RadioPlay/TurnedAgainst

 

Turned Against

Scene 1: A Dimly Lit Room, Echoing Footsteps

(The sound of deliberate, slow footsteps reverberates through a dimly lit room. The walls seem to close in as the echo fades, creating an eerie sense of isolation. A faint, metallic clank interrupts the silence, as if someone is unlocking a door.)

Narrator (voice-over, gravely):

In a world driven by hidden agendas, control is sought not through force but through division. To weaken the strong, they plant a seed of mistrust—a subtle wedge between the bonds that once held men together. It begins as a whisper, a suggestion. And when the dust settles, all that’s left is isolation.

(The footsteps stop. A door creaks open, groaning under its weight. The tension in the room thickens.)

Scene 2: The Confrontation: A Mentor and a Young Man

(Two figures sit across from each other, shadows playing tricks on their faces. The Mentor’s eyes burn with urgency, his voice deep and low, like a man who’s seen too much. The Young Man, younger, restless, fidgets, unsure of what to believe.)

Mentor:

You know their agenda, don’t you?

Young Man (taken aback):

Their agenda? (a pause as doubt flickers in his voice) What are you talking about?

Mentor (leaning forward):

It’s simple. The easiest way to control men… is to turn them against one another. First, they turn brother against brother, but the deadliest move... is when they turn son against father.

(The Young Man’s brow furrows. He leans back, crossing his arms defensively, but a seed of doubt flickers in his eyes.)

Young Man (protesting):

That... that’s not true. My father… he’s the reason I’m here. He’s the one who taught me to fight, to stand up for myself. He’s why I joined.

Mentor (soft, almost pitying):

(gesturing vaguely) And yet… where is he now?

(The Young Man hesitates, his jaw tightening as his eyes dart downward. Silence fills the room like a growing weight.)

Scene 3: Flashback: A Home Fractured

(A hazy flashback fills the air, as we hear the distant sounds of a strained conversation between a father and son. The setting is a small kitchen, cluttered but homey. The father’s voice trembles with frustration, yet there's an undercurrent of desperation.)

Father (echoing, distant):

You’re always out there. I barely see you anymore. Why won’t you talk to me? What happened to us?

Young Man (younger, angrier, echoing):

You wouldn’t understand. It’s not your world anymore. You’re stuck in the past. I’m fighting for the future.

(The sounds fade, replaced by the cold, hollow silence of the present.)

Scene 4: Back to the Present: The Mentor’s Voice Sharpens

(The Mentor straightens, his eyes piercing the silence, as his voice gains an edge.)

Mentor (with more intensity):

And what did they tell you? That this was all to “smash the patriarchy,” right? They fed you that lie, telling you it’s for your own good, to protect you from him. But all they’re doing is isolating you.

Young Man (uncertain, defensive):

No. They—they’re trying to protect me. Protect us. It’s not like that.

(The Young Man’s voice falters as he speaks, as if repeating a mantra he no longer believes.)

Mentor (with urgency):

Isolate you, lad. That’s the game. You think that distance between you and your father is for protection? It’s mental and emotional abuse! They break the bond between you, tell you it’s for your own good, but it’s all part of their plan. 

(The Young Man shifts uncomfortably in his seat, his hands clenching, eyes darting to the floor.)

Young Man (voice wavering):

But... they said… it’s to protect my emotions. My mind. From being like him…

Mentor (snarling, with passion):

Your emotions? Your mind? (he slams his hand on the table) They don’t care about either! They tell you that because it sounds noble, but they just want you easier to control. They want you alone. Isolated. And once you’re alone, you’re the easiest prey.

(The silence is now heavy, suffocating. The words hang in the air like a storm about to break. The Young Man remains frozen, his eyes wide as the realization sinks in.)

Scene 5: The Weight of Truth

Young Man (barely a whisper): 

They… don’t care about me.

(A tear wells up in the corner of the Young Man’s eye, but he quickly wipes it away, ashamed to show vulnerability. The Mentor’s expression softens as he speaks.)

Mentor (gently):

They never did. Not about your mind, not about your heart. All they care about is control. And the first thing they’ll tear apart to get it? Your family. Your bond with your father.

Young Man (shaken, almost broken):

I let them do it. (voice cracks) I let them turn me against him.

(His voice is raw, filled with regret.)

Scene 6: The Mentor’s Challenge

(The Mentor stands, his voice steady but strong, offering the Young Man a lifeline.)

Mentor (firmly):

You can change it. It’s not too late. You can rebuild what they tore down. Reach out to him.

Young Man (voice trembling):

But… what if he won’t talk to me? What if he’s too angry, too hurt?

Mentor (with resolve):

You’ll never know if you stay in isolation. That’s exactly where they want you, lad. Don’t give them the satisfaction. 

(The Young Man’s chest rises and falls with quickened breath. He closes his eyes, taking a deep, grounding breath, then opens them, eyes steeled with determination.)

Young Man (with newfound strength):

I won’t. Not anymore. I’m done being their pawn.

(The Mentor smiles, nodding approvingly.)

Mentor (encouraging):

Good. Now go. Find your father.

(The sound of the Young Man’s footsteps echo once again, but this time, they grow fainter as he leaves the room. The tension lifts slightly, though a heavy uncertainty still looms.)

Scene 7: Final Words

Narrator (voice-over, somber):

In a world divided by unseen hands, unity is the greatest rebellion. But it begins not with armies or revolutions—it starts with the bond between a father and his son.

(The fading echo of footsteps is followed by a door clicking shut. The room returns to its haunting stillness, with only the sound of soft breathing.)

Narrator (whispering):

Rebuild what they tore down… before it’s too late.

(Silence lingers for a moment before the sound of a closing door echoes, signaling the end.)

End.