Forsaken Page #2

---

Most men came out of that war

wanting nothing more to do with killing,

but not you... you went looking for it.

God is not responsible

for the life you choose.

I did not choose it!

Get off my land.

We just come to finish the conversation

that was interrupted, Dan.

Let us avoid unpleasantness.

Sir, I implore you to see reason.

If you take a fair grasp

of your situation,

you will arrive at the only reasonable

conclusion available to you.

I'm stayin'.

Dirt and rock.

Exactly like the dirt and the rocks

you would find anywhere.

Yeah, but it's my dirt and my rock!

Yes, and a fine rock it is too.

Is it worth dying over?

You believe your wife would prefer

the dirt and the rock to you?

Will this keep her warm at night or...

put the food on the table?

Is it gonna teach your children

right from wrong?

Comfort them in their beds

when they're frightened by the wind?

You see, I do understand. I do understand.

I truly do understand the inequities

of your position, sir, but...

I believe when you weigh

the alternatives, you will see that...

There was no need for that.

We were talking.

It would appear the conversation's

over now, Dave.

He was about to see reason.

You actually ever kill anybody, Dave,

or you just talk 'em to death?

Anybody else have something to say?

Daniel Peterson...

is now safely in the embrace of our Lord.

But for us, here on earth,

a good man has been taken.

A provider for his family...

a friend to our community...

and in our despair, we rail against God.

Our faith is tested,

pushed to its very limits.

But Almighty God has a purpose.

And senseless though it may seem to us,

it is not for mere mortal man

to question God's wisdom.

It is for us to persevere...

in a righteous way.

- We gotta do something.

- Like what?

- I don't know. We can't do nothing.

- What about getting a sheriff?

We tried that. Most men ain't got

the stomach for a fight like this.

We need a man who knows trouble,

a man who others fear.

- You suppose he might come to our aid?

- Put that out of your head right now.

We could pay him.

Took a collection. We got $200.

He's done with that life.

I can't believe James

would let it come to this.

They killed Daniel Peterson.

I never thought they'd kill one of us.

- It's only gonna get worse.

- What makes you say that?

'Cause after the first one,

it gets easier.

You want something?

They heat up a good steak.

No, thank you.

Mrs. Peterson came in and sold me

her farm on the way out of town.

Two other families wanna sell also.

What I'm saying is... it looks

like a more aggressive approach

is having an effect on the locals.

Clyde murdered that man.

From what I heard,

Peterson was holding a shotgun.

I did not come here to be part

of a pack of murderers.

What the f*** did ya think

was gonna happen, Dave?

What?

You think I brought you here

to sweet-talk folk off their land?

Come on, Dave, please.

I want Frank to take care of things

when it comes to the farms.

He seems to have to temperament required.

- And me?

- I still want you here.

I believe it's only a matter of time before

John Henry Clayton picks up his guns.

Hear we're riding

to the Chadwick farm tomorrow.

Why don't you just stand up on the bar

and announce our intention to all creation?

Sorry.

Guess my... enthusiasm

got the better of me.

You planning to eat today?

- Ain't hungry.

- Need to eat.

Told you, I ain't hungry.

You're trying to prove something out here.

- I ain't trying to prove nothing.

- Yes, you are.

You're working this land day in, day out.

You're so weary, time night comes,

you can barely move.

It's not for love of farming.

I know why it is.

You're trying to use this poor earth

to sweat out all your guilt and anger.

That's what it is, isn't it?

No. Just because you don't

believe me, Pa, don't make it so.

I told you I'm doing this

because Ma wanted it.

What your mother wanted was

for you to come back from the war.

What about you, Pa?

Did you want me to come back?

Simple enough question.

Did it even bother you

that I didn't come back after the war?

What are you talking about?

I'm talking about the day

you turned your back on me,

the day my brother, William, died.

That's not true.

Ma saw it. Why the hell do you think she

wanted us to clear this field together?

- She tried to help us put things right.

- There was nothing to put right.

I remember it as if it was yesterday.

Mr. Jenkins came across

William and I down river.

Somehow he managed to drag us

out of there, get us up to his cabin.

He told his boy to go fetch you.

I was so cold and scared

I couldn't stop shaking.

When you arrived, I could hear

Mr. Jenkins trying to explain to you

that one of your sons had passed.

Before you could get the name out

you rushed in and you saw me.

And I'll never forget it.

The look of disappointment on your face.

How could you think such a thing?

Am I wrong?

I didn't feel any disappointment,

far from it.

But I would be a liar

if I said to you I haven't felt it since.

When word came back about your exploits,

I couldn't help but think that...

William might've made more of his life.

Yeah.

Chadwick!

It's an ambush!

- How the hell they know we was coming?

- Maybe they heard ya.

That don't explain why there's

so many guns waiting for us.

Just heard Chadwick rode through the night

and came back with his kin from Landers.

What would prompt him to do such a thing?

That one flapped his gum

so loud the other day

someone must've heard him

and warned 'em we was coming.

Dan Thompson was a good man,

died 'cause of that one's foolishness.

Let him bleed out.

How's the field coming?

Almost all the trees are down.

Should start working the land pretty soon.

So I take it with all the effort you're

putting in that you're planning on staying.

Not sure yet.

Why's that?

Don't exactly know where I fit it.

This is your home. If a man

can't fit in here, where can he?

You ever thought about what it might've

been if you'd come back after the war?

So you never thought about it?

I ain't the same as the man

that left all them years back.

I need to understand

why you didn't come back.

I think I'm entitled to that much.

I'll say this, and I will say

no more on the subject.

The thought of coming back to you...

was the only thing that got me

through that damn war.

And when it was over,

I swear to you on my life,

I tried coming home.

I swore I was done with killing.

She just wasn't done with me.

You remember the day you left?

I gave you a red ribbon from my hair.

Told you to hold onto it till you

could bring it back to me.

Yes, I remember.

You still have it?

Does it matter?

I'd like to know.

You were right to marry Tom, Mary Alice.

You were right.

You wanted to see me?

I set you a simple task.

You wanna explain to me

how you took that task

and f***ed it up in every conceivable way?

Well, I think everything's all right.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes