Sounder Page #2

NATHAN LEE:

You oughta be tired, too, Sounder. That possum

shore whipped the hell outta you tonight!

He laughs behind his own remark as he finishes the business with the lantern

and picks up his rifle.

DAVID LEE:

He beat you, too, Daddy, and you had a big ol'

shootin' rifle.

NATHAN LEE:

(serious)

Boy, you don't make funny with your daddy like

that.

His father has caught him off guard -- he was only joking -- he doesn't

understand the attitude -- he doesn't know what to say -- he turns and walks

away.

NATHAN LEE:

David Lee...

DAVID LEE:

(stops and turns)

Yes, sir...

NATHAN LEE:

You had a rough time out there tonight -- so

you stay home from that school tomorrow.

DAVID LEE:

I wanna go -- the trip don't bother me none.

NATHAN LEE:

You learnin' anything at that school?

DAVID LEE:

Yes, sir -- I learn to write a little bit, and

I can read a lot--

NATHAN LEE looks on him for a moment, and then softly nods his head--

NATHAN LEE:

Readin' must be somethin' powerful, huh, son?

DAVID LEE:

Yes, sir...

NATHAN LEE slams the rifle closed, moves towards the exit and steps hastily

out into the backyard -- DAVID LEE and SOUNDER follow him --

EXT. THE BACKYARD - NIGHT

The backyard spreads out in the form of a jagged horseshoe, surrounded by low

levels of grass -- at the far end is a pathway, running about three hundred

feet away to where the tall grass grows. The shed sits to the far left edge

and more to the right edge is a water well. To the right of the water well is

a woodpile. Up against the house, to the right of the steps to the back door

are two wash tubs with homemade scrubbing boards. NATHAN keeps walking

directly to the water well, reaches it and lowers the bucket down into the

well, brings the bucket of water up, scoops up with a dipper, drinks, and

tries to look out over the plains and hills from the back of his house.

NATHAN LEE:

When the fall comes in these parts, the Night

moon runs away like a rabbit -- you could stay

out here lookin' all night, and not see a thing

out yonder.

DAVID LEE:

We goin' huntin' again tomorrow ?

NATHAN LEE:

Yep. I guess you must wonder why though, what

with the luck we havin', but like I always

say--

DAVID LEE:

"You lose some of the time, what you always go

afta, but you lose all the time what you don't

go afta!"

NATHAN LEE:

Now who says I didn't lay my mark on you, boy!

They both laugh as REBECCA steps out into the backyard from the house, and

moves swiftly towards them.

REBECCA:

David Lee, it's time for you to get to bed!

DAVID LEE:

Goodnight.

He starts moving away towards the house.

NATHAN LEE:

Night, son!

REBECCA:

And don't wake up Josie Mae and Earl!

They watch DAVID LEE enter the house -- then NATHAN LEE looks to SOUNDER as

they begin to move for the house.

NATHAN LEE:

Your bedtime too, hound dog.

SOUNDER hops up on him -- he strokes the dog's back and then pushes him away.

NATHAN LEE:

Off you go, boy!

SOUNDER scampers away around the side of the house.

REBECCA:

I bet you could use a hot cup of coffee, Nathan

Lee.

NATHAN LEE:

I shore could, Miss Rebecca.

They start back into the house.

EXT. FRONT OF THE HOUSE - NIGHT

SOUNDER crawls just under the front porch and lies down on a burlap sack for

his night's sleep.

INT. THE CHILDREN's ROOM - NIGHT

DAVID LEE has taken some of the walnuts and is sitting up in the bed. EARL

and JOSIE MAE, their sister, are fast asleep across from them. EARL is a

sprightly little boy about eight years of age who has the kind of round face

that gives one the impression that he is forever smiling. DAVID LEE grabs his

book and starts to read.

INT. KITCHEN-SITTING ROOM - NIGHT

NATHAN and REBECCA enter the house through the back door -- NATHAN stops at

the table in the kitchen area as REBECCA moves directly to the door of the

children's room -- just before she gets to the door, she notices that the

bowl of walnuts on the floor by the rocker has been disturbed -- she snatches

the bowl up from the floor and looks to NATHAN --

REBECCA:

The boy done went into my walnuts! I skin my

fingers to the bone to pick two pounds that's

worth almost nothing at the commissary and he

done took almost half of what I pick!

NATHAN LEE:

The boy is hungry, Rebecca.

His words cut through her frustration -- she puts down the bowl on an old

dresser next to the door that leads to the children's room and just stands

there for a moment -- she and NATHAN, looking directly on each other -- after

a moment she moves across the floor and nestles into the embrace of his arms

-- he holds her close to him for a moment and then they break the embrace --

NATHAN LEE:

Dammit!

He moves halfway across the floor and stops as REBECCA goes to the stove to

prepare his coffee --

REBECCA:

We been through these off-seasons before -- we

made it.

NATHAN LEE:

What we make it to? The next season to work

ourselves to death, share croppin' for ol' man

Howard, so he can get richer and we can't even

eat when the croppin' time is done?

His coffee is ready -- she puts it on the table -- he moves to it and sits

and takes a sip with the frustration still nagging him. She stands over him

from behind and puts her hand on his strong neck for a moment and then she

moves for the children's room and enters -- he drinks his coffee --

INT. REBECCA and NATHAN'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

REBECCA enters, unrobes and crawls into bed -- she lies there for awhile in

thought, rolls over to position herself and then she hears the back door

SLAM. She raises her head for a moment and then she decides to get up. She

puts her clothes back on hurriedly and moves out of the room.

INT. KITCHEN-SITTING ROOM - NIGHT

REBECCA moves with directness through the room, on out door to the backyard.

EXT. THE BACKYARD - NIGHT

REBECCA stands in middle of the backyard, looking about in the area.

REBECCA:

(softly).

Nathan?

There is not a sound -- then she moves hastily around the side of the house

to the front yard.

EXT. THE FRONT YARD - NIGHT

She looks down under the edge of the porch to see SOUNDER fast asleep. She

turns and tries to see through the darkness down the road -- she slowly moves

up on the porch and stands in the doorway looking out into the night. She

begins to hum -- the kind of hum to relax the nerves -- to move the thoughts

away from the mind -- thoughts that were plaguing her.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. THE MORGANS' KITCHEN - DAY

It is about six a.m. the following morning and hot food is piping on the

stove.

INT. THE CHILDREN'S ROOM - DAY

DAVID LEE awakes first and catches the aroma of the food floating into their

room. He jumps out of bed and arouses JOSIE MAE and EARL.

DAVID LEE:

Come on y'all, git up, somethin's cookin' in

the kitchen! Come on, Earl!

They all jump into their clothes and rush for the kitchen.

INT. THE KITCHEN - DAY

They head straight for the stove where DAVID takes the lid off one of the

pots and then the other.

EARL:

What's in there, David!?

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