Desperation

Oh, God!

What?

Didn't you see that?

There was a dead cat...

hanging from that sign

we just passed.

Really? Cool.

Don't you even think

about going back there.

What color was it?

Tiger-striped.

What difference

does it make?

Well, I thought it might

be black, you know?

Satanists out in the desert.

Marielle said the Nevada desert

was full of oddballs.

I just don't know who could kill

a living creature like that.

You're traveling through

another dimension...

A dimension not only

of sight and sound, but of mind.

Very funny.

I can't wait to get back

to Salt Lake City, at least.

Too much nature out here.

I'm starting to miss civilization.

What? What is it?

A car. Really movin', too.

Get over.

Give him the road.

It's a cop.

Why is he going so fast

with his flashers off?

Who's he gonna

run them for out here?

Well, there's us.

What's he doing?

I don't know.

Hi.

What does he want?

Well, I guess he wants

to get back behind us again.

Well, why didn't

he just pull over...

and let us pass then,

if that's what he wants?

I don't know.

Why is he stopping us,

Peter? Why?

These asses have

a quota to make.

They keep the posted limit at 55

so they can make it.

Don't pull over.

I don't have a choice, Mary.

Great.

Holy God, it's Sasquatch!

Guess I was going

a little fast, officer.

Had the hammer

down a little, huh?

Can I see your registration

please, sir?

No problem.

But the car's not mine.

It's my sister's.

We're driving it back

for her to New York.

She's... she goes

to school in Oregon.

Rand College.

Have you ever heard of it?

Mar, could you get

the registration?

I think it's in

the glove compartment.

I don't believe this...

I can't find my license.

Sorry, officer, I...

Oh, wait a minute, here it is.

OK, and, um, here's

the registration.

Oh, good.

I see you're

an organ donor.

Think that's wise?

Well...

Is there a problem, officer?

Your name is Jackson?

The one on the pink slip

says Deirdre Finney.

That your sister?

Right.

She's been divorced

for about a year...

but she kept

her husband's last name.

Deirdre's a bit of a flake.

Bit of a flake, huh?

Tak.

Can I ask you to step

out of the car, Mr. Jackson?

What for?

Of course.

Come around back, Mr. Jackson.

Hell!

Peter, what is it?

Our...

our damn license plate fell off!

I doubt it.

Did you stop in Fallon?

Yeah, we got gas

at the Conoco there.

Why?

They got some

light-fingered kids hang out there.

I reckon your license plate

is hangin' in their clubhouse right now.

You know this and

it still goes on?

Oh, Fallon is not my place.

Those are not my ways.

Gosh, no.

What should

we do about that, officer?

Well, you just take

the plate off the front...

and put it in the back.

That's should get you

across the country.

You got a tool kit?

These are yours.

Thanks.

I think I saw a tool kit

in the trunk.

Yeah, OK.

There, behind

my make-up case.

Hey.

What is this?

Damned sister!

Officer, I know what

this looks like.

But we checked her stuff...

But we're not

customs officers!

That... that is not our dope!

No.

Let me have your keys.

Get in the car.

But...

Are you deaf?

Get in the car!

Get in the car!

OK, we'll get this

taken care of.

In Desperation.

Get in the car, folks.

Tak.

Slow down,

you'll flip us!

What are you doing?

Are you crazy?

Officer, you saw

our registration.

You know that isn't our car,

and it's not our dope either!

Do you think

we'd be so stupid...

Shut up, you

New York deviant.

Wh... wh... what

did you call me?

I'm arresting you

for possession of marijuana...

with intent to sell.

You can't be serious!

You have the right

to remain silent.

If you choose

to not be silent...

everything you say

can be held against you...

In a court of law.

You have the right

to an attorney.

I am going to kill you.

If you cannot

afford an attorney...

One will be

provided for you.

Do you understand

your rights...

as I have explained them

to you?

Do you understand

your rights?

Just... Act normally.

I don't think he understands

what he just said.

Do you understand your rights?!

Do you or not?

Answer me...

you smart-aleck blue state

unisex swingles!

Do you or not?

Do you or not?

Yes! Yes,

we understand.

Please, just watch the road.

Don't worry about me.

I got eyes in the back

of my head.

You'd do well

to remember that.

Up there on the horizon's

the china pit.

Gotta go

all the way to Peru

to find a bigger one.

Yeah, we just started

working her again.

They got some kind

of technology...

that makes even

the tailings valuable.

Science, huh?

Gosh.

Yeah, I think we're gonna

be a boom town again...

just like in the old days.

Officer, please don't kill us.

We'll do whatever you say.

Just don't kill us!

Shut your quackin'

yuppie pothead mouth!

We're not potheads.

You look like potheads to me.

Yuppies killed

Princess Di, you know.

Wasn't she beautiful?

Officer...

Shut up and walk.

Where is everybody?

Disneyland.

Come on, walk,

hay foot, straw foot.

You're Peter.

You're Mary.

So where's Paul?

I mean, how can you sing

Puff the Magic Dragon

without Paul?

Wait a minute.

Peter Jackson.

I love Lord of the Rings!

You are useless.

You at least look healthy.

Get in there, girlfriend.

Forgot all about her.

You can never remember

everything, now can you?

I don't care if you're

a Jew, a Hindu, or Mr. Magoo.

In Desperation...

We don't care about

those things much.

Peter!

Peter! Let me go!

Peter!

Shotgun, get the shotgun!

Shoot him, shoot him!

Get it!

Get it, woman!

Pick it up,

for God sakes!

Don't do that.

Drop it, Mary.

Put it down, Mary.

Put it down.

Drop it.

Now, if you don't

want to see your liver...

come squirting

out of your nose...

I'd put it down, Mary.

Kill me if you're going to.

Now, why would

I want to kill you...

when things are

just starting to get interesting?

He killed my husband!

He killed our little girl.

Three billion red Chinese

don't give a damn.

How they hangin', old timer?

Don't you hurt him!

I'm warning you.

Who are you, boy?

I'm David Carver.

I live at 248 Poplar Street

in Wentworth, Ohio.

Yeah, but...

who made thee?

Canst thou say

who made thee? Tak!

I guess my folks did.

And God.

There's no god

out here, little Dave.

Leave him alone!

Haven't you done

enough to our family?

Even bald-headed

hoppin'-Satan...

don't step his split-foot

much west of Tonopah.

This is Desperation.

Only thing out here

is can tah and can tak.

And don't you forget it!

You're mine.

David, what's wrong?

What's... what's

wrong with him?

There's nothing

wrong with him.

What do you mean?

Are you blind?

I think your son

is praying.

Well. Hey there.

Are you a nice person?

Well, I like to think so...

but, then again,

if I was Ted Bundy...

do you think I'd tell you?

I'd know.

I got a psychic streak.

Up yours!

That's pleasant.

So what's your name,

young lady?

Cynthia Smith.

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