Bare Knuckle Page #11

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RANDOM MAN:

One round?

ANOTHER MAN:

One round?

EMILY:

ONE ROUND!

Kieran raises his hand in triumph. The crowd quickly cheers

realizing they have witnessed something spectacular, once in

a lifetime. Emily runs into the ring and hugs Kieran.

KIERAN:

That convincing enough?!

Kieran picks up Emily and spins her around.

INT. KNOW NOTHINGS SALOON - NIGHT

Bad Jack stands over a congregation of his feral Bowery boys

and drunkard admirers, all holding up libations.

BAD JACK:

Let’s be honest, that milk-livered

Orem never really stood a chance,

did he?

LESTER:

You trounced him good, Jack!

GIDEON:

To the champion!

They all drink and cheer. Destine wears the only frown in the

joint, drinking alone in the corner. Jack walks to her.

BAD JACK:

What will it take to put a smile on

that fine face? An English country

dance?

Jack kicks his feet and spins around clapping. Destine

doesn’t even smile. Jack moves in for a hug.

57.

BAD JACK (CONT’D)

There must be something I can do to

make you-

Jack catches a whiff of something foul. He backs away.

BAD JACK (CONT’D)

You reek of sh*t, woman.

DESTINE:

My apologies. Should I just go

upstairs then?

BAD JACK:

Upstairs?

Bad Jack smolders.

BAD JACK (CONT’D)

You must really think I’m daft.

Jack grabs her and jerks her to the stage.

BAD JACK (CONT’D)

Look here lads! We got some new

entertainment.

Jack rips off Destine’s dress leaving her in nothing but a

corset and bloomers. He hurls her onto the stage and pulls

his pistol from his belt.

BAD JACK (CONT’D)

Let me hear one of your French

numbers.

Destine slowly rises to her feet. BAM. Jack fires a hole

through the ceiling.

BAD JACK (CONT’D)

Sing!

With a shaky voice, Destine sings a French song. Jack grabs a

nearby pitcher and flings the ale onto Destine.

BAD JACK (CONT’D)

You can do better than that!

Destine sings louder, but other men begin to chuck ale at her

as well. One drunkard throws an empty bottle crashing against

the wall behind her.

Destine continues to sing while being pelted with peanuts,

food, and drink. She cringes with humiliation, trying

desperately not to sob.

58.

BAD JACK (CONT’D)

Enough!

The mob stops as Jack jumps onto the stage.

BAD JACK (CONT’D)

I trust now you’ll bathe.

Destine rushes off upstairs.

EXT. DOCKS - NIGHT

This is the biggest, most rowdy, and ruthless fancy we have

seen since Bad Jack’s opening fight, all here to see the

championship of Philadelphia.

Two teenagers push each other in argument.

TEENAGER 1

The lumberman has no chance! The

Man Killer is going to trounce him

good I tell ya!

TEENAGER 2

The lumberman beat McCoole in one

round you twat. He’s mastered! No

man can beat him!

The liquored up gamblers all scream out wagers for The

Lumberman and MORDECAI THE MAN KILLER MURDOCH, a dark hairy

stud with a broad formidable chest and long muscular limbs.

Emily stands outside of the ropes rubbing Kieran’s shoulders.

KIERAN:

Why is he called man killer?

EMILY:

He’s killed men in the ring?

KIERAN:

Fitting title. Any advice?

EMILY:

Don’t give up first.

Both fighters walk to the line and IT’S ON. Kieran ducks

under the Man Killer’s hooks and pushes him back on his heels

before unloading an arsenal of uppercuts.

What proceeds is a symphony of blood. Fists smashing against

flesh, against bone, back and forth, round after round as

both men refuse to wear down.

59.

Mordecai’s right eye is swollen shut, Kieran’s left eye is.

Both fighters are red and bruised all over.

They smash against each other like butting rams, throwing all

their grit an determination into every punch. Kieran is

hammered across his chin and falls to his back.

He rolls to his side, his head stuck to the floor like glue.

He gets an arm under him and tries to push up, but his

strength fails him.

The crowd cheers for him to get back to his feet. Kieran

pushes with his head and manages to get to his knees.

Kieran puts one foot on the ground and pushes himself up to

his feet, somehow finding the strength to go on. The crowd

explodes with noise.

Murdoch stands sluggish, exhausted, devastated that Kieran

didn’t stay down.

Kieran shakes out his arms trying to get the blood flowing

ready for another painful round.

The fighters drag themselves to the scratch and Murdoch

immediately ties up Kieran and tries to throw him down.

EMILY (CONT’D)

The body! Hit the body!

Kieran musters his last ounce of strength digging his right

hand into the Man Killer’s body.

Murdoch holds on to Kieran’s neck. Kieran grinds out a few

more body shots and strips his opponents grip.

Murdoch stumbles forward trying to grab Kieran for support,

then staggers backward toward the ropes. Finally the man

killer face-plants onto the floor.

Kieran watches, desperately hoping it’s over, as the ref

flips Murdoch on to his back. The referee waives his arms in

the air. Kieran falls to his knees in victory.

Emily rushes into the ring, throwing herself into Kieran’s

arms as the crowd goes wild.

INT. JACK’S SUITE - WASHROOM - NIGHT

Jack sits on a stool next to the tub where Destine soaks.

60.

BAD JACK:

I hate hurting you. All I want is

for us to be together and care for

each other. Why won’t you let us?

Destine keeps her eyes forward. She won’t even look at Jack.

He rises knocking his stool back against the wall and exits.

INT. EMILY’S ROOM - NIGHT

Kieran lays on the floor. Emily, wearing only her knickers,

looks down from her bed.

EMILY:

The champion of Philadelphia

shouldn’t be sleeping on the floor.

KIERAN:

I don’t mind. You got word to the

paper, the Herald?

EMILY:

I did. Maybe I mind you sleeping

down there.

She jumps off her bed and lays beside Kieran who stirs with

heavy thoughts.

EMILY (CONT’D)

What’s wrong? You did it. You won.

You should be happy.

Kieran turns to her.

KIERAN:

I’m the champ of all that is wrong

in our society. Bare knuckle boxing

takes the people’s good moral

fibers and turns them rotten.

EMILY:

Then stop fighting.

She kisses him. He pulls away.

KIERAN:

What are you doing?

EMILY:

We made enough money to go anywhere

we want. You don’t have to fight

Bad Jack to have me.

61.

She reaches her hand down to his manhood and kisses him

again. It feels good. He doesn’t want to stop but has to. He

pulls away.

KIERAN:

We can’t.

EMILY:

Can you not love me because I’m a

whore?

Kieran strokes her face.

KIERAN:

You are more than worthy of my

love. It’s a wonder that every man

who shares your bed doesn’t ask for

your hand in marriage.

Emily’s heart melts and she wants Kieran even more for his

words. She tucks herself into his arms.

EMILY:

Can I sleep beside you, and pretend

I’m yours.

KIERAN:

Come here.

Kieran wraps his arms around her.

INT. KNOW NOTHINGS SALOON - DAY

Gideon bursts through the front door in a huff.

GIDEON:

Jack! Jack!

Jack is sitting at the bar with Destine.

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