Dead Man's Burden Page #3

---

I ain't dead little sunshine.

(Music)

(Gasps)

(Music)

And then, Wade here

comes bursting through,

half his face white with

cream the other smooth

as a baby's bottom, and me I'm

standing there covered in mud

and dirt sobbing like

the little girl I was.

It must have taken

you a good hour

to wipe all that dirt off of me.

And that the last

time you saw each other?

I'm looking at her now.

That night Wade

left for the war.

(Noise)

Any youngins?

This ain't no place

to raise a child.

(Noise)

Sure is a fine

piece of land though.

Found it with fresh

eyes I'd imagine.

And how come it is, this

is the first years you're

seeing it?

Heck.

It's a fair question.

(Noise)

What's that?

It's a letter.

Would you ever imagine

your baby sister be reading

and writing?

(Noise)

This is from Pa.

(Noise)

"Wade, it is with much worry

that I seek myself to pen you."

How'd this get so burnt?

It's legible.

(Noise)

"Things do not

stand well between us.

I make no apologies and

I write you now only

because I see nowhere else.

You were always the responsible

one and I beseech you now

to be responsible

for the family."

When did you get this?

Two weeks past.

(Noise)

Joe has been in

the ground a month.

Yeah?

(Noise)

"We've been living for

these past years on a homestead

and I beseech you

watch over the family

for if you're reading these

words then I am killed."

What are you aiming

to do here, mister?

(Noise)

No, no, no.

It's all right.

It's all right.

Who sent it?

(Noise)

I reckoned you did.

(Noise)

Are you taking leave of me?

(Noise)

It wasn't my intent

to cause you pain.

(Noise)

How did he die?

He was thrown by a horse.

(Noise)

Something bothering you?

You can tell me.

It's strange is all.

Seems how we thought you dead.

(Noise)

Why you reckon Joe

wrote me that letter?

I think I'd rather know

what it is you're wanting.

(Noise)

I'd prefer not to

sleep in Joe's room

if that's all right with you.

(Noise)

I do believe we could

do something about that.

(Noise)

He should be gone.

We'll speak on

it in the morning.

We'll speak on it now.

We will do no such

thing, Heck Kirkland.

We'll say nothing on it

'til you've regained your

moral character.

(Footsteps)

[Inaudible Remark]

Don't I know it?

(Noise)

Wade will kill you if he

finds out what you've done.

He's my brother.

Joe was your father.

He's in a better place now.

(Noise)

Wade raised me more

than Pa ever did.

I ought to run him off.

What if I don't want that?

(Noise)

You put it to him?

There ain't nothing that keeps a

man away for coming on 10 years.

Of course, there's a reason.

Maybe I ought to

find out what it is.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes