RESIDENTS

New Family

(A new family drives in , they are received by the cold glances and awkward breeze of the Estate Residents, including Emily who's standing at her pouch, completely lost in her own world )

Emily;

(Enters the living room, locks the door behind her and heads to Tiwa's room, Tiwa hearing the closing in footsteps of her mother, quickly grabs a textbook as though she has been engrossed in it for hours , Emily opens the door and kisses her on the head)

I'm sorry for a lot of things honey, I know this is hard for you too

(sits on the bed by Tiwa's side, patting her hair)

Tiwa; Everything's okay mum, the only thing wrong is that, you're fighting Dad

Emily; I'm not, we're trying to figure things out , yes, but we're not fighting, okay... and like you said , everything is okay.

(sighs)

Do you wanna like , have a stroll with me?

Tiwa ; Yes ( she said excitedly)

Emily; Common. (lifts Tiwa from the bed)

(A while later Emily and Tiwa arrives at the flower shop, they both enter )

Rachel ; ( welcomes them with a warm smile )

I take this your beautiful Daughter you told me about

Emily; ( smiles )

Yes, my daughter

Rachel ; didn't get a good look at the dinner party, seeing her now she really is adorable.

Emily; Yeah, right.... we are here on flower shopping. Go on Tiwa find something you like .

Tiwa ; (picks a piece of daffodils, smells it and smiles )

I love this one, what's it called ?

Rachel ; Daffodils , meaning hope and New beginning. it's a good choice

(she smiles)

Emily; ( Sighs, with an awkward look)

It's really nice... Thank you Rachel.

I want some for myself, for a garden

Rachel ; Oh Really , then I've got some for you

( she picks some flowers around her shop, she returns and gives them to Emily)

I hope you know your way around them

Emily; Yes I do ( affirmatively)

How much are they? Everything?

Rachel ; What do you mean ? It's free

( she laughs)

Emily; No I can't let you keep doing this, please let me pay for them

Rachel ; No , It's a gift, plus I would really love to see your garden, and how the flowers blooms...

Emily; You should know I really do appreciate your kindness, you're doing your best to make us feel settled in this strange place , but I insist

( staring deeply into Rachel's eyes, Emily takes out some cash from her wallet and hands it over to Rachel, who hesitates but ends up taking it with a little smile)

Tiwa common , let's go...

( she urges Tiwa who's busy doting on her Daffodils, Emily tilts her head downward a bit in form of a bow to Rachel, and they leave, Rachel Continues to smile, waving them bye, but her smile ends sharply with a weird frown and a contemplative sigh)

( Emily and Tiwa arrives home, Tiwa grabs a vase and places her flowers in it, pours some water , Emily kisses her on the forehead, and begins to prepare dinner , she places her groceries and vegetables on the kitchen cabinet, she makes steak and some pasta, and some waffles to go with it because they're Tiwa's favorite, she sets the table , and George arrives from work)

( EMILY sits at the table waiting for George to come in, Tiwa opens the door to her Dad, while Emily scrolls on her phone)

Oh Dear I haven't used you in a while...

Hello, Mum ? Mum can you hear me?

Receiver ; Emily, thank Goodness, I have been trying to reach you . How's George and Tiwa

Emily; We're doing Okay Mum, I told you we moved to a small place

Receiver; Yes I know, I know, Everything will be okay honey, it'll pass , you'll be fine, George told me everything.

( that moment George makes an entrance , Tiwa helps him sit at the table)

Emily; I Wish I could have you visit Mum , but no , not yet, we're not in good shape

Receiver; I know, I could send you some money ...

Emily; Mum , don't trouble yourself, we'll be okay, we'll plan to visit you soon, I promise , I really miss you

Receiver; I love you

Emily; Love you mom.

( She hangs up George who's sitting across her asks )

George; Mum

Emily; Yes , I called her . Let's eat ...

George ; This looks wonderful, Tiwa see , your favorite waffles....

Tiwa; Yes, ( excitedly) Thanks Mum

( They all smile and begin to eat , a while later , they retired each to their bedroom, Emily's eyes remain widely awake , as George continues to toss and turn beside her )

Emily; You know it's better you say whatever's on your mind

George ; ( for a while he sighs and a flash back on what happens at the office comes to him, His assistant, Glory suddenly bonces into his office , with a lunch box , presenting it to him in the most loving way possible, seductively, placing them on the desk, she leans forward to George

George; What's the meaning of this, Glory?

Glory ; Oh ( sharply) I thought I might share some lunch with you, I don't ever see you coming in with one , so I made extra, for ....you

George ; No , thank you, I usually skip lunch... You should extend your kindness to some of the patients who needs it

Glory ; Very well... ( she carries the box, as she turns to leave, with so much contempt, and dissatisfaction, firmly taking each steps as though the floor beneath her had wronged her , making so much unpleasant echoes with the hills of her shoe, George stares at Glory's behind, and then her shoes, then he calls to her .....)

George; And Glory....

( Glory halts without looking back, she smiles hopefully, think he after all he has decided to take the food)

Don't ever do this again....

( Glory leaves the office in so much fury)

( George sighs on the bed right beside Emily)

Emily; Are you okay ?

George; I am , I'm just , I saw a new family come in earlier .

Emily; Yeah , they're welcome

George ; I guess they'll have to make dinner as well

Emily; Since it's customary, it's their way of getting to know each other in this weird a*s family town Estate.

George ; Yeah

( He reaches out his hand to touch Emily, for a while she lets the hand be, as he carresses her hand, but then Emily gently parts her hand from his and turns to the other side)

Baby....

Emily; What do you possibly want with someone who's out of her mind, George?

George ; I have never said that...

Emily; You want me to pull myself together George, I'm drifting away... You think doing this , would help, put me ...together?

George; It could, as it's been a while...

Emily; ( Smirks sharply)

I should just sleep....

George ; ( reaches out again, gently touching her arm , Emily removes his hand with her other hand

"Good night honey"...)

( she squeezes a handful of the sheet between her palm softly with a gasp, bits her lip , and closes the lids of her eyes gently)

( Tiwa finds herself on the playground again, the children with large eyes , pulling her towards the swing, she sits on it, and a girl begin to push the swing for her,

"We came to your house , we had a feast, but you did not join us"

Tiwa ; When did you come to our house?

Girl; Your mom didn't tell you? We messed up the whole place

Another child; The cake was nice

Another girl; Let me see your hair, it is beautiful, your mom takes care of you ...

Girl; You should invite us to your house , we wanna play in it....

Tiwa; No, my mom won't like that

Boy; I see your mom when she comes out at night

Tiwa ; My mom. doesn't come out at night, she's too scared

Children;( They all laugh maniacally , Tiwa becomes terrified by the sound of their laughter , so much that she falls from the swing, the fall wakes her up, gasping , she stands from the bed, and heads into the master's bedroom, squeezing herself between Emily and George, Emily holds her close and kisses her on the forehead)

( Emily and Tiwa are having a session of homeschooling when a knock arrives on their door)

Emily; Rachel.. Hi

Rachel; I was passing by, and I thought I should drop by

Emily; Oh, that's lovely, come on in

Rachel; A nice living room you have here, oh It's beautiful Tiwa

Tiwa; Hi Auntie Rachel

Emily: I'm sure you don't mind some juice, got some the other day I went grocery shopping

Rachel; Make it red ....

Emily; ( unsure what Rachel means by red)

"What? "

Rachel ; The juice , I mean, make it orange - Orange juice

Emily; ( breaks out in a smile)

"yeah, exactly what we have here"

(She opens the fridge, and pauses at the sight of the Orange juice, it's filled up, looking just as new, confusedly, she smirks, grabs the juice and pours in two glass cups , hands one to Rachel, Emily then, gives Tiwa a looks that instantly made her pick up her books and heads to her room)

Emily; ( sits on the couch across Rachel)

I didn't get to thank you the last time we met, at the new family's dinner , for the , uhm , flowers, they're getting along nicely

Rachel; Oh-common , We're friends , we don't need thanking each other for such trivial things..

Emily; ( smiles)

Rachel; It's been two days since the dinner, I wonder when she plans to have her Requite....

Emily;

"What ?" You mean a Reciprocal dinner , like we did?

Rachel; ( with emphasy)

"Yes"

Emily; Well I don't expect her to know about that if she's not told .

Rachel : You could do that for her you know .... tell her

Emily ; (sighs) mmmh

(she nods with a smile)

(That night , Emily stands by the living room window, staring deeply at the block opposite them , the building which the new family moved in to. while she expects them to start regretting moving in to the estate, suddenly a loud music begins to play , and the people in the house begin to make noises , partying loudly in their house , George creeps up behind Emily )

George ; They do seem to to be having fun

( he stands beside Emily , who gasps when he made the statement)

Emily ; Yeah , for now ....

George ; What makes you so sure something will happen to them, or they'll feel unhappy after moving in?

Emily ; I am not sure , and I don't even know

(she heads to the couch , and sits, opens the TV and navigates with the remote , George closes the curtain , and sits next to her )

Emily; I'm trying to watch something after a while

George : And I'm not trying to stop you Dear, I'll simply watch while sitting beside you .

Emily : You may not like what I watch

George ; Oh common , be nice .

(George places his left arm on Emily's shoulder, Emily sighs , they watch for a while and George goes )

Something smells here ...

Emily ; What ?

(George gets up and begin to sniff around the sofa, then eventually to beneath the sofa . Emily rolls her eyes , as she suddenly remembers, she hits her head , as George pulls out the nylon she hid beneath the sofa , which contains her bloodstained shirt and trouser )

George ; Honey !

Emily ; (looks away , then George gets up and picks the lighter from the kitchen , unlocks the door and steps out , Emily behind him, they go to the side of the house , and George throws the nylon in an iron bucket , he puts some fuel and lits it , as it burns , Emily tries to explain )

The blood is from the Goat from the other night, the one I killed .

George ; I see .

Emily; You see what ? just scold me already, for forgetting to burn the b****y clothes , and letting it rot

George: Why would I do that ?

Emily: I mean, for whatever reason that you have to ... okay

(Suddenly they heard a weird noise from the new family a few blocks away, like a scream)

Thought they were done partying and sleeping already

George: Do you think they're having like a uhm, couple's party in the bedroom ?

Emily; George! common !

George ; I mean it's not impossible (he smiles)

(Then another scream is heard from the apartment, this time George holds Emily's hand and they begin to walk back to their porch , when suddenly, the woman runs out of her apartment, screaming as though she's being chased, seeing Emily and George as they stop , she runs over to them )

Dora ; Please help me ! ( running barefooted towards them )

Please help me ! ( Emily runs to her , grabs her , calming her )

Emily ; Hey , hey , relax , what's happened ?

Dora ; Theres a , My , ( losing her breath, George stares )

Emily ; I need you to relax , What's your name , tell me your name

Dora ; it's Dora !

Emily ; Dora , tell me why you ran out of the apartment in the middle of the night .

Dora ; We were in the room , having a little time, and he suddenly started strangling me (she coughs ) choking me , pining me down so bad , and then he looked different, like another man , I don't know whatever came over him, he's never been like that !

Emily; Your husband?!

Dora ; Whatever that was , isn't my husband!

( Emily looks at George , who seems thrown off, And there is Mary standing on her porch giving her usual look , and Dora's husband , coming out of the apartment and walking towards them , in the voice of the strange man that calls George .......

Dora's husband; Hey Emily , it's you again !

( Emily's eyes widens , as she looks at Dora's husband, wonderingly, Dora panicking as Emily holds her firm , Emily pants with a little panic ...!)