Blackthorne--Scene 55

image borrowed from ebsqart.com

Blackthorne

Cinemagenic Fifty-Five

Alacrity

“So, in the way of writing without thinking, thou hast

a strange alacrity in sinking.”--Thomas Sackville.

1(wide crane shot) behind the five riders, with Buck 

& the Eagle facing off against them.

2(sound cue) Cheewa growling.

3(medium close-up) One of the wranglers : 

I may have to shoot that damn dog.

4(overhead drone shot ) high above the seven men,

then descending down toward them. A buzzard flew

across the frame half-way down.

4(sound cue) wings flapping over seed rattle.

5(two shot) Johnny’s flushed face & Buck’s knitted 
brows.

6(medium close-up) Buck : Your land, you say, since when?

7(sound cue) piano chord--off key.

8(medium close-up) Bronson : Ever since I’ve been running

my herds out here.

9(tight close-up) Buck : Just how long has that been 
going on?

10(two-shot) Over Buck’s shoulder, Bronson : Hell, it must 
be over a year now.

11(voice-over) Thor : More like two years.

Bronson: Yeah, I think you”re right, brother.

12(four-shot) Johnny : As far as we knew, all this was open 

range. Thor spat : Now you know different !

13(sound cue) saxophone & snare drum.

14(medium close-up) Johnny Eagle : Alright, gents, how’s it 

going to be?--his voice was like a taunt cello string, his 
cheeks fluttering, his body one tight muscle.

15(medium wide shot) Johnny & Buck with their backs 
to the camera, as an awkward second creeps by.

16(tight close-up) Buck flicked off the snap on his holster 
holding his sawed-off side arm.

17(camera pans smoothly, swiftly) over the faces of the five 
riders; they all saw him.

18(medium solo-shot) Bronson rose up slowly in this stirrups,

the fancy leather creaking, crossed his right leg over the neck 
of his palomino, then leaned on his elbows, staring intensely
at Buck, before smiling broadly : Well, Christ on a sawhorse. 
let’s all take a breath here. I’m sure that you boys worked 
real hard collecting these shabby ass jackrabbits.

19(close-up) a prairie dog stuck its head up from his burrow,

chirped, & ducked back down out of sight.

20(medium close-up) You god damn rights we did !! snapped

Johnny, his anger smoldering in his eyes.

21(two-shot) over Johnny’s shoulder as Bronson calmly

continued to smile, the man on the high pommel, in control--

Now I want you fellows to understand, I am still hoping to 

keep this visit in the “warning” category.

22(sound cue) French horn & banjo.

23(tight close-up) Bronson : The only problem is, it just 
would not sit right with my men if I was to let you off Scot-
free.

24(two-shot) Buck & the Eagle stood in silence--waiting.

25(close-up) Bronson : I’ll tell you what, in order to make

everybody happy, how about this--you give me the 
Appaloosa--and thank-you by the way for capturing him, my 
own crew couldn’t get it done--and for the present I’ll just 
pretend not to see those other jugheads.

26(close up) Johnny, through clenched teeth : How about this

--you eat shit & live.

27(medium wide crane shot) Bronson remained in the saddle,

but the other four men rose up in unison & slowly 
stepped off their mounts.

28(sound cue) muted coronet bleats.

29(two-shot) Bronson: Not a smart play, Johnny.

Thor : You fucking breed, we could take all the horses, and 
then stake your sad butt on a fire ant hill

30( quick-cut, angle on Buck) I wouldn’t do that if I were 
you.

31(sound cue) snare drum bap & seed rattle.

32(medium wide shot) Thor turned toward Buck, his hands 
on his hips just above his gun belt, his voice low & calm
: I don’t know you, Hoss, but believe me, unless you want to die 
today,  you need to stay out of things that are not your concern. 
This business is between this damn Indian & my brother.

33(two-shot) over Thor’s shoulder--Buck : I’m sorry, fella, but

you’re all mixed up.

34(medium close-up) Bronson : What are you jawing about?

35(close-up) Buck : Johnny Eagle works for me. These are 

my horses. He can’t give you anything. You need to deal 

with me.

36(three-shot) Bronson, to Johnny : Is this true?

Buck set his jaw, & the Eagle nodded yes, eying the

Rifle near his bed roll, & flicking his thumb across the 
sharp edge of his throwing knife.                          

Glenn Buttkus

Posted over at dVerse Poets Pub OLN