The Final Script
Understood but Ignored
ACT I
Scene 1
(A young Somalia boy around 17 or 18 speaking to a crew of pirates on the way to a cargo ship.(Sounds of a motor in the background. nothing on stage just black. voices can be heard.))
Abdi
You want to know why I am a pirate at such a young age. My father decided that I should fight for my waters against the illegal fishers and the illegal dumping. He is a pirate and wants me to prove myself to him. I figured it sounded fun. I am young but I am ready. The ship isn’t far now. We are going to be boarding soon........... I know all about the new guy routine and I wanted that. I wanted the challenge but since my dad is top boss he insisted that I should do all the boss work here..........Yeah.......... Okay. Throw the grapple up so we can position the ladder. I am no longer going to be oppressed and put down by the people forcing the injustice of polluted waters in our land....... No. I am not scared. I am ready to do what is necessary. Ok. You informed them that we are boarding?........ Okay. Climb up. (They climb up onto the ship and see the crew.)
Scene 2
(The men walk at the crewmembers and point their guns forward. Abdi Stammers often from fear or being in over his head.)
ABDI
Get down! Y-You you heard me get d-down! This ship is our property now!...... What? D-Don’t hit you? Then get down when I tell you to. Listen to us and you won’t get hurt. Where is the captain? Tell me!........ In the cabin? Okay guys go get him. Come on you guys are coming up to the cabin too. (Fear in his voice.) Get moving, but not too fast. One foot out of line and you die! Is this everyone on the ship?........ No one is downstairs?..... How many people?.......Five?.......Then why would you tell me that there were no people? I will pretend this did not happen. K-Keep moving! I don’t want you p-pulling anything stupid on me.
Scene 3
(They are inside of the main cabin and everyone from the ship is tied up.)
ABDI
What are we suppose to do now that we have them tied up?...... Okay, then where is the walkie to their people?......... Okay crew! Where is your radio?........ Grab that! Hand me it!. What should I say?........ Okay I’ll... be the one to talk. Hello?......We have your crew and ship. We want money........ No they will not be killed, if you give us the money.......... 3,000,000 dollars in cash.........American money for an American ship!........ Good. We will be waiting for your arrival. That will show you people to keep illegally dumping and fishing in Somalia waters. Either way we win. We get paid a lot of money or we kill you all and teach the others a lesson.
Act 2
Scene 1
(The crewmen hear the call of the pirates. They announce that they are boarding the ship.)
Nicholas
What is that? It looks like a boat. It’s a speedboat. Oh no! The-They ave guns. What are they doing? Why would they be doing this?.......... They are boarding? Oh god elp us. I told them we ad to stop fishing ere. The peepal in the United States will never understand that we can not just send people out to steal other people’s resources. I really don’t want to die because of stupid Americans. Okay. RIng the bells! Alarm the ship! Tell everyone that we are being boarded! Urry!........ Oh god. They are on the ship!
Scene 2
(Nicholas tried to run back but fell as the men walked towards him. He scrambles and shouts in fear.)
NICHOLAS
.......Okay! Okay! I will get down! Please don't it me!........ I just don't want to die! Okay guys get up. Do what he tells us!........I understand. Not a word.
Scene 3
Nicholas
Inner thought (spot light on Nicholas): I ave to make it out of this! I will just do as they say and follow their orders. As long as I cooperate they might spare my life. I have to just ope that the U.S. cares enough about us to pay the ransom, so we can be saved. Ee said that ee will kill us if they do not pay.
Outer dialogue: ........The radio? Um... It is over there behind that thing under the cloth.
Inner thought (Spot light on Nicholas again): Ok. They are getting the money. will they really pay 3,000,000 dollars in cash for a few men on a ship? I ave to be with my family. Will I ever even see them again? I know that the Somalia’s have it really ard, but so do I. That is why I took this job. Do they realize that other people ave it bad in the world too? I ope they don’t overreact and do something crazy. Whether I live or die this is my final trip out ere in the Somali waters.
Act 3
Scene 1
(It has been 10 hours since the pirates boarded the ship and the coast guard has arrived along with some of the military. The coast guard sent over some food and a phone to the pirates and crew to keep them comfortable.)
ABDI
I am calling the shots here........ No you listen to me Steven! I am not sending over any hostages until I get the money and I get a safe way out of here.........No! I am not changing my mind. I will not give you one hostage now!........ Yeah! You better go get the damn money.
(Slams the phone closed and puts it in his pocket. Looks at his men and the crew.)
ABDI
They keep trying to get us to hand over one or two hostages before we get the money. I don't think I am ready to call shots on something this big. They like to play mind games........ Why would they try to snipe us? We just want the money.........They would rather just have the money and the hostages? That’s nonsense! Well... I guess you might be right. Then we will just have to be more careful. Put the crewmembers up in front of the windows. If they fire then they hit the hostages that they are trying to save! I just want the fishermen out of my waters. If they want to keep sending people here then they will pay the price until the day they learn from the error of their ways.
Inner thought (Spotlight on Abdi): Part of this is obviously just for the money. I would like to be rich and make money for my family. How many people care for the fishing and dumping. I still do because it is my people’s land but it is not my land. I do not own these waters. I am making money from this while fighting for a good cause. Is that right? No it isn’t is it. What am I talking about of course it is.
Outer dialogue: Okay this is where things get out of hand. We need to kill one of the hostages don’t we? I heard you all talking........ Of course there is something wrong with it. Isn’t there?......Maybe your right. They were illegally fishing. Yeah! Do it.......(They hand him a gun.) Me?......You want me to do it? ( He looks down and the floor in thought) Okay. I will do it. He pulled the captain down to his knees in front of him (The man is on his knees on the opposite side of the stage and the boy is pointing the gun at the crowd as if it was the man.) and dialed on the phone........ Hello. I am calling to let you know that we are going to kill the captain......No. I don’t have a choice. (He gives the phone to the captain.)......Hey! (He hit him hard and fired. He shoots at the crowd and the man falls on the other side of the stage.) He is dead but he told the damn coast how many of us there are and the weapons that we have...... Yeah you’re right. They have no way to get us.
Inner monologue (spotlight on Abdi): I am not so sure that we are very safe in here. I should try to be easier on them to get what I want instead of using force. I don’t think I should have killed that man. That was not good. I should have let him live.........No! He paid for his crimes. That was justice. Not murder. Or is there no difference? Of course there is!...Is there?
Act 4
Scene 1
(Group of military men with the coast guard trying to negotiate. American hostage negotiator talking through the cell phone to the pirates.)
OFFICER STEVEN WALSKEY
(He constantly stares out at the boat squinting or looks through Binoculars) Hello this is Officer Steven Wolsey. I just want these people safe........No you are not!........ This is absolutely ridiculous.....Just let them all go and we will let you go free....Fine! Give us the hostages and all the money is yours. I have it right here.....(whispers to the people next to him.) Go ahead and snipe them out. The room has tons of windows. (Back to the people on the phone.) Ah! You smart-ass! Take the hostages out of the window. We will stop dumping and fishing. Does that sound good? Just give us one hostage........No! No. No.No.No.No don’t do that! Take it easy and don’t kill anyone. Hey! Take it easy.......Calm down.....Just breath man and relax okay....(Draws out the word relax very long.) Relax........God dammit! He shot one of the damn hostages! I give up! Get the money or more are going to die!
Inner thoughts (Spotlight on Steve.): is 3,000,000 dollars really something that we could consider spending for a few lives. Are their lives really worth that kind of money?
Act 5
Scene 1
(Nicholas sits tied up thinking about what was going on. The men lie behind him all tied up as well. A few men sit in the full body sized windows. The crewmembers sit randomly across the room and Abdi paces.)
NICHOLAS
Inner thoughts (Spotlight on fisher): Oh god! Oh no no no! Ee killed im. Ee shot im in the ed. What am I going to do now? They are killers. They don’t need the money. What will appen to us? Okay! Breath. Breath. Inhale exhale. We are obeying them. They won’t urt us....All this for some fishes? This is too much. Please god I ave realized what I ave done wrong. I promise that I ave. Let me live and please let this all just end. Don’t make any more people die today.
Act 6
Scene 1
(Abdi is trying hard to keep the crew in line. They are in the cabin room still and the crew is sitting and still struggling against the ropes except for the silent Nicholas.)
ABDI
We need to give them the hostages. As simple as that................Forget about the money. We need to get out of here. We won’t win this we should get out while we can...............I know. I do want the money. I just can’t kill another person and I can’t do this because someone wants me to. It’s not right.
Inner Thought (Spotlight on Abdi): I won’t become a bad person. Not now. I have my whole life ahead of me. This has got to change. I have to put things right and let these people go. I killed that man. I can only pray that god will forgive me.( looks up at the ceiling of the cabin as if he could see the sky.) I will do what I can to make things right. I hope my father will understand. They shouldn’t dump in the water or fish and steal our resources but that is no reason for people to die.
ABDI
We are leaving. The prisoners are being freed. The chaos is over. (They start to walk to the door. The boy opens it and falls to the floor instantly after he hears one of his friends yell his name. “Abdi!”
Act 7
Scene 1
(Officer Steven Walskey is watching the cabin.)
OFFICER STEVEN WALSKEY
Wait! I see movement................ Yeah. Uh uh yeah get the snipers ready. Train their eyes on the prize............. Okay I see them. I see them moving. Ready to fire once in sight!.........The door is open. Its one of them! Fire! (Just before he screams fire her hears one of the pirates scream the name “Abdi!”) Abdi? What is that?...................... A name? Of who?............The boy? Boy?........ We shot a boy? (Gulps down sorrow).................... Oh god.
ACT I
Scene 1
(A young Somalia boy around 17 or 18 speaking to a crew of pirates on the way to a cargo ship.(Sounds of a motor in the background. nothing on stage just black. voices can be heard.))
Abdi
You want to know why I am a pirate at such a young age. My father decided that I should fight for my waters against the illegal fishers and the illegal dumping. He is a pirate and wants me to prove myself to him. I figured it sounded fun. I am young but I am ready. The ship isn’t far now. We are going to be boarding soon........... I know all about the new guy routine and I wanted that. I wanted the challenge but since my dad is top boss he insisted that I should do all the boss work here..........Yeah.......... Okay. Throw the grapple up so we can position the ladder. I am no longer going to be oppressed and put down by the people forcing the injustice of polluted waters in our land....... No. I am not scared. I am ready to do what is necessary. Ok. You informed them that we are boarding?........ Okay. Climb up. (They climb up onto the ship and see the crew.)
Scene 2
(The men walk at the crewmembers and point their guns forward. Abdi Stammers often from fear or being in over his head.)
ABDI
Get down! Y-You you heard me get d-down! This ship is our property now!...... What? D-Don’t hit you? Then get down when I tell you to. Listen to us and you won’t get hurt. Where is the captain? Tell me!........ In the cabin? Okay guys go get him. Come on you guys are coming up to the cabin too. (Fear in his voice.) Get moving, but not too fast. One foot out of line and you die! Is this everyone on the ship?........ No one is downstairs?..... How many people?.......Five?.......Then why would you tell me that there were no people? I will pretend this did not happen. K-Keep moving! I don’t want you p-pulling anything stupid on me.
Scene 3
(They are inside of the main cabin and everyone from the ship is tied up.)
ABDI
What are we suppose to do now that we have them tied up?...... Okay, then where is the walkie to their people?......... Okay crew! Where is your radio?........ Grab that! Hand me it!. What should I say?........ Okay I’ll... be the one to talk. Hello?......We have your crew and ship. We want money........ No they will not be killed, if you give us the money.......... 3,000,000 dollars in cash.........American money for an American ship!........ Good. We will be waiting for your arrival. That will show you people to keep illegally dumping and fishing in Somalia waters. Either way we win. We get paid a lot of money or we kill you all and teach the others a lesson.
Act 2
Scene 1
(The crewmen hear the call of the pirates. They announce that they are boarding the ship.)
Nicholas
What is that? It looks like a boat. It’s a speedboat. Oh no! The-They ave guns. What are they doing? Why would they be doing this?.......... They are boarding? Oh god elp us. I told them we ad to stop fishing ere. The peepal in the United States will never understand that we can not just send people out to steal other people’s resources. I really don’t want to die because of stupid Americans. Okay. RIng the bells! Alarm the ship! Tell everyone that we are being boarded! Urry!........ Oh god. They are on the ship!
Scene 2
(Nicholas tried to run back but fell as the men walked towards him. He scrambles and shouts in fear.)
NICHOLAS
.......Okay! Okay! I will get down! Please don't it me!........ I just don't want to die! Okay guys get up. Do what he tells us!........I understand. Not a word.
Scene 3
Nicholas
Inner thought (spot light on Nicholas): I ave to make it out of this! I will just do as they say and follow their orders. As long as I cooperate they might spare my life. I have to just ope that the U.S. cares enough about us to pay the ransom, so we can be saved. Ee said that ee will kill us if they do not pay.
Outer dialogue: ........The radio? Um... It is over there behind that thing under the cloth.
Inner thought (Spot light on Nicholas again): Ok. They are getting the money. will they really pay 3,000,000 dollars in cash for a few men on a ship? I ave to be with my family. Will I ever even see them again? I know that the Somalia’s have it really ard, but so do I. That is why I took this job. Do they realize that other people ave it bad in the world too? I ope they don’t overreact and do something crazy. Whether I live or die this is my final trip out ere in the Somali waters.
Act 3
Scene 1
(It has been 10 hours since the pirates boarded the ship and the coast guard has arrived along with some of the military. The coast guard sent over some food and a phone to the pirates and crew to keep them comfortable.)
ABDI
I am calling the shots here........ No you listen to me Steven! I am not sending over any hostages until I get the money and I get a safe way out of here.........No! I am not changing my mind. I will not give you one hostage now!........ Yeah! You better go get the damn money.
(Slams the phone closed and puts it in his pocket. Looks at his men and the crew.)
ABDI
They keep trying to get us to hand over one or two hostages before we get the money. I don't think I am ready to call shots on something this big. They like to play mind games........ Why would they try to snipe us? We just want the money.........They would rather just have the money and the hostages? That’s nonsense! Well... I guess you might be right. Then we will just have to be more careful. Put the crewmembers up in front of the windows. If they fire then they hit the hostages that they are trying to save! I just want the fishermen out of my waters. If they want to keep sending people here then they will pay the price until the day they learn from the error of their ways.
Inner thought (Spotlight on Abdi): Part of this is obviously just for the money. I would like to be rich and make money for my family. How many people care for the fishing and dumping. I still do because it is my people’s land but it is not my land. I do not own these waters. I am making money from this while fighting for a good cause. Is that right? No it isn’t is it. What am I talking about of course it is.
Outer dialogue: Okay this is where things get out of hand. We need to kill one of the hostages don’t we? I heard you all talking........ Of course there is something wrong with it. Isn’t there?......Maybe your right. They were illegally fishing. Yeah! Do it.......(They hand him a gun.) Me?......You want me to do it? ( He looks down and the floor in thought) Okay. I will do it. He pulled the captain down to his knees in front of him (The man is on his knees on the opposite side of the stage and the boy is pointing the gun at the crowd as if it was the man.) and dialed on the phone........ Hello. I am calling to let you know that we are going to kill the captain......No. I don’t have a choice. (He gives the phone to the captain.)......Hey! (He hit him hard and fired. He shoots at the crowd and the man falls on the other side of the stage.) He is dead but he told the damn coast how many of us there are and the weapons that we have...... Yeah you’re right. They have no way to get us.
Inner monologue (spotlight on Abdi): I am not so sure that we are very safe in here. I should try to be easier on them to get what I want instead of using force. I don’t think I should have killed that man. That was not good. I should have let him live.........No! He paid for his crimes. That was justice. Not murder. Or is there no difference? Of course there is!...Is there?
Act 4
Scene 1
(Group of military men with the coast guard trying to negotiate. American hostage negotiator talking through the cell phone to the pirates.)
OFFICER STEVEN WALSKEY
(He constantly stares out at the boat squinting or looks through Binoculars) Hello this is Officer Steven Wolsey. I just want these people safe........No you are not!........ This is absolutely ridiculous.....Just let them all go and we will let you go free....Fine! Give us the hostages and all the money is yours. I have it right here.....(whispers to the people next to him.) Go ahead and snipe them out. The room has tons of windows. (Back to the people on the phone.) Ah! You smart-ass! Take the hostages out of the window. We will stop dumping and fishing. Does that sound good? Just give us one hostage........No! No. No.No.No.No don’t do that! Take it easy and don’t kill anyone. Hey! Take it easy.......Calm down.....Just breath man and relax okay....(Draws out the word relax very long.) Relax........God dammit! He shot one of the damn hostages! I give up! Get the money or more are going to die!
Inner thoughts (Spotlight on Steve.): is 3,000,000 dollars really something that we could consider spending for a few lives. Are their lives really worth that kind of money?
Act 5
Scene 1
(Nicholas sits tied up thinking about what was going on. The men lie behind him all tied up as well. A few men sit in the full body sized windows. The crewmembers sit randomly across the room and Abdi paces.)
NICHOLAS
Inner thoughts (Spotlight on fisher): Oh god! Oh no no no! Ee killed im. Ee shot im in the ed. What am I going to do now? They are killers. They don’t need the money. What will appen to us? Okay! Breath. Breath. Inhale exhale. We are obeying them. They won’t urt us....All this for some fishes? This is too much. Please god I ave realized what I ave done wrong. I promise that I ave. Let me live and please let this all just end. Don’t make any more people die today.
Act 6
Scene 1
(Abdi is trying hard to keep the crew in line. They are in the cabin room still and the crew is sitting and still struggling against the ropes except for the silent Nicholas.)
ABDI
We need to give them the hostages. As simple as that................Forget about the money. We need to get out of here. We won’t win this we should get out while we can...............I know. I do want the money. I just can’t kill another person and I can’t do this because someone wants me to. It’s not right.
Inner Thought (Spotlight on Abdi): I won’t become a bad person. Not now. I have my whole life ahead of me. This has got to change. I have to put things right and let these people go. I killed that man. I can only pray that god will forgive me.( looks up at the ceiling of the cabin as if he could see the sky.) I will do what I can to make things right. I hope my father will understand. They shouldn’t dump in the water or fish and steal our resources but that is no reason for people to die.
ABDI
We are leaving. The prisoners are being freed. The chaos is over. (They start to walk to the door. The boy opens it and falls to the floor instantly after he hears one of his friends yell his name. “Abdi!”
Act 7
Scene 1
(Officer Steven Walskey is watching the cabin.)
OFFICER STEVEN WALSKEY
Wait! I see movement................ Yeah. Uh uh yeah get the snipers ready. Train their eyes on the prize............. Okay I see them. I see them moving. Ready to fire once in sight!.........The door is open. Its one of them! Fire! (Just before he screams fire her hears one of the pirates scream the name “Abdi!”) Abdi? What is that?...................... A name? Of who?............The boy? Boy?........ We shot a boy? (Gulps down sorrow).................... Oh god.
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