Prelude: Glendale Arizona. Kate’s Home. INT. afternoon
Will in his moc shop under the government “Welcome to Cornville” sign. There is leather spread out around him and tools. A hand rolled cigarette burns in the ashtray. Photographs of his children hang on the wall. The shop is in a garage and the door is open and a long limo drives slowly by. Photographers are flashing photos and police officers are keeping people back. Will is putting things away; organizing. He is fit and trim, dressed in well fitting white Levis and a white linen shirt. A gray Stetson and a pistol sit nearby.
WILL
I'll tell ya why this story has to be told son. The meth, the drugs, the abuse,the killing: all of it has to stop. Not just our family, Ben. Everybody's.
Will picks the cigarette out of the ashtray and hangs it from his lip, taking a long slow drag and exhaling a cloud of smoke into the room. He sends a perfect smoke ring after the cloud. He reaches out and puts the Stetson on a nail and dons a nice fedora.
fade out
oc
WILL
I was dead, Ben, Stone cold dead.
bradshaw ranch. ext. day
Bradshaw Ranch is located in North Central Arizona, near Sedona and is out 15 miles of dirt road. It is spectacular scenery. There is a large restaurant, corrals, a mock movie town, horses everywhere, dust, tour jeeps arriving and leaving, camera crews moving equipment, people bustling about in many directions. Everyone is dressed in 1800’s period clothing. Kate and Will are standing in front of the original adobe homestead building. Will is dressed head to toe the cowboy including a long barreled pistol in a cross draw holster. There is a beautiful palomino tied to a nearby tree; a rifle in the scabbard on the saddle. Kate is dressed conservatively in her Christian apparel. It is early in the day but it is quickly warming up.
WILL
Jesus, Kate, Vikings in a western movie?
KATE
They sure look the part don’t they?
Several people are seen in the background who are dressed in period viking apparel.
WILL
It’s your show Kate. No doubt whatever you end up with will be interesting as hell. Bad enough I have to do all this crap just to get married.
KATE
Just go with it. It’s going to be fun, you’ll see.” “You picked her, now you get to go for the ride. I’m just here to make a cool movie of a shotgun wedding, old west style
WILL
Vikings, Kate?
Gary "Tex" Garrett rides up in a cloud of dust. Gary is every bit the cowboy and is also armed. He hooks his leg over his saddle horn, takes off his hat, takes the bandanna from around his neck, wipes the inside of the hat, wipes the sweat from his brow and puts it back on. Will is foreman of the ranch and a prize bull has been shot. Tex and Will are close.
tex
I tracked that bastard just like you did. What da ya want me to do if he winds up in my sights?
WILL
Shoot the son of a bitch Tex. He killed our bull.
TEX
You got a mine shaft in mind?
WILL
Several.
background action
Anna's Sister, Sue Anne, crosses the dirt road that is between the restaurant and the Adobe where Will,Kate and Tex are located. As she does several riders are walking their horses just in front of her. One takes off his hat in salute to her. She crosses just as the last horse passes. Will's horse Trigger, tied to the tree, turns his head and looks at her, stamping a fore hoof into the earth. She walks up to the three of them.
Sue ann
Hey Will, they're almost ready at the movie town. Anna went up that way a minute ago.
WILL
Cool, thanks. Kate, I'll run over and check in. I have my radio, call me if you need me.
Will looking at Tex.
Let's Ride.
Will walks over to trigger, unties him and mounts. As he does trigger is already moving. This is a spirited palomino and beautiful. These two move perfectly together. Will and Tex ride off at a gallop. Tex lets out a war whoop and slaps his hat to the rump of his horse. The race is on.
sue anne
Everyone seems very happy. I hope it all goes well. Jeremy was pretty unstable before Will came into the picture. We actually thought he was going to kill somebody. Maybe even one of us.
kate
Well, if anyone can straighten him out, it would be Will.
fade out
Will and Tex ride up to the old west movie set at a full run. There are people everywhere, crossing the street in many directions, camera crews setting up, directors pointing in various directions. This is a movie production. Will and Tex pull up hard. As they come to a stop,in a huge cloud of dust, Tex's horse rears up on his hind legs and does a 360. Tex stays right with it. Will is watching, smiles and says nothing. They walk their horses through all the people coming up to the bar. There is tin pan music playing. They dismount, tie their horses to the hitching rail. Will gets to the bat wing doors first and enters. The room is filled with people. Some sitting at tables with papers discussing movie issues. Water bottles are everywhere. There is no alcohol anywhere. At the bar an actor breaks a prop whiskey bottle on the bar then makes a move toward another actor. They are practicing a stunt. Anna is standing in her wedding gown talking to a big Native American. This is Jimi and he is the best man. They both turn to Will as he walks into the room.
WILL
Jesus baby, you are stunning!
Will takes off his hat grabs her in his arms and gives her a very passionate kiss. Anna is blushing. The room explodes in hoots, cat calls and applause.
OC
guest
Hey Will tell us the story about how she proposed to you.
The room demands the story loudly.
WILL
"Well after my last divorce, I swore I'd never get married again unless that woman got down on her knees and begged, and then I was going to give it some serious thought."
The crowd laughs loudly. They are involved in the story.
WILL
Well sure enough Anna goes and does just that. You should a seen her, in those prissy little white shorts down on her knees in the gravel. Must have hurt some.
The room explodes again, Will grabs Anna in his arms, swinging her half around and kisses her passionately. Anna raises her foot as he does so.
Mario, the film director, comes in with the vikings.
mario
Alright everyone, quiet on the set. We are ready to film the wedding.
fade out
Anna's cornville home. ext. morning
Will's home is a very large ranch style home on two well irrigated acres. There are corrals with their horses and Mr. Bill is directing the barn raising. He tells everyone to take a break. Children involved in various activities from older kids digging post holes and playing in water and mud. There is much activity. A chain saw starts up in the background. Miki is seen with two young boys digging an irrigation line. Will, Bushan, and Devron are sitting on the back porch which is shaded. The view in front of them is spectacular with Oak Creek and tall green cottonwood trees in the foreground and the red rocks of Sedona in the Background. Clearly seen in the near background is the cottage. Bushan is playing a few rifts, figuring out a new song. They are sitting at a round glass table. Everyone has coffee.
devron
We got a good start this morning. I have to run to the mercantile, get some more 16 penny nails.
WILL
Get me about a dozen more of those big spikes too, will ya?
Anna comes out on the porch from the the house. Anna has on short white shorts and a stylish little white hat that says “Italia”, and a stylish little blouse, white, strapped sandals.
anna
I just got off the phone with the lawyer. The hearing is at ten tomorrow.
WILL
I don’t know how to tell you this Anna, but if it were my kid, I would press charges and put his ass in jail: Might just get him off the drugs.
ANNA
He’s my son, I’ll take care of it.
Will is getting angry. He raises his voice.
WILL
The problem, darling, is that you never do take care of it. This is the third time he's stolen a car from us and totaled the damn thing. This time it’s the Mustang. You know what I went through to restore that car. He totals a fucking 65 mustang, breaks into someone’s home and steals their shit, and that, after he throws a fucking bolder through the windshield, and you want him to walk from this? No consequences?
ANNA
You take care of your kids; I’ll take care of mine.
WILL
How's that been working out for you so far Anna?
ANNA
You know if you don't like it you can always pack up your kids and move out.
WILL
Sure Anna. That makes a lot of sense, We have a baby on the way and you want to go there? What the fuck is the matter with you?
Devron looks at Bushan and Bushan is looking back. Bushan shrugs.
fade out
Anna's cornville home. twilight.ext. black and white footage
Anna's home is seen from a helicopter perspective, which is overhead shining a spotlight on the scene. The scene is eerie.The yard and the street are filled with emergency vehicles.lights are flashing. People are bustling everywhere. It is twilight. More emergency vehicles are arriving, lights and sirens running.
fade out
Will's cornville home. Twilight.ext Color footage
Will,Bushan, Devron and Miki are sitting around the same round glass table, in a different location. They are sitting under a line of beautiful Cottonwood trees in front of the old warehouse building that Will and the boys are converting. There are well landscaped grounds surrounding the large rustic structure.Stacks of building materials are scattered about. Will has a beer in his hand and a bottle of scotch with a small half filled long stemmed crystal glass on the table in front of him. No one else is drinking. He is obviously overweight. Will is speaking to Carrol who is a neighbor from his old house where Anna, baby Sofia, Jeremy and Sherris are now living. Will is working for Sedona fire and is in uniform. He has just arrived home. Will answers his cell phone,stands quickly and walks a short distance away
will
Police and fire are all over the place Carrol? I have no idea. Thanks for the call. I'll get right on it and get back to you. Thanks Carrol. No darling, no bother at all.
Will hangs up the phone, looks pensive for a moment then speed dials a number. He is connected directly to YCSO dispatch.
Miki
What's going on?
will
I don't know yet, I will in a minute. Something shitty is going down at Anna's. Cops and fire all over the place. Jeremy probably tried to kill himself again. Probably no big deal.
fade out
anna's cornville home. twilight. int. black and white footage
A young woman lies in a pool of blood on her back. The floor is concrete but it has been painted a different shade of red.She is obviously dead. There are several knife wounds visible all over her chest and abdomen. There are slashes across her face and her exposed breasts. A young man dressed only in boxers, covered in blood, holding a medium sized folding knife, walks up to the body. There is a coffee table with a stack of psychology text books, covered in blood and methamphetamine paraphernalia, a glass pipe, a lighter, an astray, an open bottle of whiskey and a half full glass, a variety of prescription drug bottles. Incense is burning, smoke rising, and the room is dimly lit.
fade out
Will's cornville home. twilight. ext. color footage
Will focuses his attention on the phone. YCSO has come on the line.
Will
Hey,Robin, this is Will from Sedona Fire dispatch. I hear you have a call running in Cornville and it may concern me. Yeah, it's on Willow st.
Will
Yeah that's the one. I'm in the middle of a shitty divorce and I don't want to just trot over there. Can you patch me through to the on scene commander?
There is a short pause. Will softly says,"Fuck."
fade out
Anna's cornville home. twilight. int. black and white footage
Jeremy stands looking down at the body, then drops to his knees and stabs the body several times in the side. He stands, takes a slug off the whiskey, puts the bottle down, picks up the pipe, lights it and takes a hit. He throws the pipe across the room and it shatters against the wall. He knocks the whiskey over, unnoticed. Quickly he jumps, whirls around, knife in hand then drops down on top of the body, straddling it. He raises the knife high, in both hands, in ritual, and plunges it repetitively into the chest of Sherris.
JEREMY
I fuckin told you I’d fuckin kill you one day Sherris. I fuckin told you.
JEREMY
I can fucking’ kill you again bitch and again, and again, and again. You see how much I love you? I love you, Sherris. I have always loved you.
Will's cornville home. twilight. ext. color footage
Will
Yes sir. This is Will Walters from Sedona fire dispatch. You are at my home,this is a volatile divorce situation and I need to know what is going on. There is a minor child involved, my daughter Sofia, and her safety is my paramount concern.
Will
Who was killed? Sherris? My God! Jeremy killed her and is being transported to VVMC? Od? Tell me this isn't happening. Has anyone else been hurt? Where is my daughter right now? Is she safe. Where is Anna? I want my daughter out of that house right now, no matter what it takes. Right fucking now. I will come get her. I am three minutes away.
All three men at the table stand up and close in on Will.
Will
Yes sir, I understand sir. Thank you Sir.
Will puts the phone down to his side. He is very upset, confused and only partially aware of his surroundings. The phone falls to the ground, unnoticed.
Will
Fuck.
Miki
Jeremy killed Sherris?
WILL
Stabbed her over 80 times. A real fucking mess man. The real fucking deal
Miki puts his arm around Will's shoulders.
Devron
Oh shit.
Bushan
is Sofia OK?
sedona fire communications center. afternoon.int
The room is very clean and organized but crammed with computer consoles. Each desk has five monitors on it. There is much activity. Calls are being answere on the phones. Radio transmissions made to responding units. Will is in training and sits at the back of the room as his supervisor lectures. She starts playing a recording of the 911 call that involves Anna and the murder. It is the murder scene relived in all it's horror. Julie notices Will crying, discovers the cause and sends him out to take a walk while she turns off the recording. The boss comes into the room.
BOSS
Where’s Will?
JULIE
Shit, I didn’t know. I sent him out to take a walk. He was really shook up. I played the tape of his stepson killing his girlfriend. I never knew it was him.
BOSS
Well you go right on out there and bring him back. He isn’t learning anything at all whining about the past.
Will's cornville home. ext. noon
Bushan, Will, and Devron are sitting at the round table under the Mulberry trees at Will’s Page Springs Road, home, in Cornville. This is the gathering place. There is an astray on the table, two empty beer bottles in front of Will and one in his hand. There is also a bottle of McCallum scotch and a fine cut long stemmed crystal glass that has about half an ounce of scotch in it. Bushan has a small leather project he is working on. He is dressed every bit the Hippie. Devron is dressed the conservative and is kicking back in his chair. Will is wearing filthy scrub pants and no shirt. He has a few days beard growth and has not showered.
bushan
Looks like you’ve put on about 50 pounds and you're hiding in your room all the time. When's the last time we played pool: Six months?
WILL
I’m writing books asshole. Get off me. Three years fighting in divorce court for Sofia, fourteen months getting fucked at Sedona Fire, I lost Sedona Coffee Roasters to divorce and now I sit around on fun employment because the fucking economy has gone to shit and there ain’t no work any fucking place, AND this place ain’t worth what I paid. Fuck you boys. I’ll drink all I god damned want to drink. I reckon God's pushing his luck with me.
Will grabs up the whiskey and wobbles off towards the house. An empty beer bottle falls off the table but does not break.
bushan
He never listens to a word I say
Devron
I think he might be loosing it
bushan
Will?
fade out
will's cornville home. int. early morning
Will sits at his desk with his cup of coffee, grabs the mouse and runs through his email sipping his coffee. Will's room is neat and clean. The bed is made with a white comforter. His desk is a big antique oak desk with two monitors and a computer sitting on it. The news is on one of the monitors and the other is Will's email.There is a large ash bookcase over his desk filled with books, Cd's and videos. It is very colorful. There are artifacts and collectibles all over the room. Native American art and some of his hand made items, his medicine bag and pipe, photos of his children cover one wall. He stops abruptly and looks up.
WILl
You got to be fucking kidding me. Now? Today? My fucking birthday? Shit.
Will looks quickly around his bedroom, starts getting dressed, stops without buttoning his pants sits back down and types out a note on the computer. He grabs several bottles of prescription drugs and throws them in a bag, grabs his hat, a bottle of McCallum scotch and walks outside and gets in his car and drives out.
fade out
Sometime later, Kate drives into Will’s home and finds Michael in the garden. She asks if Will is at home. Michael says that he thought Will was with her. Josh comes out with the suicide note.
KATE
Jesus Fucking Christ, Michael, Don’t you think that I know what level of responsibility that I have in this situation?
fade out
flagstaff medical center icu. int. night
Hospital room, intensive care. Will, in hospital, family gathers
Will, though hardly recognizable, is laying on the table with tubes everywhere. Several IV’s are hanging and there is the sound of the monitor in the background. There are two nurses checking out equipment and doing reports on the computer in the background. Kate has her head resting on Wills chest with her hand on his heart. Willow is singing softly.
kate
He isn't dead Willow. I know he's here. He's just trying to find his way back right now. That's all. He’s just trying to find his way back.
Ben and Josh come into the room. Ben is ashen. He is truly devastated by what he is seeing. He is confused, angry and hurt. Josh is in control of himself and the situation. He is trying to hide his feelings and not succeeding.
Josh
The decision has been made. We wait.
Ben looks around, in a minor panic, then focuses on Will
Ben
What the fuck were you thinking Dad?
Willow
Shut up Ben. Don't you think it's bad enough?
Ben starts to leave the room in anger. Kate speaks to his back
Kate
You may not understand Ben, but I do. Your father did this for all of you.
Ben stops, turns back to face Kate. He is aggressive in stance and manner.
ben
Excuse me?
Josh grabs Ben's arm, and leads him from the room
josh
Come on Ben, Willow's right, now's not the time
flagstaff behavioral health lock down. ext. afternoon.
Ben, Josh and David stand facing Will in a walled secure courtyard. Will cannot stand and his feet are badly swollen. He sits on a bench at a picnic table He has several days growth of beard and his clothes have been slept in. He looks bad but there is a light in his eyes.
Josh
How the fuck could you do that. Kill yourself Dad? What the fuck?
WILL
I don't know if I can do this boys. I'll try.
Ben
You damn well better explain this one dad
David
We're just worried about you.
Will tries to stand, fails, then gives up,leaning back with his arms resting on the table behind him.He takes his time, taking in each of them carefully.
WILL
I was once asked what I was willing to give my life for. My answer, without hesitation, was my faith. I was called to test my faith. That's all there is to it. No emotion, no drama, no, I'm depressed or wigged out. I was just called to test my faith and this is how I chose to do it.
ben
Who the fuck told you to do this dad? Who?
WILL
A test of faith son. A test of honor.
Josh
Did you even think about us? the rest of the family? Anything at all? You self centered asshole dad.
Will stretches out his legs and chuckles low and quietly.
WILL
Consequences Josh? Of course I knew all the consequences.I knew precisely what would happen if I did survive. The nut house, the loss of credibility with you and everyone else and much more Josh, much more. Consequences Josh? I know all about consequences.
Ben
You sit here and tell me that you tried to kill yourself over religion dad? what the fuck is wrong with you? Fuck your honor dad
WILL
I made a real effort Ben, to not survive. I did not expect to live. That's the whole point of this little exercise Ben,Faith. Faith and honor.
Willow steps out the door into the patio and walks up to the conversation, fidgets a little then sits next to Will , putting her arm around his shoulders.
Willow
Nobody wanted me to tell you this dad but I know I have to. Somehow I think it’s my job. Jeremy was killed in prison the day after you died.
Will's face turns ashen. He is surprised, confused. Something terrible is happening inside of him.
will
What?
JOSH
You had to go there Willow?
david
Are you alright Will?
Will is very quiet. Tears are streaming down his face. He is unaware.
BEN
Dad?
willow
Daddy, what's wrong? what's happening?
Will is staring off into space. He is somewhere else.
WILL
I was dead. The real deal. You people think what you like. God took me to a place that looked like a jail cell. I was about a foot off the floor, sort of floating. I saw that boy just as clear as daylight, lying there dead on the floor.God told me that he had forgiven Jeremy and it was time I forgave him too. I've been thinking about it ever since.
fade out
Sometime later, Will calls Kate on the phone. He is sitting on a stone wall smoking a hand rolled cigarette, He coughs violently. He has not smoked for days and has aspirated foreign stuff into his lungs. He looks horrible.
WILL
Yeah well they just kicked me out of the nuthouse and I’m waiting for Josh to come get me. I’m pretty used up.
Kate
What are we going to do, Will?
will
I think you know the job God has for me, Kate.
fade out
mesa Arizona, large high school, ext helicopter perspective
Large high school viewed from above. Full parking lots, Traffic being directed by uniformed police. Emergency vehicles visible everywhere with emergency personnel actively engaged in directing large groups of people towards the gym. The football field is full of people and emergency personnel. Emergency vehicles are parked around the track. News crews are visible in several locations. This is a huge event.
fade out
Mesa high school huge gym int
The gym is full. stations for cpr training are set up everywhere. There is a low hum of human voices. The energy is focused.Emergency personal oversee students teaching adults hands only cpr, aed etc. Kate is standing at a small podium giving a press interview. The setting is intimate. Folding chairs close in seating 15 reporters. There are three news cameras rolling at a discrete distance. This is a private moment. This is Kate with her friends, these reporters. Brandon stands beside her.
kate
What we did was to train people like Brandon to take the responsibility of training others to organize and produce events such as this. We put it all in the hands of our youth.
reporter
Brandon did you organize this event?
Brandon
There is no way an event like this could be organized by one person mam. All I did was speak to the principle, organize some teams and we all did the work. No mam. There are a whole lot of dedicated teenagers from this school on the floor and on the field because they want to make a difference.
Reporter
A difference to whom Brandon
Brandon
Why a difference to the Species mam
fade out
Epilogue: kates home. glendale. afternoon int
May 30, 2012. Will’s 60th birthday. One year from Will’s overdose. The entire family has gathered. The house is very full and there is food and drink. It is a farewell party. Josh and Willow are standing, watching a news cast on the television where Kate is being interviewed.A liveried driver comes in the open door, grabs two suitcases and leaves. Kate,Anna,Heather and Susie are standing in a receiving line greeting people.
Kate
Phuket. is in Thailand. We thought it'd be a nice place to visit. You know Will.
Heather
110 days on a Cruise ship? Good luck.
Kate
He'll probably be driving the thing before were done.He needs this break.You've never understood Heather. God has a plan for this man. You might want to keep an eye on him.
fade out
kate's home. glendale.afternoon int
Will and Ben are in his shop. Will is dressed in White levies that fit nicely and a white linen shirt. He is trim and fit. He picks his gun belt up off the bench and hangs it on the wall slipping the pistol into the holster as he does so. He hangs his Stetson on top of the gun belt. The well worn walnut grips are peaking out from under the hat. The bullets shine in the cartridge belt. The belt is old and used but well cared for. So is the Hat. A hand rolled cigarette burns in the ashtray. Photographs of his children hang on the wall. The shop is in a garage and the door is open and a long limo drives slowly by. Photographers are flashing photos and uniformed officers are keeping people back. He reaches out and pulls a nice fedora off a nail and puts it on as he turns to go back into the party.
Will
I reckon That’s the story Ben. Some folks just think I’m bat shit crazy.
Will turns back facing Ben.
will
You want to know what God told me? God told me to not miss a moment of this business of living: So far so good. I never missed one damn thing. I think you have to focus your intention on your relationship Ben, and God sort of helps everything else along."
fade out
kate's home. glendale.ext. afternoon
Will and Kate are bid farewell in the driveway. There is a limo with a driver waiting for them to take them to the airport.
BEN
Hey Dad, it’ll be science that keeps that plane in the air.
WILL
Maybe so Ben, but it will be God that gets us there.
Will does not look back, neither does Kate
ends with limo driving off and the family standing silently. Sofia waves. Kate’s hand comes out one window and Will’s out the other and wave back: Willow waves.
fade out
oc
WILLOW
Be safe daddy,I love you.
Dead Horses
This story is based on actual events some of which no one witnessed but the actual participants. I wrote this for a screen writing class and was required to do a complete 120 page movie script in 30 pages. One of the most difficult and rewarding pieces I ever attempted. It was also a very important cleansing for me personally.
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