Sounder Page #11

OTHER GUARD:

Section J comin' through!

GUARD:

Let 'er roll!

The truck motors through the gate and stops just outside as the GUARD makes

his final check of the men. DAVID, from where he is standing, also checks it

thoroughly to see if his FATHER is on the truck. A number of trucks roar

through the gate and DAVID checks them all thoroughly, but his father is not

on any of them. Finally the last truck comes out-

OTHER GUARD:

Last one comin' atcha!

GUARD:

Let me have it!

The truck pulls to a halt just outside the gate, and DAVID eyes the men on

the truck carefully us the GUARD makes his check --

DAVID LEE:

He gotta be on this one, Sounder, it's the last

truck.

There are not too many men on this truck which makes it quite easy for DAVID

to see that his father is not on it. Then where is he? The boy thinks to

himself as he sees the truck move away up the road. The truck is moving no

more than about twenty miles an hour -- DAVID LEE makes a decision and takes

off after the truck, running --

EXT. A FARM - DAY

A half hour later, the truck with the convicts pulls into a huge farm area --

the TWO GUARDS jump down from the truck and herd the men into a group while a

third guard gets out of the cab -- and they distribute farm equipment to the

men. A picket fence stretches the area where the men work.

EXT. THE ROAD - DAY

Some minutes later DAVID LEE and SOUNDER, walking, approach the farm area

where the convicts are, moving along the road outside of the fence.

They stop -- DAVID watches the men work and the guards, covering them from

distances of about three hundred feet in a half moon formation, spread out.

DAVID decides and moves to the fence to question the men. When he gets to the

edge of the road next to the fence, one of the guards spots him and starts

moving over --

DAVID LEE:

Mister...?

CONVICT:

Boy, where did you come from?

DAVID LEE:

I wanta find out 'bout my Daddy. Is he here?

CONVICT:

Can't you see that guard comin'-- git!

GUARD:

Whatcha doin' here, boy, move!

DAVID hurriedly gets back across the road with SOUNDER and watches the guard

as he moves the men back. DAVID looks on in frustration, trying to figure out

what his next move will be -- The guard moves away from the men and walks up

to another guard to engage him in a conversation -- while the two guards are

rapping with each other, DAVID decides to make a desperate try of it --

DAVID LEE:

Okay, Sounder, let's go!

DAVID LEE and SOUNDER dash across the road, and slip under the fence into the

farm area --

EXT. THE FARM - DAY

DAVID LEE and SOUNDER turn on all the speed they can muster, heading directly

for the group of CONVICTS -- They get there --

DAVID LEE:

Please tell me, mister! Is Nathan Lee Morgan

here?

CONVICT:

There is nobody name Morgan! Now get away from

here before you git us in trouble!

SOUNDER lets out a growl at one of the Guards who is now charging toward

them. DAVID takes off in a circle with the Guard in pursuit of him, away from

the direction of the road -- SOUNDER is close behind him -- They circle back

into the direction of the road and zoom past the group of CONVICTS -- DAVID

is running at electrifying speed. DAVID and SOUNDER are making tracks with

the Guard still after the boy. They come to the fence and quickly slip

through, but DAVID's hand falls on a broken bottle with gashing force -- he

leaps up and continues on across the road and into an open field. The Guard

stops at the edge of the road and gives up the chase --

EXT. FIELD - DAY

DAVID and SOUNDER are still running with great speed. DAVID looks back over

his shoulder to see if the Guard is still after him. They slow down when they

approach an old abandoned barn --

INT. THE BARN - DAY

He staggers into the barn and drops his body against one of the walls to

catch his breath. SOUNDER hobbles in and nestles beside him.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. THE ROAD - DAY

DAVID, holding his hand, sits on the road with the dog -- puts his hand up

before his eyes -- it is practically covered in blood. A pain strikes him,

causing him to grimace for a moment -- looks about the area -- They rise and

start out once again --

DAVID LEE:

Sorry, Sounder, but we lost. Better keep movin'

though, 'til we find somebody to tell us how to

get back home.

EXT. ROAD AND SCHOOL - DAY

They come upon a large schoolhouse with the name over it: Borderdale School.

They stop when DAVID sees a number of Black Children playing on the grounds

-- climbing on little ladders and swinging on swings. He notices a water pump

on the grounds, looks at his blood-covered hand -- hesitates for a moment and

then decides to enter the grounds --

EXT. SCHOOL GROUNDS - DAY

DAVID and SOUNDER head straight for the pump and just as they arrive at the

pump a group of Children gathers around them --

#1 CHILD

You new here?

#2 CHILD

You comin' here to school?

#1 CHILD

What's wrong with that dog?

Two dogs near the side of the schoolhouse bark at SOUNDER -- he merely whines

and scratches back at them but their barking intensifies until a young,

attractive black female teacher interferes --

CAMILLE:

Come on now, get away from here!

The two dogs gallop off as do the Children -- they scatter away from around

DAVID and SOUNDER. The TEACHER walks over to DAVID and stops --

DAVID LEE:

I just wanta wash my hand. It's got blood where

I hurt it.

CAMILLE:

You don't live around here, do you?

DAVID LEE:

No, mam... I come from way back there. Me and

my dog was tryin' to find my daddy and we got

lost.

CAMILLE:

Is he here in Borderdale?

DAVID LEE:

I don't know, he's in a prison camp.

CAMILLE:

Here, you put your hand under the water and

I'll pump for you.

She pumps and DAVID puts his hand under the cool, flowing water --

CAMILLE:

My name is Camille -- Camille Johnson and I'm

the Supervisor of this school. What's your

name?

DAVID LEE:

David Lee Morgan. My dog's name is Sounder.

(takes his hand out

from under the water)

That feels better.

CAMILLE:

Let me see it...

She takes his hand into hers -- pulls a kerchief from her pocket and dries

the water off --

CAMILLE:

Your hand needs medicine on it. You better come

with me into the school so I can put something

on it --

INT. A CLASSROOM IN THE SCHOOL - DAY

She applies some medication to his wound -- he winces for a moment -- and

then she begins to wrap it in a bandage -- DAVID keeps looking about the

room, admiring its cleanliness, the long blackboard, the strong, steady

student chairs --

CAMILLE:

You keep looking around, David. Don't you go to

school?

DAVID LEE:

Sometime, but not like this.

CAMILLE:

It's a good thing your hand did not become

infected -- how did you cut it like this?

DAVID LEE:

Me and Sounder went to this prison camp to see

my Daddy and the police guard runs us away and

I fell on some glass.

CAMILLE:

Did your mother know you were going to see your

father?

DAVID LEE:

Uh huh...

CAMILLE:

(completes the bandaging)

That does it...

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