Time to Die Page #3

---

You'll see what great times we'll have.

Don't even mention work.

You'll have as much as you want.

Because you know a ton

about horses.

And if you get bored of town,

take my shotgun to the mountain

and bring back hares and quail.

Where are you living?

I'm rebuilding my house.

That's what a real man does.

If you need bricks, planks, nails,

door handles, door knockers, anything,

just take them from here.

How about pesos?

I've still got a few left.

Well, you're not going broke.

I still have some left over

from the good times. It's all yours.

Just say the word.

- You're priceless, old pal.

- Not at all. That's what friends are for.

Diego, come in.

What a day! Half a lifetime alone

and now the house is full of visitors.

I'm looking for you, Juan Syago.

How much do you want to leave town?

To leave?

What's happened to you, son?

Did your father's blood

run cold in your veins?

Anytime you choose,

you can count on getting your horse

and all the money you need

to lead a quiet life far from here.

Thank you for the offer, sir.

But you can't buy a man's will.

Don't thank him for anything.

And you, Diego, this is

as far as our friendship goes.

Leave this house right now,

or you'll be carried out feet first.

Don't be rash, Casildo.

You can't play

with a man's life like that.

Just hear me out on one thing

so you can repeat it word for word

to that pair of crowing roosters.

Juan Syago is staying

and the rest be damned!

Let's see if anyone's

man enough to take us out!

Put yourself at ease.

Very well.

At least I tried to warn you.

What were you doing in there?

I'll tell you, Julin.

I was trying to convince Juan Syago

to get out of town.

You shouldn't cross

your friends like that.

If I'm trying to resolve things

with Juan Syago,

it's to keep you out of trouble.

Don't go buying off

other people's fights, Diego.

Not even my mother on her deathbed

could change my mind.

I know full well what I'm doing, Julin.

You're so afraid of killing this man,

that you'll kill him out of pure fear.

Shut up

or I won't answer for my actions!

Whatever you say, Julin.

I'll just tell you once again,

if you need a friend,

you know where to find me.

This can't be, Julin. You left

without telling me what you'd eat.

- It's getting very late.

- I don't know. Anything at all.

You want chicken in chili sauce?

Make whatever you want.

Just leave me alone.

I've been doing that for eight years,

twice a day,

and all it's done is make me fatter.

I can't bring myself

to die like an old lady

with so many stray bullets in this world.

You'll die at a ripe old age,

you old mule.

You're tough as nails.

That doesn't matter now.

With you here, we'll light things up.

Settle these old scores and face

your new fate as a peaceful old man.

When's the last time you fired a gun?

Before I went away.

Enough bitching and moaning then.

Let's get your heart beating again.

Here.

Who can shoot down

more pomegranates?

Not now. It's really hot.

Set up a cot right here.

Juan will stay here

until his house is rebuilt.

Don't add to my debts, old boy.

- I'll find someplace to stay.

- We won't hear of it.

We can't leave you out there

at the mercy of fate.

You know you're welcome

and respected here.

Well, I guess that's it.

You've always done

as you damn well please.

Here's my bag.

Enough brooding, son.

Go find those damned sissies

and bring them here.

Between the two of us,

we'll have them pushing up daisies.

What do you say?

I'll see you real soon.

Hey!

Don't you back down.

- Now?

- Just a minute.

You're staying in there

until you come to your senses.

Don't be foolish, Sonia. Open up.

Open up!

I'll count to three.

- If you don't open, I'll smash everything.

- Go ahead, if you can.

One...

two...

- Give me that key.

- No.

Stay back, Pedro.

I'll get you out.

Give it to me.

I'd rather he died in there.

She's right.

She could end up a widow

before she's even married.

Women don't know

how to handle these things.

Give me that key.

You brute!

Come with me.

All I know is what they've told me.

That he was the best with horses,

women and pistols.

That he was a real man.

That's right.

And crazy to boot.

They say the same of you.

But it's not true.

Crazy as a loon.

I did know your father.

You only had to see how he dressed

with his watch chains

and gold embroidery.

All that was missing

were the military epaulets.

Do you know why

he challenged Juan Syago?

Of course. He'd been insulted.

The only thing Juan Syago did

was to win a horse race against him.

But with your dad's delusions of grandeur,

he never forgave him.

He made a point of provoking him.

He sowed weeds into his crops.

He poisoned his animals' water.

He'd leave dead animals

right in his path.

He'd block him in the street

with his horse.

Juan Syago!

Pal, what happened?

It's nothing. They threw a bladder

full of pig's blood at me.

I told you.

That one doesn't play around.

Now what's the matter?

What do you think?

I'm afraid.

It's as if I'd killed a man long ago,

I say...

and now I see him again,

saying and doing the very same things.

Some things just keep

repeating themselves,

whether we like it or not,

like curses.

What you do to the father

is repaid to the son.

I don't want to die.

Your saddle's being cleaned.

With a little luck,

we can get you a horse.

What do you say?

Let me think it over.

I'd almost forgotten,

I have a message for you.

They left it here a while ago.

If you've decided not to leave,

at least you'll have something

to defend yourself with.

It's the same one you left here

with your other things.

I didn't come here planning to fight.

You know that full well.

I already know this speech.

It's all a lie.

Deep down, you're a vulture

just like the Truebas.

It's like you were put on this earth

to bring suffering to others...

to the ones who love you.

Go away.

Try to make them kill you

as soon as possible,

without pain,

without further delay.

At least show me that consideration.

In jail, I never stopped waiting

for your letters, not a single minute.

I wrote you many times.

I sent the first letter

two or three months after you left.

It was six pages,

written front and back.

I sent it to Castillo del Conde.

But back then, they said

so many things about you

that no one was sure of anything.

So I sent the next letter to the prison

at San Bernardo del Viento.

I went to mail it myself

from San Miguel del Norte

because they said the mail from

these towns never arrives anywhere.

I never got a single letter.

Not even from Mother.

I know.

Hers and mine were returned together

in an envelope with many stamps

six years after putting them

in the mail.

I felt so alone that I could have

kept writing and writing,

even though you'd never receive

my letters.

Don't think of that.

Just think that I've come back

and we're together.

Together in this hell,

knowing that you'll be killed

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes