VISITORS IN THE DARK ( DRAMA )

 The   characters

1   Sam   ( 55)       A  Malayalee teacher  living in  South  Africa

 2  Anne (50)         Sam's   wife

  Three   armed  robbers, in their  twenties

Scene  1 

(  A  big, colonial-type  mansion . It's  8 p.m. Sam  and Anne are 

relaxing ,watching  Malayalam  Channels. )

                    Anne

Did you lock the small gate ?

                  Sam

Oh,no. I forgot it. 

             Anne

Then   go  and  lock it.

              Sam

No. I'd rather  leave it like that.It's  too risky to step outside.

Besides, it won't  make any difference.

        Anne

Why ?

       Sam

Nowadays nothing can  prevent  armed robbers from

entering  a compound  or  from breaking into a house. High

walls, barbed wire, alarms, vicious dogs, security guards,

police, you name it, nothing is effective against  thieves..

nothing.. This is  thieves' own  country.

            Anne

But  let's  do  our part. Go and lock that gate.

      Sam

What  for ?  South   Africa  has  gone to the dogs.There's no

safety   anywhere.  Six policemen killed this week!  Can you

imagine? Every  morning we wake up thanking God  for

keeping us alive. 

  Anne 

That's  why  I insist  that we must leave  here as soon as 

possible.

         Sam

You  are right. But where to ? Kerala ? Today, Kerala isn't

much  different.

         Anne 

It's  far  far  better.

    Sam

( pacing   back and  forth )  I  used to think so, but now I have

second  thoughts. Indeed  Kerala and  South  Africa  are twin

banana  republics, or  birds of the  same feather.

                 Anne

What's  a  banana  republic ?

           Sam

You  can define it in different ways. It's a  lawless republic

where anyone  can do anything, and get away  with it.It's a

republic where  crime and  corruption  pay.

        Anne 

How  can you  downgrade  Kerala  by comparing it with

South  Africa ? It's  unfair.

            Sam

Anne, you are deluded. Kerala isn't  the same  country that

we left  35 years  ago. Now, both literally  and  figuratively, 

Kerala has gone to the dogs. Can  you imagine, 5 lakh dogs

roaming the streets? People  are robbed and killed in

their  homes. While  rhinos  are poached here with impunity,

elephants are  poached in  Kerala. I  don't  see any difference.

In both countries, the criminals  call the shots, and hold the

law-abiding people to ransom.

        Anne

But  Kerala is a dwarf in comparison with the giant  that's

South Africa. Furthermore , the Rand is sliding down to

become a  Nota..

    Sam

Indeed  that's  most worrying . We are between  the devil  and

the  deep sea .. .

    Anne

Anyway, go and lock that  gate.

  Sam

No, it makes  no difference. I think it's worthwhile to leave

everything  unlocked. In that way, the cost of repairs can be saved.

       (  lights  go out . Complete  darkness)

This  damned  powercut. I  forgot about it.Where's  the torch

and the candles? 

             Anne

Near  the phone. Use your  cell phone.

( Sam  moves in the room , with much difficulty.Finally, he

finds a  candle  and  lights it.)

                      Sam

As  we say in  kerala, '' idivettiyavane  pampu  kadichu.''

( a man hit by lightning was bitten by a poisonous  snake.")

 It's  freezing. 

              Anne

And it will last for   four  hours. It's  a  curse.

            Sam
Yea, it's  a sort of  punishment ."A  better life for all.''
What  to do now? For ' early to beds'  it's Ok. Let  me find
some  thick  blankets. I'm  shivering. ( He goes to the bedroom
and  brings some thick blankets.)

                Anne

The load shedding here is jumbo  size, for  four hours, whereas
in Kerala  it's  only  half an hour. And this year, there's no load shedding. That's  why I say  Kerala is a better  place.How do
we  pass time ?

                Sam

Let's  do this; Imagine  that we are on an  Emirates  flight from
Dubai  to Kochi. Sleep  peacefully ,dreaming about  the nice
things  waiting  for you  in Kerala..  a  four -hour-flight.

              Annie

Good  idea. ( They  fall asleep. After some time, the candle goes
out. It's  total  darkness. Suddenly, the noise of breaking glass is
heard. Sam  wakes up )

            Sam

Anne, did you  hear  any  noise?

            Anne

No, I didn't. 

            Sam

The  candle is burnt out.

( He  lights  the cell phone. The sound of  battery 'low')
   
   Light  your  cell phone. 

( Anne lights her cell phone.  Pause)

(  again, the noise  of  breaking glass )

           Anne
Tsh ! I heard  something.

( Suddenly, three  masked robbers  burst into the room. The leader
points a gun at  Sam. Both  Sam and  Anne  extremely  shocked)
            
               Robber  1

Hey, man, don't move. Don't   do  anything  funny, or you die.
Be quick. Where's the money, where's  the gold ? Give the keys.
Give  the key of the safe... do  you  hear ?

            Sam

Who are you ? Why do you come here? Leave us alone. There's
nothing here.

              Robber  1

Hey, man, no talk...  just  do as I tell you... (  he seizes the keys,
cell phones, wallets etc. Removes  watch, bangles , ear rings etc.They  tie the hands of Sam and Anne behind, with  cable ties)
 Lie  down  and  don't move!  ( to Robber 3)

You   stay  on guard  here, while we ransack  the rooms.
 (  Robber  1  and 2 exit. Darkness  again. Robber 3 lights  a cigarette. Only the burning cigarette is visible.)


                        Scene  2 

( In a bedroom, the two robbers are busy  searching for valuables.
 They  put the things in a large bag.)

                         Robber 1

Check  everywhere. Overturn  the bed, and check  under it for
any  hidden gold or diamonds. Throw away this local perfumes.
Take only the foreign  ones. Check inside the photo albums.

                      Robber  2 

 Ok, boss.

            (  Robber 1 opens a  photo album. He examines it with
his  torch. Pauses)
                         Robber  1

Hey, stop. Stop. We  shall not  proceed  any further in this
enterprise.Put  all the things  where you found them.

                     Robber  2 

What ? Are you  crazy? Why  stop, after  taking the risk?

                       Robber  1

I shall explain everything later. ( shows the album ) You
see this group  photo. You see here.It's me. eight years ago.
This couple taught me at school. That's why...

                  Robber 2

Remember, we don't  entertain  sentiments..

               Robber 1

( pointing gun) You shut up. and put the things where you found them. Quick..( They  put the things  back)

                    Scene 3

( In the  TV room. It's  dark. Enter Robber  1  and 2)

              Robber  1

Untie them quickly.

         Robber 3

Why? Are  you crazy?

        Robber  1

No questions. Do it.

(  He also joins in to untie Sam and  Anne.)

     Sorry  sir, it was a mistake. We entered the wrong house.
     You know, the darkness... I  didn't mean to hurt you.

          Sam

But   why ?  

(  Robber  1 puts  some money on the table.)

        Robber  1

This is for the window  glass. ( They  exit )

          Sam

Are you  hurt ?

          Anne
No. I wonder  why they left abruptly.

          Sam

I'm  clueless. Was it real, or a  bad

 dream ?

          Anne

I  don't  know.

( CURTAIN)