The Mute

By Usama Mehmood

About a boy, his imaginery friend and a girl who likes the boy but loves an other boy. Socially awkward, falls for the wrong girl, friendzoned and no one to talk to but a pervert-pretend friend. Karachi is in turmoil, bomb blasts, strikes and target killing. How can two unlikely couple wed? What about hunza in Fall 2005?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Usama Mehmood
• Release date: Nov 10, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370174706

Book preview

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