DAVOUD, MR. SHIRAZI and THE MUHTAR are still eating and drinking. Suddenly, DAVOUD realizes THE TWINS are out of sight.
MUHTAR
No worry, village is small. Nowhere for children to lose. Let play.
DAVOUD relaxes but just then REZA runs up to him yelling and crying.
DAVOUD
What is it child? What’s wrong?
REZA
Mister! We were playing hide and seek, and he was hiding, and now I can’t find him anywhere. I looked everywhere!
DAVOUD
What? What are you saying?
REZA
Raumbod. I can’t find Raumbod!
DAVOUD
That’s all right. We’ll help you find him.
An old bearded man wearing a skullcap runs up to THE MUHTAR. He speaks urgently in Turkish, waving his arms about and raising his eyebrows.
DAVOUD
What’s he saying? What? What’s he saying?
MR. SHIRAZI
Just a second.
MR. SHIRAZI says something in Turkish to the old man. THE MUHTAR looks very concerned. MR. SHIRAZI brings his index fingers to his temples. REZA starts sucking his thumb and grabbing nervously onto DAVOUD’S pant leg.
MR. SHIRAZI
The old man says that about half an hour ago, a border patrol soldier walked onto his farm and asked about buying some fruit wine. The old man—sorry—İsminiz?
SAJID
Sajid.
MR. SHIRAZI
Sajid, here, he knew that we were here and that we were hiding from the border patrol.
MUHTAR
They almost never come here because wine not permitted in Iran—
MR. SHIRAZI
This is a very rare problem. The guards are sometimes interested in the fruit wine, which the Muhtar here usually gives them for a very good price. It’s sort of an understanding that they shouldn’t come into the village. I mean, they know why they’re getting the good price and don’t question it. But sometimes, someone new will come or one of the older ones will be in a really bad mood—
DAVOUD
Bad mood? Shirazi, what the hell are you saying?
MR. SHIRAZI
Sajid here, he says he spoke with the guard and gave him a bottle for free. But he was so agitated that the guard suspected something.
SAJID nods along, even though he does not understand Farsi.
MR. SHIRAZI
He says they both heard sounds coming from the wooded area where the boys were playing, it sounded a lot like children speaking Farsi. He says he saw the guard go into the wooded area and that’s when he ran to find us.
SAMIRA and SAHAR walk up to the men, bathed and in clean clothes. Their ease vanishes when they see the tense scene.
SAMIRA
What’s happened?
DAVOUD is silent, trying to figure out how to tell her.
SAMIRA
What’s happened? What? Damn it, Davoud, tell me what it is!
(looks around)
Where’s Raumbod? Where’s my boy?
DAVOUD and MR. SHIRAZI take her aside so the children do not hear and tell her what has happened.
SAMIRA
(loud)
What does this mean?
MR. SHIRAZI
It is likely that the border patrol have the boy in custody.
This news, so matter-of-factly delivered, is more than SAMIRA can bear. She tries to remain calm for REZA and SAHAR. But her body does not understand such attempts. She screams. Violently. The men try to calm her down, tell her to focus, that they will figure this out, but she is crazed. She sheds her blouse and runs from hut to hut in the village, beating her belly. MR. SHIRAZI, DAVOUD and THE MUHTAR run after her, trying to restrain her.
MR. SHIRAZI
She’s gone completely mad! Why on God’s Earth would she take off her clothes?
SAMIRA whirls to him, beats her belly again. Wads of cash are still taped to her stomach. She runs from villager to villager, showing everyone the money.
SAMIRA
Please, please help me! You can have all of this money!
THE MEN finally catch up to her and get her on the ground, trying to button up her shirt. She punches and kicks, screaming for them to free her.
SAMIRA
All of it! You can have all of it! Help me get my son back . . . please, help!
SAMIRA gives up punching, her eyes roll to the back of her head, and she faints. DAVOUD and MR. SHIRAZI kneel next to her. SAHAR and REZA cower in a corner. Villagers watch in amazement.
DAVOUD
Okay, let her go, let her go, she’s passed out.
They cautiously take their grip off SAMIRA, then stand back, staring at her limp body, trying to think through their shock.
DAVOUD
Can we get a doctor? We should get a doctor.
MR. SHIRAZI exchanges some words in Turkish with THE MUHTAR, who leaves quickly.
MR. SHIRAZI
Okay, the Muhtar is going to retrieve the Shaman.
DAVOUD
A witch doctor?
MR. SHIRAZI
Think of him as a herbalist.
DAVOUD
That isn’t funny, Shirazi. I can’t have a witch doctor doing his voodoo on her. He’ll make her worse.
MR. SHIRAZI
It’s not voodoo, Davoud. It’s natural herbal remedies.
DAVOUD
I don’t think so.
MR. SHIRAZI
Trust me, they know more about the human body than you or me. Just give it a chance, Davoud. We’ll be here to protect her. Anyway, he’s the closest thing there is to a doctor here. It’s the only option.
SAHAR and REZA are still in the corner, whimpering, holding on to each other. THE MUHTAR re-enters with THE SHAMAN. THE SHAMAN has kohl under his eyelids and red-painted lips. He’s a surprisingly young man, dressed in a long black robe, with the dark shadow of a shaven beard. Across his shoulder he carries a colorful sack with all kinds of flowers, plants and herbs. He examines SAMIRA, lifts her eyelids to reveal the whites of her eyes and pulls her jaw down to look at her tongue. He gives an instruction to a villager who brings him a cup of boiling water from the fire pit. He puts the cup next to him, then takes out some kind of purple powder from a jar in his sack and holds the concoction under SAMIRA’S nose until she stirs.
DAVOUD
Samira jan? Darling, are you okay? Can you hear me?
SAHAR
Maman?
SAMIRA
(regaining consciousness)
Mm . . .
THE SHAMAN takes the cup of hot water and makes a tea. He says some things in Turkish to THE MUHTAR, who translates.
MUHTAR
This valerian extract, passionflower, hop vine, lavender and lemon balm tea.
Shaman say it relax her, help her sleep.
He say she needs sleep.
She had . . . er . . . how do you say? Insomniac?
DAVOUD
Insomnia?
MUHTAR
Yes. No sleep.
Go crazy and see things not there. Mind needs rest.
Also because of so much stress, it important to sleep or . . . er . . . crazy. You know?
She sleep for few hours, then no problem, all better.
DAVOUD
Do you hear that, children?
All your mother needs is some rest and then she’ll be just fine.
We just need to let her sleep. Okay?
Let’s let her sleep.
SAHAR
(in tears)
What about Raumbod? Aren’t we gonna look for him?
DAVOUD looks up at MR. SHIRAZI, who shakes his head. Silence permeates until MR. SHIRAZI finally steps in with the plain truth.
MR. SHIRAZI
If they’ve taken him, then there’s nothing we can do from here. If we go to look for him, they’ll take us, too.
DAVOUD
Once we’re in Istanbul, we’ll figure it all out.
MR. SHIRAZI
It’s possible that they’ll simply return him to your family in Tehran since he’s such a young child and interrogation isn’t likely to reveal much information.
The word interrogation slices through everyone’s skulls. DAVOUD lifts SAMIRA’S head so she can drink the tea THE SHAMAN aggressively administers. The heat of the liquid burns her tongue and the bittersweet taste makes her want to throw it up, but THE SHAMAN is relentless and empties the entire cup into her mouth. When she lies back down she quickly falls asleep. REZA and SAHAR walk over to her and sit by her side.
FADE TO BLACK
FADE IN:
ESTABLISHING SHOT: ISTANBUL.
INT. VAN, DAY
MR. SHIRAZI drives the passenger van. The cosmopolitan metropolis of Istanbul, with its skyscrapers, movie posters and shopping malls, sharply contrasts to the border village. SAMIRA and DAVOUD are in the second row of seats. REZA and SAHAR are in the third. Outside the window the European sophistication of Istanbul is evident. SAMIRA wears full hejab and is in and out of lucidity, asking strange questions in her half-awake state. Her head rests on DAVOUD’S shoulder. He dabs his shirt along her mouth when she drools.
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL SUITE, DAY
SAMIRA awakens in a plush and modern hotel room in Istanbul. Outside the window are high-rise buildings. She sits up, sees DAVOUD, SAHAR and REZA sitting on the couch, watching television. She remembers that one of her children is missing and bursts into tears. DAVOUD, SAHAR and REZA rush to her side.
SAHRA
Maman jan! Are you okay?
REZA
(kissing SAMIRA)
Maman! Maman!
SAMIRA embraces HER CHILDREN urgently.
DAVOUD
Samira, my dear, we need to call home.
They may know what happened to Raumbod.
SAMIRA wipes her tears and nods. DAVOUD picks up the phone next to the bed and dials the international code.
DAVOUD
What number do I call?
SAMIRA gives DAVOUD the number.
DAVOUD
It’s busy.
SAMIRA
Vay Khoda!
DAVOUD
We’ll try again. You know how hard it is to get through international lines.
DAVOUD dials four more times before ringing is heard on the other end. It rings three times before there’s an answer.
HASSAN (V.O.)
Alo?
DAVOUD
(hands the phone to SAMIRA)
It’s a man.
HASSAN (V.O.)
Alo?
SAMIRA
Alo? Hassan jan?
HASSAN (V.O.)
Baleh. Who is this? I can barely hear you.
SAMIRA
Samira! Hassan, it’s Samira! Samira calling!
HASSAN (V.O.)
Samira? Samira jan, it’s you?
SAMIRA
Yes! It’s me!
HASSAN (V.O.)
Thank you, God! Are you all right?
SAMIRA
Yes, I’m fine.
HASSAN (V.O.)
Baleh, Zahra, it’s her! It’s her!
SAMIRA
Is Zahra there?
HASSAN (V.O.)
Yes, she’s here! She’s been here for days! We’ve been worried sick. I’m going to put her on the phone.
ZAHRA (V.O.)
Samira jan!
SAMIRA
Zahra, azizam!
ZAHRA (V.O.)
Aziz where are you? Where’d you go? What happened?
SAMIRA
We’re in Istanbul.
ZAHRA (V.O.)
Where?
SAMIRA
Istanbul! We had to flee. We were—we had to flee!
ZAHRA (V.O.)
What?
SAMIRA
We had to run. We were in danger! I wanted to tell you but I couldn’t.
ZAHRA (V.O.)
Istanbul? Are you going to stay there?
SAMIRA
No, we’re flying to Chicago tomorrow.
ZAHRA (V.O.)
Chicago? What are you talking about?
SAMIRA
Zahra jan, something happened while we were on the run.
ZAHRA (V.O.)
Who do you know in Chicago?
SAMIRA
Listen, please listen! There’s something—
ZAHRA (V.O.)
What? I couldn’t hear that last part. Thank God you’re fine. We’ve been worried sick.
ZAHRA turns her mouth away from the mouthpiece so her voice is harder to hear.
ZAHRA (V.O.)
(muffled)
Raumbod jan, Raumbod, your maman is on the phone. Hassan, go and fetch the boy. He must be in the yard.
SAMIRA makes out what ZAHRA is saying. She is in shock, then suddenly understands that her son is safe. She leaps off the bed and nearly drops the handset.
DAVOUD
What is it, Samira? What is it?
SAMIRA
Raumbod’s there? Zahra, is Raumbod there?
ZAHRA (V.O.)
Yes! Of course he’s here! They brought him to us last night.
SAMIRA weeps.
SAMIRA
(through her tears, to SAHAR and REZA)
He’s there! Your brother’s there!
SAHAR and REZA cry from relief.
SAMIRA
(to ZAHRA)
Is he hurt?
ZAHRA (V.O.)
No, he’s fine! Just a bit of diarrhoea from the awful water they gave him.
SAMIRA
(tears)
Oh, thank God!
ZAHRA (V.O.)
Samira jan, are you saying something? I can’t understand you. I can imagine how frightened you were. Why didn’t you tell us you were leaving? Or where you were going? We had no way of getting word to you.
SAMIRA
They told me I shouldn’t say anything. That you’d all be questioned.
ZAHRA (V.O.)
And you don’t think that Hassan and I can handle ourselves with the Morality Police? What stupid advice!
SAMIRA
How’d you find him?
ZAHRA (V.O.)
He’d been picked up by the border guard and taken to their nearest headquarters in Oromiyeh.
SAMIRA
Oh, Khoda!
ZAHRA (V.O.)
Apparently they tried to ask him some questions but what were they going to get out of a seven-year-old? All they got out of him was his address and phone number in Tehran. When they called, Hassan was over there looking over the mess you’d left behind. We had no idea what had happened to all of you. When he got the call, he took the next flight out, grabbed Raumbod and came home!
SAMIRA
And he’s fine? Right? You said he’s fine?
ZAHRA (V.O.)
He’s fine! Here, talk to him yourself!
RAUMBOD (V.O.)
Maman jan!
SAMIRA
(uncontrollable tears)
Raumbod jan! Oh, my sweet aziz! I’m so glad you’re okay!
RAUMBOD (V.O.)
Maman, I love you.
SAMIRA
Oh, I love you so much, my son!
I love you so much!
RAUMBOD (V.O.)
Maman, I’m so sorry.
SAMIRA
What could you possibly have to be sorry about, my angel?
RAUMBOD (V.O.)
I got caught.
SAMIRA
Oh no! Oh no, darling. I’m the one who’s sorry. You didn’t do anything wrong, you poor child. I’m so sorry that I couldn’t protect you. I’m so sorry that we’re separated.
RAUMBOD (V.O.)
When are you coming home?
SAMIRA
(looks to DAVOUD)
When can we get back to Tehran?
DAVOUD
Get back?
SAMIRA
To Tehran. When can we get back there?
DAVOUD
Samira ja
n . . . we can’t go back.
SAMIRA
Of course we can go back. We have to go back. My son is there.
DAVOUD shakes his head.
RAUMBOD (V.O.)
Maman! When are you coming home?
SAMIRA
We . . . I . . . sweetie, why don’t you talk to your sister and brother for a minute.
SAHAR and REZA rush to the phone. SAMIRA turns to DAVOUD.
SAMIRA
You can’t really think I will leave my son behind. There’s no other option here. We simply have to go back for Raumbod
DAVOUD silently holds SAMIRA’S gaze.
SAMIRA
(angry)
Butterfly Stitching Page 33
