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Blackthorne
Cinemagenic Eighty-Nine
Bare Knuckles
“You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.”
--Indira Gandhi.
1(sound cue) grunts, growls and groans over a kettle
drum and a guitar.
2(overhead crane shot) as both fists found their mark.
3(cut to steadicam operators) The fight continues,
and it is filmed in real choreographed moments; no
jump cuts, or hand-held jerkiness.
Buck let loose of the leg, and Thor lifted off the
floor, almost swallowing his tongue from the waves of
loin pain, and landed flat on his butt, sitting up; his
face drained of color. Buck swung into the fog in front
of him, cuffing the hardcase with an open hand, like a
sow bear does with her cub, catching Thor on the side
of his head, knocking him to his back on the floor.
Buck roared like a wounded badger, swinging
his arms wildly, thrashing and swimming through the
brain mist, working himself to his feet. His teeth were
clenched, his mouth bloody, and he shook his shaggy
head like a bison bull. There was a quiet moment as
Thor, to his credit, struggled to get up. His eyes were
red peach pits in his battered face. Buck waited on him.
Paul Bronson: That’s it, Thor. He can’t whip you! Now,
kick the squawman’s ass!
Buck’s vision cleared, and he moved in while
Thor was still on his knees, lashing out with his boot
this time, smashing the gunfighter in the middle of his
back, pitching him forward onto his face.. Buck waited.
Thor lay there, growling like a wolverine in a trap,
blowing blood bubbles. He struggled to his knees again,
gasping for breath. Buck didn’t move. With a rasping
yelp, Thor pushed himself to his feet. He stood there
tottering back and forth like a drunk. One eye was
swelled shut and blood ran from his left ear.
Buck: Give up--you’ve proved your point .
Thor spit up red foam as he charged Buck
with his head down. Buck sidestepped and hit the
gunslinger on the top of the head, driving Thor to
the floor once more. This time, Thor lie as still as
a stone.
Paul suddenly pleaded: Stay down, brother. Stay
down--fuck him, he’s just too big for you!
4(three-shot) Thor painfully got to his feet. Joe Hop
and Paul Bronson helped him up.
5(sound cue) low murmur from crowd over a piano.
Joe Hop: It’s enough. You did better than most of us
thought. I lost money on you.
Paul Bronson: It was a good fight! Everyone’s calling
it a draw.
6(close-up) Thor: That’s horseshit!
7(medium wide shot) Everyone can see that you beat
me this time, but the next time that we lock horns, Mr.
Buck, you better be wearing those big guns of yours--
and then we’ll play this goddamn game again; my way.
Buck nodded, closing his eyes for a moment.
8(sound cue) the music started up again.
9(overhead crane shot) the circle was broken. Folks
began to dance again; for them the incident was over.
The red-headed caller began clapping his big hands,
and keeping time with one prancing foot.
10(medium wide shot) Buck walked without help.
Johnny carried his shirt. The deputy and Paul helped
Thor into a chair. Paul began dabbing at Thor’s cuts
with a whiskey-soaked handkerchief. The sheriff
followed Buck over to the spiked punch table.
Salina and Henry were standing there.
11(medium close up) Joe Hop: I got six months.
12(two-shot) Buck, pulling his shirt back on: What
do you mean, Sheriff?
Joe Hop: In six months, my term as Sheriff is up.
They don’t hold elections here. The town council
picks a man.
Wallace: I’m on the town council.
Sheriff: You certainly are.
Wallace: Damn it, man--it was Bronson’s bunch that
got you appointed. The rest of us figured you’d just
be carrying his water.
Sheriff: Somehow, I don’t think Mr. Bronson has such
a high opinion of me these days. He flashed a small
smile, shook his head, and melted back into the
raucous crowd or revelers.
Glenn Buttkus
Posted over at
dVerse Poets Pub
