Wordplay with Roon Mahboub
by Alice Asch ‘22
This month at The Words, we’re excited to feature the work of Roon Mahboub ‘22! Roon (she/her), is a Chemistry Major and English Minor from Wilmar, MN. She says that her journey as a creative writer began in her seventh grade science class, when—bored of learning about photosynthesis—she decided to write a poem about leaves. Roon specializes in “melodramas with comedic flairs.” Her writing often explores her own culture, and she enjoys poking fun at societal norms. “The concept of death also fascinates me, and I always like to include the way people deal with loss of human life,” she told us. She’s inspired mainly by “narratives of those around me, and dreams.” Please enjoy this excerpt of Roon’s play, The Van!
The Van
(The year 2005; It’s a summer weekday in Maine; 14-year-old ELMI ISMAILO and his twin AZIZA are cleaning their messy garage with old boxes stacked haphazardly and a white sheet covering a large van. The air smells musky with a slight hint of something rotten.)
MUSE
(yelling from offstage)
Hey! Elmi! Dude! Are you in the garage?
ELMI
(drops some tongs in a pile, and gets up)
Muse? What’s he doing here?
(he walks towards stage left and enters with MUSE)
ELMI (CONT.)
Hey dude…what’s up?
MUSE
Oh, you know, living, life…
(He winks at AZIZA)
Hey…
(She smiles shyly as she tucks one lock of hair behind her ear. He grins back at her. ELMI looks between them and rolls his eyes)
ELMI
Muse, why are you here?
(MUSE points to the van covered by a white sheet)
MUSE
My dad is looking for the van keys. It has a ‘I HEART NY’ key chain on it… Apparently, he has someone interested in buying that old van. Weird… Though he never lets anyone in that van… at least, I haven’t been inside.
ELMI
(He looks around the van and shakes his head)
I’m sorry, I haven’t seen it. Aziza, have you?
AZIZA
No. I haven’t.
(She begins chewing on her fingernails)
ELMI
(Turns back and looks at AZIZA and MUSE)
Ok…well…we’ll let you know if we see it!
MUSE
Ok! I’ll see y’all later!
ELMI and AZIZA
Bye Muse!
(MUSE exits stage left)
ELMI
(Turns to AZIZA)
Where are the keys? I know you lied to Muse.
AZIZA
I didn’t—
ELMI
You always chew your nails when you’re anxious or you lie.
AZIZA
Ugh! Why do you care about those keys? Muse’s such an idiot. If not finding these keys makes his life a little harder, then my heart would be a little happier.
ELMI
LIAR! You like him! You just want him to come back! Besides, those keys belong to his dad! We need to finish cleaning and give the keys back right—
AZIZA
Yes… Muse will get the keys. But I need to do something fun before we give it back—
ELMI
Azie, no! That’s illegal! WE can’t do that! We can’t look through people’s things—
(AZIZA takes the sheet off the van; dust flies everywhere and the twins cough loudly)
AZIZA
It’s not like we’re going to take anything from the van. That would be bad, but aren’t you curious, Elmie?
(removes the keys, unlocks the van, and enters it through the passenger’s side, which faces audiences)
ELMI
This is a horrible idea! What if Muse’s dad comes or—Hooyo! I’ll never get to do anything again! And it’ll be your fault!
(AZIZA doesn’t respond)
ELMI
AZ? AZIE? AZIZA!
(Faint ruffling sounds come from the van, but no response)
ELMI
I swear…you owe me for this…
(ELMI is about to enter the van, but AZIZA jumps out of the van and shuts the door)
AZIZA
(whimpers)
Elmi…you won’t believe what I saw…
ELMI
What did you–
AZIZA
A human hand…that’s been cut off!
(She turns away, begins to gag)
ELMI
You’re lying! You just want to prank me, and the only way how is for me to get into that creepy van. NO WAY! And even if you were telling the truth, who woulda guessed that a fan of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and all things blood and gore couldn’t stomach a missing hand?
AZIZA
(turns back to face him)
WHAT??
ELMI
(shrugs)
I mean…it’s just a hand. So what?
AZIZA
SO WHAT? Don’t you know what this means, Elmi? This means that… Muse’s—
(gasps)
ELMI
It’s probably fake. Did you touch it?
AZIZA
(sarcastically)
Oh yea, I’ll totally grab a severed hand! Yeah! I’d invent a secret handshake with the hand. AND THEN… it will tell me where it got its nails done!
(walks past him, and begins color coordinating MOM’s clothes)
ELMI
OK, OK…You have a point. I’m sorry. Let’s just finish here so you can go to Imani’s.
(There are a few beats of silence. ELMI continues piling the kitchen utensils.)
AZIZA
Hey, would you like to see it?
ELMI
Huh?
AZIZA
The hand.
ELMI
No. Not really.
AZIZA
(coughs)
Coward.
ELMI
(walks over to the van)
You’re doing everything possible to get out of cleaning. But if we get in trouble, it’ll be on you. And I’m not a coward!
AZIZA
Let’s see if the family wuss will stomach the sight!
(ELMI opens the side door of the van. Placed delicately on the wrapped seat is the severed hand. The blood on it has dried, and the maggots are currently consuming the palm of the hand. The twins look at each other)
AZIZA
Still think it’s fake, Oh, Knowledgeable Elmi?