Hurt

Scene 1, Act 1
[late 1870s Image fades into a desert area with no signs of civilized
life with shrubs and cactus and late at night. Sounds of Coyotes fill
the night but with little else filling the night aside from Horse
hooves coming closer from the distance until it suddenly passes by at
a high speed with the camera following behind it low catching the
dirt. The moon shines brightly in front of the horse and its
unidentified rider as the destination is revealed to be an abandoned
mine. The camera then focuses on the riders face as he closes his eyes
the camera then flashes to images of a shot up house and a woman dead
on the floor with multiple gunshot wounds and then the rider cradling
her screaming in sadness and anger.

The Rider gets off his horse near the entrance and notices four other
horses left at the entrance along with corpses piled to the right of
the mine entrance. He waves to the man in front the sheriff and the
Sheriff waves back, as he exits the mine four other man exit the mine
carrying bodies of men and with a single prisoner. The Prisoners face
is looking downwards, the Rider and Sheriff begin walking toward each
other]

Sheriff: “Holy Shit, is that you Carson? [Takes a second to

inspect him] how long has it been since we last saw ya”
[They shake hands]
Carson/Rider: “A bit too long if you ask me, you’re looking like
a little wider than the last time I saw you, you been slackin?”
[Sheriff laughs heartily]
Sheriff: “Sorry about that, sometimes my wife cookin is just too
good to pass up and she makes a lot of it. It's all just been stackin’
up and you can see the results.
[Carson laughs and pulls out a handmade cigarette lights it and starts
smoking]
Carson:[breathes out smoke and his hand with the cigarette drops
down] I guess, you know why I’m here then right Zeke?
Sheriff/Zeke: [His smile turns into a look of sadness and puts
his hand on his gun holster] I was kinda hopin’ this was just a big
ol’ coincidence here.
Carson:[drops his cigarette and unholsters his weapon but keeps
it at his side] Look I don't wanna hurt anyone,[pause] least of all
you Zeke. so I'm gonna have to ask you to hand him over.
[they silently stare as the wind howls]
Zeke:No [he states it unflinching and calm] Gideon, will face
justice. Fair, Unbiased Justice. I can’t hand him over. Not to you.
[Carson points the gun at Zeke but begins staring at the
Prisoner/Gideon]
Carson:Just give him to me, you aren't losing anything. Only
thing that's happening is a man getting his just deserts.
Zeke:[Unflinching and moves to block Carson’s view of the
prisoner] Put the gun down Carson, we don’t need any of these
hostilities right now. So just calm down. We can talk this through at
the station if we- [Zeke is cut off by two gunshots as Carson shoots
the gun of a deputy who was going to shoot Carson. Carson then notices
another man up on top of the cliff and shoots him who falls presumably
dies Carson holds the gun at his side again]
Zeke:[Looks at the Deputy disappointingly] I’ll talk to you later
sam.[Turns back to Carson] thanks for that Carson but I’m still not
handing him over. Gideon’s gonna get what he deserves I assure you but
not your way.
[Carson angrily shouts at Zeke]
Carson: “No, I need to kill him. I’ve been lookin years now for
him. Give him to me I NEED this!”

[Sheriff looks at him with a sad look]

Sheriff: [sighs] ”How about this. We ain't budgin’ and you aint
either so let's go and drop him off at the jail cell and talk this
through right? I ain't keen on talkin’ here. If that man you shot is
anything it's a sign that we aint alone yet.”

[Rider then points the gun at the sheriff who only looks at him in
sadness and the Sheriff waves off the deputies behind him]

Carson:”or I could shoot all of you right now and take him for
myself. I’m willing to do anything to get him. are you willing to lose
everything for one criminal?”

Sheriff:”Carson, Don’t do this. You’re a better man than that. I know

you, I trust you. To make the right decision. I know you don't want me
mentionin’ her but [pause] what’d Selina think?”

[Carson realizes the mistake he nearly made, lowers his gun and then
takes a deep breath]
Carson: “you're right[Pause] But, I don't want to look at him so
I’ll meet you at the station alright?”
[he then gets on his horse and starts galloping away]

[Sheriff takes a deep breath and takes his hat off]

Sheriff:”well fellas we got a long day ahead of us. lets get
outta here.”
[the men all get on their horses with the prisoner following closely
behind them. And the image fades to black]
Scene 1 End.]

Scene 2
[Fade back into a Small wooden building one small enough to
accommodate the Sheriff and his deputies in their day to day lives and
a large jail cell that can fit about 5 prisoners in it sits the
prisoner the sheriff caught earlier. At the Sheriffs desk Carson
argues with the Sheriff Ezekiel over The prisoner. The inside is well
lit with two windows that can be closed where the sheriff sits is a
large and heavy looking desk that can be moved with enough force along
with several other heavy looking furniture to the left with the jail
cell along the back wall in a secluded area with a single light source
being a small opening barred up]

Zeke: “Look I can’t give em to you. We already caught him! I’d be

breakin a whole lotta laws and denying the man his deserved justice.”

[takes a deep sigh and looks up at him with limited patience]

Carson: “That monster does not deserve that justice. He gunned my
wife who was pregnant with my child!”

Zeke:”even then, everyone deserves to be tried and sentenced.

It's fair for everyone.”

[now fuming with anger]

Carson:”NOT TO ME. I Lost EVERYTHING to that monster.[ slams his
hand on the desk and takes a deep breath to gather himself gathers
himself again] Okay[pause] If you’re not gonna let me kill him then
let me talk to him at least. I need to find out why he did it
anyways.”

[Zeke lays back on his chair, folds his arms and thinks for a
second]
Zeke:”You ain't gonna kill em right? If so, then imma need your gun
and anything sharp you got on your body real quick. Hey Steve pat him
down real quick make sure he ain't hidin’ anything. We was gonna go
help Ol’ Lou with the cows anyways. [gets up and starts getting his
coat] damn things got loose or something and now we gotta wrastle em
all up. And Imma need your shoes too they got those spiky things on
them.”
[Steve hands him all Carson’s knifes and guns. As Steve reachers for
Carsons spurs he stops him and removes the spurs alone instead of
taking both boots]
Zeke:[hands Carson the keys] “now if there's any trouble just holler
alright. We won't be too far off from here so we should be back pretty
quick”

Carson:[looks at the keys then back to Zeke] ‘Got it [looks at the

keys] I-I'll let you know if I need anything. See you in a bit”

Zeke:[begins walking out] “mhmm” [leaves and closes the door behind
him.]

[Carson immediately turns around and looks at the jail cell.He grabs
the Sheriffs Desk and blocks the door with it along with some other
furniture to ensure it stays closed and closes the windows shut. He
then walks up to the Jail cell. He opens it and walks in. camera
focuses on the prisoner sitting on the floor with this head facing
downwards]
Gideon: “[looking downwards no light hitting his face]Have you ever
thought the difference between Justice and Vengeance, Carson…Harris my
Old friend[Gideon smiles]? The meaning of justice is usually described
as doing the right thing and sometimes it's also described as a
dealing of deserved punishment. In some some cases, Justice is on the
same page as Vengeance. as vengeance is often defined as exacting
punishment on those who deserve it. It just so happens that person
being punished, wronged the person exacting that vengeance. [Looks up
at Carson and Laughs.] are you still upset about her? [leans up to
Carson] I would be.

[at the same time 3 masked people arrive to the back of the building
right behind the wall where Carson and Gideon are holding dynamite and
begin laying it to set it.]

Carson:[Unflinching he stands his ground and stares furious at

the prisoner.] Why. Why did she have to die Gideon?

Prisoner:”no one ever has to die, sometimes… they die in happy.

[pause]Little.[pause] Accidents.[lets out a small chuckle] do you
think if you were to die and she was the one here in this cell with
me. Do you think she’d try to kill me. Like how you plan to? Or would
she trust that justice be brought to me. That the Righteous strike me
down and punish me for all of the sins I’ve committed. Would she be so
righteous as to do that. Or would she be pulling out a knife from her
sleeve to slit my throat.

Carson[pulls a knife out of his left sleeve]: “She was always the
best of me. I don’t know how she’d react. But… there's something in
me that hopes she wouldn’t try to avenge me. I am not her. And you
will die. Gideon.

[The fuse is lit on the dynamite which has been planted to burst
the wall]
Gideon[Bursts out laughing]: like always you are amazing, but
stupid. Are really willing to kill me for vengeance right here, right
now. Instead of waiting for me to be tried and convicted and watch me
hang? It's a sure thing I can tell you that. me dying! I mean she’s
dead so she can’t say anything but if she were. She’d be calling you
moron beyond belief![Laughs] But, you have lost everything already.
What's your freedom to you? Whats an old friend to you[whispers]
Nothing. [normally]Lemme let you in on a secret though. Killing me
will do you nothing. You won't be satisfied, you’ll just be a sad man
with a dead wife who just killed his best friend.[Bursts out laughing]

[dynamite only needs about 3 minutes to explode now]

[Carson lunges at Gideon Screaming in anger who tucks and knocks
carson over. The knife is on the floor now and the two men begin
beating on each other. Gideon is already weakened from his capture and
soon starts losing the fight. Carson screaming in fury Knocks him to
the floor and starts beating his face in reminded constantly of his
wife's body and his home being a mess of bullet holes. Gideon
Continues to laugh through the beating]
Zeke:[Zeke is heard at the door banging on the door trying to get
in] “Carson! Someone help me with this door, Steve try the windows!”

[Carson stands up from the beat Gideon and moves to grab his knife. He
walks up to him and puts the knife to his throat as the dynamite
outside still hissing nears its completion]
Carson: “This is for my wife, and the life you took from me”
[Gideon Cackles]
Gideon: “do it Carson, finish it, bring justice to your wife.
Throw away your humanity and kill me.

[Carson hesitates at his words as he thinks that if he does kill him

he’ll become exactly as Gideon is now a monstrous criminal but quickly
loses that thought and re-steels himself and moves his hand downward
to stab him but as he's about to the dynamite explodes and knocks
Carson down who is now in a daze. One man moves to grab gideon and
puts him on a horse. Carson still in a daze stands up and starts
moving to the whole where the men are. They then start galloping away.
Carson realizing what has happened calls his horse who promptly
arrives and gives chase to them following the dust trail of the three
horses and the distant laughter of a madman.