Apartheid 100
Best Friend of The Holy Land
"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."-
Mahatma Gandhi
There was a funeral at the Jewish Quarter. A Holocaust survivor had passed away.
Rabi: We must all mourn the passing of this man after his tragic childhood in the Holocaust. But we must also mourn for young Palestinians who have been brutally murdered in front of their families. Some of you here have your hands steeped in blood.
Sheriff: Who paid you to say that?
Rabi: Please, I beg you now. End this violence.
Sheriff: Who put you up to it? We don't have to listen to this!
Rabi: It is our solemn oath to save lives however unpopular it may be. Please, don't become like the Nazis.
As the coffin was coffin was carried out of the Hurva Synagogue.
Sheriff (To the Rabi): What you said in there was a damn disgrace.
Rabi: What I said is God's law, Amalya Zabari.
Allelujah: Are you saying we should betray our country?
Rabi: You want to become like the Nazis? This isn't a war anymore. Netanyahu is using our history to win support on the military budget.
Amalya: We have a responsibility for our people.
Rabi: You have the right to choose, you can make a choice. (To the 5-year-old granddaughter of the dead Holocaust survivor) You hear me, my child?
At their apartment, Akira had a look at his face in the mirror after rinsing.
Akira: Might as well grow a beard. May take weeks for it get hairier. Nah, this is good enough. (Crosses out "grow a beard" in his notebook)
After shaving his face, Akira checked the Messa text on his phone.
Akira: It can't be! I'm getting messages! The internet is still working!
Akira had a look at the list of the emails. That was when he thought of an old friend that suggested to him that he should quit his job.
Akira: Kencho…
At the Casa Nova Hotel, Kenichiro Ryuuzaki was trapped in his room with the police patrolling the hall.
Kencho: Three days with nothing but water.
Kencho and Akira used to play rugby together. They were old friends in college. Kencho made Akira laugh.
Just then, Kencho's phone started to ring.
Akira: Oh, you picked up! I was so worried! It's been a while. In fact, it's been a year since the last time we've seen each other and went out for a drink.
Kencho: Yeah.
Akira: What's wrong? You sound terrible.
Kencho: The Israelis are watching us like this is China. Why do you sound so happy?
Akira: I'll tell you when we meet up. Where you at?
Kencho: I'm at the Christian Quarter.
Akira: Okay! We'll be right over! And text me your address!
Kencho was a real estate agent after their time in college. There had been times Akira had been too hammered to enjoy Kencho's bragging about a girl he had dated. Soran, however, was happy to spend time with him at that bar while watching the 2022 World Cup.
Soran sprayed the lens of the security camera so they wouldn't get caught at the entrance of the hotel. Kencho looked outside his hotel room wondering if the police were still around. When he heard a voice, Kencho turned and saw Akira and Soran.
Akira (crying): You were right all along! I really should've quit my job! Instead, I just got jealous of you. I'm so sorry.
Kencho: You came all this way to tell me that?
Before Akira could answer, Amalya arrived with her IOF.
Amalya: Stay where you are.
Kencho: Please, whatever it is you're charging us with…
Amalya: The murder of Shoter Doron.
Soran: You'll have to catch us first.
The trio ran off to the top of the hotel. They barricaded themselves outside the exit so Amalya wouldn't get to them.
Kencho: No good. They'll ram their way out. What do we do?
Akira: We jump.
Kencho: What?
Akira: Next building over is close enough to take one leap across.
Kencho: We'll never make it!
Akira: We'll have to try jumping.
Akira took his leap of faith and made it to the other side.
Akira: Ha! How do you like that? You guys coming?
Soran (sighs): Allah help us if we don't make it.
Soran took his leap and made it too.
Akira: Well c'mon, Kencho!
Kencho: You got balls of steel, man.
Akira: Well? What are you waiting for?
Kencho: Akira, I know you came all this way to save me, but I'm sorry. I can't do it. There's something I've been meaning to tell you. The truth is…I hated my job. I had to smile at people to make a good impression 24/7. I tricked them into terrible contracts. The praise from higher ups, the company's acknowledgment. And those gorgeous models I dated…(breaks into tears) Dining out with politicians and athletes didn't make me happy at all! I was just showing off! I was fooling myself so I wouldn't feel empty inside! So I pretended to be something I'm not! I was horrible! I'm the one who should apologize! I'm sorry!
Akira: Well that makes sense. That fun-loving panache of yours sure did make me laugh.
Soran: And remember the 2022 World Cup? Diego Maradona would've been proud to see Argentina's victory in Qatar.
Kencho: You're right. I only wanted to make my clients happy. This time, I want to be a comedian!
Akira: In that case, now's your chance to be one! Let it out. Be yourself.
when Amalya and her team rammed their way through the barricade, Kencho finally took his leap. What came as a shock to the police was that Kencho had stripped off his suit, even his boxers. Luckily, he was able to grab onto the ledge of the building. Akira grabbed Kencho and helped him up. Then, there was a gunshot.
Soran: Have you been shot?
Kencho: I scraped…my balls!
With the IOF gone, the trio finally subsided and toasted to their reunion.
Akira: C'mon, Soran! Take your clothes off!
Soran: What is it with you Westerners stripping out in broad daylight?
Kencho: That was just an inspiration from my rebirth as an entertainer.
Akira: You always have done buck naked jokes.
Kencho: I should do it more often. I wonder if the fuzz like frontal nudity.
Soran: Might as well try that. There are women who have been conscripted, you know. We wouldn't want to give the Zionists the satisfaction of labeling us as "terrorists".
Kencho: Anyway, you guys were amazing. And thanks for getting back on my feet. So we can drop everything and move on with our lives. We could even be heroes!
Soran: That is what I intend to do for my people. When I do out and fight those Zionist bastards, I fight to my last breath. (Stands up) So who's with me?