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Research Area ASweatshop – AleppoA play for the ear for five voices by Tale Næss The voices:SaraMeriamThe boyThe boy’s motherMeriam’s father  1. The boy (close up):I had this dream. I dreamt about tree standing tall at the top of a steep hillBy the foot sat two sistersOne of them was you Meriam (close up):Me? The boy (close up):Yes Meriam (close up):I was in your dream? The boy (close up):Yes, you were Meriam (close up):But I have no sister – The boy (close up):I think the other one was SaraIn the dream she did not look like Sara, but I think it was her Short pause Meriam (close up):Go on The boy (close up):Well – there was this tree –and I could follow its roots all the way down under groundAnd at its root was this welland deep down in the well there were citiescities long forgottencities long abandoned with their alleyways and squareswith their mosques, and schools, and libraries where books floated about in waterdarkened by inkand one of these cities was Aleppoand I could see your house thereand the stairs leading up to itand the room where you and your brothers used to sleepyou were there in your bedall the other beds were emptyand then there was Sara
She was outside the building, throwing pebbles at your windowshouting your name Far away – as from another time or another room: city-sounds, voices and cries through an open window. The sound of Aleppo before the war. Sara (back then – shouting from the street):Meriam!It’s me!Come out! Meriam (now – close up):Did you dream about us? A window opens  Meriam (back then – answering Sara):I am not allowed – The boy (now – close up):Yes Sara (then):                                                                   Just tell your father                                                    that you are with me – Tell him thatthen he’ll let you Meriam (then – shouting):But I can’t – he won’t                                                                                                                                        Meriam’s father (then):Whose there?   You can be thirteen maybe, or fourteen                                                           Who are you talking to?And he will not let you out Meriam (then):    It’s Sara                                                                        Meriam (now– close up):
And you saw all that?
My room Meriam’s father (then):Shut that window                                                       and my brothers beds – andListen to what I am saying, – just shutThe boy (now – close up):
Yesthat windowNobody is leaving this house today                                                                                      Silence. Now. The boy (now– close up):And at the end of the well, there was an ocean I think
sun on the waves and sometimes –boats –
the whole ocean covered by boats A voice outside his door The boy’s mother (now):Are you in there? What are you doing?

The boy (now):
Nothing, mum The door opens The boy’s mother (now):Who were you talking to? The boy (now):Me? The boy’s mother (now):I thought I heard voices. You are upCan’t you sleep? The boy (now):– The boy’s mother (now):No, of course you can’t. It’s impossible. Just plain impossible.

Are you hungry?Shall I bring you something to eat? Did you have one of those dreams again? The boy (now):I’m fine mum. Don’t worry.I’m going to bed now. The boy’s mother (now):So – What did you see?In your dream? Was I there? Your father? Did he say something?In your dream, – did he say something? The boy (now):It was just a dream, mum.It was just a dream I had. The boy’s mother (now):– Do you want me to stay a while?

The boy (now):
No The boy’s mother (now):
I don’t mind The boy (now):Really mum. I’m fine.I am going to bed now. The boy’s mother (now):Give me a shout then, if you need anything. The door closes behind her.Silence The boy (now – close up):Meriam?Are you there? She is gone. She won’t be back for a while. Short pause Meriam (now – close up):Tell me about my brothers
In your dream, did you see them?  The boy (now – close up):No Meriam (now – close up):You didn’t see any of them?
Feisal? Or Wahel? The boy (now – close up):I saw Roch Meriam (now – close up):
Roch? The boy (now – close up):
I did not see your brothers, but I saw Roch. And FaresHe was cycling through town with a box of chickens on the back of his bike Meriam (now – close up):
Nobody’s seen Fares or Roch in monthsNot since they volunteered The boy (now – close up):
I saw himFace down at the bottom of ditch Meriam (now – close up):
I don’t like it when you talk like that The boy (now – close up):
You wanted to know Meriam (now – close up):
I wanted to know about my brothers The boy (now – close up):
And I dreamt about RochI can’t decide what I am going to dream about, Meriam Meriam (now – close up):
–And if you could? The boy (now – close up):
If I could what? Meriam (now – close up):
If you could decide what you were going to dream about The boy (now – close up):
– Meriam (now – close up):
If you could decide and you had a dream about my brothers, what would you – The boy (now – close up):
Meriam – Meriam (now – close up):I just – if you just – if you could only – You never see them?You do not see them at all? Silence The boy (now – close up):This is what I dreamt – You were standing at the foot of a treeSara was there and when you turned around you saw a kind of openinga doorand then –It’s hard to explainIt’s as if everything grew darkerJust this darknessand you were running Meriam (now – close up):– The boy (now – close up):And I think it was raining Meriam (now – close up):Why was I running? The boy (now – close up):I don’t knowYou were just runningMaybe you felt like it
It had been such a long time – such a long time since you were last running like thissuch a long time since you’ve been outside Meriam (now – close up):Where am I heading?
To your place? The boy (now – close up):No.You are not here. Not in Aleppo Meriam (now – close up):Then where am I? The boy (now – close up):In a city Meriam (now – close up):What city? The boy (now – close up):A big city Meriam (now – close up):–Am I all alone?  The boy (now – close up):I think Sara is there. Meriam (now – close up):Sara? The boy (now – close up):She is waiting for you. In your room. Where you live Silence Meriam (now – close up):Can you dream stuff that are going to happen? The boy (now – close up):I’m just guessing, Meriam
I’m just guessing SilenceA beat The boy (now):Meriam?Meriam, are you there? Silence The boy (now):Meriam – I can’t hear youTalk to me Silence
The sound of the city
Of war maybe, coming closer The boy (now – close up – addressing himself):Sometimes I dream that everything is like it used to be:Meriam in the house next doorSara in her yellow dressFares on his bike crossing the roundabout with a box of chickens
on the back, but I know that it’s over. That they are all goneSoon we’ll be the only ones here  2. The boy (now – close up):I dream I get stabbed in my thigh, in my neck, in my chest
I dream that they cut my throat
I awake and I’m live
I awake
and I’m live
I am awake and I’m alive

Meriam says:
I wish I never met you
I say:I am here now We share an apple
I think:
Soon, she is going to kiss meOr I am going to kiss her
She says: Meriam (then):What do you think?
What do you think is going to happen next? The boy (now – close up):She is standing right beside meShe says: Tell me about my brothersShe says: Tell me where they are Meriam (then):Why can’t you tell me about me about my brothers?In my dream we are walking through acersof golden wheatShe says:                                                                                   Tell me!
Tell me about your dreams The boy (then):You must go home now, Meriam
Your father is looking for you   And your father chases you away from the window

Meriam (then):I hate himI hate himAnd there is shooting in the northern hillsAnd you are wearing that red sweaterand I take your hand –He won’t let me out

the boy (then):
You are the only one he’s got

Your father wants to take you away from hereHe used to have five childrennow you are the only one   Do you hear me? Meriam (now – close up):                                                                                   I hear you Silence The boy (now – close up): We are standing outside the grocery shopAll the others have gone homeThe streets are empty and I take your hand The boy (then):        They’ve all leftAnd I bite into the appleand you bite into the appleand the street the houses
your faceeverything around us all of a sudden
all lit up    Meriam (then):I know

The boy (then):and I say:Soon we’ll be the only one here  3. The boy (now – close up):I see you.
You do not notice it, but I see you Meriam (now – close up):Where are we? The boy (now – close up):You’re in your room Meriam (now – close up):Where? The boy (now – close up):In TurkeyIn IzmirYou have travelled here by busYou’ve been here several months nowYou are safeYou are waitingYou are waiting for them to come and take you away from here Meriam (now – close up):
Can you see all that?

The boy (now – close up):Yes Meriam (now – close up):Where we are?What we are doing The boy (now – close up): It’s early morning Soon the shop on the first floor will open and the old girls next door will put the kettle on
and the sisters from Yarmuk have already finished their breakfast
soon they will start swiping the stairs, as the owners gets the goods readyas he opens the till
checks the front door, the back door, that all is as it should be Sara is still asleepYou do not have the heart to wake her                                                            Meriam (in Izmir):Sara
Sara, wake upIn the room in the basementthe sowing machines stand lined up and ready
Meriam (in Izmir):
Sara. Get up
and in the attic, in the storage rooms, the boxes
stand fully loadedwith zippers and fabrics
hooks and threads
Shall I put the kettle on? And a truck unloads its goods in the back yardAnd box upon box gets filled in the basementof orange and blue life vestsof yellow and grey – and all the timeall hours of the day – that low humming of the sowing machines Nobody else knowsNobody else knows what you’re lives has becomeThat you are not even allowed to talk to anyoneTo open the door, walk the streets, and it is driving you crazyYou cannot leave the houseThey have your papers        they won’t let you out of their sight           all this silenceall this waiting and you open up the window and you:

The sound of a window being opened and the city outside Meriam (in Izmir – shouting out the window):
Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!                       Sara (in Izmir):
Shut that window!Shut that window, Meriam – stop making a racketYou are not supposed to open it – Meriam (now – close up):And then – The boy (now – close up):Sara closes the windowThe whole day goes by –you sit bent over the materiala zippera lining – in a room hazed by dust Meriam (now – close up):What are we making? The boy (now – close up):Life wests The sound of the sowing machines The boy (now – close up):You start with the frontThen you do the backThen the zipperSara (in Izmir):
Can you pass me a piece of that foam?Filling it with foamSecuring the seamsAnd a zipperAnd then the nextAnd then another one
This one is for a childsize 6–9No, – not that one. That’s too long Short pause         Sara (in Izmir):So, where did you meet him? Meriam (in Izmir):
Who? Sara (in Izmir):
That boyThe one who’s dreams came true? Meriam (in Izmir):
At Fares Sara (in Izmir):
And his dreams come true? Meriam (in Izmir):
Fares said so Sara (in Izmir):FaresNever believe a word he is saying.–Did he walk you home? Meriam (in Izmir):
Who? Sara (in Izmir):
That boy – Meriam (in Izmir):
No!? Sara (in Izmir):
Did Fares walk you home? Meriam (in Izmir):
Nobody walked me home.
It wasn’t like thatthenOne could walk wherever – take the buss
It wasn’t like it is here – now – There – Sara stops sowing The boy (now – close up):I see themI sleep – and I see themI am awake – and I see them   Sara says: Sara (in Izmir):
Imagine. Of all possible places we had to end up here.I told him. I told Roch last time we chatted –
Never ever, ever am I going to stay here
in this shithole – Never
This is a really, really C R A P P Y placeI told himI’ts just not on

Meriam (in Izmir):
– Sara (in Izmir):
I just don’t get it.
Of all places in this whole fucking universe we had to end up here in the crappiest of all the crappy cities on the planet – and you know as well as I – that there is no such thing as dreams coming true –
I asked Roch about it and he said so.
All that is just superstition, he said. It’s just something Fares made up, and Meriam, – Meriam, she is just a stupid little country girl – just like her brothers. Peasants, the lot of them. He said so. Meriam (in Izmir):
Don’t talk about my brothers – Sara (in Izmir):
For all I know it’s just some story you two have made upThe boy (now – close up):                          Meriam says:                                                              Don’t talk about my brothers –

Sara (In Izmir):
Could you just tickle my back?
The boy (now – close up):
Sara is sifting through a magazineShe says: PleaseJust a little      You have taken the bus all the way here
All the way to Turkey
No, – don’t stop
Imagine if we just could stay like this. All dayEvery day Your father arranged itYou are supposed to wait for them here                                              A bit further down.
There – that’s lovely
They’ll come and get youLaterwhen everything is ok
Meriam (in Izmir):Do you like it like that? then you all can go together, to Europe
Sara (in Izmir):Mmm –You’re the best So – what did he say?
That boy which dreams come true?Had he dreamt about you?

Meriam (in Izmir):
–           Silence                                                                                                                                      The boy (now – close up):
Sara and Meriam
Meriam and Sara –
You have a rooma kettlea small fridge They have your passportsThey have given you these jobsYou fill the life vests with foam
and when the job is doneYou will get your passports back One vest consists of 48 piecesYou’ve counted themYou count them Meriam counting Meriam (in Izmir):One, two, three, four, five …                                            Sara (in Izmir):Why are you counting?The boy (now – close up): And you pick up a piece of fabricthen anotherthen another You are counting pieces The cordsMeriam (in Izmir):Twelve, thirteen, fourteen …The lining at the front left The lining at the front right
And you keep on counting                                                 Meriam (in Izmir):
11, 12, 13, 1 4 Sara (in Izmir):Who do you think decides which colour they use?                                                                     Meriam (in Izmir):
I think they just use the cheapest fabric they can get hold of Sara (in Izmir):Yes – but it’s a real funky colour this one Look – that’s wrong –You are doing it wrongThat section is in two partsTwo parts, MeriamYou need to cut that in two24, 25, 26 – Sara (in Izmir):
That’s two different parts you have there! Meriam (in Izmir):
HushI will get it all wrong if you keep on shouting like that – 492492 different parts Yesterday I finished twelve vests – all together with all the pieces, the zippers and liningthat’s 492 different parts all together. Sara (in Izmir):How does it matter how many pieces there are? Pause Sara (in Izmir):
What, Meriam? What! What are you laughing at? Me?

What are you doing? Stop that! Stop throwing things at me? The boy (now – close up):For a long time, all I saw was darknessJust darknessNo trees, no sweatshop, no Sara, no Meriam Meriam (in Izmir – throwing a tube of glue at Sara)Take this one!
And this!Just darkness Darkness as I closed my eyes and darkness   as I opened themSara (in Izmir):Stop! Meriam (in Izmir – throwing a roll of fabric at Sara)And this! Sara (in Izmir):Meriam – stop it! Laughter. Breathing                                                        Just breathing The boy (now – close up):At first it was like an echo Meriam (in Izmir – short of breath): Foam does not float, you know                                                                      and I knew what it was Sara (in Izmir – short of breath):I knowI’m not stupid
Sometimes I think that you think I am stupid, but I’m not It’s that kind of dream that you dreamwhile you’re awakeYou think I’m stupidbut I am notIt was driving me crazy Meriam (in Izmir):They fall over board, you knowI was awake – and I was dreaming(making a ghostly voice)they faaaall Sara (in Izmir):– Meriam (in Izmir):I’ve seen itThey buy these fake life vests, thinking they are for reel – and then they feel all safe and secure and then /I was awake – and I was dreaming                                        (in a whispering voice)they faaaall Sara (in Izmir – in a low voice):StopI was under waterMeriam (in Izmir):– and then the foam gets filled with water and then /I was drowning and I was still alive /they sinkThey sink and they sinkDeeper, deeper/ and all around me                                            Meriam (in Izmir):
Deeper and deeper –

Sara (in Izmir – a bit higher):Stop it   Just stop!      / everywhere
Meriam (in Izmir):And then the foam becomes wet and heavyAnd thenall these bodiesThey just keep on sinkingwhite, naked, skinnyold and youngmothers and fatherssons and daughters                                          brothersand sistersSara (in Izmir):Can you stop it! A beat The boy (now – close up):Sara writes Roch with capital letters on the mirrorSara writes Roch with crayons on the floorWith lipstickWith whatever she can get hold ofShe writes Roch on her armson her thighsshe lies on her back looking at her hands She gets upShe’s on her mobileShe puts on her headphones Meriam says:He is not there Meriam (in Izmir):I’m telling you – he is not thereHe wasn’t online yesterday –
he won’t be online today Sara (in Izmir):I’m not talking to you Meriam (in Izmir):He won’t answer Sara (in Izmir):I am not talking to youI am talking to Roch Meriam (in Izmir):
He’s not there
He is not on Facebook
He’s not chatting
All the time you say that he is there, – but he is not.
You are just pretending to be chatting with him.

Sara (in Izmir):Says whom? Meriam (in Izmir):You are just pretending to annoy meHe’s gone Sara (in Izmir):
He’s not goneHe’s fineRoch’s fineHe is not like your stupid brothersHe’ll make itHe always doesHe’s just Meriam (in Izmir):If that’s what you want to believe Sara (in Izmir – she gets up):I hate this place!I hate this job!I hate you Meriam (in Izmir):
Wow – that’s a really, really grown up thing to sayReally, really mature The boy (now – close up):Sara takes a life vest Meriam (in Izmir):
Sara          She starts tearing up the seams You – I did not mean toSaraShe starts pulling out the foam – then she takes another
What are you doing?                        Stop it!and anotherShe is shoutingShe is pulling them apartThere is no stopping herWhy are you tearing them apart?She is going through a pileTearing it all to shredsThrowing them on the floorStepping on them Meriam (in Izmir):
Sara!You mustn’tYou can’t –Give me that! That there is a whole day’s work! Sara!Don’t!SaraThe boy (now – close up):She pushes her asideSara (in Izmir):   Let me! Meriam (in Izmir):I’m sorryI was just kidding – sure you will hear from RochSure there will be a message for you – just wait and see Sara (in Izmir):Let me be! Meriam (in Izmir):
Sara stop it!The boy (now – close up):
Sara turns the table
Sara breaks a mugSara (in Izmir):Leave me alone! Meriam (in Izmir):Look at me, Sara!
Look at me! Breathing They are standing in chaos. In rolls of fabric, of broken life vests, in piles of zippers and foam Silence Sara (in Izmir):Oh no.Oh no, oh no. Oh Sara – you shouldn’t haveOh dear – What have I done What are we going to do now? What are we going to do? Meriam?What shall we say?What will they say?Oh noI’ve ruined everything, haven’t I? Meriam, say something. SilenceA beat The boy (now – close up):Meriam walks through fields of cornMeriam cuts her hair off with a knifeShe is knee deep in sandShe wipes off her mouth, her faceShe is talking to her brothersShe says: Here, but no furtherShe says: This is my place nowShe is stamping her feetShe whispers:SaraMy sisterWhy is it so dark?She is lying at the bottom of the stairsA man stands over her with his fist raisedHe is hitting her repeatedly
He owns the floor she is lying onThe food in her mouthThe clothes she is wearingHer skirt is black as tar around her anklesHe hits her with his hand, with his knucklesShe has closed her eyesShe stands facing a field of cornshe walks through itAt the end she can see them
she has five brothersthey are waiting for her
She tries to speak, but her mouth has deserted her, and his fists rains down on herShe is a desolate buildingShe is as barren as boneLook
look at her sinkingSinking into a mountain of orangeof soft foam Meriam (in Izmir):Sara SaraI cannot breathe I cannot breathe, Sara

Sara (in Izmir):Take my hand! Meriam (in Izmir):I can’t breathe Sara (in Izmir):Take my hand, Meriam Stand upCome on!He has left nowYou have to get up before he comes back –       Do itTake it.
Take my hand That’s the way.That’s my girlI knew you could do it. Just hold on to meJust hold on to me, you are alright now. Look at you Look at me Let me wash your face Silence – for a long time Meriam (in Izmir):We lived –    Sara (in Izmir):Hush Meriam (in Izmir):We lived in the smallest village Sara (in Izmir):HushDon’t talk                                                        Meriam (in Izmir):It must have been the smallest village in the whole worldThree housesJust rocks                                                          Sara – do you hear what I am saying? Sara (in Izmir):I hear youHush – You don’t need to say anythingYou don’t need to talkDon’t talk, MeriamYou don’t need to say anything Meriam (in Izmir):Oh – Christ I’m thirsty Could you get me some water? Sara (in Izmir):Here Meriam drinks Sara (in Izmir):You didn’t have to do itYou did not have to say it was you – you who did itYou really didn’tWhen it was meI who did itThere was no need for it Meriam finishes drinking Meriam (in Izmir):Thanks Sara (in Izmir):Let me have a look at that eyeShit Don’t touch it!Leave it alone –  You did not need toSay what you did – when it was never –
he never ever would have hit meHe never hasMeriam He’s never hit me  Silence The boy (now – close up):How quiet it is Meriam (now – close up):YesWhat is it – are you crying? The boy (now – close up):Am I? Meriam (now – close up):We’ll manage The boy (now – close up):Will we? That’s what they tell us, isn’t it?That we are going to manage it.
That everything is going to be alright –
and we believe it, don’t we?They tell it to us, and we believe them:
The life vests will keep us afloatYour brothers will come homeWe will all soon be home againThings will get better, you’ll see
As soon as we get the job doneAs soon as the war is over
As soon as we pay for the food,
for the journey, for the room Sara (in Izmir):Hush
Hush Meriam

Hush – It’s alright
I promise

All you need is just a little bit of restThere you are

Sara is hereI’m hereSara will look after you  4. The boy (now – close up):I am not dreamingI am wide awakeSara is bony and restlessShe is grasping for Meriamfor her hand in her sleepshe cannot find itShe is not thereShe is somewhere else – she is pacing the roomShe leaves it
She is standing in the hallIt’s night-timeShe knows it won’t workThat she has nowhere to go– What will you do without money? Out there without anyoneShe stands thereI see youYou want to leave this place and never come back,
but you don’t know how Meriam (now – close up):You see me? The boy (now – close up):
Yes

Meriam (now – close up):
Are you there? The boy (now – close up):I am here Meriam (now – close up):We are there together? The boy (now – close up):We’re in the hallway Meriam (now – close up):Everybody else is asleep The boy (now – close up):Yes Meriam (now – Close up):So what happens now? The boy (now – close up):I am where you are Meriam (now – close up):Where are we going? The boy (now – close up):Where do you want to go? Meriam (now – close up):Out Am I going out? The boy (now – close up):Yes Meriam (now – close up):NoI do not have the courage The boy (now – close up):But you do it anyway Meriam (now – close up):I am leaving the building What am I doing? The boy (now – close up):You are runningYou are running down the street
You are running in the rainYou haven’t been running for the longest timeBut now you areYou are running like it’s no tomorrowThrough streets and alleysPast shops selling life vests and kitchen appliancespast supermarkets and petrol stations Meriam (now – close up):Where am I going? The boy (now – close up):Away from here You are standing in a roundaboutIzmir is all around youIt’s a breathing, living, giant animalYou have made up your mindYou are going to find your brothers Meriam (now – close up):YesWhy are you dreaming this?
Never mindI like itIn a dream, everything is possible – right?If you dream this, then anything could happen? The boy (now – close up):I don’t think this is my dream, Meriam Meriam (now – close up):It isn’t? The boy (now – close up):No. Meriam (now – close up):–Is it me?Is it me – dreaming you?It this my dream? And in this dream I can be anywhere I want?
Even in your room? The boy (now – close up):Even in my room In the boy’s room in Aleppo
Maybe sounds of war Meriam (now – close up):It’s so stuffy in this placeWhy can’t we open the window? Let in some air?Just for a minute? She opens the windowThe sound of gunshots in the distance

Meriam (now – close up):
Did you here that? They listen Meriam (now – close up):Is it getting closer? The boy (now – close up):Yes.Every day a little closer Meriam (now – close up):And no lightsWhy do you have the light on? Nobody else in the city has the lights onShouldn’t we turn the lights out? The boy (now – close up):WaitWait just a moment –I want to see you Steps outside the door The boy’s mother (now):Are you there?
Are you still awake? The boy (now – close up):Hush The boy’s mother (now):Why have you turned the lights on? The door opens
The boy’s mother (now):I’m coming in – But darling –Turn it off at once! You can not have the lights on –And the window is open – Why did you open that window!You can’t – You just cannot do things like that! He shuts the window The boy’s mother (now):Christ, how many times do I have to tell you!You know that – standing here with all the lights on and the windowTurn it offYou are not the only one living in this building! What were you thinking about!You’re just like your father The boy (now):– Silence The boy’s mother (now):But darling boy – what’s the matter?What’s on your mind? You know that you just cannot turn the lights on like that          The boy (now – close up):In the dream I am not hereIn the dream I cross a borderIn a dream you are running in the rainWhat’s the matter?Meriam (now – close up):YesThe boy (now): It’s – The boy’s mother (now):It’s?  The boy (now):In the dream I am not aloneIn the dream you are with meYou are in my roomWe have turned the lights onMy mother is there together with usIn a moment, she will be leaving Meriam (now – close up):I knowThe boy (now):
Nothing The boy’s mother (now):I don’t understand The boy (now):It just isn’t – working The boy’s mother (now):What’s not working? I don’t know what to say –  Those dreams – it will pass The boy (now):Do you believe that?                                The boy’s mother (now):I don’t know what to believe – but you have to sleepYou cannot be afraid of going to sleep every nightYou wear yourself out –Just one more nightOne more night – you can do that? The boy (now):– The boy’s mother (now):Go to bed nowTomorrow – everything will be alrightI promise Silence Meriam (now – close up):
Has she left? The boy (now – close up):
Yes Meriam (now – close up):Are we still here? The boy (now – close up):No – not any moreWe are some place elseOn a beachYou have a life vest in your left hand Meriam (now – close up):What do we see? The boy (now – close up):The oceanBoats Meriam (now – close up):What do I see? The boy (now – close up):Boats approachingPeople waiting by the shore – your father, your mother and – / Meriam (now – close up):
– my brothers –

I can see them! The boy (now – close up): – your father’s taking hold of the stem Meriam (now – close up):I try to wave to him, but he does not see meThey are thereall of them the boy (now – close up):They are boarding the boats nowPicking up their luggage – and you can hear your fathers voiceHe is saying: We can do this                               Meriam’s father (in the dream)We can do thisWe are going to be fineWe are going to be fineAnd your mother climbs on board                                      And your brothers climb on board                                                                    Meriam (now – close up):
and I run towards them                                        No!Leave thatAnd I shoutAnd nobody hears meJust leave that bagThere is no way we can bring it allThe boy (now – close up):                           And they have started the engines Sound of boats starting up their engines The boy (now – close up):                           And your brothers / Meriam (now – close up):
climb on board
and the boats leave the shore The boy (now – close up):You are therestanding at the beach Meriam (now – close up):                           They are alright, – aren’t they?They will make it – won’t they? The boy (now – close up):                           – Meriam (now – close up):                           The sea is smooth, and grey and shinyThe boats are heavy in the water They are slowly filling upThere is water to the brimThey are going to sink, aren’t they? The boy (now – close up):                           And you wade into it Meriam (now – close up):                           Look at them! The boy (now – close up):                           You are wading to your knees, your hips, your breasts Meriam (now – close up):   Look at that manLifting his childLifting his child out and away from the water The boy (now – close up):                           You are in water until your neck Meriam (now – close up):
Why must I see this? The boy (now – close up):                           I don’t know Meriam (now – close up):      Why must I see this?                     The boy (now – close up):                            – Meriam (now – close up):                           There is water all around me The boy (now – close up):                           Yes Meriam (now – close up):                           It’s freezing. I’m wetI’m aloneI am afraid. I don’t want to be here! The boy (now – close up):I am here Meriam (now – close up):                                                                I cannot stay here The boy (now – close up):                           We can hold on to each other Meriam (now – close up):                           We cannot stay here The boy (now – close up):                           I’ve got you Meriam (now – close up):                           You’ve got me The boy (now – close up):                           I’ll hold on to you / Meriam (now – close up):                           I don’t want to do this anymoreThey won’t make it, will they!They won’t! I’m afraidWake me up! SilenceA beat Meriam (now – close up):                           It was just bad luckThatboat was not good enough The boat was shit, that’s all Short pause Sara (in Izmir – far away)Meriam!Meeeriam!Did you hear that? The boy (now – close up):                           – Meriam (now – close up):What was that?MeriaaaamThe boy (now – close up):That’s Sara Meriam (now – close up):What’s she doing? The boy (now – close up):Looking for youWhere are you! They listenMeriam, whe e e e e e e e e e e e e are you! Far away in the distance, a window is opened. We can hear the sounds of a big city, – Izmir Meriam (now – close up):No – don’t open the window-Leave it alone Sara!Leave it.They don’t like it!Shut it!                                                    Just shut that window!Stop calling my name! Silence Meriam (now – close up):Am I awake now? The boy (now – close up):Soon Long silence Meriam (now – close up):I dream that there are five ways to dieA bullet in the backdrowning in ones own spitwhile watching the roof collapsehaving ones neck brokenbeing buried in rubble I dream of captivityof starvationof a knife through my cheek, my chestcut wide open and it isn’t meIt’s my dream – but itIsn’t meI’m awake and I’m aliveI’m awake and I’m alive The boy (now – close up):Sara is wearing a yellow dressher face is the sun rising Meriam’s in the hallway Wait SaraDon’t call anybodyDon’t go running down the stairsDon’t go knocking on those doorsDo not wake the auntiesthe ownerthe sisters in the front roomshe’s hereShe’s on her way backSoonSoonSoon – you will see her SilenceMeriam enters the room Meriam (in Izmir):Hi Sara (in Izmir):Where have you been? Why don’t you answer me? Come over here! Meriam (in Izmir):Ouch!! Sara (in Izmir):Your soaked.
Take off that jumper.Just do what I tell you to Be still! Now – let me dry your hair Don’t moveChrist – I’ve been waiting and waiting – I thought I was going to go mad – all night long, all night long, Meriam And the stockings! HereLift your arms upJust lean on meJust do it – you are shivering girl SilenceA beat Sara (in Izmir):Where have you been Meriam (in Izmir):Out Sara (in Izmir):Out? Whereabouts – “out”? Meriam (in Izmir):–
Sara (in Izmir):Stop kidding with me – Meriam (in Izmir):– Sara (in Izmir):So where did you go?Where did you go?Where? Meriam (in Izmir):Just out Sara (in Izmir):Without me? Meriam (in Izmir):I just had to Sara (in Izmir):Alone?Leaving me here Meriam (in Izmir):SaraI’m here now Sara (in Izmir):– So – what did you do?!? Meriam (in Izmir):I ran Sara (in Izmir):– Silence Meriam (in Izmir – in a low voice)We can’t stay hereI can’t stay here Sara (in Izmir):And then you thought – that you – out thereBut how?Where would we go?What would we do, Meriam? I mean – where would we liveOn the street like?You and meOn the street? No wayThere is no way I can do thatI’ll wait hereUntil we hear from themUntil they come and get us Just say itJust say that we are not going anywhere Say it! Meriam (in Izmir):We are not going anywhere Silence Meriam (in Izmir):We’ll be fineAll will be fine, Sara Sara (in Izmir):No, it won’t. He’ll beat the shit out of us.
They’ll kill us if he finds out that you’ve been out.   Promise never to do that. Promise that you will never do that again Meriam (in Izmir):I promiseSaraI’m here nowI promise The boy (now – close up):Meriam is in Sara’s embrace as the suntraverse the city smoky brown Sara (in Izmir):Can’t you sleep? Meriam (in Izmir):It’s just my eye Sara (in Izmir):Does it hurt? When you went out – Meriam (in Izmir):The door was open Sara (in Izmir):What was you thinking? Meriam (in Izmir):
I wasn’t Sara (in Izmir):You just Meriam (in Izmir):I justI had to get away from here / Sara (in Izmir):And then you randown the streets Meriam (in Izmir):I couldn’t let it passHim hitting meThey’ve taken everythingIt just won’t doI won’t have it – for my brothersfor youfor us It can’t go on like this The boy (now – close up):And so you went outrunning through the rainnot able to stop and then you saw this bus shedMeriam (in Izmir):All I wanted was to sit downJust sit – for a while – away from the rainTo get my breath back The boy (now – close up):And your eye hurts and your mouth aches Meriam (in Izmir):I thought – but this – this just won’t doI just had to get out of that placeIt was intolerable I just had to rest for a while – and I sat thereIn the shedand the rain felland I must have dosed off for a momentand then Sara (in Izmir):And then Meriam (in Izmir):And then I was back here with you Silence The boy (now – close up):Meriam with her back to the worldMeriam in somebody else’s dreamMeriam – the sister who has no brothersMeriam in nothing but darknessShe says:Wake me  5. The boy (now – close up):I am dreaming everything back to what it was:Fares cycling down the street with a box of chickens on the back of his bikeMeriam eating an appleHer red jumperHer hand on mine and the whole world all of a sudden all lit up Fares’ shopthe dogsthe kidsthe streetlightsthe back yardsthe evening sky I am in what might be the last night or the first night I’ve dreamt it many times beforeThere are so many dreamsOne on top of the other Meriam (in Izmir – talking to Sara):
I dreamt about the two of us
We were walking across Europe
crossing the Turkish border
the Serbian border and onwards through Russia and it was winter
it just kept on snowing
as we crossed yet another border on our bikes
deep in snow It was such a strange dreamThis place we came to – it was so forsaken, so barrenYou hardly saw a faceJust the road we were on and then a churchand a few miles latera storeand therethere was a schooland people welcoming usthey’ve put matrasses down on the floor / Sara (in Izmir – continuing the story):And the first night we sleep thereIn that school – and the next day the school is a hotel and we take the elevatorAll the way up to the topThe tenth floor, the twelfth floorAnd thereAll the way up at the top there is a Jacuzzi and everything / Meriam (in Izmir):Not in my dream it wasn’t Sara (in Izmir – just continuing on her version of the dream):And from up there we could see everythingThe storeAnd the churchAnd kids on their way to schoolEverythingAn aeroplane taking offThe seaAnd tons of islandsAnd far out there big tankersand all the way over to the other sideto the United States and Turkey and Aleppo / Meriam (in Izmir):– and Roch has just gotten out of bedHe wakes up in the middle of the night thinking about youHe is going to write to youtodayhe is going to write to you Sara (in Izmir):And hereIn IzmirThey are opening the shop on the ground floorAnd the aunties are putting the kettle on – and they know nothing about all thisWhere we’ve beenWhat we’ve dreamtWhat we’ve seen Silence Sara (in Izmir):And everybodyin the whole of this housein the whole of this cityin the whole, wide world – / Meriam (in Izmir):
– None of them knows what we can do Sara (in Izmir):That we can cross borders Meriam (in Izmir):That you are a supernova Sara (in Izmir):That you are a time-traveller Meriam (in Izmir):That you are a beam of pure energy Sara (in Izmir):That we can bicycle through snowstorms Meriam (in Izmir):Cut across Europe when nobody is watching / Sara (in Izmir): – through outer space if we want tooThat you have kissed a boy who’s dreams come through Meriam (in Izmir):Almost kissed a boy who’s dreams come through Silence Sara (in Izmir):Do you know what I have in my pocket?A pitFrom a plum, from the tree back home Meriam (in Izmir):– Sara (in Izmir):When we get backI am going to plant itI know exactly where I am going to do iton that sunny spot you know – right behind the shedright by where the old clotheshorse used to beThe earth is rich there, and one can
bring a chair out, in the afternoonsThe boy (now – close up):Sara is combing her hairThe sun’s bright on the floorboardsIn the mirrorAnd you say:Meriam (in Izmir):You have such lovely hair, SaraI wish I had hair like youThe boy (now – close up):
And while you are sitting there, you discover thatshe has grown – SaraMeriam (in Izmir):I think you have grownThat soon she will be as tall as youChrist Sara –Soon you’ll be as tall as me The sound of war, of Aleppo in the distance as a faint noise I see them Gunshots getting closerI’m asleep, and I’m awakeand I see themSara is a flowering treeHer arms heavy with plums as she keeps on growing: one meter, two metersall lit up, as walls tumbles The girls are crossing a cornfieldThe field is aflameand The sound of gunshots grows loud and clear

The boy (now – close up):Just windJust dancing dustI’m here
in AleppoThere is shouting in the streetMy mother is with me The boy’s mother (now):I told you!Get away from that window!Get away from it! The boy (now – close up and soon far away):
And a gunshot breaks the glass
crosses the room and smashes into the wall behind us
And another hits the floor at the left of my feet
and somewhere in the eastern suburb a hospital is turned into rubble
as twelve families gets buried in the rubble
and the window brakes
and my mother opens her mouth to say something – the look on her face confused, bewildered
and I can feel something warm running down my nose
my cheeks
the taste of metal
And then no more
just the world crowned with light
all white
all shinyAnd inside that light I can see Meriam putting her hand on mineShe is a key
she is my second skin
Further down the street Sara runs in her yellow dress
And as she runs – further and further away from us –
her eyes change colour
She is a boy
she is a boy who’s dreams come true
She is as sharp as a bird’s beak
She is a dried out little heart
She wipes her mouth off her face and we are
nobody
The light surrounds us and we are
nobody She is running into a crowd
She is surrounded
She is gone and then we
disappear THE ENDDownload text as PDFmade with Lay Theme