Riaz (to Shahid) You’ve pierced my heart, Shahid … Do you want to stand always alone? Or be one with the ummah that is your heart’s only family?
Shahid I’ll find my own ummah, thanks.
Riaz Bring him for interrogation! We will purify those who cannot purify themselves. He must be shown the raging fires of hell.
He turns to lead them out.
Hat (in horror) Brothers! It that maniac!
Chili stands on the stairs above them, brandishing his knife.
Chili Hello, all. Robert De Niro’s waiting.
Strapper Chili-boy!
Chili O ye of little faith, Strap!
Strapper (jigging furiously) It’s going up, it’s going up! Fuck everything! Fuck you all!
Chad Right! We’ll halal them all now.
He squares up to Chili.
Chili Yeah? I don’t like kosher meat.
Chili flies into the gang, knocking Chad, Tahira and Hat out of the way and grabs Riaz, holding the knife to his throat.
(To the others.) Now fuck off, all of you! Or else this brother gets halal-ed.
Riaz (terrified) Go, go.
Chad Leave him! Or you get it!
Chad takes a step forward, Chili touches Riaz with the knife and Riaz bleeds. Chad stops.
Chili (to Riaz) And get this fucking shirt off! I told you it were mine, man, now give it back.
Riaz, confused, looks to Chad.
Now!
Riaz takes off the shirt.
Chad I’ll halal you for this, I swear.
Chili Yeah, yeah. Bigger boys than you have tried to take on Chili. (To Riaz.) Pants too.
Riaz complies.
Chad You an evil spirit — how can you make brother Riaz change in front of women?
Chili He got something he ain’t proud of? (To Riaz.) My fucking socks as well!
Riaz is forced to complete the undressing.
Chad You goin’ straight to hell!
Chili Just the place I want! Care to join me there? Now fuck off out of here with your poodles! Then I’ll release this one!
Chad There are hundreds like us, hundreds and thousands!
Chili What you waiting for — bring them on!
They go, and Chili flings Riaz out.
Riaz We will start another experiment, insha’Allah!
Chili Yeah, yeah.
Deedee (concerned) Shahid …
Shahid I’m all right. Really.
Deedee Time we had a proper meal.
Chili I’ve had all I can stomach, babe.
A beat.
Deedee Take care of yourself, Chili.
Deedee goes to the kitchen.
Chili (to Shahid) Hug me, bro.
They embrace.
Shahid Thanks for saving my balls.
Chili Cool entrance, eh? Someone should have videoed it. You okay?
Shahid Sore all over. Going somewhere?
Chili nods.
With Strapper?
Chili Yeah.
Shahid After what he did?
Chili Will you talk to Ammi for me? Say I’m okay? Getting better? You know what to say.
Shahid Toot sweet, brother.
Chili Yeah.
Chili exits, with Strapper. Deedee leaves the room.
There is a tapping on the window. Shahid grabs a knife and investigates. Hat is knocking. Shahid opens the window.
Hat Will you listen if I say something? Please, Shahid.
Shahid Why should I trust you?
Hat I trying to say I sorry about what happened.
Shahid Oh, yeah.
Hat Please listen! There’s no one else — I alone! Because Allah is forgiving and merciful, I will only show love and consideration for others. I ashamed of what we did.
Shahid Why?
Hat Whatever you done, it not my place to condemn another person. Only God can do that. I was wrong to put myself in that position, as if I never done wrong things. I hope you don’t turn away from Allah.
Shahid To tell you the truth, Hat — I’m sick of being bossed around, whether by Riaz or Chad or God himself. Brother, what we do, and the things we make, is more interesting than anything that God is supposed to have done. Do your accountancy, Hat. You’ll regret it if you don’t pass.
Hat I disagree. But I get what you say. I said what I have to.
He starts to leave.
Shahid Where are you going?
Hat To paradise. Please forgive me. Forgive all of us and may there be mercy.
Hat leaves. Deedee enters.
Shahid I want to be with you.
Deedee For as long as it lasts?
Shahid For as long as that.
They embrace.
A beat.
Dawn. Hat is seen carrying a rucksack. He bends down to take it off his shoulders. An explosion. Hat is killed. Sounds of sirens. Ambulances, fire engines, police cars and flashing lights.
Deedee and Shahid go out. There is a pall of smoke.
Shahid and Deedee look at each other.
Shahid I want to see my mother. Come with me? Then we can go to the sea — I know a place. I’ve decided. I know what to write.
She holds out her hand. He takes it and they walk off, towards the dawn.
Mobile phones start ringing, coalescing into sounds of wild celebrations at news of London winning the 2012 Olympics. Four young men appear, wearing baseball caps and with rucksacks slung on their backs.
Blackout.
About the Author
Hanif Kureishi is the author of novels (including Something to Tell You, The Buddha of Suburbia, The Black Album and Intimacy), story collections (Love in a Blue Time, Midnight All Day, The Body), plays (including Outskirts, Borderline and Sleep With Me) and screenplays (including My Beautiful Laundrette, My Son the Fanatic and Venus). Among his other publications are the collection of essays Dreaming and Scheming, The Word and the Bomb and the memoir My Ear at his Heart.