Mind Uploading

Can we access a dead person's memory?

Synopsis

Mind Uploading

Dr. George Harlow and his team at King's College London have used animal experiments to show that brain activity continues after death. They have also found that patients who survive a near-death experience (NDE) were able to perform cognitive functions after death, such that they retain strong memories. These studies raise the question of whether we can access a dead person's memories through their brain. The ‘Steno Project’, secretly funded by the British intelligence agency MI6, the Defence Science Laboratory at King's College London, and global tech companies, aims to explore this possibility. 

"Mind Uploading" is a new story that takes place in November 2023, when the body of 93-year-old Helen Annie from a village in England is donated to the Institute of Neuroscience at King's College London (KCL). The story uses traditional brain mapping techniques to convert her brain waves into text signals and then accesses the Google Supercomputer Image Library to explore her past memories. After tracing a total of seven unknown images from her brain waves, the story takes us into her past, where we see what happened in her life through the first six images. The seventh image, however, remains ambiguous because, as in animal experiments, brain waves gradually fade after 48 hours. So, in a last-ditch effort called "mind uploading," the Kings team decides to store all of her brain waves on a cloud server. Once all of her brain waves are stored, Helen's brain is frozen forever.

The King's research team uses deep learning to virtually revive Helen's stored brain waves. Eventually, they put on the VR glasses and bring Helen back to the stage. The story ends with Helen appearing on stage and reading the seventh and final image, a letter. 

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This new play is based on the true story of Jan Ruff O’Herne, who has died aged 96, was a 19 -year old Dutch girl living with her family on a sugar plantation in Java, then in the Dutch East Indies ,when the Japanese invaded in 1942; two years later she was taken from the labour camp in which she had been interned, and forced to work as a so-called “comfort woman”, one among tens of thousands of young women from Korea and China  made to prostitute themselves for Japanese soldiers. 

For almost half a century, like most victims, Jan suffered in silence. But in 1992, after seeing a television interview with three elderly Korean women who had decided to speak out, she became the first European to recall in public how she, too, had been raped and degraded by the Japanese occupiers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Ruff_O%27Herne 

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CAST

HELEN ANNIE, a ninety-three-year-old lady. 

YOUNG HELEN ANNIE

CAS, Helen's father. 

LAURA, Helen's mother. 

MEES, Helen's brother.

PROFESSOR GEORGE HARLOW, Head of the Brain Research Institute, King’s College London

DR. LEO SANDERS, at the Brain Research Institute. 

HARRY, Lab Assistant & Researcher at the Brain Research Institute. 

OSCAR, Lab Assistant & Researcher at the Brain Research Institute. 

DARREN, an MI6 agent.

PIM, Head of Village.

Dutch & Korean girls (1,2,3),  young girls in the brothel. 

Japanese Commander & Soldiers (1,2, 3)

British Colonel DAVID SMILEY, Head of  the British Allied Forces

CORE COMMANDER at the British Allied Forces

ASMARA Indonesian civilian, Laundry woman. 

SETTINGS

Helen's House in JAVA.

Prison.

Brain Research Institute, King’s College London. 

Military Brothel.

ACT I

SCENE 1

Afternoon. November 2023. The operation theatre of the Brain Research Institute, a top-secret experimentation facility inside the King’s College London.

Although it is a public educational institute, the operation theatre hints at a more sinister story. The entire operation theatre is buried in dark. The only light coming in is through the windows, but it is not enough to illuminate the entire area. There is a hospital bed in the middle, but it is barely visible. Two identity cards scan at the door before it opens with a loud hiss. Two young men OSCAR and HARRY (Both of them are lab assistants in Professor Harlow’s facility), wearing white lab  coats walk inside. Oscar has a file in his hand that he is focused on.)

OSCAR

(entering)

For the last time, Harry, I have absolutely no interest in your thoughts whatsoever. And even if I do I am sure, I will need a VPN to access them.

(Oscar and Harry walk towards the computers conversing among each other. Oscar speaks while reading the file and not looking up.)

 
    

HARRY

(giggles)

Oh Oscar, you say the sweetest things. I know deep down there is a guy inside you who would do anything to have a look inside my head. You are just not saying it out aloud.

OSCAR

I’d rather look inside an empty trash can.

HARRY

Why empty?

OSCAR

You tell me.

(Harry is a little confused.)

HARRY

Oh I see. You are trying to tell me that my mind is a trash can.

OSCAR

Really?

HARRY

Yes. But guess what, the joke’s on you. Because the trash can you are talking about is empty. And a can without trash is not a trash can. It is just a can, not a trash can, which makes my mind only a can and not a trash can.

OSCAR

So you are saying that your mind is a can.

HARRY

What? Oh, shut up!

(Oscar laughs and they walk further into the lab. Harry talks to himself trying to figure out how the joke is still on him. Harry walks further and sits on the bed.  He leans back and rests his elbows behind him.)

 
    

HARRY

(to himself) Didn’t know they keep pillows in here.

(enjoys pillows repositioning) I like them when they don’t have a lot of cushioning. Oh, they are really cozy too. By the way, what’s going on today that we have to do something in a couple of hours?

(Oscar heads towards the main table and pulls a lever. Suddenly, the power comes on, illuminating the entire area.)

(The entire operation theatre is empty except for a bed that rests under a huge spotlight. The bed has a white sheet over it. The texture on the grey walls barely suggest an open, informed construction. There is a table few meters left of the bed with several monitors connected to few strange looking devices. It is a kind of place that screams out illegal but with the help of legal.  The facility, in no way, suggests that it is meant for educational purposes.)

(While Oscar gets busy with a few buttons on the table. Harry looks back and examines the bed. He is finding the padding very comfortable.)

(Oscar looks at Harry and he smiles softly.)

HARRY

Damn, hold on. Why is the bed so cold? Man, what are these pillows?

(Harry slides over to the top of the bed and takes the cover off, ever so slightly. He comes face to face with a DEAD BODY of a WOMAN. 

Harry screams and stands up in terror. He keeps screaming while looking at the dead body.)

(A body, HELEN ANNIE lies straight on the cooling bed with a white sheet covering her till her head. Several wires emerge out of the body and join mounted devices next to the bed which are then connected to the computers placed at a distance. 

There is a secured double door installed on the left, several meters behind the computer table.).

HARRY

(shaking in terror)

What the hell is this?

 (Oscar continues to feed information to the computer and laughs. Harry looks at Oscar.)

HARRY

You couldn’t tell me this?

OSCAR

I told you.

HARRY

What?

OSCAR

I said we were gonna go examine the subject.

(Oscar points at Helen)

The subject.

HARRY

I hate this man.

OSCAR

How’s the padding? Soft cushions? If you like it, take it home after work. 

 (Harry stares at Oscar in anger.)

HARRY

 
    

Shut up. Shut up. 

(beat)

 
    

We are not talking about this ever again.

(Oscar presses a button and the spotlight above Helen illuminates.  Harry shakes off his body in disgust. Oscar leans down in front of the computer screens and start typing. Harry walks straight towards the bed in the middle. He takes a round around the bed, bewildered.)

OSCAR

Alright-

(Oscar presses several buttons on the keyboard.)

OSCAR

(still typing)

All systems are activated, signing in, recovering logs, wiping existing data, new file, new subject.

(Oscar gets done with the computer screens and walks towards Harry. He stands at the head of the body.)

OSCAR

All set, okay, so, my good man Harry, what do we have here?  Other than a heavenly pillow, of course.

(Harry does not say anything and stares at Oscar. Oscar laughs and picks up the file. He starts speaking while looking in the file.)

 
    

OSCAR

Our subject here is a 93-year-old Helen Annie. She was living in a town called Woking so called, England Dutch town when she died. The anatomical donation was approved by the Borough of Woking Council, the local authority for the Royal Borough of Surrey in South East England.

HARRY

What? 93 years old? That’s the oldest age of experimental materials ever. By the way, was she from Dutch?

OSCAR

(looks at Helen)

I mean she looks …Dutch…  but I am not entirely sure of her origin. The file does not say anything about her birthplace except that she has British nationality.

HARRY

How did she die?

OSCAR

Her report states natural death. She was suffering from a lot of diseases but none of those illnesses became the reason of her demise.

HARRY

Any relatives or friends? Did anyone come here with the body?

OSCAR

No friends or relatives at all. It appears as if she was living on her own.

HARRY

At this age?

OSCAR

I guess so.

(Harry picks up the ID card tied around her right leg and inspects it.)

HARRY

She does have an organ donation pledge.

OSCAR

Yeah but I don’t find any details about the status and health of her organs. There isn’t anything about which organs to be donated as well.

HARRY

If I am reading her donation card right, she is here to total anatomical donation.

OSCAR

It is gonna be a task for us to determine which organs are capable of donation.

HARRY

So, you think Professor Harlow is gonna continue with his plans?

OSCAR

I am not sure about Professor Harlow but Dr. Sanders is adamant that they should.

HARRY

So it’s happening then?

OSCAR

I don’t know about that.

(gestures at Helen)

But what I do know is that her presence is not co-incidental.

HARRY

It is a Donation-

(Oscar interrupts Harry)

OSCAR

-There are five medical schools in the university of London alone. You have to pass a total of 10 hospitals to get here which could have been done to any medical facility but they brough her here.

HARRY

Yeah. (lost in thoughts) 

Maybe that is why they are also trying to hurry up the initiation process. The procedure only works if the brain has not spent more than four hours after the subject’s demise.

 
 

Yeah.

OSCAR

(thinks)

 
    

It was four hours in the case of that second pig wasn’t it?

HARRY

No, that was the first one. The fourth one lasted for a good 72 hours.

HARRY

I mean, they were able to revive the pig. But I doubt it’ll work in humans the same way.

OSCAR

That is true but think about it. The theory is pretty simple. The brain portrayed clear signs of hypoactivity during cardiac arrest but its neurophysiological state was still a grey area. So when they experimented using continuous electroencephalography, they were able to analyze changes in power density, coherence, directed connectivity, and cross- frequency coupling.

(Harry looks at Oscar, yawning jokingly.)

OSCAR

Especially the first thirty seconds after cardiac arrest showed a transient surge of synchronous gamma oscillations. The results were also synonymous when they investigated cognitive activation in patients who survived near-death experiences. It is clear that a mammalian brain demonstrates heightened conscious processing at the time of death and then it was published on the science journal, Nature-

HARRY

Very well memorized but don’t you think this is all a little too hypothetical? I mean sure, we did get some positive results in the animal testing but the next stage. Really? Is it even ethical at this point?

OSCAR

It is Professor Harlow’s experiment, not ours. We are just assistants. The ethicality is purely his concern.

HARRY

Yeah but it is gonna be on our conscience as well.

OSCAR

(scoffs)

Tell your conscience, it is for the sake of science and knowledge. That is what they all do anyway.

HARRY

I might have second-guessed the opportunity to be his assistant on this project if it wasn’t for my PhD application.

(Oscar takes out a pair of latex gloves from the wall  and wears them instantly).

OSCAR

Whatever man, let’s see what it leads to. Let us get this subject inspected if it’s suitable and clear it quickly.

(Harry takes out the same gloves from his pocket and wears them as well, approaching the body.)

HARRY

Ughhh..I can’t ever get used to undressing part no matter how many times I repeat it…

(Harry, hesitantly, walks towards the body and slowly takes the sheet off of the body. Helen’s body is revealed. It is filled with strange geometric tattoos. Harry looks at them in bewilderment.)

HARRY

Dude!

OSCAR

What?

HARRY

Come take a look.

(Oscar slowly walks towards Harry and looks at the body. He is equally as confused.)

HARRY

Do you recognize them?

OSCAR

I am not sure. These are not the usual tattoos, I get to see.

HARRY

They look to me like strange geometrical patterns.

OSCAR

Or maybe they are words?

HARRY

Words?

OSCAR

Yeah, or symbols?

HARRY

This is freaking me out.

(wipes off sweat.)

Let’s get done with this and clear her for evaluating the possibility of organ extraction and got out of here asap. 

Oscar and Harry start taking several readings from the body. One of them is noting everything in the file.)

(F.O.) 

(END OF SCENE I)

 
    

SCENE II

Night, November 2023, Brain Research Institute, King’s College London. The office of the Head Professor of the Brain Research Institute. It is an ordinary office with a huge white table placed in the middle. A comfortable reclining chair rests behind the table. There is a comfortable couch placed against once of the walls. There is a huge X-RAY film viewer mounted on the wall in front of the couch. Different x-ray films of brain are magnetically attached on the film viewer.

PROFESSOR GEORGE HARLOW, the head professor at Brain Research Institute sits comfortably in his chair. DOCTOR LEO SANDERS sit on the couch observing the x-ray films. Professor Harlow is busy going through some files.

Dr. Sanders speaks.

DR. SANDERS

I am telling you George, this is really good. We got all we need to take it to the next stage.

PROFESSOR HARLOW

I know Leo, but it is not that easy. We have to wait for ethical clearance. If this goes public, we are gonna attract a lot of controversy in and outside the institute. It would become inevitable to conduct experiments altogether though. 

 
    

DR. SANDERS

All we gotta do is sugarcoat it. I know a few people, trust me the university board will never get to know.

PROFESSOR HARLOW

I appreciate your dedication Leo but it is not just the board that we gotta worry about. It is the people out there too.

DR. SANDERS

Listen we might get some good press if we succeed.

PROFESSOR HARLOW

No, Leo, if they get to know that we have already conducted experiments to revive the brains of dead animals and now we want to do the same-

(Dr. Sanders interrupts.)

DR. SANDERS

We will tell them it is for the sake of humanity.

PROFESSOR HARLOW

They are not amateurs out there. They will come out on streets. There will be protests, severe protest.

DR. SANDERS

Especially these scholars-

PROFESSOR HARLOW

I know and it is not gonna be just religious opposition. It will be each and every kind that you have ever heard of, especially from The Church of England and The Vatican. It is not an easy thing for the world to digest.

DR. SANDERS

So we just here waiting?

PROFESSOR HARLOW

We will figure out a way but we got to be patient.

DR. SANDERS

Speaking of patient, what is your verdict on Helen Annie?

 
    

PROFESSOR HARLOW

I got her report a while back. She is hiding some mysteries in her but her body is too fragile. 

DR. SANDERS

 
 

You think we can?

(Sanders look up at Harlow and does not say anything. It is as if Harlow already knows what Sanders is trying to suggest.)

 
    

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Leo, it will be too risky.

DR. SANDERS

That is our only option.

(Professor Harlow looks around in confusion. He appears very stressed out. Suddenly, the telephone in front of Harlow starts beeping. Harlow presses the button to connect the call.)

OPERATOR

(off)

Sir, there is MR. DARREN from MI6 portraying interest in having a meeting with you?

(Harlow gets alerted but maintains his calm.)

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Did you check the credentials?

OPERATOR

 
    

(off) Yes, Professor!

 
        

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Alright, let him in!

 
    

(Harlow disconnects the call. He looks at Leo)

PROFESSOR HARLOW

I hope it’s not something bad.

DR. SANDERS

Why would it be? It’s not like we are engaged in something that trespasses all boundaries of legality and ethicality.

(Professor Harlow laughs sarcastically.)

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Well in that case, we shouldn’t be too worried since they are the ones funding it.

(The door opens and DARREN walks in. Professor Harlow and Dr.

Sanders get up to greet him.)

DARREN

(nods at the Professor) Professor George Harlow. (nods at Dr. Sanders)

Doctor Leo Sanders.

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Agent Darren!

(They all nods at each other and get seated comfortably.)

PROFESSOR HARLOW

To what do we owe this visit?

AGENT DARREN

I have been sent here on the instructions of the

Chief of the General Staff of the British Army General Sir Noah Westminster and Chief of MI6 Mr. Arthur Moore to discuss the progress of the Project Desiderium.

 
    

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Our experimentation of animals is complete. We have so far seen very favourable results and it will be few more weeks before we are able to provide you with the final report.

AGENT DARREN

Hold that report.

PROFESSOR HARLOW

I don’t understand.

AGENT DARREN

You have been ordered to take the Project Desiderium to the next level.

(pause) 

Human Subjects Evaluation. “Steno Desiderium!”

PROFESSOR HARLOW

We lack a lot of research to make that happen.

AGENT DARREN

I am sorry, but we don’t have time to wait any longer. MI6 has been consulted by The House of Windsor to investigate a murder. Every trajectory adopted by our Detectives has led them to a dead end. We want to utilize the brain of the murdered to learn about the criminal behind it. We want to know the very last image of someone he saw just before he died,… trying to find out the image of that. 

PROFESSOR HARLOW

I understand Agent Darren but translating the cognitive signals emitted from a dead brain into visually comprehensible images…

(pause) 

We are far from that.

AGENT DARREN

That is not what your PhD dissertation said, Professor Harlow when we decided to appoint you.

PROFESSOR HARLOW

I know, I know but that is all theory. In order to materialize it we will have to conduct series of experiments before anything is finalized.

 
    

As far as cognitive decoding is concerned, science has only been able to decode sentences from participants’ cortical activity and that too when they were alive and well. Evolving this procedure to extract visual images from a dead brain will require immense amount of resources, monetary inflow and anatomical donations.

AGENT DARREN

Let us take care of the immense resources and monetary inflow.

PROFESSOR HARLOW

I understand but I am not sure that we can get our hands on the tech we need to make it happen.

AGENT DARREN

You will be provided direct access to Google, Facebook and Neuralink’s technological laboratories if you  need. CIA and CSI will also doing everything they can to provide you with everything you need. This experiment is conducted with the UK and the US governments and our major IT companies are behind it. Will that suffice?

(Handing over USB) If you verify your biometric authentication, you can access it conveniently next time. 

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Certainly.

AGENT DARREN

Good. So as of now, you are under command from British Army and MI6 to start working on this secret project immediately.

PROFESSOR HARLOW

What about the university board and all the petitions that are signed against us?

AGENT DARREN

You let that be the headache of MI6. We assure you that nothing, I repeat nothing, will hinder your progress here at the Brain Research Institute. You will face no opposition, security threats or impediments while you work on this.

PROFESSOR HARLOW

We appreciate that.

 
    

AGENT DARREN

Our sources informed us about the admission of the subject name HELEN ANNIE earlier today. Initiate chain of experiments from her body. Remember what we are looking for is extracting comprehensible images from the brain of the deceased. Your motive should be to recover her memories in pictorial form and study them.

(Agent Darren completes his sentence and gets up without waiting for a response. Professor Harlow and Dr. Sanders also get up after him.)

AGENT DARREN

You have the secure line here. Contact us if there is anything. Thank You.

(Agent Darren walk outside. Professor Harlow and Dr. Sanders take their seat. Dr. Sanders has a smile on his face. Professor Harlow looks up and speaks.)

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Prepare the subject for a major craniotomy and secure her entire brain. Let no one know about what happened here. Only reveal information that is necessary for the execution of the task. Lay off all the volunteer employees for the week and secure the Cranial Chamber. Revoke all clearances. Me, you, Harry and Oscar must be the only four present inside.

DR. SANDERS

Why them?

PROFESSOR HARLOW

I believe we can trust them. Project Steno Desiderium is now code green.

DR. SANDERS

Right away.

 
    

(Dr. Sanders get up and leave the room immediately.

(F.O.)

(END OF SCENE II)

SCENE III

Midnight, November 2023, Brain Research Institute, King’s College London. A fully sealed, and secured Cranial Laboratory. It is a fully equipped laboratory with several sophisticated gadgets lurking around in the corner.There is a glass box placed in the middle which has several pipes, wires and lasers coming out of it. All these wires are joining the mainframe server at a distance. There are several widescreen monitors placed by the server. A projector placed in front of the glass box. The projector project ‘NO SIGNAL’ on the wall in the front.

Harry stands behind the computer screens whereas Oscar and Dr. Sanders are busy tweaking with a few settings near the glass box. Professor Harlow stands in front of the projector screen, observing the procedures. There is a human brain placed inside the glass box.

Professor Harlow speaks.

 
    

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Brief me with the procedures.

(Dr. Sanders walks in closer with Oscar and starts speaking)

DR. SANDERS

We performed craniotomy on the patient and the extraction of brain was successful. It has been three hours and forty seven minutes since the death of the subject. We implanted a subdural, high density, multielectrode array over the area of the hippocampus in the medial temporal lobe that is responsible for long term memory. Subdural implants are also attached to basal ganglia that is responsible for the formation of motor and implicit memory. There are several other electrodes attached to the cerebral cortex in order to recover as much information as possible.

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Good!. 

(Pause.) 

(Looked at everyone) Proceed with the supply of blood, hemoglobin and oxygen, in order, to the ejected brain. 

(Dr. Sanders nod at Oscar. Oscar quickly walks towards the drips mounted above the glass box. He opens two valves and we see the pipes filling in with the fluid. These pipes go directly towards the brain which is connected with several small wires inside the glass box.)

DR. SANDERS

The oxygen.

(Oscar nods and turns on a gas valve that is connected to the oxygen cylinder.)

PROFESSOR HARLOW

What is the status on transmittance?

 
    

HARRY

Nothing yet Sir.

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Pull up the chart on the screen.

HARRY

Right away, Sir.

(Harry types in a few things on the keyboard. This brings up statistics on one of the screen. It is showing the current status of the brain. It also shows the wavelength of translated brain waves.)

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Increase the hemoglobin concentration.

(Oscar rotates a knob.)

HARRY

Professor, we have transmission. The system is detecting alpha, beta and gamma signals reviving in the brain through the blood and oxygen supply.

(A wave of excitement spreads across Dr. Sander’s face)

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Alright, apply the deep-learning models on the wave signals to decode them in pictorial form.

HARRY

Alright, Sir.

(Harry starts typing on the keyboard. Oscar joins him too.)

 
 

Come on, come on!

DR. SANDERS

(in his breath)

 
    

(After a few moments, Harry speaks out loud.)

HARRY

Professor, we have a visual. I am not sure what-

DR. SANDERS

(excitedly) Project it, right now!

(Professor Harlow looks at Dr. Sanders to alert him that he should keep personal motivations aside.

Dr. Sanders immediately composes himself and speaks in a very low tone)

 
 

I mean, project it.

DR. SANDERS

(low tone)

 
        

(Professor Harlow looks at Harry.)

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Project it.

HARRY

On it!

(Harry writes in a few more lines of code and we begin to see a very blurry visual on the projector screen.)

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Engage the enhancement protocols.

HARRY

The algorithms are running, Sir!

(The visual slowly brightens up and subtly begins to come in focus.

 
    

The picture shows only the hands as the rest is blurred.)

DR. SANDERS

What is this?

PROFESSOR HARLOW

I have no idea.

(The image slowly gets more and more in focus. Slowly, the picture becomes fully visible. Two hands with rugged and worn out skin hold the irons bars of a cage.) 

(Suddenly, all the lights go off and the image is the only thing visible on the stage.)

(The image suddenly cracks and turns off.)

(END OF SCENE III)

END OF ACT I

 
    

ACT II SCENE I

JAVA, Indonesia. Afternoon during the period of Japanese Colonial Rule. Inside a wooden house in the village area on a sugar plantation in Java, then in the Dutch East Indies, when the Japanese invaded in 1942. The house is well equipped with necessities of everyday living. A cloth is spread on a table with a dishes of food items resting on it. CAS (Helen’s father), LAURA (Helen’s mother), and MEES (Helen’s brother) sit around the table, eating. They are all laughing and conversing.

Suddenly CAS raises his right hand with a closed  fist. All of them get quiet. He whispers loudly.

CAS

(whispering loudly) They are here, they are here.

(LAURA and CAS immediately get up and run towards their bed placed in the corner. They pick the bed up from both sides and drag it out of its place.)

CAS

Hurry, hurry.

(A SEAWARD TRUNK is revealed when the bed moved from the top of it.

 
    

It is the kind of trunk, people use to store extra clothes and other casual stuff. A sudden loud banging on the door.)

JAPANESE SOLDIER #1

Open up!

(The knocking continues. CAS gestures everyone to stay quiet.)

CAS

Don’t say a word!

(CAS and LAURA walk towards the trunk. There are loud knocks once again).

JAPANESE SOLDIER #1

Open up!!!!

(It sounds as if they are kicking on the door.)

CAS

Come on!

(CAS and LAURA move the trunk as well, revealing a trap door underneath.

LAURA immediately opens the trapdoor and gestures MEES to come in. MEES immediately hides in the trapdoor. The knocking intensifies even more.)

CAS

Don’t make a sound.

JAPANESE SOLDIER #1

Open the door! Is there on one in this house? 

(They quickly pick up the trunk and move it back above the trapdoor.

The knocking occurs one more and it begins to freak Helen out. LAURA and CAS immediately pick up the bed and drag it above the trunk.)

 
    

PIM

(off)

Open up CAS, it’s me PIM. I am here with them.

(CAS assures his family everything is okay and lets out a deep breath.)

CAS

It is okay. It’s just Mr. PIM. Helen! open the door, I’ll get your brother out.

(Helen walks towards the door and opens it. This is when LAURA and CAS turn around to drag the bed once again.)

(Helen opens the door. Two JAPANESE SOLDIERS stand outside with Mr. PIM, the Head of the Village and a LOCAL WOMAN. The Japanese Soldier, without a word, hands out a document to Helen.)

JAPANESE SOLDIER #1

Congratulations, it’s a military enlistment warrant.

(LAURA and CAS immediately stop and turn around. They were about to drag the bed but they did not.)

(Suddenly, a BAND consisting of a few Japanese women emerge behind the Soldier. They wear a band that says ‘PATRIOTIC CITIZEN’. Suddenly, a local woman sings a military song in a loud vigorous voice.)

(Helen looks at her father, without even touching the documents and he immediately walks up to him).

 
    

MR. PIM

Hello CAS!

CAS

Hello Mr. PIM!

MR. PIM

These good men are here to talk to you.

(The Japanese Soldier hand out the document once again. CAS is confused and he still does not receive them. After a few moments of bewildered silence, the soldier puts the document towards CAS and shakes it.)

CAS

(staunch & determined)

I don’t have a son in my house! Should I fight hard for my country instead?

LOCAL WOMAN

...Thank you. If only one man could do that, the Japanese King will be proud of you to serve as an ambassador for the military.

LAURA

(suddenly)

I am sorry. We have nothing left but if you send my husband-

LOCAL WOMAN

(loudly, heavy-hearted)

You are not in a situation to say that. Both my husband and my child went to war. You can’t just say your own circumstances. Now your husband has to leave in any-

(LAURA smiles softly and approaches the door subtly while the local woman talks. LAURA shuts the door on her face.)

 
    

LAURA

I won’t-

(The soldiers push LAURA away and they barge inside.)

JAPANESE SOLDIER #2

Get away!

CAS

There is a woman and a girl in my house. Don’t you dare lay your hands on them. I don’t have a son!

(CAS’s family avoid the gaze in fear and Mr. PIM whispers to the Japanese soldier while they are not aware of it. The Japanese soldiers get hold of CAS and start to drag him. Helen and LAURA run to save CAS but one of the soldiers push them away brutally.)

JAPANESE SOLDIER #3

You better keep your bodies down on the floor where they belong if you want to continue breathing.

(LAURA gets very scared and she immediately holds Helen and stays on the ground. The soldiers drag CAS away. Helen stares at them with anger in her eyes.)

(END OF SCENE I)

SCENE II

Night. Abandoned forest. There are several cubic cages placed at different distances from each other. Every case has a prisoner inside them.

 
    

All of their limbs are tied with the walls of the cube and they are barely able to support themselves. The area has dense bushes and trees.

Two Japanese soldiers speak with each other. They are dressed in their traditional military uniform.

JAPANESE SOLDIER #1

How long will he keep hiding him?

JAPANESE SOLDIER #2

I don’t know but so far not a single sighting.

 
 

That is impossible.

JAPANESE SOLDIER #1

(thinks for a while)

 
    

He has to be here somewhere inside the village.

JAPANESE SOLDIER #2

It’s been four days since we visited their house for the first time. You can’t just stay hidden for four days.

JAPANESE SOLDIER #1

Maybe he fled from the village?

JAPANESE SOLDIER #2

Yeah, I don’t think so. If he had, we would have heard. Our patrols are everywhere.

JAPANESE SOLDIER #1

Did you check their house today as well?

JAPANESE SOLDIER #2

Yeah, I am coming straight from there. It was just the mother and her daughter.

JAPANESE SOLDIER #1

Did you alert them before going?

 
    

JAPANESE SOLDIER #2

I am not an idiot. Whenever I knocked, I never took my name.

JAPANESE SOLDIER #1

So what did you say?

JAPANESE SOLDIER #2

I always said that I am not the Soldier from the last time and I am not here to take your son.

JAPANESE SOLDIER #1

That is good.

JAPANESE SOLDIER #1

Did you try extracting the information from them?

JAPANESE SOLDIER #2

Yes, I told her that I will kill her son if she does not tell me where she is.

JAPANESE SOLDIER #1

That is good. You have got to be harsh. But wait how will we kill her son if we don’t know where he is?

JAPANESE SOLDIER #2

I know, but she doesn’t know that we don’t know.

JAPANESE SOLDIER #1

Oh yeah, you are wise my friend.

JAPANESE SOLDIER #2

Learnt from the best.

JAPANESE SOLDIER #1

You know I am beginning to think they are not lying.

JAPANESE SOLDIER #2

That can’t be. He told us personally that CAS has a son.

JAPANESE SOLDIER #1

Well then where is he? He is just messing with us.

 
    

JAPANESE SOLDIER #2

Naah, he knows what is gonna happen to him, if he messes with us.

JAPANESE SOLDIER #1

Whatever, let’s just keep looking.

(The two soldiers walk away slowly. There is something lurking behind her in the shadows. The soldiers take their exit and Helen emerges from one of bush. Helen looks around and stealthily walks past the cages and stops in front of her father’s cage. CAS lies lifeless in his cage.)

(Helen stops in front. Tears begin to stream down her eyes. She speaks softly.)

HELEN ANNIE

Dad! Dad!

(CAS instantly wakes up when he hears his daughter. It is as if someone blew life in his lifeless body. He walks up and moves towards Helen. He holds the railing of the cage exactly how it was showed in the very first image, in Act 1, Scene 3. Two hands with rough and worn skin are holding the bars. 

Suddenly a flash bursts as if it were a symbol of the image that Helen’s brain came to mind. 

CAS

Helen, my baby...

HELEN ANNIE

Dad, let us get out of here.

CAS

Baby, it is not safe here, you have to leave right now.

HELEN ANNIE

No, Dad, I have come here to get you. Let’s get out of here.

 
    

CAS

No, my baby, we can’t do that.

(sobs lightly)

We can’t do that.

 
 

Why not?

HELEN ANNIE

(looks around)

 
    

They are not around, we can get out of here.

CAS

But how will you get the monster that resides in their hearts out? They will come back for me and your brother again.

HELEN ANNIE

We’ll fight them Dad, I promise we will. We won’t let them take you away like this again.

(CAS has tears streaming down his face.)

 
 

Go Helen! Go!!

CAS

(cries)

 
    

HELEN ANNIE

I am not leaving without you.

CAS

Please, baby, listen, this is not the place for you to come. If they catch you they will...

(cries loudly) Don't come and see me here again.

(Suddenly, there is some movement in the bushes. CAS is immediately alerted.)

CAS

Go, Helen, now!!!

 
    

(Helen is confused. She cannot make a decision.)

CAS

(whispers loudly)

Listen Helen, you have no idea how proud I am of you. I am so blessed to have a daughter who is as brave as you. But I want you to think of your mother right now. What will happen if they catch both of us?

(We hear several footsteps in the area. Flashlights rotate around as if they are looking for someone.)

CAS

They are here. Go!

(Helen slowly starts back-stepping until she turns around and starts running. She sees a Soldier coming from the front and immediately hides in one of the bush. The Soldier looks around for a while and then walks away. Slowly, the flashlights get dimmer and dimmer. The footsteps fade and the silence prevails once again. The bushes rustle and Helen gets out slowly. She looks in the direction where all the soldiers went and there is no one. She comes out and starts walking backwards.

Suddenly someone enters wrapped in sheets, holding a flashlight. The person walks very, very stealthily, not making one sound. Helen continues to walk backwards and bumps into that person. Helen suddenly turns around and gets scared. She takes a deep breath and when she is about to scream that person covers her mouth.

 
    

Helen lets out a muffled moan and the person immediately removes a layer of sheet from her face. It is LAURA.

LAURA gestures her to stay quiet takes her away.)

F.O.

(END OF SCENE II)

SCENE III

Night. CAS’s house. Helen and her mother LAURA barge inside. LAURA is extremely angry. She shuts the door close and latches it carefully.

LAURA speaks.

LAURA

What is the matter with you Helen?

HELEN ANNIE

I was trying to save Dad.

LAURA

No, you were trying to get yourself killed. With MEES down in  the basement, you know I can’t send anyone after you. It is  already a task enough to get him food and water without  anyone barging in. What were you thinking?

HELEN ANNIE

I was thinking about Dad.

LAURA

Look we are gonna do everything we can to save him but I don’t want to lose my daughter in the process.

 
    

HELEN ANNIE

I could not live knowing that we let them take our father.

LAURA

We did not let them and if we had resisted they would have shot us dead.

HELEN ANNIE

What do you want me to do Mum? Just stay here and do nothing?

LAURA

Sensible, Helen. I want you to be sensible. You think this is what Dad wants? For his daughter to roam the streets at night and put her life at stake?

(Helen is taken aback.)

HELEN ANNIE

I am sorry.

LAURA

You have to promise me that you will not do any such thing again.

(Helen does not speak.)

LAURA

Promise me!

HELEN ANNIE

I am sorry, I promise!

(LAURA lets out a deep sigh and hugs Helen tightly. Suddenly, there is a knock and LAURA loses her control. She immediately gets up and looks at Helen, worried.)

LAURA

Did anyone follow us?

(shaking)

Did you see anyone follow us here?

 
    

HELEN ANNIE

I don’t know.. I-uh.. I am not sure...

 
 

Oh God..No.. No..

LAURA

(to herself)

 
        

(There is a knock again. LAURA looks back at Helen.)

LAURA

When you went after Dad, did anyone see you?

(Helen is very scared and confused.)

HELEN ANNIE

I -uhhh... I-uh...no Mum!

LAURA

Are you sure?

(Helen nods strongly. LAURA is very scared.)

LAURA

Alright, stay back. No matter what happens, don’t tell anything about you visiting your father.

(Helen nods. LAURA opens the door and it is Mr. PIM.)

LAURA

Mr-Mr.. Mr. PIM.

MR. PIM

Hello Mrs. CAS. Can I come inside?

(LAURA opens the door and Mr. PIM enters. The door is shut behind him).

 
    

MR. PIM

You look very disturbed Mrs. CAS. Is everything okay?

LAURA

How can anything be okay with CAS not home?

MR. PIM

I understand and that is exactly why I disturbed you at this hour of the night.

(LAURA’s eyes brightens up. A ray of home shimmers on her face.)

LAURA

What is it? Can we do something? Is there a way to set him free? Please Mr. PIM I know you have always been there for the people of this village.

PIM

Look Mrs. CAS, every house in this village volunteered for enlistment. I understand your situation and I respect it. But it is going to be very hard to keep them away.

LAURA

I know, what should we do?

MR. PIM

CAS is already with them and you know that they will find MEES one way or another. It was very, very difficult but I managed to persuade their commander.

LAURA

What do you mean?

MR. PIM

There is an alternative but it is not an easy one. However, if you choose to adopt it, (looking Helen once) I promise they will set Helen’s father free.

(Helen intrudes)

HELEN ANNIE

What is it?

 
    

(LAURA stares at Helen and she immediately gets quiet.)

LAURA

Tell us.

PIM

There is a factory that makes Seninbari for Japanese soldiers. 

LAURA

What?

PIM

It’s a vest like belt stitched 1000 times with 1000 hands, and given to soldiers, going away to war. There is a superstition in Japanese society that if you wear such a made-up belt, bullets will move away. During the war, it was known that there were many factories that produced that. And it’s true that many Japanese women got a job at such a factory then.

LAURA

Why are you telling me all this?

PIM

The Japanese command has cut me a deal. If Helen works there for two years, they will leave your husband and son alone. She will also make money there that she can send to you. (LAURA stands up in confusion.)

LAURA

I am not letting my daughter go anywhere.

PIM

Of course, Mrs. CAS, it is your choice. I am not here to force you. But I do want to say something with all due respect. I hate to mention it, but… 

LAURA

But what?

PIM

Do you really think two years are worth losing your husband and son?

(takes out a file)

This contract here will fix all your problems. The moment she signs this, everything will come back to normal.

(PIM gets up and greets LAURA before leaving. LAURA picks up the file and is about to throw away when Helen holds her hand.)

 
    

LAURA

What?

HELEN ANNIE

Mum, it is just two years.

LAURA

It is never two years with them, Helen. What guarantee do you have that they will not hurt.

HELEN ANNIE

There is no guarantee that they won’t hurt me if I stay here either.

LAURA

Helen-

HELEN ANNIE

Mother, this is our only chance to save father and MEES. You know they won’t stop coming for us.

LAURA

I won’t be able to live with the guilt if something happened to you.

HELEN ANNIE

And I won’t be able to live with the regret that I could save my dad and brother, and I chose not to! (Helen volunteers to go, turns around, and calls Mr. PIM who is about to leave.) 

Mr. PIM. I will do it. I will go!

(LAURA’s eyes fill up with tears. She tightly hugs Helen and embraces her in her arms. PIM looks at them and leaves without saying a word.)

F.O.

(END OF SCENE III)

SCENE IV

Midnight, November 2023, Brain Research Institute, King’s College London. A fully sealed, and secured Cranial Laboratory.

 
    

Professor Harlow, Dr. Sanders stand in front of the projector screen which still shows the man holding the prison bars.

Bewilderment shows at their face. The brain waves signal change rapidly and the next image begins to appear. The picture is a blur and out of focus. The picture looks like a weary old cuboid.

DR. SANDERS

(He takes a step closer) The language seems Japanese.

(The picture becomes slightly clearer. Oscar walks in closer.)

OSCAR

It looks like some kind of a name plate.

(Everybody looks at Oscar.)

PROFESSOR HARLOW

A name plate?

OSCAR

Yeah I have read about it in a novel. I don’t know now, but in the past, some Asian countries used to make a name plate in that shape in addition to address in front of the homes. It tells us whose house this is…

(Professor Harlow takes a few steps towards the screen.)

DR. SANDERS

Based on our calculations, these images must have been the  last things she remembered before her death. According to the  Memory Characteristics Questionnaires that we got our Near- Death-Experience Volunteers to fill, cognitive activity and  memory processes are heightened at the time of death.

 
    

(Dr.Sanders takes a step  closer.)

PROFESSOR HARLOW

What does it say?

It appears as if she is trying to communicate something with us... (looks at Oscar)

What was her name?

HARRY

Helen Annie. 

(Prof. Harlow gets an idea.)

PROFESSOR HARLOW

(looks at Harry) Run the language recognition software.

(Harry nods and immediately  translates what it is written on  the screen. It translates into  ‘SACHIKO’.)

 
 

Sachiko?

PROFESSOR HARLOW

(bewildered)

 
    

(Harry presses a button on the  keyboard and the following images  appear as a slideshow. They stay on  screen for a very short amount of  time like flash bursts.)

These images appear blurry at first, but the resolution increases to a stage where they are increasingly focused and recognizable, then blinks and disappears, and the next images are shown consecutively. 

(a picture of geometric patterns, a vest, a broken syringe, a  small envelope with writing on it, a letter on a piece of cloth)

PROFESSOR HARLOW

(Looking at the little envelope image) what does that say? 

(Harry  presses the button and the letter is translated from the box. Read by prof. Harlow) 

         “RUSH NO.1?” What’s that for?

DR. SANDERS

From what I understand, these appear to be her deepest memories that she made sure to cling to until her death. I am not sure what it is but it has to be something significant.

(On one side, brain waves are constantly transmitted from cables connected to the brain, and formula calculations are performed on computer screens connected to the brain. Soon the next image appears on the monitor. It also appears faint and then slowly focuses. Geometric patterns, a vest, a needle appears in a curved syringe shape. Then the sixth picture comes to mind on the screen. It is a piece of envelope  slowly getting in focus.
 Soon the seventh image appears. Also, the focus is partly blurred at first. However, this image rarely improves its focus despite the constant sound of the computer's rotation.

HARRY

(typing)

The visual is rejecting enhancement, Professor.

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Try manual enhancement.

HARRY

Yes Professor!

(Harry types rigorously for a few  moments and a dialog box appears on  the screen saying ‘ENHANCEMENT - 1%  COMPLETE).

HARRY

It is gonna take a while.

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Let it be. In the meanwhile, initiate the projection sequence once again.

(Harry nods and presses a button.  The projector shows the first image once again, a man holding prison bars. The next image is the nameplate that reads SACHIKO.

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Sachiko….

Slowly, the lights dim and the picture is the only thing visible on the stage. Suddenly, the flash goes off and the place on stage moves back to the past like a time machine)

(END OF SCENE IV)

(END OF ACT II)

ACT III 

SCENE I

Night. Outer region of Colonial House, Semarang, Jakarta.

Blackout on the stage. There is nothing to be seen or heard amidst the darkness. Subtle whimpers and muffled moans.

Suddenly, multiple footsteps approach from the right side. The sound of the footsteps is clouded under piercing moans of the girl they are carrying. The footsteps stop and somebody is pushed towards the centre of the stage. A girl, barely able to balance herself on her feet, stumbles towards the stage and she collapses in right at the downstage centre.

LIGHTS UP ON:

A spot light shines on the girl as she slowly gets up and looks around. It is Helen Annie. She is as terrified as one can be. 

Helen sits on her knees, baffled and perplexed.

HELEN ANNIE

What is this place? Where am I?

(Helen tires to scream but her energy is drained.)

HELEN ANNIE

Mr. PIM!!! Anybody!!! Hello?

(Helen slowly gets up and stands. She looks around and there is nothing but darkness.)

HELEN ANNIE

(screams) Hello!! Is anybody listening to me?

(Helen collapses on the floor. Suddenly, another spotlight comes on a few meters towards Helen’s right with a loud sound.)

(The sound startles Helen and she looks at her right. Seven girls lie down, like a pile of garbage. They tremble with fear as they look towards Helen.)

(All of them are stripped off of their clothes and they only have their undergarments on. They lie down cuddled up against each other to protect their body from exposure).

 
 

How did this happen?

HELEN ANNIE

(shocked)

 
        

(The girls don’t reply.)

HELEN ANNIE

Where are we?

 
    

(The girls nod and shake their heads in confusion. Helen is baffled.)

HELEN ANNIE

Can’t you hear me?

(The girls point towards Helen’s left in fear.)

(Helen looks towards her left and there is nothing. She turns towards the girls again and this is when another spotlight turns on.)

(Helen looks towards her left and finds a JAPANESE COMMANDER staring at her. Helen’s eyes widen with shock. The downstage is divided into three section with a spotlight in each section. On the downstage right, there are seven girls, on the downstage centre there is Helen and on the downstage left is the Japanese Commander.)

JAPANESE COMMANDER

Stand up!

(Helen just stares and do nothing.)

HELEN ANNIE

Who are you?

JAPANESE COMMANDER

Stand up, it’s an order!

HELEN ANNIE

I don’t take orders from you.

(The girls look at each other in confusion.

 
    

others gesture her to listen to the commander. One of the girls, ATHENA speaks.)

ATHENA

You don’t wanna do that. Please listen to him.

HELEN ANNIE

It’s alright.

ATHENA

You don’t understand.

HELEN ANNIE

There is nothing to understand. I am getting us out of here.

ATHENA

You can’t do that.

HELEN ANNIE

Why not?

ATHENA

We have tried everything while you were gone. Each one of us did but-

(Athena looks around and starts crying.)

 
 

It is alright.

HELEN ANNIE

(beat)

 
    

Do you know where are we?

(Athena shakes her head)

HELEN ANNIE

Do you know who did this to you?

(Athena does not respond and bursts into tears.)

 
    

HELEN ANNIE

Alright, alright, let me handle this.

(Helen looks at the Commander, giving him a stern look.)

HELEN ANNIE

Hey, what is this place and where are we?

(The Commander does not say anything and smiles.)

JAPANESE COMMANDER

The revolts are our favourite kinds. It is such a treat reminding the likes of you about their worth. You know we have a special form of respect for your kind.

HELEN ANNIE

Did you not hear me? Let us out of here.

JAPANESE COMMANDER

We have had a few who used to speak a lot like you. Funny, how the rest of them didn’t say anything when we burnt one of those rubbish.

(Helen gets a little scared but she tries her best to not show that. The Commander notices that.)

JAPANESE COMMANDER

Did I scare you? Sorry, I did not mean to do that. I just have a habit of getting over excited by things. We aren’t very keen about burying you yet, I mean we will be later but once we are done appreciating the gifts you are blessed with. Won’t it be such a loss if we just let you go like this?

(Slowly, the lights fade in, illuminating just the downstage. They stand on the muddy ground. The Japanese Commander slowly walks towards Helen with a smile on his face.)

 
    

(The Commander is able to break Helen but she still tries to keep up a brave face.)

JAPANESE COMMANDER

Won’t it my dear?

(The Japanese Commander gets very, very close to Helen and puts his hand on her back. Helen shakes the hand away.)

JAPANESE COMMANDER

Hey, I am on your side, we are just trying to celebrate your presence. Won’t you celebrate with us? It’s going to be good, I promise. You got what we want and we got what you want. I know you might not want it right now but we once you get a taste of it, you won’t stop craving it.

(The Japanese Commander laughs his heart out. Helen’s body starts trembling. She covers her chest and kneels down. The Commander notices it.)

JAPANESE COMMANDER

Oh you have got nothing to hide.

(The Commander kneels down next to her.)

JAPANESE COMMANDER

Why are you so keen in protecting the only things that make you valuable. You know if it was not for these gifts, you’d be floating dead in some river right now. That is how you repay us for saving your life? That is how you repay us for appreciating your body?

(The Japanese Commander slowly caresses Helen’s body. Tears begin to develop in Helen’s. She takes a deep breath and transforms her terror into anger.

 
    

She pushes the Commander away and spits at his face.)

(The Commander stops and gets up. He fumes with anger as he takes out a napkin from his pocket and wipes his face. He screams to the top of his lungs, sending shivers down Helen’s spine.)

JAPANESE COMMANDER

(screams in Japanese) Stand on your feet! 

….

it is your final warning!

(Helen does not respond once again. Slowly, the centre stage and upstage lights up.)

Night. Colonial House, Semarang, Jakarta. A muddy area with several wooden cabins scattered in a distinct pattern. There are Japanese soldiers and other Indonesian workers walking around. Although, it is a colonial house, it appears as if some construction work is going on. Perhaps that’s why the furniture outside is Dutch. 

(Helen looks around. She realises the gravity of the situation. She gets intimidated by several soldiers walking around. Nothing seems familiar to her. It finally dawns upon her that she is stuck in an unfamiliar territory and she might never go back. The Japanese Commander, still angered by Helen’s spitting takes a deep breath.)

 
    

JAPANESE COMMANDER

I thought you were different. I thought you were sensible. I thought you understood. But I was thinking in vain. I tried to be nice but if this is what you want. So be it.

JAPANESE COMMANDER

(screams in Japanese) Soldiers!!! Make her obey!!!

(Two Japanese soldiers come towards Helen and grab her from both side. Helen starts resisting. Helen resists but solders are able to make her stand. They hold her tightly from left and right.)

HELEN ANNIE

(screams) Let me go!! I said, let me go!!

(The Commander smiles and screams once again.

 
 

Reveal her!!!

JAPANESE COMMANDER

(screams in Japanese)

 
        

(Another Soldier nods and advance towards Helen. Helen does not understand anything but her fear skyrockets when she sees the Soldier approaching towards her.)

HELEN ANNIE

Don’t come near me.

(Soldiers stand front and behind her.)

 
    

(They get really, really close until their body touches against Helen.)

HELEN ANNIE

Please, don’t-

(Helen is unable to complete her statement. The Soldier takes out a small knife from his pocket and moves his hand in a quick, vertical motion behind Helen.)

(Helen’s eyes widen with shock as her dress looses the grip on her body and starts sliding down. Helen manages to free her hands and she holds the dress right near her chest.)

(The soldiers laugh together and grab her hands once again. The dress falls down near Helen’s feet. The Soldier rips off Helen’s long under-shirt as she cries and pleads.)

HELEN ANNIE

Stop, please, I promise, I will listen to you, please.

(The Soldiers do not give any regard to Helen’s cries and her under shirt is ripped off like a lion tears his prey.)

(Helen now stands only in her undergarments. She tries to lean forward and hide herself as much as she can but the Soldiers pull her apart from both ends revealing herself.)

 
    

JAPANESE COMMANDER

Think of it as a lesson. Something that you never would have understood otherwise. Every choice comes with a cost. This was the cost of your own choice. But you are not done paying yet. You still got some debt left.

(In Japanese)

Get me my whip!

(The third Soldier nods and rushes inside. The Japanese Soldier advances towards Helen.)

JAPANESE COMMANDER

The tragedy is not realizing. The tragedy is not protecting. The tragedy is me being forced to ruin something so beautiful.

(Helen is extremely confused. The Third Soldier enters with a whip. Helen’s eyes widen as she looks at it. The Soldier hands Commander the whip and steps aide.)

(Helen’s body begins to shake. She trembles as the Commander advances towards her.)

JAPANESE COMMANDER

I am not your enemy. If it was up to me I would never do this. But it is my responsibility to make you see. It is my responsibility to make you realize what the world is capable of.

(In Japanese)

TURN HER AROUND!

(The soldiers turn Helen around revealing her bare back. The commander takes a moment and looks at her clean back.)

JAPANESE COMMANDER

It is a canvas that I don’t want to ruin. I can’t see it happening.

 
    

(The Commander closes his eyes and raises his hand as high as he can before hitting Helen with the whip.)

HELEN ANNIE

AAAARGHHHH!!!!!!

(A piercing moan leaves Helen’s body.)

JAPANESE COMMANDER

You think I want to do this?

(The Commander hits her once again and this time harder. Helen cries even harder. The girls next to her start crying as well.)

JAPANESE COMMANDER

You think it brings me peace?

(The commander whips her once again. Helen lets out another piercing moan.)

JAPANESE COMMANDER

Have you learnt?

(Helen nods lightly. The Commander hits her once again and screams.)

 
 

HAVE YOU LEARNT?

JAPANESE COMMANDER

(screaming)

 
        

HELEN ANNIE

Yes.

(The Commander hits her again and this time Helen does not have any energy to scream.)

 
 

Do you oblige?

JAPANESE COMMANDER

(screaming)

 
        

HELEN ANNIE

Yes, yes, ye...

(Helen’s voice fades. The Commander nods and throws his whip away. He nods at the Soldiers and they throw her towards the girls.)

(The Commander composes himself, his dress, his hair and stands firmly once again.)

JAPANESE COMMANDER

Stand in a straight line!

(All the girls look at him.)

JAPANESE COMMANDER

(loudly) I said, a STRAIGHT LINE!

(The girls get up scared and they line up. Athena helps Helen up as well.)

JAPANESE COMMANDER

Listen up, each one of you. You are no longer what you think you are. You don’t have a country of origin. You don’t have parents, you don’t have family, you don’t have feelings. All you have is your body and that is exactly what you are here for. That is all you have to offer. We know you as long as your bodies are identifiable. You are worth nothing if you don’t have what we need. Am I clear?

Pause. 

(screams louder in Japanese)

AM I CLEAR?

(The girls nod innocently. The Japanese commander smiles.

 
    

He gestures one of his soldiers to come forward. The soldier hands each girl a wooden piece. The girls look at it in confusion.

JAPANESE COMMANDER

Take them to their rooms and get them ready, the proud Japanese Emperor soldiers are about to come back.

(Other soldiers come forward and take the girls away. Helen is about to walk as well but a voice stops her.)

JAPANESE COMMANDER

Let this one stay.

(Everyone exits except for Helen and the Commander. The Commander advances towards Helen. He smiles. Helen stands there frozen with the wooden piece.)

JAPANESE COMMANDER

Why don’t you tell me your name girl?

(Helen stands there, without saying anything.)

JAPANESE COMMANDER

Come on, read it and say it.

HELEN ANNIE

H..H…Helen.....

 

JAPANESE COMMANDER

What’s that? Read it again.

(Helen looks at the name plate and then slowly whispers.)

HELEN ANNIE

Suh- chu-...

JAPANESE COMMANDER

What?

HELEN ANNIE

         Suh- chu- eee…

(The Commander smiles.)

JAPANESE COMMANDER

Sachiko.

 
 

Sachiko...

HELEN ANNIE

(slowly)

 
        

JAPANESE COMMANDER

Now, why don’t you say it like you are proud of this name?

(she slowly raises her name plate towards the light until it is fully visible.)

(A flash explodes as Helen raises the name plate.)

HELEN ANNIE

Sachiko…

F.O. 

(END OF SCENE I)

SCENE II

Night. Military Brothel, Semarang, Jakarta. A narrow hallway with wooden walls and flooring stretched from downstage left to upstage left. The area towards the left of the hallway is a comfort room but it is currently in darkness.

 
    

In the hallway, there are several doors on left and right along with benches placed against the wall on both sides. Orange colored lamps hang from the ceiling, illuminating the entire area. The seven girls are dragged with their hair and thrown into their respective rooms.

Several soldiers walk out of the doors in the hallway without wearing any shirt. They cheer and celebrate as they walk away with their fellow soldiers.

Pause.

Several soldiers sit on the wooden benches, dressed up in their attire waiting for their turn. There are name plates hanging on every entrance of the room. Some of the name plates are hanging on the back side whereas some are hanging on the front side. We see several soldiers get up, walk towards the room, lift the name plate, hang it on the back side and enter.

A SOLDIER that sat against left wall gets up and enters the comfort room next to him. There is a name plate outside. He lifts the plate upside down before entering the room. As the Soldier enter the left side of the stage illuminates, revealing the comfort room. The lights on the hallway dim.

 
    

It is a small room, where sits Helen, curled up in the corner.

It is a very, congested small space confined with walls made out of bamboo and wood. A rectangular bad with a worn-out dirty sheet placed at one corner. A small sink/toilet towards it left and a very small window right above the bed.

(Helen sits in the corner trembling with fear. The Japanese Soldier is extremely drunk, and he is barely able to balance himself. The Soldier picks Helen up and throws her on the bed.)

(Helen tries to crawl backwards towards the wall but the soldier manages to grab her legs. He lifts them up and stretches them apart.  He looks in between and a smile spreads across his face.)

SOLDIER

(slurry speech)

Oh my good lord, an unused European one. What did I do to deserve this?

(Lust drips from his eyes as he lets Helen go and starts unbuttoning shirt. Helen immediately crawls back and curls up. The Soldier smiles.)

SOLDIER

An unused one who loves to resist. I have always dreamt of this day.)

 
    

(The soldier completely unbuttons his shirt, revealing the white vest, the Seninbari inside. 

A flash of light passes as if the camera had burst a flash!

Helen starts shaking with fear. He takes out a cigarette from his pocket and puts it between his lips. He lights a matchstick and lights his cigarette.)

SOLDIER

This is just the beginning. There is so much more to burn. So much more to light on fire.

(The Soldier smiles. He takes a deep puff and lets it all out.)

HELEN ANNIE

Please go away, I have a mother and father back at home. I am only here to save my father. I did not know, I will end up here.

SOLDIER

Once I am done with you, you will be happy that you ended up here.

HELEN ANNIE

Please try to understand, there’s got to be some kind of mistake. I am not that kind of girl. I was tricked to come here.

SOLDIER

All I know is that you are a girl and that is all I care about.

(Helen kneels down.)

SOLDIER

What are you doing you slut? Isn’t this what you are made for?

(The Soldier takes off his belt and puts it on the bed.)

 
    

HELEN ANNIE

Please, please, help me. You are a Soldier, you should understand the pain of the oppressed. Doesn’t you uniform compel you to help me?

(The Soldier suddenly looks very, very embarrassed. He looks around and avoids eye contact with Helen. A shimmer of hope glows in Helen’s eyes. She slowly sits up and gets closer to the edge of the bed.)

HELEN ANNIE

You have to help me, you really do. If I don’t get back home, my mother will be worried. My dad’s already not home. Please, I am begging you.

SOLDIER

You are right. I should not be the one doing this. I am a uniformed Soldier.

HELEN ANNIE

I know, please help me. Please help me get home.

SOLDIER

There is something I can do.

(Helen lets out a deep sigh of relief.)

HELEN ANNIE

What is it?

(The Soldier quickly undresses and hangs his clothes. He stands only in his boxers. Helen is confused.)

HELEN ANNIE

What are you doing?

SOLDIER

You said how could a Soldier do this? There you go, the soldier hangs on the door over there. Now, I am just a man.

 
    

(Helen starts backing off as the soldier approaches him, smiling. The soldier grabs Helen’s legs and pulls him closer towards her. He throws himself towards Helen. She manages to get hold of the belt and she uses it to hit the Soldier. The soldier loses his balance and stumbles a little. Helen kicks him away and runs out of the door. Bright red lights illuminate downstage as she runs past the corridor and comes in the front. The Soldier screams from the room.)

SOLDIER

We have a runner!!!

(Suddenly, several soldiers emerge from different corners and make a circle around her.)

(A haunting music begins to play in the background.)

(They start rotating around her as Helen looks for a way out. All of  them are laughing at her. Helen,  almost naked, tries to run in  several directions but a soldier  always stops her. In the meantime,  the Soldier who was trying to rape  Helen comes out just in his pants.)

(The lights on the corridor and the comfort room fade. The Soldier holds the belt in his hands.)

 
    

SOLDIER

This bitch tries to hit me with this.

(The soldiers laugh.)

SOLDIER #2

Huh, I see, so what do we do with this slut?

SOLDIER #3

I say we give her justice.

SOLDIER #2

Justice?

SOLDIER #3

Isn’t this what we stand for?

SOLDIER

There’s no bloody justice happening to her. I will drag this bitch back to her slut dungeon and show her what she is made for.

SOLDIER #3

Come on brother, don’t you think that’s a little too boring? She came here all the way from ‘I don’t care’ where. We need to make her familiar with our ways.

(The Soldier understands what they are trying to do.)

SOLDIER #2

I say, we act fair and give her the justice she deserves.

(Helen looks at them in confusion. One by one, all the soldiers take off their belts and surround her. The soldiers start walking in the circle once again. Helen gets up and tries to run but receives the leather belt on her bare back.)

(The soldiers laugh as Helen groans in pain.

 
    

One of the soldiers kick Helen towards their fellow Soldier. She gets hit with the belt once again but this time on her chest.)

Dark and magnificent music flows and this continues in slow motion as if it were happening in the water. 

(She receives several blows on her body and collapses lifeless in the middle. The soldiers cheer and clap, celebrating Helen’s misery. The soldiers group together at a distance, leaving Helen unattended.)

SOLDIER #2

All this bitch had to is lie like this when you came in but she couldn’t do it.

SOLDIER

These sluts have to be taught how they behave.

(The Soldier #2 walks near the Soldier.)

SOLDIER #2

Hey I heard a little something what’s down there on her. Is it true?

SOLDIER

More than true. Unused and impossible to get in.

(Soldier #2 laughs while whistling a creepy tune.)

SOLDIER #2

Looks like you got yourself a treat. Hey I made her straight for you didn’t I? Now she’s gonna take all that you have to offer without moving an inch.

 
    

SOLDIER

That’s right.

SOLDIER #2

So why don’t you do your brother a favour and leave the back door for me?

SOLDIER

You got it.

(The two soldiers laugh among each other.)

(Helen slowly raises her head and sees that the soldiers have left her unattended. She slowly starts getting up. The soldiers still fail to notice her. Helen slowly gets on her knees. She slowly raises, higher and higher but she is extreme amount of pain but she attempts to get up. Helen takes a deep breath and gathers all her energy to get up at once.)

(This sudden movement alerts the soldiers and they spot her getting up. Helen realizes that she has been spotted. She stands up and runs towards the front.)

SOLDIER #2

Hey, hey, she’s running away! Catch her!

(Three soldiers run after her. Helen picks up pace and tries to jump off of the stage to escape. Just when Helen is about to jump off, she is caught by two soldiers. They pull her back and throw her on the ground.

 
    

SOLDIER

You don’t learn your lesson, do you?

(The Soldier looks at one of his fellows.)

SOLDIER

Bring the iron, hot and ready.

(The fellow Soldier nod and walks away.)

SOLDIER

Let’s show her what we do sluts who try to run away.

(The Soldier takes out a small knife from his pocket.)

SOLDIER

Hold the bitch down, she shouldn’t move.

(Four soldiers grab Helen and make her lie down straight on the ground. The Soldier puts the tip of the knife on her stomach and stops. He peaks at Helen and smiles.

Helen’s belly flaps like a dying fish.)

SOLDIER #2

Come on, it’s my turn next.

(The Soldier increases the pressure and starts drawing on her stomach with the knife. 

The music of beautiful melodies flows heavily, and the stage scene proceeds slowly. Geometric laser patterns float around the stage and slowly begin to gather in Helen’s body. 

 
    

SOLDIER

(laughing)

You should have made an artist out of yourself. What made you pick up a weapon?

SOLDIER #2

I like to paint with blood.

(Helen’s body shakes on the floor in pain. The soldier finally completes his drawing.

Helen cries heavily.)

(Both drawings look like some geometrical patterns. Just when the knife is passed to the next person, another soldier enters with a red hot iron rod. There is something attached at the bottom of the rod that looks like an eye. It is red hot.)

SOLDIER

The big gun is here.

(Helen sees the rod coming and she starts struggling to get up.)

HELEN ANNIE

No, don’t come close to me, throw that thing away, no, No, NO!!!

SOLDIER #3

Somebody shut the bitch up.

 (One of the soldiers take out their pistol and shove it in Helen’s mouth.)

SOLDIER

Come on guys, make some room. Keep holding her.

(Everyone except the four soldiers holding Helen walk away. The first Soldier takes the iron rod and advances towards Helen.)

(The Soldier gets on top of Helen and raises his hand above Helen’s chest. He is about to bring the iron rod down and brand Helen on her chest. Moment before the iron rod touches Helen’s chest, a voice stops it.)

SOLDIER #2

Hey, hey, a little down or a little up. I don’t like when burnt skin comes into my mouth.

SOLDIER

You got a fine point brother.

The Soldiers point the iron rod a little higher, and a flash of light passes by as if a photographer had popped a flash. All the soldiers get up and walk away. Helen lies on the ground. They see her body and laugh.)

SOLDIER #2

You should have been a dancer.

(Everybody laughs.)

 
    

SOLDIER #3

You are in no position to take our brother, are you?

SOLDIER #2

I don’t think she is.

SOLDIER #3

It would be such a shame if he has to sleep with a loaded gun.

(Solider #2 takes a syringe out of his pocket and walks towards Helen. He kneels down in front of her.)

SOLDIER #2

Consider this a gift from us. It won’t just ease your first time but it will make you forget all your pain as well.

HELEN ANNIE

Don’t do it. Please don’t. I will do whatever you want, however you want.

(The solider slowly raises the syringe high up in the air.)

(A FLASH EXPLODES.)

(The soldier injects Helen with  it.)

SOLDIER #2

I know you will. It’s just now you will be able to do it better.

HELEN ANNIE

Please stop... Please st-... Pleas- Plea..

(As the opium kicks in, Helen starts fading into a state of daze. She stops flapping and her screams get lower and lower with time.

 
    

Solider #2 taps on the first Soldier’s shoulder and winks at him.)

SOLDIER #2

All yours brother. You can thank me later. Do remember our deal?

(Everybody leaves except for the first Solider. He slowly walks towards Helen and throws himself on top of her. Suddenly, he makes a sudden movement and the lights go off. A menacing scream leaves Helen’s body.)

(Blackout)

(END OF SCENE II)

SCENE III

Afternoon. Laundry area outside the Military Brothel. The Japanese soldiers stand at different spots, patrolling the entire area. There are several Indonesian workers and girls scattered all around the place doing daily chores. Some are busy cleaning the outside walls of the houses while others are busy cleaning the floor.

There is a rectangular cemented pond filled with water. Helen, Athena and other girls are busy washing clothes.

 
    

They wear a rugged old skirt with a small piece of cloth wrapped around their chest to hide their breast. The girls sit in a straight line washing clothes.

Most of the girls have brandings and tattoos all over their body. Some of the girls only have a few of them while Helen and Athena have their entire bodies filled with them. A lot of girls are badly injured. They have bruises and wounds all over their body.

Two of them have a broken arm which hangs from their neck with the help of a bandage.)

(Two separate soldiers stand behind Helen and Athene for surveillance. The girls flip their baskets over, unloading hundreds of used condoms in front of them. Helen has the greatest number of condoms in front of her. Each girl has a different number in their front. They wash each one of them. Helen casually fills water in the condom and washes it. The washed ones are hung on the clothesline, and the dried ones are picked up and put back in a small square bag that says “Rush No.1”)

The flash explodes.

 
    

(The girl next to Helen, SHINHYE has a meltdown. She pushes all the condoms in front of her, scattering them all over the place.)

ATHENE

Shnhye, You have to wash it clean, dry it, and put it all back in this bag.  

Athene tries to share some empty condom envelopes with her. 

SHINHYE

I can’t do this. I want to go back home. I want to go back home to my mother. Take me back home.

(Helen immediately grabs her hand and gestures her to stay quiet.)

HELEN ANNIE

(slowly)

Stop it, stop it. They are not gonna send you home. They are just gonna kill you. Stay quiet-

SHINHYE

I don’t care. I want to go home.

(screams very loudly) I WANT TO GO BACK HOME!!

 (One of the soldiers gets alerted. He walks towards Shinhye and touches her with his foot.)

SOLDIER

Hey, you, what is your problem?

SHINHYE

I want to go back home.

(The solider starts laughing.)

SOLDIER

You want to go back home?

SHINHYE

Yes.

SOLDIER

You want to go back home huh?

SHINHYE

Yes I do.

SOLDIER

You really want to go back don’t you?

SHINHYE

Yes I want to.

SOLDIER

Why not, let me just go and get a carriage for you.

(The Solider walks towards the nearby tree and breaks off a branch. He walks back towards Shinhye.)

SOLDIER

You ready to go back home?

SHINHYE

Yes I-

 
    

(The Solider holds the piece of wood from the tree and slams it at Shinhye’s head as if he is hitting a ball with a baseball hat. She hits her head on the edge of the rectangular pond.)

SOLDIER

Get back to work, you piece of shit.

(Helen immediately holds her and tries to comfort her. This is when the solider kicks Helen from behind. Helen turns around. He looks at Helen and Athena.)

SOLDIER

You two, you are not allowed to talk. Finish your work and go back inside.

ATHENA

Why not?

SOLDIER

You should have thought of why before letting your body become a bloody canvas. The Commander has asked us to keep the girls with more tattoos under high surveillance because they are a running threat.

(beat) Now get to fucking work.

(The soldier laughs and walks away. Some girls finish washing the condoms and they start with the pile of clothes. A middle-aged Indonesian woman ASMARA looks at them from a distance while drying the clothes. She wipes her tears away.)

 
    

(Athena looks at Helen with hopelessness in her eyes.)

ATHENA

We can’t continue to live like this.

HELEN ANNIE

I know but it is stupidity to fight against them like this.

ATHENA

There is no way we can fight them without getting killed or- 

HELEN ANNIE

As long as we are live, we can figure something out.

ATHENA

We cannot. They are not humans. They are monsters. Last night, five guys entered Bong-Sook’s room and they were in there, for the entire night. And this is not just yesterday, this has been happening for the past three weeks. Yesterday, when they came out in the morning, I went in.

I tried to talk to her she couldn’t even remember her own name. She is just 16 years old. They penetrated her with more than just themselves. There were metal rods and-

ATHENA

Every part of her body was bleeding. These animals played tic tac toe on her back. How do you expect to fight with them?

HELEN ANNIE

Hope is our only weapon against them. If we lose hope, there won’t be anything left. We just have to wait for the right day.

ATHENA

And then do what?

 
    

HELEN ANNIE

I don’t know but we will figure it out.

ATHENA

The denial won’t do us any good. The higher our hopes are the worse it will be.

(Suddenly, HA-EUN comes from behind and speaks between Athena and Helen.)

HA-EUN

Bong-Soo’s been acting very weird. She is not speaking to any of us. She has not eaten anything either.

ATHENA

No wonder she is not.

(Athena and Helen look towards Bong- soo who is hanging clothes on a wire for drying. She stands a few meters away from the washing pond.)

HELEN ANNIE

Let’s go talk to her.

(Athena nods. Helen and Athena put the washed clothes in the basket and pick it up. They walk towards Bong-Soo holding their baskets.

Athena and Helen start hanging their clothes and get really close with Bong-Soo. Athena speaks to her.)

ATHENA

Hey..

(Bong-Soo does not respond.)

HELEN ANNIE

Athena told me everything.

 
    

(Bong-soo still does not respond.

ATHENA

Why aren’t you eating anything?

HELEN ANNIE

Look, we can help you.

ATHENA

She is right. Is it because of those guys-?

BONG-SOO

That does not bother me anymore. That is like routine to me. For me, that is my reality.

HELEN ANNIE

What is it then?

BONG-SOO

I haven’t gotten my periods yet.

(Two soldiers approach Helen and Athena from behind. Bong-Soo is about to reach but they gesture her to stay quiet.)

 
 

What?

HELEN ANNIE

(beat)

 
    

When did you get it last?

(Bong-Soo does not say anything. Her eyes are fixated behind Athena and Helen.

HELEN ANNIE

Tell me.

(Bong-Soo does not say anything. She just keeps looking behind.)

ATHENA

What are you looking at?

 
    

(Athena and Helen turn around and see two soldiers standing behind them. Their eyes widen with shock.)

SOLDIER

(looks at Bong-Soo) What did you tell her?

(Bong-Soo shakes her head in a No.)

SOLDIER

What did you tell her?

(Bong-Soo starts backstepping and does not say anything. Helen looks at Bong-Soo.)

HELEN ANNIE

Don’t tell him anything.

(The Solider kicks Helen down on the ground and looks at Bong-Soo.)

SOLDIER

You know I can get you home whenever I want to.

HELEN ANNIE

He is lying to you!

SOLDIER

She cannot do anything. If you tell me what you told her, maybe I can get you a nice carriage back home.

HELEN ANNIE

Please don’t listen to him, he is just trying to trick you.

SOLDIER

Do you wanna believe her or me?

(Bong-Soo starts getting confused. She looks at Helen and then the soldier.)

 
    

HELEN ANNIE

Listen to me, he is lying to you.

(The Solider kneels in front of Bong-Soo and gently puts his hand above her head.)

SOLDIER

Come on, tell me.

BONG-SOO

I haven’t had my period for a while.

(The Solider stares at her and does not say anything. Suddenly, he screams.)

SOLDIER

(In Japanese) Get the Doctor!!!

(The DOCTOR, a man in a white lab coat walks out of the building and heads straight towards Bong-Soo, accompanied by one of the soldiers. The Doctor takes Bong-Soo to the side and make her sit on the bench. He kneels in front of Bong-Soo with a stethoscope around his neck.)

(The Solider looks at Helen and Athena.)

SOLDIER

Get back to work.

(Helen and Athena slowly get up and start hanging their clothes. After a while, the Doctor comes back to the solider and whispers him something. He nods and the Doctor walks away. The Soldier speaks loudly.)

 
    

SOLDIER

Take her away. This slut is with a child. She is of no use to us.)

(Four soldiers come running towards Bong-Soo. Athena and Helen run towards Bong-Soo first and stand in front of her.)

SOLDIER

Get out of the way.

HELEN ANNIE

What are you gonna do to her?

SOLDIER

I said, get out of the way.

ATHENA

Tell us what are you gonna do to her?

(The Soldier takes a step forward and slaps Athena with full force. Athena falls down on the ground. Helen immediately kneels down to help Athena but she gets a slap as well.)

(The Soldier gestures his fellows to take Bong-Soo away. They advance towards Bong-Soo but Athena and Helen come in the way once again.

The Soldier fumes with anger.)

SOLDIER

I swear to God if it wasn’t for our commander, I would have roasted your sorry asses to death right now, right here!

(to the soldiers) Throw them away and take this one.

(The Soldiers kick Helen and Athena out of the way and drag Bong-Soo away.

 
    

They throw Bong-Soo in the middle. The Solider takes out his rifle and walks towards Bong-Soo.)

SOLDIER

I wish we had time so we could have you give birth to another hoe. Another slut for us to fuck. Sadly, we don’t.

(The Solider loads his rifle and shoots at Bong-Soo’s uterus first and then at her heart. Two bullets and Bong-Soo collapses lifeless in the pool of her own blood. Helen and Athena look at her in shock.)

(Suddenly, two girls who are terrified after seeing the incident start running away. The Solider spots them.)

SOLDIER

Catch them!!

(The girls are immediately caught and dragged into a small wooden cabin at the corner. There are two gunshots. The Soldier smiles.)

SOLDIER

Feed them to the vultures in the forest.

(looks at the girls)

All of you line up!

(All the girls, terrified to death, line up. There are no words spoken and no gestures made. They slowly start walking inside the building. As they head back, Helen stealthily picks up the wooden that was used to hit Bong-Soo’s head. She hides it in her skirt.

 
    

Everybody leaves except for ASMARA who stands with the bucket of clothes staring at everything.)

(Subtly, lights fade and turn into crescent blue, suggesting the progression from day to night.

(END OF SCENE III)

SCENE IV

Night. Helen’s comfort room in the Military Brothel. A narrow hallway towards the right and her room on the left. Helen’s heart- wrenching moans echo in her room. A shadow of soldier lies on Helen, panting heavily. He gets up and starts putting on his uniforms. She lies on the floor, leaning against the wall. The twilight from the window shines on her face.

(Helen is barely able to move. A huge red spot on her skirt. She tries to lift herself up but the pain is so much that she can’t even move. There is a new tattoo on her neck.)

SOLDIER

You know what’s gonna happen if there are no more places to tattoo you?

(Helen does not even register anything. She continues to cry and scream in pain. The Solider laughs.)

 
    

SOLDIER

Trust me, you don’t want to know.

(Helen’s pain gets out of control.)

HELEN ANNIE

Give it to me..Please...

(The Solider puts on his pants and picks up his shirt. Helen crawls towards his legs and grabs his shoes.)

SOLDIER

There is something about you, you know?

HELEN ANNIE

Please, I beg, give it to me, I can’t breathe.

(The Soldier puts on his shirt and starts buttoning it.)

SOLDIER

I mean all the girls got the exact same things but there is something about yours.

 
 

Please...

HELEN ANNIE

 
        

(The Solider finishes dressing up. He takes out a syringe from his pocket and drops it on the floor.)

SOLDIER

Here you go, for being a good girl.

(The solider leaves the room and walks away from the corridor. Helen immediately grabs the syringe and injects herself with it. She throws the syringe away and leans back against the wall.

 
    

Slowly, the light brighten and it is revealed that several syringes lie around Helen. Helen lies lifeless for a while and then slowly she recovers. Tears stream down her eyes.)

(Helen slowly gets up and manages to sit on the bed. She takes her bedsheet and tears apart a small piece using her teeth. After trying for a while she is able to tear apart a small piece. Helen sits on the floor once again. She uses the blood from her wounds to dirty her fingers and starts writing. Tears drip down her eyes as she continues to write. Finally, she puts the letter on the bed and stands up)

(Helen looks through the window and after making sure that no one is coming, she bends down and picks up the same wooden piece she picked up from outside. Helen kneels down and starts rubbing it on the floor, to sharpen it.)

(While this is happening, the lights fade in inside the corridor. We see Asmara cleaning the floor of the corridor.)

(Helen continues to rub it against the floor until one end of the piece of wood becomes somewhat pointy. She holds the piece of wood in front of her stomach, making sure the pointy side is facing her stomach.)

 
    

(Asmara looks around and then takes out some medicines and bread from under her shirt. She slowly walks towards Helen’s room.)

(Helen attempts to penetrate the piece of wood a few times but she fails. She is not able to go through with. Helen, finally, takes a deep breath and moves her hand as far away as she can from her stomach. She closes her eyes and pulls the piece of wood towards her stomach with full force but just when she is about to penetrate herself, the door opens. It is Asmara.)

(Asmara is shocked when she sees Helen like this. She puts everything on the bed and immediately rushes towards Helen. Helen gets scared and threatens Asmara with the piece of wood.)

HELEN ANNIE

Who are you? What do you want?

ASMARA

Don’t worry, my child.

HELEN ANNIE

I am not falling for your games. Don’t take a step further.

ASMARA

Give this to me.

HELEN ANNIE

No, stay away, if you take another step, I will kill you.

ASMARA

I am not here to hurt you. Please trust me.

 
    

HELEN ANNIE

Why do I do that?

ASMARA

Look, I brought you bread and medicines. Has anyone ever done that for you?

(Helen looks at the medicine and food and this calms her down a little. Asmara uses this distraction to snatch the piece of wood away from Helen and throws it away.)

HELEN ANNIE

Give that back to me.

(Helen runs to pick it up but Asmara stops her. She tries for a while but Asmara does not let her pass. Helen gives up after a while.)

(Helen finally collapses on the bed. She has drained all her energy. She slowly sits up, crying heavily.)

HELEN ANNIE

If you are here to help me, why do you want me to live? Death, right now, is the sweetest gift. If you care for me, why aren’t you letting me have it?

ASMARA

Because I might have a way out for you.

HELEN ANNIE

There is no way, I tried everything. They are everywhere. It gets even worse when they catch us.

ASMARA

I am not talking about you escaping, my child. I am talking about someone coming and picking you up.

 
    

(Helen looks at her in confusion.)

HELEN ANNIE

Are you here for one of the syringes? Because I don’t have none.

ASMARA

Listen to me. There is an Allied Forces Camp near my village here in Indonesia. The camp is led by British Colonel, David Smiley. He might not be our friend, but he is their enemy, the people who are keeping you here. I go back home for a few days tomorrow, I can try and get them to help you.

HELEN ANNIE

Why would they help us?

ASMARA

They might not do it to save you but they will do it to protect their egos. This game is far greater than you think, my child. But my gut tells me, they will. He holds an entire Allied Forces. It’s nothing for them to come and free you all.

(Helen looks at Asmara and clears her eyes of doubt.) 

HELEN ANNIE

Hope is something I have learnt not to possess anymore… here.

ASMARA

What is your name?

HELEN ANNIE

Sach-

ASMARA

I asked you for your name.

HELEN ANNIE

Helen. Helen Annie.

ASMARA

Where are you from?

 
    

HELEN ANNIE

I am Dutch but my family had been running a sugar plantation at Sukabumi, west Java.

ASMARA

Helen, my child, have hope one last time, for me.

(Helen nods and Asmara gets up.)

ASMARA

I should go.

(Asmara is about to leave.)

HELEN ANNIE

Take this.

(Helen picks up the letter from the bed and gives it to Asmara.)

(A flash explodes as the letter is  passed to Asmara.)

HELEN ANNIE

Send it to the people you were talking about. It might help. (Asmara takes it and nods.)

ASMARA

God Bless you my child.

HELEN ANNIE

It’s been a while since He has done that but I am really hoping He does it this time.

(Asmara laughs but a drop of tear stream down her eyes. Helen returns a weak smile. Asmara opens the door and leaves. Helen looks outside the window and a ray of sun shines on her face.)

(END OF SCENE IV)

 
    

SCENE V

Morning. Unknown Indonesian Territory. The British Colonel’s Office inside the camp of the Allied Forces. COLONEL DAVID SMILEY, the Colonel of his Battalion sit at his table. His CORE COMMANDER walks in.

(The Core Commander salutes and takes a step forward. Colonel looks up.)

COLONEL DAVID SMILEY

What is it?

CORE COMMANDER

Sorry to be a bother, but we found a rather unusual letter outside the camp Sir.

COLONEL DAVID SMILEY

Where is it?

(The Core Commander nods at the officer standing outside and he brings in a glass box with the letter inside.)

CORE COMMANDER

We understood the gravity of the situation, so I ordered to secure the letter immediately.

COLONEL DAVID SMILEY

Good!

(Colonel observes the letter from outside.)

COLONEL DAVID SMILEY

Did you run it through forensics?

 
    

CORE COMMANDER

Yes Sir. It was declared free from all kinds of toxin and poison. There are no traces of any invisible ink as well. We are sure that it is not sent for any political or administrative purposes.

(Colonel stands up in anger.)

COLONEL DAVID SMILEY

Why was it brought to me then? It could have been a prank. You are wasting our time and resources on foolish games now, Commander?

CORE COMMANDER

No Sir, I would not dare.

COLONEL DAVID SMILEY

Then explain this to me.

CORE COMMANDER

My thoughts were the same Sir. I was informed by one of the Officers that an Indonesian lady who lives in a nearby village dropped it off saying that it should only be opened and read by Colonel himself. I was sure that it was nothing but a prank until...

COLONEL DAVID SMILEY

Until what Commander?

CORE COMMANDER

Until the forensic reports came back. Although, this letter is free from all kinds of toxins, it has been brought to my attention that it was written with…

Pause. 

… with blood.

(The anger fades from Colonel’s face and he looks at his Core Commander.)

COLONEL DAVID SMILEY

Blood?

CORE COMMANDER

Yes sir, it was written with Human Blood.

COLONEL DAVID SMILEY

How much could you find out about who wrote it?

CORE COMMANDER

That lady Asmara informed that this letter was sent by a Dutch girl named Helen Annie from a village called Sukabumi. She is currently held captive in a Japanese camp somewhere in Semarang. I contacted our people there  and we were able to verify the existence of the camp and more girls from Korea. We could not contact her family but villagers confirmed that Helen once lived at the village of Sukabumi.

COLONEL DAVID SMILEY

Even if we believe that all of this is true, why would they keep a Dutch girl and girls from Korea as a captive in Semarang-

(Suddenly, the Colonel stops speaking and looks at his Commander. The Core Commander understands that Colonel has reached the exact  same realization as him.)

Beat!

It turns out to be true.

CORE COMMANDER

Yes, Sir. You are right.

COLONEL DAVID SMILEY

They are running a bloody brothel in the name of a military camp or hospital.

CORE COMMANDER

Seems like it, Sir.

COLONEL DAVID SMILEY

Were you able to extract the contents from the letter?

CORE COMMANDER

It is barely legible Sir. The piece of cloth was completely soaked in mud and blood. We were able to identify that it was written in Korean language which checks out with the girl’s background.

COLONEL DAVID SMILEY

Anything else?

CORE COMMANDER

Nothing but a few words, Sir. There were only four words that we could comprehend after seeking help from our translator.

(pauses for a while) Animals. Slaves. Rape, and Help.

COLONEL DAVID SMILEY

They are more than enough to verify this entire tale, don’t you think Commander?

 
 

I do Sir.

CORE COMMANDER

(pause)

 
    

But with due respect Colonel, there will be implications if we interfere.

COLONEL DAVID SMILEY

I am aware. But do you understand what will happen if we bring these monstrous faces to light?

(Commander shakes his head in a NO.)

COLONEL DAVID SMILEY

I think the dynamics of this war itself could be turning. The affected people, countries, alliances, and the whole world will deal strongly with them. Even in this area, local people will interfere with the supply and support route, which could lead to the psychological shaking of soldiers in enemy camps. Now that the war is rapidly changing towards the Allies, the enemy could back down on their own. 

Pause. 

CORE COMMANDER

Then… 

COLONEL DAVID SMILEY

Yes, the way you think! Send a full official warning to the Japanese military to retreat immediately from the camp in Semarang. If they read our message and refuse their duty, the situation is not too late because it is advantageous for our allies. We’ll be ready to take the necessary steps then. We’ll conduct a crackdown operation and bring them all here. 

CORE COMMANDER

Yes Sir!

COLONEL DAVID SMILEY

And one last thing.

CORE COMMANDER

Yes Sir?

COLONEL DAVID SMILEY

If they decide to withdraw themselves, take as many journalists as you can. I don’t want every minute of this expedition to be reported as if it were a story designed to incite. I just ant the truth to come out. 

CORE COMMANDER

Yes Sir.

COLONEL DAVID SMILEY

Seize this opportunity, Commander. I rest my faith upon.

CORE COMMANDER

You won’t be disappointed, Sir.

COLONEL DAVID SMILEY

Dismissed.

(The Core Commander salutes and leaves immediately.)

COLONEL DAVID SMILEY

Helen Annie… History may remember your name...

(The colonel carefully opens the letter box and pulls out a piece of cloth. Spread the folded one and slowly bring it closer it to the light. A flash of light passes…)

F.O

(END OF SCENE V)

END OF ACT III

 
    

ACT IV 

SCENE I

Morning, Sukabumi, east Java. There is a wall in the middle that separates the stage into two. There is a door in the wall that leads into Helen’s house on the left. The house is still in darkness.

(Footsteps are heard from the right. Helen enters with the Core Commander of Allied Forces. The wounds on her face and hands are still visible but they are healed to some extent. She faces difficulty in walking. They approach towards the door. Helen smiles brightly as she looks at the door of her house. She tries to walk quickly but her injuries stop her from doing so.)

CORE COMMANDER

The Colonel entrusted me with the responsibility of escorting you home safely.

(Helen starts smiling with tearing draining down her eyes.)

HELEN ANNIE

I am home. I am home. I am finally home.

(Helen cries heavily as they get closer and closer towards the door.)

HELEN ANNIE

I am home.

 
    

CORE COMMANDER

I understand that you have been through heinous amount of pain and trauma. The Colonel asked me to inform you that-

HELEN ANNIE

Don’t you understand? I am finally home!

CORE COMMANDER

Yes but-

HELEN ANNIE

It doesn’t matter, nothing matters. I am home.

(Helen runs towards the door but she is not able to balance herself. She falls on the ground and hits her head against the door. Core Commander immediately helps her up.)

HELEN ANNIE

I am okay, I am okay, don’t worry about me.

(Helen screams)

Mum, dad!! Mees!! Look I am home... Open the door! Mees!! I am home!!

(Helen looks at the solider with distrust in her eyes.)

HELEN ANNIE

Why aren’t they opening the door?

(loudly) Mees, it’s me. Helen!!! Open up!!

CORE COMMANDER

Helen, Helen...

(The Core Commander grabs Helen to get her attention.)

CORE COMMANDER

There is something I have to tell you.

 
    

(Helen looks at him in shock.)

CORE COMMANDER

I don’t know how to lay it out on you, I wish I did. There’s no good way to tell you this and denial is never the answer.

HELEN ANNIE

What are you saying?

CORE COMMANDER

It is my duty to inform you that your father was brutally tortured by the Japanese and he died a few months after your departure succumbing to his wounds. Your mother could not bear the pain and she followed him shortly afterwards.

Pause.

And your brother, Mees was never found by the Imperial Japanese Army in the end, and unfortunately, we have not found any meaningful records to confirm his life or death. 

HELEN ANNIE

(Helen collapses.) Dis your boss ask you to tell me all this accompanying me all the way here? 

(The Core Commander shakes was silent. Helen opens the door and enters inside. The Commander stands without a word, salutes and leaves. The house is entirely empty. A thicket dust around everything. She immediately gets on her knees.)

(Helen looks around and there are several writings on the wall. Most of them are in Dutch but few of them are in English. The words are SLUT, WHORE, PROSTITUTE, BITCH….

Suddenly raindrops falling into the yard. 

(Helen bursts into tears as he rested her head against the floor of the house. She gets up after a while and rushes towards the bed. 

 
    

She drags it single handily revealing the trunk. Helen drags the trunk as well, revealing the  trapdoor. She opens it and jumps inside, where she finds her brother starving to death. The heavy box covering the trapdoor couldn’t have been moved by her brother underneath. A crying voice leaked out of it over his dead brother.

She comes up with her brother’s body covered in a blanket. Tears stream down her face. 

BG(Sad music..)

 The sound of rain gets stronger. 

HELEN ANNIE

Noooooooooo!!!

F.O.

(END OF SCENE I)

SCENE II

Night. Craniotomy Lab, Brain Research Institute, King’s College London.

Professor Harlow, Dr. Sanders, Oscar and Harry stand behind the projector screen.

(The seventh picture appears on the screen. It appears dimly and fails to come into focus. A flash does explode but it flickers and powers down. The image is not able to come into focus.)

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Get the visual in focus.

HARRY

I am trying, Sir but the transmittance is very weak.

(The wavelength showing on one of the monitors begins to decline.)

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Come on!!

(Harry tries to type in a few things to get the picture in focus but it does not.)

HARRY

The signals aren’t responding. What do you want me to do Sir?

DR. SANDERS

In animal experiments, the brain waves weaken considerably after a certain period of time, which seems to be the same phenomenon. After all, it’s hard to keep it alive for more than 72 hours. 

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Can you access the mainframe server?

(harry types in a few sentences.)

HARRY

I will need your biometric verification Sir.

(Professor Harlow rushes towards the computer and gives his biometrics.)

HARRY

I am in Sir.

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Get a printout of all these visuals and initiate upload sequence of her brain waves to the Neuralink cloud server. We will need to review it several times before we reach a viable conclusion.

I’ll have to make the last choice for that time. 

Pause. 

Mind Uploading!

HARRY

Mind Uploading, Sir?

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Yeah, save all the brainwaves we have had at once. 

(emphasis)

Hurry!!

(Harry begins to type very fast. A progress bar appears on the screen. 5%.. 24%... 40%... 68%.. 82%...The moment it hits 100%, the projector displays ‘NO  SIGNAL’.)

(A straight line appears on the screen with slight beeping. 

Professor, Doctor, Oscar and Henry get up. They look at each other and align themselves in front of the  screen. They close their eyes look down in respect.)

(A few moments pass and then they slowly disperse.)

DR. SANDERS

I wonder what happened to her. I could roughly see why Helen only remembered certain scenes selectively. 

PROFESSOR HARLOW

It appears there was much more to the story that hasn’t been shown in just seven images of her life. 

OSCAR

Yeah as if the last ray of hope was about to pierce through her life and change everything.

HARRY

I wish there was a way we could meet her.

PROFESSOR HARLOW

You are not too far away.

(Suddenly, there is a knock on the door. Everyone look at each other in confusion. Professor Harlow nods at Oscar. Oscar presses a button and a LOUD CLICK unlocks the door.  The door opens and Darren enters.)

DARREN

Well, I did try to wait in your office but I grew impatient.

(Darren smiles. Oscar and Harry looks at him in amazement. Darren looks at both with an expression of surprise and continues to talk again.)

   I heard the news, professor. Shouldn’t we celebrate the achievement right now? 

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Are you eavesdropping on us, agent Darren? 

DARREN

What do you mean, professor? Didn’t I tell you that you’re controlled by the British army and MI6… 

Pause.

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Well, as you may know, we have already secured human brain mapping through brain waves for a long time. we were able to identify the origin of subject’s brain wave signals which were directly linked to its memory. After alienating those signal, we employed deep learning models to translate them into pictorial form so we could get a glimpse  of the memory itself but the probability of successful  conversion each time is very thin.

DARREN

I was told that even this isn’t possible. Wasn’t I, Professor?

PROFESSOR HARLOW

I might have jumped to a conclusion in a state of unsurety. Sincere apologies.

DARREN

Oh not at all Professor.

(beat)

Won’t you introduce me to your associates?

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Harry and Oscar. He is Mr. Darren, an-

DARREN

A very old friend of the Professor and a passionate researcher. 

(Darren stares at Professor and smiles. Harry and Oscar look at Darren and greet him with a nod.)

DARREN

I am sure we all believe that this is a beginning of what I call a revolution.

PROFESSOR HARLOW

I would not go this far, Mr. Darren, but what we are trying to accomplish here is truly magnificent.

DARREN

You shouldn’t be too ungrateful, Professor. What we have already achieved is no less than a miracle.

PROFESSOR HARLOW

I am not being ungrateful, Mr. Darren. I call this being ambitious.

DARREN

Your optimism will surely pave way for this glorious revolution.

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Thank you.

DARREN

Now shouldn’t this be a reason for a celebration?

(There is silence in the room.  Professor Harlow and Darren share a prolonged eye contact until he gets Darren’s meaning.)

 
 

…Of course!

PROFESSOR HARLOW

(beat)

 
    

Harry and Oscar, why don’t you go and ask the staff to prepare a small refreshment.

HARRY

Right away.

 
    

(Harry and Oscar leave the room. Once the doors close, Darren looks at Professor Harlow and Dr.

Sanders.)

DARREN

So how long until we are capable of making it fully operational.

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Not too long but we will have try it on different subjects to compare the efficacy of the procedure.

DARREN

MI6 is under a lot of pressure from higher authorities. We have spent a lot of money on you so we are looking to make this as quick as possible.

PROFESSOR HARLOW

I understand.

DARREN

Refreshments?

(They all smile and walk away.) 

(END OF SCENE II)

SCENE III

The entire stage is empty. A spotlight comes on at the centre  of the stage illuminating four  chairs and boxes in front. The  door opens and walk in Professor  Harlow, Dr. Sanders, Harry and  Oscar.

Professor George Harlow speaks.

 
    

PROFESSOR HARLOW

What was so confidential that you could not even tell ME?

DR. SANDERS

They did not say it was confidential. I believe their words were beyond their rationality. Now he is eavesdropping on the university labs, including us. There needs to be somewhere safe. 

(Professor Harlow looks at the setup.)

HARRY

Thank you, doctor. It is not supposed to be told. It is supposed to be seen.

DR. SANDERS

You taking poetry classes now?

PROFESSOR HARLOW

What’s this about?

OSCAR

Please sit professor.

(All of them sit in one of the  chairs.)

OSCAR

Okay so while we were mind uploading to the cloud, we  thought of something.

(Oscars tops and looks at Harry.  Dr. Sanders loses his patience.)

DR. SANDERS

Hey you tell me already or I will cut it out of your heads.

(Professor Harlow interrupts.)

PROFESSOR HARLOW

What did you think of?

 
    

HARRY

What our technology does is it takes the brain-wave signals  of the subject and then uses deep-learning models to find the  most perfect image that is representative of those waves  right?

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Yes.

HARRY

But what if there was no picture that could represent those signals? Maybe we could not project the last image because a mere picture could not represent her memory. Maybe she was trying to tell a whole lot more than a picture could. They say a picture is worth a thousand words but maybe in this  case, a picture was not capable of translating her thousand  words.

(Professor Harlow realises they are onto something and he gets quiet.)

DR. SANDERS

For the last time Harry, can you stop reading from your  poetry classes?

(Harry looks at Oscar and he takes  over.)

OSCAR

Rather than projecting the image on a screen, what if-

(Oscar stops again. Dr. Sanders  almost get up to grab Oscar in  annoyance and Oscar hides behind  Harry.)

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Please be quick and precise.

OSCAR

What if we could translate those signals in a 3D space? Like  a hologram. This will not only give us more details but  allow us to experience subject’s memories from up-close.

 
    

PROFESSOR HARLOW

And what medium did you use to do that?

OSCAR

Metaverse Virtual Reality glasses, Professor. It’s the mixed reality technology.

DR. SANDERS

Isn’t that what kids use these MEESAURA to play video games?

HARRY

Precisely, Sir.

OSCAR

But turns out they are more capable than what we thought.

PROFESSOR HARLOW

I want to know who authorised you to do this?

(Beat.)

OSCAR

We knew this would come up but trust us Professor, just give it one chance. We will listen to whatever you say afterwards but just give it one chance.

Pause.

PROFESSOR HARLOW

This better be good.

OSCAR

It will be. Your headsets are in the box.

(They pick up their boxes and open them one by one. There are virtual reality glasses in each one of  them. They look at each other and take it out.)

PROFESSOR HARLOW

What signal are you feeding these headsets?

OSCAR

The signal from the seventh image that we couldn’t decipher, professor. Now, All of you wear the glasses, please

(Oscar presses a few buttons and activates the headsets. He puts his glasses on as well and sits in his chair.)

(All the lights dim and suddenly, a young lady in a white robe, HELEN appears in front of them with the  same blood-written letter.)

DR. SANDERS

Helen!

(Helen looks around for a while.  She faces front and starts  speaking.)

Suddenly 239 yellow bulbs are lit on the floor and ceiling. It represents the number of survivors who are registered as victims of Japanese Military Sexual Salvery in Korea. And as Helen reads the letter, one by one, it goes off narrowly. 

HELEN ANNIE

As long as I survive, even if someone took my body, no one could take my heart away. I existed as a puppet to satisfy the animalistic human desires for months and what I have learnt is beyond forgetting. I might know more about human nature than anyone else. 

(pause)

It’s very difficult to live with the pain of the past as a secret. Why do women always have to be innocent victims of war? We know that this kind of behavior makes it seem like part of the war and it’s used as a reward to the soldiers. 

But I became the first European to recall how I had been raped and degraded by the Japanese occupiers. I, Helen Annie, was taken as a sexual slave by them.  How very convenient that they chose to refer to us as comfort women. Comfort. Comfort for whom? Us, them? Because when I allowed them to exploit my body like a dead meat left outside for vultures to devour, they did not look comfortable at all. Neither, was I. So who were we comforting really? You can’t cover war crimes in the name of Comfort. 

I was forced to leave my mother, my father, my brother, my home and dragged into sexual slavery by these imperial miscreants. But what I know now, I might never had known.  What my eyes see now, I might never had seen.

(pause)

As time went by, I felt no anger, bitterness, or hatred towards them. I could only find comfort in forgiveness. I will forgive you but I cannot forget you. 

Someone will strongly deny the facts of the past, but I’m the evidence that you are seeing it again today. 

 Each wound on my body tells a tale of a night I spent moaning for help and support. Every drop of blood that runs down between my legs carry with it the burden of truth, the  burden of what humans are truly capable of

I pray not for my protection but of humanity. I am becoming one of them. We are becoming one of them. Please cheer for our family, who are scars from previous times, who have not bloomed, and must have been more beautiful than any other flower in the world. 

(The light bulbs wet off one by one as Helen reads the  letter, leaving only 11 of them, the same as the current number of living comfort women, all  gathered around Helen’s skirt. But the filament shakes weakly.  This reminds us once again that there is not much time left.)

I am finally telling you this story that I couldn’t reveal in my life.  I thank you for bringing up my  memory and revealing the images of my memory and  letting the world know  again. 

I sincerely hope you will guide us before we get lost and help us get out of this reality. 

Before it’s too late….

(Helen slowly stands up and takes a step forward, and then from the back, three clothes hang on hangers slowly descend from the ceiling. They are the clothes that her mom, dad, and her brother wore. When she puts her left arm on her father's clothes and smiled with arms crossed, a flash bursts. With a family photo, Helen is gone.)

(Helen disappears and the lights  come on. All of them take their  headsets off and put it aside. They  look at each other in shock as they  get up from their seats.)

(There is prolonged silence between  them and nobody speaks a word. They  are speechless and unable to say  anything. After a while, Professor  Harlow speaks out.)

PROFESSOR HARLOW

Did you tell anyone about this?

(Harry and Oscar shake their head  in a NO.)

PROFESSOR HARLOW

What just happened should not leave this lab. We will not talk about it or even think about until I ask you to. Secure  all the data on Helen and encrypt it. Nobody should have access to it, not even me.

(Harry nods and walks towards the  computers.)

DR. SANDERS

What are you trying to say Professor?

PROFESSOR HARLOW

The possibilities of the Mind Uploading and the Steno Desiderium project are endless and we might not be ready for  them yet.

(Suddenly, Harry speaks up.)

HARRY

Professor!

 
 

(Everyone looks at Harry. He is  shocked)

HARRY

You might want to look at this. 

(Harry presses a button on the keyboard and the big monitor behind  them lights up. There is a face on the monitor that looks like an A.I  Interface. Dr. Sanders looks at Professor Harlow.)

A.I. FACE

My name is Helen Annie. 

(A wave of shock run down each of their face and they freeze.)

F.O.

Ending Music. 

(END OF SCENE III) 

END OF THE PLAY.   

This new play is based on the true story of Jan Ruff O’Herne, who has died aged 96, was a 19 -year old Dutch girl living with her family on a sugar plantation in Java, then in the Dutch East Indies ,when the Japanese invaded in 1942; two years later she was taken from the labour camp in which she had been interned, and forced to work as a so-called “comfort woman”, one among tens of thousands of young women from Korea and China  made to prostitute themselves for Japanese soldiers. 

For almost half a century, like most victims, Jan suffered in silence. But in 1992, after seeing a television interview with three elderly Korean women who had decided to speak out, she became the first European to recall in public how she, too, had been raped and degraded by the Japanese occupiers.

Background and Reference Papers

 

1.      (Surge of neurophysiological coherence and connectivity in the dying brain, Jimo Borjigin, 2013) https://www.pnas.org/content/110/35/14432 

2.      (Characteristics of memories for near-death experiences, Lauren E. Moore, Bruce Greyson, 2017) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28329717/ - (researchers administered a questionnaire to 122 people who reported NDEs.)

3.     (Restoration of brain circulation and cellular functions hours post-mortem, Nature, 2019) https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-01216-4 

4.     (2021, CEO Elon Musk https://neuralink.com/science/ 

5.     Neuroprosthesis for Decoding Speech in a Paralyzed Person with Anarthria. (The New England Journal of Medicne, July 15,2021) https://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMoa2027540?listPDF=true (Brain-Computer Interface)

6.     Bringing the dead back to life: South Korean VR documentary 'Meeting You' : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RF44KDzyAc 

7.     Douch lady Ruff-O'Herne was forced into sexual slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Ruff_O%27Herne 

8.     Comfort women: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comfort_women