The Keeping Room Page #6

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MOLL (O.C.) (CONT’D)

Ain’t nothin’ up there but -HENRY

(O.C.)

(severe)

Better things to do with your mouth than

talk.

Moses OPENS the door...

INT. CALEB’S / UPSTAIRS ROOM - SAME

OLD WALLPAPER peels, its flowers rotting on the walls.

A small double BED sits on the far side of the room.

But she’s NOT THERE.

And then he sees it --

AN OPEN WINDOW.

Moses moves quickly to the WINDOW and -

34.

INT. CALEB’S - SAME

Henry is roughly moving his mouth all over Moll --

And outside the dog starts BARKING.

Henry hears it and stops. But Moll grabs his face,

forcing her lips onto his -

Henry pulls away, but Moll grabs him back. And he tries

to PULL AWAY again but when he does she BITES DOWN.

He rips his BLOODIED LIP from her. There’s BLOOD all over

HER MOUTH, too -The

dog BARKS louder -He

reels back and SMACKS her. She FALLS.

He hustles out the front door -

EXT. CALEB’S - LATE AFTERNOON

The dog stands BARKING at the feet of a FINE HORSE.

Moses -- having just jumped down from the window --

stands up, sees something, and slowly puts his HANDS in

the air.

And then from BEHIND HIM we see -Augusta

siting atop the fine horse -- CAPTAIN -- her

RIFLE pointed right at Moses.

The dog between them BARKS and BARKS.

Caleb stands, BREATHLESS, between the girl on the horse

and the soldier.

Henry comes running and stops when he sees what’s

happening. He reaches for his gun, but before he can grab

it Augusta turns her rifle towards him. Captain readjusts

his feet.

Henry freezes.

And then everyone is stock still and silent save for the

dog, who continues to BARK -MOSES

Quiet now, boy.

He keeps going.

(CONTINUED)

35.

MOSES (CONT’D)

(harsh)

I said quiet! Come here.

He whistles. The dog obeys.

And now Moll comes running out.

MOSES (CONT’D)

(to Augusta)

Don’t think he likes what you’re up to.

The alcohol is hitting Augusta, making her bold and a

little less afraid.

AUGUSTA:

From what I seen that dog don’t like much

‘uh anything.

MOSES:

Battle.

AUGUSTA:

What?

MOSES:

His name. Battle.

Beat.

AUGUSTA:

Sure sounds like one.

Moses smiles.

MOSES:

That’s a mighty fine horse for a girl.

CALEB:

(to Augusta)

You go on now.

MOSES:

She got somewhere to be?

AUGUSTA:

I do.

MOSES:

All on your own?

Moses moves a little closer to her.

(CONTINUED)

36.

MOLL:

No, she’s got people.

Augusta looks at Moll and then back at Moses.

AUGUSTA:

Lots of ‘em.

Augusta surveys from her mount:

-- Caleb looks up at her, fear in his eyes.

-- Poor old Fern, tied up, barely standing.

-- The soldiers.

-- Moll, lips still covered in Henry’s blood.

MOLL:

GO.

SUDDENLY -Augusta

slings the rifle around her back, turns the

horse, and RACES AWAY.

EXT. CALEB’S - SAME

Augusta rides Captain away from the others.

EXT. CALEB’S - SAME

Moses and Henry turn towards Moll and Caleb who stand by,

uneasily awaiting their fate.

EXT. ROAD NEAR CALEB’S - SAME

Augusta rides on.

In the distance, a GUNSHOT.

And then ANOTHER.

Augusta keeps going.

ANOTHER.

She kicks Captain to RUN FASTER, leaving the others

behind.

It’s just the NIGHT and the GIRL and the HORSE.

37.

EXT. ROAD - NIGHT

Augusta and Captain ride on through the darkest night.

The road is lined with PRICKLY BUSHES that grab at her.

Something catches on them, holding Augusta for a moment --

frightening her -- but Captain is strong and he pulls

away.

EXT. WOODS - LATER

Augusta is exhausted...

But Captain’s just getting started.

EXT. FARMHOUSE - LATER

The sound of HOOVES get closer and closer.

Mad cautiously moves closer to the road.

And then she sees...

IT IS AUGUSTA:

Slumped over Captain’s back.

Mad runs to her.

Augusta literally falls off the horse and into Mad’s

arms. She looks at Mad’s beautiful, familiar face.

An exhausted smile consumes her and she throws her arms

around Mad. Mad holds her up, taken aback by this show of

affection.

Mad takes Augusta’s arm and slings it across her

shoulders, slipping her arm around Augusta’s waist to

help her walk.

They move like this towards the house, Augusta holding

Captain’s lead, Mad holding Augusta.

MAD:

Where you get that horse?

AUGUSTA:

Whore gave it to me.

MAD:

I knew your Daddy wasn’t just playin’

cards.

(CONTINUED)

38.

And with that Augusta stops and...

VOMITS at Mad’s feet.

INT. KEEPING ROOM - THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT

Mad and Augusta take a GIANT POT OF WATER off the fire.

They struggle as they carry it out of the Keeping Room

and head to --

EXT. KEEPING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

The water SLOSHES between them as they move across the

walkway and into --

INT. FARMHOUSE / STAIRS - CONTINUOUS

They head up the stairs to the -

INT. FARMHOUSE / HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

Mad kicks a door open. STEAM pours out and we see -Louise

sitting in an old wooden TUB, knees tucked up to

her chest, arms wrapped around her knees.

Shivering. Shaking.

Mad and Augusta DROP the pot.

Augusta SLAMS the door closed.

Augusta comes over and begins to LADLE the hot water onto

Louise’s back.

Small GASPS and MOANS come from Louise, as if without her

knowledge or permission.

Augusta ladles more onto Louise and into the tub.

Louise won’t stop SHAKING.

Mad crouches down at the base of the tub. She puts her

hands on it, holding tight. Augusta drops the ladle and

crouches too.

Louise’s skin is HOT and RED. Augusta reaches her hand

out to her, smooths her hair.

And the three women sit there.

(CONTINUED)

39.

All they can do is wait.

INT. FARMHOUSE / BEDROOM - LATER

Louise lies in bed, red-faced and breathing deeply.

Mad has fallen asleep next to her, exhausted.

Augusta looks on at the two sleeping women from the foot

of the bed. She leans in and lifts the skirt of Louise’s

nightgown. The WOUND shines PURPLE and BLACK. She takes a

cloth, dabs it with VINEGAR and applies it to the wound.

Louise WAKES and CRIES OUT, cringing at the pain.

Augusta puts her hand out to Louise, who grabs it TIGHT.

Augusta does her best to hide how relieved and surprised

she is that Louise is awake.

Then she takes the MUSLIN POUCH from her pocket. She

smells it:
it’s AWFUL. She turns her nose away.

She dips her hand in and -Louise

stops Augusta’s hand with her other hand. With her

eyes, Augusta tells her that this one won’t hurt.

Louise lets go of the hand with the poultice.

Augusta SLATHERS the GREEN POULTICE over Louise’s wound.

Louise strains to lift herself to look.

AUGUSTA:

Don’t --

LOUISE:

I wanna see it.

Augusta holds her up so she can see.

LOUISE (CONT’D)

Looks disgustin’.

AUGUSTA:

Smells even worse.

She helps Louise back down to the pillow.

AUGUSTA (CONT’D)

You should try ‘n sleep.

(CONTINUED)

40.

LOUISE:

Don’t want to.

Augusta can feel her sister’s fear. Even more reason to

hide her own.

AUGUSTA:

I can just keep talkin’ til you do...

Louise nods.

AUGUSTA (CONT’D)

I remember daddy tellin’ a story bout a

girl ‘n her sister?

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