Bare Knuckle Page #2

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Jack throws Hammond over his leg to the ground ending the

first round. Hammond quickly rises and puts his foot on the

scratch ready to start the second.

Bad Jack licks the blood from his lip. Like a morning shot of

whiskey to the alcoholic, the blood gives Jack his FIX.

Bad Jack toes the scratch and steam-rolls Hammond with

vicious punches to the face. Jack puts his forearm against

the Englishman’s throat and pushes him against the ropes.

Bad Jack busts open Hammond’s face until his fists go wet

with blood. The Englishmen goes down.

As Hammond rises Jack hurls a knee into Hammond’s chest

sending him back to the ground. Gamblers rage at the illegal

move, barely able to be held back as they bum-rush the ring.

Vincent’s second, RICHARD, rushes into the ring and shoves

Bad Jack back.

RICHARD:

Damned cheater!

BAD JACK:

Get the f*** out of my ring!

Gideon enters the ring and WHAP!, bashes Richard’s skull with

his club. Gideon drags him out of the ring. Hammond leaps

towards Jack, landing a few unsuspecting blows.

Destine grows frightened as the crowd gets more drunk and

wild.

Bad Jack throws Vincent into the ropes and bashes his face

into mush. Jack is a rabid dog unleashing hell. Finally

Hammond goes down and Jack backs away laughing.

Hammond’s face is disfigured. His teeth are broken, his eyes

swollen shut. Jack taunts, pointing and making faces.

BAD JACK (CONT’D)

I don’t remember you being this

ugly when we started. Good thing

you didn’t take the bet.

Jack’s laughing subsides as he grabs Hammond’s head.

7.

BAD JACK (CONT’D)

How do you like pugilism in

America?

One last punch and SMACK!

INT. THE KNOW NOTHINGS SALOON - NIGHT

Bad Jack, dressed up to the nines in fine gangster attire,

stands surrounded by admirers, all piss drunk on whiskey and

ale in his large two story saloon.

BAD JACK:

(hysterical)

Did you see that ninny’s face?

Jack can barely breathe he is laughing so hard. The extreme

sadistic nature of this hysteria is a window into his heart.

BAD JACK (CONT’D)

And the blood...there was so much

blood.

GIDEON:

To the champion!

They all toast and chug their drinks. Jack spots LESTER, a

uniformed municipal police officer.

BAD JACK:

Lester! You sweaty hairy animal.

An accurate description. Jack puts his arm around the copper.

LESTER:

I made a good deal of money on you

today, champ!

BAD JACK:

And now you want to spend it.

Jack turns around and whistles. A mature, voluptuous woman,

HELEN, approaches with her breasts out.

LESTER:

No, no. Younger.

Helen reveals a hint of a smile.

BAD JACK:

Look at that. The whore is happy

she doesn’t have to f*** a

festering pig like yourself.

8.

LESTER:

You’re a sh*t, Jack.

He waves over the youngest whore, ELIZABETH. She cozies up

next to Lester. Her innocence accentuates his repulsiveness.

On the main stage, Destine walks out wearing a low cut dress.

Jack stops mid drink, enamored by her beauty.

BAD JACK:

Everyone quiet.

Some quiet, but not all.

BAD JACK (CONT’D)

I said shut your f***ing mouths!

Silence.

Destine looks down to Kieran who is standing near the stage,

smiling with encouragement.

Destine launches into an elegant French song. Her sensual

moves drop the jaws of all the nastiest, grimiest men in New

York.

Bad Jack leans against the wall next to Kieran. Kieran double

takes looking at the city celebrity.

BAD JACK (CONT’D)

That your lady?

KIERAN:

Yeah, she’s mine.

BAD JACK:

She a good f***?

Kieran tenses up and holds his stare to Destine.

BAD JACK (CONT’D)

Looks like she’d be a right good

lay in the hay. Those tits. Love to

have those bouncing in my face.

Kieran turns aggressively to Bad Jack.

KIERAN:

I kindly ask that you mind your

mouth, champion. My lady deserves

respect even from the likes of

pugilistic royalty, aye?

9.

Bad Jack sticks his alpha male chest against Kieran and

speaks an inch from his ear.

BAD JACK:

You put your eyes to the floor when

I’m around, you mick sissy.

Kieran looks down to the ground, submissive.

BAD JACK (CONT’D)

You’re lucky I even let a fobbing

Irishman like you in my club.

The crowd erupts with applause, breaking the tension as

Destine takes her fulfilled bow. Jack reaches out and helps

Destine off the stage.

BAD JACK (CONT’D)

Truly breathtaking, darling.

Jack pulls out a wad of cash and peels off twenty dollars. He

hands it to Destine and kisses her hand.

BAD JACK (CONT’D)

Worth every penny.

DESTINE:

Thank you, Ja-

KIERAN:

Better be off now.

Kieran grabs Destine and pulls her away.

DESTINE:

But...

Destine looks back confused as she’s dragged out of the bar.

Jack walks to Lester.

BAD JACK:

That Irishman with the singer, who

is he?

LESTER:

Connelly I think. A nobody, why?

BAD JACK:

Arrange a meeting with The

Politician.

LESTER:

What for?

10.

BAD:

I believe he owes his country a

debt that must be paid at once.

LESTER:

Oh, dear.

INT. CHURCH BASEMENT - NIGHT

Moonlight shines through the lone window into the cold damp

dwelling, where Kieran is stacking logs on a fire. Destine

puts the twenty dollars into a small purse of mostly coins.

DESTINE:

It wasn’t proper to leave so

abruptly. Not after Jack paid such

a high sum.

Kieran pulls Destine down next to the fire with him.

KIERAN:

Enough about Bad Jack.

DESTINE:

But I don’t see why-

KIERAN:

(in French)

Listen, please.

Destine smiles in shock hearing Kieran speak French. He

proceeds with shaky nerves.

KIERAN (CONT’D)

(in French)

You are all that I love. I have no

one but you and I want you forever.

Will you take my hand in marriage?

Tears of joy pool in Destine’s eyes.

DESTINE:

My love. I also have no one but

you. Yes, you can have me forever.

She grabs his face and kisses him. Kieran picks her up and

carries her to their wooden bed. He lays her down softly with

one hand while unlacing her dress with the other.

Destine unbuttons his shirt. Each layer of clothing comes off

until they are naked in each other’s arms, making love.

11.

INT. CHURCH BASEMENT - MORNING

Feeble light peaks in. Destine and Kieran lie naked still,

staring, caressing each other.

DESTINE:

Why did you choose me?

KIERAN:

How do you mean?

DESTINE:

I was rotting away in the streets,

dirty and alone. Starving. No one

cared if I lived or died. No one

but you.

KIERAN:

I only wanted to bed you.

She pinches him harsh. He tickles her, which she hates.

KIERAN (CONT’D)

I tried hard to rid myself of ya,

but you won’t go away.

Kieran finally stops tickling, and holds Destine.

KIERAN (CONT’D)

You will never starve again.

DESTINE:

Promise me our children wont. I do

not want to raise them in squalor.

KIERAN:

Nor do I. I will build us a house

with a big lot of land. We’ll have

an orchard with more fruit than you

could ever eat.

DESTINE:

On a lumberman’s wage?

KIERAN:

I’ll find a way. There’s nothing I

wouldn’t do for you.

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