Bare Knuckle Page #17

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They toe the line and Jack takes heavy shots to the body, but

grabs the back of Kieran’s head and bashes his knuckles into

Kieran’s eyes, over and over, mashing up his face. Kieran

goes down hard.

BAD JACK:

You sure about that?

What transpires over the next several rounds is Kieran

falling to the floor, each time bloodier than before. Over

and over he is put down by his seemingly invincible opponent.

It is pure domination. Jack pounds Kieran’s flesh with a

merciless fervor, savoring every second.

Even Kieran’s hard head can’t save him as Jack pummel’s

Kieran’s ears sending him crashing down to the canvas.

Destine cries in her cage, her fate looming ever closer.

Kieran grabs the rope, trying to get up, but doesn’t have the

strength and falls back down

Emily can’t watch. She buries her head into Cillian’s chest.

BAD JACK (CONT’D)

Get up Lumberman! I’ve still got

punishing to do.

Kieran grabs the ropes again. He pulls himself up to his feet

and faces Jack. Kieran trudges back to the line barely able

to lift his arms.

Jack bulldozes Kieran with punches then pushes him against

the ropes. Kieran bounces off and Jack heaves an uppercut

into Kieran’s chin sending him flying through the air.

Kieran lands as if he was throw from a ten story building.

Cillian runs around the ring to Kieran who barely moves.

CILLIAN:

Don’t give in, Kieran! You can’t!

You’ve got more in you, I know it!

(MORE)

93.

CILLIAN (CONT'D)

Remember the war, the focus, the

rush when it’s life or death! Get

up Lumberman! This man won’t best

you today! Get up! Rise and fight!

Kieran stares into Cillian’s eyes and sees true faith. Over

Cillian’s shoulder Destine comes into focus. Kieran gets that

rush. He rolls himself over and stands.

Jack waits with his foot on the scratch.

CILLIAN (CONT’D)

Bring the beast!

Kieran shakes his head regaining focus. He wipes the blood

out of his eyes and blinks quickly sharpening his sight. What

Kieran does next utterly shocks the crowd.

Kieran runs full sprint to the scratch. He lowers his

shoulder as his foot hits the line, barrelling into Jack,

sending him staggering back into the ropes.

Kieran heaves a straight right to the face, imploding Jack’s

nose, sending blood gushing down his face and splashing into

his eyes.

Blinded by his own blood, Jack fails to defend as Kieran

bashes Jack’s face with barbaric rage.

Jack slides out from the ropes, flailing blindly, wiping

blood from his face with his forearms. Kieran pursues, but

Jack throws a couple stiff jabs that land, backing Kieran up.

They engage toe to toe in the center of the ring. There is no

more defense, only blood and sweat cascading through the air

as the fighters trade punches. Both throwing with a fury,

landing at will.

Jack starts to get the better of it, backing Kieran up. Then

Kieran surges back, putting Jack on his heels. A powerful

left hook sends Jack to the ground, dazed.

EMILY:

Yes!

Jack is taking his time getting up, trying to get his wits

back. Kieran grabs him by the neck and throws him to the

scratch.

The moment Jack’s foot touches the line, Kieran throws

everything he has into Jack’s ribs.

Jack lowers his arms to protect his ribs so Kieran moves up

to the head. CRACK, CRACK, CRACK!

94.

Kieran shatters the bones of Jack’s jaw. Jack tries to

stagger away, but Kieran throws him back into the ropes.

Destine stands in anticipation of victory.

DESTINE:

Do it, Kieran! Finish him!

Kieran holds Jack steady with his left, and hammers Jack’s

already mashed up face with his right. It is gruesome as

Kieran pounds away at Jack’s flesh.

Jack is out on his feet. Kieran backs away and Jack stumbles

forward. Kieran gets a running start and the biggest overhand

right the world has ever seen.

Jack crashes to the ground LIMP. OUT COLD. The referee takes

one look and waives his arms. KIERAN WINS

Never has there been a more uproarious crowd, irrepressible

in their cheering. Grady and the Chichesters go mad.

Emily and Cillian stand full of pride.

The ref grabs Kieran’s arm to raise it in victory but Kieran

shrugs him off.

KIERAN:

DESTINE! DESTINE!

Destine reaches out through the bars and yells back, but

their cries are lost in the fancy’s roar. Kieran rushes out

of the ring and pushes through the crowd.

Kieran reaches the steps where two Bowery Boys stand guard.

KIERAN (CONT’D)

Give me the key.

The Boys hesitate, unsure what to do without Jack ordering

them. Grady and the Chichesters step up behind Kieran.

GRADY:

Hand ‘em over!

The Bowery Boy takes the rope with the key off his neck and

Kieran snatches it and runs up the steps.

SLOW MOTION as Kieran slides the key in and unlocks the door.

Destine rushes into Kieran’s arms. The reunion is whimsical,

magical, beautiful.

Emily and Cillian smile from below watching Kieran and

Destine kiss with unwavering passion, high above the fancy.

95.

Suddenly the celebration turns dark. The Know Nothings saloon

is set ablaze behind them. The bowery boys and the Irish men

begin to battle.

Kieran grabs Destine and carries her down the stairs to Emily

and Cillian. Destine notices the copper’s pistol hanging out

of Cillian’s trousers.

They make their way through the crowd, away from the mayhem.

BAD JACK:

Lumberman!

They all turn to see Bad Jack pointing his pistol at the

group. He barely has the strength to stand.

BAD JACK (CONT’D)

America remember. Where the meanest

son of a b*tch who is willing to-

Destine grabs the gun from Cillian’s belt. Two gunshots ring

out. Smoke fills the air. As it clears we see Jack fall to

his knees, DEAD. Destine unscathed, holding the shaking gun.

JUSTICE.

The foursome put their arms around each other and proceed

away from the chaos.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. CILLIAN’S FARM - DAY

Kieran and Destine lay in the flowers holding hands, stroking

each other’s arms. Kieran touches her pregnant belly.

KIERAN:

I told you I would do it.

DESTINE:

Do what?

KIERAN:

Build us a house on a big lot of

land to raise our children.

She looks back at the newly constructed home next to

Cillian’s farmhouse. On the porch Cillian holds Emily as a

lover.

DESTINE:

What about my orchard?

96.

Kieran tickles her.

KIERAN:

You might have to roll up your

sleeves and plant it yourself.

Kieran stops tickling and they stare at each other.

DESTINE:

Was it all worth it?

He touches her face.

KIERAN:

The war, the boxing...that was the

easy bit. The hardest to bear was

the pain inside from not being near

you.

DESTINE:

Let us never be apart again.

They kiss.

THE END:

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