EXT. ABYSS - NIGHT

WINER

Whoa, whoa, whoa... Stop.

AMBER

What? Hardin’s voice bellows again from behind them. HARDIN’S VOICE (shouting) I can even see you! You’re by that big pit of a thing... Which, it so happens, is soon goin’ to be your permanent home.

WINER

(looking at the abyss) We can use this.

AMBER

How?

WINER

I just need to get him close enough to it. Go around to the other side.

AMBER

I told you I’m not leavin’ you here...

WINER

(cutting her off) Just go! I don’t wanna hafta worry about where you are as well as him. 102.

AMBER

I love you. She runs away into the darkness. Winer hobbles around, blood flowing into his eyes, to face Hardin. He appears a moment or two later, holding the rifle casually, as if it were a toy.

HARDIN

Well, well, well - you made it out here by yerselves. How mighty thoughtful of you. Makin’ it so convenient for me ‘n all... So I don’t have to drag the bodies that far to get rid of them, I mean. And I do mean bodies, because I think you done ruined that girl for me. Made her way too willful... She’s no good to me now. You can blame yourself for that one too, Winer.

WINER

Fuck you, Hardin. It’s just as likely you’s goin’ down that pit as me. Hardin grins.

HARDIN

Well, that strikes me as a little unlikely, son. Seein’ as it’s me holding a thirty-ought-six and you got - what again? Winer pulls the sheath from his pocket, pulls the knife from its sheath. He holds it up. This time Hardin actually laughs.

HARDIN

A knife. I got a gun and you got a knife. You got balls, boy - I gotta give you that. But that’s all you got really. ‘Cause what little brains you got are soon gonna be splattered all over them rocks back there. He holds up the rifle and FIRES. Winer just has time to duck behind a tree before a big piece of it gets blasted away by Hardin’s slug. 103.

HARDIN

(shouting) You still got options, boy - you can make this quick, or you can let me play around with you once I do find you. You know what that means - I don’t have to tell you that... and I will find you - With a mighty roar, Winer hurls himself at Hardin with as much force as he can muster. He throws Hardin off balance, and their combined momentum takes them almost to the edge of the pit. But only almost. Hardin pivots and throws Winer to the ground. Winer grabs the rifle at the last moment and rips it from Hardin’s grip. His own grip isn’t strong enough to hold onto it, however, and the rifle flies away into the abyss.

HARDIN

(growling) That’s all right - I don’t need a rifle to swat a fly. He lunges at Winer and grabs him before Winer can retrieve his knife from where it landed. Hardin begins dragging Winer to the lip of the abyss.

HARDIN

Say hi to your daddy when you see ‘im... Tell ‘im I give him my regards and wish I was there to spit in his face personally... You’ll do that for me, won’t you, boy? 104.

WINER

Fuck you, Hardin.

HARDIN

Fiesty to the end... I gotta admit, I like that about you, Winer. It’s almost a shame I’m gonna hafta do this - I might even miss you once or twice. He begins pushing Winer over lip. Winer struggles as hard as he can, but he’s wounded and Hardin is bigger. It looks like a losing battle until Winer notices Amber several feet away, looking frantically about for a weapon. Seeing Winer’s eyes shift, Hardin turns around and catches Amber just as she picks up a LARGE STONE.

HARDIN

You - you couldn’t even have enough sense to keep runnin’ and save yourself... Winer lunges for the knife. Grabbing it, he launches himself at Hardin and buries the blade into his neck. Hardin screams as a fountain of BLOOD erupts from his punctured jugular.

HARDIN

(turning to Winer) You little fuck! Winer lunges again, this time burying the knife in the middle of Hardin’s chest. Hardin’s eyes widen in response, almost as if he were surprised, scandalized. He opens his mouth to speak, but only blood comes out. With the knife in Hardin’s chest, Winer pushes him to the edge of the abyss. He puts his hand on Hardin and pushes while yanking the knife free. Hardin falls, disappearing into the depths. Amber comes to Winer’s side as he watches the darkness swallow Hardin up.

AMBER

Is he dead?

WINER

I can’t be sure, but I can’t see anyone coming back from that. They look at each other. 105.

AMBER

Now what?

WINER

Well - the law’s comin’, if they ain’t here already... I just got out of jail and the first thing I did was come and burn down Hardin’s bar. Plus, they won’t be able to find Hardin. That don’t look good for me. Amber thinks about it, but only for a moment.

AMBER

Well, we should run. Let’s go.

WINER

You serious? You’ll go with me? She nods, a grin spreading on her face at the idea.

AMBER

Yeah - neither one of us has got anything here. They stand for a moment, as if waiting for the other to say something. But there isn’t anything left to say. Leaning again on her for support, Winer and Amber Rose disappear into the woods.

WINER

You goin’ to miss this place?

AMBER

Not even for a second. FADE TO: