by Elmer Kelton
TODD (CONT'D)
(in a choked voice)
Where's Jenny?
CABUS
(releasing the handshake
and covering his face
with both hands)
Lawd God! Lawd God!
TODD
Where is she! Tell me! Tell me!
CABUS
(in a strangled voice)
She gone, son! She pass away!
Todd turns woodenly to Comanche, leans with head in crossed arms on the pommel of the saddle, wailing.
TODD
(in a choked voice)
What took her?
CABUS
(sobs it out)
She die abirthing y'all's little boy... He still-bawn.
Todd looks up at Cabus wild-eyed with terror and shock. They stand arrested for a moment. Then Todd catches and holds a deep breath, letting it go explosively as he weaves towards the porch, where he drops to sit next to a porch post, embracing it as if too dazed to sit upright. Cabus comes over and sits beside him. After a moment, Todd comes to himself halfway and studies the ruined fields of the Ticknor plantation.
TODD
You out here all by yourself?
CABUS
Sho am. Kunnel Ticknor he die
afightin that Sherman army over
yonner in Jawgia. Miz Ticknor
she live in town now. I looks
aftah the place--whut they is
left of it.
Todd suddenly reaches out and grasps Cabus's right hand in both his own.
TODD
You've always her real daddy, Cabus. I'm never gonna forget that.
CABUS
(as they shake their four
gripped hands hard together)
I never gonna forget you neither, son.
FADE TO:
EXT. RISE NEAR MILCOURT - DAY
Todd tops the rise and reins in to look at Milcourt. We see with him the principal buildings, including the courthouse and the Dayton Building. In the b.g. stands the hanging tree. As in a vision, A MONTAGE of scenes swept in RAGING FLAMES, then THE FIGURE of JENNY appearing shadowy beyond flames, with the BABY in her arms. After a pause, magnetized by her presence, Todd allows the visionary flames to fade, the town standing clear again in actuality.
TODD
I'll never burn it now, darling.
Nor kill nobody neither. For your
sake. And the sake of our...son.
EXT. BLAIR HOMESTEAD - DAY
Todd comes riding in on the road from Milcourt. He stops a little way off to look at the cabin. Jenk, much taller now, is at the spring filling a water bucket. He sees Todd, sets the bucket down and runs toward the house yelling.
JENK
Come here! Come here, everbody! Yonner's Todd! Todd's come home!
The whole family emerges from the cabin, with a couple of years' change in evidence. Sis is far along in pregnancy. Her husband guides her through the door ahead of him: Willun Hackett, home some time since with a wounded leg. He limps a little. Embracing each other, vociferous, the whole family goes into a happy tumult of greeting. Then Sis stand backs, turning serious.
SIS
(softly)
It's peace now, Todd. Just think.
(she pauses, eyes tender
upon him)
Peace with everybody. And with everything.
It is obvious that her former desire for vengeance is swallowed up in hopes for the reborn future. The breeze presses her skirts around her full womb. Todd nods slowly:
TODD
Peace. Yes. But...
SIS
Let 'peace' be enough, Todd. Not just for now, but from now on.
Todd does not answer. There is a moment of hesitating silence before Sis takes Todd by the hand and murmurs:
SIS (CONT'D)
Let's go look at the wildflowers me and Ma sowed around Pap's grave.
DOLLY BACK to MIDDLE DISTANCE as the family walks R. toward the grave a distance away, which in a little while comes in view before them, the cross and all surrounded by a breeze-stirred profusion of bluebonnets, Indian paintbrush, evening primroses, thelasperma, wild phlox etc.--a ritual abundance of Texas wildflowers.
While the characters move across this space and come to stand in homage at the grave, all the necessary titles and credits are scrolled down the scene, including among others the CAST, DIRECTOR, PRODUCERS, SCREENWRITER etc.
At the end of all other credits, the FOLLOWING should appear:
ADAPTED FROM THE NOVEL
A BRIGHT TRAGIC THING
by
L. D. Clark
FADE OUT.
