The Hospital Files – Feyisayo Anjorin

SCENE:

A hospital, a private ward.

The only window in the room, which is beside the only bed there is open, the blue curtain has been shifted to the sides and the room is well-lit by the sunlight. The only door into the room from outside is closed but the door leading to the bathroom is open. Bayo is in bed, emaciated, sad and unkempt, there is a bandage wound round his lap; his phone is on the bedside stool, which is not easily reachable from the bed.

BAYO: Useless friends everywhere. Fake, fake people. How long have I been here now and not even one of them has been able to summon the decency to show up; and then these silly nurses will come here to tell me to stop talking to myself. Useless people can’t even pick their calls. And miserable family members in the village! Come and greet me, I was wounded during the anti-government protests, and then they want me to send them money for transport. They can rot in the village for all I care. If they can’t come here and see me out of duty, they can… they can…

Bayo lets out a hiss and moves to reach for his phone, but the movement of his hand towards the stool brought sharp pain to his leg, he groans in pain, bites his lip, and decides against reaching for the phone.

Suddenly the door opens, Bayo is surprised to see Nike, who wears a semi-formal but obviously expensive dress. Nike is one of the people Bayo believes should have visited him weeks ago.

BAYO: The international slut finally shows up.

Nike is not happy to hear this, but she tries to understand his anger, she’s familiar with his arrogance. 

BAYO: So, Nike, who have you been sleeping with to get this glow? How many hours did you have that ass pounded to get new clothes and shoes? You look hot.

NIKE: Bayo, I’m sorry, but you are acting like an idiot now. When are you even not acting like an idiot? It’s like your default mode.

BAYO: Look at this girl. Are you crazy?

NIKE: It is you, that has a mental condition, and I’m learning to bear with you, and now I’m beginning to think this effort will no longer continue.

BAYO: It was for people like you that we were fighting and protesting for a better Nigeria. You heard, you knew, that I was shot by the police, and you dare leave me alone here to suffer. For two months plus! Two solid months! That’s crazy!

NIKE: I’m sorry. You should know that I would never do that kind of thing without a reason. Your stupidity notwithstanding.

Bayo looks at her and ponders if something is bothering this girl in the head. Where did she get the audacity? 

BAYO: Is this not Nike that I gave 5k to start her iru trade a few months ago?

Nike ignores him, as if she did not hear what he just said.

NIKE: You remember that job I applied for?

BAYO: That my friend that I linked you with?

NIKE: No. The one that I said would be good for my Harvard application.

BAYO: What happened?

NIKE: I got the job. From exactly a month ago when I got the letter till now it has been a rollercoaster of fun, challenges and lots of new places. I got the Harvard Fellowship!

BAYO: You are crazy, Nike you are mad! Oya, kneel down there.

Nike looks at this guy. Is he crazy?

BAYO: You dey… you dey craze!

Bayo seems to have forgotten his physical pain (gunshot wound that has shattered his bone), and his sudden effort to move nearer to Nike to slap her or hurt her brings him intense pain. He lets out a whimper. 

Nike watches him suffer.

BAYO: Whatever you think is the good reason for you to stay away after you heard that I’m here, which was eight weeks ago, whatever that reason is, it is not good enough! I said, kneel down.

NIKE: This craziness is in your blood. That is your cross to bear anyway. You are now too late to me, because I’m moving on, and I don’t see a place for you in my future. Consider this meeting our last goodbye. We were never friends, Bayo. I was your slave, but now, with all my life and strength, I will never be under your power.

BAYO: There won’t be any goodbyes. 

NIKE: Bayo, no one out there actually cares for you. You put on the face of an activist, a sort of defender of the masses, but many have seen beyond that façade. You are just a thug.

BAYO: I was student union president for six years, I was the head of my area’s residents association for four years…

Nike snorts and smiles.

NIKE: And how many people have visited you since you got here? Don’t answer me, just think about that and let the truth tell you about yourself.

Nike looks at him; he is like a clown to her. She walks to the door and leaves the room.

Biola, a young girl in her early 20s, dressed like she is on her way to a date with a very important person, walks into the room. Bayo loves the smell of her perfume, but he is still very angry with her.

BAYO: You this ungrateful witch. Finally, you remember that you have a man. 

BIOLA: Where is the man? 

Biola looks around dramatically, as if she cannot indeed see Bayo.

BAYO:  If I ever thought anyone would do this to me, it wouldn’t be you. You ungrateful wretch, you snake, you witch, that your bastard mother…

Biola rushes at him and grabs him in the neck. Bayo underestimates Biola’s strength, and in a brief contest of muscles, Biola subdues him.

BIOLA: Say that kind of thing against my mother again and I will snap your neck like a broomstick.

The two of them let out laboured breathing for almost a minute.

BIOLA: You raped me. You should have been grateful that I even care to come, but you just love to be the one in control. 

BAYO: I didn’t rape you, I spent some money on you and I asked you to come spend the night with me, to show gratitude, and nature took over in the course of the night. That is not rape.

Biola’s eyes are suddenly wet, she wipes them with the back of her hand.

BIOLA: You call me a witch! I’m happy that you finally know me for who I am. And I want you to mark what I’m about to tell you. That bone of yours will rot. You will not recover from this wound.

Biola stares at Bayo. Bayo is suddenly afraid of her look.

BAYO: The nurse told you I’m diabetic, didn’t she?

Biola keeps her fierce eyes on him.

BAYO: What you just said, take it back. My bone will not rot.

BIOLA: It will.

BAYO: Biola, I’m sorry I called you a witch. Please.

BIOLA: But I am a witch. I swear, that leg of yours is going to be amputated.

BAYO: Biola please, stop saying that..

Biola’s hateful eyes are still fixed on the man before her.

BIOLA: If by next weekend this leg is not amputated, call me bastard!

Bayo’s eyes are soon wet with tears, the tears run down his cheeks…

BAYO: Biola, please…

Bayo is barely aware that Biola is now holding her phone in front of him. 

Eventually he sees it.

BAYO: What are you doing?

BIOLA: I’m filming content for my TikTok, the whole world will see what a pathetic wretch you have become. You are not as strong as you pretend to be after all.

Feyisayo Anjorin is a Screenwriter, Songwriter and Singer. His writings have appeared in Brittle Paper, Bakwa, Bella Naija, Litro, and African Writer.

*Image by Marcelo Leal on Unsplash