TWIN RIVALS
CHAPTER 1 – “A Fateful Beginning”
(Ebonics literature)
[BLACK SCREEN]
Rain falling. Thunder low in the background. A heartbeat monitor fades in—slow, steady.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
“The name’s Solomon Udoh Devileson. But you? You can call me what the streets call me—Sicario.”
“I ain’t no angel. Ain’t no saint either. But I got a story that’ll shake you. A story soaked in blood, betrayal, and a bond forged in the womb… and fractured ever since.”
“See, some tales start with love. Some with loss. But this one? It starts in a hospital room... cold as revenge, quiet as secrets.”
[FADE IN – INT. HOSPITAL ROOM – NIGHT]
The room hums with the mechanical rhythm of a heart monitor. A dim blue light flickers from the hallway. Outside, the storm rumbles. Inside, it’s a different kind of storm.
SOFIA, young and beautiful but worn down by life, lies on a hospital bed soaked in sweat. She's gripping the rails like she’s tryin' to hold herself together. MRS. STEPHANIE, calm, motherly, stands beside her with a firm grip on reality.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
“That’s Sofia. She used to glow. She used to laugh like she ain’t know pain. But tonight? She ain't laughin'. Her body’s at war… and her heart? Already broke.”
MRS. STEPHANIE
(soft, steady)
You’re almost there, baby. Just breathe. You got this.
SOFIA
(strained)
I swear to God… that no-good, son of a b—bleep… I hate him, Steph.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
“She talkin’ ‘bout Escobar. The man who dipped when things got real. The man who swore on stars and danced her into dreams… then left her with twins and a silence that hits harder than any breakup line.”
[FLASHBACK – EXT. STREET CORNER – NIGHT]
Warm wind. Soft music playing from a cracked speaker. ESCOBAR and SOFIA dance in the middle of the empty road. A bottle of Henny in his hand, lips full of promises.
ESCOBAR
Mi amor… we ride or die, you hear me? Ain’t no world I want without you in it.
SOFIA
Then swear to me. Swear you’ll never leave.
ESCOBAR
I swear. You, me, and our empire. Just wait.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
“Ain’t that the devil’s favorite lie? ‘Just wait.’ He said he’d build her a castle. But all he gave her was a crib… and an empty side of the bed.”
[FLASHBACK – INT. SOFIA'S BEDROOM – MORNING]
SOFIA holding a pregnancy test, hands trembling. Later, she shows it to ESCOBAR. His smile disappears faster than he came into her life.
ESCOBAR
I can’t, Sofia… I ain’t ready to be no father. I didn’t sign up for this.
SOFIA
But you signed up for having me posed up on the Corner cheeks wide spread open so you can stick your 13inches pipe up and rearrange my guts like a surgeon, but you ain't signed up for this?
ESCOBAR
Nah… I signed up for the idea of you. This? This real life? I ain't built for it.
Men I'm sorry but we can't have this baby, baby.
SOFIA:
What do you mean we can't have this baby.. Don't tell me you want me to have an abortion ? ¿Quieres que mate al niño que llevo en el vientre Escobar? Impossible
ESCOBAR: look baby you gotta chose it's me, Us or this child.
SOFIA:
you're kidding I Debes estar bromeando, idiota, si crees que te vas a ir así como así.
ESCOBAR: Lo siento nena, pero hablo muy en serio sobre esto. O te deshaces del niño o no puede ser que ya no esté.
(He walks out, never looked back)
SOFIA: (left puzzled, shocked to see the man she loves turn back on her when real life responsibility sets in) you fucking asshole, you said you wouldn't leave me you promise ¡Hijo de puta, mentiroso diabólico!
NARRATOR (V.O.)
“And just like that, Escobar disappeared into the night. Left her with swollen feet, shattered dreams, and a name her sons would grow up cussin’."
[BACK TO PRESENT – INT. HOSPITAL ROOM – NIGHT]
SOFIA screams. Her body shakes. MRS. STEPHANIE holds her hand.
MRS. STEPHANIE
Push, Sofia. Push for them babies.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
“And out came Elvis. Firstborn. Loud. Furious. Born with a fist tight like he already had beef with the world.”
“Three hours later… yeah, you heard that right… three damn hours… Damian arrived. Quiet. Cool. Like the world needed to adjust to him, not the other way around.”
[INT. HOSPITAL NURSERY – LATER]
The two newborns lie beside each other. One cryin’, the other starin’. Their gazes lock—and hold. Not like babies. Like rivals.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
“I ain’t sayin’ they hated each other at birth. But they ain’t love each other either. Not even for a second.”
“Two kings born to the same throne. But every kingdom? It only got one crown.”
MRS. STEPHANIE (to herself, watching them)
These boys… they ain’t ordinary. They carry something else…
SOFIA, still weak, holds them both, eyes filled with something between love and fear.
SOFIA (softly)
Y’all better not turn out like him…
NARRATOR (V.O.)
“So now you know how it started. Two brothers. One scarred mama. And a story the streets ain’t ready for.”
“This ain’t no bedtime tale. This is war dressed up as family.”
[FADE TO BLACK]
Heartbeat monitor fades out. One last thunderclap outside.
END OF CHAPTER 1
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