Silverado Page #8

---

Jake looks at Emmett as though that should make it perfectly

clear. Emmett waits.

JAKE:

So I did, I got out of there, I don't

want no trouble. You know me.

(indeed, Emmett does)

So I walked out on the street and

the fella tried to shoot me in the

back.

EMMETT:

...And you had to kill him?

JAKE:

No, no, no! I winged him, and he

dropped his gun.

EMMETT:

You're in here for winging a guy?

Paden watches, fascinated.

JAKE:

Well, no, not exactly. See then his

friend opened up on me.

EMMETT:

What friend is that?

JAKE:

The one with the shotgun.

LANGSTON:

The dead one.

There is a long moment of silence in the cellblock.

EMMETT:

Jake, I'm going to ask you once --

was it self-defense?

JAKE:

(after a moment,

quieter now)

Honest to God, Emmett, he would've

killed me.

LANGSTON:

The jury saw it differently.

PADEN:

(putting it all

together)

So this is the guy you're going to

hang?

LANGSTON:

Tomorrow morning. Ten o'clock.

PADEN:

(nods)

I was afraid of that.

Emmett steps back and leans against the opposite wall, looking

down at his boots.

JAKE:

Emmett, can't you help me?

Emmett looks up at the young man. He looks sad.

EMMETT:

Jake, you know the law. You know

what they did to me.

Jake remembers. It makes him gloomy.

EMMETT:

Blind Pete always said you'd hang.

Jake's eyes flick over Emmett, but his expression doesn't

change.

EMMETT:

I guess tomorrow at dawn he'll be

proved right.

LANGSTON:

Ten A.M.

EMMETT:

Right... I thought they always did

it at dawn.

(to Jake)

So long, kid. I'm sorry.

Emmett walks out. Jake watches as the other two follow.

EXT. STREET - NIGHT

Emmett and Paden walk along the sparsely populated sidewalk.

They are quiet for a few moments. Finally --

PADEN:

Shame about the kid. Seems a lively

sort.

EMMETT:

(morosely)

He is that.

PADEN:

I hate to see any man swing. Bad

luck.

EMMETT:

Bad luck for me. Now I gotta bust

him out of there.

Paden stops. Emmett has moved a couple more steps before he

notices and turns back to Paden.

PADEN:

You'll have to deal me out on that.

I've had some experience with that

sort of thing, and I don't want any

more.

EMMETT:

I understand.

PADEN:

It's not going to be easy.

EMMETT:

It never is. But he's my brother.

(Paden reacts)

We're going to California together.

But first we're going to stop in

Silverado and see our sister. And I

can't show up there with a story

like this.

Paden nods. He is sympathetic.

PADEN:

Then I guess this is where we part

ways. Sorry.

EMMETT:

No hard feelings.

PADEN:

C'mon, I'll buy you a drink.

EMMETT:

You haven't got any money.

PADEN:

All right, you buy me a drink.

They cross the street toward the crowded, noisy saloon.

PADEN:

You know, a good smelly saloon is my

favorite place in the world.

INT. SALOON/HOTEL - NIGHT

This is the busiest place in town, really packed. Emmett

heads for a spot at the bar, but Paden, who is taking in the

scene with relish, stops in his tracks, staring across the

room.

WHAT HE SEES. Through the moving jumble of bodies and the

heavy smoke, Paden's hat with its silver band, floating atop

an unseen head at a poker table.

Paden adjusts the old gun stuck in his belt and goes in that

direction.

At the table a heavy game is in progress. An UGLY COWBOY is

wearing Paden's hat. Paden plants himself across the table

from the man. In seconds, Paden's posture brings things to a

halt. Quiet ripples out across the room. The Ugly Cowboy

looks up and recognizes Paden.

Rate this script:4.0 / 1 vote