Eksie ou

EKSIE OU Written by Rowen Smith

FADE IN: EXT. PLAYGROUND - DAY Nursery School playground. Swings, Monkey bars, the works.

HANNES (V.O.) Kleurterskool.

A LITTLE BOY who seems rather odd, dressed in all black sits in the middle a sand pit, legs crossed, admiring the pretty impressive sand castle in front of him.

A LITTLE GIRL steps onto the sand.

LITTLE GIRL Hoekom is jou ore so groot?

He looks up at her, silent. Then another girl joins the first.

LITTLE GIRL 2 Ja, hoekom is jou ore so groot? again, he remains silent. A third LITTLE GIRL steps in.

LITTLE GIRL 3 Is jy ‘n freak?

We hear an Offscreen SHOUT from a BOY. BOY Freak!

Hannes drops his head.

EXT. PRIMARY SCHOOL RUGBYFIELD - DAY A group of BOYS play rugby in the distance.

We find Hannes underneath the Rugby posts on the opposite side of the field, all by his lonesome self, staring at them with cruel intent.

HANNES Hulle wou nooit vir my paas nie, toe word ek fullback, maar niemand het ooit geskop nie, en toe maak ek die domste besluit van my hele lewe.

2.

INT. CLASSROOM - DAY FAT BOY SKAAAAAAK! A FAT BOY with a big grin on his face. Opposite him sits Hannes, dark and morbid.

HANNES Die skaakspan.

EXT. PARK - DAY The little Boy swings back and forth with vigor, fearless.

HANNES Die enigste speelding wat ek ooit gehad het was die swing by die parkie naby ons huis, maar een middag na skool het alles verander.

Hannes jogs to the park, a massive schoolbag on is back. He drops it and runs through the trees to his swing, but is shocked to find a girl there.

HANNES (CONT’D) Jy sit op my swing.

GIRL wel ek sien nie jou naam hier op nie.

HANNES Kyk onder aan.

The little girl climbs off and flips the swing upside down.

GIRL Jy jok, jou naam staan nie hier nie.

Hannes runs to her, grabs the swing and points to two initials engraved in the tire.

HANNES Sien jy? haa ess. Dit staan vir Hannes Steenkamp.

The little girl giggles.

GIRL Wat beteken steenkamp?

3.

HANNES Dit beteken dis my swing!

GIRL Fine, swing maar op ou swing, dis n dom swing in elk geval.

The girl walks away and takes a seat in the sand about five meters from him. Hannes gets on his swing.

INT. CLASSROOM - DAY A class full of boys and girls, anxiously waiting for the bell.

TRRRING! - The bell rings and immediately, a boy SHOUTS. BOY POUSE! Everyone storms out of the classroom, except for Hannes, who remains seated in the far right corner.

HANNES Hoerskool het vinnig gegaan, ek het n lae profiel probeer hou en my ore ook, maar dit het nie so mooi uitgewerk nie.

EXT. SUNDAY SCHOOL - DAY Inside a small church assembly hall. A group of teenagers sit in a semi-circle on plastic chairs. A SUNDAY SCHOOL LADY is in front of them with a bible in her hand.

SUNDAY SCHOOL LADY Hannes haal af jou mussie, ons gaan bid.

Hannes does nothing.

SUNDAY SCHOOL LADY (CONT’D) Kom kom kom, af met die pet. Jy’s nie ‘n bandiet nie.

Hannes takes it off.

We hear the teenagers giggle.

JANNIE (cough) Freak.

4.

The teenagers try to hold their laughs in.

SUNDAY SCHOOL LADY Klara, begin jy.

Everyone closes their eyes.

KLARA Liewe Jesus, dankie vir kos en klere JANNIE Liewe Jesus, dankie vir ‘n mamma en oom Gerrie.

BELINDA Liewe Jesus, Dankie dat ek hoofmeisie is.

It’s Hannes turn.

HANNES Liewe Jesus...uhm.

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EKSIE OU