Azeha

By Rodney St Clair Ballenden

Azeha, innocent yet flawed, returns to the small coastal town where her baby boy lies buried in search of the love she imagined as a young woman. She was underage and her rebellious spirit too risky for the stakes at hand. And she paid the price.
This screen play was adapted from the novel, Child of Destiny written by Rodney St Clair Ballenden.
Set against the backdrop of the Iranian revolution, and the aspirations of a thwarted spirit, Azeha mirrors the life of many young women. When the dream becomes a nightmare and to run the only means of survival, Azeha rejects the gods of her background in favor of an innate strength to turn the circumstances of fate into a life without fear.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rodney St Clair Ballenden
• Release date: Aug 2, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463885901

Rodney St Clair Ballenden

Rodney St Clair Ballenden was born in Nairobi, Kenya, in 1947. In lieu of an academic career he traveled extensively through Europe, the United Sates of America and Greece. He married Colleen and returned to South Africa to farm, but the call of the wild drew him into a hermit existence placing him in extreme situations exposed to danger and the vagaries of storm and wind. From his observations on man and his relationship with the wilderness he began to write, and his books are available on the SmashWord platform as well as at Amazon. Rodney now lives in Greece.

Book preview

140

AZEHA

Jewel of the Nahita Family

a smashwords screenplay

adapted from the book Child of Destiny

by

Rodney St Clair Ballenden

Copyright © 2013 by Rodney St Clair Ballenden.

All rights reserved. This screenplay is licensed for your personal enjoyment only and may not be re-sold or given away. Thank you for respecting the work of this author.

title sequence

South Eastern Iran, the village of Asadiyeh at dawn

The town of Azadiyeh is a combination of modern and old. The old village of mud houses clusters around the two gnat water wells. The modern town of high rise buildings and apartments spreads out along the east to west tar road. A dirt road running north to south intersects the tar road and forms the town centre. A variety of trees grow haphazardly, mainly to the south, the rest of the terrain barren and bare.

Azeha (15 years old) collects wood. She makes a bundle and carries it to her home. Dressed in a full niquab and shyala, Azeha is nevertheless bouncy and energetic, and loves to work.

Int / ext the courtyard and house of Azeha dawn

The house consists of three rooms with an enclosed courtyard and a single door leading to the outside.

Azeha enters the courtyard, greeted by her Grandfather. He takes the bundle of wood from Azeha and leads the way into the house.

Grandfather

(in Persian)

Well done, my child. You are so strong. This is enough for the whole day. You must be careful, and save your body for later.

They stack the wood together.

Azeha

I’ll bring more, Grandpapa. Much more.

Grandfather

First the water.

(hands Azeha a bucket)

Only half at a time. Nothing too heavy for you, my sweet one.

Azeha grabs another bucket and runs from the house.

cut to the gnat water well

Azeha draws two full buckets of water and lugs them away, struggling under the weight and the water slopping over.

int Azeha’s bedroom Early evening

Azeha, wearing no top, only a bra, sits on the edge of her bed embroidering a new dress. Azeha is not a natural seamstress, her fingers and hands more adept at more manual tasks. Mother enters and sees Azeha struggling.

Mother

You should pay more attention to your womanly tasks, my child.

Mother takes the dress from Azeha and sits beside her.

Azeha

My first job is to collect the wood and water for our needs. You know that.

Mother

You can train your fingers to do both.

Mother shows Azeha how to stitch, her fingers adept at the task.

Mother (continues)

I did.

Mother shows her disgust at Azeha’s near naked appearance.

Mother (continues)

And you should dress properly too.

(hands Azeha the niquab and shayla)

Mother (continues)

Especially when you go out.

Azeha

Oh mother, how boring. I have seen the other girls at the water well in jeans and wearing dark glasses.

Mother

And they are all bad girls. We are poor people, Azeha, and follow the traditions of our elders.

Azeha, drapes the niquab across her breasts, teasing her mother.

int the house - Kitchen early evening

Grandfather packs away the family hunting gear; a large canvass tent; a blackened pot; a mug, plate and spoon.

Azeha and her mother sit at a small table and watch.

Grandfather

The time has come to turn to the west. Your father will not return, my child. We have heard nothing. But I know…I know the evil of Iraq has claimed him.

(snaps his fingers)

And that war will never end.

Grandfather wraps a set of knives in an oily rag.

Grandfather (continues)

The only weapon we now need is prayer. Prayer and a humble life will protect us from going astray. We are Baluchi people. The blood of our ancestors flows between these rocks and our calling is to suffer in this barren land. We will focus on Allah, the Almighty. No more than that.

And Grandfather breaks his walking stick.

cut to later that night

Grandfather, Mother and Azeha sit on a rug in front of the fire. The Qur’an open in front of Grandfather.

Grandfather stares into the eyes of Azeha.

Grandfather

(whispering)

Beautiful and terrifying. Those evil spirits cannot harm you, child.

(sprinkles his spit on the face of Azeha)

There, my child. I have chased them away.

Azeha turns aside.

Grandfather pulls Azeha by the hair to face him.

Grandfather (continues)

You are my jewel, even though you are a girl. My son wished for a boy, but Allah brought you instead.

cut to the next day

Mother and Azeha fold the washing.

Mother

You have dangerous eyes, my child.

Azeha

I am too small to be dangerous. I am only skin and bones tied together by two useful hands, and with a secret part in me for bearing sons.

Mother wraps a clean shayla around Azeha’s face.

Mother

Listen to Grandfather, child. He teaches you of the inner path, because if you were to lose your way, then as a woman, the mistake would be fatal. No record inside means that the only way back can be from the outside.

(after a pause)

All women have a power in them. Your eyes speak of that power.

Azeha

Then, I will keep them closed.

And Azeha runs from the room with her hand over her eyes, never colliding with the furniture or the doorway.

ext the countryside – a depression behind the house day

Azeha runs along a path and slides down into a shallow depression. She rips off the niquab and shayla and picks flowers growing between the rocks. She smells the flowers, and sings their praise.

Azeha

O wondrous nature, be my rock, stand for me when I fall, warm me with your embrace. Praise be to Allah.

Azeha rips off more of her clothing. She holds the flowers to her throat and dances.

Three young school boys amble passed and see Azeha dancing half naked. One Boy howls like a wolf. The others copy him.

Azeha stands her ground, her temper rising.

Boy1

(advancing on Azeha)

You’re too skinny.

Boy2

And ugly.

Boy3 pumps an imaginary set of giant breasts at Azeha.

Boy3

Grow up skinny goat.

Azeha charges, smashing into Boy3 and sends him reeling. She stands square to the other boys ready for a fight.

Boy1 and Boy2 back off.

Boy1

Easy kid. We don’t want to hurt you.

Boy 2

We were only playing.

Azeha stamps her foot and the boys turn and walk away, roughing each other and teasing Boy3 at having fallen to the skinny goat.

Azeha watches the boys go, shivering from the thrill of the fight. Then, she turns, grabs her shayla, and runs home. But she forgets her niquab in her haste.

ext / int the courtyard - house evening

Azeha enters, her face bare, and carrying only a small bundle of wood. Grandfather bends over on his prayer mat, his head between his arms. Mother sees Azeha without the niquab and hurries to intervene and usher Azeha indoors.

Mother

What are you doing? You silly child.

(tries to cover Azeha’s face)

Quick before Grandfather sees you. And this…

Mother rips the wood from Azeha and throws it to the floor.

Mother (continues)

So little and yet you were gone so long. We’ll have to collect more in the night.

Grandfather enters and sees Azeha without her niquab. His face darkens. He moves slowly around Azeha to sit at the table, his head bent.

Mother slinks away as Azeha stoops to gather the bundle of wood and stack it beside the fire.

Grandfather

The child is of age. She will marry the young boy next door. It is best now before she ruins herself.

Mother arrives with another niquab and shayla and slaps them into Azeha’s arms.

Grandfather (continues)

So be it. It is now up to Allah. There will come a forceful intervention calling every man, woman, and child to play their part. There will be no dissent. It is beyond our reasoning.

Azeha bites her lip. She ties the niquab on extra tight, never wincing at the discomfort.

Azeha

I am not a plaything for others.

Grandfather

The Almighty, has blessed you with insight, child. Do not lose it in your