This is from page 1 - the death of Alas father, Abee

FLASH IN

MONTAGE - NEWS CLIPS

-- World Trade Center explosion.

-- Planes CRASHING into the Trade Center.

-- People RUNNING from the 9/11 scene on the streets.

-- News broadcaster talking about 9/11.

-- News broadcaster talking about the war in Syria.

-- Video of military and soldiers SWARMING the streets of

Damascus.

-- Isis BEHEADING civilians for the camera.

-- Isis trucks ROAMING the streets of Syria.

-- Children HIDING in the streets of Syria away from the war.

-- Muslim women RUNNING away from extremist trucks.

BACK TO ALAS BATHROOM

Ala STANDS BRUSHING his teeth in his very clean bathroom without
a shirt on.

The camera focuses on the T.V. in the background talking about

the latest terror attack that has happened with Damascus, Syria,
killing about one hundred people by a car bomb by a restaurant.

Ala SHAKES his head and gets a shirt on.

INT. ALAS LIVING ROOM

Ala GRABS his wallet and keys and closes the door behind him.
EXT. ALAS DRIVEWAY

Ala gets into his car and starts DRIVING out of his house.
He TURNS on the radio and SWITCHES the channel from news to
popular Arabic music. The music continues onto the following
scenes.

EXT. STREETS OF SYRIA - DAY

The camera follows the car and watches the landscape change from
his house and nice neighbourhood to the war torn streets of
Syria.

Children PLAYING outside half naked with their friends and

mothers watching them.

The buildings are in ruins from the war, half together and parts
of them on the ground yet families still live in them.

The camera goes from Alas car and pans to the city of Damascus
from a high viewpoint.

Cut to

EXT. OUTSIDE ALAS FATHERS HOUSE - DAY

Ala STANDS outside the large door and SIGHS.

Ala KNOCKS on a very large door and continues into

INT. ALAS FATHERS DOORWAY

ALA
ABEE? Abee Im here.

ABEE
Son! Ala Al Din my boy!

Abee SHUFFLES quickly over to Ala in his slippers and all white
clothing and turban.
Abee EMBRACES Ala with a hug and Ala gives a half hug, showing
how awkward and uncomfortable their relationship is.

ABEE
How was the drive out?
(letting go of the hug)

ALA
It was fine.
(placing his keys on the
on the table beside the
door)

ABEE
Good, good. Come in, come sit.

They LEAVE the doorway and go into

INT. ABEES LIVING ROOM

Two couches are in the center of the room side by side.

Ala SITS on the far left side of the couch on the left, and Abee
SITS on the far right side of the couch on the right side,
directly beside the other couch.

Abee is smiling looking at Ala.

Ala is sitting quietly not smiling or looking at Abee.

There is a large grandfather clock in the center separating the

couches that ticks every second.

The ticking is all that breaks the silence.

There is a large fireplace to the left of the couches and holds

many picture frames on it.

There are pictures of Abees wife and Alas mother.

There are pictures of Abees daughter and Alas sister.

Coming back to Abee and Ala.

The grandfather clock separates them and acts like a divider of

the tension.

ABEE
Well

ALA
Yeah.

ABEE
Shall we go for lunch?

ALA
Sure.

ABEE
Do you want to drive? Or walk?

ALA
Where are we going?

ABEE
Okay lets walk.

ALA
Okay

ABEE
Lets go Im starving.

Abee JUMPS up from his seat while Ala STAGGERS off the couch.

Abee OPENS the door for Ala and they walk to

EXT. STREETS OF SYRIA - AFTERNOON

The afternoon sun beats down on Ala and Abee as they WALK down
the dirt road.

Children RUN and play around them as they pass.

Neither of them are talking to each other, but the tension is

calm as they WALK down the road.

A few children are PLAYING hopscotch in the middle of the road

and Ala and Abee WALK around them.

Abee smiles at the children.

ABEE
Allahu Akbar! Have fun kids!

The children smile and laugh and continue playing their game.

Ala LOOKS at the children and continues walking in silence.

INT. RESTAURANT

The waiter approaches their table and hands them their drinks.

Ala ordered a water and Abee a black coffee.

ABEE
Tell me son. Whats new in your
Life? Any women youve met?

ALA
Do we have to do this right now?

ABEE
I suppose not. Just thought Id -
(sitting back in his seat)

ALA
Just dont Abee.

The two of them SIT in awkward silence again.

Ala PLAYS with his utensils and napkin while Abee LOOKS at his
son.

ABEE
Your mother would be proud of you.

ALA
What?

ABEE
Youve become a great man Ala.
Sometimes you may take things, like
Me, for example, for granted but -

ALA
Where is this going Abee?

ABEE
I want to give you something.

Abee REACHES into his pocket and PULLS out a faded yellow coin.

Abee HOLDS the coin in his hands with his elbows on the table.

He PRESSES the coin between his index finger and his thumb and
SIGHS.

ALA
What is that?
(leaning in closer)

ABEE
Do you not remember?

ALA
Is that -

ABEE
Yes.
 ALA
I thought we lost that years ago.

ABEE
I thought so too. But I was doing some
gardening -

ALA
You were gardening?

ABEE
Yes. I was gardening. Whats wrong
with that?

ALA
Is that some type of midlife crisis?

ABEE
Im getting old I need a hobby.
As I was saying. I was doing some
yard work
(smirking at Ala)
And I came across it buried in the
sand.

ALA
Wow have you heard from them?

ABEE
Not for a few months now.

Ala LOOKS down at his cutlery and SIGHS.

Eventually their food arrives and Ala is PICKING at a small piece

of chicken, while Abee is EATING a salad.

ABEE
Like I was saying before son. I
Want you to have this.
(holds coin to Ala)
 ALA
What why?
(says with mouth full)

ABEE
Does everything have to be so
complicated with you? Just take
the coin Ala.

Ala GRABS the coin from Abee and PRESSES his index finger and
thumb together the same way Abee did.

ALA
You havent heard anything from
them? Nothing at all?

ABEE
No, not since Christmas.

ALA
Its September Abee.

ABEE
I know son I know. Im sure
theyre safe in Canada. Why dont -

Ala GLARES at Abee.

ALA
Why dont I what? Go to Canada?

ABEE
Yes. Why dont you? Its secular,
just the way you want it. I see you
dont wear your turban anymore. So
why dont you just -

ALA
Leave? Abee, please.
(raises hand to make
Abee stop talking)
 ABEE
I just want whats best for you son.

ALA
You sent mom and SOUZAN away. Why are
you trying to send me away too?

ABEE
I wanted you to go with them when this
war started Ala but you wouldnt go.
That was your choice.

ALA
Thats because never mind.

ABEE
Because what?

ALA
Nothing.

ABEE
Okay. Im going to the restroom.
(stands up from chair)
Allahu Akbar son.
ALA
Allahu Akbar dad.

Ala LOOKS down to the coin in his hands.

He PUTS it in his pocket and watches his father head to the

washroom.

Ala notices a man WALk into the restaurant wearing all black and
a bulging sweater.

Abee SEES the man as well and turns towards Ala.

ABEE
Son get down!
 MAN IN BLACK
Allahu Akbar!

BANG! The blast from the mans suicide bomb is enough to send
both Ala and Abee FLYING across the room.

RINGING is all that is heard.

Ala SITS up and LOOKS around for Abee.

Abee is LAYING on the ground with a table leg sticking through

his side.

ALA
Abee! No Abee!
(running to Abee and holding
his head up and placing
it on his lap)

Abee doesnt respond and slowly becomes more limp in Alas arms.

Ala SHAKES Abee and yells for him to come back. The scene is
silent and nothing can be heard.
Ala LEANS over Abee and CRIES.

Ala LOOKS around and SEES that many other people are dead.

Tables are turned over and destroyed.

Glass is shattered.

Everything is broken around where the suicide bomber detonated.

Ala SITS with his father in his lap and watches as men with guns
storm through the building.

Ala is so emotionally numb that he doesnt realize that these

people are wearing the same type of clothing as the suicide
bomber.
The men in black SEE Ala with his father and POINT their guns at
him.

Ala STARES at the men, then back at his father.

The men in black GRAB Ala by under the arms.

They DRAG Ala away from Abee.

Ala STARES at Abee as they drag him away.

A slow pan away from Abee and to

EXT. STREETS OF SYRIA OUTSIDE THE RESTAURANT - AFTERNOON

Three trucks are lined outside the restaurant.

The men in black PUT a black hood over Alas head.

The men in black THROW Ala into the back of their trucks.

The trucks DRIVE away with Ala in the back.