AZAD / ԱԶԱՏ
EXT. BADASKHAN’S CHILDHOOD GARDEN - DAWN
Nine year-old B is tending to the garden with their mother, AZAD. B has short hair, and is wearing only underwear.
AZAD is a middle-aged woman with black hair, thick curls, and strong eyes. She has a small mole above the right side of her mouth. She is wearing a linen romper and an evil eye charm around her neck. She has tattoos on her hands, which are covered in dirt now.
A faded kilim is laid out on the grass at the edge of the garden, with some art materials tucked into the corner. There are watercolor paints, a glass full of used paint brushes, and a large sketchbook that is blowing in the wind, revealing handwritten dream journal entries, field notes, botanical paintings of plants and portraits of AZAD's ancestors. The page lands open on an old, black and white photograph of a woman and a painted portrait of her face on the opposite page. Across the kilim there are also remnants of a picnic strewn about, with jars of pickles, olives, bread, jam, and plates of fruit and fresh herbs.
AZAD is picking tomatoes in a basket when B runs over in tears.
B
Mum! My hand is burning! It’s burning off!
AZAD squats down to B’s level calmly and gently looks at their hand, which has broken out in a violent rash. She looks slightly concerned for a moment, then smiles as she looks up at B reassuringly.
B
Mum it burns!
AZAD
I know, honey. Were you playing in the ivy again?
B
(sniffling)
Yeah, but, I was trying to be careful, and there was a vishab…
AZAD
Vishab? You saw a dragon?
B
(calmer now)
Yes it was slithering through the leaves and I tried to catch it!
AZAD
Ah, I understand.
B
I wanted to catch the dragon.
AZAD
Oh yeah? And what would you do with this dragon?
B
I would ask it to be my friend.
AZAD
(trying not to laugh)
That's very sweet.
B
Yeah, so then it will protect us when the soldiers come to take our books away.
AZAD
(suddenly serious)
Let me see that hand, hokis.
AZAD looks at B’s hand then hugs them quickly in an attempt to hide her concern from their gaze. She takes a sharp breath and forces a smile then pulls away from B to see their face.
AZAD
Hey, remember where I keep that takh-takh thing in the kitchen?
B
Uh, yeah!
AZAD
Can you bring it over for me?
B
Yeah, I can do that!
B turns to run but AZAD playfully pulls them back towards her.
AZAD
Bacheeg!
B kisses AZAD on the mouth, then holds her face and gives her two quick kisses over each of her eyelids and runs to find the mortar and pestle. AZAD heads over to a patch of medicinal herbs and picks leaves from three plants. B comes back quickly and watches their mother intently as she grinds the herbs.
AZAD
This helps with skin irritation, allergic reactions, even burns…
B
Did Emma teach you that?
AZAD looks sad for a moment, then looks up at B with a smile.
AZAD
Yes my love, it's one of the things your grandmother taught me… an old trick that she learned from her people. They were also your people, your ancest--
A loud alarm blares throughout the garden. AZAD looks behind B with slight panic on her face then takes B's hand and pulls them to the direction of the house.
B
What is that sound? Mum, wait!
AZAD
We don't have time, we have to move.
B pulls away from AZAD's grip to quickly run back towards the kilim and grabs the sketchbook. The wind blows the kilim over and knocks a jar full of colourful water and paintbrushes to the side as B runs back to their mother. AZAD picks up B and swings them onto her waist and runs into the house. The colorful water slowly spreads across the kilim, staining its color.
AZAD hurriedly pushes B through the back door into the kitchen.
AZAD
Thank fuck those drones are so goddamn loud. By the sound of it, we have maybe 3, 4 minutes tops before they reach our vicinity.
B
(panicked)
What’s happening?
AZAD
(shouting)
Get the grab-bags from the pantry. Hurry!
The sound of drones start buzzing in the background.
B
Mum, talk to me!
AZAD
Hokis, just do as I say. I need to grab the package.
AZAD grabs a crowbar from underneath the sink and starts prying out a floorboard. B squeezes the sketchbook into their chest.
B
Where are we going? What package?
AZAD
You're going next door. If Mel isn't home, go to the basement and look for a loose brick on the wall behind the furnace. Push it. It'll open a door to the hide-out. Go inside and--
B
I'm not going anywhere without you! Let me come, I can help!
AZAD
Help me with this.
B
What is that sound?
AZAD
Help me!
B thinks for a moment then runs over to AZAD. They both pull the floorboard back with all their strength. It breaks off and AZAD quickly reaches underneath the floor. She pulls out a laptop and destroys it with the crowbar. B watches, confused.
B
Mum...
Almost out of breath, AZAD turns to B at eye level and holds their face tenderly.
AZAD
Badaskhan, listen to me.
B
(quietly)
Let me come.
AZAD
(sweetly)
You need to move. Now. I'll be right behind you.
B
But--
The sounds of drones become louder, they are nearing the house.
AZAD
(looking out the window to the sky)
We’re running out of time. Forget the grab-bag.
AZAD grabs B and pushes them towards the door. B looks up into the sky. The drones are audible but not visible yet.
CUT TO EXTERIOR BADASKHAN’S CHILDHOOD HOME
AZAD quickly takes off their evil eye charm and places it around B's neck. B's eyes well up with tears. AZAD kisses B on the forehead and pushes them out the door. B starts running across the field towards the neighbour’s house as the drones come into view. There are six of them.
AZAD disappears from the doorway then reappears with a rifle. She points it towards the sky and pulls the trigger. The loud bang and explosion startles B and they stop running to look back towards their house. They see their mother aiming at a second drone, then another explosion in the sky. AZAD yells towards B. The remaining drones buzz so loudly now that B can't make out what their mother is saying. AZAD yells again, inaudibly.