Gangs of New York Page #4

VALLON BATTLES three Natives who come at him at once.

Monk Eastman grabs a Native in his arms like a groom hugging a bride. He

raises his knee and brings the man crashing down across it, BREAKING his

spine like a Thanksgiving wishbone.

The gallery of Street Kids is awed by this display of power from a new

star in the making.

The Rabbit Warrior in the home-made armor grins at an intrepid Native and

lowers his battle-axe. The Native rushes as the

Rabbit Warrior swings and SEPARATES the man from his legs.

A NATIVE WOMAN lowers her head and charges her Dead Rabbit adversary,

delivering a shattering BUTT to his stomach.

A NATIVE BOY holds a rusty old pistol, which he uses at pointblank range

against several Rabbits.

A RABBIT WOMAN flies into a Native, using her IRON FINGER EXTENSIONS to

GOUGE his face.

The NATIVE with the deadly belt uses it to TEAR a piece out of a Rabbit's

face.

Amsterdam, beginning now to be overwhelmed by the hellish fight, looks

around in growing PANIC for his father.

SHANG uses his lead-rat blackjack to clear an escape back toward the

Brewery. The Street Kids can tell he's trying to escape, and start BOOING

him...

... as Shang's GRABBED from behind and pulled off his feet by a PEG-LEGGED

NATIVE. He THROWS the boy to the ground and pins him by holding the

sword-sharp point of his wooden leg against Shang's throat.

SHANG:

(desperate)

I run with you! I'm one of you! Born a Native American from the blood of

five generations!

PEG-LEG

Yeah? Then you oughta be a red Indian.

He pushes down. Shang starts to bleed. But now PEG LEG is distracted by

the sudden SOUND of bells and whistles. He watches the BOY trembling on

the ground, then moves off him, making for the sound of the bell, leaving

the BOY quaking.

The SOUND grows louder as TWO HORSE-DRAWN CARTS full of battle ready

POLICE tear around the curve of a narrow thoroughfare and stop in Paradise

Square.

The BELLS on the carts toll loudly and work magic. The fighting stops.

The POLICE, all carrying clubs and wearing leather helmets, LEAP OFF the

wagons.

There are several moments of ABSOLUTE SILENCE, broken only by the SOUND of

the wind and the GROANS of the wounded.

Then, as one, the Dead Rabbits and the Native Americans RUSH the police

together, hurtling stones and brandishing weapons. Even the Street Kids

get into the act, kicking and biting and generally having a fine time.

The gangs SWARM all over the police, driving them back. Some lucky cops

climb back on the wagons and try to get away. The unlucky police remain

behind, dead on the ground.

The GANGS cheer, jeer and continue to throw things at the retreating

POLICE. When the second wagon disappears from view, the GANGS confront

each other once again.

Another brief moment of QUIET. The Street Kids settle back into their

spectator role. Then the GANGS go at each other with fresh intensity.

Amsterdam finally SEES his father and starts to PUSH his way toward him.

VALLON and BILL THE BUTCHER stand facing each other in the midst of battle

like two titans:
then they rush at each other, joining with a terrible

fury.

Shang, still blindly SWINGING his blackjack, makes his way closer to the

relative safety of the Brewery, his face stained with tears of fear. He

hits someone. The MAN turns, swats him down. Shang sprawls on the street,

which is a SWAMP of mud and blood and dirty snow, and finds himself face

to face with a departed PEG LEG. Someone has removed his artificial limb

and driven it through his heart.

Across the square, Amsterdam has reached his father in time to see a

NATIVE AMERICAN sneaking up behind him. Amsterdam grabs a long TRUNCHEON

from a fallen warrior and uses it to hit the man a strong blow behind the

knees.

The MAN falls, howling. AMSTERDAM HITS him again. And again. He is

hysterical.

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