"NEAR DARK" (1987)

"NEAR OARK"

written by Eric Red and -·- Kathryn . Bigelow•

OI:RECTOR: KATHRYN BIGELOW PRODUCER: ERIC RED EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: STEVEN-CHARLES JAFFE

FADE IN:

A MOSQUITO alights on a human arm. 'l'hestinger injects in the warm flesh. 'l'heinsectile body becomes full and red as it sucks the blood.. 'l'hefist of the arm clenches. 'l'heforearm 111Usclestighten. Trapping the stinger. 'l'he.mosquitostruggles to pull its neadlelike appendage free. The tendons of the arm. hold it firm. Forcing blood into it.- 'l'hainsect struggles. Blood engorges it, swelling its body. It swells. swells. POPS in a SPRITZ of blood.

~• FLATBED - FORD PICiroP- OUSX CALEB COL~ON is stretched out on the beat up, broke down 1 64 Ford Pickup. cowboy boots crossed on the transom. Hat dipped low over his face. He is a strapping young fa%'lll:,oy of 18. Long, dusty, shoulder length hair. An all.-American, .milkl:,read,midwastern farm-kid. Bored.off his ass. Ha yawns and swings off. the back of the truck.

~. OKLAHOMA FLA'l'LANDS- OOSX

The pickup is a funnel of dust on the thin strip of road. The wide open~ bleak ·emptiness of the fields as far as the eye can see.· An awesome country sunset spreading out across the sprawling, barren landsc~pe in,fingers of red shadows.

The Ford Pickup drifts into town. Sweeping past a dirty, disheveled metal sign reading, "Welcome to Fix, Oklahoma. Pop. 274". Slowing down along the Main street which is a long strip of service road running off the highway. A single gas station. A Pit Stop Burger joint with cars parked outside. A Tasty Freeze across the street. A huge granary with tall, stilt silos. If you're driving by and you blink, you miss it. The boy in the Pickup cruises into the Pit Stop ..

........J~

~- PIT STOP BURGER.JOINT - NIGHT

Tacky bright orange day gio neon type of place. Couple other FAD KIDS in,,pickupsand jeeps pulled in. Lounging around, smoking cigarettes, swigging beer. The Pickup cuts a curve into a parking space in a shower of gravel. • Caleb jumps out. Has a casual look around him. Like he wouldn't piss if his pants were on fire. He •1ights up a Marlboro. Deep heels it up to the window. Leans back.on his elbows on the counter. The orange haired WAJ:TRESS behind the window looks irritatedly at. the farlllboy.

WAJ:TRESS. You gonna stand there or you gonna - order?

Caleb speaks over his shoulder.

I'f.r never see another· burger· again I'll be happy.

The wa·itress shakes her head. The fa.rmb.oydistractedly eyes. the lanky, rangy kids loping up to ha. One with freckles on his face, LEVON, knocks Caleb's hat off his head. Caleb catches his hat and socks the boy in the arm.

The fa.rmboy•sgaze drifts across the street to the ...

- Lit blue and white beneath bright fluorescent bulbs. A GIRL turns from the window.

An ice cream ccne in her hand. A tiny line of the frcsty cream dripping dcwn the side cf her mouth. Caleb stares at the girl. She runs a hand thrcugh thick, shiny brcwn hair, brushing it back cff her fcrehead. Exposing her face. Heart shaped. Impossibly pale skin in the flucreseent glow. Wida ayes, a dapthless ice blue like a sunny, SUJmllersky. A small mouth cut cf which a narrow rad tcngue swipes at the

She. looks to be in her late teens. A faded cowboy shirt fits snugly across her chest. A pair of Lavis meet a dusty pa-ir·of black cowboy boots. Those blue eyes·lift and light. on Caleb's· face.

~• PI'l'STOP STJRGERJOIN'l'- NJ:Gm

A shiver runs up Caleb's spine. A shiver that feels good. He claps Levon on the shoulder., nodding his head toward the girl at the Tasty Freeze.

C~leb pushes away from the counter· and walks across the street.

~• TAS'l'YFREEZE -,NIGM

\

'l'hefluorescent light catches the girl's eye and blazes as she turns her back. Caleb pulls into position beside her. He hesitates, suddenly losing his nerve. '!'henthe swagg·er.returns. \.

The girl leeks around. Caleb's breath catches in his throat. These ice blue eyes gazing up at him.

Caleb gazes into that face that lights up the night.

...

This is cold.

Referring to the ice cream cone.

Caleb shifts weight from one foot to the other nervously. Working hard. Mind scrambling

No.

Caleb swallows. His face turns hot. Mae's eyes skate to his face. And shilDmer.

She wipes her mouth with the back of her hand.

MAE· Ever hear of Sweetwater?

s.

She looks Caleb in the.eyes.

Caleb looks at her a long moment. Looking like he died and went to.heaven.

n• FORD PICXOP - NJ:Gm Caleb opens the door tor Mae. Helps her up into her seat. Then 0lilllbs:behindthe. wheel.

·~. FORD PICXOP - NIGH'?

The tarml:loyFIRES up the engine. Steers out onto the road.

Sha looks away out the windshield. Hard to read. • Soon it's just the two of them driving down the dark and deserted highway. He looks at her. His :breath sticks in his throat. Mae is unearthly :beautiful in the haloish haze of the dashboard lights. Her eyes shift to him.

They drive in silence for several moments. The reassuring RUMBLE of the ENGINE. The WHJ:ZZ of the irnu:s on the blacktop. outside, the long, far, dark. The two of them together.

He pulls the vehicle to the side of the road. He turns to her. Her ice blue eyes radiating heat. His heart coming out of his chest.

Her door is all at once open. She is out of·the truck. He kills the engine and jumps onto the hard ground.

~~ FIELD - NIGHT

Mae stands alone. A black silhouette against a blacker horizon. A sky stretching high above her head. Stars like from a shotgun blast. He comes toward her. The WIND whips the clothes around her soft, sultry form. Her eyes shining in the night.

----·-----·-·---·· ---·--..···-···-··-- 7.

-~

CALEB

They are close. -Face to face~ His lips lowering to hers. Her lips moist. Wet. •... ~arting~ . Caleb tries to kiss her. Mae moves off. He follows.

Ha has a l00se, game grin on his tace as ha walks a~tar the gi:-1. Sha walks with an easy, luy gai-t. Plucking a cat's tail trom the tiald. Putting it between her teeth. A sweet -.il• beneath the pale m00nlight. Mae casts a glance over her ·sh0ulder at the smitten b0y behind her.

CIIrEB stars.

S••·that ona?.

CIID . Ph-st cne I laid ayes on.

Sha spins on her haeJ.. Pixes his tac• in her own.

CALZB

She casts a glance up at the sta:-s.

She turns and heads back toward the Ford Pickup. He catches her stride.

They climb in. They take off. The night is just as dark as it was before .. Maybe darker.

- Caleb leans back ·in his seat, raising his right arm to Mae's sho\llder. Extending his fingers, he ruffles her hair.

'l'hetruck drives on. Mae lift:s those shilDmering eyes to his face.

Caleb smiles and shakes his head, somehow not believing.

His fingers twirl a ribbon of her hair. He gives the knob a flick. The speakers vibrate. The Pickup speeds on into the night. 'l'helonesome road stretching into the horizon .. • 'l'heRADIO playing

The road forks. The Truck veers to the right.

Mae turns to Caleb. The paleness of her skin almost luminescent.

Caleb's eyes sparkle.

..... lO .

Who?

A smile in her eyes.

~• COL'l'ONFllM - NIGHT The Pickup barrels around a junction of the- highway. Funneling a cloud of dust onto a narrow dirt road .

The farm sleeping still and dark.

~. FORD PICXO'P- NIGHT

Caleb steers past the house. Braking in a shower of dust in front of the pasture behind the barn. He kills the engine.

He swings the door open.

EX'I'.PASTURE - COL'l'ONFARM - NIGHT Caleb races around the truck, cracking open Mae's door. He extends his hand as she hops out.

ll.

She tugs his hand.

He gives her hand a gentle pull.

She does. Letting herself be led out of the vehicle. Ha leads her blind back. through a maze of fences out in the pasture ..

- ------ - In its pen, DIESEL, a massive black quarterhorse pricks up its ears. 'l'Urningwide, dark eyes on Caleb and Mae. Caleb gets behind Mae and puts his hand on her shoulder.

He puts his other hand over her· eyes. A big·smile on his face as he. edges her forward ... Sudden1y the horse backs so abruptly it almost trips. Eyes wild with fear. ~he two people just stand. there. The faniboy pulls his hand away from the girl's eyes. He walks up to the pen.

Mae opens her eyes.

Caleb takes a rope and slings it over Diesel's head.

He gives the rope a tug. · Diesel rears back, lifting his chest, front hooves pawing the air.

He vaults the fence. Diesel shies. Caleb tries to shush it. The horse shakes its head back and forth, scared out of its skin. Bewildered, the farilboy lifts the rope over its head. The horse pivots on its back feet, tearing off. Caleb heads back toward Mae. ClilDbingback over the fence and standing beside her. Har·watching him with uncannily even eyes. Smiling elusively to herself, she turns her back to him. Moving off with an easy gait past the other pens. Inside the fences, the.re is a SCORRYING of animals. A sudden RtJ'STLDtGin the nearby tundra of the prairie. Caleb scans the landscape, sets his eyes on Mae, then shakes his head and. shrugs. Mae is sauntering away, her back to him, running her finger along the fence posts. The far:mboy swings the lasso lariet style over his head. Letting the loop fall over the girl's shoulders. She looks. over her shoulder at him. Her eyes cool. He·smiles. starts. reeling her in~. She backs. A smile slipping across her face.

He gives th~ rope another tug. Moving her ·.closer. The moon shines bright and high overhead.

She pulls back. Pulling hil11to her. He gives a gentle tug. She comes within reach. Then twists back. A game of give and take. He comes forward. Gathering up the rope in his hands. Their eyes wedded. She is just in front of him now. He gives one last tug on the line. Drawing her in. His face drifting toward hers.

Letting his lips brush over hers and stop. Her eyes close. His hand~ fold around her back. A cloud passes over the moon. A shadow crosses their faces. Her soft, moist lips slide over his mouth. Nuzzling down the side of his neck. He lifts closed eyes to the sky. Her breath warm on his skin. His skin trembling with the touch. Her lips start to draw back. She jerks her head back, struggling with her instinct. Lifting her arms, yanking the rope off her shoulders.

Mae hugs her arms. Her eyes holding his. Time standing still.

~• FARMLANDS - !!!-DAWN Horizon lightening. Just a tad.

~-. FENCE - COL'l'ONFllM -·!!m,-OAWN

A Rooster throws back its combed head and cocx-A-OOOOLE-DOOS.

~-• HORSE ~ - COLTON FllM - PRE-DAWN Mae's ears perk at the rooster crow. Her ice blue eyes skate up to the sky. Her face focuses on Caleb's in alarm.

Caleb shrugs his shoulders.

Mae spins- on her heel. Heads off for the truck.

He trots after her. Lays a hand on her shoulder. Stopping her movement. 'I'Urningher around. Her eyes blaze into his face.

She breaks free.. Keeps walking. Reaching the truck, she opens her· door. His eyes search hers as she clilnl:>sinto the seat. Reading nothing. He closes her door. Resting his elbows on the open windowframe. He starts to speak, she cuts h.ilDoff.

He gazes into.those eyes for a fleeting moment, then moves around to the driver's side and swings onto the seat.

~-.. FORD_ PICXOP - PRE-DAWN

Caleb puts his ·handon the keys in the ignition. Giving her a good, hard look.

She.flits a peek out the window.

The truck sits unshielded beneath the big sky becoming light grey.

~- FORD PICKUP - PRE-DAWN Mae shoots a scared glance at Caleb.

"CALEB We're going.

The faniboy TURNS over the ENGINE. Upset, he shoves the stick into· gear. Swinging the truck around. Stepping on the gas, he takes them out of there.

She casts a glance up out the windshield.

Yes, Ma'am.

His brow furrows in con~usion. Ha. swings the .steering wheel hand over hand. Driving out onto the road.

EAX'I'. ROAD - PRE-DAWN

The truck burns down the tarmac toward the brightening horizon.

~• FORD PICXOP --PRE-DAWN

Caleb keeps his hands on the wheel. Staring straight out. the windshield. Hurt·.. Mae sits rigidly beside hill. Perspiration like dew drops on her porcelain skin. Real fear in her eyes.

CALEl:3' Might even get there, you never know.

Mae's eyes never leave the windshield. She answers him with silence.

He puts his foot on the brake. A playful gleam in his eye.

~- ROADSIDE - m_-OAWN

Sunrise a matter of moments.

~- FORD PICXIJP-·PRE:-DAWN Caleb yanks· the keys out the ignition. Sticks them down his shirt. Sits back and crosses.his arms.

Anxiety squinr.s her pretty face. She reaches over and tries to pul1 the keys ~rom inside his shirt. Her hands all over his chest. He grabs her by the wrist. . I Tugs her to him. Grinning boyishly ear to ear.

She struggles. He kisses her full on the •1ips. Mae shuts her eyes. Surrendering to something•spasming inside her. Her mouth moves to his neck .. Her lips pull back. Her teeth fasten into his neck. Caleb cries out. Tries to push her off. She holds him.firm by the shoulders in an iron grip. Tears explode out of her eyes. She rips her blood moistened lips from his neck .. Shearing herself away from him. Plunging out the door ~f the truck. Headfirst. Caleb remains in the seat. Rubbing his throat. Fingering the pinprick of a wound. Surprised and astonished, he jumps out of the parked vehicle. Chasing after the panic-stricken girl scrambling away.

ROAD - PRE-DAWN

-

The girl is running fast as her feet will carry her. Her eyes wide and wild. A.dribble of blood dappling her white lips.

1.7.

The farmboy is racing after her. She moves with a speed that is leaving him rapidly in. her wake. The sky is becoming very bright indeed. Mae stops in her tracks and squints ahead. Up the road, fast approaching. A ballooning cloud of dust. A low· to the ground funnel of dirt. caleb watches as the girl runs toward it, tlagging her anis. A vehicle inside the little twister SLAMS on its BR.AXES. Mae jumps inside the dirty haza. Th.a dust cloud swerves in a SCREECHING Till arc on the roadway, speeding back.up the road. 'rha sun about to crack the edge of the world. A faint wreath. of smoke in the air where the girl last stood. Caleb slows to a sprint. • 'rhen a walk. He stops and stands. Watching the dust disintigrate up the road. Ha scratches his head. • Touches the strange wound on his throat. He regards the-red. wetness on his fingers.

He shrugs and hikes back to his truck .. Hops into the.cab.

~• FORD PIClw.P - ~-DAWN

Caleb turns the keys in the ignition. WHDJNNEEEEE. Wl!DmNNNNNNEEE. WHD1NEEEEE. He checks out the gas gauge. Empty. Be punches the dashboard.

He jumps out of the truck.

~• .ROAD - ~-DAWN Caleb crosses the blacktop. Leaving the truck on the side of the road. Hiking into the drj fields. :• His house a small speck on the field far away. He heads toward it. The sun near up.

EX'l'.COLTON FARM - PRE-DAWN

LOY and SARAH COLTON have come outside to start their day. The father is a man in his middle years, with weathered skin ·and white hair on a face and body worn by a life on the land.

He is holding his six year old daughter in his arms. Golden hair on a pretty, pug nosed face. Loy is holding a cup of coffee. Sipping it as he looks out on the.morning lands with his baby girl. Sky brightening.

~. FllLD - ~-DAWN '?heedge of the world turns white. caleb clomps through the field. Sqainting ahead to sea the S1Dall shape of the farmhouse. The specks of two people standing out front. Home·a half mile away. The boy trudges toward it. 'rhaworld brightening around him. Ha hugs.himself. . - The light· making his skin sore. The sun crests the rim of the planet. Spreading an infinite wall of light across the big country. A wave of sharp sunlight splashing over the running boy. Ha lets out a cry of pain.

~• COLTON FllM - DAWN 'LoyColton squints out; into the lands.

Sarah stretches her teeny arm and points. Jumps up and down.

The father waves at his son. The sister stands by his side. 'rhatwo of them framed picture pretty in front of the house .

Caleb squirms in agony. Staggering across the fields.. Blisters and burn marks scorching on his skin. The sun roasting his flesh. Searing his face·and hair. He runs drunkenly. His arlDSstretched out: His hands reaching for the two of his family members. And his house. Like a pastoral.postcard of home a quarter of a mile away. Smoke rises from his fingers. His skin stinging. His w~ole body burning up in the abruptly scarifying light of day.

l9.

He screams his lungs out. His arms covering his face. Sizzling.

~• COLTON FllM - DAWN

Loy stops waving. His face falls. Sarah snags his shirt sleeve. Alarmed.

'l'heysquint into_ thedistance. Past the stUJDbling, slJlOkingstick figure of Caleb. Just past him. oust rising.

~ .. FIELD.- DAWN

Tears stream down Calel:>'scheeks. His smouldering, raw hands outstretched. • Snatching, clencbJ.ng·for the too far figures.of his father and his sister. • Fighting his way past the warring wall of the- sun. His feet becoming harder and harder to move. Fighting a losing battle against the agonizing scorch of daylight. The somm· of an AUTOMOTIVE ENGINE behind hilll. He looks desperately over his shoulder. A balloon of di.rt. • A pale, ghostly cream colored Winnebago is bearing down on him. Al.JDostupon him. He knows it is useless to resist. He surrenders, his eyes rolling up into their sockets. His legs giving out from under-him. Knees buckling. '1'herecreational vehicle lumbers by. Its side door swinging open. Three- sets of hands clamping around Caleb's limp body as he drops. Heaving him inside. Slamning the door shut. Speeding off.

~. COLTON FARM - DAWN

Loy and Sarah are thunderstruck. They see the Winnebago hang a sharp right in an explosion of dirt. Greyhcunding it for the strip of two-lane blacktop a quarter of a mile away. Caleb being stolen away within.

ao.

LOY· Sarah, you stay here.

Loy charges as fast as his aging feet will carry him across the farm.· . Around the side of the barn. Screeching to a halt. in front ot a Chevy Pickup. The irruck is up on a jack, its tire oft. The father is white·in the face .. Sarah is standing beside him with her eyes as big as saucers. Watch-ingthe thin trail of dust disappear down the road. The father p~cks up his daughter. • She·hugs him, sobbing. A steeliness appears behind his eyes as he looks out at the •road.- 'rhetwo of them stand small and alone on the farm. Surrounded by the huge Oklahoma landscape.

~• WINNEBAGO - DAWN The.sun is a twisted green ball through the glass windshield. ~ts deadly rays. leaking.inside. caleb twists a groggy face upward, lifting his lids. To see the sharp bladed rowel of a shining silver spur stuck against. histhroat·. It is connec:1:edto a boot. .- Attached to a steamshovel of a leg in black jeans. Part ot the body of a strapping sinewy man with a mean, skullish face and eyes like dead meat. SEVEREN VAN SICXLE

He puts pressure on the spur, pricking flesh.

Caleb gags. A snarl from somebody beneath a blanket behind the wheel. Severen grunts and reluctantly loosens the pressure on the spur a bit. Mae heaves a blanket over Caleb who isn't moving a single solitary muscle. His eyes jump to the driver, who is speeding the Winnebago at a flat-out 100. JESSE HOO:KER's head swivels over his shoulder, deeply hooded by a blanket and eyes covered by very black welding glasses. A gauntly handsome man with a face like the flip side of a nickel and a long mane of hair the color of burnished pewter.

2l..

Sevaren indents the sharp rowel of the spur in Calal:l'sthroat. 'rhafa.rmboy is scared beyond belief.

SEVEllN Let ma do it, Jesse, let me tap dance on.it, woncha Jess? It'll.be- so good ..

In the seat beside Jesse, another head rises. The blanket parting to reveal a face to put a country boy in his place. A head of meta1lic blonde hair over chiseled features as if from marble. Her full, bloodless·lips widen in a silky smile. Her eyes, an intoxicating lethal lure. DIAMONDBACX's studded denim and fringe jacket glints like snake eyes in the dark. She. whips out her wrist and a pearl handled blade pops into her hand. She readies to use it.

Mae grabs her arm.

,.\ MAE Nor'll

Caleb's eyes are wide and wild. Severen draws his leg back, poising his spur. The Winnebago hurtles at hi-speed. The farmb<;)y1:riesto make a move. CLINK.

·-

-..,. 22.

HOMER

Spur. Knife. Handcuff .

Nuts.

WHA'l'THE F'C'CXISGOING ON?!!!!

Severen•s face splits with a smile like a cut neck. Slashing 0ut with his spur for Caleb's throat t0 lay it wide 0pen. Mae suddenly puts her face in front of the farm.boy's. The Savage One stops his spur an inch from her pretty pale throat. She holds his gaze.

MAE:. Might as wall kill.~-

Mae yanks Caleb's head aside, displaying the red ringed teeth marks in his neck.

That sinks in.

Caleb is perfectly still. His eyes the only part of his body that moves. Back and forth, back and forth. Nobody talks. Nobody moves. Black nervous looks all around. The vehicle drives on.

~• ABANDONED~ STA'l'ION-DAWN 'l'hepale Winnebago takes a sharp right and grinds to a stop well within the darkened innards of a derelict, deserted garage . A lightless chamber .

Jessa and Diamondback pop baclctha front seats into almost horizontal positions. Ready themselves for sleep. Savaren unhinges the bunks on the walls of the van. He-c:lilnbsinto the top, WHIZZING a spur in caleb's direction. Homer shoves· up into· the one beneath .. casting. a grim eye on the fa.rmboy as he pulls the blanket up over his. head. Mae rests a hand gently on the boy' s shoulder·. He gazes up into her ayes. . • • Suddenly very tired. Heavily weighted but somehow floating at the same time. He fights to keep his eyes open. They shut. Mae,covers both their bodies with the blanket. Sleep steals her too.

~. FIELD - COL'l'ONFARM -·~

Sun burning hot and bright on.a sign reading·, "Loy Colton, . Veterinarian". A POLICE' CAR sitting in front of the farlllhouse. Down in the field Loy cradles Sarah in his a:rmsand gazes straight into SRElU:n·EAKERS face. 'rheSheriff tucks a couple of thlll11bsin the belt around his landslide girth. • Tilting· an eye.

SHERIF? EAKERS Itidnapped..? C'mon, Loy, your boy's eighteen. Might be he figured to take himself some time on his own. I see it all the day.

Sarah sniffles. Loy looks down to the ground and the fresh tire marks in the raw earth. Shaking his head. Eakers glances down at the marks dismissively. Shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

Loy looks at his watch in annoyance. Th.enstabs the ground with the toe of his boot.

Sarah digs her face into her stern father's jacket. 'l'heSheriff sighs. 'l'hethree of them very aall on the very big stretch of land.

~-. ABANDONED ~- STA'l'ION -DUSK

'l'hesun settles on the decrepit shell of a gas station off a lonesome road. 'l'hesky dims. - 'l'henight begins.

~• ·wnmE:SAGO - NIGHT Caleb's eye's blink open. He keeps them almost closed. Playing dead .. He fingers his burn wounds. Thay are,barely there. Nearly healed .. 'l'hefive silhouettes· of the rest in the dashboard lights. Huddling. ' Low voices. . He listens close.

The glint of Jesse's eyes passing around the others .

... You want to call it a week?

Mae holds her breath. Severen spits tobacco. Homer keeps open~ng and closing the hammer of the gun.

Diamondback fingers th$ rhinestone studs of her· frayed blue denim jacket. Jesse clicks his teeth. His eyes snap to Diamondback. She nods.

Caleb blinks. severen catches it.

All eyes turn to him. Eyes that can see in the dark. Caleb opens his eyes. Severen gets to his feet~ stands over hilll. Whips out a.straightrazer. The farmboy•s stomach tightens. Severen spits on his palm. Smears.the saliva over his rough hewn face. Starts shaving himself with the open blade, slicing whiskers.

SEVDEN • ...Amazin' how fast. they get dull.

'I'heSavage One sticks out his hand. Yanks the faniboy to his fe·et. Homer unlatches his handcuff. Caleb rubs his wrist.

Caleb hears a sound which makes him turn his head fast. ZZZZZZZZzzzzaaaaaaawwwwww. AzzzzzzzaaaaaaAAAWWWWZZZZZZ .

Sharpening them. Winking at the faniboy.

26..

Diamondback flexes her wrist. Shooting her pearl handled blade out of her cuff and into her hand. She flexes her wrist. 'l'heblade drops back in her jacket. Sha flexes her wrist again. Blade in hand.

Diamondback:

Caleb is looking at her. A teeny hand grabs him by tha nuts. Clenches.hard. He groans. Falls .tohis knees. Eye level with. Homer.

•

Mae takes·the stunned, speechless Caleb and sits him down on a seat in the back. He starts to say something. She puts her finger to his lip. The Silvered one turns over the ignition.

~• ABANDONED~ S'l'A'l'J:ON-N:IGH'I' The Winnebago rides .out of the gutted garage.

~• USED £!B ~-- - N:IGR'l' The Winnebago slows to a stop in front of the lot.

~- USED £!BLOT - N:IGRT Severen moves si1ently through the rows of vehicles in the safety of shadow. with a well practised ease.

TWO-LANE IilGHWAY - NIGHT --- The Winnebago streaks through the night. A light green 'l'RAVELALLon its tail. Small towns come and go. Giving way to dust covered plains stretching to the horizon.

~- BARREN FIELDS - NIGHT The Winnebago has been torched. It is a smouldering skeleton of flickering flames. The red taillights of the Travelall racing toward the road. Shrinking from view.

~- KANSAS/OKLAHOMA BORDER-· ROAD - N:CGHT The Travelall speeds across the state line.

The Travelall weaves through the streets of the-small city.

~. PARlaNG S'?RU'CI'ORE-HOPE, KANSAS - N:cGH'I' The Travala11·pulls into the parking ·structure. Zooming through the cement catacombs .

Shutting its engine. All doors. pop open. They all cl.iJD.bout. And stretch their legs. Jesse turns a grey eye on the farmboy. A faint grin wrinkles across that epic face. Caleb swallows. Mae comes up beside him. Weaving her fingers through his hand. The faniboy watches as the others take off into the night. Each heading.in separate directions. •

~• STREETS - N:cGH'I'

caiel:>·and Mae walk:along the empty, lonely street beneath the yellowish. glow of the mercury· vapor light ... Ci.ty lights glisten up ahead.

She nods toward the,city in front of her.

His eyes dim. A nausea welling up inside.him.

He leeks at her·. Probing inside those ice blue eyes. Then down at himself. 'l'heburns on his a;rmshealed. His clothes singed. Another wave of nausea. It makes hil1lwant to scream. He stops in his tracks.

He takes a step toward the girl. Holding her by the shoulders.

Touching a finger to her cheek_. He turns his back.· Taking off down the street. A knowing passes behind the girl's eyes.

From halfway down the street he looks back. Hurt, anger· and fear streaking his face.

Quietly.

Caleb lifts a hand in a slight wave. casting a last look at the girl. And her melting gaze. Then he is gone. The night·moves on. Mae stands still.

~. ~ STATION - NIGHT The depot in the middle of nowhere on the empty streets of the small midwestern town.

Caleb shambles along the sidewalk toward it. _Pushing through the double glass doors.

~• WAITJ:NG ROOM - fill!STATION - NIGHT 'I'hefanu:,oywalks up to the ticket counter. 'I'heTICICETD doesn't give hilla second glance.

'I'heman.turns, not eyeing the worse for wear boy any differently than ha would any of the other wierdos up and around at that tilne.

'I'heTicketer just stares.

TICXE'l'ER Where the hell is Fix?

'I'he.man nods.

Caleb opens his wallet and. counts.

The Tickater pulls the ticket back, bored.

·TICDTER I got a bus ticket for 14.

'I'hefarlnboyexhales as the salesperson goes back to watching a portable television. His shoulders slumped, Caleb walks past the rows of plastic seats with the pay televisions on the armrests.

Almost all empty. He spies a man in a rumpled suit sitting across the room. Looking at him laconically. ~e boy goes over.

'r!l•man looks up.

Ha reaches into his jacket for his wallet. Pulls it out.

The wallet is flipped open. A badge in it. . The PLADiCLOTBES COP puts his hand on the farmboy•s shoulder. The hand has a·bandage. The bandage has blood on it·~ Fresh.

PLllNCLO'I'HESCOP Coma this way, please.

PLAINCLO'l'HESCOP You.

~•· HALLWAY - ~ S'1'A'l'ION-NIGHT The boy is walked into the shadowy locker area by the Plainclothes Police Officer.

PLAJ:NCLOTHES COP You're not lookin' too good, kid.

....------ --------- ------- -----__________:___- --------- ---.-----~--1•..

He puts his hand on Caleb's face. Squints into the boy's eyes. Which are perfectly clear. The blood on the small bandage near. Caleb's nose. Nostrils flare. His nausea clearing for an instant. The cop fingers the dark stain on the collar.of the farmboy's jacket.

caleb turns his neck to the man. Exposing the· S1Dall.puncture wound.

The sickness returning. The farmboy close to tears. The cop looks him in the eyes with some compassion.

The policeman thinks for a moment.· Then takes out his wallet. Gives the boy three dollars.

Caleb smiles a bright boyish smile. •~e plainclothes cop pats him on the shoulder. The farmboy moves.off.

~- CI'I'YLIMJ:'I'S-nGH'I' The long silvery bus streaks down the highway. A half moon watches from way on high.

Caleb is curled up in the backseat. Buckled in pain. His face smeared with sweat. Clenching his s.tomach. His veins and arteries screaming out for sustenance. His eyes peer over the edge of the window sill. He sees the parking structure pass by. . _ Jumping to his feet, he rushes· down the aisle. Screeching to a·sneakered halt behind the Bus Driver.

The Bus Driver lifts his face to the sweat soaked farmboy.

BOSDltIVER You get. off, you're left.

The pain in Caleb's eyes needs no words. 'l'hedriver downgrades as he swings over to the curb.

STREETS 2t!·~ OtJ'I'StaR'l'S£!.:_HO_P_E,KANSAS-N:!GH'I' '?hahuge, lUlllberingvehicle grinds to a stop en the empty street. 'rhed~ors heave open. Caleb cliJnl:)sdown the steps in a crouch. 'l'he·Bus Driver shakes· his head as the.doors fold closed. In a cloud of exhaust, the vehicle lur~hes·away. Caleb grabs onto the lamppost for.support. He.swings his dimling eyes around. .. Focusing on.the parking structur·e in the near distance.

~• PAlUaNG S'l'RUC'l"O'RE-NJ:GH'I' Caleb staggers out of the stairwell. Stwnl::,lingtoward the light green Travelall. Sitting on the bUJnper·,il?-bare·feet, is Mae. A.soft Slllilecrosses her face. Caleb stops in front: of her. Losing his balance. Weakening.

CALEl3 I'm dying ..

In the shadow of the overhang Mae rises to her feet before Caleb. Her ice blue eyes fix on his. She lifts her hand to her mouth. Turning a glistening white wrist to her lips. And sinks her teeth into the skin.

'l'heredliquid runs down her arm as she raises the wrist to Caleb's mouth. Shutting out his voice. Fastening her skin to his face.

The aroma filling his nostrils. Giving hilnstrength. The strength giving him pleasure.

Seizing him. Like two arms, kidnapping his senses. As his lips lock on the gaping wound on her wrist and her l:)loodl:)eginsto fill his veins. He clutches her with l:)othhands, rolling the fabric of her ):)louseinto his fists. • Hearing the pounding rhythm of her heart. BABtJ'M•••BABtJ'M•••BABTJMBABtJMBABtJMBABtJMBABUMBABtJ'M•••BABtJMBABUM••• Getting faster. . A kind of frenzy passing l:)ehindhis eyes. The l:)loodin his own veins running hot. Stimulated. Stirred.

MAE• I asked you to listen to.the night... now listen to me·.

BABtJ'M•••BABtJ'M••.•SAB'CM•••SABUM•••BABUM•••SABUMBABOMBABUMBABOM 'l'heroaring in his ears. Smashing her into him. Draining her. Furiously. . 'l'hel:)loodrunning like fire inside him. Washing over him in waves of heat·. Head. reeling. Body spasming. ·His-own heart finding its way to his ears. BABtJMBABUMBABUM •••BABtJMBABtJM•••BABOMBABOMBABOMBABOM ••• Both hearts now in syncopated rhythm .. A ):)eatingdrum. . Growing louder and louder. It's DEAFENING. . 'l'heSOTJNDabout to shatter his system. • •Mae l:)eginningto weaken. She starts to pull l:)ack. He yanks her tighter. She s'UlDmonsthe last of her strength. ·And rips herself free. Caleb's.mouth drips with the dark, red liquid.. Replenished. Restored. Remade. Calel:)'sface· flushes and his eyes shine with unhealthy health. Breathing hard. Panting. 'l'henew found strength swirling through his l:)ody. He reaches for the girl. She pushes his hands away gently. Then presses the wound closed on her wrist. Her eyes soft and knowing. • Walking .forward, to the edge of the parking structure.

Cale):)pulls himself together. A control returning. Standing beside the girl with a kind of gratitude in his eyes. She points.

--------- - -------- ----· -····---·-····•·••• -· --·--·

....

Gazing out upon the city on one side and the wide expanse of flatlands on the other. All beneath a velvety cloak of blackness.

caleb blinks. Eyes bright. :reeling fine. Not: sure of what to make of it. Re squints around him. Navar has the night looked as it does. Re· stares spelll:)ound. A fine layer of lunar luminescence falls from the sky. 'l'ha,c·ityshimlering as never before. 'l'hevery electrical pulse visible as it travels through thin air .. He blinks. TUrning toward the fields. He can see Owls in the air many miles away. coyotes on the run across the. barren tundra impossibly far off .. Fieldmice scuttle. Rabbits skiddadle. Raccoons claJD.beracross the.brushy flatlands. Caleb whirls around and around. Giggling. Then laughing. Unable to help himself. In love with the newness of the night. He stops.

His head flicks back to the city. Suddenly VI:Bll'I'INGwithSOUND. CAR HORNS. ELEC'I'lUC::C'I'Y.TllVELINGACROSS.W::tllS. T::Ccx::cNGOFSnEE'I'LIGB'l'S. HISSING OF GAS LINES. He revolves his head. To the fields. He shuts his eyes. Opens his hears. A Sn!PRONY of N::CGB'I'SOUNDS_sweep in onhim.

She leaps over-the small barrier of the parking structure and runs out into the farmlands. Caleb on her heels .

.....:___ '"'-~---

35..

~- FllMLANDS - ·NIGHT Mae and Caleb running deep into the fields. Running like never before. Limbs flying effortlessly, galloping like the•wind, almost ·airborne, covering miles in a matter of minutes. Caleb listening. A ROSH of BREEZES and.WINDS whipping along the plains. 'rheWAJ:Lof INSECTS in the~- 'rheSCO'r?LING of small animal FEET on the DIR'I'. 'rheBROSH of BOSHES swaying in the BREEZE. 'rheCRY of COYO'I'ES, 'rhen·again .. COYO'l'ESCRY. CRY.. CRY. CRY. caleb throws his head back. cracks a grin. He lets out a YIPPING CRY himself. Mae's face widens in a smile. Throwing her head back. Letting out a trilling CRY. The COYO'l'ESyell back. Caleb and Mae see them in a pack, scampering across the land. They run after them'~ CRYDJG out~ loud as their lungs will allow. A far off .~ WHISTLE. . The shadow of a big Freight Train on· the horizon~ • The boy and girl.'s legs· propelling them forward with fierce speed .. Like two steel springs. Their· faces flushed with emotion as they catch up with the SIX COYO'l'ESon the run. The strong, tan canines rega;d their new escorts as a kindred spirit. Flashing their· dark eyes at them in scraggy acknowledgement. YIPPING at them. Caleb and Mae YI~ back. Barreling across the badlands with the running Coyotes .. The padding·paws. The cowboy boots slapping the ground. Then suddenly catching up with the big Freight Train. The boy and girl running side by side with the double engine locomotive. The strange strength powering their limbs to stay abreast. The lowered, brown maned wolfish heads at their heels. The Coyotes YIPPING. The train WBJ:S'rLEBLOWING. Caleb and Mae's face bright and hot blooded.

~• COLTON FARM - DAWN Daylight twinkles.

~• LOY'S BEDROOM - FARMHOUSE - DAWN Loy Colton awakens at. the. top of his lungs. Jackknifing.up in bed. He puts his face in his hands. Cries quietly. He peers out the window at the first traces of sunlight through the curtains. Ha looks like ha has slept poorly. Loy regards the shape of· a small body, a·n indentation on the mattress. Hi• daughter was sleeping beside him, but now she's gone. His brow furrows.

Nowhere to be seen. 'rhe·father gets out of bed. He has been sleeping in his jeans and shirt. Rumpled and worse for wear, he goes out the. door.

~-• HALLWAY - FllMHOUSE - DAWN Loy·walks down the hall. in the morning light. He knows ·where she is.

~•- CALEB'S ROOM - FllMHOUSE - DAWN •The:father· quietly pushes open the door. Peeks in. Little Sarah·asleep on her· big brother's bed. Hugging onto his beat· up cowboy hat. Loy blinks away a tear·. He turns his back and starts to go out. A sll.lallvoice stopshim.

He comes over to her.

He puts his hand on her tiny hand holding the Stetson.

She meets his eyes.

SllAH ... He needs us.

Loy takes Sarah's hand.

I know..

'rheylook at each other.

~• • COLTON FllM - ~ 'rhePickup truck is spewing· a cloud of dust. Off into the d"istance·.

~•- SBEltIFF'S STATION - ~, OKLAHOMA - Q!!

A hole in· the wall. A small computer bank on the desk by the telephone. A few wanted posters and postal warrants on the board.. Sheri~f Eakers shakes his head as he stabs·a cigarette out in an·ash.tray full of butts. .. He li~ts tired eyes to Loy Colton,. sitting across the desk. Sarah in her father's lap.

SBElUFF EADRS• I.t's-notmuch, Loy, but Highway Patrol found what might be your Winnebago. Left in some field and torched. •Nobody was inside. Probably switched cars. Could be your boy's-fallen in with some trouble.

Loy speaks in a voice just below his breath.

SBElUFF EAXERS All we can.

Sarah pipes up, red in the face.

Don't call ma honey. We don't need you police or nothing. Caleb don't need you neither. He needs us.

'l'helittle girl puts her hands on the tabla. Leaning over to put her face by the Sheriff's, who is inclined to· lean back·a bit.

We're-gonna go an• get him ourselves.

The Sheriff gets up out of his seat. He walks over to the water cooler. Pours'.hilllsalfacup .

His back to them.

He turns around with a sip of water. The chair Loy and Sarah ..weresitting in. It's empty. Ha hurries. to the deer.

~:. SHERIFF' S STATION - .Q!!

The brown Chevy Pickup is a speck disintegrating in the distance.

The Pickup is down the road like a bolt of lightning.

~. CAB CHEVY PICKUP - .Q!! Loy is behind the-wheel. His.eyes riveted:to the road. He puts an arm around Sarah. Brings her to him. Hugs her close. She looks. up at him.

She hugs her father's arm. He ruffles her hair. Then reaches under his seat.

~• UNDERSIDE Ql DRIVER'S SEA'l' -~ - CHEVY PICXOP - DAY Loy double <;heckswith his fingers that the .38 Special is securely taped to the bottom of his seat.

~• HIGHWAY - .Q!X 'l'hePickup passes beneath an overhead sign. Denoting the Interstate and two turn offs. Ona heading North to Kansas. 'l'heother heading South to Texas. 'l'hePickup bears South. The sun lifting high·. in the sky.

~• PHONE BOO'l'H- 'I'EXACO'l'RC'CXSTOP-KANSAS - NIGHT

'l'henight· drops. A swelling moon in the rise in the middle of a blackening sky. Caleb lifts.a. receiver to his ear and dials.

He waits while he is connected. Waits,. Waits. Waits. In vain. His face falls very far.

Ke hangs up. Walks away with his head hung low.

A long, two lane stretch of blacktop into infinity. Broken white lines beneath the black void of the starless sky. Caleb storlllSalong the roadside. 'I'heTexaco 'l'ruckstopreceding behind him.. His tortured, conflicting emotions tearing him apart at the seams. He shuts his eyes. PUts his hands on his ears. Screams. His lungs out. Hastening as fast as he can along the empty night road. A pair of headlights brighten on him. A truck THUNDERS past. 'l'heAFTERBLOW sweeping his clothes.

Its passing headlights revealing the figure of a girl hurrying after him. Mae rushes up the side of the road. Keeping pace with the anxiety-ridden boy. It is just the two of·them way below the roof of the night.

Mae stops and stands. caleb doesn't walk much further. Ha turns to face her ..

He almost laughs or cries.

Mae comes toward him.

He meets her eyes. Eyes.like fire in the night.

She puts her hands softly on his shoulders.

He looks at those hands, then into that face.

She unviels her pearly whites in a. sweet smile full of promise.

His eyes travel up to the stars. Hers follow ~is gaze. Their eyes meet in a head on collision. Lips coming together. A truck RAGES past. AFTER.BLOW whipping up their clpthes and hair. Headlights exploding over them. Heat of the moment. The truck's taillights fade.

They are alone in the•biq dark wide open spaces. Their lips part.

A car passes. Headlights flare.

- Bright headlight beams sweep off the side of the road. A MJ:DOLE-AGED MAN throws ll.isdoor wide, leaping cut. Rushing ever to the crumpled little form of Homer, lying on the road. He bends down to see how injured he is~

Homer's eyes blink open. He throws his incredibly stronq little arms around the man's shoulders. Pinning him while he sinks his teeth into the startled passerby's ·neck. • '?he headlights of the car silhouetting them. Homer has a bicycle laying on the ground nearby. The tires still. spinning.

Caleb and Mae wal~ing along the shoulder of the road.

His soft brown eyes searching hers. That clear ice blue cutting deep into him.

~• .Q!RAMP !Q INTERSTATE - NIGHT A pair of drifting, distant headlights pin Severen stand~ng at the side of the road with his thwnb extended. The crisp white shirt over his long, lean muscles, buttoned up to his throat, a string tie with a turquoise clasp at the collar.

42•

An inviting grin on his face. He runs a palm over his hair to smooth it back. His black ayes gleam. The headlights grow bright and flood his face. His grin widens. As ha looks in through the windshield of an approaching dusty Black Pickup. sevaran nods. The Pickup slows. Xi.ekingup dirt and gravel as it.slams into the shoulder of the on ramp.

Severan cracks open the door of the Pickup.

'Evenin'.

The two blonde, curly haired LADIES smile out at him with. adventure in their eyes. The one in the passenger seat slides next to the driver. Her small, whispery voice floats out to the stranger.on the road.

Evenin'.

Severen swings onto the smooth.plastic uphols~ery. Slams the door shut. Winds a long arm around the top of the seat. He turns a shining smile tc his new found friends.

It would be my pleasure and honor to invite you two, sweet,• lovely ladies for a drink.

~• .Qli.RAMP1'.QINTDSTATE - NIGHT 'rhedusty Pickup skates out onto.the tarmac. A hot WIND blows.

~- ~ - U-HAUL TRUCK - NIGH'!' Jesse gazes out the windshield with cool, even eyes. Diamondback at his side. Her platinum hair gleaming in the glow of the dashboard lights. Equally transfixed by the road rolling under the wheels.

43..

- ' 'rhe ~i1vered one gives a glance to the Pale one.

-OIAMONDBACX There you stood by the side of that road, 'n r 'jus knew you were

A. sparkle in her eye.

'l'heSilvered One keeps his eyes on the road, but lets go of a little Slltile. She lays her head against his shoulder. They drive on.

A lone HITCHHJ:DR suddenly illuminated.

CAB - U-HAUL TRUCX - NIGHT - Jesse gives a glance to Diamondback. He slows the vehicle. The Semi-Truck comes to a stop beside the Hitchhiker. A tall, thin, stringy haired boy_with half a beard and a hollow, bruised face. • He waves a ragged smile into the cab.

44.•

Oiamondl:)ackcracks open the rear door.

He jumps inside. CLicx·. To the left ct·Jesse's ear. As a pair of eyes bore down the barrel of a shotgun leveled at Jesse's face. A HIGBWAnfAN behind the· trigger..

HIGRWAnfAN iru:noff the car.

Jessa looks into his face. A stubby grin widens- across broken teeth. CLICX. The Hitchhiker in the back seat.takes the safety off a Colt Python. Pressing the cold metal nose against the nape of Diamondback's neck ..

Jesse looks calmly over his shoulder. switches off the· ignition.

He winds the.nose of his gun up Damondl:)ack'sneck and into her _soft pale hair .. Jesse gazes over his shoulder. Diamondl:)acklooks him in the face. smiling calmly. Jesse shifts his. gaze to the Hitchhiker.

'I'heHitchhiker and the aighwayman look at each other in hilarious·disbelief. They crack up.

Jesse chuckles. The RADIO starts to play "STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT", sung by Frank Sinatra.

' 4S. •

~• 'I'WO-LANEHIGHWAY - NIGHT

A Peterbilt Eighteen Wheeler SHUDDERS past. "STRANGERS IN THE NIGH'I'"leaking out of the cab into the open air.

~. £Y. - PETERBILT EIGHTEEN WHEEL -·ITT:GH'I'

'?hick,gnarled fingers spin the knob of the.RADIO in the dashboard. A small, round CAJON nuJCRER with long, curly hair gazes over the faces of his two passengers. Ha has a thick accent when he speaks and his words of English are limited. He·zeros. in on the station again. '?heSinatra song bleeding through the. scratchy speakers. '?hecajun chuckles.

Mae lifts her pale face to his.

Caleb smiles as tha Cajun Trucker brings three bottles of beer· out of c,.·bag·onthe- floor by his boots.

CAJON TRUckER Here.. We got Sinatra. We got good, solid truck. We got beer to enjoy • open road.

He hands them both bottles of Bud. They artfully pretend to drink. He doesn't pretend. Mae nudges_ Caleb i-nthe ribs. He.looks in,her face. Her eyes say kill. Sympathetically. But soon. The Cajun·oriver looks at them both' and Mae averts her eyes.

CAJON TRUC~ You kids, you run from home?

The girl nudges the farlnboy.

....

Cale]:)chews his lip. He's on the spot.

'l'he.Cajun points to the various- gears.

Tha mind is working behind the farm:ioy•s eyes. The girl. keeps.her eye on hill. The Cajun Trucker_puts his hand on one of the many shifts.

CAJON 'l'lUlCXD. Semi, five gears. iThis, twelve gears. You got three go backwards, tha rest, forward. Smoke?

He knocks one up out of.the pack .. The. Cajun Trucker lights it. Caleb grimaces at the-idea of having to kill this chummy man. Mae.keeps. her hand on ltiship.

The Cajun Trucker lights it.

He goes up the gaars. •-· ~teadily shifting, taking the speedometer up to 130.

CALEB · Wow.

Caleb shuts his eyes. Gathers his courage. Speaks.

The stocky man behind the wheel grins enthusiastically. Starting to downshift.

4-,•·

He throws that brake as he takes his foot off the gas. The t:ruck starts to slow.

CAJON 'l'RUCDR 'l'henyou use brake for cab. or ... CALEB Or?

'l'het:ruck decelerates onto the road shou1der.

~• ROAD SHOOLDER - ~ LANE HJ:GHWAY - NJ:GH'l' 'rhaPeterbilt glides onto the gravel shou1der.

~-.. ~ - PE'I'ERBIL1'E~GHTE.blWHEELER -·NIGH'l'

ai'heCaj,uiturns his face to Caleb.

CAJt7N 'l'R'C'CRER You jackknife. Cab stop. Trailer hit cab.. No more t:ruck. No more truck driver.

Caleb is looking at the man very oddly. His eyes alarmed and anxious. Now that he has to make his move, he has the shakes. The Cajun Trucker is an easygoing guy, but the way this kid looks is weird.

Mae clenches her fingers on Caleb's shoulders, urging him forward. - 'l'hefarmboy looks like· he's going to puke. He shoves open the passenger door of the cab. Leaps out ..

~- ROAD SHOULDER -TWO-LANE HIGHWAY - NIGHT

Caleb j'Ulllpsdown toground level. StUlDblesto his knees in the gravel. Heaving his guts with the gently bobbing oil pumps behind him out in the fields. The Cajun Trucker-leaps down and comes up.behind the boy.

CAJUN '!'RUCKER You can't drink and drive, huh boy?

Caleb gets to his feet. The stocky man looks him in the face. The fa.niboybares his teeth, but it's no good. He can't .do it. Then he sees her. Mae. Hovering up behind the Cajun Trucker's shoulder. She uses her mouth.

~• HIGHWAYSIDE FIELDS - NIGHT

An oil pump dips and rises. Mae stands before it.

48•.

A gentle WIND ruffling her dress. Caleb is kneeling at her feet. His lips fastened on her wrist. sucking. ...., Drinking. sucking. Drinking. The fury almost rocking his body. A rabid fierceness with which ha feeds. Mae gently strokes his head. Than nudges him away .. He is locked tight. Draining her. Eearts pounding. ·she pushes with all her·might. Rips his lips free. Eer glistening eyes on his hungry face.

His upturned eyes gaping at her face. Mind spinning. Gulping air-. 'l'hablack night hangs heavy above. Sta;-sdapple the surface. The oii pump k~eps rising and. falling.

lEI· "BOB'S-~ ~II - WACO, 'l'EXAS- ~-

A cloverleaf.of freeways through the window. Sarah and Loy are eating breakfast at one of the booths. The little girl clicks open a pen and starts sketching a rough but recognizable picture of her brother on the back of his horse. She starts·to cry. Ley pushes away his plate of an uneaten hamburger and reaches across the table. He cups her little face in his hands.

She sniffles and nods .

Loy holds Sarah in his arms, the telephone receiver to his ear.

Pause.

• 49.

His face brightens. His little daughter·wipes her eyes.

Sarah winds her tiny hands around Loy's neck excitedly.

He hangs up the phone. Sarah wears a big smile on her face as she tightens her arllls aroun:d her father's neck.

Hope flushes their faces as they head toward the Chevy Pickup. Driving: μ,.tothe hot afternoon sun.

EX'.I'.CHEVY PICKUP - INTERSTATE NORTH - DAY - T:CUS ZOOMING over the tarmac.

SMASH COT TO

'1'llINWHEELS RAGING across RAJ:LS.

~- UNJ:ON.PACJ:FIC TRAIN - KANSAS - NIGHT

Caleb's head pushed closer and closer to the spark spitting wheels .. Gritting his teeth, his eyes bulging up into severen•s face. The Savage One's hand in a vise grip around the farmboy•s neck forcing hilllhalfway out of the open box car. Sparks hitting Caleb's face. He struggles beneath the remorseless grip. His strength no match for Severen•s. In a ragged snarl Severen heaves the boy back up by the neck.

The Savage One throws the farmboy up against the wall, pinning hilllwith that same vise grip around his throat. Caleb sucks wind. Looking around hilD.at the semi circle of darkening faces.

'I'otheice blue eyes behind them. 'I'oMae. His eyes plead. Hers tremor. She makes a move. Jesse revolves his silver head and gives her a look. Not a nice look. Sha freezes. caleb stops breathing. The Silvered Ona moves forward.

JESSE

one ~ore night ....1

Lifting a _long slender finger toward the fa.nlboy's face.

Caleb swallows. Homer smacks his lips.

~ing· an eye on Mae.

The girl comes forwclrd. Squa~ing off. in front of Jesse.

Those steely eyes shift from the quivering farmboy to Mae. A lip curls back.

A shiver runs through her system. Point taken. That long slender finger of the Silvered One sweeps back to Caleb.

The Savage One takes his hand off the boy's throat. Giving him a look like he can't wait for the boy to screw up. Diamondback slides a harmonica·out of her jacket and plays a slow, haunting melody. ~en stops. 1ifting her hypnotic eyes to the farmboy.

Her lips return to the small metal 'instrument. 'rhebig rectangle of night rolling by the opening. Caleb moves ·to the door. Mae suddenlyrbeside him. A match strikes flint nearby. Severen· rolling a cigarette. between his lips. 'rhoseeyes like dead meat fester over the landscape. Then hold on a cluster of lights in the distance. A big ROADHOOSE sitting· not.far from the tracks. Calal:)follows severen '·s gaze. And understands the Savaga one's scarred face cracking into a smile like a hatchet chop. .:·._-

~• UNJ:ON PACIFIC TRAIN - NIGH'l'

'rhefreight hurtles by. A hundred cars long. Six figures leap off. Landing in a heap il_lthe middle of a wheatfield, beneath a rising moon.

~- ROADHOUSE - NIGH'l' S'ixtall silhouettes approach. A big, squat barn with a neon sign on the window. A pickup, a tractor trailer, a Dodge Camper, and a chopped· down motorcycle parked out front. One look at the vehicles and you get a good idea of the clientele. Bad Country· Music TWANGS out of the bar. The CLINX of pool cues on balls. 'rhesix of them stand in the shadows looking at the nailed together roadside bar·~••••

DIAMONDBACK· Let's hit the night in the face.

Caleb takes a deep breath. They go in.

As soon as the six of them walk in, the place stops. A BI:KERat the jukebox keeps his quarter. A fat, low to the gro~d '!.'RUCKERat thebar turns a flattened face over thick shoulders.to regard the fresh arrivals with a dull look. A COWBOY TEENAGER lifts his pool cue. The WAITRESS picks some empty glasses off the table in the booth. The BARTENDER CLICKS his teeth. A quiet comes over the joint.

------- ---------·-·------· ·----·-S2·- ----·- - -----· -----

Severen winks and elbows Cal~ in the ribs. Speaking in a voice loud enough for everybody to hear.

Caleb gets nervous. Ha _waves friendly to the Biker. With the attitude of a sailor on a sinking ship about· to submerge. The Biker doesn't wave back. Mae, Jesse, Oiamondl:,ack,and Homer slide into the booth. The Silvered one.catches the Waitress' aye and gestures for a bear. The savage one and the farmboy belly up to the bar. Severen slams his fist down. Making the surly Trucker spill is drink.

'rheBartender makes a big point of not. looking at him. '!'heTrucker·looks at.him though.

You spilled my drink.

'l'heTrucker does a slow burn. '!'hetemperature in the bar steadily rising. 'l'hecowboy Teenager chalks his pool cue with a SQUEAICCNGchalk cube. Severen clears his throat. Caleb starts to leave. 'l'hesavage one pulls him back. Be picks up the glass of the Trucker. Addresses the Bartender.

'l'heBartender pours the Trucker· another drink. Severen nudges the Trucker.

The Trucker does a faster burn.

......---··-···--·---··-·· ------·-------·--·---...·---.--·---- ·--·---·-··--··-- ·--·--..ww..

.. He taps the bar. The Bartender stares the two of them in the face.

BAR'l'ENOER. 'I'here•stwo ways you can leave this establishment. On your feet or on your back, asshole.

Severen sighs.

The.savage Ona picks up the drink. of the Trucker.

SEVEmm (cont. ) ...:t111.just hafta drink his .

He throws it back. The Trucker rises to his feet. Mad. Severen makes a face.

He spits the drink in the Trucker's face.

The Trucker· throws a punch. • Severen grabs Caleb. swings.him around. The farlllboytakes.tha piledriver punch square in the face. Ha blinks. TJ'nfazed. It was like he didn't even feel it. Severen winks at the fuming Trucker.

The Trucker connects two roundhouse blows to the side of Caleb •shead. • A double combination to his belly. The only thing that registers on Caleb's face is surprise at his sudden physical resiliance.

The Savage Ona releases the boy's arm. The Trucker pulls his fist back to throw another. Caleb strikes out in alarm. His fist bulldozers into the Trucker's face. Knocking him clean off his feet onto. his back on the pooltable. The Cowboy Teenager raises his stick to avoid him as the unconscious body scatters the balls. Caleb regards his fists in amazement.

S4-..

The Waitress is at the booth. Setting a glass down in front of Jesse. Three beers on the tray in her a.rm. A beer in her fingers as she looks at the man on the pooltable. The Silvered one whistles for her attention.

The Waitress shrugs. Returns the beer to the tray. She sets down the empty glass. Jesse draws an antique: Colt Peacemaker from his belt ... SHOOTS her in the.Adam's apple. She.slwnps in his lap. . - He puts the glass under her throat. Filling the glass. Dumping the body on the floor. Guzzling the glass, he gets up and goes to the door. His pistol leveled. Standing sentry.

NThthe·Cinowb~ytTeenagerdiksitdotallystill. o g ..,u·_ascare . · Holding his· pool cue in white knuckled hands. Severen !ets out a cowboy yodell.

He walks over to the bruising Biker standing like a statue-by the jukebox.

Severen taps him in the chest.

The Biker snarls and grabs Severen by the throat. Severen doesn't blink an eye. Re presses his two hands against the side of.the Biker's head. Applying pressure. The Biker' seyes roll up in their sockets.• Severen whispers in his ear.

'rhesavage one buries his teeth in the man' s n.eck.

SEVER!N (cont. ) r said ...

Severen uses his teeth. The bar becomes sickeningly~till. 'rlleSavage one's face flushes and his sinewy body shudders and shivers as the dying Biker.spaSlllcdicallyquivers. Severen•s neck contracts as ha GtJLPS and GULPS. With a high, wild cry, ha heaves the dead, limp body of the Biker onto the jukebox with a OASH. Revved.up, ha wipes his mouth off. with the back of his hand. Bis eyes. afire. s·ated. The Trucker bolts for the door .. Jessa blocks his way.. . SNAPPING back the hammer of the Peacemaker. 'rheTrucker doesn't move~ muscle. 'rheBartender is white in the face.

BAR.iz'ENDER What do you people want?

Caleb watches the whole scene with his -mouth open.

The farmboy starts walking away from the bar, stuperuous. He doesn't see the Bartender reach under the counter behind him. . Picking up a double-barreled sawed-off .12 gauge shotgun. Vaulting the bar, landing on both feet, raising the weapon to his eye. • The boy hears him and whirls. The Bartender gives him both barrels square in the chest. Blowing a ragged rupture through his back and ripping a hole out his chest. caleb blinks. Smoke rises. The boy locks down at his ravaged torso.

He's still standing. He's still alive. Utterly unhurt. Severen walks over. 'rhe Bartender is scared spitless, frantically trying to rel·cad. 'rhe Savage One claps his hand on the boy' s shoulder. Caleb's mouth tries to form words.

-~-·

- :~- •..-e...:-!.

S6.

Caleb dazedly has a seat on-a·barstool. The Bartender is _almost sobbing as he wrestles with his gun. severen wriggles his fingers at him.

SEVEllN • Yoo-hoo.

The Bartender l9oks up. severen leaps into the air, lashing out with his boot. His razor sharp roweled spur·slashing across the man's throat. Laying it open. 'l'he-BartenderstUlDbles back, still on his feet. Raising his shotgun. 'l'heSavage One kicks out with his other boot·. Slashing the man's throat a. second time. The barman sways on his feet. 'l'heshotgun dropping·frOl'llhisgrasp. With a rebel yell, Severen jUlllpsinto the air. Hitting the Bartender smack between the eyes with both boots. Knocking the nearly severed head off his shoulders. 'l'heheadless body sinks to the floor. 'l'hesavage one wipes his hands on his pants. Sings off key.

caleb just sits on the barstool, fingering the ragged shotgun blast in his chest. The Trucker· stands by the booth. No~ looking very.big·now. Fear terrible in his ayes. Diamondback almost compassionate. Sh~ speaks softly, sitting in the booth.

'l'heTrucker looks up·. Homer empties his .38 into the man. Who falls o~ the floor. 'I'hePale one grabs a handful of his hair·and yanks his head back. Exposing his throat. She produces her knife. Flash of steel. Caleb winces as he meets Mae's eyes. She gets up out of the booth. Walks up to the last remaining survivor. The Cowboy Teenager. Wetting Himself as he holds onto the pool cue for dear life. She puts her eyes on Caleb. The girl takes one of the Cowboy Teenager's hands in her own. She puts his other hand on her waist. Melds her eyes gently to his. Severen K:ICKS the jukebox.

A ROMANTIC COUN'I'RYMELODY comes out of the old, glowing wurlitzer .. The kid is so scared he is in a state of shock. She whispers to him softly.

She leads hilain a simple, shuffling, slow dance. Winding her hands down his back .. Tenderly. . 1'he side of her face by tha side.of his. Sha turns hiln·so that she can see Caleb over his shoulder. 1'ha fa%'l11boylooks ather. Not liking that she is dancing with the other boy. He stands up off the- stool. 1'ha COONTRY MELODY permeating the abattoir of a barroom. 1'ha·two of them dancing. Sha fingers the Cowboy Teenager's hair. His eyes are blank. Caleb comas toward them. Behind the boy's back. . Mae· slowly bobs and weaves with the boy on the floor. Har· ayes fixed to Caleb over his shoulder. Her lips turn up in a smile.

1'hafarmboy looks around hila.to see all the eyes of the others on him. He looks·. at·. Mae. Knows it's now or never. He puts his hand on the boy's shoulder. 1'heCowboy Teenager screams his lungs out .

covers his head with his arms. Dives headfirst through the neon Budweiser sign on the window. Caleb jumps out the window after hil11.

1'haothers grab her and get busy. Homer picks up a book of matches and strikes them one by one, chucking them onto the sawdust on the floor. Fires shoot up. Severen and Jessa make Molotov Cocktails out of the bottles on the bar. Hurling them_in combustion explosions of alcohol fire against the walls. 1'heytorch the place and steal out the front doors.

1'heCowboy Teenager running hell for leather. Caleb on his heels. 1'hebig, squat barn of a Roadhouse going up in flames. Five silhouettes emerge from the smoking structure. Moving to the black Dodge Camper in the parking lot.

sa.

Severen hot wiring the vehicle· with that smooth, practiced efficiency. 'l'heothers jumping in. The Camper quickly accelerating to the road.

~. ROAD - NIGR'l' Caleb's strong limbs flying over the blacktop. 'l'heCowboy stares over his shoulder in terrific fear, choking for-breath. • Caleb gaining on him. The Camper and the others way way behind .. The farlllboyreaching out with his hand. Clamping down on.the·Cowboy Teenager's shoulder. Spinning him al:)outwith superlative strength. Baring·his teeth .. Face to taca with one his own age. Ha sees hilllselfhow he once was-. Caleb freezes .. He can't do it. Suddenly headlights from behind. '1'heDodge Camper bearing down. 'rha Cowboy·Teenager looks up .. Through. the glass to Jesse•s_grilllface. Ha looks like he wants to cry. Then another pair of lights. • This time from. the other direction;. A small SEMJ:with a flatbed wheels- around. the bend in the road. In. a burst of speed, the cowboy Teenager breaks for it. The Camper almost on Caleb's heels. Braking in a.SQUEAL of smoking tires. As the Teenager leaps onto the _flatbedbarrelling by. Caleb runs fast as ha can after the receding Truck. The Dodge Camper starting to.make au-turn. Suddenly blocked by an oncoming rush of Cars. caleb 1s feet slap the dirt on the side of the road as the Semi picks up speed and leaves him in its dust. caleb pulls up. Looking from the disappearing Semi to the Dodge Camper stopped on the other side of the road. Then back to the Semi. Watching the red taillights of the Truck swallowed up by the night. Traffic passing him. Then the Camper is abruptly at his side. A door cracks open. Long arms snatch him off the road.

~- DODGE CAMPER - PRE-DAWN Jesse squints into the faint light beginning to pale the edge of the world. Vicious hands tug Caleb inside. Black looks. - The Silvered one twists the Camper around and punches the pedal.

59•

•JESSE-. Shit. You fucked us up for the last time, boy ...

'rhe camper hurtling across the flatlands.

Clicking veey sharp teeth. Jesse's eyes boring through the windshield.

Mae-clings to the fll'lllboy. Romar·gives hilllasickening face.

DiamondDack stares out the glass toward the gently paling sky ..

The Silvered Ona fixes the boy's face in the rear-view mirror.

He punches the steering wheel. Smearing his foot.to the floor. Rorizonline becoming more and more distinct. 'l'heroad ahead al:,solutelyempty. Calel,stares down into llis hands. Mae looks at him with soft eyes.

A deadly silence. That epic face straight front.

Mae closes her eyes. The Dodge Camper streaking down the road. The sun now just ducking below the horizon. A tremor of fear rippling through every face. Blankets being tossed around. Tentacles of light piercing the glass. It looks like it hurts. Mae breathes deep. Lifts a strong face to the front.

Jesse looks at her through low lidded eyes.

Soft and sweet. Mae shakes down to her bootstraps. severen CRACXS his knuckles. Romer WHJ:S'l'LES. Diamondback. gives Mae a soul shaking smile. Then through. the glass: a Travel Court complex of little bungalows off to the side of·the road.

-7ESSE 'Bout time.

Lifting his foot off the gas.

~. lllDE-A-WAY 'mAVEL COURTS - PRE-DAWN

The Dodge. camper·pulls up in front of the registration office. The sun just about to peer over the edge of the world.

PRE-DAWN,

Jessa bursts into the empty room. He taps a finger on the desktop bell. Nothing. A pale beam of light creeps in through the curtains. He sweats. Finally the white haired MANAGER still in pajamas mcves across the floor with the assistance of a cane. A SD.oothsmile graces Jessa's lips.·

The·old man presses his hearing aid, nudging his head forward.

The Silvered One notices the slow rise of light crawling across the countertop toward his hand. He lays down a fifty dollar bill.

A flicker of understanding in the Manager's face. Plucking a set of keys off the desk. Jesse grabs the key from him just as the sunlight lands upon the counter.where his hand just was. • He turns to go.

'l'heSilvered One gives him a trtendly grin as he walks out.

~• CO'l'TAGE•HIDE-A-WAY TRAVEL COURTS - PRE-DAWN

A picture pretty little box with windows and a door. Jesse hurriedly unlocks the door. 'l'hesix figures hasten in. Slamming the door shut behind him .. 'l'hareflection of the sliver of sun in the window slicing lika a knife across the sharp side of the planet.

llDE-A-WAY TRAVEL COURTS - OAY

-

'l'hesun high· in the cloudless sky. In the courtyard between the bungalows, a COG barks, playfully. And scampers after a stick. He brings it·back in his mouth to a bright and bushy tailed SMALL BOY in.sneakers and shorts. • AnELDERLY COUPLE rock back and forth on the front porch of one of the bungalows. A laid-back, lazy morni:ng. 'l'haCodge Camper sits-behind. one of the quiet bungalows. 'l'hablack paint baking in the hot sun. 'l'he·littleboy hurls. the stick. It.soars through the air. 'l'hepooch scrambles after it. 'l'hestick lands. 'l'hedog pads after it. A hand picks it up. 'l'hadog wags its tail. A POLICE OFFICER with a shotgun under his ani is holding the stick. • Three Patrol Cars creep into the courtyard, tires CRUMBLING the gravel. 'l'hePoliceman hurls the stick.way in the other direction. 'l'hedogruns after it out of harm's way. 'l'hesmall boy is motioned onto the porch of his Grandparent's cottage. 'l'heElderly Couple rise to their feet, holding the small boy to them. 'l'hePolice Officer gestures for the three Patrol cars to follow him. 'l'heCowboyTeenager is sitting in the backseat of one of the cars, pointing nervously-to the Camper and nodding. 'l'hePolice Officer aims his eyes at the bungalow at the end of the Travel Courts.

- 'rhe three Patrol cars mobilize in a fan formation around the front porch. one more PATROL CAR moves into position out back.

The doors are flung open. Assault rifles are readied in.the arms of SEVEN COPS. Aiming at the walls and windows of the sleeping bungalow. Everything so quiet and calm on this nice sUlDlltermorning with BIRDS TWEETING. - • The Police Officer walks up to the front door. And KNOCXS.

~• COTTAGE - HJ:DE-A-WAY TRAVEL COURTS - ~ Blackness. curtains pulled tight. A deathly quiet. Six slumbering bodies. Caleb sprawled out on an overstuffed chair. Mae curled up in his arms. Jesse and Diamondback in the on1y bed. Severen sleeping standing up, leaning against the wall. Through the open :bathroom door, Homer flat on his :back in the :bathtub. A.pillow over his face. A hard XNOCX on the front:door. Homer throws the pillow from his· face. Opens a sleepy· lid. A VOICE from.:behind the door..

Severan•s eyes pop open. Jesse· leaps out of :bed. Mae raises her· head. Homer runs into the room. Diamondback rises to her feet.

Al1 eyes travel to Caleb. Caleb gets up. Worry in his eyes. Severen walks to .·thewindow, lifts a finger to the curtain and pulls it :back·a crack. A single ray of sunlight explodes across his face like a :burningspear. He jumps :back. Screaming. Skin smoking. Hands pawing at his face.

Jesse yanks the Colt Peacemaker out of his :belt·and cracks the glass of the window with the :butt. Caleb stands, head going :back and forth as he watches the others :burst into action. Mae ·produces a small, pearl-handled .22 and a :box of ammo out of her jacket.

63•.

Diamondback has a sawed off twelve gauge in her coat .. 'rhePale One swings up alongside one of the windows, smashing out the glass with the stock. . 'rhesavage One plants his eyes on the farmboy as he grabs the two pieces of a dissasseml:,ledrifle out. of his jacket. He screws on the barrel. 'rhanha yanks a .357 Magnum out of his pocket. Fury scars his face as ha holds it by the barrel for Caleb to take. 'rhafanboy reaches for it. Severen flips the pistol and catches it by the handle. Mean~g to use it on the ne~ boy.

Jesse shoots. him a stern glance.

Sevaren sighs. Hands over the gun .. Caleb feels the weight and haft of the piece.

Severen steps right in front of the door. The rifle leveled in one hand at his waist. Finger on the trigger. Barrel fixed on the door. He plugs one ear with his finger and winks at the rest.

He BLASTS a round through the door.

CO'rl'AGE- HIDE-A-WAY TRAVEL COURTS - DAY

-

The Policeman standing in front of the door takes the heavy calibre round square in the chest. It blows hill clear otf his feet .

door.

~• CO'I"l'AGE-HIDE-A-WAY TRAVEL COURTS - DAY

The shaft of sunshine streams through the door. Striking Severen smack between the shoulder blades. He is flung back against the wall and slides to the floor. His shirt smoking. The others open FIRE out the windows.

~. CO'I"l'AGE-HIDE-A-WAY TRAVEL COURTS - ~ The Seven Police Officers let loose with their assault rifles. Ravaging the walls and shattered windows with SHOTS~ The air split by a DEAFENING DIN of gunfire.

~• CO'rl'AGE-HIDE-A-WAY ·Tll.VELCOUR'l'S- M!

A RIFLEBLAST rips two holes in the walls by Jesse's head as he reloads. Pinpricks of light blaze across the room. The Silvered One dives out of the way. A mirror on the wall fractures the light. Homer gets hit on the hand by a deflected ray. Skin bursts into flames. He yelps, running out of the way. Homer lifts his .38 to the·window and starts pumping off ROUNDS. Jesse· shoots out the mirror to splintered glass Slllthereens. Bullet holes. swiss chesse thawaJ:ls and roof. EXPLOSIONS 0~ G'CNJ'llErip through the wallpaper. Needles and lances of bright sunlight cats cradle the room. The day comes through the holes and punctures in a maze of· tiny.funnels. The six inside desperately keep up their volleys of gunfire. They dodge, dive, duck and avoid the laser beams of light that continue to cordon off the areas of the room they can move and fight back in. Caleb's gun isn't loaded and while he· ~s popping in shells, a stray round from outside hits the box and scatters the cartridges. • He glances over, while he frantically retrieves the bullets, to see Mae emptying her cute little .22 out the window alongside Homer·. BULLE'l'SRICHOCHET around the room with. a piercing WHINE. 'rhefarmboy looks up and sees the rear window. 'rheCamper is parked outside it. He thinks fast.

~- CO'l"l'AGE-HIDE-A-WAY TltAVEL COUR'l'S-~ A hot sun burning overhead. A Police car being RIDDLED with bullets. Cops diving for cover in a cloud of dust.

IN'I'.CO'l"l'AGE-HIDE-A-WAY TRAVEL COURTS - ~

A momentary lull, the frantic reloading of guns. Caleb looks up into Jesse's solDbre face.

.. Severen •almost laughs.

A wall starting to splinter open with another round of GUNSHO'l' BLASTS. Light burning across the floor. The others pressing back into dark corners. FDUNG back as best they can. Jesse turns a narrow eye on Caleb.

65 •.

He squeezes off a SHOT.

Jesse barely blinks:.

The farlnboy·nods. • I severen shouts.

'rhe.Silvered one smirks at the Savage one.

Jesse throws the car keys into Caleb's open palm. The farlnboyyanks the. bedspread off the bed and throws it over his head .. Mae reac::hesout with her hand, touching Caleb's arm. BOLLETS flying left and right. She looks into his eyes. Caleb meets her gaze .. Another EXPLOSJ:ON of GtJNSliOTS. 'rhe fantboy spins on his feet, racing for the back window. Ha leaps through the air and dives through the glass.

Caleb lands in a heap in the dirt .

A single Policeman staking out the back starts SHOOTJ:NG at the figure under the blanket. Caleb jumps to his feet and dodges bullets as he hurries for the Camper with the blanket flowing behind him like a cape. His hands holding the cover beginning to burn as the wicked sun hits them. He starts·to scream.· The Camper only a few feet ahead. He claws forward. 'rhePoliceman takes careful aim. A ~ullet glances Caleb in the chest. He keeps moving. · Reaching the vehicle as the skin of his hands starts to smoke. Ripping the door open and·bursting·inside.

...:.......__

~• DODGE CAMPER - ~ Caleb.kneels down behind the dashboard tc shield himself from the direct. sunlight. He grips the. steeri~g wheel and slams the keys·into the ignition. 'rheengine FDU:S.up. He smashes his feet into the gas· pedai. '?hasun blazes through the darkened windshield. He means as the subdued light hits his face. Blackening the skin en his forehead. He ducks below the dash. Steering the vehicle straight.ahead for the wall of.the bullet-riddled bungalow.

~- REAR .QlCCT'l'AGE·-HJ:DE-!-!!,!TRAVEL COURTS - Q!X HORN BLARING, the black Oodge Camper hurtles straight for the bungalow. _ Plundering over the low cement back perch. Bulldozing into the building .

COTTAGE - HIDE-A-WAY TRAVEL COURTS - DAY

A tidal wave. ot·deadly whit~ light as the Camper breaks through the wall. • Wood and glass raining down. The ethers wrap themselves in blankets. they scrounge off the bed as the.light spreads through the room. . The black Camper·,covered. with wallpaper and plaster, sitting in the middle of the floor. Caleb throws open the doors. . Everyone is yelling loudly as they tear towards the vehicle. •Slinging their guns in the back compartJnents, they all help each.ether in.

~• DODGE CAMPER - ~ Jesse heaves Diamondback onto.the floor, covering her with his body. Severen gathers up his guns, clambering into the back ccmpart:Jnent. Caleb hauls Mae into the seat beside him by a uug on her arm. Homer grabs onto the rear bumper, crawling up the back for the open rear window. Screaming his lungs out as the bare sunlight bathes his small body. BULLETS RICOCHET off the front and sides of the Camper as the assault continues from outside. one bullet cracks the window into a giant spiderweb.

Caleb drives his foot down on the accelerator. 'l'liecarstarts going. Homer claws his way onto the ba·ckof the vehicle, crying out as he loses his grip in the agonizing sunshine.

67,

Sevaren reaches out and drags him safely through the back window. Thay all duck down~as the Camper·piledrives through the front of the building.

~• CO'l"I'AGE-HIDE-!-.m_ TRAVEL COTJRTS - ~ The nose of the Camper breaks through the front of the cottage like ·ahuge black beast. Falling the screen door and powderizing the flower pots in its· path. The Policemen hold their fire for a moment and stare incredulously. Tha Dodge camper· lurches· forward.,carrying the frame of the cottage on its: back like a shall. Ramming head on into a Police car·parked directly in front. Tha Policemen regain their senses, getting out of the way of the Camper. • Pivoting and F.'IlUNGas they go. A deafening SOUND of SHEARING METAL as the Police Car crwnples beneath the illlpac:t.oftheCam.par. As the Camper charges out into the parking lot. Bullets dappling the sides of the vehicle, whose solid steel reinforced bodywork protect those inside like armor~ The,Camper kicks up thick. trails of dust and gravei. Fragments of the building raining off the roof of the vehicle. They hurtle toward the tarmac of the open road. The Policemen jumping into their three remaining vehicles. The Camper streaking out onto the blacktop. The Elderly Couple standing on the front porch exchanging· glances of complete awe. The Police Cars swerving into single file formation and speeding out of the area with their eherrytops_flaring. The Small Boy wide eyed in wonderment as he walks onto the driveway and watches them disappear in the settling dust. The Dog trots around with the stick between its teeth, tail wagging excitedly.

~• ~-LANE HIGHWAY - DUSI( •Three patrol cars swoop after their fleeing quarry like birds of prey. The object of their pursuit driving away from a setting sun. Red cherrytop~ igniting the livid sky. Two of the cop cars,fan out. •windows rolling down'! Shotguns aimed out.

!!• DODGE CAMPER - DUSK Caleb is pummelled by the daylight piercing through the tinted glass windows. • Blackening his skin in burned splotches. His hands fixed on the steering wheel, smoking. His foot hard on the gas·pedal. Squinting over the dashboard, ducking down against the assaul.t of the sunshine.

68•·

A SHOTGO'N BLAST blows a spiderweb out of the windshield. The five figures are huddling down under the blankets pulled over them. The boy struggl,s to keep the Camper on the road. Another SHOTGUN BLAST splinters the side mirror. Several loose pellets puncture the tinted glass. Needlelike lances of light pricking Caleb's skin.

~- ...LANE.........•HJ:GHWAY·-DC'SX The camper charges. down the road. The,three Police Cars hurtling· a·fterit. oust settles in a streak of ·red cherry tops.

IN'l'.OOOGE CAMPER --OUSX - '?heshield of the four walls of the vehicle are being breached by the shotguns. Laserlike beams of light shoot through the bullet holes. Severen and Jesse poke their heads up out of the blankets. Peering over the backseat. Recoiling from the sunshine singeing their faces.· They·duck down and grab up rifles. FIRING off round after round through the shattered glass of the·back windshield. •

~:- POLICE_ £!! ll - ousx It advances. Shotgun barrel poking out the window.

- Caleb is slammed.against the sidedoor as a BLAST «::?fbuckshot taps him on the shoulder. He loses control of the wheel for a second. The vehicle swerves wildly beneath him. He .regains..command of the Camper. Blood trickling from the hole in his shirt. Using up all his will and strength to keep driving in the excruciating ~unlight. The wound in his shoulder ~lready healing up. The boy holding up as well as he can. Beneath the blankets in the backseat by the floor, Mae, Diamondback and Homer huddle for security against the flying bullets and piercing sunshine spears. Jesse and Severen return the fire out the back windshield.·

~- ~-LANE HIGHWAY - DUSK The Police Cars are flanked over both the outgoing and oncoming lanes. Shots going ever which way. A hay truck is approaching in the opposing lane, barreling down, HONXJ:NG its HORN.

The patrol cars retract into the outgoing lane, ;resuming a single file formation behind the .Camper. The truck goes on by.

IN'!'. DODGE.CAMPER - DUSX

Severen throws a glance to Caleb in the front seat. Shouting at the top of his lungs over the ROAR of the ~GINES and. the WHDm of the BULLE'l'S.

Diamondback hands the sawed-off shotgun to Severen. The Savage Ona cracks open the weapon in his hands. Slams in a fistful of shells. Gives an eye to the Silvered one.

With that, Severen leaps over the backseat. Kicks open the rear door. •Hovers in the wind and white hot sunshine for a fraction of a second. His-hand holding the shotgun-is on. fire.

EXT·. COOGE CAMPER - CUSX - 'l'haSavage one brings up the weapon. Staring· •atth.athree Police Cars looking him in the face. 'I'ha·direct.sunlightmaking his skin smoke. BULLETS speeding past his face. Severen jumps off the back transom of the Camper at 90. Vaulting through empty air.

EXT~ POLICE_~ i! -·OUSX I ·I

\:

'l'hesavage one lands feet first on the hood. The POLICEMEN in the front seat stare at him in awe. severan points the sawed off shotgun in their faces. Firing the first barrel through the windshield. The umnanned patrol car jars violently around the road. The Savage One climbs up on the roof. Using the cherrytop blinkers for leverage, he heaves himself through the air .

~- POLICE£!! ll - DUSX The cops inside are shocked . Severen lands smack dab on the hood on all fours. The sawed off shotgun in his hands. His face afire. His hair smouldering.

His shotgun blazing. Punching twin holes through the windshield. Blowing the men away.behind it. The car speeding off the road. Severen scrambling atop the roof before it's too late. Plummeting spread-eagled over the open road toward the third Police car coming right toward him.

~. POLICE ell il - OlJ'SX The Cowboy Teenager in the backseat ducks down. The.POLICEMEN don't react fast enough. severen EXPLODES. through the windshield in clouds of cubed glass. . . Breaking the second cop's neck as he lands in his lap. The cop behind the wheel grabs-for his· gun. The Savage Ona takes it from him and shoots him in the side with it. Severen shoves him out the door as he slides behind the wheel. Taking over the Police car. Stepping on the brake. Slowing to a stop in a SCREECH of Tim:S .

'l'hesun sinking below the smouldering horizon. 'l'haCamper··c;:omesto a halt. The third Police. car stationary in the road several hundred yards to the. rear. 'l'hesecond Police car flipped over on its side in a field of wheat. In flames. 'l'hefield on fire around it. 'l'hefirst Police Car a crumpled heap of metal and glass all over the two lanes. Sundown. Nighttime.

EX'l'.COCGE CAMPER - NIGHT

'l'hedoor opens tentatively. Caleb climbs out of the bullet-riddled vehicle onto solid ground. A little unsteady on his feet. Looking every bit the wounded warrior who has returned in one piece. • . His skin charred and seared. Injuries that will.heal. He lets out a sigh and blinks his eyes. A sort of smile as he sees Jesse, Mae, Diamondback and little Homer step out of the rear door and onto the road. 'I'heyall regard one another with relief. Mae runs to Caleb and they embrace.

7l.

A CAR. COOR SLAMMING spins-their heads around.

EX'l'. POLJ:CEgs .ll - NIGH'!'

A scorched, worse for wear severen leans against the side of the car. His·hair cindered .. His smile a white sickle in his blackened, charred features. His ayes wickedly bright. He lights-up a cigarette. He makes eye contact with the farmboy. '1'hetarlllboystar.tsto smile. Breathing again.. • '1'he·savage one strides on back to the others standing· beside the:Camper. Caleb glances up at the black roof of·night. Crowning in that depthless space. •• Taking some steps of~ the road into the fields.

EX'I'. FIELDS - NrGH'I'. - '1'hefarlllboyholds the moment. Spying that last sli var of sunlight h-cvering on the horizon .. Like the last sunlight he will see for a long long time. Ra swallows. Finding some kind of solace.

The rear door· open. '1'hecar is empty.

~-. COCGE CAMPER _- NIGH'I'

Parked at the side of the lonesome road. Five shadowy silhouettes milling around the front of the vehicle. All is quiet at the back. Where a pair of hands reach up to the metal container of gasoline attached to the back. '1'heyp:ryit off noiselessly. Silent feet pad around to the front. TreJDbling fingers unscrew the cap. Suddenly dousing the five figures with the amber liqμid. GASPS all around. 'l'hecowboy Teenager backs quickly and strikes a match. 'TheSavage One swipes at his wet jacket. Jesse whirls a deadly eye on the kid. Diamondback stares at the match, lips quivering. Remer gulps. WWWFFFFFFFFF-Frr-rr-rr-·l:-'l'.. The match is-blown out. The Cowboy spins. But Caleb already has him by the throat with a set of clamping fingers. Caleb locks his teeth on the Cowboy Teenager's neck. The kid's feet kick and thrash in the air.

Then they stop kicking. Quit thrashing. Ranging limp. • • Caleb heaves the drained body of the boy into the bushes. Returns to the others. 'I'heypile into the Camper. And_go.

~• ROADSIDE - NJ:GBT A white STATION WAGON accelerates past the abandoned black Dodge Camper parked at the side of the road in the middle of nowhere.

~• BORDERLINE Q! KANSAS !fil2NEBRASKA - NIGHT

The white station Wagon whips past a roadsign saying, "You are entering the state of Nebraska." Red taillights shrink.

~• OU'I'SI<IRTSQIGODSPEED, NEBRASKA - NIGHT

'l'hemoon is big and bright above this one road town. 'I'heWhite Station Wagon cuts past. a sign reading, "Godspeed. Pop. 327." One gas station. And one Motel. . 'I'hewhite Station Wagon pulls into the parking lot of the Motel. •

BORDERLINE OF KANSAS AND NEBRASKA - NIGHT

- --- - ---·- --

The Chevy Pickup drives past the roadsign~ The small f.iguresof Loy and Sarah inside.

~. GODSPEED MOTEL - NIGHT

The Station Wagon comes to rest before the run down Motel. The 'Godspeed' sign in bright, white, electric neon. Somewhere in the distant black horizon, a rooster CROWS.

Jesse closes the door behind him. Severen drops into a chair, kicking his feet up on a low table. . Diamondback ruDS at the blackened smoke along her arms. Homer plops down on the bed. Caleb·and Mae sink into a couch. · Relief and quiet faJ.l:over them. The farmboy feel• everybody's eyes on him. In a good way. That isn't good at all. Diamondback leans over and claps her hand on his knee.

Mae smiles up at her, proud1y. Severen reaches to his cowboy boot and rips off one of his spurs. He locks over to Caleb. A razor blade wink.

Catch.

Ba tosses the spur ta Caleb. With the warmest grin Severen has ever worn on his broken face. The fanabcy closes his palm over the silver spur. Having to grin. Homer bounces off. the bed and comes up to Caleb. He reaches out with his hand. Looks Caleb square in the face.

- HOMER Shake.

Caleb takes hold of his hand.

Rome~ Slllilesup·at Calel:,withthese ageless eyes in his little. bey face. Jesse locks down at the farm.bey, his silver hair gleaming in the yellow lamplight.

Caleb gazes at him a long moment.

The Silvered One stares off,·rem~ering.

South?

Mae comes to her feet.

He follows her out the door.· Diamondback watches them leave with a smile on her face. Homer flicks on the television set. A late night religious program flickers across the screen. sevaren pulls a deck of cards out of his jacket and.begins shuttling them. Jes·selights a fresh cigarette, taking a.seat across from. Severan. The Savaga One starts to deal a hand.

EXT·. GODSPEED MOTEL - NIGHT - The silver spur CLICXS softly as Caleb walks beside Mae along the narrow walkway of the Motel. 1'heyveer· off the parking lot and head out into the green pasture behind the building.

~- GRASS PASTURE - GODSPEED MOTEL -·NIGHT

A.burst of stars. one falls. Mae takes hold of Caleb's hand.

Pause. A halt smj.le.

He looks at her. ·They walk on.

~- ROOM ll - GODSPEED MOTEL - NIGHT A poker game going strong between Severen, Jesse and Diamondback. •• Smoke hanging in the air. Homer glances over his shoulder as he opens the front door.

Diamondback nods as Homer closes the door behind him.

75.,

~- GODSPEED HOTEL - NIGHT

Homer whistles happily as he walks the. narrow walkway of the Motel. He hears the soft CLICX of a coin being deposited in the soda machine up ahead. He lifts his· eyes.

~• SODA MACHINE - GODSPEED MOTEL - NIGHT

Sarah Colton is dressed in her grey flannel-pajamas. She gazes at the soda machine, trying to decide which one to have. . Tha cold fluorescent. light. bathes her small, heart shaped face·. Her golden hair tousala~ around.her face fr011tsleep. Sha hits the orange crush button. The dull TRUO of a can hitting the deck. Sha lifts it out. • Pops it open. -rums her face to the small boy staring at her several feet _away. She furrows her· brow.

Homer's face cracks open in a:wide smile as b.etakes a step toward· her·.

He begins to tremble as he walks. Sarah POPS the top of the Orange crush can. Gulps down some of the cool liquid. It spills onto her chin. She. swipes at it with the back of her hand. The boy comas to a stop in front of her·.. She looks at hilD curiously. The ragged striped t-shirt. Faded' blue jeans. High top sneakers~ Kind of cute dusty smile. He gazes at her, all dewy eyed.

She turns and.starts for the stairs. His eyes follow her.

'HOMER You want to watch TV?

She stops . Thinks it over.

~. GllSS PAS'I'URE- GODSPEED MOTEL - NIGH'l'

Heat lightning in a sky lika some enchanted landscape. Caleb and Mae very mnal.lbeneath as they walk hand"'and hand.

'rheystop. ElDbrace.

~• ROOM .11.-GODSPEED MOTEL - NIGH'.r

Homer smiles from ear to ear as he enters the room. A blonde haired little girl. beside him. Looking like an anga.l in her hea.lthy, mortal glow·.

Sarah gazes up curiously into the faces of Jesse, Severen, and Diamondback as they put down their cards.

Saveren- grins slyly.

Homer shows Sarah to a chair by·the television. His face beaming with True Love·and Devotion. Ha looks pretty silly. The others roll their eyes. The television· is playing the station signoff. The NATIONAL AN'l'HEMreverberates around the room in a bugle refrain. Sarah has plunked herself down in front of the TV and notices nothing else. She giggles. Homer flashes her a look. of pure love. Behind Sarah's back, Severen catches the Little One's eye with a wink. 'I'hesavage One slips his hand under his shirt and feigns a pumping heart. Homer blushes. Jesse leans back in his seat, watching the girl, puffing on his cigarette, smiling. Diamondback casts a bemused but worried eye on Homer.

.....

·His voice is sharp, alJD.ostdangerous. Diamondback's mind is working beneath her good ol' gal

..

:manners.

'rhalittle girl tears her eyes away from the '!!'1and the last mOlllentsof the station signoff.

·sADH Just my daddy.

Jesse's gaze brushes over her small face.

What room you stayin' in, honey?

Sarah thinks· for a second.

She goes back to the television. Jesse gives a look to Severen. 'rhe-Savage One rises to his feet·, laying his cards face down on the table. And slips out the door·. 'rhetelevision screen turns to blank fuzz. Homer spins the knob on the television.

Only fuzz. Sara shakes her. head, rising to her feet.

She takes a step toward the door~ Homer jumps to his feet.

Sarah is at the door when it opens and someone walks in. Allllostbumping the little girl in the chest. She looks up. Her eyes widen. Her breath sticks in her throat. Her gaze lifting to her big brother's astonished face. Mae just behind him. Looking past his shoulder to the little girl in front. Caleb sinks to one knee in front of Sarah.

Stroking his hands across her face and hair as if to reassure she is right there before him. She stares up in his eyes. Tears. Speechless. The rest of the room stone cold ..

The little girl•s lip quivers.

SARAii I oughta punch your lights out.

CALEB· Guess you oughta.

SARAii Oh•••

She throws her arms around him, sobbing happily. The tarlDboy clutches her to his chest with all he's worth. His lips- form words. With a smile that passes from the world of the dead to the land of the living. It takes a moment before he acknowledges all the strange looks he is receiving.

She's rrrysister, people

Activity outside the door.

LOY {V.O.) So that's.where she went to. Got a mind of her' own, that little girl of mine. I.' ll gether out of your hair.

caleb spins around at. the sound of his father's voic;::e. Looking into the face of Loy Colton standing in the doorway, face-puffy from sleep. Severen hovering behind the man like the sickle of his namesake. Father and son make some serious·eye contact. Words just don't express the feelings.

Severen shuts the door. Shaking his head with a savagely.sardonic smile.

Ha throws tha latch. Locking the latch. a"esse pulling the window blinds.

S!NEREN ....But it's 'bout time for that 'ol wheel. to stop i-otatin•..

Loy swift·lymoves over to Sarah and retrieves his daughter in his arms.

Calel:)notices the others assuming attack formation against the walls. Ha positions himself to Loy and Sarah's maximum advantage between them. Acting as a buffer. He looks his father in the face.

The farmboy shoots a knifeblade glance· to the· others standing· around with a certain· redress in their eyes.

Ha returns his gaze to his father and sister.

Caleb catches Mae's glance. She wants him She's in him. He won't be without her. She touches him on the sleeve and that's all she wrote. Sarah watches this other woman closely. Caleb turns to his family. Shakes his head softly. Eyes firm.

'I'hefaJ:"mboyfeels tension in the air like a trip wire on a time bomb. He takes his father carefully by the hand. Moving him slowly, step by step toward the door. Sever.en is standing in front of it with his arms crossed. Caleb looks him in the eye.

The Savage One looks him. back. 'l'hefaJ:'lDl::,oyputs his hand on thedoorknob. 'l'Urnsit. · •

'l'heLittle One jumps off the bed like a trampoline. snatching Sarah in his arms. Stealing her away. 'l'hesmall girl.kicking and screaming. Desperate satisfaction in Bomar's face-.

Caleb takes· a step toward hiJD. His hands out. Knowing fuli well the unstable little bag of bones necklocking his tiny sister could snap her spine like a twig. Caleb speaks softly.

~merLi.-btteginstonukszzlehetrntheckf.._,_ .•'-d d . h. •..,.a•.1 e. One1oo up a a -a•.uu.,oywi......eaca1min • is eyes. A SlZlilewidens slowly along his.mouth.

caleb's face turns black. Bis knuckle$ whiten.

Severen subdues Caleb in an armlock. As confining as a steel vest.

Jesse's face has a sad gait to it as he steps forward.

'I'heSilvered Ona puts a fi;'mhand on. Caleb's sweaty shoulder.

Diamondback taps the toe of a white cowboy boot on the floor. Looks straight into Caleb's face.

'rhefarmboy' s ·pupils dilate-. Sarah starts to scream but Homer puts his hand-over her mouth. Loy al:lruptlyreaches into his jacket, pulling out a .38. He backs off to a strategic corner of the room. Aimil"lgthe pistol-in. a two hand grip at the others.

Ha coas back the HAMMER of the GUN with his thwnb.

Caleb speaks through clenched teeth. Severen holding firm.

'I'haSilvered One ,comes forward, his boots squeaking along the· carpet. 'l'hefather trains the handgun square b~tween his shoulder blades. Chuckles.

Loy FllES. Reaming a hole in the middle of Jesse's chest. The Silvered One coughs. Spitting the used bullet into the palm of his hand. Reaching out and putting it in the pocket of Loy's shirt.

'.-···---·-----.. --------.---------------------·--------····.•. ·•·•·•....----··

Patting· the pocket for· safe keeping~ ... . His other hand closing· on the normal man's hand on the gun. Jesse squeezes. Loy screams in agony. The bones in his hand beginning ~o snap against the metal of the gun in the crushing grip of the hand. clamped around it. Caleb screams.

Sarah shrieks. Rage funneling her strength. She.whirls- around on Homer, drawing her hand back into a fist and. connecting with the little boy's jaw. Hard.. · Reeling Homer. Sarah t•ars free. Bolts for the door. Grips the knob in both her teensy hands and turns. Flinging the door wide open. Her·small figure is.backlit in an explosion of sunshine. New morning sun. flooding into the room. Rinnni.ngSarah like a halo. The·shaft· of white light. burning hot across the floor. Hitting those inside like an atomic blast.

Jesse.•sgrip loosens around Loy's hand, the skin on his grasping hand smoking as he lets cut a loud groan. The:father spins around. in surprise and alarm at the scene around him. Nursing his numb hand. Jesse and Dia:monc:it,ackscramblefor·cover behind the bed. Homer just standing in the sunlight, t_earspouring out of his eyes as his face burns. The Silvered one grabs him and throws him down on the carpet. Caleb covers Mae with his body. Ripping the blankets off the bed. Keeping her shielded. . ..Loystands, shell-shocked, unable to believe his eyes. Sarah.revolves slowly, her eyes gradually widening. 'l'hebright day framing her in silhouette. Her shadow rising up the wall of the room. She puts her hand on her mouth.

Caleb wrenches a blanket off the bed. Covers himself with it. He grabs his father and sister in his arms.

He shepherds them to the door. Looking over his shoulder just once. Mae ducking behind the bed. Twisting her head around. Her tear-soaked eyes shooting into Caleb's face.

He almost stays. I

I

severen takes a leap for them into the direct sunlight. He reaches out with his long arms. . Fingertips tearing the blanket as the flash burns. The farmboy ducking out the door with his own. A fist of sunlight punching the Savage one in the face. xnocldng him to his knees·. He sla111Sthedoor shut .. Soothing darkness, sweet relief.

n• P.AmaNG ~ - GODSPEED MOTEL - ~ Loy and Sarah hustle Caleb's blanketed body to the Chevy Pickup.. Pulling open the darkened rear C011lpartment. ~e farmboy clambers in amongst all the veterinary equipment.

Loy and Sara jump into the Pickup and tear off outa there.

lll • REAR COMPAR'l'MEN'l'-CHE~ PICXUP - ~ The farmbcy_stretches himself in the shadows among the medical supplies. A little window to the fro~t seat by his head. He ducks down below it to avoid the shaft of sunlight streaming through. The vehicle bucks like a bronc.

~• ~ - CHEn PICXUP -·!2!! Loy's face is white. Foot flat on the pedal.

Sarah starts to cry.

Pedal to the metal.

~. GODSPEED COUNTY LINE - .Q!X

The Chevy Pickup RIPROllS in a cloud of dust. Dust settling on the county line of the tiny Nebraska town.

~. REAR COMPARTMENT - CHEVY PICKUP - DAY Caleb rests his head against the metal wall below the window slot. Sweating is not the word.

Loy looks through the window.

'l'hefarlllboy-stickshis hand up in front of the window by his father's face. A thin clear shaft of sunlight across the skin. Skin beginning to smoke. Loy recoils in shock. Caleb pulls his hand down and nurses it. They·drive on in silence. • 'l'hefarm.boy'seyes fall on the rubber tubing, glass beakers, shelves of medicines, instruments, and other medical equipment stored in the compartlnent. He fiddles with the apparatus. His mind working.

- The Chevy Pickup S<=m::ECHESits TIRES up the ramp.

as..

Heading due south. The sun high in a milk white sky.

'l'hesun like a red ballon.resting on the edge of the sky. Sinking behind the old homestead, cozy and famillar in the lazy farmlands. 'l'heChevy Pickup is a chute of dust funneling up the driveway. Coming to a full-brake stop in front of the farmhouse.

1El• VETERINARIAN OPERA'I'!NGROOM - COLTON F.uM - NIGH'!.'

Tha windows are curtained and shuttered. Caleb is stretched out on··theop~~ating table, his skin abnormally pale and translucent 'Under the lights·. Loy standing by him in his shirtsleeves. Metal stands by the operating table with bottles attached to th~. • Long, perilous needles on rubber tubes fitted to the bottles. 'I'he·fatherlifts a hypodermic syringe and fills it with a heavy tranquilizer. Loy looks real worried as he poises the hypo.

Loy takes a. deep breath. He uses the hypo. Caleb is knocked out. The father takes a seat pulling a metal. stand to his side. Pumps up the veins on his right arm. And inserts the needle. Draining the blood into into a bottle. 'His eyes begin to dim. Just before he loses consciousness he stops. Looking down at the bottle of blood on the floor. Loy lowers his head to his hands. Trying to get the blood back into it. The room beginning to spin. He breathes deep. And gets to work.

~• COLTON FAD - NIGHT

A moon a day shy of being full casts a bright lunar glow over the farmlands. The faJ:'lllhousesits. Everything still and quiet. Maybe too quiet.

86..

~• VETERINARIAN OPERATING ROOM - COLTON FARM - NIGHT

Caleb lies motionless. . His right ar.minjected with a needle and tube which is running his blood out into a bottle on the floor. Bad blood. His left arm also injected with a needle and tube being fed from a bottle of his father's blood hung on a stand. Loy feels for his son's pulse.. His own body in a state of complete collapse. There is a dull beating. It is enough to blur Loy's eyes with tears.· The bottle drains. He gent1y removes the· needles from· his son's arms. He slaps the side of. Caleb's face. No reaction. . . He shakes the boy's shoulders. Nothing. He hangs his head in a moment of exasperation.

EX'l'.COLTON FARM --NIGHT

The:moon lowering in the sky. Far away a star twinkles. Maybe a star.

£!!• VETERINARIAN OPERATION ROOM - COLTON FARM - NIGHT

Loy·is stroking his boy' s head with a wet cloth. His own body severely weakened from loss of blood. He slumps in a chair. Trying to fight the w:ge to sleep. Sheer will keeping him awake. He stares down at his boy. And prays. He tries one last time to wake his son. Lifting hill to his chest. Caleb's head lolls to one side. Loy starts to weep .

The kitchen door qracks open. Two smal1 eyes peer up. Loy snaps his eyes to the door. Sarah starts to cry.

Loy lets his son back down on the table. A rage reddening his features. He turns his back on the boy. Sarah rushes to his side. Winding two arms around his leg. Sobbing. Ley scoops his daughter up in his arms. Walks toward the back doer. And throws it open. Taking a big gulp of the new morning air as a bolt of sunshine falls in a clean stripe across the floor.

Hitting Caleb on the face. Ha moans. Loy and Sarah turn. Their faces widen. 'rhefa.rml:)oyclutches his face with his hands. The sun hot on his skin. 'rhensomething happens. Nothing. His skin isn't burning. There is no smoke. Ha.slowly draws his hands away looking at them unhurt in the ligh~ of day. Slowly sitting up. staring into the daytime sky .. Blinking. -Hudly· believing. Ha·'scome heme. From tha warmth seeping-through his haggard features, he's been away a long time. His sister runs to his side. Eyes wandering up to his. His hand. strokes her hair.. The,two of them in the rising flood. of sunshine. ~ears in his ayes. Loy walks- over. PUtting his hand on his· son's shoulder. Smiling. Spent, wrung-out, but wearing a shitaating grin on his face. He pulls his son to him. Thay shara a hug. Sunlight streaming in as it rises about the horizon out the open door·.

~• COLTON FABM • ~ oawn•s.early light. The ROOSTER'S CROW carries across the lands like a bugle blown. The farm awakening. Skies clearing. • 'rhescreen door of the house ClmAKS open. Caleb walks out into the wide open world. Unsure at first. Squinting into the sunshine. The veey real daylight hitting his face. Like he's never seen it before. It's becoming more familiar by the moment. The smell of grass and straw in the air. The brigh.t blue sky. He embraces it all.with his eyes. The world that he grew up in returning to give him strength. That strength washing over him. The world so simple and clean. And·his, again. • He takes off his•shirt as if meeting the daylight head on. He winds his arm around his little sister.

She regards the unsinged, healing skin on his bare chest and arms. She worriedly runs her small fingers on the barely discernable white marks ot the healed shotgun wound scar tissue. The farmboy looks down and sees the apprehension on the girl's face.

CALEB I Let I s·.goride_ a horse. ·I

Ha throws her atop his shoulders. I She giggles and kicks up her feet.. Ha smiles in the bathing sunshine.

~• FIELDS - .Q!X The sun is low. The horse- gnawing at the grass in the wide, open field. Caleb and Sarah lie in one another's arms, fast asleep on the ground. Unaware of the.time. 'l'he·farmboy'seyes drowsily open. Focusing· blurrily on the ghost of a moon visible in the blue day sky. suddenly he sits up with a start. A shiver running through him as he sees the sun is we11·on its way down. . Day has become his friend now. Night worse than his worst enemy. Bringing more than mere darkness with it. Night still a few hours off. But the horizon is darkening .

There seems to ba·soma sort of shadow on the horizonline. The farmboy blinks and it is gone. He picks up his little sister. Frightened, he-wakes her up and places her on the back of the horse.

Caleb quickly ·heavesonto.the horse. Oiggi~g his heels into its flanks.

89..

He and Sarah riding like wind toward the farm way, way, away. The roof of the world ·losing· its light.

~• COLTON FllM - DUSK

Dusk drops like stone. The two stick figures on horseback gallop into the· pen. They dismount and get indoors fast as their feet will carry them.

IN'I'.xrI'CHEN.- FAmmOUSE - DUSK - Loy is. standing by the stove. Dinner cooking. The smells seeming to rejuvinate hiln, although his appearance remains weakened and worn down. The screen door SLAMS. Caleb and Sarah enter the room. Loy smiles at the boy.

Caleb smiles at the reassuring old ritual. He opens the cupboard. His.eyes slip to the window as he takes the dishes down. The light of day dying fast. Loy catches his son's gaze. Sees·the apprehension. Caleb is still.. Day bl~_ckening.

The fal:'lDboyshifts his ayes to his father. Erasing the memory. Thought being blocked out.

A tension moves between father and son...

Caleb looks his father in the face.

He looks past Ley back to the window and the coming darkness. A shiver runs through him.

The farm sits quietly on the lone flat land. The last·light of day winks on the horizon. Then is gone.

They all eat in silence. An exchange of looks. Caleb eating very slowly. -Sarah draining a glass of milk with a straw. Then blowing bubbles. • Loy and Caleb look over. She smiles up at them mischievously. A breeze blows through the kitchen window. -rhecurtains flutter .. Sarah yawns.

r•m tired.

Her dinner allllostcompletely devoured. Loy looks over at his daughter·with. tired ~yes .

Put your dishes in the sink. I'll be up to read to you in a minute.

Sarah gathers up her plate in a small fist.

· SAllH. ~ want Caleb to read to me.

'I'helittle girl's tace brightens. She dUlllpsher dish in the sink with. a loud CLATTER.

Sarah groans audibly, taking the stairs two at a time. A stronger wind blows through the window. caleb's eyes skate to the.open windowframe. He rises to his feet. crosses to the window and reaches out to close it. something catches his ear. A taint SQUEAKING SOUND. The swing on the porch. He turns an eye·to his father. His father notches the anxiety on his son's face. The farmboy tries to hide it.

Loy nods. Shrugs. Drains his glass of milk. As Caleb walks out of the room.

9l.

PORCH - COLTON FABM - NIGH'l'

Caleb cracks open the front door. A slash of yellow light pours ·onto the wooden boards of the porch. He swings open the screen door. The swing rocking back and forth on the rafters. The girl sitting on it. Waiting for ha. Mae.1seyes like a clear, sunny summer sky. The farm.boy stands there. Listening to his heart beat. His face opens in a smile. Her·voice like a bell ..

Caleb's soft brown eyes float ever .the girl's face. She rises to her feet. • The swing becomes silent. A cool breeze blows through the porch. Mae starts to walk to caleb. The farmboy· sti~fens. Bis blood starts to pump in his veins. Hot. Be quivers at the sight of her. She advances. Caleb takes a step back. Mae:stops.

He can't take his eyes off her. Something shatters across the farmboy•s face .. Bis.eyes becoming wet. Be grits his teeth .. Coming forward like a rush of air.·. Gathering the girl tight in his arms. She winds her hands around his neck. They hold onto one another as if for life's breath. Reunited. They stare into each ether's eyes. Her hand touches his. She pulls her arm back like she was stung. Wrestling away from him. Ber eyes stabbing into his face.

She glances down at her hands that just withdrew from the touch. Caleb swallows. ?akes a step toward the girl. It's her turn to back. Down the steps of the porch. Onto the dirt driveway. Her eyes blank, fixed on him.

Caleb remains on the edge of the porch. Night long and b~ack all around them·.

Mae's eyes are ice.

Caleb starts to speak. 'l'hanstops. 'l'hewind picks up torce. Mae takes one last look at him. She spins on her·heels. And moves oft into the night. A terocity carrying her limbs out of sight. caleb litt~ his head to the sky. Pinching his eyes closed. Opening his mouth. And screaming her name.

MAE·!!.1

To deaf ears. Eyes straining into the blackness. 'l'he·girl is long gone. on. the empty·fields, only the CHANTING WHIRR of insects. Caleb turns back to the house .and walks with heavy steps.· He rips· open the screen door. And goes inside.

1!!• LIVDTG ROOM - FARMHOUSE - NIGHT

Loy is nursing a cup·ot coffee on the couch and reading the paper. . A ;-adioplays softly on the counter. He lifts his head to his son with a gentle smile. Sees the anguish in Caleb's eyes.

Caleb crosses to him and puts his hand affectionately on his old man's tired shoulder. Torn in two but keeping it inside.

Loy starts to ask. '!'henlets it go. Caleb heads for the stairs.

'rhe farmboy stops at the stairs. Looks over his shoulder with a lengthening SJ11ile.

'I'hefather smiles fir:m.

Caleb goes up the stairs.

1!f!. HALLWAY - FARMHOUSE. - NIGHT

Caleb pauses in front of Sarah's door and gives a small knock .

• CALEB Sarah, you ready for bed?

No answer.

Silence. Caleb tightens .. Slamming his·pallllflat against the door· and shoving it open. A cool breeze hits hilnin· the face like a fist. 'l'he,window wide open. . curtains blowing wildly. In the empty room.

caleb's eyes race to the window and beyond. 'l'hetown of Fix, Oklahoma glittering in the distance. And then one by one the· lights of the town begin to go off. A last one winks. And goes out. The wind comes in through the open window. Something mythic on the wings of the wind. Caleb Colton stands by the window, staring out. His hair and clothes blown about. His eyes riveted on the black shadow of the town of Fix against the night skies. Those who have taken his sister are there. He knows he must face them. His eyes hard. His face firming in resolve.

~. FARMHOUSE - COLTON FARM - NIGHT Caleb runs from the·Ford Pickup Truck to the Chevy.

94..

All tires have been slashed. The farm.beypunches the side cf the vehicle. Taking off fer the animal pens as fast as his feet will carry him.

EX'l'. HORSE~ - COLTON FllM - NIGHT - Caleb flings the saddle atop Diesel. Quickly buckling up the cinch. Putting the bridle ever the horse's head. Grabbing a fistful cf reins and hurling himself onto the animal's back. As if sensing the urgency, Diesel.takes off like a shot into the night.

~- LIVING ROOM - FAm!HOUSE - NIGHT Loy is sound asleep en the couch. out the window, the black horse and its rider disappear into the night.

~~ ROAD - NIGHT caleb gallops on. thesoft shoulder running beside the two-lane blacktop. . The darkened. town cf Fix.lying in wait in the distance. Diesel.' shooves pound the dirt. A.gigantic full m.00nspotlights the town cf Fix. In a dead black swirl cf sky. The stars have been blown out. The llll1linescenceglintsoff Caleb's iron eyes as he THUNDERS down the road on the back cf his stead.

EX'1'. ~ - NIGHT A lone figure of.the boy on.horseback slows to a trot. Going past the sign cf the town line. Caleb gives a flick on the. reins. The horse walks down the street. Past the closed down burger joint. Diesel's shadow passes- across the silent and still Tasty Freeze. Trotting on. caleb alert and aware, riding loose lilllbed, coiled for action. Eyes moving left and right. Seeing nothing. The hooves on the asphalt. The animal snorting. Silence so strong you could read by it. The whole little town deathly deserted. Like the boy is the last person in the world. Gathering ~e reins as he passes the Mini-Market and the Sheriff's station. All closed. Caleb thinks he hears something. The horse shies.

A blur of action. The animal rears. seven Van Sickle connects a steamshovel roundhouse punch to the side of the anima-l's head. The horse is knocked cold. It collapses in a heap. . Burling the farmboy head over heals onto the hard blacktop. The Savage Ona hikes- across the asphalt. A single SPOR JZNGLING. wearing a big old grin. calab is now human and the fall hurt. It takes him a while· to get to his hands and knees. When he looks up, there's Saveren standing over him. Holding out his hand real friendly like.

- CALEB

Where's my little sister, severen?

severen grabs Caleb's hand and gives him a pull. Full.strength. • Hurling him over his shoulder twenty feet through the air. Caleb comes down with a loud noise on the pavement. His single s~ ..grinds against the tarmac in a shower of sparks. The wind really knocked out of hilll. Severen smiles·. Spitting on his fingers .. Pointing one of them.

Caleb sees the rangy, sinewy cowboy coming at him. A laconic stride down the deserted strip of road. His SPOR RINGING through the shut down town. The fanil:loyhears·an ENGINE-TRUNDD in the other direction in the distance. Big, big headlights. A KENWOR'l'HEIGHT.EE.NWHEELER tractor trailer rig is coming down Main Street on its way to the highway. Caleb jumps to his feet and tears off for the vehicle. Standing directly in its onrushing path. It HONXS its HORN. Caleb flags his arms.· The gigantic truck BRAKES to a halt in a HISS of Al:Rand GRINDING GEARS. 'I'hefanu:ioyclambers up on the passenger side.

CAB - KENWORTH EIGHTEEN WHEELER-. NIGHT - Caleb throws open the.door and clilllbs.anxiously in. He is sitting beside a big, built for diesel REDNECK TRUClCER. Giving the boy one heck of a serious look.

96•.

REDNECX 'l'RO'CXER Git the fuck outa my truck.

REDNECX 'l'RYJ'CRER Gonna give you to the count of five. One...'l'Wo...Four...

The.farmboy hits the redneck trucker in the face. Knocking hill1cold.• Ee throws open the driver's door and pushes him out of the cab. Edging over behind the wheel. Wide eyed at the mind-boggling array of gears and controls.

Caleb looks out the windshield. Severen is approaching the front end of the truck. Bright as a beacon in the headlight beams. His expression calm and incredibly cold. Lik• if he gets his hands on the truck he'll turn it upside down. Caleb does a fast study of the truck.'s control panel ..

He puts one hand on the steering wheel. Throws the shift. He steps on the gas. The ENGINE stm.GES. The·truck lurches forward. Lunging like a fifteen foot high, eighteen-wheeler behemoth.

~- KENWORTR EIGHTEEN WHEELER - NIGHT

Severen tries to duck out of the way. The titantic front grill and bumper bash into him. Knocking him off balance. Twenty tons of truck dragging him under the wheels.

~• ~ - KENWORTR EIGHTEEN WHEELER - NIGHT

caleb grits his teeth. Taking his foot off the gas. Scared spitless behind the gigantic machine he is trying to restrain like breaking a wil~ mustang. It tools treacherously and powerfully down the darkened road through town. . His eyes level through the windshield at the hood of the truck.

The ENGINE RAGING in the night. Severan 1s head abruptly sticks up over the hood. Half of his face raked with tire tread marks. Ona of his steel sinewed hands comes. smashing onto the hood with such force his fingers put holes in it. Caleb gasps.· Trying to maintain his control on the steering wheel. Sevaren singlehandedly rips the hood off. Exposing the titantic 12 cylinder motor. 1'heSavage Ona begins to shear off pieces of the engine. Showers of sparks. Spewing gas. Electrical shorts. Severen puts his fist through the mctorworks. Ripping out a hand::ful.ofgears and cylinders amid geysers of. oil spraying the windshield. 'l'heENGINE HOWLS and SHRIEXS. 'l'heEighteen Wheeler· is giving up the ghost. Caleb sees the truck is about to stall. Severen is halfway onto the hood and is attempting to bust his fist through the windshield. The fa.rlllboyknows he is about.out of time. His hand goes. to the twin brakes for the cab and trailer. His eyes harden. His other hand opens the driver's door.

Colton throws· the:.brake for the cab. ' SCREAM of STEEL on STEEL. The cab jarring. Caleb leaps out the door.

~- RENWORTH EIGH'fi!E.N'WHEELER-NIGHT The fa.rlllboygoesjumping out onto the roadbed. Rolling head over heels a few times. Then he looks up. And sees it. Severen .clinging to the cab as it skids to a complete stop. The trailer it is carrying cdntinues to travel at 4~ MPH. Colliding with the cab. Crulnpling it like an accordian. The air 'I'ORNwith the EAR-SPLJ:'l''l'INGCOLLISION. The truck crushes like a tin can. EXPLODES into a million pieces. Spreading the remains of Severen Van Sickle across half the. state. ,. Caleb rises to his feet. _ The rowel of the Savage One's silver spur flips in the air end over end, dropping down on the tarmac, spinning on the ground like a nickel. Caleb flips it like a coin and sticks it in his back pocket. His awed face framed with flames.

~• ROAD - NIGHT 'rhefires burn down. smoke fanned and thinned by passing WINOS. Caleb raises his head. Looks out beyond the smouldering wreckage. 'l'hroughthe smoke. Down the darkened street, silhouetted by a pair of headlights of an idling station wagon, stand Jesse, Diamondback, and Mae. 'l'heyara standing side by side and facing the straw haired farmboy·. • caleb takes a deep breath, closing his fists at his sides. Jesse's eyes blacken as they land on Caleb's face. A. rage passes behind his eyes· ..

caleb 1s voice vibrates off ~uilda.ngs.

:3fuB WBDE'S MY SIS'l'ER,JESS?!!

Jesse's lips curi in a sneer.

Caleb stares at the row of faces~ Moving from Jesse to Diamondback.

He turns a desperate eye on Mae.

Mae whirls on Jesse with a fierceness in her eyes.

'l'hesilvered hair ripples with a slight toss of his head.

Diamondback disappears into the night.

• Suddenly the hi-beams pop on on the Station Wagon.- Caleb's eyes dart to the vehicle.

lli!• S'l'ATIONWAGON - NIGHT

Sarah takes her fingers away from the hi-beam sw:itch. 'I'Urnsher tear soaked face to Homer.

Who is crawling over the front seat. Trying his level best to be charming.

The Little one pins the little girl. down in the seat. She makes like she likes him for a minute. curling her hand around a larga flashlight on the dashboard. Homer smiles lovingly as he inches forward. He wraps his hand over Sarah's wrist. And bears down. Happily. She gulps .. Homer's face •ctriftstowards hers. His lips curling back in a smile. His teeth near har·neck. Sarah quakes·. Tears streaming down her cheeks. Fear paralyzing her. The little boy starts to fasten on her neck. His eyes· close.

~• ROAD - NIGHT Caleb's face turns leathery. He moves on Jesse.

The Silvered One smiles. Watching the stark form of Diamondback appear behind Caleb's back. . Quietly dropping the pearl handled blade out of her cuff into her hand. Raising it to throw. Jesse silences Mae with a hand over her face. Caleb keeps coming on.

1!!• STATION WAGON - NIGHT Sarah clubs Homer over the head with the flashlight. A startled Homer breaks his grip for an instant. In.that instant, Sarah rips open the station Wagon door and tears outside.

~• ROAD - NIGHT Caleb almost has his hands on Jesse. Diamondback raises the blade behind her head. Mae is too scared to speak. The car door bursts open and the little girl runs wildly down the street. 'I'hefarmboy spots her. She spots Diamondback in the nick of time.

l.00.

Caleb ducks. Diamondback throws the knife. It plunges through the air. Ilnbedding in Jesse's face. 'l'haPale one gasps. . 'l'heSilvered One snarls in anger, pulling out the blade. Caleb dives·through the burning wreckage of the truck to sweep his baby sister up in his arms and carry her off into the night. Jessa takes one handed aim on their fleeing figures with the Celt.Peacemaker. Finger closing on the trigger-. Mae knocks. into him as the gun GOES OFF•. Bullet hitting air. 'l'heSilvered ··one whirlson .the girl in a red-faced rage. She ·averts her eyes.

~• FLA'l'LANDS- NIGHT Ca1eb takes off into the flatlands that surround the town. s·arahin his arms with her own arms wrapped around his neck. Burying her scared face in his chest. Full moon high and mighty.

~• ROAD - NJ:GH'I' Jessa· squints· intothe fields and sees them hurrying off. He bounds to the Station Wagon and shoves Diamondback in alongside Homer. Mae stands alone on the road. Her face a maze of emotions. The Silvered Ona slides behind'.the wheel and REVS on the ENGINE. HONXS the HORN.

She hesitates. Her eyes spill with tears as she ducks into the car. It· takes off in a SCREECH of TIRES. Rocketing off the ~oad.

~• FLATLANDS - NIGHT The distant frantic Y~PPDiG of coyotes. Tall grasses bending in the wind. Dust trailing up beneath Caleb's footsteps as he plunders forward. A flat black twist of sky that shows signs of paling at the edges. Sarah is tight in his arms. His breathing in loud gasps. He gulps air. The terrain dipping and rising. Holes and ruts.

He trips. Falling face first in the dirt. Sarah goes sprawling to the ground in a heap.

Sarah races off. •Caleb scrambles to his teat. A shattering pain in his leg. Ha clutches his ankle. watching-the little girl go. Moonlight glistening on her shiny blonde hair as it flows in the air with her flight. The tarmboy staggers after her.. Losing· sight of her in the darkness of night.

~• STA~ION WAGON - FLATLANDS - NIGHT - The vehicle- pitches and leaps over the rough.land. Two white cones of light floating over the ground. oust rising in the headlights. Than the figure of a small girl. Running. smack into the light. Suddenly stopping. • Pinned in the lights ..

~- FLATLANDS - NIGHT Caleb, running with a limp, scans the blackened land. He forages ahead. Listening to a lone shrill cry beneath a slowly brightening sky.

SllAH (O.S.) CALEB!

Caleb swings his head around. Sees a pair of red taillights streaking· toward the highway in the distance. His tace explodes in a blooathirsty scream.

Jesse's hands tighten around the wheel· as he accelerates toward the road. Diamondback glances toward the back seat. Homer hugs a struggling, breathless Sarah to his chest. Face beaming. Mae turns her eye to the back window. Jesse' s gaze flits to the sky. .

102 ..

Ha steers the vehicle up over the last of the fields and out onto the tarmac. The Wagon picks up speed.

~- ROAD - PRE-DAWN Caleb lurches onto the highway. In a dead run. Mouth sucking air. Feet pounding the pavement. The taillights moving steadily down· the blacktop. He looks up at the sky. Growing paler by the minute. He shakes. his fists at the coming day as if beckoning it forth.

~• S'I'A'l'J:ONWAGON-PRE-DAWN

Mae's eye~ still holding out the back window. She sees the speck that is calab running after them. Rapidly receding. An agony races behind her gaze. She glances over at Sarah. Homer holding a. hand over the little girl.' smouth and pushing th• hair from the sun warmed. skin of her neck. Mae turns back ·to the window.

Streaks of light bleaching the sky. Caleb scrambling along the blacktop and broken white lines. Running full steam ahead after the speeding Station Wagon. Lungs allllostbursting·.

~. STATION WAGON.-· PRE-DAWN

Jesse looks worried as he ayes the sky. Mae returns her sight to Caleb, a mere spot on the road. Something in her erupts. She leaps out of her seat. Ripping Sarah from Homer's grasp. Scrambling over the backseat. Smashing her al:'minto the back window. Glass spiderwebbing. She dives cut of the moving vehicle with the little girl in her arms.

Sunrise. Mae slams onto the pavement. Shielding Sarah from the illlpactwith her body. The Station Wagon brakes in an ear-splitting SCREECH of TIRES. Mae and Sarah claw tc their feet and start to run to Caleb. Sunlight beginning to singe Mae's skin. Caleb's face widens in an unbelieving stare.

Ha takes off for them as fast as his feet will carry him. Lungs bleeding. Mae and Sarah put~ing some yardage between them and the Wagon. caleb getting close. From out of the rear window of the Station Wagon, Homer appears .. Leaping onto the pavement and breaking into a dead run. Skin beginning to smoke. Mae's skin starting to smoke. Her eyes starting to close. Her feet staggering along the asphalt. '?ha sun cresting the rim of the world. A wall of light like a.blazing wave. Her. ayes roll up in their sockets. Sarah scampers with all. her· strength toward her approaching brother .. Homer overtakes Mae,· screaming in anguish. His hands stretch out to snatch Sarah. Shilnmaring rays of sun alighting on his body. As he explodes in a small ball of flames. Igniting like the head of a match. The sparks licking into the air. Then dissolving .into pure ash. Inches away from the little girl. As she throws her· a:rms around her brother. And he sweeps her up in his own. Mae· is smoking in the sun:. Her legs give out from under her. Sha collapses on the. pavement. Caleb throws off his jacket and dives on top of her with it. Using his coat and hi~ body to completely shield her from the sun. Stroking her hair with his hand. Shushing her. •

~-. STATION WAGON'.- DAWN

Light streaking the windshield. Diamondback covering her face with a.blanket. Jessa letting his skin blacken as his face grows steadily grim. He cranks the wheel savagely, turning the vehicle around. Slamming bis foot down·on the accelerator.

EX'l'.ROAD -·DAWN

Sarah buries her eyes in her hands at the sight of Homer. Caleb adjusts himself so that he covers every.bit of Mae's body. Tucking his jacket. around her face and kissing her hair. ·An ENGINE NOISE makes, him lift his head. He looks into the nose of a Station Wagon bearing down on him. He sucks wind. Shouts to his sister.

She backs onto the road shoulder, panic in her eyes. Caleb stares into the windshield of the Wagon. And. locks eyes with the silver haired driver. A venom pass~s between that look. The sun rising in the sky. Heating up the blacktop. Caleb folds his arms around the still body of Mae on the ground. A single tear drops to the dust. The light grows bright. Day has arrived. • Caleb stares steel into the Silvered one's eyes through the sunshiney windshield. The.Wagon nears. Sarah screams.

The daylight, like a nuclear afterburn, ripping through the transparent windshield. Hitting Jesse square in the chest. A fire begins to glow in the driver's seat. A fire that was Jesse Hooker .. ·The.station Wagon blows to smithereens. A silence falls. 'I'helone road stretching for miles and miles. Sunlight rising up over the land. A shaken faJ:lllboy huddles on top of theyoung girl in the middle of the road. • A little girl comes over and cries into her big brother's arms.. A small fire burns beside a larger fire. Smoke curling up. A gentle breeze blowing down ..

'rm:ScimEN SLOWLY FADES '1'0COMPLE'I'EBLACXNESS. NOTHING :strrCA.RX.

~ • VE'I'ERDTARIANOPEllTING ROOM - COLTON FARM - ~

Blinding eruption of-blazing daylight. A.pair of hands have thrown open the shutters. The sun so high in the sky splashing the room with light. caleb stands aside, anxiously watching someone on the table. Mae is spread out. The blood transfusion apparat~s rising· above her. A bandage on her arm. The weakened, wearied farlllboyfingers a bandage on his own a.rm. Sarah and Loy stand by, waiting. Caleb walks over to the girl and lightly shakes her. After a moment her eyes open. She sees the sun staring her in the face. She cries out. Mae grabs onto Caleb's shirt and clings to him desperately. Then she realizes. She isn't burning. Her eyes jump to Caleb's.

... •.•. .. l.05.

The farmboy gives his sister and his father a smile. He hugs his girl to him. Her breathl!:!SS whisper in his ear.

He takes her by the hand. Mae blinks with the attitude of a newborn infant. Not believing she is -still alive in the face of the sun. Getting off the table, she walks with Caleb to the window and _stands. Gazing out in wonde:cnent at the-sprawling fields and sunny flatlands. The·bruises ·and welts on her-face are beginning to heal. There is a tear in her eye as she looks over to Caleb.

She goes with hill"out the door.

~. COLTON FARM - .Q!! A wall of sunlight on the pastoral fields at high noon. The animals- in the pens. Ocgs scampering about.

She ·just starts giggl.ing. Looking around her. Smelling the fresh air. Seeing all the daytime farm sights. caJ.eb puts his arm around her. He's been.there.

They lean back against a fence. Their eyes meet. And-their lips. A loving embrace. Leng and warm. The farlllhousesmall behind them. The front doer opening. Somebody small, Slllilingout. Sarah taking.off in a dead run for her brother. Beneath the bright sun in a talcum blue sky. She yelps. Jumps back inside. Recoiling into the cooling darkness of the farlllhouse. Looking at the wisp of smoke rising from the skin of her arm.