TITLE: SETTLING IN YOUR HEART.

Written by Dayo Jethro.

LOGLINE: The night that a mother lost her three children, she finds consoles but
finds out things were more than she had ever thought.

CHARACTERS:

1. IFEMI
2. AREOLA
3. JAMIU
4. MR OLAPO
5. MRS STELLA.
6. DETECTIVE SCAR.
7. THUGS.

EPISODE 1: SETTLING IN YOUR HEART

FADE IN:

EXT. APARTMENT - NIGHT

The apartment building stands tall in the moonlight, a quiet and unassuming
structure that hides the secrets of its occupants.

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

The room is dimly lit. IFEMI, AREOLA, and JAMIU sit on the sofa, holding up glasses of
Hollandia yoghurt. The tension in the air is palpable.

IFEMI: (with a hint of dark emotion) Thank you so much for all this. I do really
appreciate it.

AREOLA: (cryptically) What are we your brothers for?

JAMIU: (mysteriously) You should be glad that's all we seek, darling.

IFEMI: (with a sense of foreboding) Thank you so much. This means a lot to us.

IFEMI walks to the kitchen, where she encounters her mother, MRS. STELLA.
MRS. STELLA: (whispering) Happy birthday, my daughter.

They hug each other tightly, their love shrouded in secrecy.

INT. MRS. STELLA'S ROOM - FLASHBACK

Mrs. Stella gazes at a teenage picture of her daughter, her eyes haunted by
memories. We flash back to the past.

INT. MRS. STELLA'S ROOM - NIGHT - PAST

A loud SLAP echoes in the room as Mrs. Stella falls to the carpet, tears in her eyes.

MR. OLAPO: (with a menacing tone) Alasewo, onira nu. How many times have I
warned you not to leave my house without my permission?

MRS. STELLA: (broken, her voice quivering) I'm sorry, honey. I went to see my
mother...

Another SLAP lands on her face.

MR. OLAPO: (with a dark rage) I paid your full dowry, yet you're talking about your
stupid mother!

He mercilessly beats her, the room filled with the sound of her cries.

INT. MRS. STELLA'S ROOM - FLASHBACK - CONTINUOUS

Mrs. Stella weeps as the door creaks open once again, revealing Mr. OLAPO walking
back inside.

MR. OLAPO: Get dressed; we have a visitor. You better do good, or else...

Mrs. Stella trembles.

MRS. STELLA: (defiant) Or what precisely?

MR. OLAPO: (menacingly) Omo yi, o fe ni respect mi.

Mr. OLAPO starts to remove his belt, but Mrs. Stella, desperate and courageous, kicks
him below and grabs her purse and phone, fleeing from the room.
Mr. OLAPO holds himself in pain.

MR. OLAPO: (viciously) Just know that you're frigging dead. You're dead.

EXT. APARTMENT - FLASHBACK - CONTINUOUS

Mrs. Stella runs outside and quickly finds a biker waiting. She hops on the bike, and
they speed away, leaving Mr. OLAPO watching in anger and frustration.

INT. MRS. STELLA'S ROOM - PRESENT

Mrs. Stella stares at herself in the mirror, tears streaming down her face, her past and
present colliding in a web of emotions. She resumes packing her clothes onto the
bed.

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

IFEMI sits alone in the living room, a sense of unease heavy in the air. Suddenly,
JAMIU stands up.

JAMIU: (excitedly) It's Man City versus Chelsea today. Let's go watch it, AREOLA.

IFEMI: (feeling abandoned) Are you going to leave me alone on my birthday?

AREOLA: (apologetic) We're sorry, Ife. You're not alone; Mom is inside.

JAMIU and AREOLA walk outside, unaware of the looming danger.

EXT. APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS

JAMIU and AREOLA step down the corridor, but their footsteps pause as they hear
IFEMI's piercing scream. Fear takes hold of them, and they rush back.

INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

They burst into the living room, the windows open, but IFEMI is gone. Mrs. Stella
rushes out, and the tension in the air is suffocating.

JAMIU: (panicked) Calm down, Mami.

Mrs. Stella: (desperate) Where is Ife?

AREOLA: (determined) Mom, we're going to find her. Just calm down.

JAMIU notices a letter on the table and picks it up.

JAMIU: (reading with dread) "I'll find you all. You're all going to be in my locked room,
just like I'm going to take your sister all day."

Fear grips their hearts, and they realize the darkness that has descended upon their
lives.

INT. DARK FOREST - NIGHT

JAMIU and AREOLA venture deep into the dense forest, following the faint trail left
by IFEMI. The moon's feeble light barely penetrates the thick canopy of trees,
creating an eerie atmosphere.

JAMIU: (whispering) Stay close, Areola. We need to find Ife, but we can't risk getting
caught.

AREOLA: (nervously) I know, Jamiu. Let's be careful.

As they press on, they suddenly stumble upon a hidden clearing. In the midst of the
darkness, they see IFEMI, bound and gagged, surrounded by shadowy figures.

INT. DARK FOREST - NIGHT

JAMIU and AREOLA remain hidden behind trees, watching as IFEMI is bound and
surrounded by shadowy figures. The tension in the air is suffocating.

JAMIU: (in hushed tones) There she is, but there are too many of them. We can't
rescue her like this.

AREOLA: (determined) What should we do then?

JAMIU: (whispering) Let's pretend we got lost and let them catch us. We'll find an
opportunity to help Ife from the inside.

They deliberately make noise, drawing the attention of the enemy.

SHADOWY FIGURE #1: (sinisterly) Who's there?

JAMIU and AREOLA step into the clearing, their hands up in surrender.

JAMIU: (feigning innocence) We were just lost in the woods. Please, don't hurt us.

The enemy, though cautious, approaches them, weapons at the ready.

EXT. APARTMENT - DETECTIVE SCAR'S OFFICE - NIGHT

Back at the apartment, Mrs. Stella, overwhelmed with anxiety and fear, sobs
uncontrollably as she recounts the events to DETECTIVE SCAR.

MRS. STELLA: (tearfully) They took my children, Detective. They're in grave danger.

DETECTIVE SCAR: (solemnly) We will find them, Mrs. Stella, by any means necessary.
We won't let any harm come to your family.

INT. DARK FOREST - NIGHT

JAMIU and AREOLA have successfully deceived the enemy, pretending to be lost in
the forest. They are now in the enemy's custody but are covertly searching for an
opportunity to free IFEMI.

SHADOWY FIGURE #1: (suspicious) Why are you really here?

JAMIU: (playing the part) We were just trying to find our way back home. We didn't
mean any harm.

SHADOWY FIGURE #2: (whispering to FIGURE #1) What do we do with them?

SHADOWY FIGURE #1: (decisive) Tie them up and keep an eye on them. We can't
afford any surprises.

The shadowy figures, still wary, bind JAMIU and AREOLA and keep a watchful eye on
them.

INT. APARTMENT - DETECTIVE SCAR'S OFFICE - NIGHT

Detective Scar receives crucial information from his team.

DETECTIVE SCAR: (focused) They're in the forest. Move out now.

The team departs in the dead of night, heading to the dark forest, where a climactic
confrontation awaits.

EXT. MR OLAPO'S APARTMENT - DAY - PAST

OFFICER CHRISTIANA walks alongside Mrs. Stella as they walk down to the
apartment. Mr. OLAPO sees the officer and tries to compose himself.

OFFICER CHRISTIANA: Mr. OLAPO, your wife came to us and told us something that
you shouldn't be doing. These things, people die for it. People go to jail because of
them. Why are you still doing it?

MR. OLAPO: My wife here is just joking, she's just really joking. We had a unique
feeling about ourselves. Look here, I married her from a family in Kabba. Do you think
I'm joking when I said that things aren't the worst?

OFFICER CHRISTIANA: Can you stop lying for a moment? I know beating injuries
when I see them. I found the same thing on your wife.

MR. OLAPO: Intriguing, and you think I'm the one to be blamed for it?

OFFICER CHRISTIANA: You should thank God that your wife isn't taking you to the
station. But she's pregnant. I can't advise her to stay with a beast like you. I'm giving
you a restraining order. Stay five miles away from her. She will be moving to another
city today.

Mr. OLAPO: What about my baby?

Mrs. Stella: So you actually care for it? So you would have treated me nicely if you
knew I was pregnant. Then what happens when the baby is born? You'll resume the
beating, huh?

OFFICER CHRISTIANA: No more talk, she's packing. Go and pack up.

She walks inside the house, then returns with a bag after a few minutes.

Mr. OLAPO: Please…please don't leave.

He watches as they depart. A sinister look on his face.

MR. OLAPO: I'll still make life horrible for you. It's just a matter of time.
FADE OUT.

FADE IN:

EXT. WAREHOUSE - PRESENT

MR. OLAPO walks, as the thugs walk up to him and bow to him.

MR. OLAPO: Where are they?

Thug#1: They're inside here, boss.

MR. OLAPO: Good, let's go and have some fun.

Another thug runs outside from the warehouse.

The thug: They are not there, sir.

MR. OLAPO: Find them right away.

The thugs run away as fast as their feet can take them.

EXT. DARK FOREST - NIGHT

JAMIU and AREOLA, still in the custody of the shadowy figures, find themselves in a
tense situation. Their main focus is on finding a way to free IFEMI and escape.

AREOLA: (whispering) We have to be patient and wait for the right moment.

JAMIU: (whispering) Agreed, but we can't stay in their grasp for long.

The shadowy figures keep a close watch on the trio as they move deeper into the
forest, their faces hidden by masks, their intentions unclear.

INT. APARTMENT - DETECTIVE SCAR'S OFFICE - NIGHT

Detective Scar's team assembles outside the apartment, ready to embark on their
mission.

DETECTIVE SCAR: (authoritative) Our mission is to locate and rescue JAMIU, AREOLA,
and IFEMI. We're dealing with a dangerous enemy, so be prepared for anything.
The team nods in understanding, determination etched on their faces, despite the
darkness of the task.

INT. WAREHOUSE - PRESENT

MR. OLAPO stands outside the warehouse, his impatience growing as his thugs
search for the missing trio.

MR. OLAPO: (menacingly) Find them, and make sure they suffer.

The thugs scurry around, trying to uncover any trace of JAMIU, AREOLA, and IFEMI,
but they have mysteriously vanished.

EXT. DARK FOREST - NIGHT

As the shadowy figures lead JAMIU, AREOLA, and IFEMI deeper into the forest, a
sudden commotion disrupts their formation.

SHADOWY FIGURE #2: (confused) What's that noise?

In the distance, the sound of approaching footsteps and hushed voices becomes
evident.

JAMIU seizes the opportunity and signals to AREOLA and IFEMI.

JAMIU: (whispering) Now, while they're distracted!

With lightning speed, they overpower their captors and break free. In the chaos,
JAMIU manages to grab a weapon from one of the shadowy figures.

IFEMI: (fierce) Let's go, before they regroup!

The trio sprints deeper into the forest, escaping the clutches of their enemies, but
danger still lurks in the darkness.

EXT. APARTMENT - DARKNESS - NIGHT

Detective Scar's team moves stealthily through the night, guided by their
determination to rescue the missing siblings.

INT. WAREHOUSE - PRESENT

The thugs return to MR. OLAPO, their expressions filled with fear and frustration.

Thug#1: (nervous) They... they're gone, boss.

MR. OLAPO: (enraged) Gone? How could they be gone?

Thug#2: (panicking) We don't know, sir. They just disappeared!

MR. OLAPO's anger flares as he realizes his captives have slipped through his fingers.

MR. OLAPO: (furious) You imbeciles! Find them, now!

The thugs scatter in a frantic search, driven by their boss's wrath.

EXT. DARK FOREST - NIGHT

JAMIU, AREOLA, and IFEMI keep running deeper into the dark forest, their hearts
pounding, as they try to put as much distance between them and their pursuers as
possible.

EXT. APARTMENT - DARKNESS - NIGHT

Detective Scar's team approaches the dark forest, their flashlights cutting through
the night. The mission to rescue the missing siblings is about to reach its climax.

EXT. DARK FOREST - NIGHT

JAMIU, AREOLA, and IFEMI continue their desperate flight through the forest, fear
and determination in their eyes. The sound of pursuit grows fainter, and they start to
believe they might escape.

However, just as a glimmer of hope emerges, an unnoticed thug lurking in the

shadows takes aim and fires a shot.

BANG!

JAMIU is struck and falls to the ground, the pain and shock registering on his face.

AREOLA: (screaming) Jamiu!

IFEMI: (terrified) No, no, no!

They rush to JAMIU's side as he clutches his bleeding shoulder, the forest filled with
darkness, danger, and uncertainty.

FADE OUT.

EPISODE 2 COMING SOON...