GETHSEMANE

Written by Ethan R. Friend

EXT. GETHSEMANE, 1888-- A SERIES OF SHOTS Somewhere in the American West. High desert country. The WIND whistles through a rock canyon, kicking up DUST... The DUST cloud drifts past the broken remnants of a wagon, a gutted farmhouse. DUST billows through the deserted main street, past the post office, the dry goods store, the church. Many of the windows are broken. BLOOD dries on the wooden sidewalks. A broken BABY DOLL lies in the street. All is still. The DUST obscures the sun. FADE TO BLACK. EXT. PARSONAGE--DAY Establish: A broken house slumping beside the church. The windows are boarded up. A horse trough stands out front, a HAND PUMP next to it. Faintly from inside, the sound of a dog WHINING. INT. PARSONAGE--DAY The DOG in question pads across the trash-littered floor to the corner, where a rough-looking MAN sprawls across the sofa, asleep. The dog licks his face eagerly. He shoves it away, mumbling a curse, and opens his eyes. The man-- ROMAN HEATH (55)-- sits up, rubbing his grizzled face with his hands. He smooths back his unkempt hair and scans the room. Roman moves to the window and peers through a gap in the boards. OUTSIDE-- ROMANS POV All is still. ROMAN His eyes move back and forth, searching. He reaches down to the table below the window and picks up a REVOLVER.

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ROMAN Come on. Come on, you sons of bitches. EXT. GETHSEMANE, MAIN STREET--DAY Someones coming after all. A little GIRL makes her way slowly down the middle of the dirt street. She approaches the parsonage, stumbling a little. Her clothes are torn, her pale skin grubby. Her foot nudges the DOLL. She stops, bends toward it. A SHOT rings out. The little girl is thrown backward into the street. Dust puffs up from the ground when she falls. INT. PARSONAGE Roman puts the GUN back on the table and spits. ROMAN Bastard. He steps away from the window and walks toward a ROLLTOP DESK at the far end of the room. He raises the top, revealing a row of LIQUOR BOTTLES, most of them nearly empty, and a stack of glasses. He pours a drink. Roman sits on the couch, sipping his whisky. The dog comes to him, tail wagging. He pets it absently, staring at the floor. ROMAN (CONTD) Theyll come. Maybe they hear the gun. Maybe they can smell it when one of their own dies. Lots of them. At least its daylight. Thatll buy us some time. EXT. PARSONAGE Roman primes the rusty PUMP. Water trickles from the spout, splashing into a tin PITCHER. His eyes dart from the water to the empty street. The pitcher fills. Roman picks it up. A HOWL echoes across the mountains. Roman jerks, startled, then freezes. The sound dies away. He waits. ROMAN And a little child will lead them.

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He looks over at the fallen body of the girl in the street. For the first time, theres a softness in his eyes. ROMAN (CONTD) May God have mercy on your soul, little one. He carries the pitcher back inside. INT. PARSONAGE Roman pours water into a BASIN on the table, and begins washing his face and hands. As he scrubs, he hums-- Shall We Gather At the River. EXT. GETHSEMANE, MAIN STREET-- A FEW WEEKS AGO The town is bustling, in a small pioneer village sort of way. Men sit on the porch of the dry goods store, smoking. A few women carry baskets along the street. From inside the church, the sounds of the CONGREGATION singing. CONGREGATION Yes well gather at the river, The beautiful, the beautiful river... INT. CHURCH--DAY Two dozen residents of Gethsemane stand, reading along in their hymnals. CONGREGATION Gather with the saints at the river That flows by the throne of God. EXT. THE ROAD TO GETHSEMANE A wagon CREAKS along the rutted dirt track into town, moving fast. EXT. GETHSEMANE, MAIN STREET The strains of the hymn continue. The men on the porch turn their attention to the road. A faint streamer of dust rises with the WAGONs progress. The sounds of its travel waft faintly.

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MIRANDA BUNDREN (35) pauses in the street, basket over her arm. She turns toward the sound. MIRANDA Hal! INT. CHURCH The hymn continues. Two small boys seated near the window peer out at the growing commotion in the street. The younger of the two climbs onto the pew bench for a better look. EXT. THE ROAD TO GETHSEMANE The WAGON continues its jolting ride. The HORSES snort, urged on to greater exertions by the crack of the reins. EXT. MAIN STREET The Sheriff, HAL JEFFRIES (45), steps out of his office beside the post office. He watches the road. LADIES lean out the windows of Aunt Beulahs, a brothel. The WAGON comes ever closer. INT. CHURCH Roman Heath, cleaner, less haggard, smooth-cheeked, steps to the lectern as the hymn ends. Hes dressed in the black shirt and white collar of a reverend. He regards his flock as they take their seats. ROMAN This is the Lords day, and we His chosen people. It may be hard to see it, on a day like today, when so many of our friends and neighbors are out there, smoking their tobacco and running their errands. Whiling away this most holy days in drunkenness and dalliances at the house of ill repute. It may be difficult to see, when all around us are the ways of sin and degradation, but the Lord had marked this day above all others as a holy day. As a resurrection day. (MORE)

5. ROMAN (CONT'D) Many of those outside these walls are our friends, our neighbors, even our family. Theyre all out there, where today is a day like any other. And we few are in here. You may be tempted, and you may ask yourself, how can it be wrong to live that way, when so many do it? How can it be wrong to be among our friends and neighbors and with our families on this day, and how can we be sure that it makes any difference at all to the Lord Almighty where we sit, and what we do, on this day. Im here to tell you that it makes a world of difference.

EXT. GETHSEMANE, MAIN STREET The WAGON arrives, with two men in the seat. The DOG from previous sits between them. ROMAN (V.O.) For the Lord died on a Friday, and he rose again on the third day. And He did not rise on a Monday and He did not rise on a Thursday, he rose today. Townsfolk hurry toward it as the DRIVER slows his team, coming to a stop near the post office. The driver climbs down from the seat and pushes past a few gawkers to the back of the wagon. The second man-- LOUIS ST. JEAN-BAPTISTE (40) regards them silently, fingering the trigger on his rifle. INT. CHURCH Several members of the congregation have shifted their attention to the street outside. Not so with a teenage girl in the front row, however. ANNIE BUNDREN, Mirandas seventeenyear-old daughter, stares at Roman with rapt attention, something perhaps less than devout showing in her smile. ROMAN The Sabbath. Our neighbors out there-- we love them, as the Lord says we must, but they have been shown the same path that you were, given the same chance that you were to seek out the light. (MORE)

6. ROMAN (CONT'D) Yet they have chosen instead to follow the paths of iniquity, to wander through the blighted alleys of liquor and lust, sin and degradation. And though we love them, we must remember, salvation is their choice. Damnation is their choice. You and I have chosen. Are chosen. And no matter what dog and pony show may be out in that street, our salvation is here.

He thumps the lectern for emphasis. EXT. MAIN STREET The men gather around the back of the wagon, where a THIRD MAN lies, wrapped in bloody blankets, moaning. The DRIVER looks over at HAL JEFFRIES. DRIVER We need a doctor! HAL Theres no doctor here. Nat Halloways gone to Mitchum Creek to deliver a baby. Wont be back til sundown. ROMAN (V.O.) Satan is at work out there, in the streets, in the mountains where wild beasts and Indians roam. But the Lord is inside these walls, and His promise is resurrection. The conversation continues under the voice-over. Hal climbs off the porch and approaches the back of the wagon. He lifts the blanket off the third man. He gestures to three nearby men. HAL Get him inside. INT. CHURCH More and more eyes are wandering.

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ROMAN Ye, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for the Lords grace is upon me, His love is upon me, and through my Redeemer, I shall know everlasting life. VOICE (OUTSIDE) Reverend Heath! We got a dying man out here! Roman looks up, startled. The congregation ERUPTS, crowding toward the windows. Some move toward the door. Annie gets to her feet, watching Roman. INT. SHERIFFS OFFICE--DAY A gang of MEN carries the THIRD MAN in, still wrapped in blankets. Hal Jeffries shoves what he can off his desk, sending pictures, papers and the like tumbling to the floor. HAL Put him right here. They set the man down across the desk. He moans, thrashing. DRIVER We was on the way to Marpeckitt. Me and my brother. We come from Florida. I dont reckon you boys ever been there. Hal checks the sick mans pulse. The others crowd around him. HAL Hearts racing like a jackrabbit. Damn, I wish Nat hadntve left this morning. He pulls the blanket back, revealing a nasty BLOODY WOUND in the mans shoulder. THIRD MAN Nuhhh, dont. He moans again. Sweat pours from his brow. Hal looks up at the driver and Louis, whos just now come in. HAL What the hell happened?

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The driver looks at Louis, then away. Louis chews a mouthful of tobacco, then spits on the floor. LOUIS Damn fools were camped out in the pass. Dont nobody in his right mind go up there, everybody knows that. Several of the MEN stiffen. A few step back away from the sick man. HAL Superstitious nonsense. DRIVER Like I said, we aint from here. We just come up from Florida. LOUIS Aint nonsense. Its good sense. The Third Man cries out. Hal grips his hand. HAL Easy now, son. You just hold on. (to one man by the door) Ricky, where the hells that preacher? Ricky runs out. He comes back a second later with Roman. Annie and RUTH, her sister, creep in behind him. Roman crosses to the dying man. RUTH Is he dying, Uncle Hal? HAL You girls run along. This is no place for womenfolk just now. ANNIE I thought I might be able to help. Ive been giving Doc Halloway a hand some. HAL All right, Annie. You stay. Ruth, go on home. Nothing you can do here. Ruth goes, reluctantly. Annie sidles up beside Roman, whos bent over the man on the desk. He checks his pulse, feels his forehead.

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ROMAN Pulse is rapid. Fever, probably about a hundred and two. Son, can you hear me? The man moans, but nods weakly. His eyes scrunch tight. He begins to cough. ROMAN (CONTD) A glass of water. Quickly. Someone hurries to the sideboard and pours one. He hands it to Roman, who holds it while the sick man drinks. He coughs again, weakly. THIRD MAN Cave... He... the cave. He turns his head away. DRIVER There was this crack in the rock, near our campsite. Something came out of it and attacked him. Bit him right on the shoulder. Too dark to see. I shot it, though. It runned off. An animal of some kind. He looks dubiously at Louis again. LOUIS Werent no animal. One of them that got him. HAL Christs sake. Begging your pardon, reverend. ROMAN Annie, run to the parsonage, get me the bottle of laudanum from the roll top desk, in the parlor. She goes out. LOUIS Laudanum. (he spits) Quicker way to fix what ails him. A bit messier, though. Still, might be better for all concerned.

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HAL I wont have anymore of that kind of talk in my office. Were going to do what we can to make this man comfortable until the doctor arrives. LOUIS Doctor, hell. He puts a hand on the butt of his COLT. Hal responds in kind. HAL Dont tempt me, boy. They regard each other a long moment. Louis relaxes. So does everyone else. HAL (CONTD) You might go tend to your horses. They stare at each other another moment. Louis goes out. INT. SHERIFFS OFFICE--LATER Afternoon. Annie sits beside the desk, spooning MEDICINE from a bottle into the sick mans mouth. A fresh bandage covers his shoulder. The man murmurs in protest against the spoon, but drinks. His eyes close. Roman enters, bent over a book, lips moving in prayer. The DOG follows close behind them. Annie turns. ANNIE Hes resting a little. Roman leans toward the sleeping patient, one hand on the back of Annies chair. He checks the mans pulse and feels his forehead. The dog lays, head between paws, near the door. ROMAN Pulse is slower. Fever seems to be coming down. You make a fine nurse, Annie. Annie smiles up at him, and glances down at his hand.

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ANNIE My mother says Im going to make a good wife someday. ROMAN (with a fatherly smile) Im sure thats so. Annie senses the fatherliness. Shell have none of it. ANNIE How long have you been in Gethsemane, Reverend Heath? A year? ROMAN Near to. ANNIE Will you stay? ROMAN The choice isnt mine, but the Lords. I go where He calls. ANNIE So it might be here. If you stayed. Would you take a wife? Roman starts to stammer an answer-- he knows what shes driving at. The sick mans eyes suddenly fly open, bulging from their sockets. The dog sits bolt upright on its haunches, BARKING like mad. The sick man GASPS and begins convulsing, his back arching and falling. His breath CHUGS like a locomotive. Roman leaps to his side, holding his arms down. Annie screams. The dog HOWLS. ROMAN Get the sheriff. (she doesnt move) Now! Blood and spit gush from between the dying mans lips.

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INT. SHERIFFS OFFICE--NIGHT Roman, Hal, Annie, Louis and the Driver gather around the desk. The sick man lies still, eyes wide and unblinking. Another man stands in the doorway, watching. Hal puts his hand on the drivers shoulder. HAL Im sorry, son. DRIVER (choked up) What am I supposed to do now? He looks around the room, pleading. Roman opens his BOOK. ROMAN (reading) Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, by brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. DRIVER We was gonna raise cattle. Out in Wyoming. He had a girl back home, we was gonna send for her soon as we got settled. ROMAN Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. The dead mans left eyelid TWITCHES. HAL Steady, now. ROMAN Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. As Roman says this, the dead mans eyes both begin blinking. Roman is looking at his book.

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Hal and Louis are watching the distraught brother. Annie, however, is staring at the dead man. She clutches her shawl tighter around her neck. ANNIE (shocked whisper) Reverend Heath. The dead mans facial muscles begin working spastically. ROMAN And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. ANNIE Reverend Heath! Everyone turns to look at the dead man, his face still contorting. His eyes roll in their sockets. He sits up. DRIVER A miracle! Randall, youre alive! He darts forward, throwing his arms around his brothers neck. LOUIS No! Goddamn fool, get back! He grabs the man, trying to pull him back, but too: Randall SNARLS and sinks his teeth INTO HIS BROTHERS NECK! The man SCREAMS. Randall holds him in a bear hug, chewing ferociously. Blood SPRAYS in all directions. Roman staggers backward. Annie cries out. The Louis draws his COLT and FIRES-- not at Randall, but at his still screaming brother. The man goes limp. Hal grabs Louiss arm. They struggle. Randall SHRIEKS in rage. He shoves aside his brothers corpse and HURLS off the desk-- straight at Annie! She screams. They fall to the floor, Randall snarling. Annie slams him in the face with the back of her hand. He bites her on the arm. Louis punches Hal in the nose, knocking him against the wall. He aims the Colt and FIRES again. Randalls head shatters, spraying Annies face with blood and worse. His body slides sideways off her to the floor.

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Roman rushes to her. ROMAN Annie! He shakes her shoulders, but shes out cold. Louiss hands go limp. He drops the COLT to the floor. Hal stumbles to his feet, blood streaming from his nose. He picks up a chair and SMASHES it over Louiss head. CUT TO BLACK. INT. PARSONAGE--A FEW WEEKS LATER Roman sits on the stained sofa, drinking from the BOTTLE now. He pats the dogs head. The dog WHINES. ROMAN Me too. He gets shakily to his feet and crosses to the window. He peers out. MAIN STREET-- ROMANS POV Empty, as before. INSIDE Roman takes another pull on the bottle. ROMAN (CONTD) Whatdya say, boy? Want to go outside? The dog wags his tail. EXT. MAIN STREET--DAY Roman steps into the street, the dog at his heels. The preacher grips a SHOVEL in both hands, a HAVERSACK over one shoulder. A tumbleweed rolls by. He looks up and down at the deserted, ransacked buildings. Nothing else moves. They trudge across the dirt street toward the

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INT. DRY GOODS STORE--DAY Roman eases through the front door, letting it close softly behind him. He surveys the store. Surprisingly, the place hasnt incurred too much damage. Bins of coffee beans, flour, even a great wooden PICKLE BARREL stand as they probably have for years. Dusty bolts of cloth still line the shelves. Not all the merchandise has survived so well, however: several shards of BROKEN DISHES litter the floor. Roman steps on them as he moves forward. CRUNCH. He freezes, listening. Silence except for the dog BREATHING. They move forward, Roman avoiding the shards now. Roman pauses before the barrels, opens his HAVERSACK, and pulls out one several small BURLAP SACKS. He opens the flour bin and begins scooping flour into the sack with a tin cup. ROMAN-- ZOMBIES POV Roman fills his bag, then ties it closed with a bit of string. He pops it into his sack, then opens the next barrel. The CAMERA moves in as the zombie creeps closer. BARRELS Roman lifts the lid off the dried bean barrel. He turns to the dog. The dog looks up at him and WHINES. ROMAN Sorry, boy. Mans gotta eat. He scoops several cups of beans into a second bag. Twist, tie, pop. The dog snaps to attention, eyes on the corner where the zombie is hiding. Hackles raised, he crouches, a low GROWL in his throat. Oblivious, Roman moves on to the next barrel. A few gray pickles bob in a vat of brine, but Roman doesnt reach for them. Hes too distracted by the other item floating there: a DECOMPOSING HEAD. Roman jumps back with a cry.

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The zombie-- HAL-- staggers out from hiding. Hes not looking too well. One arm has been torn off at the shoulder. Rusty spatter covers the STAR on his chest. The dog backs away, barking, as Hal advances. Roman raises the SHOVEL. Hal ROARS and leaps toward the dog. The dog SNARLS as the two lock in struggle. Roman swings the shovel in a vicious arc. INT. SHERIFFS OFFICE-- A FEW WEEKS AGO Hal sits with his feet propped on the desk, polishing his STAR. Across the room, LOUIS sits in the HOLDING CELL. LOUIS You ought to let me out. Let me help. HAL Like you did those two boys yesterday? Thank you kindly. He pauses to breathe on the star, then continues polishing. LOUIS She dont have much longer. You ought to put a bullet to her before it happens. Would be a kindness. Now Hal looks up. His eyes burn into his prisoners, unblinking. HAL You best shut your mouth, or Ill put one in you. LOUIS You seen what happened when that feller come back up. You want the same for that niece of yours? HAL Mr. Baptiste, Im warning you, now-LOUIS You go home right now and do it. Hell, let me out and Ill do it. Tomorrow well take a dozen men up there to that rock and end it. Stamp it out. Starting with the girl.

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Hals on his feet in an instant, pistol drawn. HAL Goddamn you, I told you to leave off. Did you think I was kidding? He points the gun at Louiss head. Louis freezes. LOUIS Dont go acting crazy now. HAL Crazy? Naw. What you got to understand about a man like me, Mr. Louis St. Jean-Baptiste, of Bridge Water, Arkansas, is that in this moment-He cocks back the hammer. CLICK. HAL (CONTD) --right here, I am at my most clearheaded. Steady. Calm. A damn sight more alive than youll ever be again. He puts his finger on the trigger. DR. NAT HALLOWAY (57) walks into the room. NAT Pardon me for interrupting. Hal turns, lowering the gun. HAL Doc? What is it? NAT Not good. I never saw an infection set in so quickly. HAL She awake? NAT Only flashes. Shes delirious. High fever. Hal, Im sorry. HAL How long?

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INT. HAL JEFFRIES HOUSE-- BEDROOM Annie lies in bed, sweating, delirious. Miranda sits beside the bed, holding her hand. A bloody BANDAGE covers the girls forearm. Ruth stands across from her mother, dabbing at Annies forehead with a cloth. Roman sits at the foot of the bed, reading from his Bible. ROMAN Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of Death, I shall fear no evil: for Thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Hal and the doctor enter, pushing past the others to the bedside. HAL Annie? Annie? You hold on, girl, you hear? Annie opens her eyes a little. ANNIE Daddy? Oh, Ive missed you... but the woods... the cave... his horrible breath... MIRANDA Its all right, baby. Mamas here. ANNIE Who are you people? Stop it, youll ruin my dress... Oh, God... She opens her eyes, sits partway up in bed. ANNIE (CONTD) Roman. Youre here. ROMAN Yes, Annie. Im here. Lie back. She coughs violently, and tries to speak several times, but nothing coherent comes out. Ruth hands her a CUP of water. She tries to drink, but chokes on it. ANNIE So hot in here. My arm hurts. Was it... lion?

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HAL Annie, snap out of it. Hear me? ROMAN (to Annie) Yes. ANNIE The Emperor... from the cave. Sentenced for my sins. ROMAN God forgives them. ANNIE (coughing) I didnt burn your city. NAT Her fevers getting worse. Annie stops coughing, turns toward her mother. ANNIE Mama, Im sorry. MIRANDA No, baby. Youre going to be fine. ANNIE Mama, the Christmas dish. It wasnt Jeremiah Cole that broke it. It was me and I lied. That colored boys daddy beat him awful, and it was me all the time. HAL Damn it, Nat, theres got to be something you can do. NAT Hal, please. ANNIE Never mind, Uncle Hal. The sweet by and by... God, Im burning. Like hellfire. Reverend Heath. She reaches toward him, half in supplication, half in benediction. ANNIE (CONTD) Will you pray?

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Roman bows his head. ROMAN Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done-He falters, tries to continue, as Annie suddenly interrupts, singing. ANNIE Shall we gather at the river, the beautiful, beautiful river... (coughing) Shall we gather at the river that flows... by the... throne of... Shes gone. Nat checks for a pulse, tests under her nostrils with his finger. Miranda throws herself across the bed, wailing. Roman closes his book. He stares at the footboard of the bed. Ruth throws herself into Hals arms, weeping. He stares over her shoulder at the body on the bed. Annies eyes stare up at the ceiling, unblinking... And then SHE BLINKS. Hal shoves Ruth away and dives toward the bed. He pushes Miranda violently backward. She tumbles out of her chair with a scream and sprawls on the floor, sobbing. NAT Jesus, Jeffries! RUTH Uncle Hal! Breathing heavily, Hal looks at Nat, at his sister on the floor, at the still body of his niece on the bed. HAL She moved. Goddamn if she didnt. They stare at him. Miranda moans from the floor. HAL (CONTD) Didnt you see it? Just like that idiot from Florida. I swear she moved. Heath, you saw her, didnt you? Roman shakes his head. Miranda KEENS, rocking back and forth.

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NAT Hal. Take it easy. Youre in shock. HAL Christ. I saw her. (muttering) Son of a whore was right. (to the others) We have to bury her. Soon. Well bind her up. So she wont move. Hold her still. NAT Hal, youre talking crazy. HAL Hell I am. You werent there. You didnt see him. Like a mad dog. (checking his belt) I left my gun at the station. He steps toward the door. Nat grabs his shoulder. RUTH Uncle Hal! ROMAN Sheriff. Hold on. (Hal stops and looks at him) You raised a good point, just now. Dr. Halloway wasnt there when that man died. Point of fact, no one who was there had any medical schooling. We dont know, for absolute certainty, that he was dead until the other one shot him. He could have rallied there at the end. He might have been delirious with fever. HAL I got to be sure. (to Nat) Get off me. Nat holds firm. ROMAN Sheriff, your niece is dead. The Lord in His infinite wisdom has called her to Him. What youre proposing is an abomination. (MORE)

22. ROMAN (CONT'D) I will not stand by while you desecrate her body.

HAL I got to be sure. They regard each other a long moment. ROMAN Well bind her. Miranda raises her head. MIRANDA You monsters! You call yourself a man of God! HAL (nodding) Ruth, you tear up these sheets. Go on. Nat, get that morphine. If shes truly dead, wont make no difference anyway. MIRANDA Oh, God! My little girl. Ruth pulls the SHEET from the bed. She stares at it as though shes never seen one before. Then slowly, methodically, she begins to TEAR the fabric. Nat moves to the hall for his bag. Roman stands, closing his BOOK. ROMAN May God forgive us. (to Miranda) Im so sorry, Miranda. He reaches toward her shoulder. She flinches away. His hand drops. Roman dons his hat and steps into the INT. HALL where Nat is preparing a SYRINGE. Roman walks past him and out the front door.

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EXT. HAL JEFFRIES HOUSE-- EVENING Roman stands on the porch steps, surveying the late-afternoon PASSERSBY. A few regard him with curiosity or concern as they pass, the rest too busy with their own lives to take much notice. He descends the steps. A WIND picks up. Roman shivers and looks out at the desert horizon. HORIZON -- ROMANS POV The SUN sets in a blaze of red, painting the landscape with hellfire. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. MAIN STREET-- A FEW WEEKS LATER The SUN sets again, this time over the ruins of Gethsemane. INT. PARSONAGE A small FIRE crackles in the fireplace, a cast-iron pot cooking over the flames. Roman stirs his dinner with a longhandled spoon, then takes up his usual seat on the couch, the dog at his heels. He raises a glass to his lips. From outside, a VOICE cries out, indistinct. The dog growls. ROMAN Quiet. Theyll hear you. ANOTHER VOICE, closer, only slightly muffled. ANOTHER VOICE (anguished) Someone, please help! Oh, God! And now the dog starts barking. ROMAN No, damn you! He jumps to his feet and kicks at the dog. It yelps and leaps away. A CHORUS OF VOICES begins, some further away, some seemingly right outside the boarded-over windows.

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CHORUS OF VOICES Preacher! Reverend Heath! Preacher! Roman collapses back onto the sofa, clutching his head. VOICE Reverend Heath! INT. PARSONAGE--A FEW WEEKS AGO Roman stands before the mirror, donning his collar. A KNOCK comes at the door. He turns. NAT (O.S.) (muffled) Reverend Heath? Its time. INT. CHURCH Roman stands before a crowd of MOURNERS in black. ROMAN The Lord has called Annie, as He ultimately calls each of us. She has gone to glory, to life everlasting among the saints. INT. HAL JEFFRIES HOUSE-- BEDROOM Annie lies still on the bed, her arms and legs bound in crude imitation of an Egyptian mummy. Hal and Nat test the knots binding the torn sheets around her limbs. Hal nods. Nat preps one final SYRINGE. ROMAN (V.O.) So shall we all, if we have put our trust in the Lord. For in His grace, we are promised new life everlasting. The two men hoist Annies body into a plain wooden COFFIN. INT. CHURCH As before.

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ROMAN Through Gods love, all things are made possible, all wonders manifest. And in that final hour, that Day of Judgment, we shall know the resurrection of the body, and of the spirit. INT. HAL JEFFRIES HOUSE-- BEDROOM Hal and Nat NAIL the lid onto the COFFIN. ROMAN (V.O.) In me, you see manifest the work of the Lord. For once, I were as any one of you, consumed by sin and poisoned by liquor, tempted and tormented by the evil in this world. But the Lord crucified me, and laid me down, and He covered me over with His grace. They are joined by four more MEN in funeral clothes. The six pallbears hoist the COFFIN on their shoulders and carry it out the door. ROMAN (V.O.) And I was raised again into new life. EXT. CHURCHYARD--DAY A fenced in patch of grass, dotted with wooden crosses. Roman stands beside a FRESH-DUG GRAVE, a pile of earth and two SHOVELS nearby. The COFFIN rests in the hole. Hal and Nat stand to either side of the Bundren women, with the other MOURNERS behind them. Roman reads from his BOOK. ROMAN --and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. ALL Amen.

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ROMAN (looking up) Lord, in Your infinite wisdom, you have sought fit to take this child, still fresh with the innocence of youth. You have plucked her as a flower from the earth. Man that is born of woman has but a short time to live, and his days are filled with sorrow. A MUFFLED GROAN suddenly comes from the open grave. Hal starts and goes pale. Miranda clutches his arm. ROMAN (CONTD) You have gathered Annie Bundren to You, as You shall each of the saints, though no man knoweth the hour. Another GROAN, louder. A MURMUR ripples through the crowd. ROMAN (CONTD) We ask You, take pity upon us wretched sinners, who are made of dust, and shall return to it. Help us, though the way be steep, though we stumble. A SHRIEK from the grave, and then a THUD. And another. And a another. The pine boards of the coffin lid begin to CRACK. Several people CRY OUT. Miranda falls to the ground in a faint. Ruth kneels and shakes her. ROMAN (CONTD) We ask this in the name of Your only Son, who taught us to pray. THUD. THUD. A board splits, and a piece of wood falls away. Through the resulting hole, we catch glimpses of Annies contorted face. She HOWLS in rage, beating her forehead against the coffin lid. The skin of her forehead SPLITS open bloodlessly. The funeral has devolved into chaos, with people screaming, fainting, some fleeing. Sounds of wood SNAPPING and ENRAGED ANIMAL NOISES float up from the hole in the ground. Hal grabs a SHOVEL and begins throwing dirt into the hole. Roman falls to his knees, still praying.

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ROMAN (CONTD) Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. The coffin boards continue to SHATTER. Dirt spatters down on Annie face. She strains against her bonds, twisting her head and snarling. HAL Nat! Goddamn it, give me a hand! Halloway grabs the second shovel and joins in. ROMAN And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us... He loses the thread of the prayer as the thing in the coffin bellows again. ROMAN (CONTD) Deliver us from -- faster, you idiots! Dirt mounds up on top of the coffin, pinning Annies heaving shoulders. She throws her head back in a ROAR. EXT. MOUNTAINS--DAY The sound ECHOES against the hillsides... The boulders strewn over the mountain slope... The face of the cliff... To where the CAVE burrows blackly into the rock. INT. SHERIFFS OFFICE Louis St. Jean-Baptiste gazes stoically from his cell as the last ECHOES die. INT. PARSONAGE--A FEW WEEKS LATER Night. Roman lies passed out on the sofa. He jerks awake suddenly as a THUMP comes from outside-someones rapping on the wall of the parsonage. It comes again: a slow, mindless rhythm.

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A second TAPPING now, from the far end of the house-- light, quick, almost the sound of mice in the walls. The VOICES start again, shrieks, invitations, calls of Reverend Heath and Preacher! Above the babble, a single voice suddenly calls -- Annie. ANNIE (O.S.) Roman! Roman! He half walks, half drags himself to the window and peers out. EXT. MAIN STREET--NIGHT Annie stands before the parsonage, dirty, streaked with gore. One breast protrudes through the tatters of her dress. She smiles. ANNIE Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits. She laughs and lifts the hem of her skirt, revealing a thigh streaked with decomposition. She runs her hand over her skin, sighing in pleasure. ANNIE (CONTD) You called me innocent. I used to sit in church and watch you. Every gesture, every move. I ached for you. (massaging her bare breast) I still ache for you. INT. PARSONAGE Roman turns away from the window, sickened. He shuts his eyes. ANNIE (O.S.) So kind. So wise. You were right, Roman. Born to new life. EXT. MAIN STREET Annie throws her arms wide.

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ANNIE I feel His grace burning in my veins. Im lit up like a jack-o'lantern for Jesus! She dances wildly, laughing. ANNIE (CONTD) (singing jauntily) Shall we gather at the river, the beautiful, the beautiful river-INT. PARSONAGE Roman screams. ROMAN Get thee behind me, Satan! Annie laughs. OUTSIDE-- FROM BETWEEN THE BOARDS Still laughing, Annie hurls herself at the side of the house. CRASH. She staggers back. EXT. MAIN STREET Annie regains her balance. She leans against the house, one ear pressed to the boards. ANNIE (softly) Roman. My sweet. Dont wait long. She staggers away into the night. The CHORUS OF VOICES grows louder. INT. PARSONAGE Roman lurches to the ROLL-TOP desk. He shoves the empty bottles aside. They SHATTER on the floor. INT. RISKYS SALOON-- A FEW WEEKS AGO A few out of work cowpokes and dusty farmers slouch at the bar where the BARTENDER, a short, balding Irishmen, pours whisky. Strains from an OUT-OF-TUNE PIANO drift down the staircase leading up to the girls rooms.

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Ashen-faced, Roman stumbles through the swinging doors to the nearest stool. His clothes are still spattered with dirt from the cemetery. He looks down at the BOOK in his hands as though hes never seen one before. The bartender walks over. BARTENDER Reverend Heath, I understand a man of the cloth has certain responsibilities and all. But if these men wanted fire and brimstone instead of corn and rye, theyd be in your church. ROMAN Rye whisky. The Irishman hesitates. ROMAN (CONTD) Be quick about it. The bartender pours the drink and slides it to him. Roman picks up the glass, stares at it. ROMAN (CONTD) Twenty years we were boon companions: the Devil, whisky, and I. Until one day, the Lord reached down and pulled me from the fire. Eight years ago, that was. Eight years in the service of the Lord. You know what Ive discovered? The bartender runs a hand through his remaining hair and gives his head a shake. ROMAN (CONTD) Its cold out here. He drinks. INT. PARSONAGE--A FEW WEEKS LATER Romans hand closes on a bottle with a couple inches left in it: the last one. He stares at it a long moment, then throws his head back and drains the bottle.

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INT. SHERIFFS OFFICE-- A FEW WEEKS AGO-- DAY Hal clubs a ZOMBIE over the head with a busted CHAIR LEG. He backs toward Louiss cell as more ZOMBIES pour in through the door. LOUIS Damn it, man, give me a gun! You stupid son of a bitch! Louis sticks his arm through the bars, straining to reach the HOLSTERED .45S on the desk. Hal looks at Louis, at the guns. His face hardens. He batters Louiss arm with the chair leg. Louis curses and backs away to the far wall. Hal spins as another zombie sinks its dirty nails into the back of his neck. He clubs it down, but the next one has him. Another joins in, and another. He screams as they bear him to the floor. EXT. MAIN STREET--DAY Chaos reigns: flames tear through Riskys, sending up great billows of black smoke. GUNSHOTS and SCREAMS fill the air. A zombie in overalls chases after a screaming little girl. His foot connects with a SEVERED HEAD lying in the dusty street, sending it flying. Two more zombies play tug-of-war with a struggling Nat Halloway. His abdomen SPLITS OPEN with a WET TEARING sound. Nat squeals. The two creatures pull their respective halves to opposite sides of the street, unspooling NATS INTESTINES like so much clothesline. A cowboy with pistols drawn jumps THROUGH THE FRONT WINDOW of the barbershop in an explosion of glass, FIRING WILDLY back into the shop. He lands on his back in the street, and keeps firing. One bullet strikes a zombie in the shoulder. It staggers back, rights itself, comes on again. The next shot takes it square between the eyes, but theres another behind it. He SHOOTS until both guns are empty. Theyre still coming. He tries to reload, stealing glances at the approaching monsters. The first gun loaded, he spins the CYLINDER into place, aims--

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--and an old woman in shawl and bonnet dives on him from behind. He screams as her teeth severe his carotid artery, spraying blood in all directions. INT. SHERIFFS OFFICE--LATER Its quiet now. Louis sits in the far corner of the cell, slumped to the floor. The rest of the building has been ransacked, the walls and floor slick with blood. Flies BUZZ all over the place, gluttons at a banquet. Theirs is the only sound. A SHAPE staggers in through the door, dirty, disheveled-drunk. Its Roman, though barely recognizable. He holds a REVOLVER outstretched, his hand wavering. He blinks owlishly and covers a burp against the other hand. Roman staggers over to the cell and bangs his revolver against the bars. ROMAN Wakey-wakey. You one of them? LOUIS No. No, Im afraid I aint. ROMAN Me neither. He digests the situation a moment. Covers another burp. ROMAN (CONTD) Say. You got anything to drink? EXT. PARSONAGE--DAY Louis throws a PITCHER OF WATER into Romans face. The preacher wriggles on the ground, hands tied behind his back. Louis pumps some more. The dog sits nearby, watching the men quizzically. ROMAN You whoremaster. Ungrateful little-LOUIS Turn the other cheek, padre. He throws more water.

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INT. PARSONAGE--NIGHT The two men sit around the FIRE, drinking coffee. A slab of meat sizzles on the spit. LOUIS Theyre a hell of a lot more dangerous at night. Smarter. Faster. A woman screams outside. WOMAN Somebody help me! Roman starts to rise to his feet. Louis stays him. LOUIS One of their tricks. ROMAN How can you be sure? LOUIS You cant. And if Im wrong, nothing you can do would be worth spit. Theyd get you both. ROMAN You know the story of the Good Samaritan? LOUIS Sure. Only this time, when he stoops over the feller in the ditch, the man rears up and bites his face off. They sit in silence a moment. The WIND buffets the house. ROMAN Why us? LOUIS You tell me, padre. (sipping coffee) I can tell you what will happen, though. Seen it before. Theyll smell us out, you and me and anyone else wretched enough to still be alive. Theyll pick this town clean before moving on.

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ROMAN Well leave, then. Louis nods. LOUIS Try anyway. In the morning, when theyve slowed. INT. PARSONAGE--DAY The two men suit up for their journey: ammo belts, guns strapped across their hips and shoulders. Louis inspects a SHOTGUN and hands it to Roman. They pick up two heavy packs waiting by the door. Louis whistles to the dog, who pads over, wagging its tail. They step out into sunshine, the door closing behind them. GUNFIRE echoes against the hills, five, six shots. Silence. EXT. MAIN STREET--DAY Bodies litter the street. Louis looks at Roman, who nods. They start for the road out of town. EXT. MOUNTAINS-- A SERIES OF SHOTS The two men and the dog pick their way up the rock-strewn slope. Roman pauses, leaning against a boulder. He grabs the FLASK hanging from his pack and has a drink. Louis keeps walking. Roman adjusts his pack and hurries to keep up. Clouds drift lazily along the crest of the ridge. EXT. BOULDER PASS--DAY Louis and Roman sit on the rocks, eating a meager lunch. LOUIS Keep your eyes open. Theres a cave around here somewhere. ROMAN The one those boys from Florida found?

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LOUIS Theres a whole mess of them up here. Folks used to say they was all connected, a maze of tunnels into the center of the earth. Hell, I dont know. Roman scans the gap nervously. EXT. HIGHER UP THE PASS--DAY The mountains rise almost vertical to either side. Its slow going, the ground steep, the rocks treacherous. Louis carries the dog in his arms. A ROCK, dislodged by Romans foot, rolls down the incline. It caroms off a boulder, then another rock, picking up speed. The sound of its progress reverberates in the still air. Roman sucks in his breath, frozen. Louis looks back at him-what the hell are you doing? A SCREAM like the cry of a hawk fills the air, bouncing from the cliff faces, ricochetting off boulders. Roman and Louis look everywhere, seeking the source of the cry. The dog shakes itself loose from Louiss arms and bolts up the slope. LOUIS Come on! Louis breaks into a stumbling run after the dog. Roman follows. The SCREAM comes again. Louis trips over a stone and goes down hard. Panting, he starts to regain his feet. Freezes. A CREVICE opens into the rock on his left. A zombie stands in the opening, watching him. It takes a shambling step forward. Louis draws his Colt and FIRES, hitting the thing in the stomach. It doubles over, clutching its abdomen. Louis gets to his feet. The thing rights itself. Louis aims... A second zombie throws itself on him from behind, snarling. He struggles to break free. LOUIS (CONTD) Roman!

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The second zombies head EXPLODES as Roman fires both barrels of the SHOTGUN. Louis turns back to the first zombie, which is nearly upon him. He fires, point blank. The zombie collapses, but two more have staggered out of the cave. Another zombie, legless, crawls out from behind a boulder, blocking the path. It grins hungrily and starts wriggling toward them, pulling itself along with its arm. Roman looks back over his shoulder. Three of the UNDEAD are climbing up the rocks behind him. He looks at Louis, who is creeping backward toward him, firing at the creatures as they leave the cave. Then he turns his attention to the climbers. Roman kills each of them, then turns to see Louis now surrounded by SIX ZOMBIES. The Frenchman throws away his revolver and draws two MACHETES. LOUIS (CONTD) Come on, you bastards. Come on! He slashes at his assailants, severing the arm of one, decapitating another, but there are too many of them. One bites his arm. He screams. The crawler sinks his teeth into Louiss ankle. Louiss legs buckle under him, and he goes down, screaming. Roman, revolvers drawn, FIRES. The bullet tears through the neck of a zombie feasting on Louiss shoulder. He shoots again, and the bullet tears through Louiss forehead, killing him instantly. The zombies go on feeding. One of them raises his head, gore running down his chin. He stares blankly at Roman a second, then bares his teeth in a snarl. Roman flees back down the pass toward town. He loses his footing, landing on his ass, but his momentum is to great: he skids several feet. His pants TEAR. He gets to his feet, gasping. He shrugs off the pack and sprints down the slope. Behind him, the zombies have started their descent. Roman dodges between the boulders where they stopped for lunch. A ZOMBIE pops out from behind the one on the right, but Roman breaks free of its grasp.

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His HEARTBEAT pounds in his ears, his labored BREATH like thunder. The sun drops toward the horizon. EXT. THE ROAD TO GETHSEMANE--NIGHT Roman staggers toward town as the sun sets. Hes slowing down, bent over in pain. Hes not going to make it. Behind him, the last of the suns rays silhouette the descending line of figures. Still coming. He falls to his knees with a wordless SHOUT. Panting, crying, he crouches in the dust, unable to go on. The dog BARKS. Roman looks up to see it sprinting toward him from the hills, coming in fast. He gets to his feet, and as the dog reaches him, breaks into a run. EXT. MAIN STREET--NIGHT They enter the town together. A DEAD MAN in a stained waistcoat steps onto the porch of a house. He straightens his clothes and checks the time. His mouth CREAKS into an obscenity of a smile. Ruth lies facedown in the street, rotting but still recognizable. As Roman passes, her hand sneaks out and grabs his trousers. She smiles up at him. RUTH Your bless, Reverend? He jerks free and runs for the parsonage. The POSSE from the mountain enters Main Street, running after him. DEAD MAN Careful, boys. Tired meat is bland meat! Roman reaches the front door, jerks it open, and runs inside.

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INT. PARSONAGE--NIGHT He slams the door behind him. The dog, still outside, BARKS. The ZOMBIE POSSE fills the air with screams. Roman opens the door a foot. The dog bursts through to safety just as the zombies arrive. One rotting ARM shoves through the gap, seeking. Roman shoves against the door. From the other side, SQUEALS of delight. The door heaves. ROMAN God damn it! The cords in his neck stand out as he strains against the door. At last the ARM withdraws. Roman slams the door shut and leans against it, panting. The zombies continue to THUMP against it. Glass breaks in another part of the house. SHADOWS flicker between the boards that cover the windows. Roman closes his eyes, pushing back against the door. ROMAN (CONTD) If only we had died by the Lords hand in Egypt. Oh, God! DISSOLVE TO: EXT. MAIN STREET--DAY Dawn. The street is empty, littered with trash and body parts. The exterior of the parsonage is quite a bit worse for wear, though. INT. PARSONAGE--DAY Roman sits on the floor, back pressed against the door, dozing. The dog walks over and nuzzles his hand. He wakes up and runs a hand along the back of the dogs neck. They gaze at each other, nose to nose. ROMAN Im so sorry, boy.

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The dog whines. Roman gets to his feet, groaning, and crosses to the row of mostly-full BOTTLES on his desk. He pours a drink, downs it. Then another. He staggers to the sofa and collapses. INT. PARSONAGE--LATER The scene from the beginning. Roman asleep. The dog licks him awake, he pushes it away with a curse. Roman looks out between the boards over the window. EXT. MAIN STREET--DAY The LITTLE GIRL nudges the DOLL with her foot. She stops, bends down to look at it. BLAM. INT. PARSONAGE--LATER Roman stands at the basin, dressed in his black shirt and collar. He shaves, then wets his hair, slicking it back. He stares at his reflection in the spotted fragment of MIRROR nailed to the wall. Roman kneels on the floor, surrounded by BROKEN LIQUOR BOTTLES. He clasps his hands in prayer. ROMAN Father, take this cup from me. Roman weeps. The dog pads to his side. Roman embraces him, hooking his fingers into the fur on the back of the animals neck. Roman draws a KNIFE from his belt. The dog, sensing a change, tries to scoot backward. His TOENAILS scrabble against the floorboards. Roman holds him fast. Sobbing, Roman PLUNGES THE KNIFE into the dogs belly. The dog BARKS once, then falls over, twitching. Blood froths its muzzle. Roman watches until the dog stills. He stares at his BLOODSMEARED hand. Spots of blood dot his face and ministers COLLAR. Roman picks up an unbroken BOTTLE with perhaps half an inch of liquor left in it. He carries it to the sofa and dumps the contents on the stained cushions.

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Roman lights a match and tosses it onto the sofa. FLAMES engulf the sofa. The WALLPAPER on the wall behind it blackens and starts to peel. Roman heads for the door. EXT. MAIN STREET--DAY Roman crosses the distance between the parsonage and the church steps. SMOKE begins to billow through the slats over the houses windows. Roman mounts the steps to the INT. CHURCH-- SERIES OF SHOTS Its dim, dusty inside. And oh so quiet. Dust motes dance in a stray beam of sunlight peeking through the stained glass. Roman binds the doors from the inside with IRON CHAINS. He tests their strength-- good enough. He rolls up his sleeves and, with the help of a CROWBAR, starts prying apart the boards of a PEW. Later. Several pews have been demolished, their BOARDS stacked haphazardly in a pile. Roman nails one BOARD over a section of stained glass. Behind him, we see several other windows boarded up. Roman lights a CANDLE on the ALTAR. Four others flicker beside it. The sills of the boarded-over windows hold additional CANDLES. Roman bends over the keys of the church ORGAN, blowing away the DUST. He adjusts the bench and sits. He begins to play, something regal, ponderous, perhaps a Bach fugue. He pauses in mid-phrase, and suddenly shifts to a raucous rendition of Camptown Races. He stops abruptly, hands going to his lap in a school boy gesture-- No marm, I didnt do nothin. The WIND buffets the side of the church, causing the timbers to GROAN. Roman touches the keys again, and begins to play-- Shall We Gather At the River. Later. Roman paces up and down the aisle, reading Scripture from his BOOK.

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ROMAN Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place, that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it? EXT. MOUNTAINS The sun sets. ROMAN (V.O.) -- Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me -INT. CHURCH--NIGHT Roman raises the COMMUNION BREAD over the altar and tears it in two. ROMAN He gave it to them, and said, Take. Eat. This is my body. He raises the COMMUNION CUP. ROMAN (CONTD) Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And He said to them, This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many. He sips from the CUP, his eyes closed. He sets it on the altar, and scans the empty pews. Shadows darken in the far corners of the church. EXT. MAIN STREET--NIGHT The parsonage has all but burned out now, but the fire has spread: the SHERIFFs OFFICE is engulfed, and the dry goods store. Sparks CRACKLE toward the sky. EXT. CHURCH--NIGHT The BELL in the steeple begins to chime.

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INT. CHURCH Roman stands in the atrium, pulling the BELL ROPE. His jaw clenches with effort. He rocks on his heels with the motion of the bell. EXT. MAIN STREET The BELL peals over the ROAR of the fire. EXT. MOUNTAINS The BELLs clang reverberates against the mountains... EXT. BOULDER PASS And, faintly, reaches the pass where the crevice opens into the rock. A line of ZOMBIES climbs out through the crevice, headed down to the valley. EXT. THE ROAD TO GETHSEMANE-- NIGHT The THRONG OF ZOMBIES has grown. We see familiar faces in the crowd-- Miranda, Ruth, the old woman with the bonnet, the creatures who took down Louis. EXT. MAIN STREET They march between the great COLUMNS OF FIRE, hundreds of them. And now heres ANNIE, dancing her jig at the front of the line. To the front steps of the church. INT. CHURCH Roman, as before. From outside, a confusion of VOICES mingling with the sound of the BELL. The DOORS, still chained, begin to SHAKE as those outside hammer and tug on it. ROMAN (laughing) Lo, I stand at the door and knock! He rings on.

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EXT. CHURCH--NIGHT The THRONG smashes at the door, screaming, laughing, moaning. Annie smashes her hands and face against the doors, her hair flung wildly in all directions. ANNIE (screaming, hoarse) Roman! Roman! INT. CHURCH The DOORS begin to splinter. Grasping HANDS strain through the holes. The CHAINS shake, beginning to slip. Roman clings to the rope, pulling harder. EXT. CHURCH THE DOORS GIVE WAY. Annie tumbles forward, still screaming. The others charge over her, crushing her against the steps. They pour inside. INT. CHURCH The zombies charge into the atrium. They latch onto Roman, pulling him. He cries out, holding onto the rope with everything he has. Its not enough. The zombies drag him, screaming, down the aisle. Roman is LIFTED over the crowd, body-surfing on a sea of decay. They scratch his face, tear his clothing. He slams onto his back on top of the altar. Roman screams a final time as the zombies TEAR OPEN HIS ABDOMEN and begin their feast. ROMAN (V.O.) This is my body. Take, eat. CUT TO BLACK.