is absolutely silent and observing. He doesn't help AMEER to lower his nervousness or provoke it.

MAHA (Out loud)

So, we some of the class-mates are going out for

Lunch, do you want to come?

AMEER (Sign)

No. I am waiting for my mother to pick me and I have this book, I want to read it today.

MAHA

O yeah, what's it about?

AMEER

It's about life, religion and trying to find the thing you want most.

MAHA

Okay, that's deep. You like to read books like that?

AMEER

I suppose. And the writer in the book questions things

I have been questioning myself, majority of my life.

MAHA

Will you lend me the book, when you've read it.

AMEER

Okay. You can have it tomorrow.

We see MOTHER's car, from a few meters away. AMEER notices it.

AMEER

My mom is here.

MAHA

Ok. See you tomorrow. I hope you get some answers to questions you have been looking for. (As a sympathy)

MOTHER who is now right in front of University gate, few yards away from AMEER.

MOTHER

Was she talking to you? (Excitingly)

AMEER

Drive.

MOTHER who is happy to witness AMEER's making acquaintance with strangers and especially with a girl.

15. INT. – ROOM – HOME – NIGHT

AMEER on his bed is reading final pages of the book. We can see the title and writer of the book. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.

AMEER finishes the book. Put it aside and goes into deep thoughts.

16. INT. – CLASS ROOM – UNIVERSITY – DAY

Class ends. AMEER sitting on the behind seat, can see MAHA. He brought the book, he can clearly see her but she is busy with his friend, SAM.

MAHA leaves the room with SAM. AMEER looks disappointed; all his excitement to share and discuss the book is shattered. KMIYAR laughs, making fun of AMEER's feeling.

AMEER (Looks at KMIYAR)

GO TO HELL AND LEAVE ME ALONE. WHAT'S THE POINT OF

YOUR EXISTENCE.

KMIYAR laughs even more.

17. EXT. – GARDEN – UNIVERSITY – NEXT DAY

AMEER, sitting on the grass, is waiting for his MOTHER.

KMIYAR

HERE SHE COMES!

AMEER

WHAT? WHO?

MAHA is standing behind him. Her shoes could touch AMEER's edge of the shirt. She is trying to sneak up on him but AMEER with head down, pretending to be reading from the book but rather staring from side of his eyes at the shadow of MAHA.

MAHA (really loud) _

HEYYYYYYYYYY!

AMEER (Sign language)

Hello.

MAHA (smiling)

Where is my book?

AMEER

It's at home. I brought it yesterday though.

MAHA

Then why didn't you give me?

AMEER (lying)

I had to leave early, had a doctor's appointment.

MAHA

Ooo. I hope everything is fine.

AMEER

Dentist.

There is an awkward pause.

MOTHER is here, perfect timing.

AMEER (in a hurry)

See you tomorrow, bye.

MAHA puzzled what happened, so quickly and then realizes the situation,

MOTHER

How was your day?

AMEER is now sitting in the car.

MAHA (sneaks up again, car window)

Hey, you dropped your pen there.

KMIYAR (smiling)

AMEER

Thanks.

MAHA

Hey, are you going to introduce me to your Mom?

AMEER (nervously, trying not to show any emotion)

She is a class-mate. (Sign language, to mother).

MAHA (extending her hand through window)

Hello, I am MAHA. Your son was supposed to lend me

this book yesterday. But— (smirk on her face)

MOTHER

Why didn't he? (looking at AMEER)

MAHA

He said he left it at home.

MOTHER

Hey, if it's important, you can come with us and pick the book and I will drop you afterwards.

MAHA

No, No. It's not important, I will take it tomorrow.

MOTHER

Oh common, it's almost never we get to meet AMEER's

Friends.

AMEER (Sign)

Mom, she said no.

MAHA picks AMEER's intentions.

MOTHER (straight at MAHA)

I just bought cheese cake.

MAHA

Now you're talking. Let me grab my bag.

MAHA runs towards SAM, who is holding his and her bags and is in conversation with other guys.

We see AMEER and MOTHER looking at MAHA and SAM, in discussion and MAHA pointing towards their car which both AMEER and MOTHER notices.

AMEER (Sign)

You shouldn't have asked her.

MOTHER

Oh, it will be fine. You are making it a big deal.

KMIYAR

SO EMBARASSING...

AMEER

I KNOW, WHAT IF SHE COMES TO MY ROOM. My MAGIZINES—

KMIYAR

(LAUGHING) NOW THAT I WANT TO WATCH.

AMEER

FUCK YOU.

MAHA comes back, sit behind AMEER and next to KMIYAR.

MOTHER

All set?

MAHA

You will drop me to my house, right?

MOTHER

No issue, Honey.

18. INT./ EXT. – CAR – ROAD – DAY

AMEER notices the scent MAHA is wearing first time. (She uses a scent so he never smelled it before).

KMIYAR

OH GOD, I AM ALREADY GOING CRAZY HERE.

HER LEGS, SHE IS WEARING SUCH A TIGHT

JEANS, YOU COULD SEE EVERY INCH OF THE

CURVE.

AMEER

WELL YOU SHUT IT.

KMIYAR

YOU'RE MAKING ME EMBARRASS WHEN SHE IS IN

THE HOUSE. WHY DO YOU GOTTA BE SO AWKWARD

ALL THE TIME?

AMEER

FUCK YOU!

MOTHER

So you two are on the same class.

MAHA

Yeah, didn't AMEER tell you about me?

MOTHER

He doesn't tell me anything.

An awkward silence. AMEER looks at his MOTHER from the edge of his eyes.

INT. – LIVING ROOM – HOUSE – DAY

We seem them pulling up the car on driveway. AMEER runs into the house. MOTHER and MAHA notices.

MOTHER

Hon, could you take that cake with you.

MAHA

Sure.

Cake was exactly where KMIYAR was sitting but AMEER didn't noticed the cake, so he didn't consider in his mind if KMIYAR was sitting on the cake. Cake was obviously perfectly fine.

19. INT. – LIVING ROOM – HOUSE – DAY

AMEER runs towards his room but finds some of his belongings in living room. He picks them in a hurry and moment he thinks of running towards his room he looks at his childhood pictures on the rack and he takes them down while staring outside, driveway to see those ladies.

20. INT. – AMEER's ROOM – HOUSE – DAY

AMEER is cleaning up the room and hiding a few personal things, he doesn't want MAHA to see. He takes down a AC/DC poster saying "I am waiting for the Death".

21. INT. – KITCHEN – HOUSE – DAY

MOTHER

You can put it here. (Pointing towards the slap)

MAHA

You guys have a nice house.

MOTHER

Thanks Hon, AMEER's FATHER designed it. He is an Architect.

MAHA

I want to build a house one day I like want to.

MOTHER

(While cleaning up kitchen). So that's why you took

Civil Engineering?

MAHA

Yeah may be, I don't know. I am still not sure why I took it?

MAHA helping her with the kitchen stuff.

MOTHER

O, you don't have to do that.

MAHA

Nah, I like doing it. Since my mom died, I have—

MOTHER

Oh God, your mother died? (Grieving)

MAHA

It's fine. I was 8 when she died, I don't remember her that much.

MOTHER

OHH, it's the same age AMEER had the horrible incident.

MAHA

What incident?

MOTHER suddenly realizing she shouldn't have said that. AMEER doesn't like any one to discuss that event.

MOTHER

O, nothing. It's nothing.

MAHA (sitting on the stool)

Now I wouldn't leave until you tell me.

MOTHER finding herself in to place, nowhere to go and trying to find some excuses. She has all these years has made up so many stories about why his son can't talk, specially to those who saw and met AMEER when he was seven years old or earlier, they knew he was a perfectly fine kid, physically.

She seems to have lost her chain of thoughts on selecting which story would be appropriate to tell MAHA.

She sighs and gives up and looks for AMEER if he is there. AMEER was in his room, nervously checking his wardrobe when shirt to wear.

MOTHER

He was eight when—

22. INT. – AMEER's ROOM – HOUSE – DAY

AMEER wants to wear that black AC/DC T-shirt but KMIYAR doesn't think it's a good idea.

KMIYAR

YOU LOOK STUPID IN THAT.

AMEER

NO, I DON'T YOU LOOK STUPID.

KMIYAR (sarcastically, applauding)

HEY WHAT A COMEBACK! AND THE AWARD FOR

MOST MORONIC COMEBACK GOES TO—

AMEER

OKAY, OKAY, I WILL WEAR THIS RED ONE.

AMEER looks like trying too hard on that bright red T-shirt.

AMEER

OKAY, I AM LEAVING. YOU STAY HERE.

KMIYAR

WHAT ABOUT PERFUME?

AMEER

YES, YES..

KMIYAR

WEAR THE ONE, UNCLE JAN FROM IRAN GAVE YOU.

AMEER wears the strongest scented perfume, one could imagine. In all that shenanigans, when he comes out glancing where everyone is, MOTHER has already told MAHA whole story about his tongue-cutting-incident.

She was about to tell her about his bullet-in-the-head-to-coma-event but AMEER comes in the living room, coughing to let ladies know he is there.

He opens the 80s TV, which has to be opened manually and by twitching the round button.

Nothing interesting is on.

Ladies have by now noticed his strong scented cheap perfume.

He comes for some food, totally ignoring the two. Ladies cough due to strong smell of perfume.

Ladies are standing very close to each other, like they were gossiping something moments ago and they are having slices of cheese cake.

MOTHER

(To AMEER, who was looking for food in fridge)

Do you want some cake?

MAHA

Yeah it's tasty? Where did you get it exactly?

MOTHER

I will show the place later today.

AMEER (Sign)

No. Do we have some real food?

MOTHER (Sign)

Why are you wearing this cheap perfume? I told

You to throw it away when he gave you.

MAHA (Sign)

I know, right.

MOTHER is puzzled, she thought she was secretly requesting his Son not to wear that perfume but MAHA totally understand it. MOTHER felt embarrassed, MAHA smirks.

AMEER noticing the two felt more embarrassed and runs away to his room.

MAHA (shouts)

What about that book!

AMEER comes out a few minutes later, wearing that black T-shirt and drops the book on the wooden slap where MAHA is kneeling.

Ladies smile, realizing AMEER has changed his shirt and smell is way lighter than before.

KMIYAR is with him. AMEER quickly turns and runs towards his room.

KMIYAR

AWKWARD!!!

MAHA (shouts again)

Thanks.

23. INT. / EXT. – CAR – ROAD – DAY

The two ladies are on the car, MOTHER is dropping MAHA to her house. She lives nearby.

MAHA

So the bullet is still is in head?

MOTHER

Yes, the doctors said it's too dangerous to take it out.

MAHA

That's something. Living your life with a bullet.

Waking up every morning thinking if the bullet might have moved during the sleep.

MOTHER

Yes, it weird. Yes, it is.

MOTHER drops MAHA to her house. BOTH AMEER's and MAHA's belong to well-off families.

MAHA

Do you want to come in for some water? There is no one in the house, PAPA comes home late night from work.

MOTHER

No, I have to go; Hon. I have to cook something for

AMEER, he must be hungry.

MAHA

(Outside now, over the car window)

Okay, it was nice meeting you.

MOTHER

Do come again. It was good to talk someone like that.

You know with AMEER, we don't get to invite that many people at our house.

MAHA

Sure, don't w--

MOTHER

About AMEER, could you take care of him please?

In the university, you know him—

MAHA

You shouldn't even have to mention it. I will, I promise.

MOTHER

Thanks, hon.

MAHA

Don't worry about it, bye.

MOTHER watches MAHA till she gets inside of her house and waves her bye.

24. INT. – CLASS ROOM – UNIVERSITY – DAY

It's been over two weeks now. There has been not more than hello-hi and MAHA informing that she is still trying to make time daily for AMEER's book daily, between the two.

MAHA comes suddenly straight toward AMEER, who was as usual sitting alone at the end of the room.

MAHA

Hey, I read your book, finally.

AMEER (Sign)

You did? How was it?

KMIYAR leans with a horizontal face, checking MAHA's body out. AMEER with his facial expression feels really uncomfortable.

MAHA

I was good, to the point like it makes you think about what are we doing with our lives.

SAM observes MAHA frankness with AMEER from the distance.

SAM is an old friend, since school. He and AMEER aren't formally met yet. It's like one of those situations, where you complete your four years graduation but never get to speak this one fellow-student in your class, at least not more than Hello.

AMEER and SAM will be in the same situation.

SAM doesn't care or have time to have any conversation with AMEER. He is always busy either with his friends, a hangout out group consist of other cool class-mates, or with MAHA.

AMEER

I have more, if you want to read.

MAHA felt obligatory to read that book. She spoke initially with AMEER out of sympathy and curiosity to test whether she still remembers sign language, every her family member had to learn due to her, now dead, younger sister.

MAHA

Sure but you know we have mid-terms coming.

AMEER

Oh, exams will be fine. We haven't learned anything difficult yet.

MAHA

Easy for you to say, Mr. Know-it-all. (Smiling)

AMEER smiled as well.

KMIYAR

OOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH (mocking, with his hand on his chest)

SAM (calls loudly)

MAHA, we are leaving for Mr. Burger.

MAHA

Coming. You want to come? Ccc'mmmoooonnn...

AMEER (Sign)

NOOO.

MAHA

I am not giving you this book back.

(Smiling, think she might lure him by this fake black-mail)

AMEER

(Little smile for the first time during this conversation)

Next time, I promise.

SAM

MAHA, are you coming or what?

MAHA

Yes. Thanks for the book again.

AMEER

(Showing his hand with the gratitude)

MAHA

Say Hi to your mother for me.

AMEER (sign)

I will.

MAHA left.

KMIYAR

ALL HAIL THE KING OF LOSERS!

AMEER

I CAN'T GO, YOU KNOW THAT. I WILL BE THE

WEIRDEST ONE OUT THERE WITH THEM.

KMIYAR

YOU STUPID. YOU DON'T LEARN ANYTHING FROM ME.

MAHA WILL BE THERE.

AMEER

ITS NOT JUST MAHA.

KMIYAR

HAVEN'T YOU NOTICED, SHE DIDN'T SPEAK TO YOU PROPERLY

UNTIL TODAY AFTER THAT THE STUNT YOU PULL WITH RED T-SHIRT

AND FUNNY PERFUME.

AMEER

HEY, IT WAS YOU WHO TOLD ME TO—

KMIYAR

POTATOO, POTAATO.

Class was over, AMEER leaves the class room but hits a guy who coming in to the class. Guy's book fall off.

GUY

Watch out you dumbf—

Guy realizes it was AMEER. AMEER with his hand rose apologetically.

GUY (sympathy)

AMEER, it's okay. You go ahead.

KMIYAR

NOT A SINGLE DAY PASSES WHERE YOU DON'T EMBARRASS ME.

AMEER

FUCK YOU, YOU SNAKE!

KMIYAR

WHATEVER.

25. EXT. – PARK - UNIVERSITY – DAY

A week has been passed. Waiting for MOTHER. Going through notes to kill time. KMIYAR is as usual, staring passing by girls.

KMIYAR

INCOMING!

AMEER

WHAT? WHERE?

MAHA (sneaks up, again)

HEY, Mr. Intelligent.

AMEER (sign)

Hello.

MAHA

Studying for exams, right.

AMEER nodded.

MAHA

Talking about exams, I need a favor.

AMEER

Sure.

MAHA

I need you to teach me Regression Analysis for our Statistics exams.

AMEER

(Signs okay with his right hand and shuffle

Through his notes to find particular handout)

MAHA

Oh not right now. What about his weekend?

AMEER (sign)

Weekend?

MAHA

Yeah, why don't you come to my house? I will show

You my father's library. You know, he fanatic-reader like you.

Mentioning private library was to lure him.

AMEER

Well. What sort of books does he read?

MAHA

All sort. He goes abroad frequently and brings

Books from all over the world.

AMEER

Okay, but you have to speak to my MOTHER about it.

MAHA

Done. (Excitingly)

MOTHER has this perk of making a perfectly timed entrance.

She horns.

AMEER

Bye. (Waves hand)

MAHA

Wait, don't you want me to speak with your mother?

AMEER

Okay.

MOTHER sees both of them coming towards the car.

MOTHER

Hey, you two.

MAHA

Hello.

MOTHER

Why didn't I see after this long, hon?

MAHA

I was wondering that too. (Cocky smile)

AMEER is all set and comfy in his front seat. MAHA is still in conversation with MOTHER over his side of car-window.

MOTHER

Let me drop you too, we have a lot to catch up.

MAHA

Sorry but I have be at the library for group-study.

MOTHER (on to AMEER)

Don't you have to group-study?

AMEER stares at MOTHER, expressing "You know, I don't"

MAHA is realizing the situation.

MAHA

Actually, AMEER and I have our own little group-study on this weekend, I want to ask your permission if you could drop him.

MOTHER (exciting)

Sure, sure.

MAHA

Okay then, see guys at the house.

Both parties in the car, wave good-bye.

MOTHER (to AMEER)

Well that's a change.

KMIYAR (sarcastically)

TELL ME ABOUT IT!

26. EXT. – OUTSIDE MAHA HOUSE – DAY

MOTHER pulls over the car. We see AMEER appropriately dress up.

MOTHER

Tell MAHA to call me when you want me to pick you.

AMEER nodded and signs her 'NOW LEAVE'. MOTHER waves saying "OKAY, OKAY"

27. INT. – LIVING ROOM – MAHA's HOUSE – DAY

MAHA invites him in; they are in the living room.

MAHA

Just put your bag there. PAPA is out for few minutes.

KMIYAR

PAPA-IS-OUT!!!!!!!

AMEER

SO WHAT? CALM DOWN YOU PSYCHO?

KMIYAR

OH, I AM PSYCHO? AND YOU'RE THE ONE HAVING WET DR—

AMEER

OKAY, OKAY. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE—

MAHA

Everything's fine? (Handing over glass of water)

AMEER murmured "Ahaaan"

MAHA sits next to AMEER on the couch and opens up thin notebook.

KMIYAR

I AM FREAKING OUT HERE. SOMEONE CALL THE DOCTOR

FUCK SAKE.

AMEER glances over KMIYAR and clears his throat for no reason; it isn't like as if he is going to speak out loud.

We see KMIYAR super nervous and shivering, like a drug-addict does, when he can't get hold of the drug.

They study for a while, where AMEER tutors her by writing and continuously non-verbally asking on every step what he is trying to explain to her on paper.

We listen a horn.

MAHA

PAPA is here.

KMIYAR

YOU HAD ENOUGH TIME, YOU MORON.

AMEER

I AM HERE TO STUDY. CAN'T YOU--

KMIYAR

YOU-MAKE-ME-SICK!

PAPA and MAHA enter into the living room.

MAHA

PAPA, this AMEER.

PAPA

Oh, Yeah. (PAPA tries to remember how to say

HELLO in sign language)

He makes a gesture in sign language which actually means nothing.

MAHA embarrass with her father's act..

MAHA

PAPA, AMEER can listen to you perfectly.

PAPA

Oh, then in this case, Welcome home, Son.

AMEER

(in sign language, said, 'I am fine'

PAPA

You have a stomach pain??

He misinterpreted the signs' gesture, MAHA felt so ashamed

MAHA

PAPA, he said he fine.

PAPA

Forgive me Son; it's been so long since MARIA left us. I have forgotten all about how to communicate properly.

AMEER with a simple hand rises, is expressing 'no issue, sir'.

PAPA

Hey, I heard you love books. We gotta have a discussion about books later today. Deal?

AMEER (joyful, behaving maturely)

Yes. (Sign)

PAPA (to MAHA)

Have you asked him some to drink yet? You know we've—

MAHA

Yes PAPA, now will you please leave us alone.

MAHA drags her father out of the living room, while KMIYAR:

KMIYAR

PAPA SEEMS A COOL GUY.

AMEER

THAT'S THE SMARTEST THING YOU SAID ALL DAY.

KMIYAR

OH YEAH, DID YOU NOTICE HER HAIR, THEY SMELLED

SO NICE, I COULD TOUCH THEM ALL DA—

AMEER

AND YOU RUINED IT.

MAHA comes back with long circularly cut pieces of pineapple on an antique silver colored plate.

MAHA

So, PAPA wouldn't leave us alone unless you eat something.

AMEER smiles and takes a piece. They get back to studying.

KMIYAR

SO BOOOORRRRINGGGG!!!!

29. INT. - LIBARAY – MAHA's HOUSE – EVENING

Two hours later. AMEER knocks at the private library of MAHA's father, no one answer. He waits for a few seconds and opens the door. Library is not spacious, it gives wooden-clean-smell and every book is neatly arranged.

He picks a book and reads synopsis from the back. Puts it back and finds something ambiguous on reading table. Tries to figure out what exactly is it, PAPA walks in:

PAPA

It's a future of pen. NASA spent over a million

$$$ to find a pen which astronauts could write in

Space. It's a replica of that pen, bought it from

France. You can write anywhere from it.

AMEER

Ahaan...

PAPA

Interesting thing is, Russians use a simple pencil in space. Let me show you a book I found in flea-market in Slovenia.

It is an Arabic book translated into 1800s English. It was about an archeologist journey in Egypt. The book looks mutilated and fragile.

30. INT. – MAHA's ROOM – MAHA's HOUSE – EVENING

MAHA is in telephonic conversation with SAM.

SAM

So what are you up to?

MAHA

I just got over with Stats with AMEER.

SAM

WHO?

MAHA

Oh God, the same guy who is mute and had a—

SAM

Oh, the disabled guy in our class.

MAHA

He is not disabled. I told you his story. I went to his house few weeks ago, her mother dropped me. Can't—

SAM

Yeah, yeah. So are you alone?

MAHA

NOO. PAPA is in town, in fact he is with AMEER in his library.

SAM

Talking about the library, did you pick my lighter from there when I was last in your house and we made out in the library—

MAHA

Dammit! PAPA doesn't smoke what if he finds out that lighter.

MAHA drops the phone receiver and runs towards the library, SAM over the phone "Helloo, MAHA, helloooo".

31. INT. – LIBRARY – MAHA's HOUSE – EVENING

AMEER's silence during his time in the university helps him observes things ordinary person would ignore, minor details a normal eye wouldn't take notice of.

One thing was a shiny-silver colored lighter with a red bright American logo in between.

He saw it under the study table when PAPA was initially giving him a thorough tour of his private library.

The two men are sitting, PAPA with his stories about 'des Grande voyage' throughout his life. AMEER is listening them carefully.

MAHA barges in.

MAHA

Oh you guys are still here.

KMIYAR (looks absolutely bored)

THANKS FOR HELL SAKE!

PAPA

Well I was telling him about my encounter with a NAZI in Slovenia.

MAHA

O Yeah, its interesting story. What was that you found him looking for Jewish people?

MAHA sits next to the chair of AMEER's. PAPA is on the main chair on the other side.

PAPA

No, no. He was hiding as a trainer to Slovenian National

Ski team. But I had a this hunch and I dig and dig until

I found...

MAHA bends down, screeches her right toe and picks that lighter and hides her in her hands.

KMIYAR (was observing MAHA very closely)

DID YOU SAW THAT?

AMEER

I did, I did. (With a sigh)

32. EXT. – DRIVEWAY – MAHA's HOUSE – NIGHT

MOTHER waits in the car, AMEER open the door and sits in. MAHA and PAPA wave good-bye. MOTHER starts the engine, in between the commute:

MOTHER

Good?

AMEER

Good.

We see short clips of weeks passing by. AMEER taking classes and he hasn't made a proper male friend. Whenever MAHA needs help with the studies she comes by to AMEER's house or AMEER to MAHA's.

We see through clips that this happens frequently over four years.

MAHA develops a strong bond with AMEER's MOTHER, as her mother died when she was young.

AMEER's relationship with MAHA's father (PAPA) grows as well. PAPA gets to talk intellectually with AMEER and in this time, he has become fluent with his sign language. Now their conversations are way sophisticated than before.

MAHA and AMEER, parents haven't met formally yet.

33. EXT. – AUDITORIUM – UNIVERSITY - DAY

Graduation day. We see students wearing green gowns. Degrees are being awarded. Ceremony ended.

MAHA, AMEER and SAM are graduated Civil Engineers. KMIYAR too.

FATHER takes photo of AMEER and MOTHER's with a Canon camera.

MAHA introduces SAM to PAPA, for this first time. SAM has been to MAHA's house numerous times but always when PAPA was off-town.

PAPA does the customary salutations and glances right and left, trying to find out where AMEER is. Disappointed.

PAPA

MAHA, we need to leave. I have a flight in two hours.

MAHA

(Sad, PAPA didn't take much interest in SAM)

But—

PAPA

Okay, SAM (shaking hands). Why don't you come to our house someday.

SAM

Sure, Sir.

PAPA and MAHA pass by. They are off to parking lot. PAPA sees AMEER.

PAPA

Hey, wait. Let's meet AMEER.

MAHA

No, PAPA. I don't want to—

PAPA drags her with him, holding hand.

PAPA

AMEER, Congrats. Come here; give your PAPA a hug.

AMEER calls her own FATHER, Dad and MAHA's father 'PAPA'.

AMEER delighted seeing him.

FATHER puzzled, never seen PAPA before but his Son is very frank with the guy.

AMEERs

PAPA, it's my FATHER. FATHER, PAPA.

FATHER and PAPA shake hands.

PAPA

Skirt Mark?

FATHER

PAPi-JONES!

PAPA

Damn Yeah!! Where have you been—?

FATHER

I have been here since college. Where were y—

PAPA

I was travelling. You know me.

FATHER

You bastard. Living the dream...

PAPA

Nah, man. Soul searching.

They both laughed. Others are watching them with a confused smile. No one has seen them that full of joy before.

FATHER

Talking about Soul, where is our Sarah-Sahara?

PAPA

Oh, she died, man.

FATHER was referring to PAPA's wife and soul-mate. She and the two were best friends.

FATHER

What? Stop fucking with me, PAPi.

PAPA

Yeah man. Cancer. MAHA was only eight.

FATHER

(about to cry)

Fuck no, man. Fuck no.

PAPA

(hugs FATHER)

It's okay man. She is still in our heart.

FATHER had a thing of MAHA's mother in college but PAPA was much open-to-expression sort of person. His extrovert ways helped gaining SARAH heart. But she in her heart wanted FATHER to take her out for date but he never had the courage.

MOTHER with a big 'sigh', takes all the information.

FATHER

Our kids know each other for four years and we never get to meet.

PAPA

The weirdest thing.

FATHER

And on the last date of their university.

PAPA

At least now that I have found you, I am not letting you go...

PAPA takes his right hand to FATHER shoulder and they walk ignoring others, who are still wandering in disbelief.

PAPA

We have a lot to catch up.

FATHER

Yes we do...

MAHA and AMEER congratulate each other.

AMEER (sign)

What happened to them?

MAHA

Beats me.

FATHER and PAPA bromance overshadowed the graduation of their kids. They met after 24 years and their friendship resume like it had never faded away.

The two decided to drive alone; they have a lot to catch up. Mother is to drop MAHA and take AMEER home.

34. EXT. – CAR – ROAD – DAY

The two men are in car. PAPA's driving.

PAPA

AMEER is such an intellectual kid for his age.

FATHER

O yeah? He never talks to me this way.

PAPA

Well, you were never intellectual type. I would have never guessed him to be your son in a million years.

FATHER

I can see you haven't lost your sense of humor.

PAPA

Skirty, my humor is the only thing that kept me alive after SARAH.

FATHER

Hey, Hey. I am grown up, stop calling me skirty.

PAPA laughs hard and loud.

35. EXT. – BEACH – EVENING

We see the two men sitting on the beach, remembering past.

PAPA

So, how did life treat you since—?

FATHER

Not that good, after AMEER lost his voice and then his coma, it almost break our family a part.

PAPA looks at sun set.

PAPA

I am lonely too for last 15 years. I see MAHA in situations in desperate need of a mother or a female. You know a father can't teach her daughter all the things.

FATHER

That's right.

PAPA

I tried to get a step-mother but every woman I meet I tried to find SARAH in her.

FATHER

SARAH was one of a kind.

PAPA

You telling me, skirty..

They both sigh.

There is a silence. Both have different memories of SARAH, they remember it while watching waves touching tips of their feet.

PAPA looks at FATHER, who is still watching what left of the visible sun.

PAPA

I have this craziest idea.

FATHER looks at PAPA.

36. INT. – KITCHEN – AMEER's HOUSE – NIGHT

We see MOTHER glancing out of kitchen window, watching FATHER parks the car in driveway.

He barges in.

FATHER (excitingly)

Where are you?

MOTHER

Kitchen.

FATHER runs towards the kitchen.

MOTHER

So you two lovebirds had enough of each other already?

FATHER

Listen to me, leave it.

FATHER takes knife out of MOTHER, who was cutting carrots, and puts it down.

FATHER

What if we marry AMEER and MAHA?

MOTHER

WHAT? (Super-excited and surprise)

FATHER

YEAH??!!!

MOTHER

YEAH!!!

FATHER

PAPi will ask MAHA tonight, we need to convince

AMEER.

MOTHER

Well, AMEER is in love with her for decades.

FATHER

What are you taking about, woman?

How would you know? Did he tell you?

MOTHER

A mother knows.

FATHER

Well, I want you to leave all this and ask him right now.

MOTHER

MAHA and AMEER. (excitingly, holding her hands)

FATHER

PAPi and Skirty, back again, baby!!

37. INT. – AMEER's ROOM – HOUSE – NIGHT

MOTHER opens the door with knocking.

AMEER

(hides his magazine quickly under his quilt)

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!

(pointing at the sign on his door, "Knock before coming")

MOTHER

Okay, okay.

AMEER (sign)

What do you want?

KMIYAR

STILL VISIBLE!

A side of not-so-allowed magazine was still visible under the quilt.

MOTHER who is now sitting on the bed, close to AMEER.

MOTHER

You and MAHA are good friends, right?

AMEER

(shrugs with his shoulder)

MOTHER

Do you fancy her?

KMIYAR

HERE WE GO!

AMEER (sign)

What sort of question is that?

MOTHER

I mean do you like her?

AMEER

She is a friend.

MOTHER

Your and MAHA's father are college friends.

You saw that right?

AMEER

Every one saw it, today.

MOTHER

So those two have decided to engage you guys?

AMEER

What?

MOTHER (tires off with the suspense)

I know you obviously like her.

AMEER

(clears his throat and straightens up on the bed)

Who told you that?

KMIYAR

WELL YOUR HORNINESS WAS APPARENT TO ALL.

MOTHER

Look, MAHA's father will ask her and I am asking you.

AMEER (sign)

Whose idea was it?

KMIYAR

IS IT EVEN MATTER??

AMEER

TO ME OBVIOUSLY!

MOTHER

MAHA's father.

AMEER

And do you think she will agree?

KMIYAR

NO, SHE WOULDN'T.

MOTHER

I don't know. But do you agree?

AMEER

I agree, if she agrees.

KMIYAR

OFCOURSE.

MOTHER

Yes! (MOTHER gives a long hard hug to AMEER)

AMEER gave a shy smile.

KMIYAR

YOU PIECE OF SHIT.

AMEER

WHAT? ISN'T THIS WHAT WE WANTED?

KMIYAR

NOT LIKE THIS, YOU MORON.

AMEER

THEN HOW?

KMIYAR

WOW! YOU HAD FOUR YEARS TO TELL HER ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS AND YOU WASTED THEM.

AMEER

YOU KNOW HOW NERVOUS I GET WITH HER.

KMIYAR

(repeats in a high pitch girl voice to what AMEER just said, to mock him).

AMEER

WHAT IF SHE SAYS NO?

KMIYAR

YOU THINK? WHO WOULD WITH A SANE MIND WOULD

WANA GIVE HIS DAUGHTER TO YOU, YOU PIECE OF SHIT.

AMEER

(Throws the pillow at KMIYAR which hits the glass window)

38. INT. – LIVING ROOM – AMEER's HOUSE – NIGHT

FATHER calls PAPA.

FATHER

PAPi, I have some good news.

PAPA

Is it true? You aren't fucking with me right?

(PAPA guessed FATHER news)

FATHER

Yes, it's true (excitingly). He said he agrees if MAHA agrees.

PAPA

(jumps up and down where he is standing and throws the receiver in the air and catches it)

I have never been so good for such a long time.

FATHER

Me too, PAPi.

PAPA

Okay, okay. It's my turn now.

FATHER

Yeah.

PAPA

It's more difficult for me. You have your wife to do the dirty work for you.

FATHER

Fuck you.

PAPA

Fuck you, too skirty.

FATHER

I am dying here with the excitement. I have neverthought this day to turn out like this.

PAPA

And we are family now.

FATHER

Not too early, now fuck off and speak to your daughter.

PAPA

Yes, Mr. Skirt-Marks.

Call ends with both laughing.

39. INT. – DRIVE WAY – AMEER's HOUSE – NIGHT

A week has been passed. FATHER watches as PAPA parks his car on the drive way.

FATHER greets the guy and invites him in.

PAPA

(Looking around the house and admiring it)

And you said you did nothing with your life.

FATHER

Well on that note—

MOTHER

Before you guys start romancing, what should I get you to drink?

PAPA

Tea, please. (to MOTHER)

I miss tea when I am travelling so I make sure to drink as much as I can.

FATHER

O yeah, my wife makes the best tea you will ever taste.

MOTHER brings tea for all three. They sit down, comfortable.

PAPA

(After taking a sip)

I spoke with MAHA.

FATHER

(Anxiously) And?

PAPA

(With a pause and a smirk, looking at AMEER's parents)

She agrees.

FATHER and PAPA grab and shake, not controlling their excitement, each other like a 10 year olds when they are told they will being going for some picnic.

MOTHER

(Calms two morons)

What did she say?

PAPA

Nothing, a simple yes...

MOTHER shows the expression of suspicion.

PAPA

...Good enough for me. Good enough for me lost-friend to be my family now. (putting his right hand on FATHER's shoulder and pats).

A week from now, September 20, 2005 is set as an engagement date for MAHA and AMEER.

PAPA postpones his trip to Tunisia.

AMEER doesn't show up during the get together of these parents.

40. EXT. – GARDEN – MAHA's HOUSE – NIGHT

Engagement date has arrived. MAHA and AMEER's ancestors live in India; their parents migrated to Pakistan with their grand-parents in 1947.

They don't have that many relatives other than AMEER MOTHER's brother, his wife and his son, Aly. AMEER's cousin is 13 years old.

Everyone else invited were friends and office/university colleagues.

Engagement ceremony is in big garden of MAHA's house. MOTHER or AMEER got the chance to speak with MAHA since the meet up between the two parents to set the date for engagement.

AMEER has been busy with the shopping and other arrangements during the week.

AMEER doesn't have any friends so only he, his parents and his uncle's family were there from his side.

Majority of the party consist of friends of PAPA, who he made during frequent travelling.

AMEER's and his uncle car arrive outside MAHA's house.

PAPA is in conversation with his friends when someone whispers and informs him about AMEER's arrival.

PAPA looks at his watch.

PAPA

Right on time.

PAPA greets the whole family on the gate and he is introduced with AMEER's uncle.

AMEER's family has brought the customary gifts and sweets with them.

A small stage is set for AMEER and MAHA to do the traditional engagement ceremony.

MOTHER

(to PAPA) Where is MAHA?

PAPA

She is getting ready, one of her old school-mate is here to help her with the make-up.

MOTHER

Oh that's good.

PAPA

(to AMEER, greets him warmly, holding his hand tight)

How are you my boy? Are you having cold-feet? (jokingly)

AMEER shakes his hand disapprovingly and smiles.

PAPA

Okay, you are set here. (pointing towards the small stage)

KMIYAR

WHERE ARE ALL THE GIRLS? I CAME TO SEE SOME CLEAVAGES!

KMIYAR is all dressed up like AMEER.

AMEER

JUST SIT DOWN. YOU PROMISED YOU WOULDN'T ANYTHING

STUPID TONIGHT.

KMIYAR  
POINT ME TOWARDS SOME SKIN AND YOU CAN AU REVOIR

ME FOR THE NIGHT.

AMEER

THERE IS ONE. (pointing with his eyes towards an old lady, who is wearing backless traditional SAARI)

KMIYAR

SHE's SHIT. ME WANT SOME TEENAGE—

We see MAHA showing up from the house, her friend whom AMEER hasn't seen before is holding MAHA's outfit from the back so it wouldn't get dirty on the floor.

PAPA

Here's my champ.

Everyone looks at MAHA slo-mo arrival.

KMIYAR

FUCK YEAH, WE ARE GETTING LUCKY TONIGHT.

AMEER

NO FUCK FACE, ITS JUST ENGAGEMENT TONIGT,

IT HAPPENS AFTER WEDDING.

KMIYAR

WHAT? I WAS ALL EXCITED FOR TONIGHT BIG

PERFORMANCE. SHIT! DAMMIT!

AMEER and KMIYAR are observing MAHA too, who is heading towards the stage. MOTHER comes forward to help MAHA's friend.

KMIYAR

LOOK AT HER THOUGH, YOU LUCKY BASTARD!

AMEER smiles and is still in disbelief that he could catch a bird like MAHA and she approves him with all his flaws.

AMEER stands up when MAHA gets closer to the specially furnished white couch and a table where all the gifts and sweets are put.

The two sits next to each other.

There is an exchange of rings, MAHA hasn't looked up. She is doing what MOTHER tells her. There is jeer for every small step of traditional act from the guests who are now gathered at the stage and a professional photographer doesn't miss any single gesture.

Every guest comes and cuts a sweet from the sweet box and gives a small bite to each of the two and congratulates them.

Ceremony ends.

Dinner is served.

Almost all the guests move towards the dinner tables.

AMEER and MAHA still sit at the stage. Photographer tells them to make a specific posture towards his camera.

After taking millions of pictures, the photographer leaves the two alone.

AMEER is trying to figure out how to break the ice with MAHA who is sitting six inches next to him. He can't make any sound from his mouth which generally sounds like a high pitch cry rather than any meaningful word.

He looks at the guests who are all busy with the dinner. His and her parents are busy serving them and inquiring if everything is up to the guests liking.

KMIYAR is out there with the guests, AMEER observes him from the distance.

KMIYAR who looks hungry, glances every guest's plate, what he or she is putting in it from the main course.

AMEER didn't eat any lunch due to excitement and nervousness.

At last, MAHA's friend comes in and asks MAHA what she wants to eat. MAHA whispers something, still head leaning down. AMEER couldn't listen.

She left without asking AMEER.

He sees her with his MOTHER, she says something to which MOTHER looks at MAHA and then responds to the friend.

The friend comes back to MAHA and whispers something to her and then helps her in standing up and takes her down to the stage and in to the house.

AMEER watches all that with the confusion. He thought we would get the chance to talk to her. He hadn't had a proper conversation with her since the last exam in the university. After the exam and till the convocation, MAHA didn't contact him and he busied himself with the books PAPA gave him weeks before the exam to read.

KMIYAR

WHAT HAPPENED?

AMEER

SHE LEFT.

KMIYAR (angrily)

DID YOU SAY SOMETHING STUPID TO HER, YOU CUNT?

AMEER

NOOOOO, I DIDN'T GET THE CHANCE. AND WHERE THE

FUCK WHERE YOU? I AM DYING HERE.

KMIYAR

I WAS—

MOTHER barges in.

MOTHER

AMEER, what do you want to eat?

AMEER (sign)

Anything. Just bring me food, please.

MOTHER

Okay, Son.

There is a sudden-loud blast outside somewhere. Everyone leans down throwing plates on the floor.

AMEER looks up at the guests. They all are terrified. Shouting. Crying.

He runs towards her MOTHER who is still on the floor. Picks her up and helps her sit down the floor while holding her around his hands.

FATHER and PAPA calm the guest and explain that the blast is from outside and by the sound of it, from a distance.

We see the ambulances sirens coming from far.

Guests are calling their families and friends to inquire about the incident and let them to know that they are absolutely fine.

Security guard of MAHA's house comes to PAPA and informs him about the situation.

The blast was in a religious mosque of a minority sect of the country. People are injured, rescue teams are called.

PAPA tells the guests about the situation who have now lost their appetite.

Bomb blast is common these days, terrorists find reason and place to do such acts to put fear in to people so they could accomplish their ulterior motives.

Every blast brings a total chaos to the city. Roads are jammed or sometimes blocked by the angry mob and shops, supermarkets and markets are closed down in few minutes.

It's better to either leave pronto to your house or to stay wherever you're until situation calms down outside.

MOTHER was in immediate shock but she is fine now. AMEER helps her sit down on the couch.

KMIYAR is involuntarily shaking his lean down head with his hand covering his ears. Like an insane person in an asylum.

When dust is settled and everyone is back to their sense, a discussion is put amongst guests to leave for their respective homes.

PAPA (directed towards all)

Guys I have been told there is an angry mob outside, it's not safe to go out right now. Just calm down, sit tight, come inside if anyone is feeling chill and we will wait till it's all safe outside.

FATHER (seconding PAPA)

He is right. There is plenty of roam inside. We are safe here. You guys can leave late night or early morning. We should just call home and tell them we are safe and sound here.

PAPA

Let's all come inside. C'mon AMEER.

There is a dust cloud after heavy fire, it can be seen from the garden and everyone could feel its smell.

41. INT. – LIVING ROOM – MAHA's HOUSE – NIGHT

Horror is apparent on those guests, majority from elite society.

Alcohol is served to calm there nerves.

MAHA and her friend are in her room. MOTHER goes in to check if everything is fine there.

Guests are discussing political and security situation of the country.

Everyone has his or her own opinion.

Someone asked if the same thing happens again in the wedding night?

There is an awkward silence.

AMEER's UNCLE

Why don't we hold the wedding in Swat,

Northern area of the Pakistan.

PAPA

Well..

UNCLE

My family live there, we have two hotels. I can do all the arrangement and Swat is the most peaceful place right now in Pakistan. And the weather, you guys will fall in love with the scenery.

FATHER

He is right. If you all could make it there, Hell we will pay for all your fare and accommodation.

UNCLE

There are no bomb blasts, strikes or anything. I will reserve all the rooms for you guys and we can do the wedding on dine-in lounge.

MOTHER comes back from MAHA's room and gave a non-verbal expression from her eyes to PAPA that everything is fine with MAHA.

PAPA

Well, I don't mind if Skirty—

FATHER (immediately interrupts)

Yeah I don't mind either. It's settle then.

PAPA (to AMEER's uncle) _

How much time would you need?

UNCLE

Its 20th today, I will be back there on 22nd.

I would need two weeks to do all the arrangement for 100 guests.

PAPA

Yes, we aren't even 100 today.

FATHER

So guys how many of you could make it there?

PAPA

Remember it all depends on you guys coming, if we do the wedding here on a big scale and with unpredictable security situation of our city we might have to face a much bigger problem then.

FATHER  
If we care for these two kids, we should go to

Swat.

MOTHER, who was listening to all the discussion since the beginning, feels bad that she wasn't consulted in the decision.

PAPA

AMEER, do you have any issue with that?

AMEER looks at his mother who gives him the slo-mo eyes blink, to tell him to say yes.

AMEER (sign)

Okay. I am fine with it.

FATHER

He said he is okay with the decision.

Every one cheers and takes sip from their alcoholic glass.

The discussion amongst the crowd is back to about terrorism. There are words like "extremist", "al-queda", "usama bin laden", "Musharraf", "dictator" and "America" being used commonly.

PAPA brings in his guitar to take the guests mind off the horrible situation outside.

He is an expert guitarist. Guests now a bit drunk, divert their attention towards PAPA.

42. INT. – PAPA's ROOM – MAHA's HOUSE – NIGHT

FATHER and MOTHER are in heated argument.

MOTHER

Why the hell weren't I consulted?

FATHER

It was your brother who gave the idea.

MOTHER

So what? You should have asked me in front of the guests. I feel so insignificant right now.

FATHER

Oh, you're making a big deal out of it.

MOTHER

No I am not. You and your stupid friend made plans to marry our only Son. But I didn't say anything. May be I should've—

FATHER

Well may be you should have, you know there are hundreds of girls in the queue outside for your Son, Prince Charming, to marry him, right?

MOTHER (sits on the bed, crying)

How could you say something like that? He is your Son too.

FATHER

He is but we have to be practical here. Our Son isn't normal. No sane person would give his daughter to him.

MOTHER

He is absolutely fine.

FATHER

Don't be delusional. You are not thinking straight.

Do you think if I wasn't friend with PAPi, MAHA would have been marrying our disabled Son?

MOTHER

How the hell did you say my Son disabled?

(Throws pillow at him)

FATHER

Look you have to be reasonable here. Your brother gave a good suggestions here, we don't have many friends. They all are PAPi's guests. They agree to come to Swat to attend your Son's wedding. I think we shouldbe happy with that.

MOTHER

Leave me alone.

FATHER

Whatever, clean up. We have guests to attend to. And ask

AMEER if he has eaten anything.

MOTHER wipes her face.

Some of the guests sleep on the couch, drunk, heads on others shoulders. A few of them didn't drink and waited, they watch news channel to check if mob has cleared up outside.

3 am of morning. We see PAPA awake, saying good bye and trying the leaving the guest to wait till Sun comes up. Some leaves.

43. INT. – PAPA's ROOM – MAHA's HOUSE – NIGHT

AMEER is trying to sleep on PAPA's room on the floor with MOTHER and FATHER sleeping on the bed. We see KMIYAR still on shock, not talking and staring the floor.

Any sleep is miles away from AMEER. He finally gives up, opens his eyes and glances over his parent who are in deep sleep, may be due to fatigue.

He stands up and walks towards the door, opens it slow to avoid any creaky sound, glances out on hall way, distance noise downstairs on living room, must about some guest still awake and trying to get back to their home.

He stares at MAHA's room. Walks up to it, puts his ears to the door to find any apparent noises. Silence.

He first tries a fake-air-knock, still deciding whether to knock or not.

KMIYAR

PUSSY!

KMIYAR uttering, surprises him, because he hasn't spoken with him since the blast.

That surprise-effect involuntarily touches his fist to the door, a reasonable knock.

AMEER

BC, MC, FUCKING HELL. (with his eyes closed, to KMIYAR)

Nothing happens for a long time. AMEER thanks the God; half way back to his room, MAHA's door opens a bit.

Her friend glances out, her face shows she was in deep sleep. She sees his back.

FRIEND

What do you want?

AMEER wants to say to 'he just needed to check on MAHA if she is alright, he turns and tries to say that in sign language.

FRIEND

(arrogantly) I don't understand gibberish.

AMEER

(a big sigh, puts up his hand apologetically and turns back towards his room)

FRIEND

Weirdo. (And slams the door from inside)

KMIYAR

THIS FRIEND LOOKS EVEN MORE CUTER THAN—

AMEER

DON'T EVEN... (Angrily)

He gets back to his sleeping bag and falls asleep.

44. INT. PAPA's ROOM –MAHA's HOUSE – MORNING

Wakes up late in the morning, glances over the bed where his parents were sleeping. They weren't there, bed is made.

He goes out of the room, glances over MAHA's room door, still closed.

Comes downstairs to find PAPA, who looks he didn't have any sleep over night. PAPA greets him warm-heartedly. All guests are gone now.

PAPA

Your parents left early, didn't want to disturb you. Do you want something to eat, you must be super hungry.

AMEER (sign)

What did you have?

PAPA

I had a toast and black coffee.

AMEER

Same for me.

PAPA

(with a smile) That's my boy.

PAPA fixes a toast and put fresh coffee beans in coffee maker.

PAPA

So did you sleep alright?

AMEER

It was fine.

They hear a noise from the stairs, both look at there, MAHA's friend is awake and ready to go.

PAPA (to her)

Oh, you are awake. Listen Son, I really appreciate that you were with MAHA all this time last night.

You know, I didn't have time to check on her with the guests and all. How is she? Did she eat anything at all?

FRIEND

Yes, I gave her some left-over food from the fridge last night. She is still sleeping.

PAPA

Good, good. Do you want something to eat, I can't let you go empty stomach. Matter of fact, I will drop you to your house and AMEER too (looking at AMEER, to which he nods). C'mon sit down let me fix you a toast.

FRIEND sits two chairs down AMEER, who is trying to avoid any eye contact. KMIYAR is staring the FRIEND though without blinking.

PAPA fixes them break-fast and they eat them quickly without talking to each other.

45. EXT. – PAPA's CAR – ROAD – DAY

PAPA's driving, AMEER's on front passenger seat and her FRIEND on the back.

PAPA

(Talking to the FRIEND)

I heard you are leaving for Australia?

FRIEND

Yes, I have a flight two days later.

PAPA

Oh, when are you coming back? I mean I haven't discussed with MAHA yet but we are planning these two kids wedding two weeks from now in Swat. You know, Swat?

FRIEND

Yes, I know... (with a sigh)

A dead silence.

...Don't you think it will be too early? I mean with what happened last night and all.

PAPA

That's the thing. You never know with security situation of this country. Anything can happen—

FRIEND

But what about MAHA's dream to do Masters.

AMEER didn't know that, he glances over rear view mirror to the FRIEND who is giving him the Forest-Whitaker-EYE. AMEER quickly looks away.

KMIYAR is sitting next to the FRIEND and still checking her out.

KMIYAR

SHE IS SECRETELY IN LOVE WITH YOU, DOUCHEBAG!

AMEER

SHE HAS SOME WAY OF EXPRESSING HER LOVE!

KMIYAR

LET'S DITCH MAHA, THIS ONE HAS BIGGER—

AMEER

WELL YOU FOR FUCK SAKE...

The roads are almost empty. There are signs of burned tires on some streets last night.

AMEER ignores the FRIEND during the whole commute.

PAPA drops the FRIEND first to her house. He gives a thankful good-bye while AMEER just says 'bye' without look at her.

PAPA

So what are your plans, Son? (While driving him to his house)

AMEER (sign)

DADY wants me to join his firm but I want to travel and feel every aspect of the world.

PAPA tries to grasp as much of AMEER's gesture as possible while watching the road as well.

PAPA

Good, good. But you know to be really honest with you

I did most of my travelling after MAHA's mother died and it was only to forget her from my heart. A little man died inside of me after her and I still sometimes feel empty inside. And try to fill the shallowness of my heart with these meaningless journeys.

AMEER doesn't respond and let all the words sink in to his heart.

AMEER (sign)

I lost a piece of me too you know.

(Glances at KMIYAR from rear-view mirror, who is watching outside the window)

PAPA

I know, I know but think about it, you wouldn't be able to see the world like you do after that.

AMEER takes a big sigh.

PAPA pulls over the car in front of AMEER's house. They do the fists bump.

46. INT. – LIVING ROOM – AMEER's HOUSE – A FEW MINUTES LATER

He passes by the living room heading towards his room, MOTHER calls and stops him.

MOTHER

Hey, how are you?

AMEER shrugs off his shoulder.

AMEER

Where is UNCLE?

MOTHER

He left, back to SWAT on this first flight this morning.

AMEER

That's quick.

MOTHER

Listen, sit down, we need to talk.

MOTHER grabs his hand and sits on the couch.

MOTHER

Are you happy? I mean with all the arrangements?

AMEER (sign)

I am fine.

MOTHER

Did you get chance to talk to MAHA?

AMEER

No.

MOTHER

Did she say anything to you? Did her FRIEND say anything?

KMIYAR

WELL NOW THAT YOU MENTIONED IT--

AMEER

I don't think so. Why did you hear anything?

MOTHER

No, no. (With a sigh)

AMEER (sign)

Can I go now? (Standing up)

MOTHER

Ohkay, did you eat anything.?

AMEER (sign)

Yes, I am going back to sleep.

AMEER goes straight to his washroom; he is still wearing his engagement outfit. He changes and to his bed, sleeping like a baby.

47. INT. – AMEER's ROOM – AMEER's HOUSE – NIGHT

Two weeks have been passed. October 6th.

MOTHER is helping him with his things to be taken to his wedding. We see four huge side luggage bags being filled with all sort of stuff.

AMEER is looking through his drawers anxiously:

MOTHER

What are you trying to find?

AMEER (sign)

That Swiss knife, PAPA gave me on my last birthday.

MOTHER

Why?

AMEER (sign)

I need to cut my nails. (Staring at the MOTHER, to state the obvious)

MOTHER

Why don't you use the regular nail cutter?

AMEER

No, it makes my nails look—

FATHER (barges in)

We don't have time guys, flight leaves in less than two hours.

MOTHER

Okay you help your father with this luggage, I will try to find it.

We see MOTHER browsing through what left of AMEER's stuff. She finds it and puts it in her purse.

48. EXT. – AIRPORT – NIGHT (AN HOUR LATER)

We see FATHER pulling up the car in the parking lot. AMEER helps him take out luggage out of the trunk and the three hurry towards the boarding gate.

An hour and half later, we see the three on the plane. AMEER watches out the window, deep thoughts.

We see on the background, KMIYAR is sitting on one of the back's empty seats and staring every hostess and passenger who passes him by.

49. EXT. – OUTSIDE SWAT AIRPORT - NIGHT (TWO HOURS LATER)

Swat is a lush green small semi-city. I has mountains and lakes coming out of every which angle. To some, it's Switzerland of Pakistan.

AMEER's uncle greets the three outside the airport.

UNCLE

Where are Bride's family?

(While taking on of the luggage from AMEER's hand)

MOTHER

They and their guests will come tomorrow. They have chartered a whole plane for it.

UNCLE

Great. Well I have all the things ready and I think you guys will love what I did with the place.

Uncle is driving the car and explaining them about his arrangements.

They arrive. The two hotels are right in the heart of the biggest mountain, in front of each other.

UNCLE

The big one I have reserved for MAHA's family and the guests. I has total fifty rooms in four floors. And the other one is a bit exclusive, so I arrange it for you guys.

It has a three bedroom merged on the ground floor. I thought, we could all share that. We will give on to

AMEER, one for you two (pointing towards Parents) and one for my family, we are already settled in.

MOTHER

Again, we really appreciate what you are doin—

UNCLE

Hey, I don't want to hear about it. I am not doing for you the most selfish sister who doesn't care what his only brother is up to... (Jokingly)

...I am doing it for my only nephew. (puts his hand on AMEER's shoulder, they all smile)

49. INT. HOTEL ROOM – HOTEL – NIGHT

We see them settling in.

MOTHER comes in to AMEER's room.

MOTHER

Everything's fine?

AMEER (voice)

Ahaan.

MOTHER

Your FATHER spoke with PAPA, they are landing tomorrow morning.

AMEER (sign)

Great.

MOTHER

We are all going to meet up for the dinner, your UNCLE will show the arrangements. Do you want to come?

AMEER

Nah, I ate on the flight. I will rest.

MOTHER

Okay.

KMIYAR

IT'S SO CHILLY IN HERE. WHERE IS MY JACKET?

AMEER

(who is already on the bed now, all tucked in)

WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU NEED A JACKET FOR? QUIT

BUZZING AROUND AND LET ME SLEEP.

KMIYAR

I HAVEN'T SEEN A SINGLE FEMALE SINCE THE AIRPORT.

WHERE THE HELL ARE THEY HIDING THEIR GIRLS HERE.

AMEER

WHATEVER, I AM GONA SLEEP NOW?

KMIYAR looks out the window searching for any sign of a female while AMEER closes his eyes and is gone to sleep moments later.

50. INT. – DINING ROOM – HOTEL – NEXT MORNING

AMEER wakes up late in the morning. He takes his time freshening up and changing his clothes to much warmer ones. It bugs him when his big uncut finger nails traps into the fibers of the sweater, when he is trying the sweater on. He tries to cut one of nail from his teeth but it grosses him out.

KMIYAR follows him silently.

When he gets to the dining room, it looked from the unpicked plates that his parents and UNCLE's family has already eaten.

He takes a seat on a table and glances around if anyone has seen him coming here and will serve him.

A waiter at last comes to pick the dirty plates from the table and watches AMEER smelling each sauces on the table.

WAITER

(Takes small mutilated menu out of his pocket)

Sorry Sir, I didn't know you are here.

AMEER puts his up, expressing 'it's alright' and takes menu from him.

He wants to ask where his family are, to the waiter but he abandons the idea thinking the waiter might not be able to understand him.

He points at the menu the food he wants to order. Waiter acknowledges it and leaves with the promise of coming back with the food in 15 mins.

COUSIN

Are you getting married tomorrow?

His cousin is eleven years old and it's the third time he has met him.

AMEER

Ahaan. (While nodding)

COUSIN

Your PARENTS are in B-2?

AMEER's eye brows lift up, like he is trying to express what's B-2?

COUSIN

You are in B-1, that's B-2, the other hotel.

AMEER nods.

Someone from hotel management comes in and say something in native language to the COUSIN to which he replies in the same language.

COUSIN

Okay, see you later.

KMIYAR

IT'S SO FUCKING BORING HERE.

AMEER

Hmm.

KMIYAR

WILL THAT CHICK BE COMING?

AMEER

WHAT CHICK?

KMIYAR

YOU KNOW THAT FOX, MAHA's FRIEND..

AMEER

HOW THE HELL WOULD I KNOW.

KMIYAR

WHAT THE POINT OF YOUR EXISTENCE. YOU KNOW NOTHING.

AMEER

WHATEVER.

AMEER's food comes in a few minutes later; he eats it with the only one in the big dining room. His culinary is the only sound making noise otherwise the silent room.

51. EXT. – HOTEL ENTRANCE GATE – HOTEL – MINUTES LATER

AMEER walks out of the hotel, by his facial expression he is shocked how beautiful the nature, the lush green mountains look and while he is appreciating the greenery of it, he saw five or six SUVs coming from the distance towards the hotel.

He looks hard trying to figure out who they might be, when he sees his UNCLE driving the car in the front of the queue and PAPA sitting next to him on the passenger seats.

He quickly gets back in to the hotel, and to his room, almost running.

KMIYAR follows him not knowing what happened.

AMEER opens his room door quickly and gets straight to the window and sneaks outside.

He sees his PARENTS coming out of the front hotel, when they heard the cars. They were there over-seeing the arrangement and conformities of soon to be coming guests.

KMIYAR

(pointing) HERE SHE IS.

AMEER

WHO? WHERE?

KMIYAR

MAHA, YOU STUPID FUCK!

AMEER

YEAH, OKAY, I SEE HER.

A silence, both are observing the people coming out of the cars and taking out their luggage from the trunks of the cars.

AMEER

SHE SO LOOKS BEAUTIFUL. (pointing towards MAHA)

KMIYAR

WHATEVER. WHERE IS THE FRIEND? I AM HERE JUST FOR

HER.

AMEER ignores KMIYAR.

The whole day, he finds reason to ignore the people. Staying inside the room.

When MOTHER comes to call for the lunch, he couldn't convince her with any excuse.

52.0 INT. – DINING ROOM – HOTEL – AFERNOON

He comes to the same dining room which is now filled with majority of the same guest who came two weeks ago to his engagement party.

PAPA

Hey, how are you? I haven't seen you for a while.

AMEER (sign)

I am fine. How's MAHA?

PAPA

MAHA's good.

KMIYAR

ASK HIM ABOUT THE FRIEND.

AMEER (with a sigh)

MAHA's friend didn't come?

PAPA

No, she is in Australia, remember.

KMIYAR

AUSTRALIA. FUCK!

AMEER

Yeah, yeah.

PAPA

DID you settle in well?

AMEER

Yes, it's bit chilly here.

PAPA

Tell me about it. I haven't taken off my shoes since I've been here.

AMEER sits with PAPA on a table. A waiter gives them the menu.

PAPA (leaning forward, jokingly)

Order anything not more than 500 bucks.

AMEER smiles.

They eat lunch. PARENTS and UNCLE are checking on every table and asking guests if they have found there room and giving instructions about the hotel and surrounding area.

Waiter comes a few minutes later with AMEER and PAPA's food.

PAPA

And what about the nature here.

AMEER

Oh I loved it.

PAPA

I have been to Switzerland, New Zealand, you name it but never found this much natural beauty and kind people like here.

KMIYAR

WHAT ABOUT CHICKS, MAN. ALL I CAN SEE IS GAYS—

AMEER

Ahaan. MAHA didn't come here for the lunch.

All the guests have to come across to the hotel where AMEER is staying, for the meals.

PAPA

She isn't feeling well. Ate something on the flight that didn't suit her stomach.

AMEER (sign)

I hope she is alright.

PAPA

I will tell her you asked. So are you excited about big day tomorrow?

AMEER (shying)

I am.

KMIYAR (arrogantly, looking away)

PUSSY!

PAPA

Take all your clothes to the laundry service here, they will press it for you.

AMEER

I already did, this morning.

PAPA

Good. Take a bite of this (from his plate), its their specialty. It's called "cugna".

AMEER tasted it, didn't like it. Facial expressions apparent.

PAPA

(Laughing) Not everyone likes it, they make it out of goat's testicles.

AMEER

AAAhh. (Throughout the bit on the napkin)

KMIYAR (laughing, pointing finger at PAPA)

YOU SIR, ARE MY HERO.

AMEER feels gross.

53. INT. – AMEER's HOTEL ROOM – HOTEL – NIGHT

MOTHER comes in after knocking and invites him for the dinner, saying all the guests are already there, ordering food.

AMEER (sign)

Is MAHA there?

MOTHER

No. I just gave here soup. She has stomach pain.

AMEER

Yeah, PAPA told me. Did she take any medicine?

MOTHER

Your UNCLE brought her some medicines from the market down the hill. Let's hope they work. Big day tomorrow.

AMEER

Could you please tell someone to bring my food here?

I don't want to go out.

MOTHER takes a good long look at AMEER, she gives up and doesn't argue and said 'okay' and leave.

A few minutes later, someone knocks the door, AMEER puts his book, he is reading, aside, opens the door. It is his cousin.

COUSIN

Where have you been all day?

AMEER expresses difficulty in replying to the kid, who obviously wouldn't have known the sign language if AMEER has replied through it.

He flows his right hand around the room, like trying to say, 'here, in the room'.

AMEER takes the tray full of three kind of food from the COUSIN, who barges in the room.

AMEER stunts, decides not to say anything, COUSIN being so young and agile.

COUSIN

What were you reading? (Picking up his book from the bed)

AMEER still confuse how to respond to that.

COUSIN

You don't have to say anything, I know you can't speak.

AMEER relief with fact that he didn't have to explain any of that.

COUSIN

You know we are staying next room to your PARENTS.

AMEER

Ahaan. (Sitting on the bed next to the COUSIN).

COUSIN

I met the girl you are going to marry tomorrow.

AMEER's eyes lit up. He stands up and finds a piece of paper and a pencil in one of the drawers of the hotel's closet.

AMEER writes "Did you meet her today?" and gives that paper to the COUSIN.

COUSIN

Man, your writing is so bad. It's almost unreadable.

KMIYAR

(Laughs hard) EVEN A KID, EVEEEN AAA KIDDDD!!!

AMEER rolls his eyes.

COUSIN

(Gives back the paper)

Yes I saw her today, she isn't feeling well. I bought her medicines with my father. She is a cool woman.

AMEER

Ahaan. (Writes on paper)

Did she ask about me?

COUSIN

No. Why would she? Unmarried woman don't ask about strange grown-up guys here.

KMIYAR

THIS KID, IS A LEGEND. (Laughing, pointing towards the COUSIN)

AMEER realizes the awkwardness of asking a kid who lives in a most conservative part of Pakistan, he smiles while his head leans down.

AMEER

Ahaan, ahaan..

COUSIN

Okay, I am leaving. Do you need anything else?

KMIYAR

YEAH, A DOZE MORE OF ONE OF YOUR SARCASTIC PUNS!

AMEER

(Shakes his head)

COUSIN

Be ready early tomorrow. We have to take you to the market down the hill for your—

AMEER

Ahaan, ahaan, ahaan... (Drags COUSIN out of his room)

KMIYAR

I LIKE THIS KID ALREADY.

AMEER

SURE YOU DO.

AMEER takes his dinner and goes to sleep early.

54. INT. – AMEER's HOTEL ROOM – HOTEL – MORNING

October 8. AMEER wakes up early. He looks out the window, majority of people are already on about their lives. He glances his nails, still needs to cut.

He opens his door and calls his MOTHER to the other room.

AMEER

Where is that swizz knife, you were to find.

MOTHER

Yeah, I found it. Let me get you from my purse.

AMEER closes his door, thinking she will take her time.

AMEER (to KMIYAR)

WHAT's WITH YOU?

KMIYAR

(Anxiously looking out of window)

NOTHING, YOU STUPID.

AMEER ignores him.

Door knocks, AMEER opens it. COUSIN is outside, holding the swizz knife, he wanted. He snatches it out of COUSIN hands and begins opening the nail-cutter part of it.

COUSIN

Where did you get it?

AMEER

(Who thought COUSIN might have left)

(Shrugs his shoulder)

COUSIN

(Sits on his bed) Okay Mr. Mute.

AMEER looks at KMIYAR; waiting for the usual respond but KMIYAR is ignoring them and is still very anxious.

AMEER (to KMIYAR)

ARE YOU ALR—

Suddenly, his room starts shaking. Things are hanging on the wall, falling down and shattering to pieces. His head is spinning, he runs what he thought is towards the door but hits something and falls unconscious.

55. INT. – TRI SPACE – HOTEL – FOLLOWING AFTERNOON

AMEER regains his consciousness. We see him from head to his feet, all grey due to dust. His eyes still close. He touches his back of head which is in somewhat dry blood. He cries.

AMEER

MOM! MOM! DAD? MOM!

With close eyes he tries to stand up on his head hits the wall. He opens his eyes.

The roof of the room is shattered to the ground. He is against the wall. A right-angle shaped. Only three feet vertically high and ten feet in horizontally long. Ground is a cement based plain old floor.

AMEER

AHHHH AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!

Right at the edge where the shattered roof of the room comes down, a small whole about the size of a half banana opens up. Light is coming from that end, bright enough to make half of the tri-space visible. The other side is pitch dark.

AMEER loses his consciousness again, holding back of his head.

56. INT. – TRI SPACE – HOTEL – FOLLOWING NIGHT

Earth's moving. It is aftershocks of what is the most horrifying earthquake in Pakistan history. Richter scale of 8.0

He wakes up. His head doesn't hurt that much. Tri-space is almost in darkness.

That small hole is allowing a bit of moon-light.

AMEER drags himself towards that whole. He hits a couple of things during his dragging but he ignores them.

Total silence outside.

He shouts from all the energy he has, the sound is like a high pitch cry.

He waits for a few seconds

No one listens. No one responds.

He cries again.

We see camera zooming out and out, showing shattered hotels, then houses and then whole valley in darkness with AMEER's cry losing its volume as camera zooms out.

KMIYAR

THERE IS NO ONE OUT THERE.

AMEER

WHAT? WHERE ARE YOU?

KAMIYAR is at the other edge of tri-space. Due to no light, AMEER couldn't see him.

KMIYAR

I AM RIGHT HERE.

AMEER

WHAT HAPPENED HERE?

KMIYAR

YOU STUPID CUNT, USE YOUR HEAD. THIS WAS AN EARTHQUAKE.

WHOLE HOTEL FELL DOWN. WE ARE LUCKY—

AMEER

OH GOD, MY MOM AND DAD. MY MOM!!!

KMIYAR comes out of darkness, grabs AMEER's shoulders and shakes his whole body.

KMIYAR

WAKE UP YOU STUPID. WE ARE LUCKY TO BE ALIVE.

AMEER

(sobbing) MY MOM...

KMIYAR

NO ONE IS ALIVE.

AMEER

NO, THEY MIGHT BE. LEAVE ME ALONE.

AMEER starts pushing walls he is surrounded by.

AMEER

MOMMY??? MOM!! DAD! I AM COMING.

Walls do not move a bit.

KMIYAR

(now sitting calmly back in the darkness at the end of tri-space)

NO POINT DOING THAT, YOU ARE JUST WASTING YOUR

ENERGY.

AMEER

FUCK OFF YOU FUCK FACE, WHY DON'T YOU LEAVE ME ALONE

FOR GOOD. I DON'T NEED YOU, I NEVER NEEDED YOU. YOU

ASK ME REASON TO LIVE? WHAT IS THE POINT OF YOUR

EXISTENCE? NO ONE CAN TALK TO YOU. NO ONE KNOWS YOUR

PRESENCE. WHY DON'T YOU GIVE ME THIS ONE-FUCKING-BIG

FAVOR AND GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY LIFE.

AMEER is breathing heavily and looking in to the darkness, expecting a usual response from KMIYAR. It doesn't come.

AMEER waits, confuse.

He a moments later get back to pushing walls with his shoulders and hands but those are so heavy.

He shouts again and again through the wall but no one listens.

He remembers KMIYAR advice of saving up the energy.

There were plenty of people outside wandering around when saw out of his room window in the morning, he thinks they must be someone out there.

He just has to sit tight and don't lose consciousness. Help will come, eventually.

At least that's what he thinks.

57. INT. - TRI-SPACE – HOTEL – EARLY MORNING

Day 2 in tri-space:

AMEER wakes up with ground shaking under him. He gets seriously scared. All those small stones and clay pieces were moving up and down. Creaking sounds from surrounding walls.

It feels like if walls are closing in on him, bit by bit.

He is shouting, freaking out. He cries again from the whole, hoping someone might listen.

The Sun isn't out yet properly.

He gives up resisting.

We see a three hour time-lapse with brightness slowly coming in the tri-space and AMEER is there motionless, deep in his thoughts.

Sun is shiny bright today, making visible almost half of the tri-space.

He sees something shiny from the distance in the tri-space. He can't move quickly due to confinement of the space. He takes his legs back ward and crawl forward with his arms towards that shiny object.

It is his swizz knife. The knife has a small sharp knife, a cutter.

He brings back the knife near to the whole and opens it up to see what exactly it has.

He puts the knife a side and crawls back with the arm, touching every inch of the area of tri-space to find something valuable.

Now at the dark side of the area of the tri-space where due to no wholes or anything, nothing is visible.

AMEER

KMIYAR, YOU THERE?

He calls for KMIYAR whom he saw last vanishing into darkness. No response.

He continues touching the area on the floor, nothing but dust and suddenly he his right hand touches something soft. He doodles around the object.

It is left hand of his COUSIN.

He freaks out, crawling back to a bit bright part of the space. In this quick and panicky crawling, his head hits the wall and he falls unconscious again.

58. INT. - TRI-SPACE – HOTEL – SAME DAY

A few hours later, AMEER's consciousness back again with the waves is penetrating the ground under him.

His face is all grey, dusty again due to shock waves during his unconsciousness.

He opens his eyes (eye lashes on the dust), shakes off the dust from his face.

He is still trying to figure out where he wakes up.

He tongue is dry, lips are almost white. He haven't drink water since last 36 hours, last his COUSIN brought him the dinner.

The COUSIN, the thought of his hand just a few feet away frightens him. He crawls back to the end of the wall where the whole.

The hand is still in the dark side of the tri-space. He can't see it but he knows it's still there.

And the thought of his remaining body under the same roof which collided and still gradually colliding in on him, after-shock after after-shock.

He thinks about getting out of this space. He sticks his finger in the whole to check its width. After all, he is a recently graduated Civil Engineer.

He takes the swizz knife again out of his pocket and check from each angle, how strong it is.

KMIYAR

NO ONE'S COMING TO HELP US.

AMEER's shocked to hear someone voice.

AMEER

Oh, it's you.

KMIYAR comes out of the darkness. His face more calm and determine.

KMIYAR (serious-mode on)

EVERYONES DEAD. WE WILL BE TOO.

AMEER

I KNOW. THESE WALLS ARE MOVING HALF CENTIMETER

ON EVERY AFTER-SHOCK. THAT MAKES IF THE SPACE IS

FOUR FEET WIDE, TEN FEET IN LENGTH, FIVE FEET

IN BREATH AND AFTER-SHOCK ON EVERY HOUR, A TOTAL OF

TWENTY THREE DAYS TO SUFFOCATE ME.

KMIYAR

I CAN'T LIVE IN THIS SHIT WHOLE THAT LONG.

AMEER

YOU WOULDN'T, YOU WILL BE DEAD. OR MAY BE EARLIER

IF THIS HOLE IS BLOCK BY SOME DEBREE.

KMIYAR

THE HOLE. BEHOLD THE HOLE.

AMEER

WE NEED TO DIG A HOLE FROM THIS SIDE AND MAKE A

TUNNEL TO THE OTHER SIDE.

KMIYAR

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE FOUNDATIONS? WOULDN'T THEY GET

FRAGILE? AND WITH THESE AFTER-SHOCKS, IT WILL ME

MATTER OF TIME BEFORE WE ARE COLLAPSED UNDER THESE

WALLS.

AMEER

WHERE ARE THOSE PEOPLES?

KMIYAR

WHY WOULD YOU THING ANYONE WOULD WANA COME BACK HERE

TO SAVE SOMEONE LIKE YOU?

AMEER

I MATTER?

KMIYAR

MATTER TO WHO? YOUR PARENTS. THEY MOST PROBABLY

BE DEAD BY KNOW.

AMEER

YOU DON'T KNOW THAT.

KMIYAR

YOU ARE DILUSIONAL. NO ONE CARE ABOUT YOU. YOU DON'T

MATTER.

AMEER

WHAT ABOUT PAPA? MAHA, YEAH MAHA. THEY MIGHT BE ALIVE.

KMIYAR

IF THEY BY ANY CHANCE WOULD BE A LIVE, THEY WOULD BE

RUNNING THE HELL OUT OF HERE, REALIZING THE HUGE

MISTAKE THEY WERE ABOUT TO COMMIT MARRY THE BEAUTIFUL

GIRL LIKE MAHA TO YOU.

AMEER

YOU KNOW NOTHING.

KMIYAR

KEEP DREAMING, FUCK FACE..

59. INT. - TRI-SPACE – HOTEL – FOLLOWING NIGHT

AMEER is feeling weak. Dark circles under eyes are beginning to be prominent.

He is not sleeping but trying to with nothing to do and KMIYAR being a delusional prick, he prefers lying down, closing his eyes and dream about being rescued.

A continuous, unusual sound. AMEER ears are touching the ground. He ignores the sound at first, the sound is very bleak. But it's gaining volume. A begins to notice it. Opens his eyes.

KMIYAR (who is wide awake)

WHAT COULD IT BE?

AMEER stand-sit and puts his ears to the wall. He couldn't hear anything. He tries different wall, the sound is a bit clearer. He listens hard with closed eyes.

KMIYAR

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

The sound is quickly gaining volume. AMEER's expression changing, he looks afraid.

KMIYAR

WHAT? TELL ME WHAT THE HELL IT IS?

AMEER

FLOOD!

AMEER takes off his shirt, rips the lower part of it and rolls that part into a ball.

He puts that ball into the hole, pushing it until it's fully filled.

KMIYAR

WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

AMEER

WE WILL BE DEAD IF FLOOD MOVES TOWARDS US.

KMIYAR

FUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!

KMIYAR runs towards the hole, he pushes the hole upward, crying "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO". There is almost no light in the tri-space. AMEER leans backward to the darkest part of the space, he doesn't care about the COUSIN's hand his feet are touching.

He holds the wall from his hand.

KMIYAR

WHAT'S THE POINT OF YOUR FOUR YEARS EDUCATION, CANT

YOU DO ANYTHING?

The sound is way high now. AMEER and KMIYAR has to shout to communicate each other.

AMEER

WE HAVE TO WAIT AND HOPE THE PRESSURE FROM THE FLOOD

DOESN'T MOVE THESE WALLS TOO MUCH, OTHERWISE WE WILL

COLLAPSE UNDER THESE HEAVY WALLS IN A FEW MINUTES.

KMIYAR

I CANT DIE LIKE THAT.

AMEER

WE CAN'T DO MUCH. (Shouting with all his energy)

They could feel the water hitting outside those walls. The pressure is immense. Flood is coming from upside mountain.

AMEER

EARTHQUACK MUST HAVE SLIDED SOME GLACIER AND IT TOOK

TWO DAYS FOR WATER TO MELT AND RUN DOWN THE HILL.

KMIYAR

I CANT DIE LIKE THIS!

The water is cold. The walls are leaking some of the water. It's coming from the ground moments later.

AMEER wasn't expecting that much pressure from the flood, he crawls quickly towards KMIYAR who is still holding close that hole; AMEER helps him and push the cloth upward.

The cloth is wet and leaking water too.

AMEER who hasn't drank for two days, doesn't care about his thrust. Still holding tight that hole.

Tri-space is filling up with water coming from the ground and walls' edges leaking.

Still almost dark and flood passing through with huge pressure, hitting and creaking walls with it.

Running water sound and with the fear that it's only minutes before they both be death, AMEER looks at KMIYAR, who is looking at the cloth worryingly that despite their efforts of pushing it upward, water is still finding space to leak.

AMEER

I THINK WE WILL DIE.

KMIYAR

I AM NOT LISTENING TO YOU. I JUST HAVE TO PUSH--

AMEER

HEY, IT WOULDN'T SAVE US. WALLS WILL COLLAPSE ON US

IN A FEW MINUTES.

KMIYAR

NO I WILL BE FINE, YOU MIGHT BE DEAD BUT I WILL BE FINE.

AMEER

HEY, HEY, LISTEN TO ME. WE BOTH ARE ABOUT TO DIE.

Their feet are almost filled with water. Ground is muddy and soft.

AMEER

LOOK WE ARE ALMOST WET. THE GROUND IS ALMOST.

KMIYAR

WET. (KMIYAR looks at AMEER for the first time)

AMEER

GROUND IS WET! GROUND IS WET.

KMIYAR

WE CAN DIG NOW.

AMEER

YES!

AMEER takes his swizz knife out of his pocket and opens up the sharp small knife from it.

He browses around touching and feeling the floor, he crawls around the small space. He has to rely on his sense of touch, the space is still dark.

His hands are freezing with cold water. He finds a place right next to outside wall of his collapsed room.

KMIYAR

DIG AROUND FOR FUCK SAKE, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

AMEER, who is thinking hard before digging.

AMEER

WHAT IF I DIG AND IT WILL HELP MORE WATER COMING INSIDE.

KMIYAR

THAT'S OBVIOUSLY GONNA HAPPENED, YOU STUPID BUT—

AMEER (crying, water is to their ankles now)

BUT WHAT?

KMIYAR

BUT IF WE DIG HARD AND FAST ENOUGH WE COULD MAKE A TUNNEL

OUT OF THIS—

AMEER (throwing swizz knife aside)

WHAT'S THE POINT? WE WILL DIG OUR OWN GRAVE.

KMIYAR

MAY BE YES BUT GROUND IS SOFT, SOFT ENOUGH IF WE DIG FAST

ENOUGH AND HOLD OUR BREATH WE COULD MAKE A TUNNEL OUT OF

THIS WALL OUTSIDE AND—

AMEER

AND DIE IN THE FLOOD.

KMIYAR waits and thinks. A quite silence. A huge sound of water is passing by and taking anything with it. The sound is killing them inside.

KMIYAR

THERE HAS TO BE ANOTHER WAY.

AMEER

THERE IS NO WAY.

KMIYAR picks the swizz knife and starts digging himself. The ground doesn't move, his efforts are meaningless.

The piece of cloth, holding the hole, comes down and water starts leaking fast from the hole and filling the tri-space.

AMEER leans back the wall on the other side of tri-space. His feet are touching his COUSIN's hands. He notices it. He extends his left and a holds the dead hand.

That hand feels bigger and not-so-soft now after two days.

AMEER (to KMIYAR)

THERE IS NO WAY.

KMIYAR looks at him, realizes his fate and comes towards AMEER.

AMEER who is holding COUSIN with his left hand, extends his right arm and grabs KMIYAR under his right shoulder.

We see them with almost no light, freezing breath coming out of AMEER's mouth, soaking wet and water filled to his chest.

AMEER

THE WORLD WASN'T WORTH LIVING ANYWAYS.

We see water filling the space ever more quickly, now to his neck.

KMIYAR is already under the water. There are tears coming out of AMEER's eyes but they aren't visible as water is dripping out of walls from everywhere.

AMEER screams. Screen fades to black.

60. INT. - TRI-SPACE – HOTEL – NEXT DAY MORNING

We see AMEER's face, that part of tri-space doesn't have too much light although Sun is shining brightly outside, camera zooms out, he is shivering because of cold weather. His body and clothes are still soaking wet but his lips are white due to thrust.

He is still holding the COUSIN's hand tight. He opens his eyes, surprise to be alive, takes off his hand out of what looks like a huge-rotten-blue-hand, no one could tell it was a eleven year old's hand. A small pool of water is lying around, he gathers all the energy he could and crawls toward that water.

We see him drinking water like a cat, with his tongue and lips, no hand. After drinking the water, he looks up, KMIYAR is staring at him.

AMEER (barely able to speak)

WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT?

KMIYAR

NATURE HAPPENED.

AMEER

WHAT? (trying to stand sit)

KMIYAR

EVERY SNAKE HAS A TAIL, YOU SON OF BITCH.

AMEER (GAINING HIS ENERGY)

WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

KMIYAR

FLOOD SLOWED DOWN RIGHT WHEN WE WERE TO DROWN.

AMEER

THANKS GOD. I THOUGHT I WOULD BE DEAD BY NOW.

KMIYAR

I WAS DEAD FOR A FEW MINUTES.

AMEER

YEAH.

A silence grows between them as AMEER thinks about last night.

He looks around the tri-space, the space is significantly shorter and the ground is still soft and muddy.

AMEER had his whole life in front of eyes last when night when the water was to his neck.

AMEER (decides)

I WANT TO GET OUT THIS SHIT WHOLE.

KMIYAR

I AM READY.

AMEER finds the swizz knife somewhere at the tri-space and begins digging with knife on the same area where he was last night.

The ground is still soft enough. They don't have to use all of their energy.

A time has passed, they have dug up a feet of hole inside the ground.

They look at each other, a smile on their faces, feeling accomplished and more motivated.

AMEER puts his hand on the hole and digs again.

An aftershock comes suddenly, walls are moving around him, it is usual to slightly move and make a lot of noises but this time they are shaking extensively. A fear in AMEER's face. He looks at KMIYAR grievingly and-

AMEER

QUICK, WE HAVE TO FILL THE GAP AGAIN OR THESE WALLS

WILL COLLAPSED ON US.

KMIYAR

(frighten with the shaking of the walls, helps AMEER)

WE ARE NEVER COMING OUT OF THIS ALIVE, ARENT WE.

Aftershock's gone.

They are sitting, defeat on their face.

AMEER (shouts while looking up)

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A silence.

KMIYAR

WHAT THE HELL WE WILL DO NOW?

AMEER

I DON'T KNOW. WHERE IS MY SWIZZ KNIFE?

KMIYAR

HOW THE FUCK WOULD I KNOW?

AMEER

GOD NO!!!

KMIYAR

WILL THEY COME FOR OUR RESCUE?

AMEER

I DON'T THINK SO.

KMIYAR

HOW THE HELL WILL WE SURVIVE.

AMEER

THEY WOULD'VE BY KNOW. THEY MUST BE DEAD BY NOW.

60(A). INT. - TRI-SPACE – HOTEL – FOLLOWING NIGHT

We see both of them shivering from the cold, legs and hands squeeze together, teeth chattering and condense vapors coming out on every breath exhales.

61. INT. - TRI-SPACE – HOTEL – FOLLOWING AFTERNOON

DAY 4.

Tri-space is dry by now, we see AMEER sitting, leaning over the wall under the hole with Sun shining bright outside.

We see them looking each other, saying nothing. AMEER have dark eyes more apparent and pale color of his skin makes him look like a living zombie.

AMEER closes his eyes and hope to preserves his energy.

62. INT. - TRI-SPACE – HOTEL – NEXT DAY'S EVENING

They have nothing to say to each other. AMEER is lying down on the ground, listening to echo of the earth, staring wall from the side of his face. KMIYAR is sitting on the other side (which is dark) of the tri-space. We can only see only his feet.

63. INT. – TRI-SPACE – HOTEL – NEXT DAY MORNING

Day 6th. KMIYAR

I AM SO HUNGRY.

AMEER (sarcastically)

OH, YOU ARE HUNGRY.

KMIYAR

WHATEVER.

AMEER

HOW CAN YOU EVEN SAY THAT? WHERE DO YOU I COULD FIND

ANY FOOD IN HERE?

KMIYAR

THERE IS THIS THEN. (pointing towards the hand of his

COUSIN)

AMEER

WHAT? ARE YOU INSANE?

KMIYAR

AS YOU WISH? LET'S HOW MANY DAYS YOU COULD SURVIVE

HERE.

AMEER

THEY WILL RESCUE US.

When they are in conversation, a helicopter passes by, making a lot of noise. AMEER stands sit in frustration and put his mouth to the hole, uncomfortably.

AMEER

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's only he could say.

KMIYAR

(calmly, from the dark side of the tri-space)

NO CAN HEAR YOU FROM HERE< YOU STUPID FUCK.

AMEER (again, more loudly)

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

KMIYAR

SHUT THE FUCK UP, PLEEEAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSEEEEE.

AMEER is instantly silent. He gives up, stands sit, looking down with eyes almost closed.

63. INT. - TRI-SPACE – HOTEL – ONE DAY LATER – AFTERNOON

Day 7th.

Sun is extraordinarily bright today. AMEER haven't drank for three days now.

They are used to with after-shocks by now. They know if the roof-wall is to move, it may have by now and they would be dead.

AMEER and KMIYAR's lips are whitest one could possibly imagine.

They don't have energy to speak with each other.

KMIYAR is still in the dark side, he gathers the energy somehow and crawls forward and looks hard at AMEER.

KMIYAR

ARE WE WILLING TO DIE OF HUNGAR WHEN WE HAVE

AN OPPORTUNITY TO SURVIVE.

AMEER

WE DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING.

KMIYAR

LOOK HERE IS THE KNIFE YOU WERE AFTER.

(showing the swizz knife, AMEER was looking

For days)

AMEER

(confused and surprise)

WHAT THE HELL!

AMEER jumps at KMIYAR and grabs him to his neck and throws him back to the ground.

AMEER

YOU FUCKING BASTARD. I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR

IT. GROUND WAS SOFT TWO DAYS AGO. WE COULD HAVE

ESCAPED BY NOW.

KMIYAR staring and keeping silent, shrugs his shoulders while down on the ground.

AMEER grabs knife from him and throws him a punch of his face. AMEER cries as he is weak for days and his skin is more vulnerable to any outside touch. He goes back to the bright side of the tri-space with knife in his hand, breathing quickly and heavily.

KMIYAR laughs hard.

AMEER closes his eyes, his breathing gradually coming back to normal.

64. INT. - TRI-SPACE – HOTEL – NEXT DAY MORNING

Day 8th.

AMEER hasn't eaten for nine days now.

He is so weak that he is imagining eating again last meal he had.

He has forgotten the taste of a chicken. In reality, we see him moving his tongue around his mouth, like his chewing chicken piece.

It begins to rain. Clouds are all bursting, shattering up outside. AMEER is hoping that now he will able to get some water.

Rain isn't hard enough. A single drop of water per few seconds, is not enough to fill up his thrust.

He opens his mouth and sticks it to the hole, tongue out. Collecting a drop after drop. He gives up. Too much hassle and waste of energy for such a small water.

He sits down, leaning back against the wall. KMIYAR is next to him, anxiously waiting for his turn.

KMIYAR climbs above AMEER's shoulder and puts his mouth against the hole. AMEER who couldn't control the weight, shrugs him off and move a side, giving KMIYAR the space.

A few minutes has passes, we see them drinking water, collecting it on their palm from much faster running water from that hole, raining heavy outside.

65. INT. - TRI-SPACE – HOTEL – FOLLOWING DAY AFTERNOON

We a fly inside the tri-space, AMEER is lying on the ground. There is a small pool of water next to his head. Light is bright inside. Fly sits on his nose, he doesn't have energy to lift his hand to bother with the fly but he slowly opens his eyes.

AMEER

OKAY.

KMIYAR

(who is half unconscious, doesn't respond but he is listening)

AMEER (gaining what left of his energy and says louder)

I SAID OKAY.

KMIYAR

WHAT?

AMEER

I AM READY. LET'S DO IT.

KMIYAR

READY FOR FUCKING WHAT?

AMEER

I AM HUNGRY, CANT CONTROL ANYMORE.

KMIYAR

TELL ME SOMETHING THAT I DON'T KNOW.

AMEER

(who decides to stand sit and looks right at KMIYAR)

CANT CONTROL ANYMORE..

They look at each other. AMEER giving him non-verbal cues, he doesn't want to say that disgusting thing out loud.

They then look at the hand, barely visible on the side of tri-space.

AMEER

IS IT EVEN EATABLE?

Skin on COUSIN's hand is almost black.

KMIYAR

ONLY WAY TO FIND OUT..

AMEER takes out the knife part from swizz knife, the knife is rusty, out of shape due to digging a few days ago and isn't sharp enough.

We see AMEER's hand shivering from anxiety as he takes the knife closer to the hand.

AMEER

I CANT DO THIS. (Closes his eyes, feeling ashamed)

KMIYAR

WELL EITHER THIS OR READY TO DIE THEN.

AMEER, eyes still closed, takes a big breath and holds it.

He begins sliding knife on the middle of the hand. Keeps doing it, eyes still closed.

KMIYAR

MY MAN, THERE YOU GO, ONE MORE.

AMEER opens his eyes; he isn't even through to the skin. Just a few scratches.

AMEER

FUUUCCCCKKKKK!! THIS KNIFE ISN'T SHARP ENOUGH.

KMIYAR

WELL YOU HAVE TO IMPROVISE.

(pointing with his eyes at the other parts of the swizz knife).

AMEER quickly opens the other parts and tries to figure out which part would be sharp and more appropriate to do the job.

We see him using every part of the knife and KMIYAR observing him interestingly.

Skin is passed, there is no blood, all dried up. He makes a cut and digs it deep. He is into his muscles now, the stripe is hard, and we see their facial expressions as they feel disgusting.

A strong smell hit their nose, AMEER stops, put his hand on the nose and feels nauseated. He moves back a bit and thinks about the situation while looking at the, now opened up hand.

KMIYAR

YOU HAVE TO FINISH IT NOW. SMELL IS KILLING ME.

AMEER

I CAN'T (crying)

KMIYAR (shouts at AMEER)

IT'S NO TIME TO PUSSY UP, GET ON WITH IT ALREADY.

AMEER comes forward, sobbing and we see him cutting the open more dedicating as he just wants to get over the thing.

A few minutes has passed. We see AMEER sitting, leaning back on the wall below the hole, light is still enough in the tri-space. He is looking at five small pieces of meat he have extracted from the hand.

He is staring them, color is almost black and the pieces reek.

KMIYAR

IT'S PROTIEN WE NEED.

AMEER

I CANT SWALLOW THAT BIG, I NEED TO CUT THEM

INTO MORE.

KMIYAR

DO IT THEN.

AMEER cuts the five pieces in to eleven.

KMIYAR (sarcastically)

DO YOU NEED INVITATION?

AMEER is stilling staring them.

AMEER

I NEED WATER TOO.

KMIYAR (shrugs his folder)

WELL FUCK FACE WE DON'T HAVE WATER RIGHT NOW.

AMEER (still staring at the hand)

I WILL WAIT FOR THE RAIN.

66. INT. - TRI-SPACE – HOTEL – FOLLOWING EVENING

Clouds thunder outside. AMEER is lying down, eyes closed, ignoring the pieces of meat from his little COUSIN, just a few inches away from him.

KMIYAR laughs hard from the dark side of the tri-space.

It rains hard; water comes pouring down the hole.

We see the sitting next to each other, KMIYAR's watching AMEER closely.

AMEER takes a deep breath, picks the smallest piece and put in his mouth; he is beginning to cough it out.

KMIYAR

DON'T YOU DO IT, DON'T YOU FUCKING DO IT.

AMEER's eyes closed, collects water under the hole into his palm and drinks it and swallow the piece like a medicine tablet.

KMIYAR

ONE IS NOT ENOUGH, ONE MORE!

AMEER

NO, I CAN'T DO IT.

KMIYAR (shouts at AMEER's face)

DO YOU WANT TO DIE, HAAN? DO YOU?

AMEER picks another small piece and puts in his mouth and his mouth to the whole, drinking as much water to swallow the piece down as possible.

KMIYAR

THAT'S MY BOY! ANOTHER ONE!

AMEER

(now gaining the motivation)

OKAY, OKAY.

Picks another one and swallow it with the rain water.

We see camera zooming out in to darkness on the other side of the tri-space as AMEER swallows the piece one by one and KMIYAR motivating him all the way.

67. INT. - TRI-SPACE – HOTEL – NEXT DAY MORNING

AMEER is lying down, an aftershocks just passes away. He is holding his stomach.

AMEER

I DON'T FEEL THAT GOOD.

KMIYAR

THAT RAW MEAT, WHAT ELSE WERE YOU EXPECTING.

AMEER

I WANT TO THROUGH UP.

KMIYAR

DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE! I WILL KILL YOU MYSELF.

AMEER closes his eyes and ignores the massive pain in his stomach.

A few hours are passed. AMEER has gained some energy. His stomach pain almost gone.

He has grown a full beard so is KMIYAR.

He stands sit and browses around the walls and the ground more carefully, measuring them in his mind. He knocks at them with his knuckles, measuring them with his ears.

KMIYAR (who looks fresh too)

WHAT? WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?

AMEER

NOTHING. I AM THINKING... WELL NEVER MIND IT

WOULDN'T WORK.

AMEER sits down thinking and devising another plan.

68. INT. - TRI-SPACE – HOTEL – TWO DAYS LATER \- DAY

We see AMEER cutting this shirt to long stripes and tying them together to make a long stripe. He then nods the swizz knife to an end of the stripe and carefully puts the knife to the hole. He pushes it to throw the knife on the other side and grabs the other edge of the stripe and pulls it and then loses it to make a bit of fuzz outside.

If anyone is passing by, they would notice it and that AMEER doesn't have any energy left to cry out loud for any help.

His body is used to with the cold weather now.

He is still moving the stripe slowly while lying down the ground waiting for his fate.

69. INT. - TRI-SPACE – HOTEL – A WEEK LATER – DAY

Day 19th.

COUSIN's hand has what left of just bones. If AMEER gets crazy because of hunger, he licks those bones like a crazy person.

He gets water from frequent rains. Aftershocks are the only interesting events of his boring days.

On every aftershock, he wishes it to be strong enough to shake those walls significantly so he could die already.

Day passes by, AMEER and KMIYAR doesn't have anything to talk about. They just look at each other after a few hours whether other one still exists.

70. INT. - TRI-SPACE – HOTEL – EIGHT DAYS LATER – DAY

Day 27th.

We see that swizz knife is outside the tri-space, AMEER in his sleep a few days ago, lost the grip on the strip and that knife fell down the ground on the other side.

AMEER is breaking bones of that COUSIN's hand and when does get the bony wrist, KMIYAR tries to snatch from it. There is a fight between them as so who will get the bone.

They don't have energy but they are fighting over the bone. Eventually, AMEER pushes KMIYAR to the ground and quickly crawls back to the bright side of the tri-space holding bone in his right hand.

He is breathing heavily, leaning back the wall.

71. INT. - TRI-SPACE – HOTEL – FOLLOWING EVENING

We see AMEER lying down the ground and sucking the piece of bone on his mouth passionately like an infant sucking a pacifier.

We see KMIYAR lying down as well but he is angry with himself for losing that bone. He looks at AMEER and mumbles something angrily.

72. INT. - TRI-SPACE – HOTEL – FIVE DAYS LATER – MORNING

Day 33th.

It rained last night. AMEER wakes up still soaking wet and the ground is soft again.

He doesn't have anything to do so he stares at the wall while lying ground.

Suddenly he gets an idea. He stands sit and crawls to the space where he first tried to dig.

He begins to dig with the piece of bone he has been sucking for last few days.

KMIYAR (notices him)

WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW?

AMEER doesn't respond and continue digging slowly, he doesn't have any energy left on him, he lost all his muscles, his face was all bony with long beard and hairs all scattered and dirty on the head.

KMIYAR moves closer to AMEER and watches him closely. He doesn't want to be involved.

After a few minutes later when the hole is a feet deeper, AMEER stops and looks at KMIYAR.

AMEER

I WANT TO DIE.

He waits for KMIYAR to respond or fight over it.

KMIYAR

I DON'T CARE.

And KMIYAR crawls back to the dark side of tri-space.

AMEER looks at him disbelievingly, then looks at the hole, takes a deep breath and begins digging again.

73. INT. - TRI-SPACE – HOTEL – SAME DAY

Two hours have passed. Sun is shining bright outside. AMEER has dug a foot deep and four feet long hole. He is very tired now.

He looks at KMIYAR who is lying and ignoring the world in the dark.

AMEER opens his mouth and tries to say something to KMIYAR but then decides against it.

He looks around the tri-space one more time and then jumps into the hole.

He has to squeeze his legs into his stomach and hands around his head. He has lost enough weight to fit into such space.

We see tears coming out of his eyes, he knows it's a matter of time now, the next aftershock will move the walls to collapse and traps him to the hole to die within few minutes.

He has accepted his fate.

We see a mixture of fear and anxiety in his face while lying down the hole.

KMIYAR eventually crawls forward and looks down him in the hole and lays down the ground besides the hole.

74. INT. – HOLE - TRI-SPACE – HOTEL – NEXT DAY – AFTERNOON

It's been almost a day and AMEER is waiting in that hole to die. KMIYAR from time to time looks down the hole to check AMEER, who is motionless but alive and has given up on life.

KMIYAR eventually speaks while lying down and looking up at the wall:

KMIYAR

HOW DO YOU THINK WOULD HAVE HAPPENED TO MAHA?

MAHA comes in to conversation between them after a long time.

We see AMEER opens his eyes and thinks about her but doesn't respond to KMIYAR.

KMIYAR

COULD SHE BE ALIVE LIKE US AND TRAPPED?

AMEER

I DON'T KNOW.

AMEER closes his eyes.

KMIYAR takes a big sigh.

75. INT. – HOLE - TRI-SPACE – HOTEL – FOLLOWING AFTERNOON

AMEER has been thinking about MAHA for passed an hour and we see tears in his eyes.

Short clips of unseen footage of relish able conversations between AMEER and MAHA are shown, as if he is remembering those moments.

Suddenly an aftershock comes. The walls surrounding the tri-space are shaking extensively, almost vibrating with huge unbearable noises.

AMEER facial expressions clearly say that he could see his fate in front of him.

KMIYAR now realizes he will die in a moment and needs to crawl to that whole. He does.

AMEER (eyes closed)

THERE IS NOT ENOUGH SPACE.

KMIYAR (pushing AMEER in that confine space)

LET ME IN.

AMEER

FUCK OFF! (his voice echoes)

Screen fades to black.

The walls have collapse on to the hole. To his surprise, he hasn't died instantly but shifted to a more confine and small space.

Horror is apparent on his face, he can't breathe with KMIYAR squeezed in to him, pushing him against the ground. He is suffocating.

AMEER

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

AMEER gives one last try to a long and loud cry. No one listens. He is breathing heavily.

AMEER

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

More loudly and long, this time.

No one responds. As he is about to give one last cry before dying of suffocation:

GUY

Is someone there?

A voice comes from inside. AMEER thinks he is hallucinating due to lack of oxygen.

GUY

Helloooo?

AMEER

AAAAAHHHHH! AHHHHH! AAAHHH! AAAAH!

AMEER is surprised, his eyes moving every which directions, he can't speak so he gives small cries to let the guy know his is there.

GUY

Don't worry son, help is here. You just sit tight.

Screen fades to black.

We see small clips of phases of AMEER being rescued, he comes out looking like a skeleton, a five feet ten person who was just 22 years old now looks like a 62 years old man.

75. INT. – TENT – TEMPORARY HOSPITAL – NIGHT

We see AMEER in a tent, temporary hospital. Glucose and other drips are hooked on him to recover his lost energy. Doctor and volunteering nurses comes on to check on him, there are other patients on the bed in the tent as well. KMIYAR is with him lying beside AMEER feet on the bed.

We see him being shown as a miracle man in the local media, still alive after 34 days of the major earthquake without any food.

76. INT. – TENT – TEMPORARY HOSPITAL – FOLLOWING DAY

Journalists come in the tent to interview him, he is being given special care by the volunteers because of his publicity.

AMEER is wide awake and we see journalists asking him how he survived, where is he from and what does he feel now. AMEER is confused with all this publicity.

Finally he responds with sign language, journalists are puzzled and shocked that AMEER is a disabled person, they thought before that he couldn't speak because of lack of energy.

He is more of hero now than before.

77. INT. – TENT – TEMPORARY HOSPITAL – TWO DAYS LATER

AMEER is a yesterday's news now. He has to some extend recovered after three days in the hospital and extensive care. He can now walk to the temporary toilet himself. He hasn't cut his beard and long hairs but groomed them appropriately presentable.

Doctor discharges him following evening and gives him some warm clothes, chocolate bars, biscuits and water bottle.

78. EXT. / INT. – OFFICE – DISASTER INQUIRY – FOLLOWING DAY – DAY

We see AMEER visiting inquiring around the mountains about disaster inquiry office with a page "Disaster Inquiry Office" written on it. Random people guide him to the place. He visits the office and looks for the people's name written on the board area wise whose dead bodies are recovered.

He finds the area where in the hotels his and MAHA's family and guest were staying.

He sees his parents name on the list. He begins crying and while looking down the list he sees his COUSIN's name, a shock of wave hit his body. He is about to fell to the ground when a military man working at the office catches him.

MILITARY MAN

Hey, are you alright.

AMEER (voice)

Ahaan...

MILITARY MAN

What happened there? C'mon sit down here.

He helps him sitting to a chair.

MILITARY MAN

Are you alright?

AMEER (without looking at the man)

Ahaan, ahaan... (and nods)

MILITARY MAN

Okay, I am right over there (pointing at a room)

Call me if you need any help.

AMEER waits alone on the chair; he looks at KMIYAR who is going through the list himself.

He gathers some energy and walks towards the board.

AMEER

MOVE!

He pushes KMIYAR and goes through the list again. There was PAPA's name and a whole list of other name, he thought must of guest.

MAHA's name isn't on the list. He is puzzled and to some extend excited that MAHA might be alive.

KMIYAR

I TOLD YOU BRO, DIDN'T I TELL YOU.

AMEER ignores KMIYAR and takes out pen from his jacket and writes something on the same piece of paper, he was asking around earlier for the disaster inquiry office.

79. INT. – OFFICE – DISASTER INQUIRY – A FEW MINUTES LATER – DAY

He enters to the same military man office and shows him the piece of paper:

"Where are other hospitals in the area".

Military man gives him the map and circles the area where temporary hospitals are constructed to help earthquake victims.

80. EXT. – ROAD – MOUNTAINS – A FEW MINUTES LATER – DAY

We see AMEER slowly hitchhiking through the small roads of mountains and following the map.

A few clips of him visiting the hospitals and searching for MAHA and asking around volunteers by writing on the piece of papers.

We see him resting on the big stone and eating those chocolate bars and water, the doctor gave him.

80. EXT. – ROAD – MOUNTAINS – FOLLOWING EVENING

Right when the Sun is about to set, he visits a hospital circled last on the map. He is sneaking into quickly all the temporary tents. In one tent he sneaks into and is about to leave when he sees a girl lying around hooked on machines. He knows that familiar face.

He moves closer to the bed, it's MAHA.

Peacefully asleep, with pipes going through his nose and mouth.

KMIYAR

WHAT HAPPENED TO HER? (surprised with her condition)

A nurse passes by.

NURSE

Helloo? You can't be here.

He grabs AMEER hands and trying to drag him out of the tent but AMEER is resisting and still staring at MAHA in disbelief. Finally nurse gives up.

NURSE

Do you know her?

AMEER nods, tears coming out of his eyes.

NURSE

Thanks God.

81. INT. – TENT – TEMPORARY HOSPITAL – A FEW MINUTES LATER - EVENING

AMEER and that NURSE is sitting on the chair besides the MAHA's bed. Nurse has a file with and he going through MAHA's past six weeks medical history with them.

KMIYAR has his face close to MAHA's face, checking every inch of her.

AMEER while listening to NURSE, is still staring at MAHA.

NURSE

Okay, the patient is in coma since we found her in a car. The car was a wreck, the guy she was with died instantly...

AMEER looks at NURSE, shocked; he snatches the file from the NURSE and begins reading himself.

NURSE (calms himself)

Well how do you know this woman? I can't let you read through the file unless you tell—

AMEER takes out his pen from the jacket and writes on a paper in the file.

AMEER

"We were to get married on the day of earthquake"

NURSE

Have you lost your voice or something?

AMEER takes a big sigh and continue reading the file. It says that MAHA was found in a critical condition, car must have been slipped through the mountain at the time of earthquake at an area about ten miles from the hotels he was staying in.

AMEER (writes on the paper)

"What's guy name who died in the car?"

NURSE

I don't know. You have to ask at the Inquiry

Room three tents down.

AMEER quickly stands up and moves out of the tent when—

NURSE

But it's closed now. You have to wait till tomorrow morning.

AMEER stands still, thinking and comes back to sit on the chair.

Nurse left him be, AMEER sits the whole night on the chair, looking at MAHA who is in coma. KMIYAR sits on the ground, not talking but silently watching machines beeping.

82. EXT. – INQUIRY TENT – TEMPORARY HOSPITAL – FOLLOWING MORNING

He waits outside the Inquiry Tent, eventually someone comes and open the tent. AMEER handovers the piece of paper to him.

We see the guy going through the record and finally finding where he is buried. He shows AMEER the graveyard.

83. EXT. – MOUNTAINS – A FEW MINUTES LATER – DAY

We see AMEER hitchhiking again. He enters the graveyard and see some of the people already their moaning over the graves.

AMEER asks a random person something and he points to a grave. AMEER comes closer to the grave and as he reads the stone his expressions change. KMIYAR who is behind him, arrive on the grave and he reads the stone as well and puts hands on his mouth in disbelief and then looks at AMEER face.

We see on the stone the name "SAM ALI". The same person who was with AMEER in the university, the same person who was a close friend with MAHA.

84. INT. – MAHA'S TENT – TEMPORARY HOSPITAL – AN HOUR LATER - DAY

We see AMEER siting on the chair next to MAHA's bed. KMIYAR is standing beside him.

KMIYAR

I TOLD YOU ABOUT THIS BITCH. DIDN'T I?

AMEER is silent, staring unconscious MAHA.

KMIYAR

SHE IS ONE UNGRATEFUL BITCH. SHE NEVER DESERVED

YOU. RUNNING AWAY WITH SAM ON YOUR WEDDING DAY.

WOW. THAT'S VERY FUCK UP.

AMEER still listens silently, his face is reddish with anger.

KMIYAR

SHE SHOULD HAVE SAID NO, SHE FUCKING SHOULD'VE—

Machines hooked up on MAHA, start buzzing involuntarily and interrupt KMIYAR. They both watch MAHA whose body is shaking.

AMEER runs outside and calls a nurse who comes and calls other nurse to bring a doctor. AMEER whose expressions are of worried, watches MAHA from the edge of the tent.

We see doctor and nurses doing their thing.

85. INT. – MAHA'S TENT – TEMPORARY HOSPITAL – A FEW MINUTES LATER – DAY

We see DOCTOR informing AMEER that MAHA is out of coma but due to injury to her head, she is paralyzed. She can't move her body but eyes.

DOCTOR

We can't keep her any longer. She has been under treatment her for weeks because we couldn't anyone who knows her. We are on a very limited budget. You have to take her to a private hospital it's as far we could go with her. Sorry, I hope you understand our situation.

DOCTOR puts his hand on AMEER's shoulder, trying to make him understand, to which AMEER nods.

86. INT. – INQUIRY TENT – TEMPORARY HOSPITAL – A FEW MINUTES LATER – DAY

We see AMEER writing long instructions on a piece of paper for the same guy who helped him with the direction of graveyard where SAM is buried.

AMEER gives him the paper with phone number to call the Manager at his FATHER's Firm.

The guy calls and says exactly what is written on the paper, we see the Manager excited with the news of AMEER being alive. He affirms on the call to obey the instructions as soon as possible.

87. INT. – AIRPLANE – NEXT DAY – NIGHT

We see AMEER sitting on a private airplane silently with KMIYAR next to his seat and AMEER turns behind his seat where MAHA is lying on the bed with a machine hooked on her. Her eyes are wide awake and her bed shakes as plane encounters some turbulence.

AMEER is holding and reading a few pieces of papers with the instructions for AMEER on how to take care of MAHA until she is hospitalized to any other hospital.

88. EXT. – KARACHI AIRPORT – A FEW HOURS LATER – NIGHT

We see the same MANAGER greeting and hugging AMEER at the airport. He sees MAHA being dragged on a wheel-chair with a drip hooked on her, she is seeing everything happening around her.

MANAGER

I have called an ambulance like you said.

AMEER (showing writing on a paper)

"We will go my house."

MANAGER looks at AMEER disbelievingly and obeys his command. AMEER and MAHA have lost all their close friends and relatives at that earthquake. There is no one either of them could turn too to ask for any help.

89. EXT. / INT. – AMEER'S ROOM – AMEER'S HOUSE – NIGHT

Ambulance drops MAHA to AMEER's house and a paramedic helps him hooking up machine to her. We see MAHA watching the ceilings.

AMEER shakes MANAGER hands and greet him good bye. MANAGER leaves with doubtful expressions on his face.

AMEER comes to his room holding a glass of water in his hand, KMIYAR is following him, he whispers something to AMEER's ears to which he nods.

AMEER puts his glass on a side table and sits on a chair next to the bed where MAHA's lying with eyes open.

AMEER wants to say so much to her but he couldn't.

Anger and revenge is apparent on his face. He stares her head to toe in a malicious way.

AMEER stands up and walks towards KMIYAR and stands close to him with their nose almost touching, he stares him hard.

KMIYAR smiles and gets out of the room but sees AMEER from outside the door; KMIYAR still has a smirk on his face.

AMEER closes the door slowly from inside and thinks for a few seconds while facing the closed door.

He takes a big sigh, turns and says:

AMEER

YOU FUCKING BITCH!

Screen turns to fade black.

90. INT. – AMEER'S ROOM – AMEER'S HOUSE – A FEW MINUTES LATER - NIGHT

We see AMEER opens the door wide open. KMIYAR has been standing right beside the closed door all along.

KMIYAR

MY MAN! (While extending his right hand for high-five)

AMEER ignores and walks pass him.

91. INT. – AMEER'S ROOM – AMEER'S HOUSE – NEXT DAY – AFTERNOON

We see a doctor is called to the house, he checks on MAHA and writes bunch of prescription regarding MAHA's medicines and her liquid diet.

DOCTOR

I would recommend if you hospitalized your wife or at least hire a private nurse for her.

AMEER

Ahaan... (while looking at the prescriptions)

DOCTOR

She needs to be cleaned and regularly exercised otherwise her body will quickly develop bed-soles.

AMEER

Ahaan... (still ignoring the DOCTOR and looking at the same prescriptions)

DOCTOR (sighs)

Okay, here is my card and let me know if you want me here again but I would recommend a doctor visiting her every three days—

AMEER suddenly extends his hand and gives facial impression like he wants to the doctor to leave now.

DOCTOR (looks one last time at MAHA)

Okay, good luck with taking care of her.

AMEER escorts the DOCTOR to the gate and comes back to MAHA's room.

He gets closer to MAHA's face and lifts his hands and shreds the prescriptions into small pieces and throws them to her face.

KMIYAR (pointing at MAHA)

THAT'S FOR ALL OF OUR SUFFERINGS IN THAT SHIT HOLE

BECAUSE OF YOU BITCH.

AMEER looks at KMIYAR and smiles with continuous nodding.

92. INT. – AMEER'S ROOM – AMEER'S HOUSE – NEXT DAY – NIGHT

It's been three days since MAHA has any liquid-protein meal. AMEER mercifully gives her water three times a day.

We see AMEER opening the MAHA's room door from inside again and KMIYAR is as usual standing right outside.

KMIYAR (extending hand for high-five)

MY MAN!

AMEER high fives him this time and they both laugh.

KMIYAR

HELL YEAH! (While looking at MAHA still outside the room)

MAHA is being sexually abused three times a day after every time AMEER gives her half glass of water. He thinks that's all he got to drink when he was trapped on that tri-space.

93. INT. – AMEER'S ROOM – AMEER'S HOUSE – NEXT DAY – AFTERNOON

We see AMEER hasn't closed the door this time and letting KMIYAR enjoy the view. KMIYAR is standing just outside the wide open door and laughing while AMEER molest the unmovable body of MAHA.

We see tears dropping out of her eyes.

She hasn't been cleaned for last four days and reeked but AMEER doesn't care.

AMEER leaves the room when his revenged based desires are fulfilled for the time.

AMEER is in the kitchen, fixing a sandwich for himself.

KMIYAR

HEY MAN, THANKS FOR LETTING ME WATCH, I

REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

AMEER

WHATEVER. (with a smirk on his face)

KMIYAR

SHE IS STILL BEAUTIFUL THOUGH, ISN'T SHE?

AMEER doesn't response but smiles.

KMIYAR who now has utmost respect for AMEER, after being with him for so long.

KMIYAR

WE HAVE TO GET HER FOR EVERY INCH OF PAIN

WE HAD TO SUFFER, MAN. THAT BITCH NEEDS TO

LEARN HER LESSON. SHE—

AMEER (interrupts)

SHE WILL, I PROMISE YOU THAT. (while looking straight at KMIYAR)

KMIYAR

FUCK YEAH! (Excitingly)

94. INT. – AMEER'S ROOM – AMEER'S HOUSE – FOLLOWING EVENING

We see AMEER routinely bringing a glass of water in MAHA's room and tilt her pillow upwards so he could easily pour down the water into her, when the doorbell rings.

KMIYAR

KFC IS HERE! (excitingly)

AMEER puts the glass on the bed and runs towards the gate to get his dinner.

MAHA who is awake, realizes that the glass is just three inches away her left hand fingers.

We see through her facial expressions that she is trying to force her brain to move her fingers. She takes a deep breath, holds it and tries again to make her fingers move.

Index finger moves slightly. She can feel her finger for the first time after the accident. She is more motivated now. Again a deep breath, holds it and with eyes closed, she concentrates on moving the finger a bit more.

It moves. She could see from the edge of her eyes the glass is just a centimeter away.

Again with the same, deep breath, holding it and concentrating with eyes closed, the index finger moves significantly this time and pushes the glass to the floor.

Glass is shattered into small pieces and water scattered around the slippery tiles.

Now she waits for him.

AMEER pays the delivery guy and brings the food into living room; he opens the TV and eats his dinner.

95. INT. – AMEER'S ROOM – AMEER'S HOUSE – THIRTY MINUTES LATER - EVENING

AMEER comes in to the MAHA's room while licking sauces from his fingers and looking at MAHA with malicious intentions.

As he gets closer to the bed, he slips from the ever more slipper tiles floor and his back of the head hits the sharp wooden edge of the closet and he falls down on the big piece of shattered glass.

He screams loudly, enough so KMIYAR comes running from the living room where he was watching the TV.

AMEER's in agony, blood is coming out of his head and chest. That bullet in his head, is doing the trick. He's unconscious, eyes and mouth wide open.

KMIYAR (crying while touching AMEER's head)

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE YOU FUCKING BITCH! AAAAAHHHHHH!!

YOU FUCKING BITCH (his voice goes down and down)

And like that, he is gone.

We see finally a spark into MAHA's eyes. As she knows AMEER is dying there next to her bed, she realizes she will die as well as no one will come to rescue her. No one knows she is alive after the earthquake.

Tears run down her eyes as camera zooms out the room with KMIYAR vanished and AMEER's dead.

Screen fades to black.

Credits start rolling in.

96. INT. – MAHA'S ROOM – MAHA'S HOUSE – TWO MONTHS EARLIER – NIGHT

We see PAPA enters into MAHA's room in the middle of the night. She is deep into her sleep. PAPA slowly takes the sheets off her body. He loses his belt open and put his pants down. He is bare naked.

He gets on the bed, covers himself and her with the sheet. He forcefully takes her pajamas off and begins raping her. His right hand is covering his mouth and left hand is holding her around her chest.

PAPA (whispers into MAHA's ears)

PAPA wants you to marry AMEER. (while rapping her)

If you say NO... (while giving her the big push from behind)

...PAPA will continue visiting you like this.

MAHA nods in approval while her eyes are red and tears running down her face.

PAPA

Good girl, now do the position PAPA likes so much.

THE END.

