The Birth Of A Nation Page #2

(CONTINUED)

5/8/15 - PINK 7

CONTINUED:
16 CONTINUED: 16

*

COBB (CONT’D) *

You think you’re smarter than me, *

don’t you boy? *

Cobb calls to one of his men, JESSE (20). *

COBB (CONT’D) *

Jesse, what we call a n*gger, think

he can outsmart a white man?

JESSE:

...a dead n*gger.

COBB:

(to Isaac)

Turn around. Get on your knees.

Isaac turns toward the woods. Cobb dismounts behind him.

Isaac squints toward the shadowed figure. Recognition sets inhis gaze. It’s NAT.

COBB (CONT’D)

On yo’ knees.

WITH ISAAC as he slowly lowers. Just as his knees touch theground, he

-lunges for the gun. BANG! The gun goes off, catching thethird pattyroller in the chest. Isaac and Cobb wrestle forthe pistol as Jesse struggles for a clean shot. Isaac head-*

butts Cobb, sending the gun flying. Before Cobb can recover,

Isaac grabs a nearby branch, CLUBS him across the face. Agash opens, spilling blood. Isaac sprints into the woods. OnCobb and Jesse firing wildly into the treeline.

EXT. WOODS -NIGHT 17

Young Nat runs for his life. As he crashes through the brusha HAND scoops him up from behind. WIDER TO REVEAL Isaacsprinting, Nat dangling in his grip.

5/8/15 - PINK

8

18 INT. SLAVE QUARTERS - NANA’S CABIN - NIGHT 18

BRIDGET “NANA” TURNER, sits in a rocking chair, in front of a

modest fire, asleep. Isaac and Nat burst in. Bridget andNancy jolt up to see Isaac, blood speckled clothes, Natterrified at his side.

*

*

BRIDGET:

Oh, Jesus!

NANCY:

What happened?!

Nat trembles as Isaac pulls rations from his pants. A fewSEALED TIN CANS tumble to the floor. *

Isaac!NANCY

(CONT’D)

Isaac grabs Nancy gently by the arms.

ISAAC:

I hurt some white men. Didn’t have

no choice... *

NANCY:

What you gon’ do?

ISAAC:

Only thing I can. I gotta go.

Nat breaks free, clings to his father’s leg. Isaac kneels toNat’s level.

ISAAC (CONT’D)

You take care of your mama andNana, hear?

NAT:

When you comin’ back, papa?

ISAAC:

I’ll be back, directly.

Isaac takes his son in.

ISAAC (CONT’D)

No matter what, you remember this:

You a child of God. You got

purpose.

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

18

(touches his chest)

It’s in ya. The Lord put it there

and they ain’t nothing nobody can

do to take it away, ya hear?

5/8/15 - PINK

CONTINUED:

ISAAC (CONT’D)

9

18

Yessir...

NAT:

A dog is heard BARKING in the BG. Isaac hugs Bridget, moves

to Nancy who chokes back tears.

*

ISAAC:

I’ll get back soon as I can for

y’all.

(then)

I love you, woman.

And with that, Isaac slips from the cabin. A deafening beat,

until- The sound of GALLOPING HOOVES approach in the BG.

Bridget hurries Nat onto his cot, ushers Nancy, who standscatatonic, to hers. She quickly pulls back a corner mat,

pulls a board loose to reveal-

A SMALL COMPARTMENT

She hides the stolen food, replaces the board just as-

Benjamin Turner opens the cabin door. Cobb trails, holds ablood-soaked handkerchief tight to his face.

BENJAMIN TURNER:

Bridget, Nancy, get on up.

Isaac is in a lot of trouble. I

need y’all to tell me where he is.

BRIDGET:

He ain't here massa. We ain’t seen

him all night.

You sure-

BENJAMIN TURNER *

*

COBB:

Ben, I’m gonna ask you to step

outside.

*

*

Benjamin hesitates. *

COBB (CONT’D)

A white man lost his life tonight.

You know like I do what that means.

*

*

*

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

18

Now I can do my questioning now, orI can come back after I get myposse rounded up. Do a thorough

search of the property.

5/8/15 - PINK

CONTINUED:
(2)

COBB (CONT’D)

9A

18

*

*

*

*

A beat, until. *

BENJAMIN TURNER:

...any harm done’ll be taken up

with the sheriff.

As Ben exits. Cobb removes the cloth to reveal an ugly gash.

COBB:

None of y’all seen him, huh?

(CONTINUED)

5/8/15 - PINK 10

CONTINUED:
(3) 18 CONTINUED: (3) 18

OLD BRIDGET NANCY

No, suh. No, suh.

COBB (CONT’D)

(to Nat)

What about you, boy?

NANCY:

He ain’t seen nothin-

SMACK! Cobb backhands Nancy who lands across the room.

COBB:

You seen yo’ daddy?

No response. Cobb squats down nose to nose with Nat. Natholds his gaze, seemingly unafraid. Shakes his head ‘no’.

COBB (CONT’D)

You that n*gger’s boy, alright.

Cobb stands, still eyeing Nat. Bridget’s eyes flit just pastCobb’s boots. We follow her gaze to see a small WAX-SEALED *

GLASS JAR lies just several inches from his heel. Cobb *

uncurls a dirty index finger, points it to Nancy, then toNat. As he leans in, his weight shifts on the wooden plank,

the tin can slowly rolls towards his foot.

COBB (CONT’D)

If I find out y’alls is lying, I’m

gonna come back here...

Bridget watches as the can picks up speed, rolls closer.

COBB (CONT’D)

...and the things I’m gon’ do to *

y’all might not be so nice-*

Inches away until-

Bridget dives at Cob’s feet.

BRIDGET:

Oh’ massa please! Please! We don’t

know nothin’! Oh Lord!

COBB:

Get off me!

Cobb struggles from her grip. Benjamin pushes in-*

BENJAMIN TURNER:

That’s enough! *

(CONTINUED)

EXT. WOODS -DAY (VISION ONE)

18 CONTINUED:
(4)

5/8/15 - PINK 11

18

Cobb straightens before eyeing Nancy.

COBB:

(straightens to exit,

then)

Teach that boy some manners. Nexttime he looks me in the eyes, he’s

gon’ to get the same thing that’s

waitin’ for his pa.

With that, he turns and they’re out the door. Bridget’s

hysteria switches to a chilling calm in an instant. She sitsup on the floor, opens her palms to reveal the FOOD JAR.

ON NAT as his mind struggles to process the night’s events.

*

*

*

19 19

Young Nat, his skin royal blue, fills the frame. He seems to

look directly at us.

NAT’S POV

*

*

*

A shadow moves. Demonic voices permeate the forest aroundhim. A CLOAKED FIGURE hides in the distance. Nat senses

something behind him, turns. A MAN lies bowed in prayer, hisback to us. Nat turns back to see THE SHADOWED FIGURE IS ONLY

FEET AWAY. Off his demonic features*

*

*

*

20 INT. SLAVE QUARTERS - NANA’S CABIN - NIGHT 20

Nat jerks awake, to find himself in Nancy’s arms. Nat burstsinto tears as she holds him, rocking him in her grip.

NANCY:

Shh... you’re OK. It ain’t real.

It’s in your mind. It ain’t real.

I’m here, now.

NAT:

I want Papa...

NANCY:

I know, baby...

(low)

Me too.

21 EXT. TURNER PLANTATION - BIG HOUSE - BACKYARD - DAY 21

Nancy stretches wet cotton sheets across a long clothes line.

Nat can be seen in the BG tossing a ball mad of rags. *

(CONTINUED)

5/8/15 - PINK 11A

21 CONTINUED:
21 21 CONTINUED: 21

As she reaches into the basket, she rises to find a smilingElizabeth Turner.

ELIZABETH TURNER

Mind if I help.

(CONTINUED)

4/9/15 -WHITE 12

21 CONTINUED:
21 21 CONTINUED: 21

NANCY:

No, ma’am.

Nancy and Elizabeth string the sheets in silence until-

ELIZABETH TURNER

How’s Nat doin’?

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