WASTED DESTINIES 3

SCENE 6

(News broadcast)

ANCHOR:    Reaching you live from the stadium arena where there has been a ghastly motor accident that was followed by an explosion barely 15 minutes ago, 50 people have been confirmed dead while 72 sustained injuries. The accident was caused by a man who was trying to escape from the police after murdering a girl believed to go by the name; Clara; the same Clara who is also believed to have poisoned the popular Nigerian singer; Kastalamalaki. Police are yet to uncover the motives behind these murders. Meanwhile, the suspect is still on the run. We’ll keep you informed on more matters arising. Bayo Ayetunde; Channels Television News.


SCENE 6 (b)

(Heavenly Places)

GOD:    (Samuel crying) Samuel my son, do you now understand what I meant when I said I will show you something in the world that burdens me? Look how many people have died in that accident because of one man’s attempt to escape the consequences of his crime. See the destinies that have been wasted while the target escaped.

SAM:    Lord, why not put a stop to all these? It doesn’t seem to be reducing. Instead, things are getting worse!

GOD:    All these will end on my second coming.

SAM:    When shall that be? People are almost beginning to think that your second coming is a myth because the saying has endured for generations without actualizing, even at the times it was most likely to actualize.

GOD:    The son of man shall come like a thief in the night. The people are expected to be faithful at all times because the hour of my coming shall be the most unlikely of times. Besides, no man knows when his spirit shall leave his body. So men should also know that they will die one day. With that consciousness, men will understand that live is too short to waste away on vanity. But rather, live for destiny and return home to me when they pass on, and not suffer the fate that Mary will have to suffer now that she is dead.

SAM:    So Mary will also go to join Peter whom she murdered.

GOD:    Exactly! (Mary’s spirit approaches) Look! Here she comes.

CLARA:    Where am I? Where am I? What is this place?

GOD:    Mary! You are in the afterlife, where you shall be duly rewarded for your escapades in the land of the living. You choose money over God, even when you knew that God should come first in your life. You opened yourself up to the evil one to use you for his evil works. You even went as far as shedding another man’s blood. You will be confined with the rich man who asked for Lazarus to be sent to his relatives to warn them to change their ways until it is time for judgment. You wasted your destiny and endangered the destinies that are tied to yours.

CLARA:    Noooooo (Fades out)

SAM:    (Still crying) I can’t see these anymore. I can’t contain them anymore. Too many people are dying and perishing! Lord, this will never end except you return and harvest those who have been faithful to you.

GOD:    And what happens to those who have not received me into their lives yet? It is not my wish that any man should perish. I will return soon! But no man knows that day. Until then, I wish that all men will come to the knowledge of the truth and shun evil so that it may be well with their soul.

R/MAN:    (Screams) Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 

SAM:    Who is that?

GOD:    That is the rich man who was always dressed in the most expensive clothes and lived in great luxury every day of his life on earth. He’s tormented in that flame and needs water to drink but can’t get it. He never stops asking for Lazarus to be sent to warn his brothers so that they also will not end up in that flame. But his request cannot be granted him because no one from the dead can go to warn the living. The living have prophets to warn them of these things, if only they will take heed to their words and apply them in their lives so they don’t end up like Peter and Mary, and of cause the rich man. Jack, the man who murdered Mary is one of the prophets destined to call the attention of men to the God of heaven. But there he is, committing atrocities all over and now trying to escape the consequences of his crime so that he will have the chance to keep perpetrating more evil.



SAM:    Lord, what will happen to Jack now?

GOD:    Look!



SCENE 6 (c)

VICKY:    (Phone rings) Hello?

JACK:    Hello Vicky, it is Jack!

VICKY:    I know! You’re all over the news! What happened?

JACK:    The police followed Clara to the paint house. They apprehended me when I made to take her somewhere and burn her body but I escaped.

VICKY:    So where are you now?

JACK:    I escaped to the bridge. I’m hiding among the people here. I need your help to get out of here before I bleed to death.

VICKY:    Okay Jack. Just hold on. I’ll contact some people to come and get you.

JACK:    Please Vicky hurry.

VICKY:    I will; but what happens now that Clara’s body has been found? They might trace us through her.

JACK:    We can’t be traced. All she had with her must have been consumed by the fire from the explosion.

VICKY:    Talking about the explosion, how did you escape? Your car was in flames. How did you escape the fire and leave the scene undetected?

JACK:    You ask like you don’t know me. I’m a professional. The fire broke forth some moments after the clash of cars. So I quickly got out of the vehicle after the clash. And before those officers could come close, there was an explosion. That was when I escaped.

VICKY:    Oh’ I understand. 

JACK:    Send someone to come and get me. I need to go to a hospital. I’ve sustained some major injuries.

VICKY:    Aright. I’ll do so immediately.

SCENE 6 (d)

DRIVER:    (Phone rings) Hello?

VICKY:    Hello. Am I speaking to David?

DRIVER:    Yes. This is David. Who am I speaking with please?

VICKY:    That’s inconsequential. I heard you’re a driver. Is that right?

DRIVER:    Correct.

VICKY:    I need you to pick up someone for me.

DRIVER:     Right now?

VICKY:    Yes, right now? He’s at the beach. He needs medical attention. Go there and take him to a hospital. Forward your account details to me so that I can transfer your money into your account when you’re done.

DRIVER:    Okay Ma.

SCENE 7

DRIVER:    (Phone rings) Hello Ma, I’m at the beach now. There are so many people here. How do I locate the person you sent me here to pick?

VICKY:    Just wait for a moment. He will come to you.

JACK:    (Some seconds later) Hey Mister, 

DRIVER:    Yes.

JACK:    Are you the one sent by Vicky to pick me up?

DRIVER:    Yes.

JACK:    Who are you?

DRIVER:    I’m a driver.

JACK:    Driver huh?

DRIVER:    That’s right.

JACK:    Alright. I need you to take me to any hospital outside town.

DRIVER:    You’re badly injured. Were you involved in an accident or something?

JACK:    (Flares up) I said I need you to take me to a hospital outside town okay? Don’t ask any questions!

DRIVER:    Okay! Which hospital exactly?

JACK:    I don’t know; anyone. Just not in town.

DRIVER:    But why do you want to go outside town when there are hospitals everywhere close by?

JACK:    (Flares up) I said no questions! Now let’s get going.

DRIVER:    Yes sir!

SCENE 7 (b)
(Hold up)

JACK:    What’s happening? Why is there a hold up here?

DRIVER:    I don’t know.

JACK:    Why not use another rout if there is hold up in this one? Can’t you understand that I need go to a hospital? Or do you want me to die in your car?

DRIVER:    God forbid!

JACK:    Then do something! Get me out of here!

DRIVER:    I would have done so but there are cars behind and in front of me. So I can neither go forward nor move backward. We have to be patient until the road is free. It shouldn’t take up to five minutes.

JACK:    Oh Gaaad! What sort of temptation is this?

SEGUN:    (Searching cars for possible leads to the suspect; {Jack}) Madam please what do you have in your boot?

TRACY:    Officer how many times do you want me to tell you that I don’t have anything in my boot? What’s the meaning     of this harassment?

SEGUN:    I’m sorry Ma, but there has been another murder today. So we are on investigation. Please do well to comply with us so that this hold up will be over soon

TRACY:    Do I look like a criminal to you? What’s all these nonsense? (Tracy starts nagging and that calls to the attention of many road users in the hold up)

DRIVER:    Look! It’s like the police is the reason for the hold up. There are searching cars.

JACK:    Mehnnnn! This is not good!

DRIVER:    What?

JACK:    I have to get out now!

DRIVER:    Get out now? Why?

JACK:    Shut up and open the door!

DRIVER:    Where are you going?

JACK:    (Screams) Open the door!

DRIVER:    Okay! (Opens the door and Jack steps out and tries to find a place to hide himself away and then escape but one of the policemen there notices him and calls to the attention of others)

MARTIN:    (Segun still arguing with Tracy) Segun look! Some guy just got out of that car and is running away.

SEGUN:    What guy?

MARTIN:    There!

SEGUN:    Mehn! That’s our guy. That’s the guy we’re looking for! I’ll go after him! Go and cease the car he came out from! Go! Go! Go! (Segun runs after Jack while Martin goes for the car)

MARTIN:    Freeze!

DRIVER:    Officer please o! Please!

MARTIN:    Get out of the car! Get out of the car now!

DRIVER:    Yes officer! I will come out! Please don’t shoot me!

MARTIN:    You are under arrest!

DRIVER:    Under arrest? Under arrest for what?

MARTIN:    For the murder of one Miss Clara. You have the right to remain silent or whatever you say or do will be used against you in the court of law.

DRIVER:    Officer I didn’t murder anybody o! I didn’t murder anybody o!

MARTIN:    Shut up!

SEGUN:    (Returns from chasing Jack) Hey Martin, he escaped! He escaped again!

MARTIN:    Not to worry. We have his partner here.

DRIVER:    Partner? I’m not his partner o! I don’t know him. I’m just a driver please. You are mistaken.

MARTIN:    I said shut up! You are not his partner? Then what are you?

DRIVER:    Someone just called me to go and pick him up from the beach and….. (Martins lands him a slap)

MARTIN:    C’mon move! Move now! You’ll state your case when you get to the station. Criminal! Your cup don full today!

DRIVER:    Abeg I no be criminal abeg! I no be criminal oo, abeg!

SEGUN:    Shut up! (Segun and Martin drag the driver to their car and bundle him inside while the rest of the road users just watch in amazement thinking that the culprit of the just committed crime has been apprehended by the supposed able Nigerian police)

SCENE 7

VICKY:    (Phone call) Hello Jack, are you in a secure location now?

JACK:    No Vicky. Something went wrong again.

VICKY:    What this time?

JACK:    We were caught up in traffic on our way to a hospital. The police were there carrying out investigations. When I noticed, I quickly stepped out of the car and ran away. The police spotted me and chased after me but couldn’t get me. I believe they went back for the driver you sent to pick me up the moment they lost me.

VICKY:    Gaaad! Jack, this is crap! The police are going to carry out investigation on that driver and may trace him to me. I have to get rid of this line because I called him with it. And if I know the police very well, they check his call records. I am destroying this sim card right away.

JACK:    (Faintly) Wait!-Wait!-Wait! Vicky. I’m dying here. I’ve lost a lot of blood already, and I need to get to a hospital before I lose more blood than I need to remain alive. Please come and help me Vicky. I’m getting cold.

VICKY:    Okay. Where are you?

JACK:    I returned to the same bridge again. It’s the only place I can hide myself successfully. I’m bleeding seriously. Some people are already beginning to notice the blood all over me. Please come quickly, I’m dying.

VICKY:    Don’t worry. I’m coming there right now.

JACK:    Thank you Vicky.

VICKY:    Anytime. (Hangs up) Look at this idiot o! You call yourself a professional but couldn’t even carry out a smooth operation. Now you want me to endanger myself by coming to pick you up. It’s a good thing you’re as good as dead. Just die so that they’ll be no way for the police to trace and find out that I am involved in all these. First of all, I need to get rid of this line, and then change location for a while.

SCENE 8

(Police Station)

SEGUN:    So you don’t want to tell us the truth abi? Where is your partner?

DRIVER:    (Crying and pleading) He is not my partner. I don’t know that guy from anywhere. I was just contracted to pick him up, that’s all.

SEGUN:    Who contracted you to pick him up?

DRIVER:    I don’t know. One lady just called me up and asked me to pick him up. When I asked who she was, she said her identity is inconsequential. I’m a driver, and my job is driving. People call me every now and then to drive them somewhere or transport something for them. I only meet them when it’s time for me to get paid. In this case, the lady asked me to send her my account details so that she can credit my account when the job is done.

SEGUN:    Where is the lady’s number?

DRIVER:    In my phone. You guys got my phone at the counter.

SEGUN:    Martin!

MARTIN:    Yes sir!

SEGUN:    Go and bring his phone.

MARTIN:    Yes sir! (Leaves to get the phone)

SEGUN:    I just hope you’re not lying to me because if you are; na your body go tell you! You hear me so?

DRIVER:    Officer I’m not lying.

MARTIN:    (Returns with phone) Here is his phone.

SEGUN:    Oya, see your phone here! Where the number?

DRIVER:    Officer, just check the last number that called me.

SEGUN:    Last number wey call you abi? Okay nah! (Dials the number)

MTN:    The number you have called is not available at the moment. Please try again later. Thank you.

SEGUN:    The number is not going through nah. Wetin happen? Na me you dey lie for abi?

DRIVER:    Officer no be lie! Na the number be that! I swear!

SEGUN:    Your father! Na me you dey use play abi? I go show you pepper today. (Segun & Martin start manhandling him while he begs for mercy)Since you don’t want to tell us the way about of your partner, you’ll suffer the consequences alone. I’m filing your case in court. You will face trial for your crime. I suggest you call your lawyer if you have one. You must face the penalty for your crime. And I can tell you categorically that the crime of murder is only punishable by death!

DRIVER:    (Crying fearfully and pleading) Officer pleeeeaaaase, I am not a murderer. I’m just a victim of circumstance. Please believe me. I don’t know that guy who ran away. Neither do I know the lady who called me to pick him up. I was just doing my job as a driver. I couldn’t have known he was a criminal. Please believe me.

MARTIN:    This guy is really a hardened criminal! Can you imagine that he is trying to force us to believe a lie! Chai! Nawa o!

DRIVER:    Officer pleeeeeeaaaaasssssseeeeee. I am not lying…………….,

SEGUN:    Maybe he will talk when he faces the judge in court. He may think we are playing. Throw him behind bars!

MARTIN:    Yes sir!!! (Bundles the driver and throws him behind bars while the driver keeps yelling pleading)

SCENE 9

JACK:    (After a while without Vicky coming to get Jack, his condition got worse and the people around took notice of the blood that was flowing from his body and started mumbling words within themselves. Then Jack starts calling out for help) Please help me. Help me please. Take me to a hospital please. I’m dying.

VIEWER 1:    Why do we stand here like this and watch this man dying? Let’s take him to a hospital. He is dying slowly.

VIEWER 2:    Take him to a hospital? Do you even know who he is or how he got here? (Crowd respond saying; ORRRR…,)

VIEWER 1:    Maybe he was involved in an accident or something. Let’s just help him please.

VIEWER 2:    My hands are not there o. I must know who he is first before even touching him. He could be an armed robber for all I care. Or are you not aware of what’s happening in town nowadays? (Crowd respond saying; ORRRR…,)

JACK:    (With his initial last strength) You are right! (The people marvel with loud mumbles)

PREACHER:    (Just then a preacher walks by preaching and calling unto people to change their ways and give their lives to Christ)) Now is the time for salvation. Therefore repent and have eternal life. My People, repent if you don’t want to burn in hell for all eternity. This may be your last chance. Answer this call now before it is too late.

JACK:    Please call me that preacher. Call me that preacher please. I need to talk to him. Call him for me pleeeasee.

VIEWER 1:    Evangelist! Evangelist ooo!

PREACHER:    Yes, daughter of Zion! You want to give your life to God? 

VIEWER 1:    It’s not me evangelist. That young man there, lying in a pool of his own blood is asking to see you.

PREACHER:    A young man lying in a pool of his own blood wants to see me?

VIEWER 1:    Yes sir! (The evangelist speaks in tongues on hearing that and proceeds to meet Jack)

PREACHER:    Young man, I hear you want to see me. What is the matter with you? And why are you soaked in blood?

JACK:    That’s exactly why I want to see you. Preacher, I have sinned against God and humanity. I’m sure that God is punishing me for my sins now.

PREACHER:    Young man, there is no sin that God cannot forgive. If you just confess and forsake them, he is faithful enough to forgive you. But young man, what happened to you?

JACK:    Sir, you remember the car accident that took place earlier today which ended in an explosion?

PREACHER:    Yes.

JACK:    I was the cause of that accident. (Crowd mumbles in confusion)

PREACHER:    How were you the cause?

JACK:    I was trying to escape from the police after killing one lady I was sent to kill. (Crowd shouts in amazement)

PREACHER:    What???

JACK:    Yes sir. I’m an assassin. I’ve killed so many people in my lifetime. I never knew a day like this will come. Please sir, pray for me and ask God to forgive me. I don’t want to die and go to hell.

PREACHER:    Jesus! You did all that? Gaaad! And after sending countless people to hell you want to repent and go to heaven? 

JACK:    Please sir, I did all those out of ignorance. I regret all I ever did. I wish I could turn back the hands of time and undo them, but it’s late now. Please sir, just pray for me so that my soul may find rest. Please, please…..,

PREACHER:    If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Because you’ve confessed your sins today, God will forgive and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. Say this after me. (The preacher leads Jack to pray the sinners’ prayer) Congratulations young man. You now have eternal life. But I must hurry you to a hospital and see if I can keep your body from dying.  (Rushes Jack to a hospital)

SCENE 9 (b)

SAM:    Lord, Jack will die! O’ thank God he received salvation. At least; he won’t have to burn in flames with the rest.

GOD:    Yes, he has received salvation. But he has not fulfilled his destiny. Coming home to me now with unused gifts and talents is not a cause for rejoicing. He has not accomplished his mission on earth.
SAM:    Lord, so what will become of him when he gets here? 
    
To be continued.