Gallows Road: The Path to Gallows Road Page #4

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I guess it's okay.

He don't smack me

when he ain't drunk.

- He shouldn't be

hitting you, Puck.

Drinking or not, that

just isn't right.

- That's just Jake.

- You have to tell

someone, Puck.

- Who am I going to tell?

Besides, ain't no

one to listen anyway.

- How about telling my dad?

He'll listen to you, Puck.

- I'll be okay.

- Come on.

Come on, Puck.

- Mm-mmm.

- Come on.

Come on.

- Hey, son.

- Hey, Dad.

- Hey, grab a seat. Move that

stuff outta the way there.

- Okay, Dad.

- Be right with you.

- What's going on, son?

- Dad, this is my

new friend, Puck.

She got hurt.

- Ah, you got hurt?

Let me see.

Well, well, well.

You know, I think I

have just the thing

that'll fix you right up.

I told you he was nice.

- Fresh strawberries.

Go ahead. Take one.

Tell me what you think.

- Yeah?

- - I'll take one.

- I know you will take one.

- Thank you.

- You're very welcome.

Ah, there's that smile.

- Well, we'll be going, Papa.

- All right.

Where you off to?

- Fishing.

- Of course. Fishing.

Come here, you.

- Come on, Puck.

- Hey, Puck.

- - Yeah?

- Why don't you

take these with you?

- Thank you.

- Ooh, yeah. More strawberries.

- Give some to

your mom! I love you, son.

- Love you, too, Dad.

- Bye.

- Well, Mr. Billy,

another satisfied customer.

- There he goes.

- Where we going, Snake?

- Come on, Jake.

- All right, Snake.

Comin' up on me.

- There you go, Jake.

We just gonna play a

little game of chicken.

- Come on, Snake! Floor it!

Cut him off!

Yes!

- We gonna circle around.

- Jakey!

How about that brotherhood now?

- Ain't no brotherhood...

with you or your

crazy, law man uncle.

What?

You think 'cause you got a job,

and you earn a paycheck,

you're some kind of role model?

You're a liar, Joe.

A 10-star-wearin' liar.

You know what they did.

Covering it up like

a hole in a wall.

- Now, don't you be talking

to my family like that, boy.

- I know what's

behind that wall.

Them cries from them kids.

That poor man's wife.

They didn't do nothing to you.

Them cries are coming to get ya,

all three of you.

You just wait.

- Why don't you

boys hit the road?

Beat it!

You know something, Jake?

I could come up with about

a dozen legal reasons

to put a bullet through

your head right now.

But, lucky for me,

I only need one.

- Sheriff?

Everything all right?

- Just fine.

Get this cleaned up.

- Tell you what, you

be sure and tell your mom

I said hello, and have her

stop by the shop, okay?

- Okay.

- James? You do the...

- Ow!

You do the same. Tell

your dad I said hi.

- Okay.

- - Bye-bye, now.

- Can we go get some ice cream?

- What you doing, Carl?

- Hey, Seth.

How you doing, bro?

- Licorice?

- - For me?

- Hell yeah.

- Licorice. Don't mind if I do.

Thanks, bro.

- Come on by tonight, Carl.

Your sister's cooking

your favorite.

- I remember a picture

on this wall, right here,

of me and my daddy

holding a big, old fish.

Right over here,

was a picture of my daddy

winning the gun show.

Good times, huh?

I believe I'll have me some

of this black licorice.

One of them carvings, too.

Who makes these anyway?

- My brother, Bob.

- Didn't know you had a brother.

- Yeah, you did.

You murdered his

wife and two kids.

That'll be $4.78.

- Thanks for the licorice.

- Sheriff.

I can't have your little

nephews come into my store

and stealing from me.

- Who? Snake and Matty?

They ain't no harm.

- You mean like the

no harm they did

to my brother and his family?

- Oh.

The accident.

- We ain't calling

that no accident.

- Well, seems to me

you're gonna have to.

Now, that happened months ago.

People have left

alone what should be.

If you wanna go starting

that all up again,

you be my guest.

But, you know those boys.

You start something,

I might have to

look the other way.

- Yeah.

You're real good at that,

aren't you, Sheriff?

- You got a

real nice store there.

Nice families.

You 'bout done here, boys,

'cause I'm getting hungry.

- Me too.

- Mr. Knight,

you're gonna be fine, sir.

You've been transported to

USMD Hospital at Arlington.

You were in a car accident,

and you hit your

head pretty hard.

Just try to relax.

Let me go get some pain

medicine and some ice chips.

- Thank you.

- Some pretty nice strawberries

in the kitchen there.

Honey, I'm so sorry.

I love you so much.

- I know, Mom. I love you, too.

- Your daddy,

he loves you, too.

He's just having a hard time.

- It's okay.

My new friend, Bay, took

me to see his dad's store.

He has everything in there.

That's where I got

strawberries from.

He said we could

come by any time.

- I think

that'd be a great idea.

We're gonna be okay.

Okay?

Hold on, I'll be right back.

Hello?

- Carrie, it's Frank.

- Hi, Frank.

- Jake's been in a car accident.

- Where is he?

- USMD.

- Okay, I'll be right there.

Puck, we've gotta go.

Barry! Where is your brother?

Puck, go put on a clean shirt.

- Paging Dr.

Porter. Paging Dr. Porter.

Dr. Porter, please

pick up a red phone.

- Frank.

- Hey.

It's okay. He's okay.

Your dad's okay. He

had his seatbelt on.

- I was so upset.

He was so angry.

- I know.

Jake hasn't been himself

for some time now.

To be honest,

I've almost had to fire him,

more than once.

Don't worry, his job is safe.

When he's straight, he's the

best worker I've ever had.

But, something is

eating him up inside.

If we don't help him beat

whatever demons he's fighting,

it's just gonna get worse.

- Miss Carrie.

- - Yeah.

- Your husband's gonna be okay.

- I'll stay here.

- I'm sorry, baby.

I love you.

- I love you, too.

- Okay.

- We'll be all right.

- Here you go, Therese.

- Thanks.

- Hey, Ruby.

How's Jake Knight doing?

- He's in some pain,

but I'm ordering him

some pain medicine.

- Okay, good.

It could've been a lot worse.

Must have a guardian

angel, that's for sure.

- Yes sir, Doc.

- I'll be in Room 3.

- Thank you, Doctor.

- Hey, Frank.

- How's it going?

- Oh, you know.

Is Carrie here?

- She went to get coffee.

Told her I'd hold down

the fort for a while.

But, you know what?

I don't do bed pans.

- Oh, man.

I sure could go for one

of your greasy hamburgers.

Spicy ketchup, mustard.

- Ask, and you shall receive.

- Seek, and you shall find.

- Knock, and the

door shall be opened.

- Look at you. I didn't know

you knew any Bible verses.

- Yeah, well, Pops.

- Hey. Don't tell Miss Ruby.

- We'll get you

back on your feet.

There's a little

something extra in there

to help you out.

- I can't take this.

- It'll help out,

but it's not gonna

fix your problem.

- Yeah, well thanks

for the hamburger.

- I am not gonna let

you off that easy, Jake.

There are people

who care about you.

They worry about what

you're doing to your life.

They wanna help you, and

you can't even see that.

You're walking

down Gallows Road.

I know, 'cause I've

been there myself.

It's a dark road, son.

It's like you're blindfolded.

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