Segment 10: Crossing the Border

(early afternoon - border checkpoint on a single-lane dirt road entering Enemia; Twimfina approaches on foot)

TWIMFINA
Hello there!

GUARD
Welcome to Enemia! May I see your passport please?

(Twimfina hands Guru’s letter to the guard)

GUARD (CONT'D)
What’s this?

TWIMFINA
It’s a letter from a teacher in Ko-Lat Village, asking for my help.

GUARD
But where’s your passport?

TWIMFINA
I’m hoping that you’ll accept this as my passport. It’s got my name on it - Twimfina. It’s got my destination - Ko-Lat Village. It’s got my purpose for going there - to help teach in the schools.

GUARD
(uncomfortable chuckle)
I’m sorry, Miss, but...

TWIMFINA
(interrupting)
Twimfina. My name’s Twimfina.

GUARD
(continuing)
I’m sorry, Miss Twimfina, but this is an international border - and you’ll need a valid passport to cross it.

TWIMFINA
Border? Oh c’mon, we both know that’s just a bunch of psychology.

(Twimfina turns towards border and recites incantation:)

TWIMFINA (CONT'D)
“Border, border, much too long...
Now you’re here... (claps her hands)
Now you’re gone!”
There. Problem solved.

GUARD
(uncomfortable chuckle; looks at letter)
Ko-Lat Village? I know Ko-Lat village. I wasn’t aware that they even had a school. Since the bombing they don’t have much of anything.

TWIMFINA
Bombing?

GUARD
(uncomfortable chuckle again)
You haven’t done your homework, have you? May I check your backpack, please?

(Twimfina hands her backpack to the guard)
Wow! What are you doing with all this money?

TWIMFINA
I thought I might need it, you know, for buying classroom supplies, renting an apartment… things like that.

GUARD
(returns her backpack)
Renting an apartment? In Ko-Lat Village?

(Farm families carrying heavy loads approach the checkpoint)

GUARD (CONT'D)
(speaking softly to Twimfina)
Excuse me, please.

(speaking loudly to approaching farm families)
Welcome to Enemia! May I see your passports please?

(The farm families take out their passports and hand them to the guard who then examines and stamps them. Meanwhile Twimfina steps on top of the border mound and sings)

TWIMFINA
(singing)
BORDERS, BOUND’RIES, WALLS AND FENCES
ONE BY ONE THEY’LL DISAPPEAR
ALL OUR SO-CALLED DIFFERENCES
THESE ARE THINGS I DO NOT FEAR

DON’T TALK ABOUT HONOR, DON’T TALK ABOUT PRIDE
DON’T START WAVING FLAGS, I WON’T PICK A SIDE
DON’T THREATEN WITH SPIRITS BELOW OR ABOVE
I’M PROTECTED BY SCIENCE – PROTECTED BY LOVE

THE WORLD IS MY FAMILY, I’M NOT AFRAID!
THE WORLD IS MY FAMILY, I’M NOT AFRAID!
THE WORLD IS MY FAMILY, I’M NOT AFRAID!
THE WORLD IS MY FAMILY, I’M NOT AFRAID!

DON’T TALK ABOUT TREASON, THE WORD IS A LIE
WE’RE NOT “THEM AND US” WE’RE JUST “YOU AND I”
IN LOVING THE WORLD I’M NOT LEAVING YOU
I HOLD OUT MY HAND – I WANT YOU TO COME TOO!

THE WORLD IS MY FAMILY, I’M NOT AFRAID!
THE WORLD IS MY FAMILY, I’M NOT AFRAID!
THE WORLD IS MY FAMILY, I’M NOT AFRAID!
THE WORLD IS MY FAMILY, I’M NOT AFRAID!
WALLS AND FENCES, DIFFERENCES, I AM NOT AFRAID!

(Twimfina’s singing attracts the curious farm families, not used to seeing a foreigner. Twimfina extends her hand and introduces herself.)

TWIMFINA (CONT'D)
Hello. My name’s Twimfina.

(The farm families shake Twimfina’s hand and introduce themselves.)

FARM FAMILIES
Where are you going, Twimfina?

TWIMFINA
Ko-Lat Village

FARM FAMILIES
(excitedly)
Ko-Lat Village! That’s just past Jeeno. We’re going to Jeeno. You can travel with us if you want to!

(Twimfina looks at guard with supplicant expression)

GUARD
(resignedly)
Jeeno is a good 30 miles from here in Heretic Sector. It’ll be way past midnight before you get there. Ko-Lat Village is another 3 or 4 miles beyond that in Purity Sector. May I see your letter again please?

(Twimfina hands letter to Guard, who copies name into his book)

GUARD (CONT'D)
I’ll try to send word to your teacher friend in Ko-Lat Village. I’ll tell him to expect you at the sectarian border sometime before dawn.

TWIMFINA
(to guard)
Oh, thank you!

(to farm families)
Yes! I’d love to travel with you!

(Farm families express joy and start moving again. Twimfina starts, then turns around and runs back to kiss the guard on his cheek.)

TWIMFINA (CONT'D)
I’ll remember you!

(Twimfina then runs back to catch-up with her new friends. As she again crosses the border she stops and reprises her song:)

TWIMFINA (CONT’D)
(singing)
THE WORLD IS MY FAMILY, I’M NOT AFRAID!
THE WORLD IS MY FAMILY, I’M NOT AFRAID!
THE WORLD IS MY FAMILY, I’M NOT AFRAID!
THE WORLD IS MY FAMILY, I’M NOT AFRAID!
WALLS AND FENCES, DIFFERENCES, I AM NOT AFRAID!

END OF SEGMENT 10

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