Beloved Page #16

AMY:

Come on Lu! You got to move faster than

that. You won't get to Ohio til you

ninety years old, you keep moving that

ways.

INT. LEAN-TO - EARLY EVENING.

Amy makes a pile of leaves for Sethe to lay on and some rocks

for her to put up her feet. She talks non-stop as she works.

AMY:

Never know it to look at me but I used to

be a good size. Nice arms, everything.

That was before they put me in the root

cellar...

She eases Sethe onto the leaves then lifts her feet onto the

rocks.

AMY:

...Mama worked for these people here to

pay for her passage but then she had me

and died right after so I had to work

for'em.. I was fishing off the Beaver

once and a n*gger floated right by me. I

don't like drowned people, do you? Your

feet remind me of him. All swole like.

Amy props Sethe up from behind when she notices

AMY:

You all bloody back here. Gal you a mess.

Undo your dress - let me see.

Sethe makes a tremendous effort just to turn to her side as

Amy undoes her dress;

AMY:

Lord, I ain't never seen a poorer excuse

for a-

Amy sees Sethe's back and, for a moment, is speechless. Then:

AMY:

Jesus...It's a tree Lu..A chokecherry

tree. I had me some whippings but I don't

remember nothing like this. Glad I ain't

you.. what God have in mind I wonder.

...You thank your Maker I come along.

Spiderwebs all I can do for you. What's

in here ain't enough. I'll look

outside...Maybe I ought to break them

blossoms open and let the pus run..

(rises)

(smiles)

That you ain't dead yet Lu's a miracle.

Make you a bet..You make it through the

night, you make it all the way...

INT. LEAN-TO - NIGHT.

To Sethe's amazement, Amy begins to massage her feet and legs

the pain of which causes Sethe to cry.

AMY:

It's gonna hurt now..Anything dead coming

back to life hurts. Stop wiggling, girl.

(sings)

"WHEN THE BUSY DAY IS DONE AND MY WEARY

LITTLE ONE ROCKETH TO AND FRO; WHEN THE

NIGHT WINDS SOFTLY BLOW AND CRICKETS

CHIRP AGAIN; WHERE'PON THE HAUNTED GREEN

FAIRIES DANCE AROUND THEIR QUEEN THEN

FROM YONDER MISTY SKIES COMETH LADY

BUTTON EYES..."

(talks)

Don't up and die on me in the night, you

hear me Lu? I don't want to see your ugly

face hankering over me. If you do die,

just go on off somewhere where I can't

see you, hear?

SETHE:

I'll do what I can, miss.

Amy continues singing.....

EXT. PATH LEADING TO RIVER - DAY.

Sethe is trying to walk, holding on to Amy at first, then a

tree.

AMY:

Cause of me, you up and walking. See,

Jesus - Lu made it through..I'm good at

sick things, ain't I?

SETHE:

Yeah, you good...

AMY:

What's that all over your dress?

SETHE:

Milk..Got to get my milk to my baby girl.

AMY:

You got another baby waiting for you?

SETHE:

(stops and touches belly)

I think this one is dead.

Amy doesn't know what to say, so she says:

AMY:

You hungry?

Sethe keeps trying to walk;

SETHE:

I ain't nothing but in a hurry, miss. Got

to meet someone...help bring me and my

milk to my baby girl...

AMY:

You want shoes?

SETHE:

Say what?

AMY:

I figured how...

CUT TO:

Amy cutting two pieces form Sethe shawl then filling them

with leaves and tying them over her feet -

CUT TO:

EXT. RIVERBANK - DAY.

Sethe and Amy walk towards the river when then see:

A SMALL, ABANDONED ROWBOAT with oars.

AMY:

Jesus looking at you, girl!

Sethe can't believe her eyes. She walks right into the water

when suddenly, her own water breaks and her labor begins...

She doubles up in pain;

AMY:

What you doing that for!? Ain't you got a

brain in your head? Stop that right now!

I said stop it, Lu. You the dumbest thing

on this here earth, LU!..LU!

Sethe, on her knees, crawls into the boat and props her feet

up. Water leaks in wherever it can, rising up as high as her

waist. Amy takes her position to assist.

AMY:

Oh Jesus, I'm awful sorry 'bout the

braggin...I need you here now..Come on

Jesus...don't be getting lost on me now.

Sethe screams in agony as the child pushes through. Amy curses;

AMY:

Damn daddies never around 'cept for the

fun part. Biggest joke God made on woman

was giving men the planters 'stead of the

soil...!! PUSH!

SETHE:

(gasping)

PULL!!

Amy's strong hands pull Denver's head out and up, to meet

Sethe's eyes. Sethe cannot believe this creature made it

through..Amy rinses it with water then, wrapping it in her

skirt, holds it up to Sethe..

AMY:

My Lord...She's never gonna know who I

am. You gonna tell her? Who brought her

into this world. You better tell her, you

hear! You say MISS AMY DENVER. Of Boston.

SETHE:

That's pretty. Denver. Real pretty.

EXT. BANKS OF THE OHIO RIVER - DAY.

Sethe awakens, mud-caked, on the banks of the river. Her baby

girl crying beside her. Amy is gone. She rises, painfully,

picks up her child and continues on her way.

CUT TO:

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