Fire Down Below Page #4

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These are my daddy's maps.

I want to help.

Do you mind if I say a few words?

Thank you.

Please be seated.

You know, the trouble

with rich people...

...is that sometimes they don't care

about others.

These folks that are

making the profits by dumping...

...toxic waste, petroleum byproducts

and stuff like that...

...are making the profit. Why don't

they dump that in their own backyard?

But instead...

...they pay some poor sh*t...

forgive me, Father...

- Five dollars an hour to truck this

up into the mountains of Appalachia.

Why?

Because they think...

...you all are ignorant...

...barefoot...

...poor, dumb hillbillies...

...that don't have the money

and the power to fight back.

To these people,

you all are insignificant.

You mean nothing.

And if anyone out there thinks...

...the $300 they gave you for a new

satellite or to look the other way...

...is worth selling out

your legacy...

...and the future of your children...

...please raise your hand.

I don't see no hands.

Think about this.

You know why I'm here.

Let's all come together

as one family and fight this.

Can I have a word with you?

I know what's going on

with these barrels.

That's the problem.

All these problems seem so big,

it's hard to find your way around them.

I wanted to keep the church.

I thought I could make a difference.

I realize church can't help nobody

after they're all dead.

So I'm gonna make a change.

Right in here.

And by God, I swear, if you'll drag

their sorry ass to court...

...I'll testify against

every one of them.

We might make a good team.

Let's go, boys.

There's your allowance.

I need to talk to you for a moment.

We didn't get Taggert.

Guy's a goddamn pit bull.

I have to divert our next shipment.

Shut down.

We can't risk it.

You're giving me a headache.

Don't divert anything.

It's time I see this guy.

Yes, sir, Daddy.

Jack!

Are you ready?

We are too. Now come on!

Where are those at?

Free round trip

to the new Hanner Casino.

My hometown

and I ain't forgetting it.

You play guitar?

- Is it all right if he plays?

- Sure.

There he goes.

Get up on a microphone there.

Hey, little lady!

We should know each other better.

- Since you're coming into town so much...

- Let go of me.

- Let's dance.

- I don't want to.

Don't you want to dance with me?

I wanna get to know you.

Normally, when a man insults a woman,

he insults the man she's with.

In this case...

...it's not worth it.

Government-agent man come

to take out our community trash.

Now that's worth it.

That hurts.

Really?

Turn him loose.

I said turn him loose.

I want you to apologize to the lady.

Quick, before you fall asleep.

I apologize, Miss Sarah.

You came this close

to having me stomp your ass.

Mr. Hanner wants to see you.

That would be fine. Where is he?

Give me just a second, babe.

How you doing tonight?

What's going on?

Take care.

How's the proctologist?

Everybody, come on.

Gather back around. What do you say?

How about a love song?

How did you do that thumb thing?

That was good. I liked that.

It's just a card trick.

I'll show you someday.

I'll come straight to the point.

What's your price?

Excuse me?

I have a lot of money.

I'll give you some to go away.

Everyone has his price.

What's yours?

Let me think about that a minute.

How about...

...the life of my friend?

Or how about if you took the poison

out of the air, out of the earth...

...out of the water

that you've left up here.

If you could do any of those,

not only would I leave...

...but I'd be impressed.

Think about my offer.

I already have.

You can't prove anything.

You won't find anything.

Life is short.

It is very short.

Do you want to spend

another minute of yours here?

I feel alive up here.

I was thinking I might even

buy a house up here, move in.

Kiss my ass.

This guy is trouble.

- That's what...

- Shut up.

I want the mine sealed...

...and I want Taggert buried inside it.

You know who to call.

Give this to him.

How will I ever take over if you

don't let me run my operations?

You won't have to.

I'm gonna live forever.

Your beau is quite a fellow.

He's trying to help us, Earl.

How's that?

We sure could use your help.

What do you mean?

You know which mines are used

to store the chemicals.

Come on, help us out.

You can be a hero.

- I ain't no hero.

- But you can be.

You can do the right thing.

I don't know.

We'll see.

I do love a good waltz, don't you?

There's a fire up there!

That's the church.

I know the bastards

who are behind this.

I got to tell you,

I've taken money from these bastards.

I've even helped them dump their sh*t

into the ground. But this...

Is Mr. Goodall in there?

- I don't know where he is.

- You better hope he's alive.

I'll take you to the dumpsite.

You know Clearwater Road?

- Yes, sir.

- I'll meet you there...

...in a half-hour.

- Isn't it better to go together?

No, sir. I don't want

to be seen leaving with you.

They're putting a load in there tonight.

It's a dangerous place.

I'm proud of you, Earl.

Do you think I'm a damn fool idiot?

This guy's gonna sink us all.

He don't give a sh*t about

country folk. He'll put me in jail.

He's not like that.

Did you sleep with him?

What?

You whore.

When he's gone, things are

going back to the way they were.

What are you talking about?

Before Daddy died.

I'm leaving. I'm leaving.

You'll just get robbed again...

...have to call

your big brother to come get you.

Believe me, you will get robbed again.

Starting this stupid honeybee business

gave you some big ideas.

Think you're ready

to take on the world.

You talk to any guy who looks at you.

Them bastards just want one thing...

...and they can't have it.

It's too bad about the reverend.

He always did talk too much.

You need help, Earl.

I'm going to the police.

I'm going to tell them everything.

I'm going to tell them about you

and about Daddy.

I'm going to tell them about all of it!

I knew that guy was going to be

a bad influence on you.

Touch me, I swear I'll kill you!

You better not miss,

or I'm liable to get upset!

I hate you!

I'm not going to jail.

I'll do anything.

Even if that means being an only child.

Where the hell you going?

Your friend's gonna have an accident.

He's gonna die under the mountain.

What are you talking about?

Let me out of here!

Quarter mile in.

Somebody once asked my pa

how far down hell was...

...and he said, "Just a quarter mile."

I'll bet that's about right.

What's the gun for?

Just in case.

Get in.

This here is the mother lode.

A lot of toxic waste down here.

I see it leaking all over the place.

It looks radioactive.

I bet you this sh*t glows in the dark.

You don't want to drink it.

How'd you cut your hand?

Guess I cut myself on the gate.

I noticed that Sarah gets

awful nervous around you.

What do you have to say about that?

She's nervous around most men.

I guess you heard what happened.

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