The Patriot Page #7

MARION:

No lesson is necessary.

Tarleton sees the terrified expressions on the faces of

Marion's children. He smiles at the effect. Then he

holsters his pistol.

Marion and his children watch as one of the Redcoats ties

Gabriel's hands. Thomas is beside himself.

THOMAS:

Father, do something.

Thomas grows increasingly agitated. He sees that his

father is going to do nothing. He gauges the distance

between Gabriel and the cover of the nearby woods.

Then suddenly, Thomas SPRINGS. He RUNS, THROWING HIMSELF,

into the two Redcoats holding Gabriel, KNOCKING THEM DOWN.

THOMAS:

Gabriel! Run!

Gabriel is too shocked to take flight. A few of the

Redcoats, including one of the ones knocked down, shake

their heads with sad laughter at Thomas' ineffectual

gesture. One of them grabs Thomas by the scruff of the

neck and yanks him to his feet.

TARLETON sees the commotion. Without pausing he DRAWS HIS

PISTOL AND FIRES, HITTING THOMAS IN THE BACK.

THOMAS is thrown to his knees by the shot. Stunned,

confused, he looks down and sees the massive exit wound in

his chest.

MARION, horrified, catches Thomas as he falls, easing him

to the ground.

MARGARET CRIES OUT. THE OTHER CHILDREN are stunned to

silence.

The REDCOATS are frozen in place. Tarleton's GREEN

DRAGOONS are impassive, having seen worse.

MARION holds his son, looking at the huge,

incomprehensible wound. He knows that Thomas is already

dead, though his body still moves.

MARION'S stunned agony turns to fury. He rises, his eyes

trained on Tarleton, then stops as...

TARLETON raises a second loaded pistol and a DOZEN GREEN

DRAGOONS raise pistols and carbines, aiming them at Marion

and his children.

MARION FREEZES, torn between his fury and fear for his

other children. He locks his eyes on Tarleton.

TARLETON calmly baths in Marion's anger. Then, with a

hard yank of the reins, he jerks his horse's head around

and utters a sharp command to Wilkins.

TARLETON:

Major.

Tarleton spurs his horse and rides off without looking

back. His GREEN DRAGOONS THUNDER after him.

MARION'S CHILDREN begin to cry. Margaret tries to revive

Thomas' lifeless body, gently caressing his cheek.

MARGARET:

Thomas, please, Thomas...

The Redcoats watch in silence. MARION LOOKS AT GABRIEL

and turns to the Redcoat Lieutenant.

MARION:

Lieutenant, please...

The Lieutenant wavers, but he looks after the departing

Tarleton and his resolve stiffens. He turns coldly to

Marion.

REDCOAT LIEUTENANT

I have my orders. Sergeant!

The Redcoat infantrymen scatter, some to get horses and

wagons from the barn, others to torch the buildings.

MARION stands among the children, all of whom look to

Marion with pleading eyes, waiting for him to do

something.

MARGARET:

Papa, look what they did to

Thomas...

NATHAN:

Father, they're going to take

Gabriel...

With stone-faced fury, Marion watches the Redcoats do

their work.

From the barns, they hear the sounds of MUSKETS FIRING and

the SQUEALS OF THE LIVESTOCK being killed.

Other REDCOATS TORCH THE HOUSE, BARN AND OUTBUILDINGS.

THE FLAMES RISE.

The Redcoats bring out Marion's wagons and carriages and

begin loading the Redcoat wounded.

The Redcoat Lieutenant and several of his men walk among

the Patriot wounded who start to struggle to their feet,

begging for mercy. The Redcoats quickly OPEN FIRE, as if

to get it over with.

The WOUNDED PATRIOTS CRY OUT. More SHOTS. Then SILENCE.

GABRIEL, his hands bound behind him, looks to his father

with a combination of resoluteness and fear. Marion locks

eyes with him.

NATHAN:

Father, you can't let them take

him...

MARION:

Quiet.

MARION AND THE CHILDREN

Watch as the Redcoats form up and move out, leading

Gabriel on a tether. Gabriel looks back helplessly but a

hard jerk on the rope by one of the Redcoats turns him

around. They disappear around a bend in the road.

THE INSTANT THE REDCOATS ARE OUT OF SIGHT, MARION speaks

firmly to his weeping children.

MARION:

Don't move.

MARION STRIDES to his front door and ENTERS THE BURNING

HOUSE.

INSIDE, FIRE EVERYWHERE. Picking a route between the

flames, Marion walks to his gun cabinet. He opens it and

pulls out weapons -- two Pennsylvania rifles, two muskets,

two pistols, a long-bladed knife and a worn tomahawk. He

carries them, with powder horns and ammunition pouches

back toward the door.

Marion walks OUT OF THE BURNING HOUSE.

MARION:

Nathan, Samuel...

Without breaking stride, Marion throws muskets to Nathan

and Samuel who catch them.

MARION:

Margaret, take William and Susan to

the river shed. Hide there. If

we're not back by dawn, go up the

river to the Richardson's house.

They'll take you to your Aunt

Charlotte's farm. Nathan, Samuel,

and I are going to get Gabriel.

MARGARET:

But what about Thomas?

MARION:

Leave him. Take care of William and

Susan.

Marion runs off toward the woods, Nathan and Samuel

follow. Margaret hesitates, then herds William and Susan

toward the river. The house is enveloped in flames.

EXT. WOODED PATH - AFTERNOON

Marion runs, breathing hard, keeping a punishing, steady

pace. Nathan and Samuel run behind, less winded than

their father. Marion makes up with cold fury what he

lacks in youth.

EXT. WOODED HILLSIDE - AFTERNOON

Marion runs up to the crest of a wooded hill. Slows.

Crawls the last few feet. Nathan and Samuel just behind

him. Looks over the hillside.

A path runs through a glen, about fifty feet below.

Marion's eyes dart, absorbing the terrain, looking for

advantage. He points.

MARION:

Nathan, there. Samuel, there.

The boys go where they're told.

MARION:

I'll fire first. Then, Nathan, kill

whoever is standing closest to

Gabriel. Samuel, kill the last man

in the line.

They stagger under the weight of the orders. Marion

notices but continues.

MARION:

After that, Samuel, load for Nathan.

If something happens to me, put down

your weapons and run as fast as you

can, that way, downhill. Hide in

the brush by the river, then make

your way home, get the others and go

to Aunt Charlotte's farm.

The boys hesitate. Marion looks at them firmly.

MARION:

Boys... steady.

NATHAN & SAMUEL

Yes, father.

Marion disappears into the underbrush.

DOWN THE PATH:

The dozen Redcoats approach. Leading Gabriel on the rope.

AHEAD OF THEM:

Marion waits in the thick undergrowth.

On the hillside, Nathan and Samuel grip their muskets and

exchange a frightened, troubled look.

The REDCOATS enter the glen.

MARION waits, then picks his moment and FIRES, killing the

Redcoat Lieutenant with a shot to the chest.

NATHAN AND SAMUEL INSTANTLY FIRE, dropping the last

Redcoat in the line and the one holding Gabriel's rope.

THE REDCOATS STOP in confusion...

GABRIEL kneels, out of the line of fire.

The REDCOAT SERGEANT takes command...

REDCOAT SERGEANT

FORM BY TWOS! BACK-TO-BACK LINES...

MARION KILLS the Sergeant with a shot to the throat...

Samuel finishes reloading, swaps muskets with Nathan who

FIRES, DROPPING ANOTHER REDCOAT.

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