"Copyright from ecOtOne™" "I'm comin' out now." "I'm tired, I want something different." "I just want to have a conversation." "I just want to talk about it." "Shit." "What the shit, man?" "Suck it!" "Drive." "How old is she?" "A junior." "She's got nice titties. yöu talk to her?" "No." "yöu're gonna have to talk to her." "I know." "Remind me when we get back to my house." "I think Galen's got a book on that." "Shit." "yöur dad would kill us if he knew we went out there." "I'm not worried about my dad killing' us." "We need to move if we're gonna make it back." "Set yöur watch, we need a good 15 minutes." "There it is!" "Galen says it's been here awhile." "He thinks the last flood did it." "Oh, hold it." "Look." "Little shits." "There it is." "Yeah." "There it is." "Came down from up there." "Motor's gone." "Who else knows about this?" "Just me and Galen." "What's he think?" "He don't care about it." "Good." "Because this boat's ours." "This is perfect." "Holy shit." "Dude." "Oh!" "Son of a bitch!" "Whoa." "Those are awesome." "Man." "Neck." "Dude, look at that babe, yöu gotta see this." " Neck." " What?" "Someone's here." "What?" "Someone's living here." "Shit." "We gotta go." "Can't be late." " What are yöu doing?" " I saw that same boot print up in the tree." "It's got a cross in the heel." "Somebody's been in our boat." "Shit." "Let's go!" "We gotta go if yöu wanna make it back." "Takes twice as long goin' upriver." "Hold on." "Up there, they stop." "Where the hell'd he go?" "I don't know." "Shit, yöu know that guy?" "I've never seen him before." "Shit." "What'd yöu say, boy?" "It's a hell of a thing, ain't it?" "What's that?" "Boat in a tree." "Hell of a thing." "yöu talkin' about our boat?" "Talkin' about my boat." "We found it." "Yeah, yöu found it with me livin' in it." "Possession is nine-tenths of the law." "yöu got crosses in yöur heels." "Nails." "Shaped like crosses." "What for?" "Ward off evil spirits." "Bought 'em from a man I called an Indian, but he was a Mexican," "said they were seven-league boots worn by the seventh son of the seventh son." "Told me they'd turn me into a werewolf, that's a lie." "I don't know nothin' about that." "They just good luck boots." "As yöu can see, they ain't working too well so far." "What's yöur name?" "I'm Neckbone, he's Ellis." "And, mister, I know yöu're not the owner of that boat, not for nine-tenths of nothin'." "Neckbone..." "That's a heck of a good handle, son." "Where y'all from?" "What do yöu care where we're from?" "DeWitt." "Arkansas boys." "Y'all had me worried for a second." "We supposed to know yöu?" "I doubt it." "I grew up around here, but I've been gone awhile." "Where at around here?" "Different places." "Spent a lot of time back up near the White." "yöu know Shelly's Oxbow?" "Ellis." "Yeah, I know it." "An old man named Tom Blankenship used to live up in there." "He still does." "His boat's across from mine." "Well, ain't that somethin'?" "Hmm..." "Now, I like yöu two boys. yöu remind me of me." "Seein' as how yöu two is from Arkansas, and we know some of the same people and we grew up in some of the same places," "I reckon we can make a deal for somethin'." "A deal for what?" "Food." "Food for a boat." "He's a bum, Ellis." "Come on." "Why don't yöu go get yöur own food?" "Well, I would if I could." "See, I told somebody I'd meet 'em here." "So..." "I'm stuck for now and what I've got is runnin' low." "He's a bum, Ellis, come on." "I ain't no bum." "I got money, boy." "yöu can call me a hobo, 'cause a hobo will work for his living, and yöu can call me homeless 'cause..." "Well, that's true for now, but yöu call me a bum again," "I'm gonna teach yöu somethin' about respect yöur daddy never did." "When they show up, yöu'll leave?" "Yup." "And when yöu leave, that boat's ours?" "That's right." "I'm just in a tight spot." "Could use a little help." "We gotta go." "yöu get his name?" "No." "Sorry." "Where ya been?" "Me and Neck got caught up helping' Galen." "yöu're supposed to be helpin' me." "I had to load this myself." "I know." "I'm sorry." "Get on in the back, can't be later than we are." "Supposed to be 10." "It's 10, yöu do yöur share." "I loaded this morning, makes it five." "Can yöu drop me at Neck's?" "Hadn't yöu seen enough of him today?" "Said he had somethin' for me." "yöu see any more of them Ding Dongs over there?" "What did Mama want to talk to yöu about?" "What?" "This morning?" "What did she want to talk to yöu about?" "yöu spy on me in my own house?" "I wasn't spying', I just heard y'all." "That's yöur mother's business." "I came for that book." "Oh, yeah." "Gotta give it a minute." "Hear that music?" "Yeah?" "That means he's doin' it." "That's his doin' it song." "yöu know who it is?" "Whoever's drivin' that Pontiac." "yöu tell Galen about this morning?" "Nah. yöu tell anybody?" "That guy's crazy." "I don't know." "I think he just needed a little help." "He can swim his ass off that island and get some." "I think I'm gonna go back out there," "give him some food." " Why?" "yöu're Neckbone, right?" "Yeah." "Word of advice." "Don't grow up to be like yöur shit heel uncle." "Hey- yöu hear me?" "yöu treat a woman like a princess, got it?" "Yeah." "Come on, baby!" "I'm a goddamn princess!" "That's uncalled for." "Hey, a lot of people are comfortable with that kind of thing in the bedroom." "Some people aren't." "We know that about yöu now, okay?" "What do yöu think I am?" "Pearls." "Galen finds 'em in the mussel shells." "Come on, let's get that book." " yöu weren't having' any fun?" " No!" " No fun at all?" " No!" "Please don't go." "I don't want yöu goin' back out there by yöurself." "That river's scary enough with two people." "I don't trust that guy." "Here it is." "Galen said that really turned things around for him." "Thanks." "Watch out for that dog." "yöu really goin' back out there?" "Yeah." "I think it's the right thing to do." "All right." "I'll be over in the mornin' then." "Hey, that's a good book." "Be sure yöu do the worksheets in back." "Let's get some dinner, Neck." "Hey, I'll call before I come." "All right." "yöu okay, Mama?" "Yes." "Are yöu hungry?" "yöu want me to fix yöu something?" "I'm all right." "Well, then, I'm going to turn in." "Hey, Dad." "What do yöu know about Tom Blankenship?" "What?" "Mr. Blankenship, what do yöu know about him?" "Why?" "I don't know." "He just looks lonely over there all by himself." "Some people move to this river to work on it, and some people move here to be left alone." "I want us to try and sit down for dinner tonight, okay?" "Ellis?" "Be home by 7:00." "Yes, ma'am." "Where do yöu think he's at?" "Let's try the boat." "Looks like he made camp." "yöu think he's up there?" "What are yöu doin'?" "I try to never sleep in the same spot twice." " What yöu got there?" " Brought yöu some food." "Here, take it." "I owe yöu boys." "I was gonna try and run a trotline this afternoon." "See where that got me." "Mmm." "Green beans never tasted so good." "Why yöu have that pistol?" "Protection." "Y'all needn't be afraid of me." "I've got two ways to protect myself out here, this shirt and this pistol." "There are fierce powers at work in the world, boys." "Good, evil, poor luck, best luck." "As men, we've got to take advantage where we can." "Y'all comin'?" "So who's this guy yöu're waiting on?" "Oh, I'm not waitin' on no guy." "I'm waitin' on my girlfriend." " Juniper." " Is she hot?" "She's beautiful." "Bullshit!" "Prettiest girl I've ever seen, hands down." "Blonde hair, long legs." "I tell yöu, she's like a dream yöu don't want to wake up from." "She's got these birds tattooed on her hands here." "Nightingales." "Good luck birds." "That a good luck snake?" "No, it is not." "I hate snakes." "That's because God put 'em here for us to fear." "We knew to be afraid of snakes long before we ever even got into this world." "The Cherokee would wrap their pregnant women's bellies in snake skin." "Induce labor, scare the child out." "Put that around yöur bed at night." "Snake won't cross a braided rope." "Thanks." "So what's that tattoo for then?" "A reminder." "Don't get bit." "I was 10, swimming' about a mile up from here, me and Juniper." "Son of a bitch swam up on me, bit me right here up under the armpit." "Juniper got me off to the clinic." "Doctor said I should have been dead in 20 minutes." "Took us over an hour just to get to town." "So what'd they do for it?" "Gave me the anti-venom." "Cottonmouth." "See here?" "Thing with anti-venom is, they can only give it to yöu once." "Made of horse blood." "Body would reject it a second time." "So the cure becomes more dangerous than the poison." "What happens if yöu get bit again?" "I die or just sweat it out." "We gotta go help Neck's uncle." "All right." "yöu never said yöur name." "Mud." "yöu can call me Mud." "Here, Mud." "I think yöu need this worse than I do." "I'll be all right." "yöu start dating', I bet her dad'll give yöu a free pickup." "I don't care about that." "What the hell are yöu doing?" "Where yöu goin'?" "Stop it!" "Stop it!" "God!" "Hey" "Holy shit, Pryor, get off yöur ass!" "yöu only got what yöu deserve!" "That's right, go home, Pryor!" "Do I know yöu?" "I'm Ellis, that's Neck." "We went to junior high with yöu before yöu went to high school." "How old are yöu?" "Fourteen." "yöu know yöu just punched a senior." "So?" "I'm May Pearl." "I know." "What else do yöu know?" "Nothing." "Son of a bitch." "Ellis." "Ellis!" "Look." "yöu ever seen that girl before?" "No." "Did yöu see her hands?" "Hey, girl!" "Hey!" "Hey, girl, where yöu goin'?" "That ain't even cool." "Hello?" "Oh, sorry." "We think we know a guy that might know that girl over there." " Oh." " May Pearl, let's go!" "Okay." "Okay, I guess I'll see yöu." "If yöu can find my number, yöu should give me a call." "I can find it." "Where'd she go?" "Into the Piggly Wiggly." "She came from the motel." "Home for dinner?" "What yöu hiding' for?" "I ain't hiding'." "Come over here." "yöu know I love yöu?" "Yes, sir." "I know." "I work yöu hard, 'cause life is work." "yöu know that?" "Yes, sir." "yöur mom is talkin' about movin' into town." "What's that mean?" "She seems set on it, wants to separate." "May even ask for a divorce." "What's that mean for me?" "It means enjoy this river, son." "Enjoy it while yöu live on it." "'Cause this way of life isn't long for this world." "River Authority's about made certain of that." "But yöu and me, we can still live out here, right?" "R.A. can't take yöur boat." "Not while yöu're still livin' in it." "This houseboat's in yöur mother's name." "Her daddy gave it to her, not to me." "She wants to leave it." "River Authority's got every right to come in here and tear this place apart board by board." "That ain't right." "yöu work outta here." "We got the ice machine." "The traps." "What are we supposed to do?" "Like I said, that's yöur mother's business." "I ain't no townie." "I ain't livin' like that." "I've let yöu down, son." "Man is supposed to be in charge of his own affairs, but I haven't worked it like that." "But y'all are married." "Y'all are supposed to love each other." "I don't know about that anymore." "Hey, Ellis." "yöu're late." "Ellis?" "Damn, boy, what yöu doin' out here?" "I got yöu some Beanie Weenie." "I appreciate that." "But I didn't expect yöu out here at night." "Oh, look at that." "Boy, yöu really know how to do somebody right." "I wasn't gonna say nothin', but it's pretty tough to make a meal out of pumpkin pie filling'." "That's all my mom had." "Oh, I ain't complaining'." "Can I get one of those?" "They're yöurs to begin with." "That's good, right?" "yöu been out here too long." "Mmm-hmm." "The girl yöu're waitin' on, she's yöur girlfriend?" "Juniper." "Yeah." "How'd yöu meet her?" "We grew up together." "yöu love her?" "I do." "First time I saw her was on this river, just up from here." "She saved my life." " From the snake bite." " Mmm-hmm." "I was yöunger than yöu are right now." "When I came to in the hospital and she was there, it was like the whole world just split wide open and come back together new." "I knew from then on I'd do anything for her." "Why aren't y'all married then?" "I've asked." "Several times." "Marriage just don't work for some people." "My dad says my parents might be getting a divorce." "I'm sorry to hear that." "They say if it happens, and my mom moves us off the river, the government can come take our boat." "Who says that?" "Everybody." "They passed a law." "I saw Juniper today." "What?" "She had the birds tattooed on her hands." "Just like yöu said." "yöu're right." "She's pretty." "Where'd yöu see her?" "At the Piggly Wiggly" "I think she's staying at a motel nearby there." "That's good news." "That's real good news." "She know yöu're out here?" "No." "No, we, uh..." "We said we'd meet somewhere else, a couple days from now." "yöu wanna go tonight?" "I can take yöu up river." "Tomorrow." "I'll go tomorrow." "yöu want me to come and get yöu?" "No, I can manage." "Hell, I made it out here, didn't I?" "It's a hell of a thing, ain't it?" "It's a hell of a thing." "Time to get up." "It's too early." "I'm going to Wal-Mart and I need yöu to come with me." "Mom." "Come on." "Ellis, I know what yöur father told yöu last night." "That's..." "That's not what I wanted." "I wanted to sit yöu down and talk about it." "What do yöu want to talk about?" "yöu want to leave and that means they can tear up our house." "Well, I spent my whole life on that boat." "I don't think it's too much to ask..." "Oh, no." "Oh, I hope no one's hurt." "I'm just sayin' there are two sides to this." "yöu know, I haven't made up my mind yet, because I wanted yöu to be involved with my decision." "But I need a change, Ellis." "I deserve one." "I think they're searching people." "How yöu doin' today, ma'am?" "I'm all right, how are yöu?" "I'm doin' just fine." "Have yöu seen or picked up any hitchhikers today?" "No, sir." "Okay, could yöu open the back for me, please?" "It's open." " Okay." "Ma'am, have yöu seen this man?" "No, sir." "Son, have yöu?" "No." "Okay, well, there's been reports that he's in the area." "So if yöu see him, just call 9-1-1 for us, okay?" " Okay." " What'd he do?" "What'd he do?" "Move along, please." "Neck, Neck, pick up!" "I knew it!" "I told yöu that crazy son of a bitch was trouble." "Did yöu tell him where he is?" "No, that's why I called yöu." "He needs to know people are looking for him." "yöu think he doesn't know that already?" "Jesus, Ellis." "Why do yöu even think he's on that island?" "Ellis, I'm serious." "We don't know who this guy is." "He loves her, Neck." "He told me." "I don't give a shit who he loves." "He's not dangerous." "it sounds like a shitload of state troopers thinks different." "No tellin' where the hell he's been sleepin'." "He might be gone already." "Shit." "Sorry, boys, but I'm going to have to go back on our deal for the boat." "I don't feel good about it, but I don't see any other way out of what I'm into." "So yöu know about the state troopers?" "What state troopers?" "The ones spreadin' yöur picture all over the place." "Stoppin' cars on the 165, searching for yöur ass." "No, I don't know about that." "But it don't surprise me, I got a lot of folks lookin' for me." "Why?" "I shot a man." "Killed him." "I'm sorry I didn't tell yöu boys sooner, but I was hopin' to be long gone before anything came of it." "Didn't want y'all involved." "Look, y'all been real good to me." "yöu're the only friends I got out here." "If troopers got 165 blocked, that means they got other roads blocked, too." "So I ain't goin' to get nowhere in a car." "I want to try getting this boat down." "See if we can get it in the water." "See, with a boat like this, I can make it to the Gulf in two days." "Heck, from there, I can get anywhere." "But I need a boat at least this big to make it on the open water." "It's got no title, no owner, nobody lookin' for it." "It's my best shot." "Who'd yöu kill?" "Just a bad piece of business." "Y'all don't need to hear about it." "I need to hear about it." "Juniper, she..." "She made a mistake." "Hooked up with this guy." "He was no good." "His name was..." "Hutchins." "His family owns a chain of restaurants down in Texas." "Where were yöu?" "I was around, but me and Juniper was on the outs." "She met him, he sold her on a pack of lies, he got her pregnant." "That's when he started showin' who he really was." "He dropped her down a flight of stairs after whooping' her half to death." "She lost the baby, he made it so..." "Doctors say she can't even have children no more." "There are things yöu can get away with in this world and there are things yöu can't." "I tracked him down, found him in a little motel outside of San Antonio, he was there" "with another woman." "That's..." "That's where it happened." "So I understand if yöu boys don't want to help me no more." "But I need this boat." "And I need to get it into the water, fast." "I made a list of things we're going to need." "What yöu think?" "yöu did it for her?" "To protect her?" "Yeah." "What yöu think?" "I think yöu want us to run around, sticking' our necks out, getting everything yöu need just so yöu can take our boat." "That's about it." "What do we get out of it?" "What yöu want?" "What about that pistol?" "Only two things I got out here worth anything." "This shirt." "And this pistol." "And I can't give yöu this shirt, 'cause I need it for protection." "But if yöu help me get this boat in the water, the pistol, it's yöurs." "What kind is it?" "A .45." "Got to get this boat floating' first." "All right." "All right, y'all scrounge what yöu can off this list, but if we're gonna do this right, we're gonna need more help." "Can yöu fetch Tom for me?" "Tom Blankenship?" "Yeah, I was hopin' to let that old assassin sit this one out." "We're gonna need him to get things that y'all can't." "Can yöu find him?" "I know where he lives, but I've never talked to him." "Just tell him my name, he'll know." "Hey, boys." "Thanks." "Don't lose my pistol." "yöu coming?" "Nah, I'll watch the boat." "Why are yöu hunting' me?" "Are yöu deaf, boy?" "I said why are yöu hunting' me?" "I ain't hunting' yöu." "What's yöur business here?" "I come to find yöu." "I got a message for yöu." "yöu Senior's boy?" "Yes, sir." "What yöu got to say to me that he can't tell me himself?" "It ain't from him." "Mud sent me." "Mud?" "Yes, sir." "What yöu know about him?" "He told me to come find yöu." "yöur daddy know about this?" "No, sir." "Mud needs yöur help." "Where is he?" "There he is." "yöu think that's his daddy?" "I don't know." "Sir." "Where is she?" "In town." "Got here yesterday." "What are yöu doing out here like this, Mud?" "I killed that last man she was with, Tom." "He had it comin', too." "yöu have been doggin' this girl yöur whole life." "She's run yöu halfway across the country and back." "And for what?" "For this!" "Be stuck out here on this island like this!" "Beggin'!" "A murderer now!" "A thief!" " I ain't no thief, Tom..." " No?" "What would yöu call it then?" "Not to mention dragging' these boys into this..." "Man, he's really giving it to him." "yöu got any idea what yöu're doin'?" "I'm right ashamed of yöu, Mud." "Don't expect any help from me, 'cause there's none to be given." "All right, I'm ready." "Where yöu goin'?" "Hey!" "God damn it." "yöu all right?" "Looks like we're on our own, Ellis." "I didn't want to have to ask yöu to be the one to do this, but I need to get this letter to Juniper." "Can yöu take it to her for me?" "Yeah." "All right, now listen up." "yöu got to be careful, all right?" "yöu can't just walk up and knock on her door." "yöu hear me?" "yöu gotta watch yöurself." "I can handle it." "Get that to her." "All right." "All right." "Watch yöurself, Ellis." "yöu Mud's daddy?" "Mud don't have no daddy." "No mama either, as far as I could tell." "He was livin' in the woods when I first met him." "yöunger than yöu are now." "yöu boys need to watch yöurselves now." "What Mud's into is somethin' yöu don't want to be involved in." "yöu best forget about him, yöu hear?" "Which one?" "Let's start at the top." "Work our way down." "All right." "What yöu want?" "We're sellin' fish." "Would yöu like to buy some?" "Fish?" "I don't want to buy no damn fish." "Keep lying' and I'll crack yöur nose open!" "Keep lying'!" "yöu hear me, trash?" "Where is that guy?" "Who are yöu?" "Who the hell are yöu?" "He send yöu?" "yöu know this man?" "Look at it!" "Do yöu know this man?" "Fish!" "Fish!" "We're just selling' fish!" "Fish..." "I know yöu know where he is." "And I swear to God," "I'll cut a hole through every one of yöu to find him." "We know yöu came here for him, and we know he's too stupid to leave here without yöu." "So whenever he sticks his head up out of whatever shithole he's hidin' in," "I'm gonna be there." "yöu tell him that." "yöu need to mind yöur business, boy." "yöu Okay?" "Yeah." "Man, he popped yöur eye." "Let me see yöur face." "Oh, God, I'm so sorry." "Here, hold this on there." "Thank yöu." "I'll buy yöur fish, okay?" "How much do yöu want for the whole cooler?" "Mud sent us to give yöu this." "yöu know Mud?" "Yeah, we know him." "Says, "Hold tight."" "We know, we read it." "Well, do yöu know how long hold tight is?" "ELLIS:" "I think it's just a couple days." "He wants to get a boat for y'all." "God..." "Tell him I'll wait." "But I don't want y'all gettin' involved." "So yöu tell him what I said and let that be it." "I don't want yöu gettin' in any trouble." "We'll be all right." "Just keep yöur door locked." "We'll be in touch." "Wait." "What's yöur name?" "I'm Ellis, he's Neckbone." "Thank yöu, Ellis." "We gotta go." "Let's go, hard on." "Hello?" "Is May Pearl there?" "Hey, it's Ellis." "In the phone book." "Tomorrow?" "Yeah, I can meet yöu." "Okay." "Bye." "We got more, but no motor." "This will work for now." "Ellis, yöu get her my note?" "Yeah." "Where'd yöu get that shiner from?" "When we came up on Juniper's room, there was this guy in there, he was beatin' up on her." "Ellis rushed him." "Got smacked for it." "What'd he look like?" "I don't know, he was tall." "Looked like a cowboy." "Light hair slicked back?" "Yeah." "Thank yöu for looking after her." "His name's Carver, he's the brother of the man I killed." "If he's here, there's plenty more comin'." "More what?" "Bounty hunters." "Carver's rotten, but his old man, that's the one to be scared of." "He'll spend every dime he's got to make sure I'm dead." "If it was up to me," "I'd lay the whole family down, same as the other." "Ain't a decent man between them." "Now, look here." "Listen to me, if yöu see that old man, don't yöu go near him." "He's the triple six real deal scratch." "What's a scratch?" "It's the devil himself." "Let's unload the rest of this, get it up top." "Now, what are yöu waitin' for?" "Shut up." "All right, Ellis." "Can yöu climb that trunk," "choke this off that limb?" " Yeah." "Tie it in a bowline knot, yöu know it?" "I'm not stupid." "Neck, I need yöu to start cuttin' line in 15 two-foot pieces." "Count two foot as long as yöur arm." "Be careful." "What's so special about that shirt yöu'd lose yöur pistol for it?" "It's got a wolf's eye sewn into the sleeve." "More protection than a bullet ever gave." "Tom swears by it." "Tom said he wasn't yöur daddy." "He's the closest thing to a father I've ever had." "I never met my parents." "It's hard, not knowin' those yöu came from." "My Uncle Galen tells me things about 'em." "He's the one that takes care of me." "Yeah." "Tom did that for me." "What'd yöu mean when yöu called Tom an assassin?" "Tom's had lives yöu'd never even know about." "Grew up, up North." "Went to Yale." "For a long time, he was a paid assassin for the CIA." "Lived in Cuba in '63." "Shoot, he's killed more people than yöu all probably ever met." "Neck, how's that line comin'?" "If yöu're gonna do it, do it!" "This shit's crazy." "One down." "Come on." "Wanna sit down?" "Hey, yöu must really like to fight." "Not really." "yöu got a lot of friends." "They're all right." "I don't know all of them." "I bet yöu're pretty popular." "Why do yöu say that?" "Because yöu're nice to people." "How do yöu know that?" "yöu're nice to me." "But I like yöu." "I got yöu something." "A bracelet?" "Yeah." "Neckbone's uncle finds them in the river and collects the pearls, and I thought with yöur name and everything..." "Thank yöu." "yöu wanna be my girlfriend?" "TOM: yöu've been seeing Mud?" "No." "yöu don't have to lie to me, boy." "I've seen yöu running around, taking things." "He all right?" "He's okay." "He called yöu an assassin." "How long have yöu known Mud?" "A few days." "That's long enough to know he's full of shit." "So, it's not true?" "I was a sharpshooter for awhile in the Marines." "In Mud's world, that's an assassin." "But it's not exactly true, right?" "Yeah, I guess." "Assassin." "yöu think he's a badass, don't yöu?" "I don't know." "yöu know why he's stuck off on that island?" "Yeah." "He shot somebody." "yöu know why he shot that man?" "'Cause he hurt Juniper?" "Right." "The real reason Mud's in all the trouble he's got is because of her." "He's been in love with that girl since he was yöur age." "Trouble is she don't care about nobody but herself." "I've told him as much." "She'd bed down with the meanest snake she could find, and then when things got bad, she'd go runnin' back to Mud." "He'd take her back." "Then he'd go find whatever unlucky son of a bitch laid a hand on her and beat him so bad he'd know never to touch her again." "Only this time, I guess he figured beating' wasn't good enough, he had to go shoot that feller." "I'm not for sure, but I'd put money on it that she knew he'd do it." "She might even put him up to it." "Either way, those two are set for failure." "The only chance he's got is to cut her loose." "That'll never happen." "But I tell yöu what, Mud's no badass." "He's runnin' scared right now..." "I've got to go." "yöu're wrong about Juniper." "They love each other and they're going to make it." "If yöu weren't such a worn out old man, yöu'd know it was true." "What do yöu say, Ellis?" "I got more stuff." "Yeah?" "Did yöu find a motor?" " Not yet." " Oh." "What's that?" "Bonfire's my all-purpose cure all for bad luck." "I don't know where this boat's been or what kind of person the owner was before me." "For all I know, there could be some serious bad business left on it." "We got too much riding' on this thing to leave to chance." "Tom called me over to his place this morning." "What did he say?" "He was runnin' down Juniper." "Told him he was a worn out old man." "And he couldn't know how much yöu love her." "yöu don't know his story." "I don't care." "yöu should." "Tom loved a woman more than most men can in two lifetimes." "They had a good life started together." "She was pregnant with a little boy, birth got the best of them." "Tom's been alone ever since." "Lone wolf." "Thanks for the tin." "This shit never gets easy." "That's a good haul." "I've had worse." "yöu doin' all right?" "Yeah." "Do yöu need to tell me anything?" "Tell yöu what?" "I know I'm just yöur uncle, not a parent." "But yöu can tell me things if yöu need to." "I can tell yöu this helmet smells like my duck butter." "Where'd yöu get that black eye?" "A kid in town." "He got his, too." "What was y'all fighting' for?" "About this girl." "What girl?" "My girlfriend." "yöu got a girlfriend?" "Yes, sir." "When did that happen?" "Other day." "What's her name?" "May Pearl." "May Pearl." "Two first names, just like yöur mother." "Have yöu seen yöur mother today?" "No." "yöu're not talkin' to me now?" "I'm talkin'." "I'm talkin' to both of yöu." "All y'all want to do is talk." "That's yöur mother now." "She'd rather tongue lash a problem than step up and handle it." "yöu'll see one day." "Women are tough, boy." "They set yöu up for things." "yöu can't trust love, Ellis." "If yöu're not careful, it'll up and run out on yöu." "Daddy, this is Miller." "He's one of ours." "Appreciate yöur help." "Yes, sir." "We'll be in, in a minute." "Catch me up." "We're working in shifts." "Got two outside her motel." "The others are either out searchin' or sleeping' here." "I met the county sheriff, but he wasn't much help." "Said they handle their own business." "But I got two of his people on payroll and a person inside at the state police." "Ellis, let's go, boy." "Come on." "Okay." "Let's meet the men." "Yes, sir." "Shit." "Get up." "Y'all pay attention." "This is my father, King." "He runs the show." "Men." "All right, everybody up." "Gather around." "Now form a circle." "Everybody, take a knee." "Want yöu to join hands." "We're gonna pray for the death of the man who killed my son." "Everybody, bow yöur heads." "yöu touch her titty?" "A little." "That's great, man." "Thanks." "We could take it apart, bring it out piece by piece." "It's welded, we'd just tear it up." "What if we float it out?" "With what?" "Come on." "Oh, Jesus!" "What do yöu think?" "That's great, Galen." "GALEN:" "Come here, Ellis." "See that ceiling fan up there?" "I found it in the river." "Works great." "Best ceiling fan I've ever owned." "This river brings a lot of trash down it." "Some of that trash is worth a lot of money." "Some of it's not." "yöu got to know what's worth keepin' and what's worth letting' go." "yöu know the difference?" "I think so." "Neck looks up to yöu." "Don't get my nephew into anything yöu can't get him out of." "Okay?" "Help Me, Rhonda's just about a guy needin' to get a piece to get over a girl that put one over on him." "So, yöu get yöur heart broke?" "Don't walk around with a shit look on yöur face." "Get back in there, get yöur tip wet." "yöu hear me?" " yöu know what I'm sayin'." " Let's go." "Want to hang out?" "Allen's comin' over, we're going to pump it up." "No." "We got stuff to do." "Whatever." "What were y'all talking about?" "I don't know." "King!" "That's what they call him." "Y'all didn't go near him, did ya?" "No." "Good." "How we lookin' on that motor?" "There's one in the scrap yard that might work." "We're gonna need one that runs." " I can get it runnin'." "Tell him, Ellis." " Let's pull this." "It's true, he built his own dirt bike." "Little more." "Neck, take a shot at it." "I don't know, that motor's worth somethin'." "It's not like all the rest of that junk." "It's been there for months." "Nobody will even know it's gone." "Ellis." "We need a motor." "Winds out of the west at 22 miles per hour..." "Hello?" "Juniper?" "Ellis." "Hey, it's me." "Thank God." "I'm goin' crazy in this room." "Is Mud okay?" "Yeah, it's time to take yöu out to him." "NOW?" "Tomorrow." "Tomorrow, we'll come get yöu." "He's got a plan for y'all to get away." "Be ready tomorrow at 5:00." "Neckbone'll be waitin' at the side of the motel with a dirt bike." "Wait, just..." "Just wait a minute." "I don't know about all that." "Where does he think we're gonna go?" "What are we even gonna do?" "This is Mud, this is exactly what he does." "It's okay." "It's a good plan." "Just be ready." "Why are yöu doing this?" "What do yöu mean?" "Why are yöu helping us?" "Because y'all love each other." "I'll see yöu tomorrow." " Wait." " How'd it go?" " We're good." "Give me a quarter." "May Pearl!" "May Pearl!" "It's all right, man, she's with her family." "Come on, I want to get that motor before dark." "Hey." "Y'all remember me, don't ya?" "Sorry about that." "yöu caught me at a real bad time." "Hold on a second." "Just a sec." "I don't want yöu to get the wrong idea." "Y'all were just doin' a job and I got in the way." "What do yöu say I buy a whole batch of fish y'all were sellin'?" "Forty cover it?" "That'll about do it." "We don't want yöur money." "Hold on." "Hold on." "Y'all get around, don't yöu?" "Bet ya know every hole and ditch in this town." "yöu haven't come across that man whose picture I showed yöu?" "Have yöu?" "Sure about that?" "Take a look with yöur good eye." "I'm sure." "What about that girl from the motel?" "The pretty one." "Talk to her some more?" "There's a number on there." "Let me know if yöu do." "This is it." "This is it." "All right, it's loose." "Shit's heavy." "Shit!" "Was she there?" "No." "Come on." "Excuse me, sir." "What?" "We're lookin' for the girl in room 210." "yöu seen her?" "Yeah, I've seen her." "yöu seen her today?" "Yeah, she came down here lookin' for a bar nearby." "Sent her up to that place off 61." "Just leave it there, Mud's going to have to help us with it." "What are yöu going to tell him?" "I'll just tell him the truth." "Hey, what yöu say there, Ellis?" "Tom left this for yöu." "Where's Juniper?" "Ellis, what happened?" "Is she okay?" "Was it Carver?" "It wasn't Carver." "What's goin' on, Ellis?" "She was supposed to meet us on the side of the motel." "She never showed up." "We went around looking for her." "Motel clerk said she went out to a bar on 61." "We tracked her down." "She was there with another guy." "They were together." "She must've thought Carver was onto her." "She knew the plan, Mud." "She just didn't show up." "What was she doin' with that guy?" "What was she doin' with that guy, Ellis?" "They were playing pool." "And they were drinkin'." "And laughing'." "He was close up on her." "He kissed her neck." "So that's how it is, huh?" "We got that motor." "What do yöu want us to do?" "Just go home, Ellis." "Hello?" "Is May Pearl there?" "This is Ellis." "I called yesterday, yöu didn't give her my messages?" "I said it's Ellis." "I'm her boyfriend." " Oh, she's asleep..." " Mary Lee!" "Mary Lee!" "What the hell have yöu been doin'?" "What have yöu been doin'?" " Senior, damn it!" "Damn it!" "Stop it!" " yöu tell her what yöu've been doin'." " I don't know what yöu're sayin'." " Take yöur hands off him, Senior!" "J.J. Crawford said a boat motor went missing' from his stockyard!" "He said his daughter saw this one and his friend hauling' it off!" "Now, yöu tell me, right now, did yöu steal that motor?" "We didn't steal it." "yöu lie to me again." "We thought it was junk." "We didn't think it was worth anything." "Ellis?" "yöu tellin' me I raised a thief?" "I'm not a thief." "yöu take property that's not yöurs, property that belongs to another man." "That junk was his livelihood." " I'm ashamed of yöu!" " Senior..." "Shut yöur mouth." "yöu think yöu can take things and not have him see it?" "Neither one of yöu's got any respect for a man's livelihood!" "A life that puts clothes on yöur back and food in yöur stomach!" "Don't yöu blame this on me." "One doesn't have a thing to do with the other and yöu know it." "yöu don't tell me what I know." "If yöu can steal a man's life out from under him and think he won't take a lesson from that, then yöu're dumber than yöu look." " Stop it, Dad!" " And she's raisin' yöu a snake, just like herself." "And yöu can curl up beside her before I give a goddamn!" "But yöu just remember this, boy." "yöu just remember, when they come in here and they tear this place apart board by board!" "yöu hear me?" "yöu are a man who's never had the strength to support his own life." "Ellis." "yöu'll return that motor from where yöu found it, and yöu'll apologize in person to the man yöu took it from." "I won't hear about anything like this again." "I can't take that motor back." "But I can pay him for it." "I'll give him what he wants." "I don't care what yöu do, Ellis." "What the hell's all this?" "It's a bonfire." "I guess he didn't care about bein' seen." "He had something else on his mind." "What yöu all hiding' for?" "Found yöur shirt." "yöu can keep it." "I don't need it no more." "Saw what's left of yöur bonfire." "Somebody could have seen yöu." "I guess." "Do some drinkin' last night?" "I did a lot of drinkin' last night." "Neck, I'm gonna need yöu to stay here and get this motor runnin'." "Ellis, I need yöu to do somethin' else for me." "I need yöu to get that to Juniper." "Okay, Mud." "Neck, let's go." "yöu still takin' Juniper?" "Neck, fetch me that socket wrench." "yöu be all right?" "Yeah." "How about yöu?" "He'll be okay." "Can I borrow yöur bike?" "Yeah." "Don't tump it." "I was wonderin' when I'd see yöu." "Sorry about last night." "I'm supposed to give this to yöu." "What?" "Okay." "Did yöu read it?" "No." "L gotta go." "Ellis." "I said I was sorry." "All yöu had to do was be there." "I couldn't." "Then Why'd yöu even come here?" "I came here to leave with him." "I did." "yöu know yöu don't know him, right?" "I know he'd do anything for yöu." "Is that what yöu think?" "Mud's a born liar." "That's why people like him, he makes them feel good about themselves." "I do love him." "I just can't spend the rest of my life runnin' away with him." "Tell him I understand." "What's it say?" "Says, "it's over."" "Bye, Ellis." "Did yöu get my phone calls?" " What?" " I've been tryin' to call yöu." " Who's this guy?" " Get yöur head out of my car, kid." " Ellis!" " I called yöu twice!" "MAY:" "Stop it, Kyle!" "Stop it!" "Kyle!" "Stop it, Kyle!" "God!" "What the hell yöu doin' here, Ellis?" "What?" "yöu can't just run up and punch people I'm with." "I'm sorry, I just wanted to know why yöu hadn't called me back." "Why would I call yöu back, Ellis?" "Because yöu're my girlfriend." "I'm not yöur girlfriend." "We've been on one date." "One." "Yeah, but..." "But what?" "What'd yöu expect, Ellis?" "I love yöu." "yöu're 14." "I don't know." "He's just this kid." "Come on, let's..." "Try it now." "Nothin'." "Son of a bitch." "What she say?" "yöu're a liar!" "Makin' two kids run around, doin' all the work because yöu're too scared to do it yöurself!" "Makin' me tell her it's over because yöu're too scared!" "yöu said yöu loved her and yöu lied!" "yöu gave up on her, and she gave up on yöu!" "Just like everybody else!" "I trusted yöu!" "Bonfires and crosses and wolf's eye..." "Bullshit!" "Now, come on, Ellis." "Every single thing yöu told me was a lie!" "yöu never cared about her, and yöu never cared about us!" "Not enough to matter!" "yöu used us." "yöu made me a thief!" "Let me talk to him." "Ellis!" "Ellis, come on!" "Ellis, wait a minute." " Ellis!" "Shit." "Mud!" "Ellis!" "He fell in the creek!" "He fell into the snakes!" "Mud, please!" "Get the motor started, Neck!" "Is he okay?" "Is he bit?" "Shit." "What time is it?" "What time is it?" "4118!" "Yell it out every 10 minutes." "Okay." "Is he going to be okay?" "Got to get him to the clinic." "Are yöu bit?" "No." "My bike's up there!" "Need some help here!" "Snake bite!" " It's a snake bite!" " Stay calm." "Cottonmouth." "Just under an hour." "Okay, we'll take care of him." "Let's go!" "Let's go, people." "Sir." "We're going to need some information from yöu." "Sir." "Sir!" "Hello?" "It's okay." "Just sit back." "Where am I?" "yöu're home." "We brought yöu home." "Come on, sit up." "Come on." "yöu had us scared, son." "I'm so glad yöu're okay." "MARY LEE:" "The doctors gave yöu some medicine." "yöu had a snake bite." "How did I get to the doctor?" "A man brought yöu in." "No one knew him." "Oh, no, no, it's all right." "yöu just rest now." "We'll talk about it later." "Do yöu need anything?" "Are yöu hungry?" "No." "Come on, let him get some rest." "I'll be back in to check on yöu." "Mom?" "Dad?" "I love yöu." "We love yöu, too, Ellis." "The sun does shine on a dog's ass some days, huh?" "It ain't sunk yet." "Wish Ellis could see it." "I know." "Mmm." "Well..." "Looks like yöu get yöur end of the deal." "Where's the bullets?" "Deal was for the gun, not the bullets." "Shit." "Yeah." "Neck, I've got one more favor I want to ask of yöu." "Mud?" "Don't get up." "How'd yöu get here?" "Neck brought me." "We got the boat in the water." " yöu did?" " Yeah." "Smooth sailing from here on out." "Wouldn't have felt right leaving' town without coming' to say goodbye." "I'm sorry about what I said." "No, yöu were right to be mad." "yöu were right about a lot of things." "I don't traffic in the truth too often, but" "I did love her." "I do love her." "She loves yöu, too." "She said it." "Yeah, I just made mistakes." "Heck, we both did, yöu know." "It's a hard life to keep up with, can't blame her for gettin' tired of tryin'." "My dad says yöu can't count on women loving yöu." "He said yöu can't trust them." "That's not true." "yöu're a good man, Ellis." "yöu meet a girl half as good as yöu, yöu're going to be all right." "yöu're a good man, too, Mud." "No." "No, I ain't, Ellis." "Maybe from here on out, I can..." "Stay put." "Ellis!" "Ellis!" "Don't move." "Mud!" "Let him go." "yöu still down there, buddy?" " Yeah." " All right, stay put." "Flush him out this way." "Mud!" "Mud!" "Aah!" "Mud!" "Mud!" " Mud!" " Ellis!" "Ellis!" "Ellis." "Ellis." "It's okay." "Hello?" "yöu're speaking to him." "He's dead?" "Hey- yöu got yöur bike back?" "Yeah." "Mud dinged the shit out of it." "They're really doing it." "It's the law." "It's bullshit." "They ever find Tom?" "No." "He's gone." "I heard on the news, they still hadn't found Mud's body." "yöu think he's dead?" "I don't know." "I hope not." "I gotta go." "Come by the apartments later, help me fix up my room." "All right." "I'll see yöu next week?" "yöu betcha." "Ellis." "yöu mind yöur mother, okay?" "This is a big change for her, too." "She's gonna need yöur support." "Yes, sir." "All right." "I love yöu." "I love yöu, too." "Come on, son." "yöu gotta see this." ""Hope You've Liked  Enjoyed The Movie"" "Copyright from ecOtOne™"