"BLACK SNAKE MOAN" an original screenplay by Craig Brewer Only one kind of blues... And that consists between male and female. - Son House EXT. RONNIE'S TRAILER - EARLY DAWN RAE is naked. Wrapped around her shoulders is a loose-knit spread that conceals her slender form. She is in her 20's: a strawberry blond, with cinnamon freckles spotted across her pale skin. She is beautiful without trying. She stares at the distant trees. This is the South; the small town of FISHERVILLE, TENNESSEE. Soon Rae will be alone. CUT TO: INT. RONNIE'S TRAILER - EARLY MORNING RONNIE is 25 years old. His hair is cropped in a military issue buzz. Rae's face is wet with tears as Ronnie gently makes love to her. She touches his face and sobs like a child. CUT TO: INT. RONNIE'S TRAILER - LATER THAT MORNING RONNIE is dressed in his National Guard fatigues, packing up his gear. Rae is now wearing a short jeans skirt and a T-shirt with a gray wolf print ironed on the front. There is a knock at the door. Rae flinches. Ronnie opens the door revealing GILL MORTON, Ronnie's buddy from high school. GILL Still need a lift? RONNIE Yeah. Transmission's shot. Gill and Rae's eyes meet. Gill sees that Rae is crying. GILL Gonna have a smoke. Ronnie shuts the door and feels a wave of sudden nausea. He rushes past Rae. RONNIE Shit... INT. RONNIE'S TRAILER - BATHROOM - MORNING Ronnie is vomiting into the toilet as Rae rubs his head. Each painful dry heave makes Rae comfort him more. RAE Baby... EXT. RONNIE'S TRAILER - MORNING Ronnie places his duffle bag in Gill's truck. Rae begins to cough. GILL You sick? Rae doesn't answer. Gill backs away, allowing Ronnie and Rae some privacy. The two lovers stare into each others eyes and then embrace. Rae peeks over Ronnie's shoulder at Gill with an expression of dread. Anger seizes her. RAE This ain't gonna work. RONNIE Rae... RAE I don't see why we gotta lie 'bout it when you and I know this ain't gonna work. RONNIE (holds her face in his hands) Rae don't do this now... RAE It's stupid... It's so fucking stupid! RONNIE Rae! Silence. Rae melts. Tears stream down her face. RONNIE (reaches in his pocket) Look it. I got somethin' for us. This is gonna help, okay. GILL You gonna miss your bus. Ronnie removes a small digital watch and fastens it around her wrist. RONNIE This watch here is gonna beep at midnight. Every night. That's when it comes up on you the hardest, right? Ronnie holds out his own wrist to show her his identical watch. RONNIE And wherever I'm at, my watch'll beep, too. We'll be thinkin' bout each other at the same time. Wherever we are. Rae is shaking. He grips her by the back of her neck and pushes their faces inches away. Eye to eye. RONNIE I gotta believe we can do this or I ain't gonna make it, Rae. Rae sees the fear in his eyes. She swallows her own anxiety and nods. RAE Okay... Okay. They kiss passionately. RONNIE I love you. Afraid of his swelling emotion, Ronnie quickly breaks away from her. Rae watches as her love leaves in Gill's pick-up. Compelled to follow, she absently walks after the truck, down the gravel drive. She stops. Silence. She is alone. An intense wave of sorrow hits, like a kick to her gut. She gasps for breath as she struggles to hold back the flood of her tears. Rae drops to her knees, right there in the gravel drive. Her hair falls in front of her face, masking her grief. Her shoulders shudder. Her middle finger begins to scratch at her thigh repeatedly -- a nervous habit that has always accompanied this burning sensation that consumes her. RAE Shit. Tears come to her. She's not going to be able to stop it. RAE Goddammit, Ronnie... (shouting in frustration) GODDAMMIT! Rae is gripping the watch around her wrist for comfort. Her breathing is already out of her control. The dizziness is already upon her. The familiar burning. She inhales in gasps, rocking back and forth on her knees. The late morning cicadas chirp in an undulating frenzy. RAE (shaking her head) Mm-mm (meaning "no") Mm-mm... Mm-mm... The scratching at her leg leaves a red mark. She is dizzy with anxiety. Her teeth are clenched, her face is flush. RAE MM-MM! MM-MM! MMMMMMMMMMMM! CUT TO: INT. MOTEL ROOM - AFTERNOON TEHRONNE is fucking Rae from behind. Tehronne is a muscular, dark-skinned, black male in his late twenties. Rae's face is crammed up against the mirror in the small bathroom. Tehronne gets faster and pushes harder -- a stark contrast to her lovemaking with Ronnie. Rae comes. A severe coughing fit hits her. She pushes him away with her ass. RAE We're done, right? CUT TO: EXT. FISHERVILLE SQUARE - AFTERNOON Walking with his hands shoved deep into his pockets, wearing his only suit and tie, is LAZARUS WOODS (LAZ). He is in his late fifties, black, a strong face under his old fedora. He stares across the street into Dunn's Cafe. ROSE WOODS, black, early forties, stands in the cafe. She looks confident and resolute in her new green skirt. A brown Delta Olds pulls up into a parking space in front of Laz. Stepping out is REVEREND R.L., Laz's longtime friend. He is also black and in his late fifties. R.L. You ain't gonna make a fuss, are you? (no answer) Nothing a man can do when a woman make up her mind. LAZARUS I never laid a hand on her in anger. Not a day. Not even when I's drinkin'. But this business got me wonderin' what a good shake and slap would do for her. R.L. That kind of talk is between us. Don't you go in there with that shit on your tongue. LAZARUS I didn't start this, R.L. Laz tries to stop his lip from quivering: the man is hurting. R.L. You wanna pray with me 'fore you go in? Laz? (R.L. touches Laz's arm and bows his head) Heavenly Father... CUT TO: INT. DUNN'S CAFE - AFTERNOON R.L.'s prayer is heard as Laz opens the front door to the cafe. He looks ill. Each step is painful. R.L. (V.O.) We do not question your divine plan for us, Oh God. But in these times, when our spirit lies in shadow. When we are lost. Laz crosses to Rose's booth -- the distance seems to stretch out into eternity. R.L. (V.O.) We ask that you give us strength. Give us strength that surpasses all understanding. In your name we pray. Amen. Laz sits across from his wife. ROSE Can't remember the last time I saw you in that suit. LAZARUS Your mother's funeral. I's a pallbearer, remember? The waitress is kind and twangy as she asks for their order. WAITRESS Can I start you both off with some coffee 'fore I take your order? ROSE We won't be stayin' long. Coffee'll be fine. The waitress leaves. The sounds of the cafe fill the silence. ROSE We leavin' this weekend. Deke got a friend in Mobile gonna get him a job at the water company... LAZARUS (interrupting) If you come to talk about that muthafucka, I'm gonna get up and leave you sittin' pretty in that new suit he bought'cha. ROSE Think this about money still, ya old fool? LAZARUS Say what you gotta say, but I ain't gonna hear you speak his name to me. Not never. You hear? ROSE How many times we been over this, Laz? How many times? The waitress places the coffee between them and leaves. ROSE Thought we was gonna be friendly about this. LAZARUS Carryin' on behind my back. Make me out to look like a fool to all our people. Tell me, what's friendly about that? ROSE I'm not ready to grow old, Laz. Livin' with you. I feel it. Like I'm one foot in the dirt. Saw it happen to my momma. And that's not gonna happen to me. I got living to do. LAZARUS And you gonna live it with him? Rose doesn't answer. Lazarus softens, touching her hand. LAZARUS Rose. Folks get sick. But you do what you can to get on the mend. Our marriage... it just got sick. That's all. ROSE Talk to me about sick. Ain't been right since I moved into that drafty house. LAZARUS I keep the heat on. ROSE That damned, rusty, radiator, bout burned the skin off my legs each time I passed. LAZARUS Kept us warm for twelve years. It's over. Laz has lost her for good. ROSE I deserve better than this. LAZARUS Better'n me? ROSE Better than what you give. LAZARUS Rose... please... ROSE Laz... You can't say nothin'... LAZARUS If we get with a counselor. At the church, maybe they's... ROSE (the final interruption) I don't love ya no more. The words are daggers. Laz is wounded beyond concealment. Rose picks up her purse, preparing to leave. ROSE I'm sorry you hurtin'. But, like I say, this the only life I got. (waits for him to respond) I said my piece. She stands and attempts to walk away. Laz grips her tightly by the wrist. LAZARUS God forgive you, for how you done me... ROSE Let go... LAZARUS My Daddy told me that a younger woman would bleed me dry. And that's what you did. Ya bled me. ROSE Let go of my arm... LAZARUS Would'a chopped my arm off if you asked. And this how you do me! ROSE LAZ, I said let...! LAZARUS You better pray, gal. You better pray... ROSE (yanks free) Don't you lay a CURSE ON ME! The whole cafe is silent. All eyes are on Rose. ROSE (to customers) Yeah, go'on! Look! See if I give a shit about any of you people! And she's gone, right out the front door. CUT TO: INT. MOTEL ROOM - AFTERNOON Tehronne is taking his time hanging his ice around his neck and wrists as he stands shirtless before the mirror. Rae is lying on the bed. RAE You got any money? TEHRONNE Thought you had a man for that. RAE (a heavy cough) I said we wasn't gonna talk about him. TEHRONNE What we just did, you askin' for money, make a man stop. I ain't callin' you no ho. But I ain't gonna be played like no trick, neither. Remember... you called me. RAE Save that hustle talk to them field ballers you sell crack to. TEHRONNE What'd I tell you? (kicks the bed) I don't do none of that shit no more. I'm in communications now. RAE Stolen phone cards and two-ways is what you sayin'. Rae starts coughing. TEHRONNE Mobile technology is the new fix for these niggaz, I'm tellin' you. I'm just lookin' ahead. (takes out his wallet) Anyways, ain't no money in drugs no more with these rednecks popping cough pills like they's Skittles. Hey, that's what you need, girl. Get you some cough medicine. What, you sick? RAE Just a cough. Sugar and a spoonful of Jack'll do it. TEHRONNE (takes out money) Alright. How much you need, ho? RAE The hell you call me? TEHRONNE Eh, if the bootie fits... Tehronne catches Rae's wrist as she goes to slap. He quickly yanks her arm behind her back and bends her backwards, shoving his face close to her own. He grips the money in a fist and cocks it to punch -- all in jest. TEHRONNE You gonna get rough? Is that what you doin'? Rae's chest begins to heave with deep breaths. Tehronne looks down at her legs as she anxiously rubs them together. TEHRONNE (shakes his head) I swear, I seen some buck-wild bitches in my time, but you the illest I ever seen. Rae gets control of the burning. She takes the money. RAE Just got a cough. CUT TO: EXT. FISHERVILLE SQUARE - DAY Rae is prancing up the walkway on the square. Two young men dressed for construction pass Rae. MAN It's already noon, Rae. You think that skirt should still be on? RAE (flips them off) If it weren't you could kiss my rebel cootch, ya faggot. The men keep walking as Rae coughs. She turns toward the Fisherville Grocery. SANDY Cough drops or condoms? Rae stops in her tracks, looking up at her estranged mother, SANDY, smoking a cigarette outside the grocery store. Sandy has bleached hair with dark roots. She is in her late-forties: once a sexy girl, now she's lost all her tread. RAE (surprised to see her) Didn't know you was workin' here now? SANDY I just like dressin' up in these goddamn blue vests. (takes a drag) Your money ticket get shipped today? Rae walks away -- deeply affected by Sandy's presence. SANDY (calling after her) You let me know if I can be of any assistance. CUT TO: EXT. MELVIN'S FEED STORE - DAY Laz drives an old green Ford pick-up. He pulls the truck up to the front of the feed store and kills the engine. LINCOLN, a 13-year-old black boy, comes out of the open loading door. LINCOLN You won't at the square this mornin'. LAZARUS Get me ten bags of mulch. LINCOLN Yes'sir. Lincoln runs off. Laz yanks off his black tie. EXT. MELVIN'S FEED STORE - LATER Lincoln slaps the last bag of mulch into the bed of Laz's truck. Laz hands Lincoln a twenty. LAZARUS Keep the change on that. LINCOLN Naw... I got it, Mr. Lazarus. (makes change) You wanna tip me, best do it in butter beans. Momma say she need a bag 'a yours, none of that store-bought junk. That's what she said. Laz smiles. He takes the change. Climbs in his truck. LAZARUS Alright, Lincoln. You come on by, I'll load you up. CUT TO: EXT. LAZARUS'S BARN - LATE DAY Lazarus steers his tractor toward his small home in a sea of lush green kudzu. He kills the engine and looks beyond the nose of his tractor. He lights a cigarette. Below the nose is the head of a rose garden with a painted sign under it: Rose's Roses. Laz inhales smoke and exhales hate. The tractor lunges forward, trampling the garden, ripping the flowers to shreds. CUT TO: INT. BOJO'S - EARLY EVENING MAYELLA is a heavy, forty-year-old black woman. Her blue neon tube top matches her short pants stretched across her healthy ass. She is flipping through the juke box selection. MAYELLA You gonna put some Luther Vandross in here? Shit, he black ain't he? BOJO is reading a paper behind the bar. He's short and stout, looking like a sad bull dog. BOJO He black alright, he just ain't blue. MAYELLA Why you stop havin' dancin' on Saturday? Used to have bands... all kind's live shit. Like a wake up in here, now. BOJO Folks can dance when they want. Didn't buy that mirror ball for nothin'. MAYELLA You seen my snake-skin shoes? Mayella lifts up her leg and stretches it over the bar with a provocative flourish. Her shoe is bright blue. MAYELLA They're from New York. My niece gets 'em on the computer. LAZARUS They got blue snakes up north? Mayella turns to Laz sipping a beer at the end of the bar. MAYELLA Naw. They got some blue dye, though. You think them boots you got on come from a black cow? BOJO Wanna get on somebody 'bout live music, get on ol' Laz, there. He the one got this place shakin' back in the day. MAYELLA Don't gotta tell me. Me and my girlfriends use-ta talk 'bout them hard fingertips he got pickin' that guitar. LAZARUS Got'em pickin' peas, not strings. Mayella moves in close, with the tips of her tits touching his arm. MAYELLA They still hard? LAZARUS Mayella. It ain't happened yet. Ain't happenin' tonight. MAYELLA (retreating with a glare) I know you hurtin', Laz. I got ears, you know. But you should know more'n me... ain't no better cure for them blues than some good pussy. Mayella saunters over to the pool table with the others. BOJO Whole lotta woman, right there. LAZARUS She can still spread it around. The door opens behind Laz. Bojo sees the man entering. BOJO Laz. We friends and all but... promise me you'll keep yo cool in my joint. Laz turns to see the door shut behind his brother, DEKE WOODS. He is younger than Laz and a bit smaller. Laz turns to Bojo. LAZARUS I'm gonna finish my beer. Deke slowly approaches Laz at the bar. DEKE Mind if I sit? (no answer) Rose said... it didn't go too well this afternoon. See, that's not how we wanted this to go down. I told her, I said, Rose, we ain't leavin' till we make peace with Laz. And that's God's truth. I laid it down. LAZARUS You laid it down. DEKE I did. LAZARUS Funny. Layin' it down... for my wife. DEKE We're not gonna get through this clean. But it don't need to get dirty. All this... it just come together unexpected. You think I want to hurt you? I... I'd take a bullet for you, Laz. The dry look on Laz's face could cool the sun. LAZARUS You wanna give that a try? (to Bojo) Bo. You still got that .22 behind the tap? My little brother say he'd take a bullet for me. (into Deke's eyes) You come here to ease your heart. Well, I ain't gonna give it to you. You took her into your bed, now you gotta lie in it. Laz turns back to the bar. Deke begins to turn but stops. DEKE I'll always love you, Laz. Till the end of my... In one quick movement, Laz grips Deke by the throat and smashes the bottom of his bottle into jagged shards. BOJO LAZ! Laz pushes Deke back through the joint and slams him onto the pool table. He grips Deke's throat and holds the broken bottle up to his face. LAZARUS Cain slew Able. Slew him out of envy. And God put his mark on Cain for his sin. You want that mark, Deke? Give you that peace you come here for? I'll give it to you, just say that shit again. Say you love me. Go'on! Say YOU LOVE ME, NIGGA! Lazarus slams the bottle down on the pool table, shattering it. Laz lifts his hand. His own blood leaks from between his fingers. He wipes the blood across Deke's face. LAZARUS I'm through wit'cha both. Laz releases Deke and exits. Deke calls after him. DEKE What'chu gonna do? Nothin'. YOU AIN'T GONNA DO NOTHIN'! Laz slams the door behind him. CUT TO: EXT. FISHERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL - FOOTBALL FIELD - NIGHT The bleachers are packed with three generations of fans and family cheering their boys on the high school football field. Rae is sitting with her two girlfriends, JESSE and KELL -- two girls who graduated five years ago. JESSE (hands Rae a beer) Ronnie ship out this mornin'? RAE It's so stupid. Says to me that he don't want nothin' to do with no military career. Says he wants to move. Open up an auto shop with his uncle up in Knoxville. I said, okay. How about now? Let's go. KELL He'd be good for that. Shit, Ronnie knows cars. RAE He get stubborn. Starts talkin' 'bout obligation and duty and all that... Shit. I just want him to come home... I swear, if somethin' happens to him... KELL He fixed up that Buick for my uncle Dale. He say it purrs like a kitten every morning. JESSE Nothing's gonna happen. Not like everybody over there is in the line of fire with them Arabs blowin' themselves up. RAE Can't be thinkin' bout him every second of my day. I'll go outta my gourd. JESSE Why should you waste your life waitin' and wonderin'. Not like you're married. RAE (takes a healthy swig) I begged him not to go. And he did. KELL (screaming at the field) PUNT YOU FUCKERS! CUT TO: EXT. CONNER'S HOUSE - THE KEGGER - NIGHT Dirty South rap pounds the ears from a hoopty Olds with a backseat full of bass. Rae, Kell, and Jesse are walking up to the rowdy party through the variety of parked cars. A girl rushes past the trio, vomiting on herself as a friend comes to her aid. JESSE These baby chicks just can't hold their Jello shots. I'm tellin' ya. CUT TO: INT. CONNER'S HOUSE - THE KEGGER - NIGHT CONNER is one of the linebackers for the Fisherville Dusters. A wasted girl sits on his lap as Kell rolls a joint. CONNER Tennessee Vols gotta practice indoors just so those Florida State sons-a- bitches don't spy on their plays with satellites and shit. KELL Satellites... You mean in space? CONNER Uh-huh. KELL Good thing you can block, Conner, cuz you're dumb as a sack of shit. Jesse notices Rae coughing. She pulls her aside as Conner rambles. JESSE You wanna go home? RAE It gets worse there. Leavin' me to my own mind. That's just not good. JESSE (pours a shot of vodka) Here. Pound this and I'll join you. Rae and Jesse take a strong shot. It burns. JESSE One more. Fuck the chaser. As they pound one more, Rae notices Gill, Ronnie's friend, staring at her from across the room. JESSE Better? RAE Yeah. BATSON and MARK approach Jesse and Rae. They are both sophomores, both skinny and harmless. BATSON Hey, Jess. JESSE Boys. BATSON You robotrippin' tonight? JESSE I'm just gonna smoke. Rae peeks at Gill maneuvering through the room. BATSON (rummages in his pockets) Got eight packs of DXM. Oxycontin. Got a shit load of Coricidin if you want to get out-a-body, n'all. JESSE You just trying to get me outta my clothes. RAE Be right back. Rae pushes through the crowd of drunken kids to get to Gill. RAE It's not like I can't go out and have fun with my friends. GILL You think I'm Ronnie's spy or somethin'? Come tomorrow that dumb- ass gonna be halfway round the world tryin' to keep his head on his shoulders. You think he's gonna be thinkin' about you? RAE You go to hell. Rae pushes through the crowd, back toward the others. RAE (to Batson) How many to fuck me up? QUICK CUTS of: Batson popping out five red cough pills. Rae swallowing all five and chasing them with vodka. Conner's girl falls off his lap. Kell laughs. The laughter echoes and grows as we: CUT TO: EXT. CONNER'S HOUSE - THE KEGGER - HIS PARENT'S WATERBED - NIGHT CLOSE ANGLES: We never quite see the whole of what is implied. Rae's eyes, Jesse's mouth, a boy's shoulder. The room is packed with bodies. Rae laughs with pleasure as her eyes attempt to focus. The kid on top of her finishes and rolls off. JESSE What's so funny? Jesse is straddling a guy in an arm chair, Chinese-eyed and bouncing. Rae tries to respond coherently as another football player rolls her over on all fours and takes her from behind. RAE (laughing) Oh... I'm just on a water bed... And it's just... so... Goddamn... funny! A few coughs. Rae focuses to see a younger guy sitting at her eye level. RAE Hi. BRYAN Hey. RAE You ain't the kicker, are you? BRYAN No, ma'am. RAE Cuz let me tell you, you boys gotta run the ball more. You get into a kicking game, ya'll gonna lose. BRYAN Can I put it in your mouth? RAE Okay. CUT TO: INT. LAZARUS'S HOME - THE BEDROOM - NIGHT Laz kills the rest of his whiskey. He squeezes his eyes closed as the liquor burns his throat. He tosses the bottle into a trash bag he is holding. Laz continues throwing out all of Rose's make-up and hair products. With one broad sweep, he cleans off her vanity. INT. LAZARUS'S HOME - NIGHT Laz opens the front door and tosses the two bags outside. Stumbling, he kneels next to the coiled radiator against the wall opposite the door. He talks to it like an old friend. LAZARUS Seem like you and me... we drove her away. That's what we did. Now we... (singing softly) Drinkin' muddy water... a'sleep in a hollow log... A thought. INT. LAZARUS'S HOME - THE BEDROOM - NIGHT Laz pulls out a guitar case from under the bed. He wipes a layer of dust off and opens it. INT. LAZARUS'S HOME - KITCHEN - NIGHT He gently cradles the guitar in his big hands and sits at his kitchen table. Tunes the strings. He closes his eyes, swimming in drunken sorrow. LAZARUS You gonna do this? Laz plays the blues, Mississippi, Bentonian style: one guitar, one voice, a mess of pain. LAZARUS (singing, his eyes closed) Just like a bird without a feather, you know I'm lost without your love. Just like a bird without a feather, you know I'm lost without your love. You know I need your love just like the angels need heaven above. The music continues as we: CUT TO: EXT. CONNER'S HOUSE - THE KEGGER - THE WOODS OUT BACK - NIGHT Lazarus's blues is all we hear as four guys chase Rae through the woods. She is in her shirt and panties, wearing football shoulder pads. She is completely wasted. Lost. The ground rocks back and forth with each step. Trees pass in a slow-motion haze. LAZARUS (singing) Well I sure did shot my baby, but I did it because she did me wrong. Well I sure did shot my baby, but I did it because she did me wrong. You know the judge called it murder now the penitentiary is my home. Rae grips a tree to steady herself, but a team member tackles her. The woods spin and distort as someone mounts her with ease. LAZARUS (singing) I loved that woman, she said she didn't love no one but me. I loved that woman, she said she didn't love no one but me. Rae smiles as she lifts her hand up to the stars, passing the writhing back of the guy on top of her. If she could just grab a star she would feel safe again. She tries to snatch one. She can't. Her hand drops as the boy stands and takes off after his friends tossing the football. Rae lies motionless on the ground. LAZARUS (singing) Yeah but I caught my baby cheating. CUT TO: INT. LAZARUS'S HOME - KITCHEN - NIGHT A tear rolls down Laz's cheek. LAZARUS (singing) Now my home ain't where it used to be. His guitar groans its last for the night. CUT TO: EXT. CONNER'S HOUSE - THE KEGGER - FRONT YARD - LATER THAT NIGHT Rae is wasted. She is still wearing her shirt, panties and shoulder pads as she steps over passed-out teenagers. RAE Jes? Jesse? (trips over a sprinkler) Oh shit... Wait... Wait... STOP! GILL Stop what? Rae doesn't look up. The Coricidin is tripping her out. RAE (coughing) The ground is... turnin' upside down. I'm gonna... (coughing) I'm gonna fall off... Gill reaches down and pulls off the shoulder pads. The coughing fit passes. RAE Oh. That feels so much better. CUT TO: EXT. ROAD - NIGHT Gill's truck flies down the dark road. INT. GILL'S TRUCK - NIGHT Rae is looking out the window, drifting in and out. GILL Thought you had a skirt earlier. RAE I got others. Gill pulls to the side of the road and kills the engine. He watches Rae tilt her head from side to side. GILL This thing you got... I've heard people say, you'd fuck a tree if it was handy. I can see that. (shakes his head) But that nigger Tehronne. Thinks he's some player cuz he hustles dope and stolen hubcaps. I mean, I can see a tree. But that piece of shit? RAE (lost in hazy sorrow) I begged him. Don't see why he had to go... GILL I bet you did. Just had to get that black cock up in you. I swear to God. What Ronnie sees... you disgust me. Gill grabs her legs and spreads them with no resistance. Her head rolls from side to side on the truck seat as Gill unzips his pants. Rae starts giggling. GILL The fuck you laughin' at? RAE (giggling) You don't got half what Tehronne got. Gill flinches upright. A rage builds in his eyes. EXT. ROAD - NIGHT From outside the steamed truck window, we see Gill beat Rae repeatedly. Silence. GILL (muffled from the inside) Get up! I ain't playin'! OPEN YOUR GODDAMN EYES! Silence. He opens the truck door, fear in his eyes. Rae isn't moving. Blood is on her face. GILL Oh, Jesus... A hasty idea. He pushes her out of the truck. She falls to the dark pavement in a tangle of her own limbs. The door slams. Gill floors the gas. Rae lies motionless alone under the stars. Her watch alarm goes off: Beep-beep. Beep-beep. Beep-beep. CUT TO: INT. A BUS - NIGHT Ronnie is asleep on the bus, unaware that his watch alarm in beeping at him. A Guardsman sitting next to him shakes Ronnie awake. GUARDSMAN Hey. Ronnie silences the alarm. He regards the watch with sadness and affection. EXT. FREEWAY - NIGHT The bus roars past. The red brake lights fade into night. FADE TO BLACK: INT. LAZARUS'S HOME - KITCHEN - EARLY MORNING Lazarus has fallen asleep sitting at his kitchen table. His eyes open. Standing is difficult. The guitar falls to the floor. The phone rings. Dizziness hits, but he manages to pick up the receiver. LAZARUS Huh? INT. CHURCH OF GOD / LAZARUS'S HOME - EARLY MORNING R.L. is on his cell phone. He is placing hymnals in the back racks of the church pews. R.L. Bojo called. Said you got to see your brother at the long end of a broken bottle. LAZARUS You gonna preach 'bout turnin' the other cheek? R.L. I think you did alright by God under the circumstances. (R.L. pauses) Your people are here for you, Laz. This is your home. No shame in showing your face. LAZARUS Don't know if God wanna see me. R.L. He knows where ya at. Just answer the door if he come knockin'. Laz hangs up the phone. CUT TO: EXT. LAZARUS'S HOME - LATE MORNING Lazarus steps out onto his porch. He picks up the trash bags full of Rose's things and walks down the gravel drive to the road. EXT. LAZARUS'S HOME - WHERE THE DRIVE MEETS THE ROAD - LATE MORNING Laz tosses the bags inside his trash cans. He's really hung over this morning. His eyes squeeze shut, he grips his neck in pain. LAZARUS Mmmmmmmmmm... Mm! His eyes open. They remain fixed beyond us. The pain in his face is replaced with grave confusion. Rae lies on the side of the road. Her T-shirt and panties are damp from the early morning mist, her face caked with dried blood. Her skin is deathly white, her mouth open, her eyes shut and swollen. Lazarus carefully steps toward her. He leans down over her face. LAZARUS Sweet... Jesus... Rae coughs. Laz flinches. CUT TO: INT. LAZARUS' HOME - LATE MORNING The door slams against the wall as it swings open. Laz is carrying Rae, unconscious and limp, in his arms. He lays her down on the couch by the radiator. He pulls a quilt over her cold skin. With a twist of the valve the radiator moans to life. Laz takes out his bandana and cleans her face. He tries to wake her. LAZARUS Little lady? Miss? You need to open your eyes for me. Could ya do that? Her eyes open slightly -- just slits of white. LAZARUS There we go. There we go. Just like you doin'. Go'on. She whispers as she touches her fingers to his cheek. RAE (a raspy inhale) Teh... Tehronne? LAZARUS Tehronne? Tehronne done this? A labored breath followed by the most pitiful cough fit. Laz tries to calm her as her lungs fight for oxygen. Laz looks scared as the coughing stops in a desperate wheeze followed by silence. INT. LAZARUS'S HOME - KITCHEN - MORNING Laz pulls the phone off its cradle on the wall and flips through the phone book. His fingers scan down the listings and stops on POLICE DEPARTMENT. He dials and listens. OPERATOR (a recorded voice) You've reached the Fisherville Police Department. Your call will be answered in the order it was received. If this is an emergency, please, hang up and dial 9-1-... Slam! Fingers hit the phone cradle. Lazarus dials 911. As soon as he places the phone to his ear, he looks over at Rae sprawled out on his couch. Her bare legs can be seen peeking out from under the quilt. Fear hits him. He slams the phone down again. Laz crosses to the couch and gently touches her head. LAZARUS (softly) I'm'a go into town. Get you some medicine to fix you up. You just rest, okay, gal? You just sleep. Get that chill out'cha. Laz touches the radiator. It burns him. LAZARUS God... damn... EXT. ROAD - AFTERNOON Laz's Ford roars down the shaded street towards town. CUT TO: EXT. FISHERVILLE SQUARE - MACON DRUGS - AFTERNOON Laz parks his truck in front of MACON DRUGS and heads inside. An old black man named RED sits on a bench next to an older white man in his early eighties holding a cane. RED is the paid caretaker of MELVIN. MELVIN How's the squash this year? LAZARUS It's good, Mister Melvin. I'll bring ya some. Laz rushes inside. INT. MACON DRUGS - AFTERNOON The variety of cough medicine confuses Laz as he examines them. ANGELA approaches Laz. She is dressed in a floral print dress with a white lab coat. Angela has a few extra pounds on her but she wears it well with her caring face and sweet manner. ANGELA Lazarus? LAZARUS (startled) Oh! Gave me a start. ANGELA I'm sorry. It's these soft shoes I wear for my back. LAZARUS You hurt it? ANGELA I'm standing most of my day. They're for support. (a smile) Didn't see you in church this mornin'. LAZARUS (tries to lie) Been on the crop. May need to get some extra hands if I don't want to work on Sundays. ANGELA Well. It's good to see you. Angela wants the conversation to continue but Laz remains silent. She smiles awkwardly. LAZARUS Angela? ANGELA Yes? LAZARUS I need to uh... ANGELA Go on, Laz. You can talk to me. LAZARUS My little niece... she got this deep cough. ANGELA You take her to a doctor? LAZARUS (struggles to lie) No. No, she can't go. Mean to say... they's just no money fo'a doctor. Her daddy left for a job, and uh... give her to me to look on. I just... (a pitiful pause) I don't know what to do. Angela thinks for a moment. ANGELA You wait right here. CUT TO: INT. LAZARUS' HOME - DAY Snot and spittle has run down the side of Rae's face -- her eyelids stick together as she tries to open them. There is a creak, followed by another. Rae has become aware that someone is slowly walking up the front porch. The door opens. Silhouetted in the day's blinding light is a white man in his 40's. His face is indistinguishable to Rae's affected gaze. Is this a dream? He stands above her and lights a cigarette. The Zippo lighter clasps shut. The man lowers it to his side where Rae can see it clearly. A bald eagle is printed on the side, a sight that makes Rae's eyes open wide in horror. Her breath grows deeper -- a girlish plea. This is no dream -- it's a nightmare. RAE Mm-mm... Mm-mm... A massive hand slaps down over her mouth. Her crusted eyes peer above the hairy knuckles. He sucks on the cigarette. A red cherry blazes at the end. The man pushes the blanket off of her and grips her panties. Rae's eyes close. She knows what is next. In his clenched fist, the panties are ripped off. RAE NOOOOO! Rae flinches awake from the fever-induced nightmare and falls to the wooden floor, drenched in sweat. Weakened and shaking, she scampers away, finally collapsing in the kitchen. Her hand reaches out and lands on the strings of Laz's guitar on the floor. She grips the steel strings with her trembling fingers. A single bass note twangs as she passes out. CUT TO: INT. MACON DRUGS - AFTERNOON Angela stands between the aisles, motioning Laz to approach, away from the girl at the counter. ANGELA Is your niece older than 12? LAZARUS Oh, she older than that. She hands him a white box with cough syrup inside. ANGELA My sister got a bad cough with her pneumonia. I just copied her prescription. You don't need to pay anything... just take it. But if she gets worse, you give me a call. I wrote my number on the box. LAZARUS This gonna get you in trouble? ANGELA Not if no one finds out. Laz doesn't know what to say. He puts the box in his pocket. LAZARUS Thank you. (suddenly awkward) Oh. My wife. She had a card here for her migraine pills. She ain't gonna be around no more... So if you... ANGELA I already tossed that out. (takes a step closer) Somethin' you should'a done to that woman long ago... how she treated you. Of course, that's none of my business. LAZARUS (smiles) Don't make it less true. Angela returns the smile. EXT. MACON DRUGS - AFTERNOON Laz opens his truck door and stops. At the pool-hall across the square, Laz sees a green Cutlass with chrome rims. CUT TO: INT. POOL HALL - AFTERNOON Laz enters the empty pool hall. Tehronne is playing a game with a skinny playa-wanna-be dressed in flea-market Fubu. CHARLIE, the owner, approaches Laz from the bar. CHARLIE Hey, Lazarus. We closed up on Sunday. LAZARUS Need a word with Tehronne. CHARLIE (calling to the back) Yo, T! Laz wanna holla at cha. TEHRONNE Come on back, Cuz. Charlie nods Laz on. He crosses to the back pool table as Tehronne sinks the 8. Tehronne looks at his friend. TEHRONNE Do you call it a game when only one man win each time? I think you call it a damn shame. LAZARUS Word wit'cha. In private. Tehronne hands his friend the pool cue. The two take a few steps away to talk. TEHRONNE You need some weed? LAZARUS Been years since I fooled with that. (tries to find the words) You know a white girl? Dirty blond hair, split down the middle like? TEHRONNE (smiles) That ain't up to me to hook you up. Naw what I mean? She her own, you know? LAZARUS Huh? TEHRONNE I don't pimp that. (silence) You talkin' about who I think you talkin' about, you mean Rae. Rae Doole. Sexy little split tail, like you say. I can't hook you up with that. I got two girls. One ain't in town, the other one pregnant. So... you on your own. LAZARUS This Rae... you get with her? TEHRONNE Shit. Who hasn't? LAZARUS Why you say that? TEHRONNE She got a spare minute she'll snatch up anyone... but me, I'm different. Sometimes she need the real deal, so she call me up. Girl got an itch. You know... what's a nigga to do? LAZARUS She like it rough? You like beatin' on her? TEHRONNE That ain't my scene. If that's somethin' you into... LAZARUS Now, hold up. TEHRONNE See, that girl is in my favor. You heard me, nigga? You fuck with her rough, and you got me to fuck wit. LAZARUS You collar that dog, boy. I ain't gonna hurt nobody. Just wanted to know who she was. TEHRONNE Like I say, you wanna hook that up... I ain't in ya way. That switch of hers been all over this town. Got that sickness, you know. LAZARUS What'chu sayin'? TEHRONNE She a freak. Got what you call a sexual addiction. Lazarus looks at him with a furrowed brow. Confused. LAZARUS What'chu sayin'? TEHRONNE What I'm tellin' you. Girl gotta get dick or she go crazy. CUT TO: INT. LAZARUS' HOME - DAY Laz opens his own door with caution. He turns to see Rae sprawled in his kitchen in her panties and T-shirt. He rushes to her side. LAZARUS Gal? Miss Rae? Rae, you hear me? Lazarus lifts her sweaty body off the floor and moves her back to the couch. Consciousness briefly returns to Rae in her feverish haze. FLASH TO: CLOSE UP - FLASHBACK The white-knuckled hand clutched around her mouth. FLASH BACK TO: INT. LAZARUS' HOME - DAY Rae flinches and flails. She falls to the floor. LAZARUS Hold on, now. Hold on! Rae's eyes are open and filled with fear. She struggles to flee as Laz holds her in place, trying to reassure her. LAZARUS Now, I ain't gonna hurt'cha. Calm down, Miss. (she fights, coughs) Listen... Listen... LISTEN NOW, GAL! (Rae settles in his grip) I ain't gonna hurt ya, hear? Gotta get you well. Now, look me... HEY! Look me in the eye. Rae is too weak to talk or move. Laz clutches her small face in his dark hands. LAZARUS Open your eyes. Go'on, now. You need to see, ain't no harm here. Ain't no harm. (Rae calms) My name is Lazarus Woods. And I ain't gonna let you die. Rae's eyes roll back. Lazarus looks terrified as she cranes her head back and forward. Her mouth opens. In her sickened state, with the force of something evil and deep inside, Rae clasps her open mouth over Laz's. A shriek sounds in his brain as he holds her tighter, allowing the kiss to grow in intensity. Rae falls to her stomach as Laz abruptly stands and stumbles across the room. What he sees chills him to the bone. Rae is writhing on the floor as if she is possessed -- a rant of raspy words pour from her mouth. RAE ...you don't... touch me... s'no... NO! Mm-mm... Mm-MMMMMMMMMMMMM! N- N'you FUCK! Lazarus gets spooked by what he is seeing. He looks to the mantle. His weathered Bible lies in a coat of dust. He picks it up as a wave of the burning hits Rae. She clutches her breast and crotch, rolling from side to side. RAE Mm-mm... mm-mm... Ma-muh... Ma-MUH! (sudden anger, shouting) See... S... See if'I GIVE... GIVE'A... SHIT... FLASH TO: INT. DUNN'S CAFE - MORNING - FLASHBACK Rose is shouting at the customers in the cafe. Her eyes are white like Rae's. Her voice is not her own but that of Rae. ROSE/RAE (screaming) 'BOUT ANY OF YOU PEOPLE! FLASH BACK TO: EXT. LAZARUS' HOME - DAY Laz runs out of his own home, not even shutting the door behind him. He gets half way down his drive, the Bible still clutched in his hand. He stops. In a panic, Laz opens his Bible, places it down on the drive, face up, creating a barrier to evil. He hears a choking cough inside the house. Rae is fighting for breath beyond the dark door. Silence. Laz reaches down and picks up his Bible. A passage catches his eye. As he reads, the fear vanishes from his face. His back straightens. His jaw tightens. He looks back at his house, his faith is renewed. CUT TO: INT. LAZARUS'S HOME - THE BATHROOM - DAY The Bible is slammed down on top of the toilet tank. The bathtub faucet coughs as Laz twists the cold water knob. INT. LAZARUS' HOME - KITCHEN - DAY The freezer door opens. He snatches four trays of ice. INT. LAZARUS' HOME - THE BATHROOM - DAY The trays crack. The ice cubes bounce into the tub. INT. LAZARUS' HOME - DAY Rae's lips are dried and split as she pants, lost in dizzying fever. Laz lifts her. INT. LAZARUS' HOME - THE BATHROOM - DAY Laz kneels on one knee to put her into the tub. A horrible cry from Rae as Laz wrestles with her, keeping her submerged in the ice cold water. LAZARUS I know, child, I know. Gotta break that fever now. (Rae sobs, struggles) Don't mean to hurt'chu. But I ain't lettin' you die. (holding her down) I AIN'T LETTIN' YOU DIE! Rae is motionless. Exhausted. Her eyes are open but blind. Her lip trembles. Her body shakes from the freezing water. Laz rubs the hair from her face gently. He reaches over to the Bible on the toilet and opens it to read. LAZARUS Put fear of the Devil in me, gal. Got me spooked like I's a kid, I tell you. (flips through the pages) But the good Lord, He showed me what to do. He come knockin' like my man R.L. say... listen here... (Rae sobs like a child) This here Matthew. He talkin' on how Jesus was healin' the sick. And a man come up to the disciples and he say... (reads deliberately) Have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic, and sore vexed... (to Rae) He got the devil in his mind and sores on his skin. (reads) And he brought the boy to the disciples, but they could NOT cure him. Rae's shivering is abating. Her eyes fight to stay open. Laz touches her forehead to test her temperature. LAZARUS (reading) Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation... how long shall I suffer you? Bring the boy hither to me. And Jesus rebuked the devil. (to Rae) You hear that? (reads) Then the disciples say... Why could not we cast the devil out? And Jesus said unto them... Rae's eyes begin to close. Laz gently touches her head to rile her awake. LAZARUS Listen now... This what he sayin' to us. He say... (reads) If ye have faith... if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto a mountain, remove hence... and it... shall... move. And nothin'... nothin' shall be impossible to you. (to Rae) You hear that? You just need a bit of faith. You just gotta believe you gonna get well, like I do. He touches her forehead again. Her eyes close. LAZARUS That's better. You coolin' down. Okay. You rest. Okay. You rest. Laz leans against the wall, spent. EXT. LAZARUS' HOME - SUNSET The cicadas sing in a rising chorus as the clouds above fade from copper to crimson. FADE TO BLACK. INT. LAZARUS' HOME - NIGHT The faint echo of Rae's fevered panting. She lies on the couch wrapped in a quilt, shivering. Her eyes remain closed, her face drenched with sweat. Laz has cleaned her facial wounds, using a few Band-Aids. BOOM! An explosion ignites the windows surrounding the cabin. Rae jolts awake, terror pervades her as she gasps at the fire ball outside the window. She struggles to her feet and listens. A faint sound can be heard through the roar of the flames. beep beep... beep beep... beep beep... beep beep... RAE (a whisper) Ronnie... Rae stumbles to the door, weak and dizzy. She grips the door knob and pulls the door open. EXT. LAZARUS' HOME - NIGHT Rae races outside, tripping down the front porch steps. She looks off at the blaze in the squash field. She frantically races toward the fire, the beeping increases. RAE Ronnie... RONNIE! BEEP BEEP... BEEP BEEP... BEEP BEEP... BEEP BEEP... At the center of the blaze is an upside down Humvee. To the left of the vehicle, a few soldier's bodies lay scattered. Rae's legs lose all strength, she collapses and crawls across the squash plants. A far away voice is heard over the roaring flames. LAZARUS Gal? Gal? Rae crawls across a fallen soldier, following the sound of Ronnie's alarm. She struggles to breathe, she almost faints. She finds a soldier face down. With all her strength she turns him over. It is Ronnie, wide-eyed and lifeless. An awful groan comes out of Rae -- crippling sorrow. She pulls on his vest trying to wake him. RAE (sobbing) Nn-nn... Nn-nn... no... N'RONNIE! LAZARUS GAL! YOU HEARIN' MY VOICE? Rae looks up. The flaming humvee is gone. She is not pulling on Ronnie's vest, but the tangled vines of a squash plant. Laz stands at a safe distance, silhouetted in moonlight. LAZARUS You travelin' right now, gal. You asleep and you don't even know it. (extends his hand) Now... come on inside with me. Rae looks like a terrified child. Her eyes well with tears as she shakes her head. Laz takes a step toward her. RAE Mm-mm... Mm-mm... LAZARUS Come on, gal... She turns and runs away as best she can. Laz chases after her. He's much older than her and a bit slower, but her balance betrays her. Laz wraps his arms around her. Rae screams to the sky. RAE NO! NOOO! NOOOOOOOOOO! And then, stillness. Rae lies limp in Laz's arms, unconscious. He reaches down and lifts her wrist to his face. The green screen of the digital watch pulsates with the alarm. He pushes the side button. The beeping stops. Silence. CUT TO: INT. LAZARUS' HOME - KITCHEN - NIGHT Laz lays Rae back onto his couch. Her eyes open into slits. She can see Laz's form over her like the man in her nightmare. Rae grabs Laz's wrist. He flinches with her force. RAE (the whisper of a child) Is'okay... Is'okay... Struggling with exhaustion, Rae moves Laz's hand to her bare stomach. She rubs it slowly up and down her form, suggestively. Laz slips his hand away and claps it tight over her eyes. Rae holds her breath, waiting to be molested, her lip quivering. LAZARUS (singing deep and soft) Goin' over that hill. Goin' over that hill. Well, I ain't gonna stop until I reach my God's top. I'm goin' over the hill. Well I went to the valley, I didn't go to stay. Soul got happy, I stayed all day. I'm goin' over that hill. Rae relaxes and falls into a deep sleep. Laz backs away from her, a touch of fear in his heart. The voice of Tehronne is heard from earlier in the day. TEHRONNE (V.O.) She a freak. Got what you call a sexual addiction. LAZARUS (V.O.) What'chu sayin'? TEHRONNE (V.O.) What I'm tellin' you. Girl gotta get dick or she go crazy. FLASH TO: INT. POOL HALL - EARLIER THAT DAY - FLASHBACK Lazarus looks at Tehronne with a furrowed brow, confused. TEHRONNE First hooked up with that bitch when she was 16. Girl was fuckin' the principal and two of her teachers. You know coach Reynolds? LAZARUS Uh-huh. TEHRONNE He tapped that. LAZARUS Naw! TEHRONNE Go ask him. FLASH BACK TO: INT. LAZARUS'S BARN - NIGHT Lazarus opens his barn, slicing through the darkness with his flashlight. TEHRONNE (V.O.) She been bumpin' around all her life, hookin' up with whoever keep her fed and fucked. He crosses to the other side, pulls on a beaded chain turning on the single bulb above his work table. TEHRONNE (V.O.) I seen her give it up on park benches, back of trucks, hoopty hoods, you name it. Laz opens an old wooden box on his work table. He looks inside. FLASH TO: INT. POOL HALL - MORNING - FLASHBACK Laz looks ill. Tehronne checks his pager briefly. TEHRONNE You ever seen a train run on a woman? LAZARUS Nuh-uh. TEHRONNE Meanin' like a team of fellas go to work on her and she don't even break a sweat. (puts his pager away) She into football, you know. You got a letter on your jacket you get that pussy in ya lap. I ain't playin'. Tehronne's friend breaks on the pool table with a sharp crack. Lazarus is genuinely disturbed. LAZARUS How a girl get like that? TEHRONNE Like I told you. FLASH BACK TO: INT. LAZARUS'S BARN - NIGHT Lazarus reaches inside the box and pulls out the end of an old chain. TEHRONNE (V.O.) Girl got a sickness. The chain rattles as Laz walks backwards, pulling the long chain from the box. The shouting of his brother can be heard. DEKE (V.O.) What'chu gonna do? Huh? Nothin'. YOU AIN'T GONNA DO NOTHIN'! NOTHIN'! The end of the chain snags, yanking the box over. CRASH! CUT TO: EXT. LAZARUS' HOME - THE VEGETABLE GARDEN - LATE MORNING Lazarus is bent over, harvesting his tomatoes. LAZARUS (singing to himself) Tell me who's that writin'? John the Revelator. Wrote the book of the seven seals. CUT TO: INT. LAZARUS' HOME - AFTERNOON Laz enters his home. He crosses to the kitchen and pours himself a glass of water. Dripping with sweat, he steps back into the room, downing the last of his water. He lowers the glass, noticing Rae looking at him. LAZARUS Hey. Rae lifts her head off the pillow. Laz comes to her side and helps her sit up. LAZARUS Take it easy now. Don't rush it. RAE (a scratchy whisper) How long... how long I been out? LAZARUS You been in and out goin' on two... maybe two days. RAE (can't believe it) Two days? LAZARUS After your fever broke, you'd wake up in spells... long enough to get that medicine in ya. Rae sits up on the couch, the quilt wrapped around her waist. She looks at the cough syrup bottle on the side table. LAZARUS Found you on the side of the road. Someone took to beatin' on you pretty bad. You know who done that to you? Rae touches the cut over her eye. That evening is still a blur. RAE Where's Ronnie? LAZARUS Well I don't... RAE (remembering) Wait. He left. Rae lifts her head, revealing tears in her eyes. She gets mad at herself and wipes them away. RAE I don't got any money... for fixin' me up and all. LAZARUS Don't need none. RAE Then I better be on my way. Don't wanna put you out no more. LAZARUS Think it'd be best if you stayed put while we talk. RAE Naw'sir... I gotta be on my way. LAZARUS Best try gettin' ya wits about you 'fore you try to... Rae struggles for balance as she attempts to stand. The quilt falls away as a heavy chain slides off the couch and thuds on the floor by her feet. Rae feels a tug. She looks down to see a dark chain locked around her thin waist and coiled on the floor. The opposite end is locked around the side coil of the radiator. She is chained to the house, a prisoner. LAZARUS Let me say somethin' first... RAE Why you got me chained? LAZARUS Way I see it, it's gonna take a while for you to get right. RAE The fuck you been doin' to me? LAZARUS I ain't laid a hand on ya but to ease yo fever... Remember like I say, I found you in the road... RAE (yanks at the chain around her waist) Get this Goddamn thing off me! Rae stumbles as she moves away from Laz. Laz tries to reassure her. LAZARUS Now, no harm's come to you... and I aim to keep it that way. Ain't gonna... gonna run a train over ya... or however you call it... see... you was runnin' wild on me... these fever dreams you was havin'... these fits. I'd be chasin' you all night. RAE Well I'm woke now... you can take this off. Rae waits. LAZARUS Gal, you ain't right yet. RAE I'm right enough to stand on my own two feet. Now take this Goddamn chain off... LAZARUS How you let men treat ya like they do? RAE What? LAZARUS These men you up under. How you let them do ya like that? RAE (grips the chain) Do me? Do me like this, you mean? Like chainin' me up? LAZARUS You know what I'm talkin' about. (beat) All that mess with ya teachers and... boys in the backs of trucks. RAE (shocked) The hell you know about me?! You got no right to talk to me about that shit! The hell you think you are? LAZARUS (interrupting) I've saved ya life, gal. I can do and say whatever the fuck I want. Rae begins to feel a pang of panic. She goes to the chain locked around the radiator. She yanks on it a few times. LAZARUS I give ya enough chain so's you can get about the house. Get you to the kitchen. You need the bathroom, it'll reach. RAE What do you want? LAZARUS We got everything we need. Plenty of food. Ya medicine still got a few good swallows in it... RAE WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?! (Laz can't answer) WHATEVER YOU GONNA DO TO ME, JUST DO IT! AND LET ME GO! LAZARUS God saw to it to put you in my path. And I aim to cure ya of your wickedness. This statement terrifies Rae. The fear can be seen in her eyes. She backs away -- the chain scrapes across the floor. RAE You some kind'a pervert? LAZARUS No ma'am. RAE Some crazy Jesus freak, gonna fuck the spirit into me... LAZARUS In my house, you watch that lip... RAE (furious, near tears) Look it, mister... you wanna have your way, you take it. I'll do whatever you want. But you gotta let me go. You can't do this! You can't KEEP ME HERE! LAZARUS You sick. You got a sickness... we broke that fever... we gonna break that hold the devil got on ya. Rae pushes Laz back and bolts for the door. Laz falls back against the side table by the couch, toppling the lamp. EXT. LAZARUS' HOME / INT. LAZARUS' HOME - AFTERNOON The door slams against the house as Rae rushes out in her wolf shirt and panties -- the chain trailing behind her. RAE (screaming) HELP! Laz watches as the coil unravels and snaps taut, yanking on the old radiator. Clank! The chain whips Rae down to the ground. Laz watches as dust flies of the radiator with each tug. RAE SOMEBODY! CLANK! The fear in Laz's face is replaced with a grin as he watches his radiator hold firm. RAE SOMEBODY HELP ME! Outside, Rae bucks and screams, yanking on the chain like a wild mustang. Her bare feet and legs are soiled with fresh mud and grass as she claws at the ground. Laz crosses to the radiator and pats it like a proud parent -- his wedding ring clicks against the iron. LAZARUS (to the radiator) Ain't gonna be moved. He steps outside with resolve and strength. He picks up the chain and wraps it around his fist. LAZARUS GAL! I ain't gonna be moved on this! Laz yanks her back, dragging her towards him. He grips the taut chain with his other hand and yanks her closer. RAE LET ME GO! LAZARUS You can holla y'self hoarse. Ain't gonna bend my will. (pulls her closer) Right or wrong, you gonna mind me. (Pulls her again) Gonna suffer you like Jesus say, to the FAITHLESS and the PERVERSE GENERATION. Rae is spent. She turns to look at her captor as he wrangles her back to the porch. LAZARUS Now you get up! And you get in my house! RAE Or what? Rae spits at Laz. Bad idea. CUT TO: INT. LAZARUS'S HOME - LATER THAT AFTERNOON Rae is screaming and grunting as Laz, standing in his kitchen, tugs on the chain around the door-jam like he's drawing water from a well. Outside Rae struggles to hold onto the porch post. Laz pulls hard, lifting her lower torso off the ground. RAE Stop it! Stop it! IT HURTS! LAZARUS Whose doin' is that? Laz yanks. Rae loses her grip and slams onto the porch. RAE Okay... OKAY! I'M COMIN' IN! NOW QUIT IT! The pulling stops. Rae picks herself up. Her knees and hands are scraped and bleeding. The two stare at each other. LAZARUS Say we talk. Just take a seat on the sofa. I'll get us somethin' cool to drink. Laz crosses to the kitchen. Rae sits down on the couch, noticing the fallen lamp on the floor. LAZARUS You may not remember. But you spent a whole half day in my tub, tryin' to cool down. Melted four ice trays. He finishes preparing the two waters. He crosses into the front room. Rae is not there. CRASH! Rae smashes the lamp on Laz's head. The water glasses shatter as Laz falls to the floor. Rae picks up a wooden chair and breaks it over his back. Before she can do any more damage, Laz grabs her by the wrists and throws her to the couch. Rae falls to the floor. Laz stumbles on his feet as he clutches his bleeding head. He loses his cool. LAZARUS Wicked little bitch... gonna cut me... RAE You gonna get a lot more a'that, you keep me locked up like this! Rae freezes as she sees Laz undo his belt buckle. Her breath starts to quiver as she deeply inhales and exhales. LAZARUS Think I'm gonna let you do me like that... Laz whips his belt off and wraps the buckle around his fist. He stops in his tracks. Rae is panting and shaking. Her middle finger is scratching at her own thigh. LAZARUS (regaining his cool) Okay, now... I ain't gonna hit'cha. (the burning is starting) Just lost my cool there. (he throws the belt away) Now take that look out'cha eye. Her anguished hum can be heard through her clenched teeth as she rocks back and forth. Her hands wander down to her inner thighs. LAZARUS No, ma'am. You stop that foolishness. RAE (shaking her head) Hm-mm... Hm-mm... LAZARUS I said... STOP! RAE (on the verge of crying) I CAN'T! Rae gets dizzy. She rests the top of her head on the floor and sways back and forth. Laz rushes out the front door. As the wave hits, Rae twists and turns, wrapping the chain around her. She grips the radiator with both hands and rests her face against the side. RAE Hmmmmmm... Stop-it!... STOP-IT! The wave is about to build in to a powerful climax. Rae gasps for breath. The door slams open. Laz drenches her with a gallon of cold well water from a tin bucket. Rae inhales and freezes. Laz waits and watches. The burning is gone. Laz kneels next to her and gently frees her bare ankle from the tangled chain. LAZARUS You hungry? CUT TO: EXT. LAZARUS' HOME - ON THE PORCH - LATER THAT DAY They are both seated on the front porch with paper plates in their laps. Laz watches with amusement as Rae tears into her chicken and gobbles up the vegetables. LAZARUS I put some back ache into growin' them greens. You should slow down and see how they taste. Rae remains under Lazarus' intense gaze as the cicadas sing. CUT TO: EXT. LAZARUS' HOME - THE VEGETABLE GARDEN - SUNSET Rae stares off at orange clouds and purple sky. She takes a step to her left, walking through the parallel rows of squash. The chain gently rattles behind her. Laz has given her about 20 feet of slack. He holds the chain tight around his fist. Rae grins, standing proud in her wolf shirt and panties. RAE You like this? Walkin' me through this field like I's your mule? LAZARUS Can't sit all day on that sofa. Need to get your legs strong. RAE (sassy) If I break one you gonna shoot me? Rae teases Laz by adjusting her panties. She turns back to the sunset and stretches. CUT TO: INT. LAZARUS' HOME - NIGHT Rae's smoldering eyes don't leave Laz as he chains her to the radiator. Laz nervously preaches, trying to avoid the sight of her bare legs curled up on his couch. LAZARUS My Daddy was one of the first mens to organize soil conservation in these parts. That's a group of farmers, you know, each season they'd rotate the crop. Know why it's best to rotate em like that? RAE Uh-uh. Laz moves in close and starts applying antibacterial cream to the cut above Rae's eye. LAZARUS Cuz once in a while soil need a change. Corn take up a lot of nitrate in the fertilizer. So next crop what ya do is plant ya some soy beans. That give off a lot of nitrate. Change keeps it all growin' and growin' strong. (regarding the eye) Sting a bit? RAE Itches. LAZARUS Means ya healin'. (a nod) So all this farmin' make me think on Matthew. Matthew 13. The parable of the sower? Man toss seed on rock, on the wayside, some fell in thorns... you know the story? RAE Uh-uh. Laz starts putting the cream on her scabbed knees. He rubs them gently. LAZARUS The seed that land on good soil is for them who hear the word of God... and understand the word of God. Not enough for you to hear what I'm sayin', you gotta understand. RAE I know. I get it. What's Matthew doin'? LAZARUS Gal... Matthew ain't doin' shit... this just a story... (quelling his frustration) Look it. I've seen it in nature, I've seen it in men. Ya got to change up your crop. Cuz that seed ain't gettin' in. (Rae remains silent) Ya gotta cut this shit out. Got no cause to be up under these fools, ruttin' on ya like you a bitch. Like you somebody's dog. No woman... who joins in union with Almighty God... or man... in the sanctity of marriage... should degrade herself... and bend to ANOTHER MAN'S WILL! Rae is aware that Laz is somewhere else, talking to someone else other than her. There is anger in his tone as he rubs ointment on her bare, scabbed knees. LAZARUS (shouting) My God, gal, don't you got no SENSE? I ain't sayin' I ain't weak? Shit. Playin' guitar in the blood-bucket jukes all ya life... a nigga learn how to sin, let me tell you! (grips her by the legs) I GOT SIN IN ME! I AIN'T GO'N LIE! BUT I GOT RESPECT! AND ALL YOU GOT IS BILE, GAL! RAE Let go of me... LAZARUS GIVIN' UP THAT SWITCH LIKE A TRAMP! BEHIND MY BACK AND KILL MY BABY...! Rae yanks free of Laz's grip, recoiling on the couch. RAE GET OFF ME! Laz awakens from his rant. He blinks and stands. A sudden shame overtakes him. He crosses into the kitchen to hide by the sink. He pours Rae a glass of water and returns to her side. LAZARUS (offering her the glass) Didn't mean to go off on a tear like I did. I just got to thinkin' about things... Rae leans up into his face. The glass of water is touching her chest. Laz remains hypnotized by her eyes. RAE Why is it you old men gotta talk so much? Like little boys, gotta talk yourself into fuckin' me. (his knuckles touch her skin) We can take our time. I'm grown. I get it. (she leans even closer) You wanna give me 'nother bath? Laz stands and backs away. He quickly leaves the room. INT. LAZARUS'S HOME - THE BEDROOM - NIGHT Laz looks at himself in the reflection of Rose's vanity mirror, listening to Rae stir in the next room. INT. LAZARUS' HOME - NIGHT The cicadas are screaming outside. Rae is beginning to breathe deep, the burning is coming on. RAE (under her breath) Goddammit. She folds her arms over her chest, her middle finger scratching her elbow. The anxiety is too much. She rolls over until the chain pulls taut against the radiator. Rae has wrapped herself in a tangle of chain. Her breathing relaxes. Her eyes close. She sleeps. FADE TO BLACK. EXT. FISHERVILLE SQUARE - EARLY DAWN A train rumbles past in the blue hue of dawn. Laz pulls his truck next to two other fruit and vegetable vendors: ARCHIE and GENE. Archie is an old black man in his early seventies. Gene is a short white man closer to Laz's age. GENE There goes our fortune. We been doin' good for ourselves since you been away. Laz sets up his folding table and uncovers his produce. LAZARUS Y'all know when Ella Mae's open up? ARCHIE You needin' to buy some pantyhose? LAZARUS Just some dresses. Gene looks at Archie and shrugs. CUT TO: INT. LAZARUS' HOME - MORNING Rae snaps awake. She is wet with sweat from the morning heat. RAE Hello? Hey! Rae drags the chain behind her as she crosses to the front door and looks outside. No truck. RAE I don't believe this shit. She folds her arms and looks into the kitchen. There on the table is a covered plate and a small bottle of milk. Rae reads a note on top of the plate: BE BACK FOR SUPPER. She pulls off the top plate and finds sausage links, eggs, biscuits, sliced tomatoes, and sliced peaches. RAE Enough to choke a Goddamn horse. She yanks her chain. It rattles across the floor as she sits. CUT TO: INT. ELLA MAE'S WOMEN'S CLOTHING - EARLY AFTERNOON Laz looks out of place in his faded overalls surrounded by bright colors of Ella Mae's dress shop. ELLA MAE is a wide woman with white hair in her late fifties. LAZARUS I'm needin' some women's clothes. A few dresses. Maybe some shoes. But they gotta be nice. They gotta be proper. Clothes a woman would want, where she could feel and look like a woman without... you know, lookin' like a tramp or a hussy or somethin'. Ella Mae turns to her assistant, Rhonda. Rhonda is a 19-year- old black girl. She turns back to Laz, unsure how to proceed. ELLA MAE And, sir... do you have a size in mind for what you're lookin' for? LAZARUS (points to Rhonda) That young lady's size, right'cher. ELLA MAE Well, that makes it easier. CUT TO: INT. LAZARUS' HOME - THE BATHROOM - AFTERNOON Rae sits down in the tub, still wearing her T-shirt and panties. Looking up at the shower head above she turns on the cold water and yanks up on the shower knob. Cold water sprays down over her. She gasps and then relaxes, laying back in the tub. CUT TO: INT. ELLA MAE'S WOMEN'S CLOTHING - AFTERNOON Laz is at the counter. Rhonda is putting the shoes and clothes in two shopping bags while Ella Mae rings him up. ELLA MAE Well... I hope these will work for your niece. She can always come back in and swap sizes. Lazarus points to a small display of fine lotions. LAZARUS Mind I ask, what's all this business here? ELLA MAE These are whipped body creams. It's like a lotion. LAZARUS For your hands? ELLA MAE Some women prefer not to scent their bodies with perfume. So now they have scented creams. They help moisturize a woman's skin. (unscrewing a jar) This one's my favorite. It's called Ginger Souffle. I recommend... applying the cream while the skin is still damp. So... perhaps just after a shower. LAZARUS (likes what he smells) I'll take a jar of that, too. CUT TO: INT. LAZARUS' HOME - KITCHEN - AFTERNOON Rae rattles into the kitchen, her damp clothes clinging to her form. She picks up Laz's guitar off the table and places it in her lap. She plucks a few random strings out of boredom and smiles. CUT TO: INT. MACON DRUGS - AFTERNOON The same apathetic girl is working the front counter as Laz enters the drug store with a basket of arranged vegetables. LAZARUS Lookin' for Miss Angela. GIRL She in the back. Laz makes his way to the back of the store. He spies Angela in the back pharmacy, sorting pills for a pick-up. He watches her work for a moment until, finally, she sees him. ANGELA Wait right there. Laz waits as Angela rounds the corner. LAZARUS I brung you a little basket of goodies. Fresh squash, tomatoes, some okra, butter beans. ANGELA (taking the basket) You didn't have to do this. LAZARUS Just wanted to say how much I appreciate you helping me the other day. My niece, she's cured up, and I got you to thank. ANGELA Well that's good. I'm happy to hear it. Angela smiles. There is tension and attraction between the two. LAZARUS Look here. I got somethin' special for you. Angela is flush as Laz moves closer than he has ever been before. He reaches in the basket for the jar of cream. LAZARUS This here is a whipped... body cream. And it's got a smell to it. Tell me what you think. Laz holds the jar up to her nose. Angela closes her eyes and smells. Her expression says enough -- she loves it. LAZARUS They call this Ginger Souffle. Best if it... if it go on your skin just after you been in a hot tub... or shower. Angela takes the lotion from his hand. She is subtle and demure, but the woman is deeply affected. She smiles. ANGELA This was very sweet of you. LAZARUS Well. Hope you enjoy it. Angela watches Laz as he walks out the door. The apathetic girl moves up behind Angela. GIRL Oooooo. ANGELA Hush up. EXT. FISHERVILLE SQUARE - MACON DRUGS - AFTERNOON Laz opens his truck and waves goodbye to Old Red. Melvin is holding a healthy squash. RED You gonna be on the square later on? LAZARUS Got all my honey-do's done with. I'm headin' home. RED Stay cool. It's a hot one. Laz pulls away in his truck and rounds the corner just as R.L. crosses the street. He steps over to talk to Red. R.L. Hey, Red. Was that Laz just left? RED Yes'sir, Rev'rend. CUT TO: INT. LAZARUS'S HOME - KITCHEN - AFTERNOON Rae occasionally strums an awful chord as she sings playfully. RAE (trying to sing) You are my sunshine. My only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You'll never know dear how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away. A voice from outside spins her around. The guitar barks as Rae slams it down on the table. LINCOLN (O.S.) Mister Lazarus? Rae stays hidden as she peeks out the front window. Lincoln is standing before the house holding an old picnic basket. Rae's middle finger begins scraping against the wall. LINCOLN Mister Laz... I come for the butter beans. Rae fights her dizziness. She crawls to the radiator as she hears each creak of Lincoln crossing to the front door. FLASH TO QUICK CUTS The Zippo with the bald eagle closes. A smoldering cigarette. FLASH BACK TO: Rae flinches and grits her teeth as Lincoln knocks on the door: Knock, knock. LINCOLN Ain't seen you on the square. Mister Laz, can you hear me? The burning has started: deep gasps, itching, anxiety. LINCOLN (worried now) Mister Lazarus? Rae watches the shadows of Lincoln's shoes under the door. They wait patiently and walk away. EXT. LAZARUS' HOME - AFTERNOON Lincoln walks down the porch steps and stops. Thinks. INT. LAZARUS' HOME - AFTERNOON Rae inches upward, pulling herself up the radiator so she can stand. Her panting has waned. Suddenly the front door swings open. LINCOLN Mister Laz, I'm comin' inside... Lincoln can't believe what he sees. Rae is chained around the waist, damp and barely clothed. Her eyes bore into Lincoln like an owl zeroing in on a helpless jackrabbit. She rips her shirt off in one tug over her head. Lincoln can't move. The picnic basket hits the floor. His mouth hangs open in shock as Rae steps towards him and lays her open mouth on the boy. EXT. LAZARUS' HOME - AFTERNOON SLAM! Rae shuts the door. Laz steers his Ford truck up the drive and parks. He takes his time getting out and removing the shopping bags. He opens the door and goes inside. His curses can be heard from outside. LAZARUS SHIT BOY! WHAT THE HELL YOU...! Lincoln is tossed off the porch, clinging to his overalls. LAZARUS CAN'T LEAVE YOU ALONE FOR ONE... Tears and fear come to Lincoln as Laz steps out onto the porch, fuming with rage. Lincoln backs away expecting a good beating. He starts running up the drive but stops as R.L.'s Olds rolls up the drive. LAZARUS Lincoln, come on back. Lincoln darts past Laz and runs into the barn, clutching his overalls. R.L. stops the car halfway down the drive and steps out. R.L. Was that Lincoln James I seen run off? LAZARUS He's fine. Just had a bad fall. R.L. Why's his britches round his knees? LAZARUS R.L., you gonna have to get on. I can't have nobody round my place. R.L. starts walking up the drive. R.L. You get a call from Rose? LAZARUS This ain't got nothin' to do with that woman. Just don't want nobody around me now. R.L. Somethin' wrong with ya phone? Been callin' the last few days. R.L. stops in his tracks as Lazarus pulls out his hunting rifle from the rack behind his seat in his truck. R.L. Goin' dove huntin'? LAZARUS You gotta go, R.L.. I ain't foolin' this time. R.L. You sayin' that gun's for me if I don't? (LAZ CAN'T ANSWER) Spell it out, Laz. Man big enough to pull a gun best have a tongue in his mouth if he ain't got a brain in his head. Laz is struggling. The rifle feels suddenly strange to him. LAZARUS You ain't gonna talk me outta shit no more. I got my mind made up and I ain't gonna be moved on this. R.L. (amused) Ain't gonna be moved? LAZARUS Got no place for preachin' here. Not now. So you do as I say... R.L. (still stepping closer) Or what? LAZARUS I told you to TURN BACK! R.L. pushes his chest up against the rifle and shouts back. R.L. YOU GO'ON AND SHOOT ME, KILLA! Laz's heart is breaking. He is pointing a gun at his only friend. R.L. snatches the rifle out of Laz's hands. R.L. Ought'a stomp yo ass pointing this at me. (unloads the rifle) Always gotta bring up the preachin'. Like you just a sheep in my flock and all I'm good for is poundin' on a pulpit. (gets in Laz's face) Dammit, Laz... we may not be blood. But we sucked off the same old nurse since the day we was slapped on the ass. And you gonna point a gun at me? A tear rolls down Laz's cheek. The shame is unbearable. R.L. If you in some trouble, than WE gonna figure somethin' out. You and me. (hands him a bandana) Wipe your face! Laz takes the bandana and wipes the tears away. R.L. Now... this got anything to do with Rose? (Laz shakes his head) Then what? CUT TO: INT. LAZARUS' HOME - AFTERNOON The door creaks open. R.L. carefully steps inside. Rae is sitting on the couch, looking out the window. RAE (on the verge of tears) I didn't want to. Rae doesn't respond. R.L. quickly steps outside shutting the door behind him. EXT. LAZARUS' HOME - AFTERNOON R.L. shakes his head as Laz follows him off the porch. R.L. Are you outta ya GODDAMN MIND? LAZARUS Man like you ought not take the Lord's name like you just done. R.L. A naked woman, chained in ya house? LAZARUS I'm tellin' you the truth, dammit. I found her beat. Left for dead. So I brung her home. R.L. Laz, I know about that girl. (beat) Good number of this town's sinners got my ear, you know. (shakes his head) Oh, Laz. She's had a mess of crabs and them STD's. What'chu thinking? LAZARUS I haven't laid a hand. On my life, R.L., my wick is dry on this. R.L. You say she was beat on. You call the sheriff on that? LAZARUS Put yo'self in my shoes. Say you out here, alone, with a beaten, half naked, white woman loves to fuck. I been toe to toe with the law in this town for no more than being black and nearby. R.L. What's that chain around her for? Laz briefly looks off at the barn, knowing Lincoln is there. LAZARUS Why don't you go'on and ask her. She need to talk wit somebody with sense. Folks been ruttin' and beatin' on this gal all her days. And this is how I'm handling it. R.L. THIS IS HOW YOU HANDLING IT? THIS IS HOW YOU HANDLING IT? Silence. LAZARUS Go in and talk to her. Please. R.L. nods. Lazarus smiles. LAZARUS Good. Makin' steaks for supper. I expect you to come. R.L. You mean with you and that woman chained to ya radiator? LAZARUS You treat folks special when they company. It's just supper, R.L., shit. R.L. One thing at a time, Laz. Laz walks toward the barn and turns back to R.L.. LAZARUS Watch y'self in there. That girl'll jump on ya junk like a grasshopper. EXT. LAZARUS' BARN - AFTERNOON Laz opens the door to his barn wide, allowing the afternoon light to find Lincoln sitting on an old tire, weeping. LAZARUS Did I hurt'chu? Lincoln shakes his head. Laz carefully sits next to him. LAZARUS What happened in there... that won't your fault. Ain't a young man alive could keep they britches on with that girl being in heat like she is. LINCOLN Why she got a chain on her? LAZARUS That's between her and me. It's private. And I don't want you goin' off and tellin' ya daddy. LINCOLN (in a panic) Please don't tell my daddy. LAZARUS My mouth is shut, boy. And that's how we gonna keep it. Don't go braggin' to ya buddies, ya heard me? Lincoln nods. Laz hands him the bandana R.L. gave him. LAZARUS So... (a bonding smile) That your first time? LINCOLN Yes'sir. LAZARUS You struck some gold, didn't ya? Lincoln grins as he wipes the snot from his nose. LAZARUS Shit. My first time was with my second cousin behind my uncle's barn. She weighed two tons, if a pound. Could'a done a lot better for myself. You sho'nuf did. INT. LAZARUS' HOME - AFTERNOON R.L. hands Rae a glass of water. She is seated on the sofa, wrapped in a quilt. RAE Thank you. R.L. (sits next to her) I gotta ask you. Why do you think Laz is keepin' you chained like this? RAE (shrugs at first, then:) You know how, like they say, you save someone's life, you responsible for them. Guess he just don't think it's safe for me. R.L. So he got it into his head that the only thing gonna keep you from endin' up bleedin' on the side of the road again, without a stitch of clothing on is... (R.L. yanks on the chain) You think he's crazy for thinkin' that? Rae struggles to answer. Something is on her mind. RAE You a preacher? R.L. That's right. RAE Can I ask you a question? (R.L. nods) People always say, you gotta get good with Jesus, if you want not to go to hell. That you say sorry for all you done and... and Jesus would let you go on to heaven. R.L. You could put it that way. RAE But that's so fuckin' stupid. (she catches herself) I'm sorry. Didn't mean to curse. R.L. What's on your mind? RAE You can't hurt people... and then just say, I'm sorry, and then everything just gets washed away. Why would heaven want people like that. People who... do what they want and then... switch. R.L. I'm gonna tell you somethin', and it's just gonna be between you and me. (Rae anxiously nods) I think folks carry on about heaven too much. Like it's some all-you-can- eat buffet up in the clouds. And folks just gonna do as they're told so they can eat what they want behind some pearly gates. I can go to Shoney's for that. Rae grins. R.L. leans closer. R.L. There's sin in my heart. There's evil in this world. But when I got no one... I talk to God. I ask for strength. I ask for forgiveness. Not for peace at the end of my days when there's no more life to live and no more good to do, but today. Right now. Rae has never had anyone talk to her like this. She is listening. She is understanding. R.L. What's your heaven? What gives you peace? Rae looks at her bare feet. She tries to respond but the pain in her chokes back the words. Tears come to her. RAE (struggling to speak) Ronnie. CUT TO: EXT. GREYHOUND BUS STATION - LATE AFTERNOON A bus stops at the station. The doors swing open. A few passengers exit the bus followed by Ronnie. He is not wearing his uniform. EXT. GREYHOUND BUS STATION - PHONE BOOTH - LATE AFTERNOON He drops his duffle bag and pops a few quarters in the phone. He waits, allows the phone to ring. RONNIE (into the phone) This is Ronnie again. Don't know if you been gettin' my messages but... I'm down at the bus station and... (struggles) I just need you come get me. You get this message, I'm on the interstate headin' downtown toward the square. (sadness hits) Rae. I really need you to... come find me. Please. Ronnie hangs up the phone. He remains motionless, fearful and alone. He picks up his duffle and walks down the interstate. CUT TO: EXT. LAZARUS' HOME - SUNSET Lincoln stands over the barbecue spraying lighter fluid over the coals while R.L. peels back the corn husks. LINCOLN We gonna eat with her? R.L. That's what I was told. LINCOLN She still gonna have that chain on? R.L. Well... I'm working on that. (trying to change the subject) So... what's goin' on in your life, Lincoln? LINCOLN I ain't no virgin no more? Lincoln tosses a match on the coals. They ignite with flame. INT. LAZARUS' HOME - KITCHEN - SUNSET Laz is humming to himself as he finishes chopping up the potatoes. He wipes his hands and catches Rae standing behind him. She looks classic in the floral sundress. She folds her arms, feeling awkward under Laz's approving gaze. LAZARUS Now that's sharp. That is sharp. Chain give you any trouble? RAE Uh-uh. LAZARUS Good. Now I got the steaks on, potatoes at a boil, and biscuits ready to pop in the oven. R.L. and Lincoln out yonder grillin' up the corn. What do you know how to make? RAE I don't fuckin' cook. LAZARUS (a look of disappointment) Gal, I been around hard-cursin' folk all my life. And let me tell you... RAE Look it... I put the Goddamn dress on, didn't I? I think I'm handlin' myself with some... fuckin' restraint here... how you got me locked up like a dog on a... LAZARUS If all you got is filth comin' out'cha mouth... people just gonna tune ya out. (interrupting her) Rae. RAE! I'm not fightin' with ya. I just know you got more in you than junk. (a breath) Now, you sayin' you don't know how to cook anything at all? (Rae shrugs) You know how to boil water? RAE I can handle that. LAZARUS (hands Rae a pot) Well, get to it. CUT TO: INT. LAZARUS' HOME - KITCHEN - AT THE TABLE - NIGHT The four of them (Rae, Laz, Lincoln, and R.L.) are all seated at the kitchen table, holding hands as R.L. says grace. Rae peeks at the others with their eyes closed tight. She follows their example. R.L. We ask that you bless this meal put before us. May the food nourish our bodies and this fellowship nourish our spirit. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. LAZARUS & LINCOLN Amen. There is a sudden flurry of activity at the table as the four begin piling up their plates. R.L. Pass them potatoes, Lincoln. LAZARUS Y'all let me know if these steaks are too dry. R.L. This all looks wonderful. LINCOLN I skipped lunch. LAZARUS Well, dig in, son. Got plenty to eat. Rae's eyes are fixed on R.L. as he picks up a devilled egg. She looks over at Laz who is aware of her anxiety. He gives her a wink. R.L. bites into the egg and moans with delight. R.L. (to Laz) Mm. MM. Now these eggs got some kick to it. What'chu got in this? LAZARUS (motions to Rae) Ask the chef. Everyone looks at Rae, surprised. She feels a sudden rush of fear as she struggles to answer R.L.'s question. RAE Cayenne pepper. CUT TO: EXT. LAMPLIGHTER BAR - NIGHT Ronnie is walking by the bar along the interstate. He stops when he sees Gill's truck. INT. LAMPLIGHTER BAR - NIGHT Ronnie adjusts his duffle bag over his shoulder as he enters the mid-sized bar. Gill is seated at the bar. He turns to Ronnie along with a few other locals, one being HERMAN, age 40. GILL (surprised) Holy shit. RONNIE (understanding) Yeah. GILL Sit down, man. Need a beer? RONNIE Sure. GILL (to the bartender) Marv, let's get Ronnie set up here. Ronnie sits next to Gill. Herman leans in wanting to be a part of the conversation. RONNIE Hey, Herman. HERMAN They buy you that big chicken dinner? Ronnie stiffens. Gill is confused. GILL What? HERMAN They got little names for everything in the corps when they trying to get rid of ya. Don't know what it's like in the guard. There's what you call a bad conduct discharge, a BCD... we all called it the big chicken dinner. It ain't the brig but it'll fuck ya for life if you wantin' to work for the government. RONNIE That's not what this is about. HERMAN They got another little name called ad-sep. That sound about right? Ronnie looks away. He takes a sip of his beer. HERMAN Ad-sep. Administrative separation. GILL (to Ronnie) How do you get one of those? HERMAN Blowin' boys in the head, for one. Ronnie loses his cool. He lunges at Herman. Gill holds him back. HERMAN Whoa, son! I ain't sayin' shit about you. I'm just talkin'. RONNIE Well, you don't know what you're talking about so why don't you shut the fuck up? GILL Hey, it's alright, man. It's alright. (to Herman) Herman. Come on. He just got back. Herman gets up to leave with his beer. HERMAN To get back ya had to've gone somewhere. Ronnie glares at Herman as he moves to the other side of the bar. Gill moves closer to Ronnie to get the whole story. GILL What happened? RONNIE They been keepin' a folder on me cuz of my stomach. Like how it was just before we'd play ball back in school. Thought it was just some tic I got, or ulcers like my daddy had. (takes a drink) I can't... shoot. Target practice I'm a pro. I tag between the numbers each time but... (feels a stomach cramp) But when there's really loud noises around me... somethin' happens. I get shaky and... I lose my breath. They called it anxiety. Severe anxiety. It can be fixed and all... just not in time for.... (another drink) It's a long process but... they sent me home. GILL I guess it could be worse. You could be comin' back in a body bag. Gill doesn't know what to say next. RONNIE I can't get Rae on the phone. She's not at home... none of her friends seen her anywhere. GILL She's around. Always is. RONNIE I don't know. She's gettin' crazy, like she gets. Begged me not to go. Got real down. I just think somethin's happened. Like she run off with someone. You'd tell me if you knew somethin', right? GILL You been home yet? RONNIE Uh-uh. I's hitchin' up the interstate when I seen your truck outside. GILL You need a ride? CUT TO: EXT. RONNIE'S TRAILER - NIGHT Gill's truck rounds the bend and up the gravel drive leading up to Ronnie's trailer. The headlights scan across the porch as Gill parks. INT. RONNIE'S TRAILER - NIGHT Ronnie is the first through the door, calling out for Rae before he can turn on the lights. RONNIE Rae? Gill enters. He sees that the trailer is the same as it was the day he picked up Ronnie, nothing is different. RONNIE This don't feel right. Kitchen looks just like I left it. I know, cuz I cleaned it. GILL She ever tell you she was thinkin' of taking off? RONNIE I just been so mixed up lately, Gill. And, you know, with her history, I can see how she could get scared... (tears) ...and run. Gill is disturbed by Ronnie's sudden flood of emotion and tears. He crosses to the pantry, already knowing which cupboard to pull the liquor out of. He pours two drinks. He hands one to Ronnie. GILL Drink. Come on, drink some. Ronnie manages a few swallows. RONNIE Her momma works down at the grocery, down on the square. Maybe she seen her. Gill stands over Ronnie, looking down on his pitiful face. GILL Ronnie. You can't see cuz you're too close to it. (Ronnie waits) These nervous spells you get. You never had that shit back in school... RONNIE That's not right, really, cuz I... GILL (continuing) You joined up in that monkey troop cuz you had a plan for yourself. Army'd pay for school. You were gonna get a degree, maybe somethin' in business or agriculture and you were gonna make somethin' of yourself. His words are painful to Ronnie. Gill doesn't hold back. GILL And then you had to fall in love with the school slut. RONNIE Now wait... GILL (continuing) With all she was doin'. With all the shit she kept doing! You stayed stuck to that bitch's ass and you wouldn't let go. RONNIE I know about how she was like. But we was different. I's the only person she talked to about it. How she's abused. Terrible things, Gill, just terrible... Rage suddenly fills Gill. He grabs Ronnie and throws him against the wall. GILL YOU HAD A PLAN! YOU HAD A GODDAMN LIFE! AND SHE JUST FUCKED THE GUTS OUT OF YOU! RONNIE It's not her fault, Gill. She's had to take care of me all this time, cuz I'd just start throwin' up... choking. Just losin' my grip. And she listened. She listened to me. (Gill releases Ronnie and walks away) And... I got better. I don't get nervous like I used to. And since we been together... she been faithful to me. Put all that junk behind her... GILL The only thing that cunt's had behind her is me and half the town fuckin' her. (Ronnie can't believe it) Your first night away, I come over and drop off the spare keys like you wanted me to. You weren't gone two hours and she was aching to get me inside her. Like she was havin' some kind'a fit. Ronnie can't respond. Tears roll down his face. Gill holds up the whiskey bottle. GILL (pours a drink) Don't you think it's funny how I know where everything in your house is? (moves in close) I don't care if that hurts you or not. Truth is I don't know who you are anymore. So fuck it. Gill turns away. Ronnie grips Gill around the neck from behind. He bends him back painfully and throws his head up against the wall. EXT. RONNIE'S TRAILER - NIGHT The front door burst open as Gill goes flying down the front porch. Ronnie cocks a .45 and shoves it into his belt. Ronnie pins Gill's elbow behind his back and retrieves the keys from his front pocket. GILL You gonna steal my truck? RONNIE Make yourself at home. You done it already. Gill watches Ronnie tear down the drive in his own truck. CUT TO: EXT. LAZARUS' HOME - NEAR THE BARN - NIGHT Laz and R.L. are smoking. Laz smiles as he watches Lincoln and Rae through the kitchen window as they wash dishes and talk about football. R.L. Gotta get that chain off her, Laz. Somethin' like this gets out, you could land in a heap of trouble. LAZARUS I'm dealin' with what God put before me. R.L. You believe He wants this? A woman chained to ya radiator? LAZARUS Not like that. R.L. Then what? LAZARUS She's tied to me, R.L.. We tied to each other. Laz is silent. R.L. I can't leave unless I get your word. Laz looks down at his shoes. He surrenders. He nods. R.L. Laz. I got some news you need to hear. It's about Rose and your brother. (this is not easy for R.L.) She's pregnant. She gonna have a baby. (silence) Her sister told my wife. You know how them sewing circles go. Just a matter of time till you got word. Thought that's why you been keepin' to yourself out here. (Laz conceals his pain) I don't know how much of this is to make her happy or to hurt you. But it is what it is. Laz struggles with his emotions. He turns to R.L. stone faced and cold. LAZARUS I'm through with them both. CUT TO: EXT. LAZARUS' HOME - THE FRONT DOOR - NIGHT Laz and Rae wave to Lincoln as he climbs into R.L.'s car. They pull away, up the drive, and disappear into the night. The cicadas sing as the two stand in silence: Rae, at peace, feeling genuine contentment; while Laz looks lost in silent pain. RAE They sure liked them devilled eggs. LAZARUS You drink whiskey? CUT TO: INT. LAZARUS' HOME - NIGHT A bottle of whiskey is removed from a top cabinet above the refrigerator. Two small glasses each get a healthy swallow. LAZARUS You take it straight? RAE Sure. He hands her a glass. Laz then looks at his as if he struggles with a decision. LAZARUS (holding up the glass) To my baby brother. Gonna be a daddy. Rae nods and downs the whiskey with Lazarus. RAE Well, that's good news. So you're gonna be someone's uncle. Laz pours another swig for himself and downs it. LAZARUS Want another? RAE We drinkin' buddies now? LAZARUS (pours two more glass) To freedom. Laz pounds back his third shot. RAE Still makin' jokes? LAZARUS (pulls out his keys) No joke. Laz pulls Rae closer to him by the chain wrapped around her waist. He opens the old lock with a key. LAZARUS Not my place to change your mind, or anybody else's. People gonna do how they please. You only get one life... should be lived the way you wanna live it. The chain falls to the floor with a hollow thud. Rae looks confused. LAZARUS If you want... I can take you back to town now. RAE I ain't in a hurry. The two stare at each other in silence. RAE Could you do somethin' for me? LAZARUS Anything. CUT TO: INT. LAZARUS' HOME - KITCHEN - NIGHT Rae watches with intense curiosity as Laz tunes his guitar, sitting at the table. LAZARUS (takes another drink) Ain't played 'fore nobody in years. Laz slides his calloused fingers across the strings, spurring the old guitar into an impressive wail. Rae grips the chair. LAZARUS (plays as he remembers) Funny how a sound just speak to ya heart. A haunting slide guitar riff barks. Rae has a physical reaction to the music. She is fascinated and fearful. LAZARUS (thinks) Wanted me some kids. A whole mess of 'em. But Rose, my wife... chil'ren was for another time. (takes a drink) They's this one spring... I saw a change in her. Her breasts start swellin' up. Come a few mornings I hear her heavin' in the bathroom. I seen it with women before. I knew. Laz thinks for a moment. Continues playing. LAZARUS Come a day, Rose say she had to go visit her folks in Jackson. Didn't want me to come... so I stayed put. (remembers) When she come back... (hesitates) They talk about a woman havin' that glow. Couldn't see it no more. She... took it away. Cut it out. The guitar's song turns dark. Laz slides his fingers up the guitar strings, lingering on low growns. LAZARUS One night... While she sleepin'. Held a pillow in my hands. I could see myself killin' her. What evil in my heart make me wanna kill her, I don't know? It's that voice in me. Each time I think it's gone, he come howlin' back. Devil or no, I don't know. But I am a haunted man. Fear spreads across Rae's face. Laz is talking about something all too familiar. LAZARUS Calls me when I'm ailing. When I can't find my home, lost in the pines. I calls it the Black Snake Moan. (he closes his eyes and sings) Mm-mm... Got no momma now.Mm-mm... Got no momma now.It's over late last night, don't need no momma now. Laz stops. He sways back and forth with his eyes closed. Rae hears the swell of the cicadas. Her eyes dart to the front door as the familiar creek of footsteps are heard. RAE Sing, Lazarus. (kneels next to him in fear) Please keep singin'. The door swings open. A white calloused hand appears around Rae's mouth. She gasps in terror, clutching Laz's leg. The white hand is gone. Tears come to her. She trembles as Laz sings. LAZARUS (singing) Mm-mm... Black snake crawlin' in my room.Mm-mm... Black snake crawlin' in my room.Some pretty momma better come and get this black snake soon. Rae rests her head against his knee. LAZARUS (singing) Black snake is evil, black snake is all I see.Black snake is evil, black snake is all I see.Woke up this mornin', black snake moved in on me. Laz concludes the song. Rae raises up to her knees, facing Laz. Tears have run down his dried face. He opens his eyes. LAZARUS My life is gone. Only life I was livin'. And I lost it. RAE I'm here with you. LAZARUS I had love in my heart. And I gave it to one woman. And she gone now. (his lip quivers) Where am I gonna put all this love? Rae gently touches his cheek. The wind picks up outside. RAE You can give it to me. Rae kisses Laz. He is motionless at first, allowing it to happen. His hand moves from the neck of his guitar to the bend in her neck. The passion intensifies as they squeeze the guitar between them. Laz pulls his lips away and holds her head in his hands. They are so close, they are breathing into each other's mouths. RAE You can't start this and not finish. Not with me. (kisses him) Please... The guitar clangs to the floor as Laz lifts Rae in his arms. They kiss, ravenous for each other. He knocks up against the side table, causing his Bible to fall to the floor, face up and open. The wind pushes the front door open, slamming it hard against the wall. They turn together, kissing, Laz slowly spinning with Rae in his arms. But Laz is soon distracted by the pages of his Bible fluttering on the floor. The wind is blowing the pages, turning them with an unseen hand. LAZARUS Wait... I gotta stop... (Rae's kisses get more aggressive) Rae stop... (she can't hear, the burning has her) Dammit, Rae... GET OFF! It takes a considerable effort to pull Rae away. She falls to the floor, dizzy and sucking in air. LAZARUS This ain't the way for me. I'm sorry. Rae is struggling for breath. She desperately grabs at Laz. RAE Not gonna lie to you, Laz... (labored breath) This one's a doozy. I don't think... I don't think I can stop this. Her eyes roll back briefly, almost losing consciousness. Laz catches her and holds her tightly. LAZARUS Tell me what to do. RAE (Barely able to speak) The... chain helps. Laz grips the chain and wraps it around Rae. As the burning increases. Laz holds Rae tight across his lap, his back up against the radiator. RAE I seen a man die. He couldn't breathe... his heart was... was givin' out. LAZARUS You just havin' a fit. You ain't goin' nowhere. RAE He told me... get help. I just stood there and watched him... I watched him die, Laz. Oh God! GODDAMMIT! Her legs itch like they are covered in ants. The wave is hitting her hard. Laz holds her face up to him. RAE (like a little girl) Oh, Laz... he hurt me. He... hurt me so many times. LAZARUS No one's gonna hurt you no more. RAE You think God forgives people like that? (crying like a child) You think God forgives people like me? Suddenly aware of the rising burn, Rae grits her teeth. RAE Hold me. Oh God... Rae turns away as Laz holds her head in his lap. She bites down on his middle finger as his hand moves over her mouth. She is gasping, screaming into his hand. It hits. Laz holds her. Rae's open mouth quivers as the sensation peaks. Her shoulders slump, her chest vibrates. She is crying softly. LAZARUS We'll just stay here. Wait till it passes. The pages of the Bible flip to the final pages in the wind. FADE TO BLACK. EXT. FISHERVILLE SQUARE - MORNING Laz's truck pulls into his usual spot on the square. Rae is riding shotgun. RAE Where you gonna be? LAZARUS Right here. Be here all afternoon. (waits) You ready for this? RAE I'm gonna just get some girl stuff, like make-up and... stuff. Rae looks out the window, a touch of fear. LAZARUS This town ain't goin' nowhere. You take the time you need. They both step out of the truck. Gene and Archie watch Rae's ass as she walks by. They then look back at Laz, incredulous. LAZARUS Friend of mine. CUT TO: INT. FISHERVILLE GROCERY - MORNING Rae enters the modest grocery store holding herself tight. A few harmless shoppers look at her making her feel even more uncomfortable. CUT TO: EXT. FISHERVILLE SQUARE - AFTERNOON Laz is selling vegetables to a young woman. He is unaware that Angela has moved up behind him, grinning, carrying a small basket. ANGELA I bet you have loyal customers. LAZARUS (turns and grins) You liked what I brung ya? ANGELA Been eatin' like a princess all week. Even got enough for us to take a picnic under the gazebo. LAZARUS That'd be nice. ANGELA I put on the lotion you got me. Can you smell it? Angela steps forward and pulls away her hair from her neck. She cranes, offering her neck for Laz to smell. LAZARUS (smells) That's nice, too. CUT TO: INT. FISHERVILLE GROCERY - AFTERNOON Rae is looking at herself in the provided makeup counter mirror. She looks at the compact in her hand and decides against the purchase. She rounds the corner and stops. She sees Sandy on her knees in the center of the aisle, building a display of tuna cans. Rae thinks to leave, but stops. She makes a decision to talk to her. She walks up the aisle and stands above her mother. RAE Hey. Rae kneels down next to her. She's trying to make a connection. SANDY What happened to your face? RAE Got in a little accident. SANDY (not believing her) Yeah. Sandy stands and wipes her brow. RAE Since you workin' on the square now, maybe we could get some coffee in the morning, if you want. SANDY You need money again? RAE No. That's not why... (a frustrated breath) Why we always gotta do this? I mean, you and me been at each other as far back as I can remember. Wasn't no love between us. And I'm your daughter. I'm the only family you got. SANDY You never needed nobody. Always made that clear to me. RAE Yeah. I know I did. But... (struggles with tears) I'm tryin' to be dif'rent. I'm tryin' to... get some peace, you know? SANDY I'm workin' here, Rae. Can you see that? RAE I just wanted some make-up. SANDY All that shit's on aisle 5. Rae starts walking away. She quickly turns. RAE I just think you should'a kept him off me, that's all. SANDY The hell are you talkin' about? RAE Now see? Don't do that. I'll go along with all you say about me. But that... you can't pretend no more on that. Cuz I was just a kid, Momma. (a terrible silence) I didn't know about any of that stuff he was doin' to me. (tears well up) And you let him do it. Some big nobody in your life... and you let him do as he wanted... with the only SOMEBODY you had. It is clear from Sandy's reserved anguish that Rae is telling the truth. Sandy firmly grips her by the arm and walks her out. Rae winces in pain like a toddler being led off to a car for a good whipping. RAE I'm sorry... I didn't mean to shout... SANDY All my life I been puttin' out your fires, with you givin' out your snatch to every waggin' dick in this town. And you gonna lay the blame at my feet? Well, I ain't gonna take that. RAE But... Momma... just tell me... not gonna be mad... we can just talk about it... Be eye to eye on this... You don't even got to say you're sorry... Just say how you knew... SANDY Only thing I'm sorry for is listenin' to my parents and having you instead of doin' what I should'a done. Sandy walks back up the aisle returning to her canned tuna. And then the rage hits Rae. With each breath Rae grits her teeth tighter. She grabs a mop off the side aisle and turns around. Sandy is pricing cans, down on her knees. She doesn't see Rae coming. RAE ...tell me you don't know... goddamn LIAR! Rae clocks her over the head, sending Sandy into the display of cans. Rae hits her again with the mop. She is screaming in short anguished breaths. Rae grabs everything she can and dumps them onto Sandy: Bags of flour, cans, entire shelves of ketchup. RAE SAY IT! JUST FUCKING SAY IT! Mark comes running to the aisle followed by two other employees. Stunned customers watch in amazement. MARK Rae! Rae! What are you doin'? RAE (hysterically screaming and thrashing the mop) GET OFF ME! GET OFF ME! GET... HIM...OFF! CUT TO: EXT. FISHERVILLE SQUARE - AFTERNOON Laz and Angela are seated next to each other under the gazebo. ANGELA I's thinkin' about singing in the choir. LAZARUS At church? ANGELA Mm-hm. I don't know if I got a good voice or not but... practice is only on Mondays and Wednesdays, so... LAZARUS (grinning) You gonna sing me somethin'? ANGELA When? Now? Oh. No. LAZARUS Come on, just a little somethin'. Right here. Go'on now, don't be shy. Angela blushes. She looks around and then leans in close to Laz. She sings softly, sweetly, with all her soul. ANGELA (singing) There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole. Laz is falling in love. She is so beautiful to him, he doesn't see the people running to the front of the grocery store. ANGELA (singing) There is a balm in Gilead to save my sick, sick soul. (opens her eyes, speaks) So. You think I should be in the choir? Laz is grinning from ear to ear. He is about to speak but the commotion outside the grocery catches his attention. His smile fades. ANGELA What? What is it? Laz bolts toward the grocery as fast as he can. INT. FISHERVILLE GROCERY - AFTERNOON Laz rushes past the gawking customers at the end of the aisle. A few male workers, including Mark, stand at a distance watching Rae weep on the floor. Sandy is being helped up by a co-worker -- her head is bleeding. Rae rocks back and forth, her face spotted with flour dust, the mop held tightly in her grip. Mark tries to step closer but Rae cries out, thrashing with the mop handle. They retreat. LAZARUS RAE? GAL? YOU HEARIN' MY VOICE? Rae lifts her eyes. FLASH TO: QUICK CUTS The chain pulling around Rae's waist. The radiator clanking as it is pulled. Laz's hand holding her head to him as she cries. FLASH BACK TO: INT. FISHERVILLE GROCERY - AFTERNOON Laz slowly crosses to Rae. She lifts her tear-soaked eyes to him. He kneels next to her. LAZARUS I'll take you home now. He lifts her up in his arms. She sobs into his chest as he carries her through the onlookers. Angela is there. She looks confused and shocked. ANGELA This your cousin? Laz can't lie anymore. His gaze falls to the floor. He leaves the store without saying anything to Angela. EXT. FISHERVILLE SQUARE - AFTERNOON Ronnie has parked Gill's truck on the square. He starts walking up to the grocery store. He sees Laz carrying Rae in his arms. She is sobbing into his chest, blind to all around her. Ronnie freezes in shock as Laz approaches. LAZARUS Move, son. (Ronnie is unable to move) Goddammit, kid, get outta my way! Laz pushes Ronnie causing him to fall backwards on to the pavement. Ronnie watches Laz put Rae in his truck and drive away. A wave of nausea hits. He turns over and heaves. CUT TO: EXT. LAZARUS' HOME - SUNSET The wooden chimes are deathly still above the porch. The evening cicadas have begun their chorus. INT. LAZARUS' HOME - THE BATHROOM - SUNSET Rae is holding her knees to her chest in the tub. Laz sits next to her, dipping the sponge in the water, gently washing her back and shoulders. Laz moves her head back into the palm of his hand to wash her hair. She stares into his eyes as he squeezes the sponge on her forehead. RAE You took care of your wife, like you do me? LAZARUS I tried. CUT TO: EXT. LAZARUS' HOME - NIGHT Rae is wrapped in the quilt, laying on the couch. She is awake and motionless, helpless to her depression. INT. LAZARUS' HOME - THE BEDROOM - NIGHT Laz sits on the side of his bed. Something is on his mind. We CUT TO him on his stomach searching for something under his bed. Another old guitar case comes out, followed by another, then another. Finally, Laz stands, an old maroon case in his grip. He opens the latches on the side and lifts the thin lid, revealing a gorgeous cream colored electric guitar. INT. LAZARUS' HOME - NIGHT Rae has not fallen asleep yet. She turns to see Laz entering the dark room with the maroon guitar case. LAZARUS You and me, we night owls. No use fightin' this shit. (tosses her a dress) Get up. CUT TO: EXT. BOJO'S - NIGHT Laz's truck groans as it bounces into the crowded parking lot of Bojo's. Rae steps out, looking beautiful in her sun dress. Laz slams the door to his truck, guitar case in hand. They begin walking inside. Rae's watch goes off. She quickly turns it off. But a faint echo of the alarm can be heard behind her. She stops and turns toward the truck. The sound is gone. LAZARUS What is it? RAE Nothin'. They go inside. Ronnie's hand appears from under the blue tarp in the back of Laz's truck. He pulls himself out and looks around. INT. BOJO'S - NIGHT Laz and Rae stand like strangers by the door. The place is wall to wall -- people at the bar, people playing pool. Laz sees the culprit of this show. R.L. is gabbing with Bojo, a beer in his hand. LAZARUS Get'chu at that table up yonder. RAE By myself? LAZARUS You can handle it. As Rae makes her way through the crowd of people, Laz marches over to R.L. LAZARUS The hell is this shit? R.L. What? I called Bojo, like you say. Called up the fellas in the band... LAZARUS The fuck are all these people doin' here? Been drinkin' in this shit hole for years ain't seen this many people since I don't know... BOJO Shit hole... Hey kiss my ass, Laz. LAZARUS Nigga, you go'on kiss my ass. Ya both called everybody, didn't ya? Bojo turns away to another customer. R.L. grins as he removes a flask. He offers it to Laz. Laz snaps it away. LAZARUS There you go, preacher man. Get me drunk so I don't stick my foot up yo ass. R.L. I just know how you get. Good to know, them butterflies still in ya gut. Laz and R.L. look over at Rae seated alone at a small table near the stage. R.L. Heard about this morning. LAZARUS We ain't here to talk about that shit. Laz surprises R.L. by walking away and up onto the stage. Rae watches as Laz, shakes hands with some of the band members. A few whistles from the crowd. Laz sits down at a chair off to the right of a short mic stand. He plugs in. Rae watches curiously as Laz tunes his guitar -- moans of electric distortion. R.L. sits next to her. R.L. You in for it, now. He gonna nail it to the wall tonight. I done pissed him off. The drummer kicks in. Laz tears into the strings. The entire place begins to undulate and bounce as Laz returns to the blues. LAZARUS (singing) I don't know, but I been around, tell me them women shake 'em on down. Cheers. Rae watches in awe. She's never seen anything like it. She is surrounded by couples dancing so close they might as well be naked. But there is also a great sense of safety as Laz controls the room with his music. LAZARUS (singing) Yes, I'm goin' Georgia line. See if them women sweet like mine. HERSHEL, a black man in his 30's, asks Rae to dance. HERSHEL You wanna cut it up, baby? RAE (shrugging) Well... Rae looks up at Laz. Laz smiles and nods. Rae takes the man's hand and moves out onto the dance floor. R.L. can't be seated anymore. He stands and stomps his foot. R.L. (shouting at Laz) Yeah, you know you home, old man. You just walked through the door. LAZARUS (singing) I don't know, but I been told, them Georgia women sweet jelly roll. Rae allows Laz's voice and guitar to take hold of her. Her face gets wet with sweat as she moves, making love to the current in the air. Men are dancing all around her, but now she is in control. She turns to a young man and shakes, then an old man. She is free, herself, and above all, safe. Laz smiles, unaware of Ronnie watching from the window behind him. There is rage and confusion in his face as he watches Rae surrounded by dancing limbs. CUT TO: EXT. LAZARUS' HOME - KITCHEN - NIGHT Both Laz and Rae are drinking water from the sink in tall glasses like they've been stranded in a desert. RAE Are you drunk? (Laz shrugs) Keep drinkin' water and you won't get a headache in the mornin'. LAZARUS Yeah, gal I been here before. RAE (smiling) I guess you have. INT. LAZARUS' HOME - THE BEDROOM - NIGHT Laz is taking off his shoes, getting ready to crash for the night. He sits down on the side of his bed and takes off his shirt, leaving his T-shirt on. Rae is standing in his doorway. RAE Laz? Can I sleep with you tonight? LAZARUS Don't think that'd be wise. RAE I didn't mean it nothin' dirty. LAZARUS I know you didn't. But you a grown girl. You can handle it. I got to. Rae understands. She crosses to Laz and kisses him on the cheek. Rae then walks down the hall to her couch in the front room. Laz turns off the light. CUT TO BLACK: INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT - FLASHBACK Rae enters the dark bathroom and shuts the door behind her. Her hair is shorter, a shaggy bob, bleached platinum blond. ARTY, always behind the door, attempts to enter, but Rae pushes the door closed and locks it. ARTY Baby, where you goin'? RAE I'm gonna pee. I gotta take a break and go pee. ARTY Now, this isn't fair. You said I could do it, too. RAE Eat shit and die, Arty. A girl can change her fuckin' mind. Rae finds the light switch. She yelps upon seeing Ronnie crouched by the tub. Suddenly feeling violated Rae yanks down on her shirt to hide the fact that she's not wearing anything else. RAE Hey. RONNIE Hey. RAE You don't gotta get up but... I gotta go... Ronnie attempts to get up but it's too late, Rae has already squatted on the commode, pinning Ronnie between her and the bathtub. Rae is breathing heavy, her focus is scattered. She's coming up or coming down from a big burn. RAE (waiting for pee) I think if I just piss... I'll be okay. RONNIE You feelin' sick? RAE I'm just in one of my moods. You know how I get. RONNIE Yeah, I know. Ronnie tries to look away, trying to make an awkward moment less awkward. Rae's anxiety is hitting her. RAE I think it'd be better if you talk to me. RONNIE Yeah? RAE Just about anything, you know. It can be funny or... not. Just tell me somethin'. Ronnie nervously considers this before agreeing to open his mouth. He points into the tub. RONNIE Well. That's my vomit. I came in here to get sick. I thought I'd make the toilet but... anyway, I got sick. RAE Are you wasted? RONNIE No. I just got a messed up stomach. RAE (remembering) Holy shit! RONNIE What? RAE Holy shit, Ronnie! (smacks him on the arm) You're a fuckin' rock star. RONNIE I'm a what? RAE All them people shoutin' your name like they were doing tonight! Shit! That arm you got'll get'chu on a box of cereal... Ronnie leans over and dry heaves into the tub. It is painful. Rae leans forward and touches his back, comforting him. RAE Hey? You okay, Ronnie? Ronnie falls back, gripping his stomach, there are tears in his eyes from the dry heaving. Suddenly emotion hits him. RONNIE (through tears and clenched teeth) Box of cereal... well, Goddamn... (looks at his trembling fists) Everybody keeps sayin' things to me take make me feel great. But I don't feel great at all. I feel like I'm comin' outta my skin. Like I'm losin' control of my mind. (looks into Rae's eyes) I'm not like this. I'm not usually so... afraid. (really starts crying) I don't know what's... wrong... Rae pulls Ronnie to her. He cries into her shoulder. She gently rubs his wet face and sings her words of comfort. RAE Is'okay... Is'okay... Ronnie begins to calm down. The sobbing abates. The metal music from the party outside is muffled through the door. The two hold onto each other in silence. Rae pees. They both giggle, a welcome release of tension. RAE I feel better. Do you? RONNIE Yeah, I do. EXT. LAZARUS' BARN - NIGHT Ronnie lifts his head from sleep - his memory of Rae has vanished. He is leaning against the corner of the barn, his .45 in his grip. His gaze slowly turns toward Laz's darkened house. His hand begins to shake. FADE TO BLACK. EXT. LAZARUS' HOME - EARLY MORNING A crow squawks in the rows of corn. A bright morning is coming. INT. LAZARUS' HOME - THE BEDROOM - EARLY MORNING Laz is still asleep. The sound of clumsy guitar playing, accompanied by a tiny voice, can be heard. RAE (plucking, trying to find the right note) You... are my... sunshine. Laz opens his eyes. INT. LAZARUS' HOME - EARLY MORNING Laz quietly creeps into the doorway to watch Rae struggle with the guitar playing. He could stay there for hours watching this little girl play his guitar. Rae looks up and sees Laz. She stops playing. RAE Sorry. LAZARUS Looks like you know a song. RAE Don't know where I learn't it, but... it's there in my head. Laz sits next to her and takes the guitar from her. LAZARUS (playing a tune) How you feelin' today? RAE You know how you feel when you come out of a bad hangover? Like your eyes can open a little bit more. LAZARUS I know that. RAE Woke up real early. Sun was shining. Just thought I'd mess around, try to learn a song. LAZARUS Go'on and sing it, I'll play. RAE No, you do it. I can't sing. LAZARUS Stop that foolishness. Just do as I say and close your eyes. (Rae closes her eyes) Close your eyes. And think about... well, for a song like this, I'd say you think about what you love. RAE What I love. LAZARUS Get a good picture in your mind. Rae's playful smile turns serious. Laz continues playing. LAZARUS Think on that. And sing wit me. (Laz comes in singing) You are my sunshine. My only sunshine. RAE & LAZARUS You make me happy when skies are gray. You'll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away. Rae opens her eyes with a delightful giggle. Laz continues playing. LAZARUS Good. I know another. It go like this. (sings) Last night dear, as I lay sleeping. I dreamed I held you in my arms. When I awoke dear, I was mistaken. So I hung my head and I cried. (to Rae) Close your eyes Rae... sing it. Rae doesn't hesitate to obey. With her eyes closed and Laz playing, neither can see Ronnie creeping up from the kitchen with his gun. RAE (singing) You are my sunshine. My only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. Ronnie looks sick with pain as he points the barrel at the back of Laz's head. RAE (singing) You'll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don't take your sunshine away. (opens her eyes) RONNIE! Laz spins around knocking away Ronnie's arm. BAM! The gun fires into the wall. The guitar cracks on the floor. Rae screams. RAE RONNIE STOP! RONNIE! Laz lunges at Ronnie but Ronnie is faster. He spins Laz around and slams him to the floor, pushing his gun into Laz's face. RAE NO! Ronnie looks up at Rae, his eyes red with sorrow and rage. He pushes the gun to the side of Laz's head. Rae cries. RONNIE Ain't been a week and you already some nigger's whore? Gill told me. Told me how you and he... you and everybody... RAE Ronnie. Please, baby... RONNIE (to Laz) Did 'ya have fun with her? Sweet as a peach, I bet. Huh? Huh? Laz glares back, not saying a word. RONNIE Goddamn it, I ask you a question, you better answer it, or I'm gonna blast a hole in ya! RAE Ronnie... Rae moves closer. Ronnie points his gun at her and screams. RONNIE YOU SHUT UP! LAZARUS Careful how you point that gun, boy. RONNIE (points gun back at Laz) Or what? OR WHAT? LAZARUS Boy? You here to make a point, or you here to kill somebody? RONNIE Ain't gonna be callin' me boy when I blow your face off. LAZARUS You sayin' you'll do what? RONNIE You heard me, mother-fucker. I'll fuckin' kill.. LAZARUS (cutting him off) BOY! You so green you couldn't stomp a baby duck. Ronnie can't believe what was just said -- mostly, because it's true. The gun begins to shake in his hand. RONNIE You testing me? Huh? You testin' me, old man? LAZARUS Test. Shit. What kind'a test you thinkin'? You mean like, if you a man or not? If you a killer? Only one way to prove that. You just look me in the eye, boy, and you squeeze that trigger back. Ronnie grips the shaking gun. A severe attack is on the rise as he listens to Laz. LAZARUS Ain't that easy, is it? I been in some scraps, son, I know. First there's that loud crack. Always louder than you think. Like it just come-up- a-cloud and clapped a mess thunder right in ya hand. BAM! Ronnie flinches. He tries to control his breathing. LAZARUS White light. Smell of smoke. Taste of my blood and brains in your mouth, stingin' ya eyes. Ronnie almost vomits, but he holds it back. RAE Oh, baby... just let me... Rae moves closer to him, wanting to comfort him but she stops as Ronnie points the gun at her. His eyes pleading for her to stay back. RONNIE GODDAMMIT, RAE! LAZARUS BOY! YOU KEEP THAT GUN POINTED AT ME! (Ronnie obeys) You need to kill a man, all you gotta have is a good reason. (watches Ronnie fight his attack) You know she been here with me, don't cha? Been all over town, givin' up that switch you thought was your own. RONNIE SHUT UP! SHUT UP! LAZARUS Put all your love and dreams into one woman... she turn around and give it all to another man. That's a good reason to paint the wall with me, kid. She'd fear ya then. Cuz there won't be no more question in her mind. She with a real man now. A real KILLER! A flood of tears are streaming down Ronnie's face. The gun is shaking furiously in his hand. RONNIE Don't... don't say that to me... LAZARUS (getting fed up) Son, I'm grown. Don't got patience to suffer you children and this monkey junk. I'm too old to play house... (looks at Rae and then back at Ronnie) ...and cowboys. So let's have it. End me or get out of my face! Ronnie looks like a scared five year old having an asthma attack. Laz barks at him one last time. LAZARUS Go'on. Do it. (silence) DO IT! The last shout from Laz completely destroys Ronnie. His shoulders slump. The gun lowers in his grasp. A low sob is heard as he falls to his knees. Laz snatches the gun from his hand and stands. RAE Ronnie? Rae inches closer to Ronnie as he kneels over and weeps. She gently touches his shoulder. He turns his anguished face to her and tries to speak. RONNIE I can't stop... I can't stop... being scared. What am I gonna do... Ronnie hides his face in his hands. Rae throws her arms around him and holds him tight. RAE I got you, baby... I got you... Laz removes the clip and crosses to the kitchen. He slams the gun on the sink, opens a drawer and removes the wall phone. RAE (seeing Laz plug the phone in) What are you doing? (Laz dials a number) You gonna call the cops? You think they gonna help this? They ever help you, Laz? Huh? (Laz listens on the phone) DAMMIT LAZ PUT THE PHONE DOWN? Laz looks at Rae. There is hurt in his eyes. LAZARUS Thought you knew me better, gal. (into the phone) I need you at my house... right now. CUT TO: INT. LAZARUS' HOME - NIGHT R.L. crosses from the kitchen. He hands a glass of water to Rae seated on the couch. He hands another to Ronnie seated next to her. R.L. sits before them as Laz lingers in the doorway. R.L. (to Ronnie) I imagine there's a lot of good between you two. But I want you to tell me what's bad. Go'on. And don't hold back. Ronnie is very uncomfortable. He looks at Rae seated next to him and then back at R.L.. RONNIE I hate this town. You can't round the corner without bumping into someone who's got your number. (a brief look at Rae) We did a lot of dreamin', me and Rae. Makin' plans to get out. I'd do my tour and... we'd move outta here. Go to Chattanooga. And I'd work for my uncle. (looks down, tears come to Ronnie) But... when Rae gets like she does. And she does the things that she always done. Makes me feel like she loves this place more'n me. Rae starts shaking her head, tears come to her eyes. R.L. raises a hand to silence her. R.L. Go on, Ronnie. RONNIE All my life people called me shit like, sissy and... nervous and... I got few things in my life that make me feel like... like... LAZARUS Like a man. RONNIE (surprised) Yes. I mean that's it. I wanna feel like a man with her. I wanna feel like the only man with her. Ronnie wipes the tears from his eyes with his shirt sleeve. R.L. turns to Rae. R.L. (looks at Rae) Now, Rae, we're not here to fix you or judge you. Only you and the Almighty can do that. But I want you to tell me about these spells you get. Rae takes a deep breath. She looks up at Laz. He encourages her with a nod. RAE It starts like this... fire... that spreads. Starts in my head. Then moves to my stomach. Then it goes lower. I can stop it sometimes but mostly I just jump on and ride it out... then everything'll go back to normal, you know. Only thing ever took that feeling away was... was... when I met Ronnie. (the emotion really hits hard) Cuz I love him so much. He's all I got in my life that's special. And I like taking care of him and helping him when he gets nervous. When I can do that for him... it's like I'm givin' somethin' of myself that I haven't givin' nobody else. R.L. Rae, look at Ronnie. And tell him how you feel. Rae turns to Ronnie. Her nose is running as she wipes away her tears. RAE I think... I think we're fucked up. Both of us. I know I am. But... that don't mean what I feel ain't true. It don't mean I can't love. And I know, how I been is... is... REALLY BAD! So if you want to quit on me... I understand. But please... please... don't. Ronnie is very moved by Rae's plea. He touches her face and wipes away a tear. R.L. So. What'chu two gonna do about this? CUT TO: EXT. ANGELA'S HOME - DAY The door opens. Angela looks surprised to see Laz. She is dressed in jeans, a T-shirt, wearing rubber gloves from cleaning. ANGELA Hey. LAZARUS Hey. You wasn't at'cha work but that nosey gal up at the counter give me your home address. Hope you don't mind me comin' over. ANGELA What do you need? LAZARUS I need ya help again. Angela notices Rae and Ronnie seated in Laz's truck. ANGELA More cough syrup? LAZARUS Can I come in? Angela takes a breath and opens the door wider. INT. ANGELA'S HOME - DAY It is a small house, but tidy. Angela motions for Laz to sit. LAZARUS I lied to you. It was wrong. But at the time... I didn't know what to do. Imagine you got an earful from folks about that gal I's carryin'... ANGELA Laz... you don't need to explain yourself to me... LAZARUS Yes, I do. Cuz I feel for you. Mean to say... (long pause) I got feelings for you. And I didn't want you to think... I didn't... (how to say?) I don't want you to go away. There's better ways to say what I'm trying to say, but... they it is. Don't go away. Angela thinks on this. She rises out of her seat and crosses to Laz, sitting next to him on the love seat. ANGELA Laz. I'm gonna put my trust in you. I'm gonna do it knowin' all too well I can get hurt like this. And I have been hurt. Just like you. (beat) Woman like me, I got a lot of livin' to do. But my days are precious to me. They all I got left. Don't want no more fuss. I want love in my life. You understanding me, Laz? LAZARUS I do. God's truth. I do. They stay locked in each others' sight. Then, the slowest, most gentle kiss happens between them. When they separate, Laz is lost in her eyes. ANGELA Now what'chu need me to do? Cuz I'm gonna go do it. CUT TO: INT. POOL HALL - MORNING Laz enters the pool hall and spots Tehronne. Tehronne motions him back. Next to Tehronne is an old black man named PINETOP. TEHRONNE Yo, this here Pinetop. I think he got what you lookin' for. Pinetop grins and produces a black velvet cloth. He opens it gently and spreads it out, revealing a long, thin, gold chain. Laz nods, approvingly. LAZARUS That'll do. EXT. POOL HALL - BACK DOOR - MORNING Tehronne leads Laz down the back steps. They both round the corner, revealing an old Chevy Caprice. It is light brown except for one door that is gray, however the chrome rims on the car are impressive -- worth more that the entire car by a long shot. TEHRONNE It got some miles on it, but my boys say she run good. Got fresh 22's on her. Ain't my doin'. That's just how it came to me. Don't worry. Nobody gonna come lookin' for it. I got the pinks... got no problem. (hands Laz the keys) Ain't gonna have my girl ridin' no bus. LAZARUS (moved, impressed) Don't see generosity much these days. Everything always got a catch. Guess I'm tryin' to say... thank you. TEHRONNE Nobody ever asks me to do shit like this for people. And you know what? I'm good at it. Naw what I mean? Tehronne walks back into the pool hall, leaving Laz alone. CUT TO: INT. ELLA MAE'S WOMEN'S CLOTHING - DAY Rhonda has three white dresses over her arm as she hurries past Ronnie, seated next to the back dressing rooms. The door doesn't close all the way. He stands and moves in for a peek. Angela pokes her head out and grins. ANGELA What are you doing? RONNIE (shrugs) Just wanted to see. ANGELA You know the rules. (vacant look from Ronnie) You do know the rules, don't you? RONNIE Yeah, I know. ANGELA Then start taking them seriously. RONNIE Yes, ma'am. INT. ELLA MAE'S WOMEN'S CLOTHING - DRESSING ROOM - DAY Rae is standing in bra and panties up on a small platform in front of a tri-divided mirror. Ella Mae takes the dresses from Rhonda. Angela sees that Rae is nervous. ANGELA It's okay to breathe, honey. RAE Yes, ma'am. CUT TO: EXT. RONNIE'S TRAILER - LATE DAY Ronnie is wearing a brown corduroy jacket. He is attempting to tie his neck tie in the side mirror of Laz's truck. Lincoln, also wearing his Sunday best, steps up behind him. LINCOLN You Ronnie? RONNIE Yeah. LINCOLN I'm Lincoln. Guess I'm gonna be your best man. RONNIE (ultimately accepting) Okay. LINCOLN You havin' trouble with that tie? Cuz I'm pretty good at it. Ronnie nods. Lincoln steps behind him to tie the tie. LINCOLN Gotta do it like this or I get all turned around. INT. RONNIE'S TRAILER - LATE DAY Laz is wearing the same suit he wore at the cafe with Rose. He is seated in Ronnie's trailer, outside the back bedroom door. Angela steps out from the bedroom with a grin. ANGELA She's ready for you. INT. RONNIE'S TRAILER - BACK BEDROOM - LATE DAY Laz opens the door, carefully looking around the doorjam. He sees her standing before the dresser mirror. She looks beautiful, simple, and elegant. Rae desperately searches Laz's eyes for approval. LAZARUS Now that's sharp. That's real sharp. Miss Ella Mae set you up, didn't she? You like it? RAE I've had nice things before but I always ruined 'em somehow. LAZARUS Well, this one's yours now. You ready to take care of it? Rae bows her head. She fights back tears. RAE I want to. More'n anything. But I... Laz holds her face in his hands. He speaks softly. LAZARUS Now... let's stop that. (smiles) You and me... we can handle this. You hear me, gal? We gonna be just fine. Now live ya life. Pull your shit together and live your life. His words are piercing and true. Rae nods, decides. RAE Okay. R.L.'s words are heard as Rae wraps her arms around Laz and rests her head on his chest. RAE I don't want you to let go. LAZARUS Maybe I won't. R.L. (V.O.) When I was a child, I talked like a child. I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. CUT TO: EXT. RONNIE'S TRAILER - LATE DAY Ronnie turns toward the trailer. He is in his suit, standing in his front yard -- Lincoln at his side. R.L. stands to the side with a Bible in his hands. R.L. (V.O.) When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Ronnie is amazed with what he sees. Laz leads beautiful Rae down the steps as Angela tends to her side. R.L. (V.O.) Now we see but a poor reflection as in the mirror; then we shall see face to face. I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. Rae holds firm to Laz's arm as they come together on the green grass to witness and perform this union. R.L. (V.O.) And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (Looks to Laz) Who gives this girl in marriage? LAZARUS I do. Lazarus takes a few steps with Rae, offering her arm to Ronnie. Ronnie and Laz stay locked in each other's gaze. LAZARUS You got her now? Laz stands next to Angela as Ronnie and Rae face R.L. together. R.L. Ronnie. Rae. I want you to look at each other and listen to me carefully. Do you understand? RAE & RONNIE Yes. Yes, sir. They both obey -- each with a serious expression. R.L. I require and charge you both as you stand in the presence of God to remember that love and loyalty alone will avail as a foundation of a happy and enduring home. (to Lincoln) Go on, hand it to him. Lincoln steps toward Ronnie and holds up the black velvet. Ronnie takes the gold chain and carefully wraps it around Rae's waist. R.L. No human ties are more tender. No vows more sacred than those you now assume. Laz looks on -- a conflicted emotion of joy and loss. R.L. If these solemn vows be kept inviolate, the home which you are establishing will abide in peace and your life will be filled with joy. Angela reaches over and takes Laz's hand in hers. CUT TO: EXT. FREEWAY / INT. RONNIE & RAE'S NEW CAR - DAY Ronnie is at the wheel of the Chevy Caprice. Rae sits silently next to him. Rae looks out the window as a huge 18 wheeler rolls up on her side. She tries to ignore it and the tension it brings. She turns to see that Ronnie is sweating. Another truck is on his side sandwiching them in. An attack is coming over Ronnie. His breath is short. His chest tightens. Rae reaches over and gently strokes the back of his neck. RONNIE I gotta pull over. He breaks. The two trucks zoom ahead as Ronnie breaks to the side. Dust flies as the Chevy skids to a stop on the side of the road. Trucks zip by shaking the car, as Ronnie tries to get control of his breathing. Rae tries to stay calm, stroking the back of his neck as he struggles for breath. He puts his forehead against the wheel to stave off the building nausea. RONNIE (through clenched teeth) FUCK! Fear comes to Rae's face as she notices her middle finger scratching at the back of Ronnie's neck. She pulls it away and shoves her hand between her thighs. Her eyes close as the burning builds. She grips the gold chain around her waist. FLASH TO QUICK CUTS The chain, tight around Rae as she struggles. Rae panting and sweating on Laz's floor. She reaches out. Her hand lands on the strings of his guitar. A single string is plucked. FLASH BACK TO: EXT. FREEWAY/ INT. RONNIE & RAE'S NEW CAR - DAY Rae opens her eyes -- the low note still sounding in her head. She places her hand back on his neck. And then, soft as a prayer: RAE (singing) You are my sunshine. My only sunshine. You make me happy, when times are gray. Ronnie slowly turns and looks at Rae, his head still resting on the steering wheel. The panting has slowed. Color starts returning to his cheeks. RAE (singing) You'll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don't take, my sunshine away. The anxiety is gone. Ronnie takes a breath and looks at Rae, humbled and thankful of her power to soothe him. RAE See. We're okay. Rae is smiling. CUT TO BLACK: THE END