High School Play: Heroic Vandal (Scene 13: The New Vandal)

Posted on by theageofthediary

To start from the first scene, click here.

Click here to go to the previous scenes.

Note: In celebration of women’s month, I decided to post this play that I wrote when I was in second year high school. My groupmates helped me come up with ideas, but I was the one who was largely responsible for the conceptualization of the story and the writing of the script. In this play, I talk about two sisters who are awoken to the plight of women and are moved to fight oppression. I also slightly touch upon the issue of honor killings, specifically how raped women (usually in the Middle East) are killed because they have brought “dishonor” to their family. Our group was assigned to write about Pakistan, but in this script, I changed the name of the country into a fictional country because the depiction of this world is not an accurate depiction of Pakistan. I also changed “Allah” to “Azlah” because the god described in this story and the religious practices depicted are not accurate depictions of the Muslim faith.

Scene 13: It is nighttime. Anwaar is in a deserted flea market. She is kneeling before the wall that she had just vandalized. She is examining her hands which have red paint all over it.

Anwaar: I know you are there. Show yourself.

(Servants enter.)

Maisa: Ms. Anwaar, we are very sorry for this intrusion, but we felt that we had to follow you so that we can protect you.

Anwaar: Thank you, Maisa.

Imtithal: Ms. Anwaar, we must leave! Someone’s approaching!

Anwaar: (very calmly) Ah, yes. That must be my father and his guards.

Saameira: Ms. Anwaar, please, let us go.

Anwaar: I am staying. I am going with them so that I can speak to the king.

Imtithal: What? That’s suicide! The king won’t listen to a woman.

Anwaar: This cause demands sacrifices. If we continue to assume that we will never be heard, then we become what we believe.

Maisa: (Trying to fight tears but can’t.) Ms. Anwaar…

Anwaar: Do not cry. I am fighting for what is right.

(Imtithal and Saameira start crying too.)

Imtithal: Ms. Anwaar…Why does this have to happen? Why are they protecting such a rotten system?

Saameira: Why are they listening to the dictations of patriarchy instead of the dictations of justice?

Maisa: Why do you have to sacrifice your life?

Anwaar: I am prepared to die, but let my death be not in vain.

(Silence.)

Maisa: We understand.

Anwaar: Then go. Run away and hide, but do not stifle your voices. Run so that you can live a life that is devoted to the service of our cause. That is your fate; this is mine.

(The servants embrace Anwaar.)

(General Najiya enters with guards.)

Anwaar: Run!

(Guards chase servants.)

General Najiya: Anwaar, my child, how could you? Why are you doing this?

Anwaar: I’m doing this for my sister. Let me go, father. Don’t do this to me.

General Najiya: Do you know what you are asking me to do? You are asking me to traitor my country for a worthless woman!

Anwaar: Worthless? I am your child. If you do this, you will become a traitor to your blood.

General Najiya: (General Najiya goes near Anwaar. He holds Anwaar’s right hand with his right hand. He seems like he’s going to embrace his daughter. Then he hits her with his left hand. Anwaar is lying down unconscious on the ground. General Najiya puts Anwaar’s hands behind her back and begins to tie her.) I’m sorry my child, blood cannot save your life.

(Lights out.)

To go to the last scene, click here.

For all posts about Heroic Vandal click here.

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Note: For some entries in this blog, a few names and details have been deliberately and willingly changed by the author. This is a personal decision made by the author for specific reasons known to her and is not an endorsement for censorship.