DANGER OF DEATH 14th June 2017 (PDF)

DANGER OF DEATH

Written by
Miaer Lloyd

12TH June 2017
miaerlloyd@yahoo.co.uk
+44 7515512628

OVER BLACK
SUPER:
“GATEWAY TO THE WEST, MISSOURI, 13TH April, 1833”
INT. HOTEL ROOM - STORMY NIGHT - ANONYMOUS POV
HUGE MAN (40’s), carved from rock, sits opposite; squashed
into an ornate wooden chair; back pressed against the handpainted wallpapered wall.
PISTOL
lays on polished floorboards at his feet.
COAT CUFF
A KNIFE SLIPS DOWN into a SMALL HAND.
ANONYMOUS (O.S.)
(child's voice)
Nice pistol.
ANONYMOUS POV
Huge Man stares quizzically; DIPS for the pistol.
Anonymous STABS the NAPE OF HIS NECK. Huge Man SPRINGS BACK.
KNIFE
SINKS DEEPER as it STRIKES the WALL.
ANONYMOUS POV
Huge Man's eyes BULGE, REACHING OUT WITH STIFFENING ARMS.
Anonymous DUCKS; GRABS THE PISTOL. Huge Man stands, LUNGING
like Frankenstein.
Anonymous AIMS AT HIS GUT and FIRES!
CUT TO BLACK:
EXT. PRAIRIE - MIDDAY SUN
LIZARD
basks in sweltering heat, tongue tasting the dry air. It
scurries across baked earth, dodging cracks in the clay.

2.
SUPER:
"TWO DAYS LATER"
LIZARD POV
It races past...
STREAMERS OF TANGLED BANDAGES
dragging through the dust like a shredded wedding train;
snagged around the BLOATED ANKLES of...
PAIR OF BARE, SUN CHARRED, SWOLLEN FEET
stepping sluggardly forward ON THEIR HEELS; avoiding full
floor contact as if made of hot coals.
SWOLLEN FEET POV
The lizard stops, considers them with tilted head, then
skates away towards...
HORIZON
Buildings herd the skyline, drowning in a shimmering mirage
FADE TO WHITE:

HEARD IT FROM WHOM?
INT. BOONVILLE - GERTRUDE'S TEA ROOM - CONTINUOUS
GONZAGA (50), a pugilists mug, vacates a table in this
flamboyantly festooned establishment. He migrates to the
bar. It's abandoned.
GONZAGA
(calling blind)
What do I owe Mamm?
WOMAN (O.S.)
Be right there!
He tosses coins on the bar.
GERTY (30), cherry cheeked; stacked, waddles in, newspaper
in hand, which she flops before Gonzaga.

3.
GERTY
Came in today,
(fingers through the
coins)
though you're more inclined to make
news than read it.
She swipes them into her pinafore pocket; sinks slowly
behind the counter.
GERTY (cont’d)
(theatrical)
Your generosity weighs me down.
Gonzaga tips his hat, unsure whether to frown or smile.
Gerty hops up, chuckling, and flirts over to another
customer.
Gonzaga flips the broadsheet.
INSERT - "GOVERNOR FIGHTS FOR NON-WHITE'S RIGHTS"
Marshal?

MAN’S VOICE (O.S.)

GONZAGA
turns to see: RICKINS (40), a wide load, stood at his hip.
RICKINS
(leans in; intimate)
Not sure if it’s a, thing, but,
twenty plus of them
(shields his mouth;
whispering)
Herod boys, just marched themselves
up t’ward the water well, and not’a
one’s hand was free of some weapon of
some such.
(scans the room)
In light of recent developments...
I’d like to recommend an
intervention?
GONZAGA
Weapons you say?
RICKINS
(deadpan)
Like a mini militia.

4.
EXT. BOONVILLE OUTSKIRTS - CONTINUOUS
RATTLE SNAKE
TAIL fires a warning at fifty flicks a second.
CHUKKA CHUKKA CHUKKA CHUKKA CHUKKA CHUKKA CHUKKA!
MOB OF TAMELESS BOYS
corral her against a WATER WELL, bedevilling with sticks and
clubs.
JACK SNAIL (12), tall and thin as the STAFF in his fist,
addresses his compadres.
SNAIL
She’s about as rude as they come.
(inspects the huddled
gang)
Are you but spectators?
(beat)
You want to join us?
Snail jabs the rattler with his staff. She STRIKES!
The MOB scatter from probing fangs, then reform like a
tsunami.
SNAIL (cont’d)
(challenging)
Then step up, and teach her some
manners.
Boys fidget; non-committal, until...
PUG-JAWED KID
worms a route through the horde.
PUG-JAW
(pants a plea)
Me! Yes, me!
Snail scans him, nose to toes.
PUG-JAW (9), overfed; dressed for war: tree bark shin
protectors; tarnished sword bayonet, rest on his shoulder.
SNAIL
(enjoying this)
Hey, Sir Lancelot.

5.
He LOBS his staff; Pug-jaw grabs it. Snail nods at...
TRIO OF BOYS
who pull necklaces from their collars -- a RATTLE SNAKES
RATTLE on the end of each.
SNAIL'S TROPHY RATTLE
flicks slowly, left/right. CHUKKA... CHUKKA... CHUKKA!
The snake percussionists increase the tempo.
CHUK, CHUK, CHUKKA, CHUK! CHUK, CHUK, CHUKKA, CHUK!
Pug-jaw stalks his prey as we CUT TO:
SWOLLEN FEET POV
meters from the baying throng; their lustful cries drown out
a plea for...

Help!

SWOLLEN FEET
(rasping)

PUG-JAW’S SWORD
CARVES DIRT, missing the snake by an inch. Her FANGS PUMMEL
HIS SHIN SHIELD and we CUT TO:
SWOLLEN FEET POV
A RUNTY BOY (9), jostles for position, tail-end of the
melee. He trips; hits the dirt and sees the strange stranger
looming above. He scrambles to his feet.

Water.

SWOLLEN FEET (cont’d)
(to Runt; parched)

Runt ploughs through the Mob, alerting boy after boy, who
PART LIKE THE RED SEA as Swollen feet braves the scrummage.
Trophy rattles fall silent, and only Pug-jaw stands between
Swollen feet and the blissful water well.
SNAIL
grabs back his staff; traps the snake and faces...
SNAIL
(incredulous)
Jellybean?

6.
JELLYBEAN (SWOLLEN FEET) (20), teeters before him. His obese
frame the least of his problems.
SNAIL (cont’d)
(shakes his head;
amazed)
They let you go?
BANDAGES WRAP intermittently around his naked body, dangling
loosely from ligatured limbs.
MOB MEMBER
(mocking)
Where you been, Jellybean?
His SKIN resembles a zebra: BLISTERING, SUNBURNED, STRIPES.
Cock and balls shed skin like an insect cocoon.
SNAIL
(holds his nose)
You fucking stink!
The Mob erupts in laughter.
SNAIL (cont’d)
(sotto voice;
sinister)
And you thought your day was on the
up'n'up.
Jellybean shuffles forward.
JELLYBEAN
(beseeches)
Jack... please... water.
SNAIL
(aims him to the well)
Sure, this way.
Snail FREES THE INCENSED RATTLER and slides aside.
CHUKKA CHUKKA CHUKKA CHUKKA CHUKKA CHUKKA CHUKKA!
Jellybean’s desire to water negates her warning, taking A
STEP TOO FAR. She JETTISONS VENOM into his MEATY CALF in one
deft blitzkrieg and glides to freedom unchallenged -- a new
prey's arrived.
Jellybean grabs the well as his legs give way. Bent like a
sumo, he struggles to stand; ass on display which is caked
in shit.

7.
The Mob reel in disgust.
BOY #1
Put it away fucker, that
ring makes onions cry.

BOY #2
How long you been with
child?

Jellybean wrestles the well’s rope, fist over fist, raising
the weighty pale. The Mob close in, haranguing ferociously.
Jellybean spits and hisses in a venomous delirium.
VENOMOUS DELIRIUM FLASH
Jellybean empties the pale overhead; cooling; quenching. The
Mob clap/cheer. He welcomes their praise and guzzles again.
He lowers the pale to find their heads, MORPHED into that of
SWINE. Cheers become squeals in a beat.
END VENOMOUS
DELIRIUM FLASH.
SNAIL’S STAFF
SLAPS THE CROOK of Jellybean’s KNEES, and he's swiped off
his feet.
JELLYBEAN POV
A HAWK soars above; riding thermals; at peace.
JELLYBEAN’S FACE
Picture of happiness.
The Mob engulf him.
JELLYBEAN POV
RUNT
Son-bitch iz happy? Snake
bit and about to get it, and
the son-bitch iz smiling?

PUG-JAW
He don’t look right showing
all them teeth like that.

Snail steps forward; takes Pug jaw's sword.
SNAIL
(to Jellybean;
quoting)
“ye have betrayed me; for never shall
my court be amended by you, but ye
will never be sorry for me as I am
for you”

8.
SNAIL
RAISES THE BLADE; poised to punish. Henchmen mimic, eager to
participate, when a GUNSHOT CRACKS! (O.S.)
Jellybean PROJECTILE VOMITS!
The Mob; wide eyed and rabbity, domino toward...
Gonzaga, who's flanked by TWO ATHLETIC DEPUTIES (20’s).
GONZAGA
Been a busy week for your Doc Veil.
Black death didn’t take so many, so
fast.
He targets Runt with a GIANT HAND CANNON.
GONZAGA
You. What’s a coffin cost around
here?
RUNT
(feeling singled
out)
Couldn't give you an approximation?
Boys snigger at the polite reply.
GONZAGA
Well, you kill that man and I ask
you: who will pay for yours?
Boys are muted.
GONZAGA (cont’d)
(aims at random
ruffians)
Or yours?
(re-aims)
Or yours?
(beat)
Anyone care to pick up where they
left off?
Boys conceal their weapons.
GONZAGA (cont’d)
No one?
(aims over their
heads)
Then I say to you...