Kayla: A Cry in the Wilderness Page #3

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I wanted to believe

that he was coming back

and I raised you to believe it.

Yeah.

And you stopped because of him.

I was 20 when your father disappeared.

And I know that sounds

old to you, but it isn't.

It isn't old to be a widow.

I thought I was being

brave, never giving up hope.

But it would've been

braver to face the truth.

And one day you're going

to have to face it too.

He's never coming back.

And Asa wants to be a father to you.

And he would be such a good father.

I already have a father.

It's okay.

You can come out now.

You're safe.

I'll always take care of you.

I promise.

My father had a lead dog called Kayla.

You like that name?

It was a great dog.

I won't make you do dog tricks.

You won't have to sit up and beg.

And I won't make you heal.

I'm going back now.

You can follow me if you want.

Come on, Kayla.

Come on.

[DOGS BARKING]

Dodger, where have you been hiding?

Good boy.

Mike?

You all right?

Come on, boy, let's go home.

[SAM HOWLING]

[DOGS BARKING]

Huh.

I told you I was right about the dogs.

I know.

What do I owe you?

Oh, SPEAKING FRENCH.

And you gotta wax the table.

Uh oh.

He's after Sam.

I'll get the rifle.

God, my hands are cold.

Wait.

I'm as good a shot as you.

Althea.

Sam's father taught me.

(SHOUTING) Don't!

Don't!

No!

He's not getting my son.

(SHOUTING) No, don't shoot, please!

(SHOUTING) Sam!

Get out of the way!

(SHOUTING) No, don't shoot.

Come here, Kayla.

Come on.

Look at that.

See, Mom?

See?

[DOG BARKING]

It's not so bad.

You'll get used to it.

You have to trust me.

Sam.

He isn't used to this place.

Settle down.

He feels like he doesn't belong here.

He wants to go back out there.

They'll kill you out there.

He doesn't trust me yet.

Well, I trust you.

Sam.

What?

Nothing.

I'm not scared.

I'm going to build us a sled

and you'll be our leader.

It's okay.

If you want a dog of your

own we'll get you one.

A Setter or a Lab or a Scottie.

Well, can I train Mike

and Dodger for my team?

Team?

What team?

What are you talking about?

No.

It's not all right.

My dog sled team.

Are you trying to hurt me?

You're acting just like your father.

And what's wrong with that?

You never knew your father.

I think you should both just...

Do you know how old you were

the first time your father

found the time to come home and see us?

He was an explorer.

He was busy.

You were two years old.

Do you know how long he stayed.

Six weeks.

Then he was off cross Elzimere

and then back to island.

When he comes back I'm

telling him everything...

He is dead!

And you know it.

So you can stop this mean,

childish, foolish game

or I will send you back to boarding

school on the very next train.

Ali.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

Well, my father never wore an apron.

He hates me.

No, he doesn't hate you.

He's just unsure of where

he stands, that's all.

No.

I'm losing him and I'm

never going to get him back.

He's just finding his own way.

I think it's kinda, kinda cute.

It's a manuscript for a book

your father planned to publish.

He wrote that the winter

he spent at Baffin Island

when his ship was trapped by the ice.

I suppose you'll find what you need

to know in there if you're

going to have a dog team.

Talk.

I want him getting used to voices.

I don't know what to say.

I've been working on the rail road

all the live long day.

(SINGING TOGETHER)

I've been working

on the rail road just

to pass the time away.

Can't you hear the whistle blowing,

rise up so early in the morn?

Can't you hear the captain

calling, Dinah blow your horn.

Dinah, won't you blow,

Dinah, won't you blow, Dinah,

won't you blow your horn.

[DOG HOWLING]

Dinah, won't you blow, Dinah,

won't you blow, Dinah,

won't you blow your horn.

[HOWLING TOGETHER]

Come on.

(SAM) Hi, Mom, I'm home.

Uh, Monsieur Chinaud,

this is my son, Sam.

Hello.

May I have another piece of pie, madam?

Certainly.

(ASA) Hello?

Asa.

They're gonna should Sam's dog.

Who's gonna shoot Sam's dog?

Magistrate's order to destroy the dog.

(WHISPERING) Shhh.

Be quiet.

Come on.

I'm not breaking my promise to you.

You understand?

Go on!

Go on!

Beat it!

Go on.

Go on.

Go on.

Get outta here!

Go on.

Go North where they won't find you.

[DOGS BARKING]

Go on.

Get outta here!

Well, this charge is

bound to enforce it.

I wish you would have come

to me before going to the law.

I know it ain't neighborly

you live up, but you gave me

no choice, keeping a savage animal.

I let him go.

Well, that solves it.

Well, he didn't go very far.

Sam.

All right.

He don't look like no more savage.

Well, he won't be running loose.

I'll take full responsibility.

My boy's training him to be a sled dog.

Vraiment?

Yeah.

Sled doggy, eh?

Yeah.

Eh, you know, Asa, that's,

that's a lot of work.

Just do it.

Get it over.

I put down many of severe

savage in my time, but, uh,

if I ever shot one who

just sat there looking...

No.

Sam.

Mom, let go!

(SAM) No!

Mom.

Keep the boy back.

Hey there...

Sam. Ali, take him back in the house.

No.

I want him to watch.

Just do it.

Got the court order.

Get it over with.

Asa.

The year you went to

the Brentwood College,

I lived here too.

You remember where I headed?

No.

The Klondike.

Do your job.

I was a rough boy then.

That winter on the Chillicut Trail,

that man,

it was cold.

I wouldn't have

have been for my sled dogs.

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

My lead dog, he looked

just like this one here.

(WHISPERING) Kayla.

Kayla.

August, you were a decent man once.

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

Now you're meaner than a rusty nail.

No, there's nothing in

the magistrate's order

that says anything about

a dog that has an owner.

It must be a different animal entirely.

Coward.

You want a different opinion, Monsieur?

Hire yourself a lawyer.

You know, my, my lead

dog's name was Luke.

Hey.

How are you?

He would pull until

his just about broke.

What do you have there?

Um, nothing.

Bring it up here and

read it to the class.

Well, it's a drawing.

What sort of drawing?

Bring it up here.

Carpenter hands.

Jaynie has them.

Oh?

All the Nightingale's

have carpenter hands.

We built the church steeple

and the Loyalist Hall.

Great-grandpa Nightingale

made schooner ships

in St. Johns, New Brunswick.

And what's this?

It's a three-dog sled, a racing sled.

You want me to build you a sled?

Well, I can build it.

Maybe I could use a little help.

Where would we get the dogs?

Well, Mike, Dodger and Kayla.

Kayla?

Well?

I can do this.

I think.

[DOGS BARKING]

Tighten up, boys, tighten up.

Ready?

Hike!

Let's go, Kayla.

Go Mike!

Go Dodger!

Let's go, come on!

Mush!

[CAR HORN]

(SINGING TOGETHER)

It's a long way to Tipperary,

to the sweetest gal I know.

Goodbye Piccadilly,

Farewell Leicester Square.

It's a long, long way to Tipperary,

but my heart's right there.

You said you'd be working on the sled.

We've got some news, Sam.

What?

It'll be so much fun.

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