Script of Clay Marble
Chapter 10
The characters are Dara (Xin Pei) and Chnay (Wing Ben). Dara is crying alone. Chnay walked towards her.
Chnay: What are you crying for? Those stupid clay toys?
Dara: (wiping her cheeks, looking up)(stand up and face Chnay) It was you who broke our clay toys.
Chnay: (smiling) Not me this time. I know who did it.
Dara: (shrugging)(looking at the flatten village) I don’t really care.
Chnay: It was Sarun.
Dara: (in an unbelieving tone) Sarun? Did that?
Chnay: (pointing at the ruts running through the toy village) You see those cartwheel tracks? They’re his.
Dara: (in an exciting tone) You saw Sarun drive off? Along with my mother?
Chnay: (laughing) what’s wrong? Did you really think that they will sit around here waiting for you to show up?
Dara: (in an unbelieving tone) Did you really see them go off?
Chnay: of course
Dara: when did they drive off then?
Chnay: Well, its not as easy as that (saying slowly) They were here this morning waiting. They seemed to be worried. Your mother was weeping and I heard that she wanted to find you, but the others stopped her.
(Chnay looked at Dara curiously)
Chnay: Did you got separated and lost?
Dara: (nodded impatiently) Jantu’s baby got hurt by the bomb. Then what? How come they are not here now?
Chnay: Well listen, I have not come to the main point. (Chnay said slowly) Well, the soldiers came by, armed with AK-47s and grenade launchers .
Dara: What about them?
Chnay: They told your brother how unsafe it would be to stay out in the open. And he should seek shelter with his family and supplies to their base camp which were protected by the military
Dara: So they left? All of them?
Chnay: Well, your mother doesn’t want to leave at first, but Sarun insist she comes along as he do not want the family to be separated farther.
(Dara biting her lips to stop herself from crying)
(Dara look around)
Chnay: Your mother was sobbing
Dara: I know she will be back for me, I will wait for her here.
Chnay: Were you listening to me just now? They concluded that it’s too risky to be here, out in the open. They will not be coming back for you till a few weeks past even if you stay here. Guess you should go after them instead.
Dara asking Chnay: Which direction did they head for?
Chnay: (pointing southward) See that rutted trail which leads out from the fields into the forest beyond it? They took that trail. Along with all those rice seeds, 2 oxcart, everything with them.
Dara: Where will the trails bring me to? There are several base camp over there, aren’t it?
Which one did they go?
Chnay: (shrugging) How would I know?
Dara: They didn’t tell you?
Chnay: (laughing) Tell me? Who had ever told me anything? Nobody even sees me.
(Dara looks at Chnay for awhile)
Dara: Means u really have no idea where they went to?
Chnay: That’s not what I meant. What I said is that no one tells me anything. That doesn’t mean I know nothing. (smiled smugly) heading eastward from Nong Chan there is a base camp where several number of Kung Serei soldiers lived. Their leader is called General Kung Silor. He’s actively recruiting men to join his army to prepare a counterattack against the Vietnamese. Those men that joins his army now will be fed and clothed by him.
Dara: And there’s where my family and Jantu’s are now? At this base camp?
Chnay: (hedged) That’s where I think they are.
Dara: But you aren’t sure?
Chnay: (tilting chin up be belligerently) Who can be sure of anything?
(Dara sat down on the ground heavily)
(Chnay glanced at me, searching in his pockets)
Chnay: (taking out a handful of cold rice wrapped in strip of banana leaf, handing it to Dara) Here, you may have it(squatting beside Dara)
(Dara looking at the handful of cold rice)
(Dara took the rice and start chewing. Then she smiled at Chnay)
Dara: what is the distance between here and that base camp?
Chnay: (pointing towards a forest) about 3 miles. Through that forest.
Dara: how long would it take?
Chnay: You should be able to reach it before nightfall
Dara: And the trail through the forest, are they well marked?
Chnay: Guess so. Besides there’ll be several people heading towards the base camp. Just find someone who’s going to join Kung Silor’s army and follow him.
Dara: you made it sound so easy.
Chnay: Nothing to it.
Dara: (dusting off her sarong) Well, I think I should set off now (Dara took a few step) Thanks for the rice~
Chnay: Think nothing of it. (still squatting on the ground, hugging his knee to his chest.
(Dara waved at Chnay, and started to walk a few more steps)
(Dara turned and looked at Chnay)
Dara: Hey!
Chnay: (looking at Dara) What’s your problem now?
Dara: (taking a deep breathe) Do you want to come along?
(Chnay frowned for awhile, then his face brighten up)
Chnay: (grinned) Sure. Why not?
(Chnay got up and both of them started walking towards the forest~)
