The Victim

VICTIM

Written by

Mercy Adigun

THE POLICE STATION - DAY

The camera glides through the police station's waiting area,finally settling on Mercy

MERCY - AN 18-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN A REHAB UNIFORM, WEARING A

VISIBLY DISTRESSED EXPRESSION.

She gazes down at her hands, silently shedding tears as she anxiously awaits her the prison visitation time to see her father.Mercy tries to hold back her emotions, she takes deep breaths.

A police officer walks to the front desk, checking both the wall clock and his wristwatch. He picks up a bell from the counter and rings it, announcing to everyone that it is the visiting hour

POLICE OFFICER:

Visiting time he announced loudly..

He then grabs the visitor log to call out names.Mercy Jacobs he shouted ?

MERCY:

Yes sir Mercy responded.

The POLICE OFFICER gestures towards the sign-in book on thecounter.

Come and sign in here he says .

Mercy hurriedly approaches the counter, picks up the pen,and signs her name.

MERCY:

Sir, I'm done.

The POLICE OFFICER inspects the sign-in book forconfirmation.

You are here alone? He asks

MERCY:

Yes sir. Mercy responds.

POLICE OFFICER:

Have your seat over there the prison warder will come out to escort you soon to meet your father Beson jacobs.

MERCY:

Okay sir. She responded calmly.

Mercy walk over to the new sitting area assigned to herwaiting for the prison warder to arrive.

Moments later, a prison warder called out her name.

PRISON WARDER:

Calls out her name

“Mercy Jacobs”

MERCY

"Yes, sir."

The police officer instructs Mercy to follow him.

IN A DARK ROOM

with 4 chairs and a center table place on

both sides the prison warder led Mercy to where her fatheris already seated, chained to a table.

PRISON WARDER:

"You have 10 minutes, It is usually 5 minutes but becausethis is the last time you will be seeing him Alive he has been sentenced to Death by hanging. but extra time wasgranted as it would be your final meeting before hishanging sentence.

MERCY:

Mercy nodded in agreement, tears streaming down her face.The prison warder walks out of the room. Mercy waits forthe other police warder to step out and close the door behind before talking.

Through sobs, she whispers,

Father?

Her father stares intensely at his chained hands as silent tears escape his eyes.

FATHER -36-YEAR-OLD MAN DRESSED IN A PRISON UNIFORM WITH HIS

HANDS HANDCUFFED TO THE TABLE BETWEEN MERCY AND HER FATHER

MERCY:

Crying while talking “I am sorry, I am sorry, I ruined you”.

FATHER:

Crying bitterly,he refuses to look at his daughter and keeps staring at his chained hands.

MERCY:

Crying bitterly.

“I ruined you. You did nothing

wrong. I was the one...”

Her father quickly cuts her off before she finishes the sentence.

FATHER:

Let it be known that I pushed her, and she hit her head. I killed that woman not you

MERCY:

Shakes her head in disagreement."No, you loved her so much. I wasangry. I was angry that you are quick to forget the love you had

for my late mother and already love another woman. I was jealous of how you laughed so much whenever she was around.That you sometimes forget you have a daughter. Your

attention was drifting away from me, Father. I am sorry for pushing her. I killed her, and you did nothing. I deserve the punishment,

not you!” Crying bitterly

FATHER:

I have been punished all my life, I don't even know if its deserving ornot ,Just when I thought life was starting to make sense and stopped being cruel to me. Maybe I should have told you earlier, just maybe things wouldn't have ended thisway. Just maybe things would have been different, just maybe...

Maybe I should have told you earlier, just maybe things wouldn't have ended this

way. Just maybe things would have

been different, just maybe...

“Takes a deep shaky breath”.

But maybe I did the right thing as a father. To save you from stigmatization, from pain, from a sense of belonging, from knowing that we were both victims. But I was wrong. I should have let you know your truth. I should have let you know that you are a result of a rape

situation, that your mother and I are biological siblings.

MERCY:

(Stunned)what! What do you mean? What do you mean by biological siblings? Father you are not making any sense, was my mother

your junior sister? yourapped her?

Father Did you... rape her?

FATHER:

I was a victim of rape, and you are the result of that. My elder sister is your mother. I remember like it was yesterday; I was just 12 years old when my sister molested me. She would force me to have sex with her and beat me until I agreed. I hated it, but she enjoyed it. Our parents had passed away, so we had to live with our aunt, who was often not around. There was no one to help me, and I was too scared to tell anyone, fearing that no one would believe me. Years later, people still don't believe that men can be victims of rape. Who would believe that a boy is being raped?

RAPE is typically perceived as a situation involving females. But in my situation it is the other way round. My elder sister rapped me, she threatened me, claiming that no one would believe me and that she would make everyone believe I had raped her. I felt trapped and compelled to satisfy her sexually. I am a victim of rape, and you are the result of that. My elder sister is your mother.”

He bows his head in anguish, crying and struggling to speak . Mercy holds her head in pain, shocked by the overwhelming revelation. Nevertheless, her father continues,

“She became pregnant and gave birth to you. She died after losing a significant amount of blood.

“Mercy sobs uncontrollably”. Her father, trembling with tears of pain, says,

raised you on my own. I sacrificed my education and worked various low-paying jobs. I toiled tirelessly to ensure your survival."I have given you my love, my time, and my devotion. I waited until you were old enough before seeking my own happiness. Now that things are starting to fall into place, I have found happiness with a partner who has accepted you as my daughter. But how have you repaid me?

MERCY:

Mercy cries bitterly, expressing her sorrow as she speaks “ I am sorry I did not know. You should have told me.”

FATHER:

Sorry? What can sorry fix! Now I am being blamed for trying to protect you from the harsh truth that could break you. I have been there before, I know how it feels to be stigmatized and broken.

MERCY:,

“I did not know, I am sorry.”

FATHER:

You have ruined me beyond repair.No essence left to live. Everything has been taken away from me. I refuse to acknowledge you as my daughter. I disown you. Let me at least die in peace, instead of this cruel and undeserved fate.

MERCY:

'No, please, I am sorry. Please forgive me.'

Mercy's heart-wrenching screams echoed through the room as she desperately clung to her father, who coldly pushed her away and followed the police out of the dimly lit space.

As Mercy continued to cry out in agony, she questioned her own actions, consumed by overwhelming guilt and despair.

Police Officer Wader announced, 'Time's up,' as he escorted her father away to face the law to be punished by Death by hanging

Mercy screamed bitterly, 'Nooo!' he didn't kill that woman, I did it!

Once more, Mercy's heart-wrenching screams filled the room as she tried to hold onto her father, who pushed her away and left with the police.

Sobbing in pain, Mercy cried out, 'What have I done!'

NOOOOO!