Swamp Water Page #2

---

of anyone come at me.

You ain't gonna do it?

But you're in Okefenokee for good, bud.

If I were to let you go back,

you'd tell it on me.

- Not if I said I wouldn't.

- Your word don't mean nothing to me.

Not when my living or hanging

is depending on it.

Oh, Trouble.

Well, I ain't gonna stay, Keefer.

You ain't man enough to keep me here.

There ain't but one way

to find your way out of this swamp now.

That's with me a-showing you.

Sure am proud to have me a dog like that.

You ain't got him, yet.

We'll get out, Keefer, if I have to bash you

in the head when you ain't looking.

Bud, there ain't no man living

can catch me when I ain't looking.

Don't you move, Keefer.

I told you I'd get ya.

Now get in that boat.

Take me out of this swamp.

I dropped that knife a-purpose, bud.

I figured it was time to learn you a lesson.

Get moving.

I hope I didn't hurt you none.

I tried to throw you easylike.

Don't need to do me no favours.

Next time I'll kill you,

and get out by myself.

I never seen no one so butt-headed.

You're a good man, bud,

but you've gotta give it up now.

You're in here for life.

Reckon you got plenty to think about.

Shep Collins with a load of buckshot

in his heart, and the like of that.

Sometimes I get to thinking about

my poor girl and what's gonna happen to her.

You mean to say you got

a woman outside this swamp?

I had me the finest woman that ever lived.

Couldn't be no other woman for me

after she died.

Not even if I could leave this swamp

and live like folks.

What do you mean, then?

I told ya. My young 'un.

That's how come I took to the swamp instead

of getting away where I could live like folks.

Couldn't bear to be that far away

from my Julie.

Julie?

Marty McCord took her in after I was arrested.

She does chores and Mrs McCord

gives her rations and a place to sleep.

Sure, I seen her.

- Lately?

- Sure, I seen that gal young 'un.

- She doing all right?

- I reckon so.

How come she don't go by the name

of Keefer if she's your young 'un?

Ain't a good name to bear, is it?

My wife was a Gordon.

When they was gonna hang me, Mrs McCord

promised she'd raise Julie by that name.

Purely fine woman, Mrs McCord.

Don't nobody know?

Sure. Didn't Thursday never talk about it?

Ben,

you know, there's a lot of fine folks

outside this swamp.

Most people's a whole lot better

than we think they are.

And some men's a whole lot worse.

What do you mean?

Who?

What's got into you?

Keefer.

What's wrong?

Man, you're cottonmouth-bit.

Keefer.

Keefer.

I'm going to get him now, Lord.

There's a dead soul coming,

it ain't nobody but Tom Keefer.

But he died without no hollering

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes