THE PLACES I WAS BORN

By Zachary Donnenberg
EXT. RIVERSIDE – MIDDAY
The waters of THE RIVER rush over smooth rocks, long
eroded since the time of the Natives. Toppled trees and
crushed branches cling to the riverbank and resist the
current. Foam builds up against the wood.
As nature moves, a lone ACOUSTIC GUITAR fiddles and
twangs against the sounds of the river. The melody is
slow. Every so often it is interrupted by wet, deep
COUGHING.
JOSIAH McKINLEY sits against an old tree trunk, his six-
string nestled in his lap. He gazes up to the sky, the
sun warming his face. He coughs, shooting his head down
toward his guitar. He continues playing.
JOSIAH
(playing his guitar)
You remember this place, don’t
you? You remember that cool breeze
on your ears. You remember that smell,
too. Like an uncooked supper.
Josiah stops playing his guitar and fights through a
coughing fit. He listens to the river for a while, his
eyes sharpened to find every detail that made a sound.
JOSIAH (CONT.)
Shit, you probably remember it
better than I do. How far our voices
carried down the river. I wonder if
Mary-Beth can hear my coughin’.
You remember her, too, I’m sure. We
both had a crush on her.
Josiah plays a short melody on his guitar, one happier
than before, but still slow. He takes pleasure in
watching his fingers dance across the frets.
(CONT.)
(playing his guitar)
Funny thing ‘bout that was neither
of us won her. Damn girl went her own
way ‘bout things. You remember that?
Josiah once again stops playing his guitar. His closes
his hand against the fretboard and raises his eyes to
meet someone else’s.
(CONT.)
You remember how you loved that girl?
SLIM steps forward. He stands tall over Josiah.
SLIM
You’re under arrest, Josiah. You
know that. You’re going to be in
jail for a long time.
JOSIAH stares into Slim’s eyes. The sound of the river
continues behind them. Josiah smiles.
JOSIAH
At least help me up, first.
After a moment of hesitation, SLIM extends his arm. His
and Josiah’s hands connect and Slim raises Josiah from
the ground. The gesture appears brotherly. JOSIAH leans
against the tree and coughs.
(CONT.)
Look at this place. Just about how
we left it, ain’t it? We was
practically born here, you and me.
Right along this river. Right along
these trees.
SLIM hocks his throat and spits on the ground. JOSIAH
flinches against the tree and coughs.
(CONT.)
Come on now, Slim. Let a dyin’ man
wax nostalgic for a moment, won’t
you?
SLIM
You killed people, Josiah. Lots of
‘em.
JOSIAH
And I’ll get mine –
JOSIAH inches against the tree, his fingers nearing his
guitar.
 (CONT.)
-- just as you’ll get yours.
JOSIAH grabs his guitar and makes a mad dash away from
Slim. As he leaps over the tree roots, Josiah trips. He
falls to the ground, clutching his side and coughing.
The river rushes beside him. Slim approaches. Josiah
STAGGERS back to his feet and slips away.

EXT. WOODS – CONTINUOUS

JOSIAH hobbles through the woods as fast as his body can
manage. As he dodges vegetation, Josiah looks back. He
does not spot Slim. Josiah continues forward.
Josiah runs behind a tree. He buries his back into its
bark. Josiah cannot control his coughing.
JOSIAH
(yelling)
You’ve already chased me to the
ends of the earth, Slim. Ain’t
no place left for me but Hell!
Josiah waits for a response. As the woods remain silent,
he rests his head back against the tree. He looks around
him; perhaps he has escaped.
Josiah takes a moment to absorb the spring air, its
warmth washing over him. He tries to manage one moment of
peace.
Josiah hears rustling in the woods. He looks out from the
tree, then coughs. Josiah is far too tired to continue
on. He knows he cannot escape.
JOSIAH (CONT.)
We was supposed to grow up together!
Grow old! Play guitar and whatever
else. But you grew bitter, and I
grew cold.
Josiah tries to escape but collapses. He falls into a
coughing fit. Slim approaches.
 (CONT.)
We was kids, once. Surely you
remember that.
Josiah fails to subdue his coughing. Slim continues his
approach.
(CONT.)
How you gonna arrest a dyin’ man,
anyhow?

EXT. RIVERSIDE – LATER

SLIM and JOSIAH sit alongside the riverbank. Slim smokes
a CIGAR while Josiah lies beside him, hogtied. Josiah
struggles to escape but obviously is subdued.
Slim lowers his guard. He is relaxed. Slim eyes Josiah’s
GUITAR, which sits beside them.
Slim picks up the guitar, amateurishly fingering the
frets. He strums, though it is clear he does not know how
to play.
SLIM
So Mary-Beth went her way, huh?
JOSIAH
(struggling with the ties)
Left the county ‘bout a decade ago.
Heard she left the state.
SLIM
Good for her, I suppose.
JOSIAH
Remember when we pelted her brother
with eggs because he called you
ugly?
SLIM
(dragging his cigar)
I’m pretty sure he called you ugly,
my friend.
JOSIAH
Whatever helps you sleep at night,
Slim. My memory’s sharp as a whip
 and your face never did make Mary-
Beth smile like mine.
SLIM
(chuckling)
You sumbitch.
SLIM continues incorrectly playing GUITAR. JOSIAH laughs
through his coughing fit. The camera pans back and fades
as Slim and Josiah banter.
JOSIAH
You want me to finally teach you how
to play that damn thing?
SLIM
Too late now, you coughin’
bastard.
JOSIAH
The coughin’ don’t matter so long
as your fingers are good.
SLIM
Mary-Beth begs to differ.