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                                  MACHINE GUN PREACHER
                         
                         
                         
                                      Written by

                                     Jason Keller
                         
                         
          based on the life of Sam Childers
                         
                         
                         
                         
          FINAL SHOOTING DRAFT
                         
                                                                   9/30/2010

          This is true...

          EXT. VILLAGE - NIGHT - (2003)
                         
          The night is stillborn.
                         
          Without sound or movement and nothing is in definition. All we see
          are degrees of blackness in this unlit world. The vague impressions
          of an African village in the void... a ragged line of tukuls (straw
          huts)... a bicycle propped against a mud wall... a soccer ball in
          the dirt...
                         
          INT. TUKUL - NIGHT
                         
          And we find a Sudanese family asleep on reed mats. A mother, father
          and their two boys. The younger boy we'll come to know as "WILLIAM"
          (9). His older brother "CHRISTOPHER" (12) curled next to him.
                         
          EXT. VILLAGE - NIGHT
                         
          And slowly the blackness begins to shift... an otherworldly light
          seeping in from someplace far off... shadows contorting in a ghostly
          orange flicker... images emerging... the silhouettes of men coming
          into this village carrying flaming torches.
                         
          INT. TUKUL - NIGHT
                         
          The family still sound asleep, oblivious to the torch glow coming
          from outside, and suddenly --
                         
          SCREAMING! -- GUNSHOTS!
                         
          The family bolts awake, moving to their feet as the door to their
          tukul SLAMS open -- THREE soldiers from the Lord's Resistance Army
          (LRA) coming in carrying AK47's -- shouting in Arabic -- "Get up!
          Get up!" -- the FATHER stepping forward -- holding up his hands --
          "Don't shoot!" --
                         
          KAK! KAK! KAK!
                         
          And he's gunned down in cold blood. The soldiers grab the mother and
          boys and begin to drag them out of the tukul -- but WILLIAM breaks
          free -- scrambles deeper into the room --
                         
          THE SOLDIER going after him -- WILLIAM darting behind a stack of
          storage boxes knocking them to the ground -- frantically burrowing
          into the corner -- trying to get away but it's useless -- THE
          SOLDIER grabs his feet and begins to pull him out -- WILLIAM KICKING
          WILDLY -- digging his nails into the dirt -- and as he's dragged out
          of the corner he reaches out... inadvertently grabs a FADED
          PHOTOGRAPH which has fallen on the ground...
                         
          EXT. VILLAGE - NIGHT
                         
          CHAOS! -- PANDEMONIUM! -- the black sky ablaze in apocalyptic fire --
                          2
                         
          families yanked out of their burning tukuls by LRA rebels -- the
          adult males of this village shot dead or bludgeoned to death -- the
          women and children forced into the center of the village -- huddled
          together and weeping --
                         
          -- and now we see WILLIAM hauled out -- his captor shouting to
          another soldier -- pointing to WILLIAM'S mother and she's pulled
          from the group and forced onto her knees...
                         
          ... and WILLIAM is brought in front of her -- his captor saying
          something in Arabic as he hands him a club -- "Kill her!" -- WILLIAM
          shaking his head `no' -- tossing the club in the dirt and --
                         
          CRACKKK! -- WILLIAM is hit with the butt of a rifle -- goes down --
          blood streaming down his face as he's pulled back up to his feet --
          crying -- shaking with fear...
                         
          ... and then he sees his mother staring up at him... and despite the
          hell unfolding around them we see a moment here between mother and
          son... something calm and reassuring in the way she's looking at him
          now... her eyes full of love... and pity... for her child in this
          terrible moment... and before we see how this ends we --
                         
                          CUT TO:
                         
                         BLACKNESS
                         
          FOR A LONG BEAT -- AND THEN WE BLEED UP WHITE LETTERS ON THE BLACK
          SCREEN THAT READ --
                         
                          MACHINEGUN PREACHER
          ... AND THEN THE ECHOED VOICES OF MEN YELLING TO ONE ANOTHER...
          BOOMING MUSIC... TAUNTS... WHISTLES... AN ANNOUNCEMENT, INAUDIBLE,
          OVER A LOUDSPEAKER... TAKING US TO...
                         
          INT. PRISON CORRIDOR - RURAL PENNSYLVANIA - DAY - (AUGUST/1998)
                         
          And we see SAM CHILDERS coming down a corridor toward us, dressed in
          jailhouse orange and flanked by a guard. He's stocky, 32 years old,
          with a biker's handlebar moustache. On the surface he appears good-
          looking... even handsome if the light is right... but his face is
          tricky... always changing... behind the quick smile, around his dark
          eyes, in the taut muscles of his neck we see violence.
                         
          INT. PRISON RECEIVING AND RELEASING - DAY
                         
          We see a CLERK handing Sam a prison issue tub full of his personal
          affects. He takes out his clothes, digs out a leather wallet, a
          watch, some silver rings and a lighter.
                         
          He looks up to the Clerk and flashes a malicious smile --
                         
                          SAM
           Ya'll go fuck yourself now, k?
                          3
                         
          EXT. PRISON - DAY
                         
          A beat-up CHEVY VEGA parked at the curb. Sam's wife, LYNN, 30's, in
          a thrift store dress, leaning against the car, waiting.
                         
          Sam (dressed in civilian clothes now) pushes out a door and she sees
          him, straightens her hair, an uneasy smile.
                         
                          LYNN
           Hey baby.
                         
          EXT SIDE OF ROAD/INT. LYNN'S CAR - DAY
                         
          The Vega pulled of the side of the road and Sam fucking Lynn in the
          back. There's nothing tender about what we're watching here. Sam
          finishes and Lynn slumps into the seat, pulls down her dress.
                         
                          SAM
           Gimme a smoke.
                         
                          LYNN
           Don't got any.
                         
                          SAM
           What, you quit?
                          (LYNN NODS)
           Shit, that ain't gonna last.
                         
          EXT. MOBILE HOME PARK - DAY
                         
          The Vega pulls up to a beat-to-shit single-wide and Sam and Lynn get
          out. We see a homemade sign hanging outside the trailer that reads,
          "Welcome Home Daddy!"
                         
          And now Sam's daughter PAIGE (6) bursts out of the trailer and down
          the steps... Followed by Sam's mother, DAISY, mid 60's, comes out of
          the trailer.
                         
                          PAIGE
           DADDY!
                         
          And she jumps into his arms.
                         
                          SAM
           Hey bug...
                         
                          PAIGE
           You see yer sign? Grandma and me made it
           this mornin.
                         
                          SAM
           Yep, real nice.
                         
          Lynn enters the trailer, Paige follows.
                          4
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           How'ya doin, Mom?
                         
                          DAISY
           Welcome home, Sam.
                         
          INT. CHILDERS MOBILE HOME - DAY
                         
                          LYNN
                          (TO PAIGE)
           You excited, get some juice, help me set
           the table.
                         
          Sam and Daisy enter.
                         
          There's a quiet anxiety to this homecoming. Everybody on edge,
          careful.
                         
                          LYNN (CONT'D)
           Hope you're staying for supper.
                         
                          DAISY
           Well, I didn't know if...
                         
                          SAM
                          (TO LYNN)
           What time you gotta work?
                         
          Lynn hesitating, not sure how to answer... not sure what's going to
          happen when she does... finally...
                         
                          LYNN
           I ain't on tonight.
                         
                          SAM
           What?
                         
                          DAISY
           (changing the subject)
           You know we could boil up that corn we
           got in there...
                         
                          SAM
           Friday night you ain't on? Hell is that?
                         
          He walks toward the fridge.
                         
                          LYNN
           Paige, get that chair.
                         
                          SAM
           That cocksucker Mark better be givin you
           yer time or I'm gonna go over there and
           bust in his teeth. Why ain't there no
           beer?
                          5
                         
                          LYNN
           I ain't dancin no more, Sam.
                         
          He turns to her, studies her with cold eyes...
                         
                          LYNN (CONT'D)
           Quit a couple weeks ago. Got a job over
           at Freemont.
                         
                          SAM
           You tellin me the truth or is this a
           joke?
                         
                          LYNN
           Pick up a second shift now and then.
           Weekends if I want em. It's good money.
                         
                          SAM
           Good money? You stupid, woman? You quit
           strippin to pack fucking mushrooms at
           Freemont?
                         
                          DAISY
           Sam...
                         
                          SAM
           Mom, keep yer mouth shut.
                         
          Sam's face changing, starting to turn bad. A look we'll come to
          know.
                         
                          LYNN
           They're good to me over there, Sam. They
           got daycare for Paige and I can get
           medical at the end of the year.
                         
                          SAM
           Tell you what you're gonna do, you're
           goin back to The Bunny Hop and askin that
           cocksucker for yer old slot back...
                         
                          DAISY
                          (TO PAIGE)
           You ok? Let's ride our bikes outside.
                         
                          LYNN
           No, Sam...
                         
                          SAM
           Fuck you ain't. You gonna get that ass
           back up there and make yer tips.
                         
                          LYNN
           It ain't right.
                          6
                         
                          SAM
           Fuck you talkin about?
                         
          Daisy scooping up Paige and exiting, screen door slamming behind
          them and now Sam and Lynn are all alone.
                         
                          LYNN
           I ain't dancin cause it ain't right in
           God's eyes. He don't want me doin that no
           more.
                         
                          SAM
                          (LAUGHING)
           You found god now, huh? That what this
           is?
                         
                          LYNN
           He found me, and he's there for you too,
           baby.
                         
                          SAM
           Don't gimme that bullshit. You a junkie
           stripper...
                         
                          LYNN
           Not no more. God helped me change while
           you was away.
                         
          Lynn reaches for him but he shoves her back violently...
                         
                          SAM
           Gitcha hands off me!
                         
          Sam exits.
                         
                          LYNN
                          (TO HERSELF)
           You can't keep goin the way you goin,
           baby...
                         
          EXT. CHILDERS MOBILE HOME - DAY
                         
          Sam straddles the bike and kicks it to life. He PEELS OUT, kicking
          up gravel as he blasts past Paige and Daisy.
                         
          EXT. STREET - DAY
                         
          Sam riding down the road.
                         
          INT. CROSSROADS BAR - NIGHT
                         
          A tough biker bar in Johnstown, PA. A jukebox in the corner playing
          Lynard Skynard. Sam coming through the door, AD-LIBBED greetings
          from some of the other bikers here. He makes his way to a back table
          where a hulking biker in a leather vest named DONNIE is sitting with
          two girls. Donnie looks up, sees Sam...
                          7
                         
                          DONNIE
           Crazyhorse! There he is...
                         
          They embrace, old friends.
                         
                          DONNIE (CONT'D)
           Figured you'd be rollin out round now.
           How you doin, buddy?
                         
                          SAM
           I'm doin.
                         
                          DONNIE
           (to one of the girls)
           Get us a coupla shots and buds.
                          (SAM SITS)
           Don't look too worse for the wear.
                         
                          SAM
           I'm alright.
                         
                          DONNIE
           Heard yer old lady ain't at the Bunny Hop
           no more.
                         
                          SAM
           Bitch found Jesus.
                         
                          DONNIE
           Damn! That bearded sonuvagun slipped her
           the high holy dick while you was in the
           can, huh? Better him than the milk man, I
           guess.
                         
                          SAM
           Ain't so sure bout that.
                         
          Donnie laughs, slaps him on the shoulder...
                         
                          DONNIE
           You wanna taste?
                         
          Sam smiles that wicked smile and we go --
                         
          INT. BACK HALLWAY - THE CROSSROADS BAR - NIGHT
                         
          -- as a biker chick leads Sam down this hallway into --
                         
          INT. BATHROOM - THE CROSSROADS BAR - NIGHT
                         
          Sam and the biker chick crammed into this dirty stall, Skynard
          pounding through the walls. He rolls up his shirt sleeve as she
          cooks a spoon of methamphetamine... juices a hypodermic... he finds
          a vein and she spikes his arm... presses the plunger and his head
          rolls back on his shoulders... speed slamming into his bloodstream
          as we RAMP UP THE MUSIC.
                          8
                         
          INT. CHILDERS MOBILE HOME - MORNING - WEEKS LATER - (DECEMBER/1998)
                         
          Snow piled up on the windowsills and it's cold as shit outside. Sam
          passed out on the couch and this guy looks like hell.
                         
          Thinner than the last time we saw him, skin sallow and drawn tight
          over his face. He stirs awake, sees Paige playing by herself on the
          floor next to him. She sees that he's awake, picks up her doll, and
          quietly goes outside without saying a word.
                         
          INT. BATHROOM - CHILDERS MOBILE HOME - MORNING
                         
          Sam coming in, taking a piss, staring at himself in the mirror and
          we see a junkie map of track marks running up and down his arms. And
          then WE HEAR a Pentecostal communion hymn, "the Old Rugged Cross",
          coming through... taking us to...
                         
          INT. CHURCH - JOHNSTOWN, PA. - DAY
                         
          A congregation packed into this church for Sunday service. We see
          Lynn and Paige in the crowd, singing along with the congregation.
                         
          EXT. DOPE HOUSE STREET/INT. DONNIE'S CAR - NIGHT
                         
          Sam and Donnie in this car, parked in front of broken down clapboard
          houses. Donnie pointing through the windshield...
                         
                          DONNIE
           Right there. With the green light.
                         
          EXT. PORCH - DOPE HOUSE - NIGHT
                         
          Bone chill cold. Sam and Donnie on this porch, scarves pulled around
          their necks, hands shoved into their jackets trying to stay warm.
          Donnie KNOCKING at the door...
                         
                          DONNIE
           Hey, man, you there?! Open up...
                         
          Donnie KNOCKING again and the door cracks an inch... and we see a
          black man with a SHAVED HEAD on the other side looking out...
                         
                          SHAVED HEAD
           Fuck are you?
                         
                          DONNIE
           It's me, man, c'mon. Fuckin cold out
           here.
                         
                          SHAVED HEAD
           I don't know you.
                         
                          DONNIE
           Yeah you do, man. I saw you the other
           day. I'm Bobby's friend.
                          9
                         
                          SHAVED HEAD
           Who the fuck is Bobby?
                         
          Suddenly Sam pulls a short barrel shotgun from his jacket --
          MOSSBERG 10 GAGE -- presses it to the door and --
                         
          BOOOM!
                         
          INT. DOPE HOUSE - SAME
                         
          DOOR SPLINTERING OPEN! -- concussion like a fucking pipe bomb --
          wood splintering through the room like shrapnel -- Sam and Donnie
          STORMING IN...
                         
                          DONNIE
           Don't fuckin move!
                         
          INSTANT PANDEMONIUM! -- JUNKIES hopping off the couch, scattering
          like rats deeper into the house -- SHAVED HEAD darting out of the
          room -- Sam leveling the MOSSBERG in his direction --
                         
          BOOOM! -- the room flashing like a fucking supernova.
                         
          INT. STAIRWAY- DOPE HOUSE - SAME
                         
          SHAVED HEAD scrambling up these stairs -- Sam coming up after him --
          hunting him -- MOSSBERG BLASTING in his direction -- BOOOM! --
                         
          INT. UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - DOPE HOUSE - SAME
                         
          SHAVED HEAD sprinting down this hallway -- Sam tracking him in the
          b.g. -- bloodlust in his eyes -- leveling the MOSSBERG and --
                         
          BOOOM! -- BOOOM!
                         
          Shotgun slugs ripping through the house like cannon shot -- SHAVED
          HEAD bolting through the smoke -- crashing through a door into --
                         
          INT. BEDROOM - DOPE HOUSE - SAME
                         
          -- SHAVED HEAD bombing in -- hitting the ground -- trying to get to
          his feet but it's too late because --
                         
          -- SAM kicks open the door behind him -- SHAVED HEAD going onto his
          back, trying to crab crawl away from him but there's nowhere to go --
          Sam moving closer --
                         
                          SHAVED HEAD
           PLEASE, MAN -- DON'T --
                         
          -- SHAVED HEAD working his way into a corner -- holding his hands in
          front of his face -- terrified, shaking --
                         
           SHAVED HEAD (CONT'D)
           -- PLEASE! --
                          10
                         
           DONNIE (O.S.)
           SAM!
                         
          Donnie coming into the room --
                         
                          SHAVED HEAD
           I'LL GIVE YOU WHAT YOU WANT, MAN! --
           PLEASE! --
                         
                          SAM
           Tell me where the shit is or I'll blow
           yer nigger brains all over this floor.
                         
                          SHAVED HEAD
           (indicating a closet)
           In there...
                         
          Sam KICKS him toward the closet --
                         
                          SAME
           Hurry the fuck up.
                         
          SHAVED HEAD crawling to a small safe in a closet, spins the combo,
          opens it and pulls out six ounces of uncut cocaine.
                         
                          SAM
           Cash!
                         
          SHAVED HEAD grabs a stack of hundreds, hands it to Sam and --
          CRACKKK! -- he SLAMS the butt of the Mossberg into SHAVED HEAD'S
          face and he hits the ground on his back -- Sam standing over him --
          shoves the barrel of the shotgun into his mouth --
                         
                          DONNIE
           C'mon, let's go!
                         
          But Sam's not moving... just staring down at SHAVED HEAD... and
          we're watching something here... a terrible intelligence taking
          over... something bloodless and inhuman coming over Sam in this
          moment... and he chambers a slug into the shotgun...
                         
                          DONNIE (CONT'D)
           Fuck are you doin?!
                         
          And this is it. He's going to blow this guys brains all over the
          floor...
                         
                          DONNIE (CONT'D)
           Sam...
                         
          His finger curls around the trigger, eyes becoming lethal...
                         
                          DONNIE (CONT'D)
           Sam!
                         
          And he snaps back, looks around, sees Donnie standing there...
                          11
                         
                          DONNIE (CONT'D)
           We need to get the fuck outta here!
                         
          EXT. COUNTRY ROAD/INT. DONNIE'S CAR - DRIVING - NIGHT
                         
          MUSIC LOUD AS IT GOES! -- SCREAMING! -- Sam and Donnie pumped and
          celebrating after the robbery. Sam in the passenger seat, already
          cooking coke in a bent spoon...
                         
                          SAM
           See that nigger's face when I put it in
           his mouth?
                         
                          DONNIE
           Cook that shit up, man! I wanna hit when
           I'm going a hundred miles an hour in this
           thing.
                         
          Sam juices a needle and spikes Donnie's arm. Donnie feeling the
          rush... pressing on the gas and howling like a wild man... both of
          them wired out of their heads... BLASTING down this dark, country
          road... and then they see...
                         
                         A HITCHHIKER
                         
          Up the road, standing in this bitter cold with his thumb out.
                         
                          SAM
           Look at this sorry fucker...
                         
          EXT. COUNTRY ROAD - NIGHT
                         
          Donnie's car pulls off the road and the Hitchhiker hustles up to it.
                         
          INT. DONNIE'S CAR - NIGHT
                         
          The Hitchhiker climbing into the backseat. He's late 40's, a
          drifter, probably American Indian. Donnie starts driving.
                         
                          SAM
           Cold enough for ya out there, boy?
                         
                          DRIFTER
           Yeah.
                         
                          DONNIE
           Where you goin, man?
                         
                          DRIFTER
           Dunshore.
                         
                          SAM
           That's up there past Muncy, right?
                         
                          DRIFTER
           Yeah.
                          12
                         
                          DONNIE
           We can take you far as McClure.
                         
                          DRIFTER
           Take me to Dunshore.
                         
          Sam looking back --
                         
                          SAM
           We ain't goin to Dunshore, boy. Said we
           can drop you at McClure.
                         
          Suddenly -- silver flashing -- A BLADE -- out of nowhere -- pressed
          into Donnie's neck from the backseat -- the Drifter pulling him
          tight against the seat rest, pressing it into his throat --
                         
                          DONNIE
           What the fuck?!
                         
                          DRIFTER
           Keep drivin! Dunshore or I'll cut his
           fuckin throat.
                         
                          SAM
           Get that fuckin blade off him...
                         
          Sam reaches his leg over and STOMPS ON THE GAS PEDDLE -- the car
          LURCHES forward -- accelerating --
                         
                          DONNIE
           Sam!
                         
                          DRIFTER
           SLOW THE FUCK DOWN!
                         
          But Sam's not letting up... pressing down on the peddle hard...
          90... 100... 110 mph -- Donnie YELLING -- trying to keep the car on
          the road -- MUSIC BLARING -- like some wild ride to hell and then --
                         
          SAM SUDDENLY JUMPS IN THE BACKSEAT -- wrestling with the drifter --
          fighting wild -- elbowing him in the face and somehow the blade is
          in his hand now -- and --
                         
          Stick, stick, stick, stick, stick, stick!
                         
          He stabs him six times in the gut. The drifter HOWLING in pain.
                         
          EXT. COUNTRY ROAD - NIGHT
                         
          Donnie's car skidding off the shoulder of the road, back door
          popping open and the Drifter's body dumped into the dirt. The car
          PEELS OUT, accelerates, tail lights disappearing into the dark.
                          13
                         
          INT. BEDROOM - CHILDERS MOBILE HOME - NIGHT
                         
          Lynn sound asleep in bed. And she slowly stirs awake, hears water
          running from somewhere in the trailer.
                         
          INT. HALLWAY AND BATHROOM - CHILDERS MOBILE HOME - NIGHT
                         
          Lynn moving down the hall... toward a sliver of light coming from
          under the closed bathroom door... gently pushing it open to see --
                         
          Sam standing at the sink... covered in blood... frantically trying
          to clean himself up... trying to wash the sin from his skin and
          clothes but it's useless... and the sense we get is that we're
          staring at a man at the edge of an abyss... set to swallow him
          whole... terrified... shaking...
                         
          ... and now he realizes Lynn is here and he turns to her... holding
          up his stained hands... a terrible fear in his eyes when he says...
                         
                          SAM
           Help me.
                         
          EXT. CHILDERS MOBILE HOME - DAY
                         
          Days later and we see Lynn and Paige, dressed up, sitting in the
          idling car, waiting.
                         
                          PAIGE
           He comin or ain't he?
                         
                          LYNN
           I don't know.
                         
          INT. BEDROOM - CHILDERS MOBILE HOME - DAY
                         
          And we find Sam in this bedroom all alone, wearing a thrift store
          sportcoat, sitting on the edge of the bed. Frozen. Staring at his
          stocking feet and three or four pairs of workboots scattered on the
          floor.
                         
          Lynn steps into the doorway...
                         
           VOICE (O.S.)
           Honey? You ready?
                         
          Sam turns to her, and he looks lost here. Like a little boy.
                         
                          SAM
           I don't got no good shoes, Lynn.
                         
          And she comes into the room, sits on the bed next to him, puts an
          arm around his shoulder.
                         
                          LYNN
           He don't care what kinda shoes you
           wearin, baby.
                          14
                         
          INT. BAPTISM CHURCH - JOHNSTOWN, PA. - DAY
                         
          Packed with Sunday families listening to Pastor Krause at the
          pulpit. Behind him we see a BAPTISMAL TANK filled with water. And
          now we see Sam, Lynn, Paige, and Daisy sitting near the back. Sam
          looks uncomfortable, on edge.
                         
                          PASTOR KRAUSE
           The point of receiving God's word is
           life. Life upon life. And to accept the
           blood of Jesus is life upon life upon
           life...
                         
                          CONGREGATION
           Praise be to God!
                         
                          PASTOR KRAUSE
           He breathes his spirit into darkness and
           makes something good. He sees our shadow
           and says, `let there be light!"
                         
                          CONGREGATION
           Amen!
                         
                          PASTOR KRAUSE
           ... now proclaim his saving grace! If
           there are sinners here looking for God
           raise your hands!
                         
          A few hands shoot up --
                         
           PASTOR KRAUSE (CONT'D)
           Stand up! Receive Jesus Christ as your
           light and saviour...
                         
          Three or four people moving to their feet, making their way up to
          the altar. Lynn turns to Sam, their eyes meet. He looks hesitant,
          unsure. She gives him a reserved little smile, nods her head
          slightly as if saying "you can do this"...
                         
          And in her look he finds strength, gets up, slowly makes his way
          to...
                         
                         FRONT ALTAR
                         
          And now we see Sam on his knees in the baptismal tank. The water
          almost up to his waist. Pastor Krause kneeling behind him.
                         
           PASTOR KRAUSE (CONT'D)
           Receive Jesus as your Lord and Saviour...
           in the name of the father and of the son
           and of the Holy Ghost...
                         
          ... and he leans Sam back, cradling his head as he submerges him in
          the water completely... and when Sam comes back up the church breaks
          into ROWDY HALLELUJAHS!... and we see Lynn... tears in her eyes...
                          15
                         
          clapping in the back row... and an organist and singer begin to sing
          "Amazing Grace" taking us to...
                         
                         OMITTED
                         
          EXT. CONSTRUCTION SITE - DAY - (JUNE/1999)
                         
          Months later and the snow has thawed... it's summer... and we see
          Sam with other CONSTRUCTION WORKERS finishing their day, packing up
          their tools, cleaning up. We notice that his gaunt cheeks have
          filled out and he looks healthier.
                         
          And now a CONTRACTOR comes up to Sam, hands him a check.
                         
                          CONTRACTOR
           Thanks for your help, Sam.
                         
                          SAM
           You need me to stay on, I can.
                         
                          CONTRACTOR
           We're movin inside next week.
                         
                          SAM
           I can drywall, tile, whatever you got.
           Know my way round some electrical too.
                         
                          CONTRACTOR
           Sorry, Sam, I gotta cut the crew. Just
           ain't enough work.
                         
          EXT. STEPS - CHILDERS MOBILE HOME - NIGHT
                         
          Sam alone on these steps, lost in thought. Screen door opens and
          Lynn comes out, sits next to him.
                         
                          SAM
           She asleep?
                         
                          LYNN
           Think so, in our bed... she's funny.
                         
          BEAT.
                         
                          SAM
           Job's done.
                         
                          LYNN
           I thought that was goin through August?
                         
          Sam shakes his head, and they're quiet... both of them sitting here
          on these steps... the burden of this life catching up to them in
          this moment.
                          16
                         
          INT. EMPLOYMENT OFFICE - DAY
                         
          A WOMAN stares down at her desk with a frown, shaking her head. Sam
          sitting in a small chair in front of her.
                         
                          WOMAN
           I got somethin in Pitt, but you gotta
           have some college for that.
                         
                          SAM
           I'm a hard worker and I learn real fast.
                         
                          WOMAN
           But you got no education, Mr. Childers.
                         
          EXT. USED CAR LOT - DAY
                         
          And we see Sam standing next to his Harley, talking to a MECHANIC.
                         
                          MECHANIC
           ... don't deal bikes. Probably have a
           better shot if you take it over to Pitt.
           Or maybe down to Philly.
                         
                          SAM
           I gotta sell it today.
                         
                          MECHANIC
           Give you four hundred for it.
                         
                          SAM
           There's almost two grand on this bike.
           Them pipes right there is custom. You
           wont see pipes like that on anything
           round here.
                         
                          MECHANIC
           Like I said, don't deal bikes. I'll give
           you four-twenty. Cash. Best I can do.
                         
          INT. PAIGE'S ROOM - CHILDER'S MOBILE HOME - NIGHT
                         
          Sam on the edge of Paige's bed reading her a CHILDREN'S BOOK.
                         
                          SAM
                          (READING)
           "Into the street the Piper stept, smiling
           first a little smile, then three shrill
           notes the pipe uttered like a great and
           mighty army muttered..."
                         
                          PAIGE
           What's uttered?
                         
                          SAM
           Like spoke up, made a sound.
                          17
                         
                          PAIGE
           Okay, keep goin.
                         
                          SAM
           (turns the page)
           And out of the houses the rats came
           tumblin, black rats, brown rats, brother
           rats, sister rats, and husband rats
           followed their little rat wives... Til
           they came to the ragin water where they
           drowned and lost their lives."
                         
                          PAIGE
           They got rid all them rats?
                         
                          SAM
           Yep.
                         
                          PAIGE
           How come you sold yer Harley?
                         
                          SAM
           Cause it's what I had to do.
                         
          Off her look...
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           We're gonna be ok, bug, don't you worry.
                         
          Paige curls into him closer, and we're watching him here... in this
          moment... holding his daughter... not so sure they're gonna be ok.
                         
          EXT. THE CROSSROADS BAR PARKING LOT/INT. LYNN'S CAR - DAY
                         
          CLOSE ON Sam, behind the wheel of the car, parked, staring out the
          front windshield. REVERSE to see he's in the parking lot of the bar,
          just watching the entrance.
                         
          INT. THE CROSSROADS BAR - DAY
                         
          Empty except for a handful of regulars. Sam coming through the door,
          taking in the place, the fucking grime and despair. Moving to Donnie
          who is sitting in his same spot...
                         
                          DONNIE
           Well, well, well, wondered when I was
           gonna see you again, ole buddy. How you
           doin?
                         
          Sam sits.
                         
                          SAM
           I'm doin.
                         
                          DONNIE
           Heard you was followin the Lord now.
                          18
                         
                          SAM
           Lil' bit.
                         
          Donnie sizes him up, "how much is a little bit?", turns to the
          BARTENDER...
                         
                          DONNIE
           Jackie, gimme a mash and bud...
                          (TO SAM)
           You want somethin?
                         
          Sam shakes his head.
                         
                          DONNIE (CONT'D)
           You know that old Indian didn't die out
           there that night. Story in the Lehigh
           Valley News bout it. Somebody picked that
           poor bastard up after us, took him to the
           emergency room, you believe that shit?
                         
                          SAM
           God was lookin out for us both, I
           suppose.
                         
          WAITRESS slides a shot and beer in front of Donnie...
                         
                          DONNIE
           Well then, here's to him.
                          (DRINKS)
           Didn't hear you pull up.
                         
                          SAM
           Got Lynn's car.
                         
                          DONNIE
           She broke down on ya?
                         
                          SAM
           Sold her.
                         
                          DONNIE
           Ahhh, shit, man. Shoulda come to yer ole
           buddy first.
                         
          Donnie smiling, inviting him back into this world. And we're
          watching Sam, threshold moment here, considering.
                         
          INT. CHILDERS MOBILE HOME - NIGHT
                         
          It's late and we see Lynn sitting at the kitchen table alone. Sam
          has not come home and she is clearly worried. And then we hear a car
          pulling up outside, door opening and closing, and Sam coming into
          the trailer.
                         
                          SAM
           Sorry I'm late.
                          19
                         
          Lynn staring at him, trying to read this man's face but he's not
          looking at her. Avoiding her gaze. Did he use? Is he high? And then
          she sees a PINPRICK OF DRIED BLOOD on his shirtsleeve. Her face
          contorting almost imperceptibly. Her worst fear realized. Relapse.
                         
          And she moves to him without saying a word... lifts up his arm and
          unbuttons the cuff of his shirt... slowly pushing up his shirtsleeve
          to discover a NEEDLE PRICK in his arm...
                         
          ... and then he pulls out a $20 bill and hands it to her.
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           Gave blood over in Pitt.
                         
          Lynn searching his eyes and she knows he's telling the truth.
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           That's all I got.
                         
          And she pulls him close, hugging him tight, grateful.
                         
                          LYNN
           Somethin will come through. I promise.
                         
          And we hold on Sam, his troubled eyes. Completely out of options.
          And we see that for this man the inability to provide for his family
          is crushing.
                         
          EXT. MOBILE HOME PARK - NIGHT
                         
          HEAVY WINDS! -- FLASHES OF LIGHTENING! -- a storm starting to batter
          the trailer park.
                         
          INT. CHILDERS MOBILE HOME - NIGHT
                         
          Lynn in front of the TV, scared, watching an EMERGENCY WEATHER
          WARNING... winds buffeting the trailer... Sam coming into the room
          from the back...
                         
                          LYNN
           Two touched down near Harrisberg.
                         
          EXT. CHILDERS MOBILE HOME - NIGHT
                         
          Sam opening the door, coming down the steps, looking up to the sky
          and it is fucking black, swirling, ominous.
                         
          INT. CHILDERS MOBILE HOME - NIGHT
                         
          Sam coming back into the trailer fast --
                         
                          SAM
           Come on! Let's go...
                         
          Lynn following him --
                          20
                         
          INT. HALLWAY - CHILDERS MOBILE HOME - NIGHT
                         
          -- down the hallway -- WIND PICKING UP -- starting to rock the
          trailer back and forth.
                         
                          SAM
           Get Paige, grab a blanket.
                         
          -- Lynn darting into a bedroom, scooping Paige out of her bed.
                         
          INT. BACK BEDROOM - MOBILE HOME - NIGHT
                         
          Sam coming in, moving to a metal gun locker in the corner of the
          room, pulling out a SHOTGUN.
                         
          INT. LIVING ROOM - MOBILE HOME - NIGHT
                         
          THE WIND -- SLAMMING the trailer now -- Lynn and Paige -- terrified -
          - watching as Sam moves to the center of the room, points the barrel
          of the shotgun toward the floor and --
                         
          BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
                         
          Blows four gaping holes in the floorboards, then starts to kick
          through the wood with his boot --
                         
                          LYNN
           (yelling, over the wind)
           What are you doing?!
                         
          He kicks a hole in the planks, turns to Lynn and Paige --
                         
                          SAM
           GET IN!
                         
          Paige crawling through the opening... into a shallow trench
          underneath the trailer... Lynn squeezing in behind her... Sam
          staying outside... no room for him... the trailer starting to buck
          VIOLENTLY in the tempest... thin walls contorting around him...
                         
          ... and Paige starts to cry -- terrified -- Sam laying down on the
          floor next to the opening, close enough so she can hear his voice...
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           Bug, you hear me?! -- Bug?!
                         
                          PAIGE
           Yeah.
                         
          And he starts to play a child's word association game with her...
          something she knows... something they've played before...
                         
                          SAM
           I'm thinkin of a snail... you hear me,
           Bug?! Snail.
                          21
                         
          And we hear her tiny little voice say...
                         
                          PAIGE
           Whale.
                         
                          SAM
           Good job, Bug, good job! You said whale,
           I'm thinkin of a pail!
                         
                          PAIGE
           You said pail, I'm thinkin of a tail.
                         
          And so this little game goes between father and daughter... Paige
          listening to his voice... in the midst of this terrible storm...
          somehow becoming less terrified.
                         
          EXT. MOBILE HOME PARK - DAY
                         
          A brilliantly clear day and we see neighbors picking up after the
          storm. Sam on a ladder leaning against the trailer, nailing down a
          strip of bent aluminum as a pickup truck pulls up. Window rolls down
          and we see it's the CONTRACTOR from before.
                         
                          CONTRACTOR
           Sam.
                         
                          SAM
           Billy.
                         
                          CONTRACTOR
           Tried to ring ya but your phones down.
                         
                          SAM
           Yep.
                         
          Sam climbs down, moves to the truck, shakes his hand.
                         
                          CONTRACTOR
           Looks like ya made it through pretty
           good.
                         
                          SAM
           We're alright.
                         
                          CONTRACTOR
           Damn twister touched down eight places
           between here and Noblesville. Chewed up
           six hundred homes in Fulton County alone.
                          (BEAT)
           Got all the work you can handle if you're
           interested.
                         
                          SAM
           I'm interested...
                         
          Sam, seizing an opportunity here.
                          22
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           But I'm puttin my own crew together. We
           go 50/50 on the jobs. You cover any heavy
           machines I need.
                         
                          CONTRACTOR
           60/40 til you pay me back on the tools.
           Then we'll go half.
                         
                          SAM
           You got a deal.
                         
                          CUT TO:
                         
          EXT. MOBILE HOME PARK - DAY
                         
          A SHOT of Lynn carefully applying a vinyl application on the side of
          a new (but used) truck that reads, "Childers Construction Company"
                         
                          CUT TO:
                         
          EXT. CHILDER'S HOUSE - DAY - (JULY/2000)
                         
          C.U. ON lynn's closed eyes -- smiling --
                         
                          LYNN
           What are you doin, Sam Childers?
                         
          Months later and we're with Lynn and Paige, their eyes shut, as Sam
          leads them both by the hand...
                         
                          PAIGE
           I wanna peek.
                         
                          SAM
           Keep em closed.
                         
          Sam finally stops them.
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           Ok. Open em up.
                         
          They do and both of their eyes go wide with surprise.
                         
                          PAIGE
           Where are we?
                         
                          SAM
           We're home, little girl.
                         
          REVERSE to see a modest two bedroom house at the end of this
          driveway. Their new home.
                         
                          PAIGE
           That's ours?
                          23
                         
                          SAM
           Sure is. Go check it out.
                         
          Paige sprints for the house as Lynn hugs Sam, softly starts to cry
          into his shoulder.
                         
                          LYNN
           It's beautiful.
                         
          INT. CHILDERS HOUSE - NIGHT
                         
          The first night in their new home and we see a few unpacked moving
          boxes here.
                         
          INT. PAIGE'S ROOM - CHILDERS HOUSE - NIGHT
                         
          Paige sound asleep on a small bed upstairs.
                         
          INT. KITCHEN - CHILDERS' HOUSE - NIGHT
                         
          Lynn in the kitchen organizing the cabinets. And Sam enters carrying
          a box, sets it on the counter.
                         
                          SAM
           That's everything.
                         
                          LYNN
           You get what's in the trunk?
                         
                          SAM
           Yep.
                         
          Lynn looking up, seeing how dirty Sam is from the move...
                         
                          LYNN
           Lord, you're filthy, Sam Childers.
                         
          Lynn tossing him a kitchen towel. Sam, smiling mischievously...
                         
                          SAM
           Who you callin filthy, woman?
                         
                          LYNN
           You.
                         
                          SAM
           You dirtier than I am.
                         
                          LYNN
           No I ain't.
                         
                          SAM
           Yes you are. I seen it. C'mon, girl,
           gimme a little shake...
                          24
                         
          Sam winking at her and playfully snapping a kitchen towel at her
          butt... Lynn giggling and scooting away...
                         
                          LYNN
           I ain't doin that no more.
                         
                          SAM
           ... just a little somethin for yer old
           man, c'mon...
                         
          And he snaps her butt again but she grabs the towel and snaps him
          back...
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           Owww!
                         
                          LYNN
           You gimme a little shake...
                         
          She snaps him again and he feels the sting...
                         
                          SAM
           C'mon, Lynn...
                         
          She snaps him again but he grabs her and they fall into each other
          against the counter... laughing... and he kisses her... playful at
          first and then it becomes more passionate... and just as it starts
          to lead somewhere we go...
                         
          INT. CHURCH - DAY - (AUGUST/2002)
                         
          Two years later and we're watching a congregation finish a Sunday
          hymn. Sam, Lynn, Daisy, and Paige (10) in the crowd listening to
          Pastor Krause.
                         
                          PASTOR KRAUSE
           Today we are blessed with a special
           guest. It's my pleasure to welcome Pastor
           Relling from the Kilangire Christian
           Ministry in Uganda, Africa. Pastor...
                         
          Polite applause as a tall, white South African man named PAUL
          RELLING steps up to the pulpit, and in a deep Afrikaner accent he
                         BEGINS --
                         
                          RELLING
           Thank you Pastor Krause, and thank you
           brothers and sisters for inviting me into
           this house of the Lord.
                          (BEAT)
           I'm here today to talk to you about your
           Christian brothers and sisters, families
           just like yours, a half a world away that
           desperately need your help...
                         
          And we see Sam in this sea of faces, listening.
                          25
                         
          INT. FOYER - CHURCH - DAY
                         
          Parishioners slowly filing out of the church after service. Lynn,
          Paige, and a few other women chatting by the entrance.
                         
          And now Lynn looks over her shoulder and sees Sam talking with Paul
          Relling off to the side, just the two of them in a corner, deep in
          discussion.
                         
          INT. CHILDERS HOUSE - NIGHT
                         
          The first thing we notice is the relative "opulence" of this
          place... deep shag, new color TV, matching sectional sofa... the
          rural idea of making it. Sam, Lynn, Daisy and Paige at the dinner
          table eating. Sam in his own world, oblivious to the MINOR
          CONVERSATION until --
                         
                          LYNN
           Paige, go get some more beans.
                         
          Paige heads to the kitchen.
                         
                          LYNN (CONT'D)
           What are you thinking?
                         
                         
                         
                          SAM
           Thinking about Africa.
                         
          Paige comes back in carrying the beans.
                         
                          PAIGE
           They have tigers over there?
                         
                          SAM
                          (JOKINGLY)
           They eat people!
                         
                          LYNN
           What about Africa?
                         
                          SAM
           Just thinkin bout that fella today.
                         
                          PAIGE
           He talked funny.
                         
                          LYNN
           Just from a different place than us,
           baby, that's all.
                         
                          SAM
           Was thinkin maybe I'd go over there. Help
           em out fer a few weeks.
                          26
                         
                          DAISY
           Africa?
                         
                          PAIGE
           To see the tigers.
                         
                          SAM
           He was talkin about puttin box beam roofs
           on school houses over there.
                         
                          LYNN
           What about finishing that job in Boswell?
                         
                          SAM
           I'll only be gone a few weeks. Be back
           before you know it.
                         
          EXT. MISSION CONSTRUCTION SITE - OUTSIDE KAMPALA - DAY
                         
          Two weeks later and we're in the rural countryside outside Kampala,
          Uganda. Sam on the roof of a bombed out school building with other
          white VOLUNTEERS, working.
                         
          Sam looks below to see a dozen black men dressed in the ragged
          fatigues of the Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA). Each is
          carrying an AK 47 and standing guard at various points around this
          compound. The lead soldier is a man named DENG. ANGLE three others
          we'll come to know as "NINETEEN", "MARCO" and "A.J."
                         
          EXT. MISSION CONSTRUCTION SITE - DAY
                         
          It's later and we see Deng sitting underneath an awning by himself,
          working on his machine gun. Sam approaches...
                         
                          SAM
           You Ugandan Army or what?
                         
                          DENG
           SPLA.
                         
                          SAM
           What's that?
                         
                          DENG
           Sudanese People's Liberation Army. We are
           freedom fighters.
                         
                          SAM
           Name's Sam Childers.
                         
                          DENG
           I am Deng.
                         
          There is a certain reserved nobility in this man, in the way he
          carries himself and speaks. An unwavering strength and self-reliance
          born from a lifetime of war and struggle.
                          27
                         
                          SAM
           (re: Deng's weapon)
           Givin ya problems?
                         
                          DENG
           Yes. A bit.
                         
                          SAM
           Double-feed?
                         
                          DENG
           Sometimes.
                         
                          SAM
           Lemme have a look...
                         
          Deng hesitates, then hands his AK over to Sam who pops the mag out
          and studies it...
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           Yer mag is tight. See here...
                          (INDICATING)
           The loads are feedin right to the barrel
           face. That's yer problem...
                         
          Sam pulls out a knife and begins to work on the base plate of the
          mag as he explains...
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           ... you need this plate to ramp into the
           chamber... that way yer brass won't get
           stuck...
                          (FINISHING)
           ... there ya go, should be better...
                         
          And Sam hands the weapon back.
                         
                          DENG
           Thank you.
                         
                          SAM
           No problem.
                         
                          DENG
           Are you military?
                         
                          SAM
           No, not me. I ain't the military type.
           Ain't so good with bein told what to do.
                         
                          DENG
           When did you learn about weapons?
                         
          Sam considers the question for a moment... then simply says...
                          28
                         
                          SAM
           Long time ago. Different life.
                         
          INT. DORM - MISSION - NIGHT
                         
          Fifteen or twenty volunteers lounging on cots in this dorm, playing
          cards, talking, smoking. And we find Sam off from the group, on his
          bunk, reading The Bible...
                         
           VOICE (O.S.)
           Hey Childers...
                         
          Sam turns to find a British man in his late 20's named DAN standing
          next to him, thick Cockney accent, smoking a cigarette.
                         
                          DAN
           Some of us are going into Kampala
           tomorrow night. Find ourselves a little
           fun this weekend. You in?
                         
                          SAM
           I was thinkin bout goin up north.
                         
                          DAN
           You crazy? There's a civil war going on
           up there.
                         
                          SAM
           I know.
                         
          EXT. MISSION CONSTRUCTION SITE - OUTSIDE KAMPALA - DAY
                         
          It's mid-day, blazing hot, and we see Sam approaching Deng.
                         
                          SAM
           Hey, Deng, you wanna Coke?
                         
          Sam offers him a can and he takes it.
                         
                          DENG
           Thank you.
                         
                          SAM
           Got a question for ya.
                         
                          DENG
           Yes?
                         
                          SAM
           I wanna go into Sudan this weekend. Need
           someone to show me around. You
           interested?
                         
                          DENG
           The others are going into Kampala.
                          29
                         
                          SAM
           That ain't my speed no more. I wanna see
           some country.
                         
          Deng looks at him, surprised by the request...
                         
                          DENG
           You want to see?
                         
          EXT. DIRT ROAD - RURAL UGANDA - DAY
                         
          A dirt road cutting through grassy plain stretching in every
          direction... and we see a BRIGHT YELLOW BUS speeding toward us in
          the distance, kicking a rooster tail of dust high into the air...
          and as it gets closer we see 15 or 20 men piled onto the roof,
          hanging on for dear life as this bus bounces over the road...
                         
          INT. BUS - DRIVING - RURAL UGANDA - SAME
                         
          ... Sam and Deng crammed into this crowded bus...
                         
                          SAM
           They always drive this fast?
                         
                          DENG
           Traveling is the most dangerous time in
           Sudan. If the rebels find you on the open
           road it would be very bad.
                         
          An awkward silence as Deng stares out the window. Sam wanting to
          connect here, but Deng is reticent.
                         
                          SAM
           You got kids, Deng?
                         
                          DENG
           No. I have no children.
                         
                          SAM
           Where you from?
                         
                          DENG
           A little village called Aweil. Many hours
           from here.
                         
                          SAM
           That's where your family is?
                         
          And Deng simply says...
                         
                          DENG
           My family was killed by LRA.
                          (BEAT)
           Unyama is about two hours from here. We
           will stop there for lunch.
                          30
                         
          Deng turns and looks out the window again, silent, quietly watching
          the land blur past. And Sam says nothing more, intuitively feeling
          this man's need to be alone in the moment. A great, lost giant.
                         
          EXT. UNYAMA REFUGEE CAMP, UGANDA - DAY
                         
          A dense sea of people. 20,000 displaced refugees living on top of
          each other.
                         
          Life is lived out in the open here... women bent over brightly
          colored washtubs sloshing clothes in soapy water... smoke from giant
          cooking pots drifting into the air... semi-clothed children, some
          with even younger children on their hips, running everywhere. The
          poverty and hopelessness is overwhelming.
                         
          And we see Sam and Deng walking through the camp...
                         
                          DENG
           The Muslim North has tried to kill the
           Christian South for 30 years. Two million
           have lost their lives...
                         
          Deng sweeping his hand, indicating the mass of refugees.
                         
                          DENG (CONT'D)
           ... these people have been driven from
           their villages, however these camps are
           not much better...
                         
          EXT. MEDICAL AREA - UNYAMA REFUGEE CAMP, UGANDA - DAY
                         
          A row of wood sheds and worn nylon tents marks the hospital area.
          Each enclosure jammed with the desperately sick. Battle-weary AID
          WORKERS move among them, doing what they can, caring for the ones
          who are most desperately ill.
                         
                          DENG
           Cholera and Malaria are everywhere, there
           is little food and not enough UN soldiers
           to protect everyone. Even here they worry
           the LRA will attack at night.
                         
          And another SPLA soldier comes up to Deng --
                         
                          SPLA SOLDIER 1
                          (ARABIC)
           Are you from Kitgum?
                         
                          DENG
                          (ARABIC)
           Yes.
                         
                          SPLA SOLDIER 1
                          (ARABIC)
           Someone wants to speak with you.
                          31
                         
          Deng turns to Sam...
                         
                          DENG
           I'm sorry, Sam... I'll be five minutes.
                         
                          SAM
           Course, do what you gotta do.
                         
          Deng leaves and now Sam is completely alone, taking in this mire of
          humanity all around him. And suddenly there's COMMOTION! -- two aid
          workers coming into this tent carrying a WOMAN on a stretcher. One
          of the aid workers looking around -- a white woman -- mid 30's --
          her name is AGNETE CLOSSON, Regional Director of Doctors Without
          Borders. She sees Sam across the tent.
                         
                          AGNETE
           Excuse me. You. Can you help please?
                         
          Sam moving to her --
                         
                          AGNETE (CONT'D)
           We need to transfer her to the bed. Get
           her shoulders...
                         
          Sam grabbing the woman underneath the shoulders as another aid
          worker gets her feet...
                         
                          AGNETE (CONT'D)
           One, two, three...
                         
          And they swing the woman over to a cot... but as they do the sheer
          piece of blood-stained muslin that was covering her face falls
          away... and we see that she has been mutilated... her lips cut off
          of her face...
                         
          ... and now a DOCTOR sweeps into the tent and begins to work on her.
          Sam and Agnete pushed back, away from the action. Sam still shocked
          by what he's seen.
                         
                          SAM
           What happened to her face?
                         
                          AGNETE
           The rebels cut off her lips because she
           argued. These are Kony's orders.
                         
                          SAM
           Who's Kony?
                         
          Agnete, suddenly suspicious, takes an appraising look of Sam.
                         
                          AGNETE
           Who are you with?
                         
                          SAM
           I'm with Deng over there.
                          32
                         
                          AGNETE
           What organization are you with?
                         
                          SAM
           Working with a Christian group down
           South. Just up here takin a look around,
           seein a bit of the country.
                         
                          AGNETE
           This isn't a tourist destination, this is
           a war zone. You stay in this area, you'll
           be killed.
                          (BEAT)
           Thank you for your help.
                         
          And she walks off.
                         
          EXT. NIMULE, SUDAN - DUSK
                         
          Establishing a bustling trading center on the border of Uganda and
          Sudan. Noisy and overpopulated, a maze of concrete and tin
          buildings, hundreds of people on the streets, riding bicycles,
          finishing their business before nightfall.
                         
          INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIMULE, SUDAN - NIGHT
                         
          A stale room with two cots, bare, institutional. Deng on the edge of
          his cot, pulling off his boots, taking off his jacket, getting
          comfortable. And we see Sam sitting on a small balcony overlooking
          the empty street below.
                         
                          DENG
           Some say Joseph Kony is a wizard. A
           shapeshifter. He calls himself a
           Christian...
                         
          He pulls a baggy of tobacco from his pocket and begins to roll a
          cigarette...
                         
                          DENG (CONT'D)
           ... but I say he is Satan, who devours
           his own people.
                         
                          SAM
           Kony is the leader of the LRA?
                         
                          DENG
           He is the one we have been fighting for
           years. But there is very little we can
           do. Our weapons are old, and our boots
           are full of holes. We have been forgotten
           by the rest of the world.
                         
          And now Deng turns to Sam...
                          33
                         
                          DENG (CONT'D)
           Why are you here?
                         
                          SAM
           S'cuse me?
                         
                          DENG
           What are you looking for in this place?
                         
                          SAM
           Ain't lookin for nuthin.
                         
          Deng staring at him, skeptical...
                         
                          DENG
           And then you will get your picture and go
           back to your life and all this will just
           be a story you tell your friends.
                         
          INT/EXT. HOTEL - NIMULE, SUDAN - NIGHT
                         
          Sam has no response... and Deng lights his cigarette... and suddenly
          we hear voices... through the open window... children's voices...
          Sam peering into the darkness but seeing nothing... only empty
          streets... and then one-by-one... out of the darkness like
          apparitions... we see children coming up the street carrying
          bedrolls... some of them singing spiritual hymns as they walk...
          laughing as children do... at first just a dozen or so... and then
          more... fifty... a hundred...
                         
          EXT. HOTEL ROOM BALCONY - NUMILE, SUDAN - NIGHT
                         
          Deng steps onto the balcony next to Sam.
                         
                          DENG
           They are night commuters. They come from
           deep in the bush. Their parents send them
           out because it is safer to sleep here
           than in their own homes.
                         
                          SAM
           Why?
                         
                          DENG
           Because death comes at night in the
           villages and refugee camps.
                         
          And we continue to watch this great migration of children... now
          streaming into this town... a few of them finding a dark corner just
          below us... unrolling their reed mats... huddling up against each
          other for the long night...
                         
                          DENG (CONT'D)
           These are the lucky one so far. The ones
           the rebels have not found. The invisible
           children.
                          34
                         
          Sam watching them for another beat then suddenly turning, moving
          back into the room...
                         
                          DENG (CONT'D)
           Where are you going?
                         
          INT. STAIRWAY - HOTEL - NIMULE, SUDAN - NIGHT
                         
          Sam coming down these steps. Deng following.
                         
                          DENG
                          (CALLING AFTER)
           Sam...
                         
          EXT. HOTEL - NIMULE, SUDAN - NIGHT
                         
          Sam exiting the hotel, moving to a group of 5 children huddled on
          the sidewalk...
                         
                          SAM
           Get up... let's go...
                         
          The children looking up, surprised to see a white man here...
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           Come on...
                         
          The children getting to their feet... and Sam moves to another
          cluster of children up the block as Deng catches up to him...
                         
                          DENG
           What are you doing?
                         
                          SAM
           They ain't sleepin out here. Tell em
           they're comin inside.
           (to children on the ground)
           Ya'll get up... let's go...
                         
          And Sam starts to move up the block further, wanting to gather up
          more children, but Deng stops him...
                         
                          DENG
           Sam, there are too many...
                         
          And he looks up the street and we see more children here than we
          thought... hundreds of young kids huddled on the streets...
                         
                          DENG (CONT'D)
           ... you can't help them all.
                         
          Sam knows he's right. A moment here as he looks to the children he's
          gathered, staring up at him...
                         
                          SAM
           I can help these here.
                          35
                         
          INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIMULE, SUDAN - NIGHT
                         
          -- and a DOZEN CHILDREN are ushered into this small room. Sam
          pushing their cots against a wall so there's more space. Deng
          speaking to the children --
                         
                          DENG
                          (ARABIC)
           Settle down... it's alright... you can
           sleep here till morning...
                         
          -- and they begin to settle onto the floor... and now we notice a
          particular BOY in this group... maybe 8 years old... wearing bright
          GREEN SHORTS... and we watch as he and his SISTER move to a corner
          of the room and unroll their mats...
                         
          ... and eventually Sam turns off the lamp and we stay here in the
          dark... Sam on his cot, listening to these 12 little children
          breathing... their shifting bodies on the floor trying to get
          comfortable... and then...
                         
                          CUT TO:
                         
          INT. HOTEL ROOM - NUMILE, SUDAN - DAY
                         
          Sam's closed eyes... sound asleep...
                         
          Just before dawn. Deng standing over him, shaking him awake...
                         
                          DENG
           The LRA attacked a village last night.
                         
          Sam looking up to him...
                         
                          DENG (CONT'D)
           You said you wanted to see.
                         
          Sam sits up, looks around the hotel room and we see that it's
          empty... the children vanished... only a small, handmade toy on the
          ground which has been left behind.
                         
          INT. PICKUP TRUCK - DRIVING - RURAL SUDAN - DAY
                         
          Sam, Deng, and a few other SPLA SOLDIERS jammed into the flatbed of
          this truck, carrying heavy weapons, bouncing fast over this open
          dirt road... featureless savanna FADING into sporadic mud huts...
          the outskirts of a VILLAGE in the distance... and thin columns of
          black smoke twisting into the air...
                         
          ... and as the truck gets closer to the village we begin to pass
          CHILDREN walking along the side of the road... night commuters
          returning to their village... some of them huddled together,
          weeping...
                          36
                         
          ... and we notice -- Sam notices -- the little boy in the GREEN
          SHORTS, walking hand-in-hand with his sister, their faces quiet
          masks of fear as they move closer to their home.
                         
          EXT. VILLAGE - YEI, SUDAN - DAY
                         
          The pickup arrives and Sam, Deng, and the other soldiers hop out...
          and this is what they see:
                         
          Complete devastation. 30 or 40 bodies mutilated and stacked outside
          smoking tukuls. Some children already here, on their knees, weeping
          next to the corpses of their parents. If you could smell the air it
          would smell of burnt flesh and death.
                         
          Sam silent, aghast, just staring at the horror all around him...
                         
          ... and now we see GREEN SHORTS and his sister arriving at the
          village... moving to their family's tukul and discovering their
          mother and father piled outside. Naked and burned alive. And the
          sister falls onto her mother's corpse and begins to wail as GREEN
          SHORTS stands there -- frozen -- staring down at his dead parents --
          and suddenly --
                         
          MOVEMENT! -- from inside the tukul... a small dog... a family pet...
          darting into the open... running across the dirt... GREEN SHORTS
          going after it, yelling his name...
                         
          Sam watching the boy chasing after his dog, rounding a corner out of
          sight...
                         
          ... for a moment...
                         
          ... just the boy's voice calling after his dog... and then...
                         
          BOOOOM!
                         
          A muffled burst -- in the distance -- Sam, Deng, and the other
          soldiers running out of the village toward the explosion...
                         
          EXT. DIRT ROAD - YEI, SUDAN - DAY
                         
          ... Sam, Deng, and the others arriving at the source of the
          explosion. And we see GREEN SHORTS laying on the side of the road...
          cut in half by a land mine... his dead eyes wide open with
          surprise...
                         
          ... and Sam drops to his knees... lifting what's left of the boy
          into his arms and rocking him back and forth... and we watch as a
          terrible sadness overtakes him... something happening here... a
          fierce and overwhelming burden dropping into this man as he holds
          this dead boy... in the dirt... in the middle of this savage
          world...
                         
          ... and as Sam puts it, his "life changed forever" in this moment...
          and we see him looking up to the heavens...
                          37
                         
          tears streaming down his face... saying something we can't hear, but
          it's a promise... to God...
                         
          To save the children of Sudan.
                         
          INT. PITTSBURGH AIRPORT - DAY
                         
          A bright, fluorescent corridor filled with garish advertising and
          harried travelers rushing to make planes... and we find Sam coming
          down this concourse, carrying his duffle bag, his face
          expressionless. He reaches a revolving door but stops... doesn't
          pass through... sees Lynn, Paige, and his mother waiting for him on
          the other side... their happy, expectant faces...
                         
          But they don't see him yet... and he just stays here... hidden...
          watching them through the glass... and as Sam puts it, at this
          moment he realized he would never look at his own family the same
          way again... in some way lost to them forever after what he saw on
          the side of road in Yei...
                         
          ... and finally he forces a smile, pushes through the revolving door
          and we watch, from this side of the glass, as Paige leaps into his
          arms... Lynn and Daisy moving to him too, embracing him, welcoming
          him home.
                         
          INT. BATHROOM - PAIGE'S ROOM - CHILDERS HOUSE - NIGHT
                         
          Paige brushing her teeth at the sink. Sam watching her from the
          doorway...
                         
                          PAIGE
           You see any tigers over there?
                         
                          SAM
           Naw, didn't see no tigers.
                         
                          PAIGE
           But they do have them over in Africa.
                         
                          SAM
           So I hear, but not where I was.
                         
                          PAIGE
           Sure am glad you're home.
                         
                          SAM
           Me too, bug.
                         
                          PAIGE
           I'm thinkin of a plane...
                         
                          SAM
           It's late, you better get to bed...
                         
          And he grabs her and carries her into the bedroom, plops her onto
          the bed...
                          38
                         
                          PAIGE
           C'mon, plane... I'm thinkin of a plane...
                         
          Sam giving in, playing their little game as she gets under the
          covers...
                         
                          SAM
           You said plane, I'm thinkin of a train...
                         
                          PAIGE
           You said train, I'm thinkin of a brain.
                         
                          SAM
           You said brain, I'm thinkin of a...
                          (HESITATING)
                         
                          PAIGE
           Gotcha!
                         
                          SAM
           Ok, you got me.
                         
                          PAIGE
           You coulda said drain, or mane... like
           horse's hair.
                         
          Sam bending over, kissing her forehead...
                         
                          SAM
           Sweet dreams, bug.
                         
          INT. HALLWAY - CHILDERS HOUSE - NIGHT
                         
          Sam coming out of Paige's bedroom, pulling the door closed, finding
          Lynn waiting for him.
                         
                          LYNN
           You comin to bed?
                         
                          SAM
           In a bit
                         
                          LYNN
           You ok?
                         
                          SAM
           Just a long flight.
                         
          She senses more but knows this man well enough not to push... and so
          she simply turns away.
                         
          EXT. FRONT PORCH - CHILDERS HOUSE - NIGHT
                         
          Quiet. Just Sam on this porch all alone, been here for some time,
          eyes far off, images in his mind he can't seem to shake.
                          39
                         
          And he steps into the yard... walking along the side of the house...
          just moving... trying to shed this feeling like snakeskin...
                         
          ... and he comes to something on the ground which stops him dead in
          his tracks... something we don't see yet... and slowly he reaches
          down and picks up...
                         
          A LITTLE DOLL. One of Paige's toys. Soiled and faded and left in the
          dirt. And we watch him holding this forgotten doll... and what we
          see on his face ain't pretty... his world collapsing out from under
          him... trying to keep rein on his emotions... a battle he's losing.
                         
          INT. BEDROOM - CHILDERS HOUSE - MORNING
                         
          Lynn stirs awake, looks next to her and realizes Sam never made it
          to bed the night before.
                         
          EXT. CHILDERS HOUSE - MORNING
                         
          Lynn coming out the front door in her nightgown, sees a light on in
          a utility shed in the back...
                         
          INT. UTILITY SHED - MORNING
                         
          ... Lynn slowly pushing open the door to find Sam on the floor,
          hunched over a pad of Paige's art paper... drawing... paper wads
          strewn all around him... been here all night...
                         
                          LYNN
           Baby, whatcha doin?
                         
          He looks up...
                         
                          SAM
           Makin plans.
                         
                          LYNN
           You been to bed yet?
                         
          He gathers up a couple of the papers, moves to her.
                         
                          SAM
           I had a vision last night, Lynn. Crazy as
           it sounds, God spoke to me...
                         
          He hands her a sheet of paper -- CU to see it's a crude drawing of
          building.
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           I'm gonna build a church.
                         
                          LYNN
           A church?
                          40
                         
                          SAM
           Right across the street. Not like Faith
           United or Calvary Fellowship. Place that
           ain't gonna turn you away if you a drug
           addict or a prostitute or whatever. Place
           for sinners, just like me, who wanna hear
           the word of God.
                         
          Lynn studying him, trying to judge how serious he is here. And Sam
          looking back at her, his eyes like we haven't seen them before.
          Sparkling.
                         
                          LYNN
           How we gonna pay for a church, Sam?
                         
                          SAM
           We got money in the bank. Business is
           good. Besides, I own a construction
           company...
                          (SMILING)
           I'm gonna give us one heck of a good deal
           on the build.
                         
          She smiles, shaking her head, catching his enthusiasm...
                         
                          LYNN
           Yer crazy.
                         
                          SAM
           `Lil bit.
                         
                          LYNN
           What's that?
                         
          He hands her the other paper -- CU to see it's a another drawing.
                         
                          SAM
           That's the orphanage I wanna build. In
           Sudan.
                         
                          CUT TO:
                         
          EXT. RURAL ROAD - CENTRAL CITY, PENN. - DAY - (MAY/2003)
                         
          Eight months later and we're looking at a simple, cinder block
          church which is under construction. A scattering of pickup trucks
          parked at the site and a flurry of activity. WORKMEN pouring cement,
          laying sheetrock, etc. And Sam in the middle of this crew, putting
          the finishing touches on a timber frame which is about to be raised.
                         
          EXT. PLAYGROUND - JOHNSTOWN, PENN. - DAY
                         
          Children at play, laughing, screaming, swinging on swing sets and
          digging in a sand pit. And we see Sam off to the side, leaning
          against a (new) black Harley, watching Paige playing in the group.
                          41
                         
           VOICE (O.S.)
           Sam Childers...
                         
          Sam turns to see a BIKER, late 40's, leather vest, standing with his
          12 year old DAUGHTER.
                         
                          SAM
           That's me.
                         
          The Biker extends his hand, they shake.
                         
                          BIKER
           Hey bro, Ben Hobbes, knew each other long
           time ago.
                         
                          SAM
           Yeah, Ben, how you doin?
                         
                          DAUGHTER
           Daddy, I'm gonna go.
                         
                          BIKER
           OK, sweetie...
                         
          She runs off.
                         
                          BIKER (CONT'D)
           Goddamn, they grow up quick, don't they?
                         
                          SAM
           Sure do.
                         
                         
                         
                          BIKER
           Hey, nuthin fer nuthin, Sam, but rumor
           has it you was puttin up a chapel over
           there in Central City.
                         
                          SAM
           That's right. Gonna minister to anybody
           who's lookin for The Lord.
                         
                          BIKER
           That's good, man. Maybe you can do
           somethin bout your old friend, Donnie.
                         
                          SAM
           What about em?
                         
                          BIKER
           He ain't doin so good, bro. But hey, good
           seein ya' man.
                          42
                         
          EXT. CRACK HOUSE - JOHNSTOWN, PENN. - DAY
                         
          A torn up house in a shitty part of town, windows spray painted
          black. Sam pulls up to the curb on his Harley, gets off, opens one
          of the bike's hard cases and pulls out the same SAWED OFF 10 gage
          we've seen before... chambers a slug as he moves toward the house...
                         
          INT. CRACK HOUSE - JOHNSTOWN, PENN. - DAY
                         
          Dark, junkie squalor. Two or three people slumped on a ratty couch,
          strung-out, watching a flickering TV -- and then --
                         
          THE FRONT DOOR CAVES IN!
                         
          Sam coming into the house -- sawed-off leveled -- junkies scrambling
          for cover -- YELLING! -- CHAOS! -- Sam moving into --
                         
          INT. CRACK HOUSE - BACK ROOM - DAY
                         
          Sam comes around the corner and finds himself face-to-face with a
          CRACKHEAD pointing a .357 MAGNUM -- eyes amped up and wild --
          shaking -- a stand-off -- and Sam sees a body on a bare mattress in
          the b.g. -- bone thin and pale -- spent hypodermic hanging out of
          his arm --
                         
          It's Donnie.
                         
                          SAM
           I'm here for that boy right there. You
           gonna get in the way a that?
                         
          A TENSE BEAT -- not sure how this is gonna go -- and then the
          CRACKHEAD shakes his head "no"
                         
          INT. CHILDERS HOUSE - CENTRAL CITY, PENN. - DAY
                         
          Donnie in a bed, covers pulled up to his neck and he's shaking bad,
          retching in a bucket, deep in the throes of a detox. Sam and Lynn
          here doing what they can, toweling off his forehead, trying to keep
          him warm, as Donnie pulls the sheets tighter, gritting his teeth,
          shaking his head.
                         
                          DONNIE
           I can't do this.
                         
                          SAM
           Look at me. God don't make trash, boy.
           Now he ain't givin up on you, so don't
           give up on him, you hear me?
                         
          And somehow Donnie finds strength in his words, and in Sam's hand
          touching his head, and he nods.
                          43
                         
          EXT. RURAL ROAD - CENTRAL CITY, PENN. - DAY - (AUGUST/2003)
                         
          A bright Sunday morning and we're staring at the cinder block church
          which is almost completely finished... the sound of a garage band
          coming from inside, playing an unlikely rendition of a spiritual
          hymn... and a handful of people, dressed for service, moving up the
          cement stairs into...
                         
          INT. ENTRY HALL - SHEKINAH FELLOWSHIP CHURCH - DAY
                         
          And we see Donnie, dressed in his biker jacket and a buttondown
          shirt, sober for the moment, greeting people as they come through
          the front door. Standing next to him is Daisy handing out programs.
                         
                          DONNIE
           Welcome to Shekinah Fellowship Church.
                         
          INT. CHAPEL - SHEKINAH FELLOWSHIP CHURCH - CENTRAL CITY - DAY
                         
          Still under construction. Exposed beams and bare insulation on the
          walls. There's a small riser at the front of the hall with an altar,
          organ, and the GARAGE BAND playing the rocked-out hymn.
                         
          A handful of people here sitting in pews. FARMERS in clean overalls,
          FACTORY WORKERS, BIKERS still dressed in their riding leathers,
          listening to the garage band and chatting.
                         
          And now we see Lynn and Paige (11) standing near the back. Lynn
          nervous, checking her watch.
                         
          INT. FOYER - SHEKINAH FELLOWSHIP CHURCH - DAY
                         
          Sam on his knees, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, wrenching a
          leaking pipe. Lynn and Daisy walk in...
                         
                          LYNN
           It's five-til and he still ain't here.
                         
          Sam hearing this, moving to his feet, toweling off his hands.
                         
                          SAM
           You call him?
                          (LYNN NODS)
           Try him again.
                         
          Lynn exits and Daisy steps forward, shuts the door behind her. Just
          she and Sam here alone now.
                         
                          DAISY
           You like this dress, Sam?
                         
                          SAM
           What, mom?
                          44
                         
                          DAISY
           You ain't never seen this one. I bought
           it a long time ago. Been keepin it for a
           special occasion.
                         
                          SAM
           It's nice.
                         
                          DAISY
           I never told you this but when I was
           pregnant with you, now this was way back,
           probably 1960, when yer daddy and I was
           still in Grand Rapids, a Pastor
           prophesied over me. Pulled me right up on
           stage and laid his hands on my belly and
           told me I was gonna have a Preacher for a
           son.
           (smiling at the thought)
           Yer daddy and I were so proud. I remember
           we went home and neither of us could
           sleep all night. Just laid there and
           talked bout you, bout what was comin.
                         
                          SAM
           I just built a church. I ain't no
           preacher.
                         
                          DAISY
           Yes you are. You were born to it. Just
           took you a little ways to get here.
                         
          INT. CHAPEL - SHEKINAH FELLOWSHIP CHURCH - DAY
                         
          Sam entering at the back of the chapel, taking a moment to
          appreciate what he's looking at: 20 or 30 people here in the church
          that he built. A dream realized. And he walks down the center aisle,
          shaking hands with a few people, climbing steps to the altar and
          switching on the microphone...
                         
                          SAM
           (to the band)
           Thank you, Tommy. You boys is soundin
           pretty good up here.
                         
          Sam turning to the crowd, clearing his throat, clearly nervous.
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           I wanna thank ya'll for comin out for the
           first day of worship here at Shekinah
           Fellowship Church.
                         
          Some applause. Lynn and Paige sitting with Daisy who is beaming.
                          45
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           The guest preacher we had booked today
           ain't shown up... so I thought I'd say a
           word or two.
                         
          An awkward beat...
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           Lotta yous been wonderin what made me
           wanna build this here church. Seein as I
           ain't the best seed in the bunch I can
           understand that.
                         
          A beat, considering what to say... and he begins...
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           Buncha years ago I was runnin from some
           bad fellas in the woods over there by
           Cleary. Those old boys was comin after me
           hard and I reached in my bag lookin for
           my old shotgun but it was gone. My momma
           had took it out when I wasn't lookin and
           put this bible in there instead...
                         
          Sam holding up a worn bible, and we start to notice something
          here... a transformation happening in this man as he speaks to these
          people. His nervousness falling away and a natural charisma taking
          over...
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           Well I figured I was done for, so I sat
           down under an old tree with this useless
           book and I waited...
                         
          And we see the congregation hanging on his every word, identifying
          with this man standing before them. One of their own.
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           ... and then the strangest thing
           happened. Them boys ran right on past me.
           Didn't even see me sittin there. Now the
           way I figure it, things would have turned
           out pretty different if I had pulled out
           that shotgun instead of this here Bible.
           And that's probably the first time I can
           remember God savin my butt.
                          (BEAT)
           God... and my momma.
                         
          Some laughter and applause...
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           Figure least I could do was build em both
           this church.
                         
          And the congregation responds with a Hallelujah!
                          46
                         
          INT. PITTSBURGH AIRPORT - DAY
                         
          Sam holding Paige, her face buried in his shoulder, crying.
                         
                          SAM
           Be back soon as I can.
                         
                          PAIGE
           You're gonna miss my play.
                         
                          SAM
           Have momma videotape it for me, k? Now I
           gotta git.
                         
          Lynn pulling Paige off, kissing Sam on the lips.
                         
                          LYNN
           Call us when you can.
                         
                          SAM
           I will.
                         
          Sam turning to Donnie, and we see he's back to the hulking man he
          once was.
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           You watch out for em while I'm gone, ya
           hear?
                         
                          DONNIE
           That's done, buddy.
                         
          Sam winks, slaps Donnie on the shoulder, as we --
                         
                          CUT TO:
                         
          EXT. SPLA CAMP - KITGUM, UGANDA - DAY
                         
          FULL SCREEN - SEVEN LARGE SHIPPING BOXES RIPPED OPEN
                         
          And we see a line of SPLA soldiers (including NINETEEN, MARCO, and
          A.J.) sitting in the dirt, pulling on NEW BOOTS, smiling, spit-
          polishing them to a high shine.
                         
          Sam and Deng watching the soldiers.
                         
                          DENG
           You came all this way to bring us new
           boots?
                         
          INT. TRUCK - DRIVING - DAY
                         
          Deng driving fast down this bumpy road. Sam in the passenger seat.
          Nineteen, Marco, and A.J. in the flatbed of this truck, ever
          watchful.
                          47
                         
                          SAM
           Right here, stop the truck!
                         
          EXT. DIRT ROAD - DEEP IN THE BUSH - DAY
                         
          Sam already out of the truck, moving into the bush. Deng
          following...
                         
                          DENG
           Sam, wait...
                         
          But he's not listening, moving through the scrub to a small
          clearing... walking around...
                         
                          DENG (CONT'D)
           It is not safe here.
                         
          Sam kneeling down, picking up a handful of red dirt, letting it
          trickle through his fingers...
                         
                          SAM
           This is it...
                         
          EXT. NIMULE - ON THE BORDER OF SUDAN AND UGANDA - DAY
                         
          Establishing a busy trading town on the border of Sudan and Uganda.
          And we see a small crowd of villagers standing underneath a tarp,
          watching a small color TV (the only TV for miles) -- on the screen
          we see a black man in a military uniform giving a fiery speech --
          this is JOHN GARANG -- one of the good guys -- the founder of the
          SPLA.
                         
          INT. GOVERNMENT OFFICE - NIMULE, SUDAN - DAY
                         
          A tight, cramped office filled with villagers. Two or three men
          here at desks handling the administration of life in the bush:
          renewing travel papers, registering newborn children, hearing
          complaints from local farmers, etc. And we see Sam and Deng at one
          of these desks, a topographical map splayed out in front of them.
                         
                          ADMINISTRATOR
           This is not a good idea.
                         
                          SAM
           I think it's a heckuva good idea.
                         
                          ADMINISTRATOR
           It would be better further south. Closer
           to Kampala.
                         
                          SAM
           If I wanted to be closer to Kampala, I'd
           be closer to Kampala. I wanna be right
           here...
                         
          Sam pointing to the map. The Administrator turning to Deng --
                          48
                         
                          ADMINISTRATOR
                          (ARABIC)
           He should not be this far north.
                         
                          SAM
           What are you sayin?
                         
                          ADMINISTRATOR
           The villages in this area are very
           remote, Mr. Childers. There is nothing
           there.
                         
                          SAM
           Then it seems to me them people need help
           the most.
                         
                          ADMINISTRATOR
           (to Deng, Arabic)
           He will be killed.
                         
                          SAM
           Talk to me.
                         
          The Administrator turning to him, laying it out simply --
                         
                          ADMINISTRATOR
           This is in the war zone, Mr. Childers.
           The LRA will kill you here.
                         
                          SAM
           I don't think you understand me, so lemme
           make it real clear to ya. I didn't pick
           this land -- God did.
                         
          EXT. CHILDREN'S ORPHANGE - SUDAN - DAY - THREE MONTHS LATER
                         
          What we're looking at is the modest beginning of The Angels of East
          Africa Children's Orphanage. A cluster of tukuls and 2 or 3
          rudimentary wood buildings built on the dirt Sam first let trickle
          between his fingers.
                         
          And we see life already finding it's place within these bamboo
          walls. Acholi WORKERS laying brick on what will eventually become a
          schoolhouse and chapel.
                         
          And we find Sam with two or three small CHILDREN who are crying for
          no apparent reason. He's on his knees, trying his best to soothe
          them but he is way out of his depth here.
                         
          And now we see Deng in the b.g. approaching with a powerfully built
          Ugandan woman in her late 40's.
                         
                          DENG
                          (INTRODUCING)
           Sam... this is Betty. She is from the
           village of Kotido. A few miles from here.
                          49
                         
                          SAM
           Good to meet you Betty.
                         
          Betty, no reaction. Just the incessant crying of the children in the
          b.g.
                         
                          DENG
           She is knowing that you need someone to
           run the orphanage.
                         
                          SAM
           I'm lookin for somebody who can keep the
           place in order. Make sure things is taken
           care of when I'm away.
                         
                          DENG
           She can do this.
                         
                          SAM
           She's gonna have to take care of the
           children too, make sure they're fed, fix
           em when they're sick. Can she do that?
                         
          Betty hears this, turns to the crying children and softly says --
                         
                          BETTY
                          (ARABIC)
           Quiet now.
                         
          -- and instantly their crying stops.
                         
                          SAM
           Tell her she's hired.
                         
          INT. DORM - CHILDREN'S ORPHANGE - NIGHT
                         
          We see Betty and another Camp Woman (ROSE) moving through this room
          carrying lanterns, helping the children get ready for sleep --
                         
                          BETTY
                          (ARABIC)
           You two share a blanket and tomorrow we
           will find another.
                         
                          ROSE
                          (ARABIC)
           Shhhh, it's time to shut your eyes...
                         
          And we see Sam here too, doing what he can, tucking in a few of the
          kids, starting to make a connection with these children.
                         
          EXT. CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - NIGHT
                         
          And we see a handful of SPLA soldiers stationed around the perimeter
          of the compound, standing guard. Sam and Deng sitting next to a
          lantern by the front gate.
                          50
                         
                          SAM
           You know what's funny? In English your
           name means "darn it."
                         
                          DENG
           What is this `darn it?'
                         
                          SAM
           Deng. It means `shucks.' You know, like
           you stub your toe and you go "ahhhhh,
           deng!" Get it?
                         
                          DENG
                          (DEAD SERIOUS)
           This is not funny. In my language, in
           Arabic, names are very important. They
           tell you everything about a man.
                          (BECOMING HEATED)
           Your name proceeds you wherever you go.
           You are Sam. This is how you are known.
           In my language this means something.
                         
          Sam feeling terrible, realizes he's offended him.
                         
                          SAM
           I'm sorry, buddy. It was just a joke.
                         
          Quiet, awkward, just the two of them sitting here quietly for a long
          beat. Finally...
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           What does Sam mean in Arabic?
                         
                          DENG
           Small penis.
                         
          And Deng smiles brightly. Sam realizing he's been played. And Deng
          starts to LAUGH. A deep, guttural, infectious laugh. Sam joining
          him, and we sense that at this moment these two have become friends.
          And gradually their laughter subsides, and it's quiet again.
                         
                          SAM
           Can I ask you a question?
                         
                          DENG
           Of course.
                         
                          SAM
           You believe in God?
                         
          Deng considering this for a beat, and then...
                         
                          DENG
           I was raised to believe there was a God
           in heaven.
                          (MORE)
                          51
                          DENG (CONT'D)
           But it is impossible to live here, to see
           what I have seen, and not turn your back
           on him.
                         
          BEAT.
                         
                          SAM
           Maybe you'll invite him in again one day.
                         
                          DENG
           I don't think so.
                         
                          CUT TO:
                         
          EXT. AFRICA NIGHT - PITCH BLACK
                         
          The heavy stillness of an African summer night. Only the sound of
          Kestrel hawks screeching far off in the distance, hunting prey...
          and the drone of African Cicadas buzzing all around us.
                         
          INT. DORM - CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - NIGHT
                         
          The children sprawled on their mats sound asleep.
                         
          INT. SOLDIER'S BARRACKS - CHILDREN'S ORPHANGE - NIGHT
                         
          Deng and a few other soldiers sleeping on bedrolls.
                         
          INT. SAM'S TUKUL - CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - NIGHT
                         
          Sam sitting on his cot. He rips open an airmail package and pulls
          out a small VIDEOCASSETTE, slides it in a VIDEOCAMERA, hits play --
                         
          ON THE SMALL VIDEO SCREEN we see Paige, dressed in a pilgrim
          costume, performing in a Thanksgiving Day play. Her voice coming
          through the tiny speakers as she recites her lines. Sam smiling at
          what he's watching.
                         
          EXT. FRONT GATE - CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - NIGHT
                         
          A few of the SPLA soldiers sitting next to their weapons in the
          dark, smoking, tossing beads into a carved wooden trough, playing
          the ancient game of Mancala --
                         
                          SOLDIER #2
                          (ARABIC)
           That was a mistake...
                         
                          SOLDIER #3
                          (ARABIC)
           Where?
                         
                          SOLDIER #2
                          (ARABIC)
           Right here... your third "house" is
           open...
                          52
                         
          Soldier #3 reacting to his mistake as --
                         
          -- WE SEE SHADOWS IN THE DARKNESS... MAYBE 10 OR 12 FIGURES MOVING
          SLOWLY THROUGH THE UNDERBRUSH... LRA REBELS... APPROACHING THE
          PERIMETER OF THE ORPHANAGE.
                         
          The SPLA soldiers oblivious to the advance.
                         
          INT. SAM'S TUKUL - CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - NIGHT
                         
          Sam watching Paige's play -- when suddenly --
                         
          AN EXPLOSION! -- machinegun fire popping o.s. -- Sam hitting the
          ground, scrambling for cover --
                         
          EXT. CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - NIGHT
                         
          -- Sam rushing out of his tukul -- sees the front gate OBLITERATED
          from a grenade blast -- bamboo fence burning -- the death song of
          AK47's howling in the darkness --
                         
                         NEW ANGLE
                         
          -- Sam hustling across the compound -- joining Deng and another
          soldier behind a makeshift shed --
                         
                          SAM
           How many are there?
                         
                          DENG
           Two squads...
                          (INDICATING)
           There -- and there.
                         
          Sam peering around the corner -- sees MUZZLE FLASHES in the
          blackness -- maybe 15 or 20 rebels moving through the bush like
          specters -- flanking the compound --
                         
                          SAM
           Where are your men?
                         
                          DENG
           I don't know.
                         
          Sam looking around, realizing the rest of the SPLA soldiers are
          scattered throughout the compound firing randomly into the dark.
                         
                          SAM
           They're gonna pick us off like this!
                         
          Sam, split-second decision here -- and he starts to sprint across
          the compound to --
                          53
                         
          INT. DORM - CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - NIGHT
                         
          TERRIFIED SCREAMING! -- the children cowering in the corners --
          Betty and Rose here trying to calm them down --
                         
                          BETTY
                          (ARABIC)
           Stay down! -- stay down! --
                         
                          ROSE
           We are protected! --
                         
          Sam bursting through the door --
                         
                          SAM
           -- Betty! Get em to the church right now!
                          (ARABIC)
           Quickly.
                          (ENGLISH)
           Understand?! --
                         
          Betty nodding as Sam rushes out --
                         
          INT. STOREROOM - CHILDREN'S VILLAGE ORPHANAGE - NIGHT
                         
          -- Sam bombing into this shed -- quickly opening a metal chest and
          pulling out an AK47 and mags of ammo --
                         
          EXT. FRONT GATE - CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - NIGHT
                         
          -- Sam scrambling across the compound with the AK -- moves next to
          Deng and pops a mag into the machinegun --
                         
                          SAM
           Get yer men back to the church! That's
           our best shot! I'll cover you...
                         
          And Sam starts to open up the AK -- laying down a curtain of
          suppression fire as Deng shouts to his men --
                         
                          DENG
                          (ARABIC)
           To the church! --
                         
          -- and they start to fall back to the center of the orphanage --
                         
          INT. CHAPEL - CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - NIGHT
                         
          Betty and the other Camp woman herding the terrified children into
          this building -- the only brick structure on the compound -- and
          then Deng, Marco, A.J. and the other SPLA soldiers coming in --
          moving to the window holes and returning fire --
                          54
                         
          EXT. FRONT GATE - CHILDREN'S VILLAGE ORPHANAGE - NIGHT
                         
          Sam sweeping the AK back and forth, trying to hold off the rebels as
          long as he can -- and then --
                         
          KABOOOM!!
                         
          More of the fence eviscerated by a grenade blast.
                         
          REBELS ADVANCING ON THE ORPHANAGE -- BREACHING THE PERIMETER --
                         
          Sam becoming overwhelmed in the fight -- firing as he retreats back
          into the compound --
                         
          INT. CHAPEL - CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - NIGHT
                         
          -- Sam storming into the chapel -- turning to Betty --
                         
                          SAM
           (meaning the children)
           Put em in the middle!
                         
          Betty and the other woman do exactly that -- they move the children
          into a tight group in the center of the room.
                         
                          BETTY
                          (ARABIC)
           Down here! -- in the center! -- all of
           you! -- stay down!
                         
          EXT. CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - NIGHT
                         
          Rebels moving through the compound, firing into tukuls and setting
          everything on fire.
                         
          INT. CHAPEL - CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - NIGHT
                         
          Sam, Deng and the other soldiers returning fire --
                         
                          DENG
                          (ARABIC)
           Four on the right!
                         
                          NINETEEN
                          (ARABIC)
           There are too many!
                         
                          SAM
           Just keep firin!
                         
          Sam starting to open up with his AK -- Krakakakakakak! -- spent
          shells showering down around the children huddled in the middle of
          the room.
                          55
                         
          EXT. CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - NIGHT
                         
          Rebels swarming around the chapel, but reaching a point where they
          can't advance any further --
                         
          -- and we see a rebel squat behind a shed and screw an RPG into a
          launcher -- he pops up -- levels the launcher at the chapel and --
                         
          Krakakakakak!
                         
          He's cut down before he's able to fire --
                         
          INT. CHAPEL - CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - NIGHT
                         
          -- Sam sweeping his AK across the compound -- the other soldiers
          burning through magazines and reloading -- rebels firing back --
          Betty and the children crowded on the floor in the middle of this
          STORM OF GUNFIRE -- and we stay in this little chapel -- watching
          this last stand -- until we --
                         
                          CUT TO:
                         
          EXT. CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - MORNING
                         
          And we see the entire orphanage has been razed to the ground. Betty
          and a few of the children picking through the burned out buildings
          and torched tukuls, looking for anything salvageable. Deng,
          Nineteen, and some of the SPLA soldiers loading the corpses of
          rebels into the back of the truck...
                         
          ... and now we find Sam staring at the brick chapel in the middle of
          the compound. The only structure that remains. Everything else --
          his entire dream -- in ashes.
                         
          INT. GROCERY STORE - CENTRAL CITY, PENN. - NIGHT
                         
          And we see Lynn pushing a shopping cart down the aisle, past shelves
          loaded with packaged produce. And we hear BUZZING. Lynn digging the
          cell phone out of her purse --
                         
                          LYNN
           Hello?
                         
          EXT. STREET CAFE - NIMULE, SUDAN - SAME (DAY)
                         
          And we find Sam sitting at a table along this dusty, crowded street.
          His duffelbag on the ground next to him.
                         
                          SAM
                          (INTO PHONE)
           It's me.
                         
          INT. GROCERY STORE - CENTRAL CITY, PENN. - NIGHT
                         
          Lynn immediately senses something wrong.
                          56
                         
                          LYNN
           You ok?
                         
          EXT. STREET CAFE - NIMULE, SUDAN - SAME (DAY)
                         
          And we see that he's not. This man is empty, alone, defeated.
                         
                          SAM
           They burned it to the ground. All of it.
           Ain't nuthin left.
                         
          INT. GROCERY STORE - CENTRAL CITY, PENN. - NIGHT
                         
          She hears the anguish in his voice.
                         
                          LYNN
           Where are you?
                         
          EXT. STREET CAFE - NIMULE, SUDAN - DAY
                         
                          SAM
           Nimule...
                         
          INT. GROCERY STORE - CENTRAL CITY, PENN. - NIGHT
                         
           SAM'S VOICE (O.S.)
           ... I'm comin home.
                         
          And we're watching her here, clocking the resignation in his voice.
          A moment of quiet for both of them. Lynn sensing the dimensions of
          his heartache. All she wants to do is bring him home, hold him
          close, ease his pain... but she knows that's not what he needs...
          not this man...
                         
          EXT. STREET CAFE - NIMULE, CAFE - DAY
                         
           LYNN'S VOICE (O.S.)
           Sam?
                         
                          SAM
           Yeah.
                         
           LYNN'S VOICE (O.S.)
           Can you hear me?
                         
                          SAM
           I can hear you.
                         
          INT. GROCERY STORE - CENTRAL CITY, PENN. - NIGHT
                         
          And we see her move around a corner into an empty aisle, away from
          the other shoppers. And she says...
                          57
                         
                          LYNN
           Then quit feelin sorry for yerself. Them
           children have had their whole lives
           burned to the ground and worse. How many
           of them you see givin up?
                         
          EXT. STREET CAFE - NIMULE, SUDAN - DAY
                         
          And we watch Sam listening, finding strength in what this woman says
          next...
                         
           LYNN'S VOICE (O.S.)
           God gave you purpose, Sam Childers. Now
           stop yer cryin, get off yer butt and
           build it again.
                         
          EXT. CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - DAY
                         
          BEGIN SEQUENCE. Giving us a sense that many months are passing.
                         
          -- Sam and a crew of VILLAGE MEN hauling the charred remnants of
          tukuls and burned building out of the compound on their backs.
                         
          -- The remainder of the bamboo fence that once surrounded the
          orphanage being torn down.
                         
          -- Nineteen, Marco, A.J. and a few other SPLA soldiers cutting the
          bush away from the edge of the compound with machetes.
                         
                          SAM
           Cut it all down... so they got nowhere to
           hide...
                         
          -- Sam, Deng and the crew of village men digging post holes around
          the perimeter of the orphanage...
                         
                          VILLAGE MAN 1
                          (ARABIC)
           How far?
                         
                          DENG
                          (ARABIC)
           All the way around...
                         
          -- The men sinking metal beams into the holes with cement, then
          surrounding the compound with heavy gage CHAINLINK FENCE.
                         
          -- New DORMS being built from brick. An INFIRMARY. A MESS HALL.
          SOLDIER'S BARRACKS. And finally, Sam laying the last brick on the
          chapel in the center of the compound. Completing it.
                         
          INT. OFFICE - CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - DAY
                         
          A simple administrative office with a short-wave radio and sat
          phone. Sam here, sitting at a desk when we hear a knock at the door.
                          58
                         
                          SAM
           Come on in...
                         
          The door opens and we see Deng.
                         
                          DENG
           Preacher, you need to come see this.
                         
          EXT. CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - DAY
                         
          Sam following Deng to the center of the compound where we see 5 or 6
          camp women (including Betty and Rose) dressed in colorful robes and
          headdresses. Maybe 80 children here, quietly sitting in the dirt,
          watching the women. Nineteen, Marco, A.J. and the rest of the SPLA
          soldiers here too, watching from the side.
                         
                          SAM
           What's goin on?
                         
                          DENG
           The Acholi people were farmers before
           they were driven from their ancestral
           homeland. Each year they blessed the soil
           before a planting.
                         
          And now the women begin to move in unison... singing an ancient
          Acholi song as one of the older orphan boys beats a small drum in
          accompaniment...
                         
                          DENG (CONT'D)
                          (TRANSLATING)
           They are saying that fire brings strength
           and ashes abundance...
                         
          The women continuing their dance... moving in a tight circle and
          stomping their feet as they sing...
                         
                          DENG (CONT'D)
                          (TRANSLATING)
           ... when the land burns, the next year
           the soil produces more...
                         
          And now Betty peels away from the group and approaches Sam, talking
          to him directly in Arabic...
                         
                          BETTY
                          (ARABIC)
           The children are your fields...
                         
                          DENG
                          (TRANSLATING)
           ... she says you are a farmer and these
           children are your crops...
                          59
                         
          Sam looking to the 80 little orphans watching this from the side...
          and now Betty bends down and scoops up a bit of ashen earth and runs
          her finger across his forehead, blessing him...
                         
                          BETTY
                          (ARABIC)
           ... and this ground will grow them tall.
                         
                          DENG
           ... and this ground is richer now and
           they will grow stronger because of it.
                         
          OFF SAM standing here with his ashen face, staring at these people
          in front of him -- his African family.
                         
          INT. MESS HALL - CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - DAY
                         
          Days later and we see Sam here with Nineteen and a few other SPLA
          soldiers, eating lunch, trying to learn their language. And it's
          humorous to these guys as Sam tries to pronounce some words in
          Arabic...
                         
          And suddenly we hear YELLING coming from outside.
                         
          EXT. MESS HALL - CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - DAY
                         
          Sam coming out fast, sees soldiers pulling open the front gate as
          THREE pickup trucks speed into the compound -- SPLA military trucks -
          - skidding to a stop.
                         
          Sam rushing over as soldiers help two YOUNG BOYS out of one of the
          trucks. Both are around 5 years old, injured and crying. And then a
          third child is lifted out in a makeshift stretcher -- this is ALICE -
          - 10 years old -- her broken body limp and bleeding profusely --
          mumbling something to herself in Arabic over-and-over again --
                         
          INT. INFIRMARY - CHILDREN'S VILLAGE ORPHANAGE - DAY
                         
          -- DOORS BANGING OPEN! -- CONTROLLED CHAOS as the children are
          hauled into this clinic -- Betty taking care of Alice -- the worst
          off -- hooking her up to an IV as Sam moves to her bedside -- the
          little girl still mumbling quietly --
                         
                          SAM
           What is she saying?
                         
                          BETTY
           She is asking what she did wrong?
                         
          Sam taking Alice's hand in his... very slowly her beautiful eyes
          open and she sees him... and says something in Arabic...
                         
                          BETTY (CONT'D)
                          (TRANSLATING)
           She is asking if you are `The Preacher.'
                          60
                         
                          SAM
                          (NODDING)
           Tell her she's gonna be ok.
                         
          Betty translates and Alice smiles faintly... and now one of the
          other camp women comes over and Sam steps back so they can work...
                         
          EXT. INFIRMARY - CHILDREN'S VILLAGE ORPHANAGE - DUSK
                         
          Sam coming out of the infirmary and finding Deng here with a few of
          the SPLA soldiers who brought the children.
                         
                          SAM
           Where did they find em?
                         
                          DENG
           Their village was hit out Adjumani.
                         
          Off Sam, hearing this, we...
                         
           TIME DISSOLVE TO:
                         
          EXT. INFIRMARY - CHILDREN'S VILLAGE ORPHANAGE - DAWN
                         
          And we see Sam and Deng sitting outside the infirmary, exhausted,
          been here all night waiting. And now the door opens and Betty comes
          out. She looks down at them and simply shakes her head...
                         
          And we know Alice is dead.
                         
          And it looks like a grenade has gone off inside Sam. And suddenly he
          grabs an AK and gets up, seething, walks off...
                         
                          DENG
           Sam...
                         
          EXT. COMPOUND - CHILDREN'S VILLAGE ORPHANGE - DAY
                         
          ... Sam walking fast through the compound... Deng following...
                         
                          DENG
           Where are you going?
                         
                          SAM
           Adjumani.
                         
                          DENG
           Sam, please wait...
                         
                          SAM
           I ain't waitin. You wanna see what waitin
           gets ya? Take a look in that buildin over
           there...
                         
          Sam reaching the SUV and starting to gear up...
                          61
                         
          FADE UP the plaintive wail of an Acholi WAR SONG... haunting...
          ethereal... and then a chorus of voices rising up... taking us to...
                         
          INT. SUV - DRIVING - DEEP IN THE BUSH - DAY
                         
          Bombing down this rutted, red dirt road. The engine at full tilt.
          Sam, Deng, Nineteen, Marco, and A.J. jammed into this truck riding
          in dead silence... AK47's bouncing between their knees... only the
          sound of the WAR SONG playing as we watch these men... a grave
          stillness on their faces... thinking of what men do just before
          their own death.
                         
          EXT. DIRT ROAD - DEEP IN THE BUSH - DAY
                         
          We see two LRA VEHICLES approaching in the distance... a LEAD JEEP
          and a PICKUP TRUCK behind it...
                         
          INT. LRA PICKUP TRUCK - DRIVING - DAY
                         
          Four CHILD SOLDIERS squatting in the flatbed of this truck carrying
          AK47's. We recognize one of the boys as the younger brother from the
          opening scene -- WILLIAM.
                         
          INT. LRA JEEP - DRIVING - DAY
                         
          With two ADULT REBELS in this Jeep as they drive down this road past
          bombed-out vehicles... and in the distance we see the smoldering
          wreckage of a transport truck on the side of the road... the thick
          smoke hanging over the road like a black curtain... blocking out
          vision of the road ahead...
                         
          ... and the Jeep punches into the black smoke followed by the pickup
          truck... and we're lost in the swirling haze for a moment before
          coming out the other side... and this is what we see --
                         
          SAM -- standing in the middle of the road ahead of us shouldering a
          RPG -- the ADULT REBELS see him just as --
                         
          WHOOOOSH! -- an RPG streaks right at us and DETONATES -- KABOOOOM! --
          and the Jeep flips onto it's side --
                         
          INT. PICKUP TRUCK - DAY
                         
          THE PICKUP GRINDS TO A STOP! -- the driver slamming it into REVERSE -
          - accelerating back into the curtain of smoke -- trying to get the
          fuck out of there when --
                         
          BBrrraaaappp!
                         
          .30 CALIBER MACHINEGUN STRAFE across the front hood --
                         
          EXT. SUV - SAME
                         
          -- and we see A.J. behind the .30 cal -- opening it up --
          BBRAAAAAAPPP! -- BBRAAAAAPPP! -- blasting the engine compartment of
          the truck, trying to disable it --
                          62
                         
          EXT. LRA PICKUP TRUCK - DAY
                         
          -- the pickup truck reversing out of the black smoke -- OUT OF
          CONTROL -- going off the road into a ditch -- WILLIAM and the other
          boys bailing out of the flatbed -- TWO ADULT REBELS piling out of
          the cab -- scrambling for cover behind the truck.
                         
          EXT. BUSH - DAY
                         
          Sam, Deng, A.J. and the others hustling through the smoke and
          finding cover. From Sam's vantage point he sees rebels hiding
          behind the disabled truck for cover -- shooting back -- a withering
          firefight -- the big .30 cal ROARING offscreen but the truck is
          protecting the rebels -- no clear shot --
                         
          EXT. LRA TRANSPORT TRUCK - DAY
                         
          William and the other child soldiers here with two ADULT REBELS --
          crouched behind the truck for cover -- the ADULT REBELS returning
          fire, but the children aren't moving, scared shitless.
                         
          William peers around the truck and sees Sam fifty yards away, turns
          to the boys next to him...
                         
                          WILLIAM
                          (ARABIC)
           It's the white preacher!
                         
          The other boys reacting, this means something to them. And now one
          of the ADULT REBEL turns to the children...
                         
                          ADULT REBEL
           STAND UP AND FIGHT!!!
                         
          And he pops up and returns fire, but the boys don't move.
                         
          EXT. BUSH - DAY
                         
          MARCO running through the smoke toward Sam. He hits the ground and
          starts to screw an RPG into his launcher... he wants to hit the
          transport truck, but Sam shakes his head, waves him off...
                         
                          SAM
           No shot! There are children behind the
           truck!
                         
          Marco hears this, ditches the RPG and picks up his AK.
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           Cover me!
                         
          Marco laying down suppression fire as Sam sprints across the road --
          advancing on the transport truck -- firing his AK from the hip --
          bullets zinging past him -- he dives behind a berm and finds himself
          next to Deng. Neither man says a word as they jam fresh mags into
          their AK's, gunfire erupting all around them.
                          63
                         
          EXT. LRA TRANSPORT TRUCK - DAY
                         
          The adult rebels continue fighting -- alternately popping up from
          behind the truck and returning fire. The ADULT REBEL realizing that
          William and the other boys still aren't fighting --
                         
                          ADULT REBEL
           Fight you cowards!!!
                         
          But William and the other boys don't move, and the Adult Rebel keeps
          shooting until his mag clicks empty. He looks around and sees an RPG
          LAUNCHER on the ground, picks it up, arms it --
                         
          EXT. BERM - DAY
                         
          Sam and Deng behind the berm. Sam peers over just as GUNFIRE misses
          him by inches. He drops back.
                         
                          DENG
           Why don't you just go home?
                         
                          SAM
           What?
                         
                          DENG
           This is not your war.
                         
                          SAM
           You leavin?
                         
          Deng shakes his head --
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           Well then, I ain't leavin neither...
                         
          Sam chambers a round, pivots around the berm as --
                         
          EXT. LRA TRANSPORT TRUCK - SAME
                         
          -- the Adult Rebel stands up with the RPG -- fires! -- at the same
          instant William shoots him in the head -- he jerks -- WOOOOOSH! --
          the missile launching at a bad angle as --
                         
          SAM COMES OUT FROM BEHIND THE BERM
                         
          RPG streaking directly at him -- hitting the ground short --
                         
          BA-WHOOOM! --
                         
          AND OUR VISION EXPLODES TO WHITE
                         
          For a long beat... only silence... and then slowly the white begins
          to fade... and we see Sam flat on his back... eyes blinking open...
          shell-shocked... staring up at blue sky... and then a shadow coming
          over him... someone stepping into his POV...
                          64
                         
          it's William, hands held open in surrender, staring curiously at
          this strange white man laying in the dirt... and now Deng and Marco
          appear next to Sam and help him to his feet.
                         
          And we see the battle is over. The remaining child soldiers slowly
          emerging from behind the LRA truck... laying down their weapons and
          walking toward Sam... joining William... staring at this white man
          in front of them...
                         
          ... William reaches into his pocket and...
                         
          ... Deng and Marco REACT -- lifting their AK's -- "Don't move! Don't
          move!" -- but the boy only pulls out a FADED PHOTOGRAPH... the one
          he grabbed just before his capture... a picture of him and his older
          brother... standing next to each other smiling.
                         
                          WILLIAM
                          (ARABIC)
           Have you seen my brother?
                         
          INT. DORM - CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - NIGHT
                         
          80 children laying on the floor on reed mats, getting ready for
          sleep. And we find William in mid-conversation with a young boy
          named Anthony.
                         
                          WILLIAM
           ... Where are you from?
                         
                          ANTHONY
           Jabal.
                         
                          WILLIAM
           Were you with the rebels?
                         
          Anthony nods. William pulls out his photograph.
                         
                          WILLIAM (CONT'D)
           Did you know my brother? He was called
           Christopher.
                         
          Anthony studying the photograph...
                         
                          WILLIAM (CONT'D)
           He has a funny left eye. It looks the
           other way sometimes. Do you remember him?
                         
                          ANTHONY
           No.
                         
          William folding up the photograph, getting up, moving to another
          little boy a few feet away... kneeling next to him... and so he
          continues...
                         
                          WILLIAM
           I am William. Were you with the rebels?
                          65
                         
          EXT. GENERATOR HUT - CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - NIGHT
                         
          A soldier cuts off the generator and the compound goes black.
                         
          INT. TUKUL - NIGHT
                         
          And we see Sam on his cot when the light goes out. He leans over and
          torches a small Kerosene lamp next to him.
                         
          INT. DORM - NIGHT
                         
          The children on their mats in the dark now... quiet... a few of the
          younger ones whimpering, starting to cry... the darkness becoming
          too much... reminding them of past horrors... and then we hear a
          FAINT VOICE in this dark room... singing quietly... an ancient
          African lullaby... and then other little voices joining in...
          singing this song they all know... a song their mother's once sang
          to them...
                         
          INT. SAM'S TUKUL - CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - NIGHT
                         
          ... Sam hearing the soft chorus drift across the compound... somehow
          finding comfort in it too... blowing out the lamp and laying here in
          the dark... listening to the children sing.
                         
          EXT. CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - EARLY MORNING
                         
          A SLOW DISSOLVE... life springing up in the camp... daylight
          breaking... a routine seen here... Betty, Rose and the other camp
          women arriving at the orphanage... cooking fires being lit...
          soldiers drinking cups of strong coffee, warming themselves after a
          long night...
                         
          ... and Sam coming out of his tukul carrying his duffle bag...
          discovering William curled up next to his door, sleeping on a mat in
          the dirt... been there all night. William stirring awake, seeing Sam
          above him and scrambling to his feet.
                         
                          SAM
           Mornin, buddy.
                         
          William, no response. Just staring up at him.
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           Ain't you gonna say nuthin?
                         
          William, nothing.
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           Ok then.
                         
          And Sam walks across the compound followed by William a few paces
          behind... and he reaches Deng, Betty, Nineteen, and a few of the
          other volunteers waiting by the truck...
                          66
                         
                          DENG
                          (MEANING WILLIAM)
           Looks like you've got yourself a
           bodyguard.
                         
                          SAM
           Guess I do.
                         
          Sam tosses his bag into the back, says goodbye to everyone...
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           Take care of things while I'm gone, ok?
                         
                          DENG
           I will, Preacher.
                         
          They shake hands and Sam gets into the truck... and we see William
          already here, sitting in the backseat.
                         
                          SAM
           You can't come with me, buddy.
                         
                          DENG
           (to William, Arabic)
           Get out of there.
                         
          But William isn't moving...
                         
                          DENG (CONT'D)
                          (ARABIC)
           Come on! -- out! --
                         
          ... and finally Deng reaches in and grabs him... tries to pull him
          out but he fights back... yelling as Deng drags him out of the
          truck...
                         
          INT. TRUCK - DRIVING - DAY
                         
          Sam turning around in his seat as we pull away from the compound...
          and he sees William still struggling in Deng's arms... and finally
          he breaks free and SPRINTS for the truck as it drives off... fast as
          he can... chasing Sam until he no longer can.
                         
                          CUT TO:
                         
          INT. SHEKINAH FELLOWSHIP CHURCH/KITCHEN - CENTRAL CITY, PENN. - DAY
                         
          And we see two teens moving toward the sound of a crowd coming from
          inside the church, responsive, "Hallelujah!"... and then Sam's voice
          over it all...
                         
           SAM (O.S.)
           In your actions you give service to the
           Lord...
                          67
                         
          INT. CHAPEL - SHEKINAH FELLOWSHIP CHURCH - CENTRAL CITY - SAME
                         
          Sam at the pulpit in mid-sermon. There is an air of Fire and
          Brimstone to what we're watching here... electric... the
          congregation listening in rapt attention...
                         
                          SAM
           ... he's not interested in your good
           thoughts... your good intentions... he
           wants your hands... your backs... your
           sweat... your blood to pour into the
           foundation that will build up his
           kingdom!
                         
          Ad-libbed SHOUTS and PRAISE... and now we see Lynn, Daisy, Donnie
          and Paige in the congregation listening... as we go --
                         
          INT. HALLWAY/FOYER - SHEKINAH FELLOWSHIP CHURCH - DAY
                         
          Lynn and Sam walking through the facility, and we see this place is
          alive with activity. More than just a church, this is a community
          center. Lynn opening a door and we see a Volunteer here with a dozen
          little children running around this playroom...
                         
                          LYNN
           We started daycare last month. Monday
           thru Friday from 8 to 2... Sundays after
           first worship for a few hours if anybody
           needs it. How you doin, Sue?
                         
                          VOLUNTEER
           Good. Hey Pastor.
                         
                          SAM
           Sue.
                         
          Lynn pulling the door closed and they continue... moving down a set
          of stairs to the basement where we see children and parents... some
          of them playing ping-pong and air hockey... others in a corner
          rehearsing for a Christmas play...
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           Been thinkin we need to put up a
           playground. Swings. Some things the kids
           can climb on.
                         
                          LYNN
           We can't build anymore. Not for awhile.
                         
                          SAM
           You said Sundays has been full.
                         
                          LYNN
           Turn outs been good, but that don't mean
           people is givin money.
                          (MORE)
                          68
                          LYNN (CONT'D)
           Economy is in trouble, construction
           business is slow. Times is tight.
                         
                          SAM
           Be good for them kids, Lynn.
                         
                          LYNN
           They got the playground over in
           Cairnbrook. And they can play at the
           school on weekends if they want
                         
          Sam turning to her --
                         
                          SAM
           Not talking bout here. Talkin about the
           orphange.
                         
          Lynn catching up to him now, realizing his head is still back in
          Africa.
                         
          INT. SHED - CHILDERS HOUSE - DAY
                         
          Sam working on his Harley. Donnie entering in the b.g.
                         
                          DONNIE
           What'cha workin on, buddy?
                         
                          SAM
           Trouble with the push rods I think. She's
           runnin kinda rough.
                         
                          DONNIE
           Shoulda kept that mild in there `stead a
           buildin up a hot rod. Let's see whatcha
           got here...
                         
          Donnie moving next to him, working on the bike...
                         
                          DONNIE (CONT'D)
           ... never had these problems when we was
           runnin solid lifters, huh?
                         
                          SAM
           Used to fix them old shovelheads on the
           side of the road with a buckknife and a
           wire hanger.
                         
                          DONNIE
           Remember that year we went to the
           Freakers Ball?
                         
          Sam smiling...
                         
                          SAM
           I think that old `78 broke down five
           times on that trip.
                          69
                         
                          DONNIE
           Sounds about right. Shoot, we had more
           fun tryin to get there than when we
           finally did.
                         
          Sam and Donnie share a laugh.
                         
                          DONNIE (CONT'D)
           Can I talk to you about somethin?
                         
                          SAM
           Yep.
                         
                          DONNIE
           I'm glad I'm walkin with the Lord and
           all, but sometimes I ain't sure I'm gonna
           be able to do what he wants me to do.
                         
                          SAM
           The Lord don't ask for nuthin you can't
           deliver, buddy. And yer one tough ole
           boy.
                         
                          DONNIE
           Sometimes I ain't so sure how tough I am.
                         
          And we see in Donnie's eyes just how troubled he is.
                         
                          SAM
           Why don't we pray together then...
                         
          And they both take a knee, bowing their heads as Sam continues...
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           Our gracious Heavenly Father, bless us
           with the strength to carry on in your
           name. And grant us, in our darkest hours,
           the understandin that you are always by
           our side.
                         
          And we leave these two men, their heads bowed in quiet supplication,
          next to this Harley, praying for strength.
                         
          INT. SHOWROOM - CAR DEALERSHIP - JOHNSTOWN, PENN. - DAY (JULY/2004)
                         
          Four or five gleaming sedans on this showroom floor. And we see Sam
          sitting across from BILL WALLACE, late 40's, gold Rolex.
                         
                          BILL
           ... from what I heard, you built yourself
           one helluva church over there in Central
           City.
                          70
                         
                          SAM
           Still got a ways to go, but we're gettin
           there. You should come on by one of these
           Sundays, bring the family.
                         
                          BILL
           That's nice of you, but we're at Calvary
           now. Bit more our speed over there I
           think.
                         
          Sam, getting down to business...
                         
                          SAM
           Reverand Carlton gives a mean sermon,
           puts me to shame. Anyway Bill, I'm here
           cause I wanna talk to you about what
           we're doin over there in Africa.
                         
                          BILL
           Course I know about what you're doin.
           Helluva thing helpin out those kids, Sam.
                         
                          SAM
           Thank you, but I'm gonna be straight with
           ya. We're hurtin for money... If we had a
           little bit more support from people like
           yourself sure would help things run a lot
           smoother over there.
                         
          Bill feeling the rub, shaking his head...
                         
                          BILL
           Sam, look, everybody is feelin the pinch
           around here.
                         
                          SAM
           I hear that, but you gotta understand
           that them kids over there got nuthin. I
           mean nuthin, Bill, and I'm not asking for
           much.
                         
                          BILL
           How much you lookin for?
                         
                          SAM
           Five thousand dollars.
                         
                          BILL
           Jesus Christ, Sam! Five thousand dollars?
                         
                          SAM
           That keeps them doors open for another
           six months.
                          71
                         
                          BILL
           People are losin their jobs left and
           right round here. Tough to be askin for
           five thousand dollars for a buncha
           African children half-way around the
           world.
                         
          Sam shifting, not giving up, coming at him another way...
                         
                          SAM
           You're right. We got problems right here.
           But with that kinda money we could feed
           them kids, house them kids.
                         
          Bill staring at him, saying nothing, on the spot. Sam hoping that
          somehow he's reached this man. And finally Bill stands up...
                         
                          BILL
           Alright, tell you what, lemme see what I
           can do.
                         
          Sam feeling this victory, flashing a smile, shaking Bill's hand.
                         
                          SAM
           Ok.
                         
                          BILL
           Why don't you and the family come over to
           the house next Sunday. We're havin a
           little barbeque, ok?
                         
                          SAM
           Sounds good.
                         
          INT. SUBURBAN HOUSE - DAY
                         
          Upscale French provincial in suburban Johnstown. A "barbeque" is
          underway. 15 couples here with their kids and a handful of waiters
          in white-tie offering champagne and hors d'oeuvres to the guests.
                         
          DOOR BELL RINGING -- and we see a perky woman in her late 40's
          coming through the crowd, blonde hair from a bottle, accessorized to
          the hilt, holding a glass of white wine. SHANNON WALLACE. She opens
          the door to find Sam, Lynn, and Paige standing in the doorway.
                         
                          SHANNON
           Well, come on in...
                         
          And they enter... Lynn smiling awkwardly, dressed in the same yellow
          dress we saw her in previously... her only dress... and Sam looking
          around this enormous room...
                         
                          SHANNON (CONT'D)
           Ya'll must be the Childers. Welcome. I'm
           Shannon, Bill's ball-n-chain.
                          72
                         
          Smiling, a joke she loves...
                         
                          LYNN
           I'm Lynn, this here is Sam, our daughter
           Paige.
                         
                          SHANNON
           Good to meet you.
                         
           VOICE (O.S.)
           There he is!
                         
          Everybody turning to see the car dealer coming through the crowd,
          smiling, a little drunk. AD-LIBBED introductions and then...
                         
                          BILL
           Glad ya'll could make it. Get on in here
           and meet some people...
                         
          Bill ushering them deeper into the house... quick intros to a few
          guests as they pass... Sam, Lynn, and Paige taking it all in...
          starting to sense the dimensions of this massive house... the
          waiters in their pressed jackets offering them food... the
          extravagance... like nothing they've ever seen...
                         
          ... Bill pulling Sam off from the crowd so it's just the two of
          them... taking an envelope from his jacket and handing it to him...
                         
                          BILL (CONT'D)
           This is a little somethin for the kids,
           ok? What we were talking about.
                         
                          SAM
           Thank you, Bill.
                         
                          BILL
           Forget it. Now c'mon, can I get ya a
           mojito or somethin?
                         
          INT. BATHROOM - SUBURBAN HOUSE - DAY
                         
          Sam coming into this bathroom and locking the door... taking the
          envelope out of his pocket and tearing it open... pulling out a
          personal check -- CLOSE UP to see it's in the amount of $150
                         
          HOLD ON Sam face, and it's disgust we see in his eyes.
                         
          EXT. SUBURBAN HOUSE - DAY
                         
          Front door opening fast and Lynn and Paige coming out, followed by
          Sam, pushing them along...
                         
                          LYNN
           Sam...
                          73
                         
                          PAIGE
           Why we leavin so soon?
                         
          Shannon appearing in the doorway in the b.g., calling after...
                         
                          SHANNON
           Everything alright?...
                         
          Lynn turning to respond, but Sam keeps her moving forward, down the
          driveway, past the line of parked BMW's and Mercedes to their truck
          at the curb...
                         
                          SAM
           Get in the car.
                         
                          LYNN
           What's wrong?
                         
          As they load into the truck...
                         
                          SAM
           Sonuvabitch is cryin pour-mouth to me and
           he's livin in the damn Taj Mahal...
                         
                          LYNN
           Sam...
                         
                          SAM
           I asked him for five-thousand dollars to
           feed a buncha motherless babies and you
           know what he gave me?
           (taking out the check,
           wadding it up)
           Hundred and fifty bucks. That's it.
           Handed it to me like it was gold
           bouillon! Sonuvabitch spent more than
           that on salsa for his party.
                         
          INT. CHILDERS HOUSE - DAY
                         
          -- Sam coming into the house, enraged, followed by Lynn. He moves to
          his gun cabinet, grabs a hidden key, unlocks it...
                         
                          LYNN
           What are you doin?
                         
                          SAM
           I've had it with these people and all
           their bullshit about wantin to help...
                         
          And he starts pulling out weapons... shotguns and assault rifles...
          stuffing them into an oversize gun bag...
                         
                          LYNN
           Sam Childers...
                          74
                         
          Lynn reaching for him and he grabs her wrist... tightly... staring
          at her with dark eyes. A flash of the "old" Sam Childers here when
          he says...
                         
                          SAM
           Stay outta my way.
                         
          And for the first time in years this woman is scared. He lets go of
          her wrist and continues to fill the bag -- and we go --
                         
          EXT. PAWN SHOP - JOHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA - DAY
                         
          Sam coming out followed by the Shop Owner...
                         
                          SHOP OWNER
           ... I'm sorry, twenty-five hundred is the
           best I can do for them gun.
                         
          REVERSE to see Lynn's car parked at the curb, Sam pointing to it...
                         
                          SAM
           Throw in the car for five.
                         
          The Shop Owner considering, as we go...
                         
          EXT. ROAD - PENNSYLVANIA - DAY
                         
          Windy, pissing rain. And we see Sam walking up this rural road,
          hands in his pockets, head down... the only human for miles...
          trudging through this shitstorm completely alone.
                         
                          CUT TO:
                         
          EXT. CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - DAY
                         
          And we see Sam with a group of men working in the sweltering heat...
          laying brick... adding another room to the children's dorm...
                         
          ... and he squints into the distance, sees a cloud of dust on the
          horizon, cars coming closer.
                         
          EXT. MAIN GATE - CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - DAY
                         
          Seven or eight heavily armed vehicles coming through the gate. Maybe
          20 or 30 SPLA soldiers guarding a black SUBURBAN in the middle of
          this motorcade. Nineteen waving his hand, yelling as the cars pass --
                         
                          NINETEEN
                          (ARABIC)
           It's Garang! -- It's Garang! --
                         
          Palpable excitement ripples through the compound... Sam's soldiers
          grabbing their weapons and forming a ragged line near the Suburban
          as it stops...
                          75
                         
          ... the back door to the Suburban opens and a black man, dressed in
          shirtsleeves and slacks, steps out. The same man we saw giving the
          fiery speech on the little outdoor TV in Nimule earlier -- JOHN
          GARANG.
                         
          Sam turns to Deng --
                         
                          SAM
           Who's this guy?
                         
                          DENG
           That's our leader.
                         
                          SAM
           John Garang?
                         
          Deng nods as we go...
                         
          EXT. COMPOUND - CHILDREN'S VILLAGE ORPHANGE - DAY
                         
          Sam and Garang walking through the middle of camp, trailed by a
          squad of SPLA bodyguards and camp children...
                         
                          GARANG
           They call you Preacher. Is this what I
           should call you?
                         
                          SAM
           Sam is fine.
                         
                          GARANG
           I hear what you have done for the SPLA
           and I am grateful.
                         
                          SAM
           We can thank God for his blessins.
                         
                          GARANG
           Yes, we can. How many children do you
           look after, Sam?
                         
                          SAM
           Couple hundred with us here. Feed another
           thousand a day from nearby villages.
           Anyone who shows up hungry gets a meal.
                         
          And they continue through the camp. A few of the children running up
          to Garang, touching the cuff of his shirt, then sprinting away...
                         
                          GARANG
           What you are doing is noble, but too
           dangerous. I must advise you to stop
           risking your life in our struggle.
                          76
                         
                          SAM
           Until someone starts fightin for these
           children, I'm the one that's gonna do it.
                         
                          GARANG
           You are stubborn, aren't you?
                         
                          SAM
           As a mule.
                         
          Garang smiling, an instant affinity for this man.
                         
                          GARANG
           You and I come from very different
           worlds, but we are not so dissimilar.
                         
          And another child runs up to Garang, touching him, and then sprints
          away giggling...
                         
                          GARANG (CONT'D)
           I founded the SPLA in order to fight for
           the future of Sudan because nobody else
           would. We fight for freedom from the
           government in Khartoum, for the right to
           vote, and for the right to worship any
           god one may choose.
                         
          More children running up... Garang touching their heads...
                         
                          GARANG (CONT'D)
           But most important to me is our struggle
           for the children. Their laughter has been
           lost to this country for far too long.
                          (BEAT)
           There are Peace Talks scheduled for the
           end of August in Naivashu. I'd like you
           to come as my guest.
                         
                          SAM
           Talkin bout peace in a room somewhere is
           a waste of time. You gotta go out and
           make it.
                         
                          GARANG
           You are correct, but we must fight them
           at every level. Part of my battle is
           waged in those rooms. We must talk of
           peace, but keep our rifles ready for war.
                         
          Sam turning to him, coming to an understanding here. Realizing that
          both of them are warriors in the same fight.
                         
                          GARANG (CONT'D)
           Maybe together you and I can make Sudan
           free once again.
                          77
                         
          And now we see they have arrived at the brick chapel in the middle
          of the compound. Garang turning to him, eyes suddenly becoming
          dark...
                         
                          GARANG (CONT'D)
           There is a cost for freedom, Sam. A price
           for the future of these people. Some pay
           with their lives, others pay in different
           ways.
                          (BEAT)
           My only hope is that your cost is not too
           great.
                         
          AND SUDDENLY WE'RE SOMEPLACE FAR AWAY... ANOTHER WORLD... THE
          SILHOUETTES OF ANIMALS DANCING ON A DARK CEILING... PROJECTED FROM A
          CHILD'S NIGHTLIGHT... WE ARE...
                         
          INT. PAIGE'S ROOM - CHILDERS HOUSE - NIGHT
                         
          Donnie tucking Paige into bed, making it up as he goes, clearly out
          of his depth here but wanting to do it right.
                         
                          DONNIE
           You say prayers or somethin?
                         
                          PAIGE
           Already did.
                         
                          DONNIE
           Ok then, sweet dreams.
                         
                          PAIGE
           Ain't you gonna read me a book?
                         
                          DONNIE
           Ahh, Paige, you know I don't read so
           good.
                         
                          PAIGE
           Then let's play a game.
                         
                          DONNIE
           Ok.
                         
                          PAIGE
           I'm thinkin of a dog.
                         
                          DONNIE
           What about it?
                         
                          PAIGE
           Never mind, Donnie.
                         
                          DONNIE
           Ok.
                          78
                         
                          PAIGE
           Dad usually kisses me on the forehead
           before he leaves. You can do that.
                         
                          DONNIE
           Sure I can.
                         
          And Donnie does just that, bends down and kisses Paige on the
          head...
                         
                          DONNIE (CONT'D)
           Sweet dreams.
                         
          And now we see Lynn in the hallway having just witnessed this
          through the cracked door, keenly feeling Sam absence in this moment.
                         
          EXT. CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - DAY
                         
          And we see Sam, Betty and Rose leading a group of children, their
          hands covering their eyes so they can't see, into a clearing behind
          one of the dorms.
                         
                          SAM
           Keep em closed! A little bit more!
                         
                          BETTY
                          (ARABIC)
           Keep your eyes closed.
                         
                          ROSE
           (stern, Arabic)
           Michael! Cover your eyes! No peeking!
                         
                          SAM
           ... keep comin'...
                         
          The children inching forward, following his voice, until...
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           Ok, stop! Open your eyes!
                         
                          BETTY
                          (ARABIC)
           Open your eyes!
                         
          And we see a hundred little eyes popping open, staring at something
          off screen, confused for a split second at what they're looking at.
                         
          REVERSE to see a PLAYGROUND: two or three battered swingsets, a few
          see-saws, and a jungle gym soldered out of metal pipe.
                         
          And the kids SPRINTING for it, climbing all over the jungle gym like
          ants... hitting the swing-sets... and then we hear it... something
          we realize we haven't heard in this place before... the sound of
          laughter... children losing themselves in play. Innocence flooding
          back.
                          79
                         
          And now we see Nineteen, A.J. and two other SPLA soldiers standing
          around a BUNNY BOUNCER... staring at it quizzically... talking in
          Arabic, trying to decide what this thing is... and then A.J., the
          bravest, slings his AK onto his back and carefully straddles the
          bouncer... pulling up his long legs and resting his feet on the
          pegs...
                         
          And he begins to bob back and forth... holding onto the bunny's ears
          with his big hands... the other soldiers starting to laugh as he
          bobs faster... and then we see A.J's smile... a million watt smile
          on this guy... the first time he's played like this since he was a
          boy.
                         
          EXT. DORM - CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - DAY - LATER
                         
          Hours later and we see Sam pushing a couple of the smaller children
          on the swingset. Deng approaches...
                         
                          DENG
           Some of the child soldiers say there is a
           bounty on your life. That Kony is
           offering money for your nose and ears.
                         
          Sam, no reaction, just keeps swinging the children...
                         
                          DENG (CONT'D)
           I'd like to assign a few more men to you
           during the day.
                         
                          SAM
           He ain't the first old-boy who wanted to
           see my head hanging on his wall. Keep yer
           soldiers where they're needed. I can take
           care of myself.
                         
          Deng clearly worried for his friend, but doesn't press the issue.
          And now Sam notices William off from the group, sitting on the
          ground by himself, not playing.
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           He said anything yet?
                         
                          DENG
           All we know is that his family was killed
           and that he and his brother were taken
           into the LRA.
                         
                          SAM
           Where's the brother?
                         
                          DENG
           Nobody knows.
                         
                         NEW ANGLE
                         
          Sam approaching William, kneeling down next to him.
                          80
                         
                          SAM
           Hey buddy, you don't wanna play with the
           other kids?
                         
          William, no response.
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           You know sometimes it helps to tell
           somebody what you got locked up inside,
           know what I mean?
                         
          William, no reaction whatsoever. Something dawning on Sam in this
          moment...
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           You have no idea what I'm sayin, do you?
                         
          William just stares back at him and Sam realizes he doesn't speak
          English. And they both just sit here for a moment, silent, staring
          at the children playing on the playground. And then Sam, feeling the
          need to unburden himself, begins to talk...
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           I done a lotta things I ain't proud of.
           Hurt a lotta people. Truth is, helpin you
           kids is about the only good thing I ever
           done in this life.
                         
          William watching him quietly.
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           But I'm scared. Scared one day I'll close
           my eyes to all this and make it somebody
           else's problem.
                          (BEAT)
           Just like everybody else in this world.
                         
          And he stops and it's silent between them again. William just
          sitting there quietly. And Sam looks up to the sky... feeling his
          life washing over him... his burden... this fear.
                         
          INT. SUV - DRIVING - DAY
                         
          Sam behind the wheel, driving alone the edge of a dry ravine. Deng
          is in the passenger seat and we see Nineteen, Marco and A.J. crammed
          into the back.
                         
                          SAM
           I don't see nuthin.
                         
          Deng checking a handheld GPS unit --
                         
                          DENG
           This is it.
                          81
                         
          Sam looking out the window, sees movement at the bottom of the
          ravine.
                         
                          SAM
           Hold on...
                         
          ... and we see what he sees -- CHILDREN hiding behind a bush.
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           I got em.
                         
          EXT. RAVINE - DAY
                         
          And we see the SUV picking it's way down the rocky slope... reaching
          the dry riverbed below and moving closer to the children...
                         
          EXT. SUV - DAY
                         
          ... and the terrain becomes inaccessible and the SUV stops. Unable
          to go any further. Sam and the others getting out of the truck and
          we see two children hiding behind a bush 50 yards away. Sam
          WHISTLING to the kids, but they draw back. Too scared to move.
                         
                          SAM
           Deng, tell camp we're comin back with
           two. A.J., Nineteen -- go get them kids.
                         
          A.J. and Nineteen move off as Sam pops the rear hatch on the SUV and
          pulls out a MEDICAL BAG.
                         
          EXT. RIVERBED - DAY
                         
          A.J. and Nineteen moving over rocks toward the children, calling out
          to them in Arabic -- "Come out, we won't hurt you." -- but they
          don't move...
                         
          ... and finally they reach the kids and we see it's two boys (6
          years old), kneeling in the dirt, terrified...
                         
           A.J.
                          (ARABIC)
           Don't be scared.
                         
          He smiles, reaches for one of the boys -- and --
                         
          -- A SHOT RINGS OUT!
                         
          -- A BULLET hits A.J. in the neck, killing him instantly.
                         
          Nineteen dives behind a boulder for cover.
                         
          EXT. SUV - DAY
                         
          Sam, Deng, and Marco scramble behind the SUV. A moment before we
          hear Nineteen YELLING offscreen.
                          82
                         
                          SAM
           What's he sayin?
                         
                          DENG
           A.J. is dead.
                         
                          SAM
           Shit.
                          (BEAT)
           Tell him to stay where he is. Don't move.
                         
                          DENG
           (yelling to Nineteen, Arabic)
           Don't move!
                         
                          SAM
           Ask him if he saw the shooter.
                         
                          DENG
           (yelling to Nineteen, Arabic)
           Did you see him?!
                         
          Nineteen responds.
                         
                          DENG (CONT'D)
           He did not see.
                         
          SNIPER POV -- and we see A.J.'s lifeless body lying by the
          children... and the SUV... and then part of Sam's head peering from
          behind the truck --
                         
          EXT. SUV - DAY
                         
          Sam looking through binocs as --
                         
          -- A SHOT RINGS OUT! -- hitting the windshield right next to his
          head, and he drops behind the truck.
                         
                          SAM
           You got `em?
                         
                          DENG
           Yes. He's on the ridge... just below that
           outcropping.
                         
                          SAM
           Can you reach the Browning?
                         
          Deng opening the rear door and reaching inside the truck... pulling
          out a long barrel HUNTING RIFLE as...
                         
          -- A SHOT RINGS OUT!
                         
          The bullet hitting the SUV, narrowly missing Deng. He slides the
          HUNTING RIFLE to Sam.
                          83
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           Need you boys to cover me on three,
           alright? Put everything you got into that
           rock up there.
                         
          SNIPER POV -- locked on the SUV when suddenly -- Deng and Marco
          pivot around the truck and start firing -- bullets popping all
          around and the sniper drops for cover as --
                         
          EXT. SUV - DAY
                         
          -- Sam SPRINTS over the rocks and dives into a shallow ditch out of
          sight. Deng and Marco stop firing and drop back behind the SUV.
                         
          SNIPER POV -- slowly pops up from behind the rocks after the
          shooting stops. And we realize he didn't see Sam change positions.
                         
          EXT. DITCH - DAY
                         
          Sam rolling onto his stomach and slowly sliding the barrel of the
          rifle between two rocks... then seeing a sliver of the SNIPER hidden
          on the ridge.
                         
          SNIPER POV -- still locked on the SUV, waiting for a clear shot.
                         
          EXT. DITCH - DAY
                         
          Sam putting a bead on the Sniper, but at this range the shot is
          going to take instinct. Sam turns his head away from the rifle and
          exhales -- controls his breathing -- as we go --
                         
          SNIPER POV -- trained on the SUV... and then we see a FLASH from the
          right side of the screen... and a delayed POP!...
                         
          CRACKKK! -- THE SNIPER DROPS
                         
          Killed instantly.
                         
          EXT. SUV - DAY
                         
          Deng looking through binocs at the ridge --
                         
                          DENG
           (calling out to Sam)
           I think you got him!
                         
          EXT. RIVERBED - DAY
                         
          Sam, Deng, and Marco moving toward the children, weapons drawn,
          scanning the area in all directions. Deng is the first one to reach
          the boys who are huddled on the ground, shaking from fear...
                         
                          DENG
                          (ARABIC)
           It is ok. You can get up now.
                          84
                         
          But the boys don't move... and Deng reaches down, pulls them to
          their feet and we see that their ankles are chained to a post which
          has been buried in the ground.
                         
                          DENG (CONT'D)
           Sam.
                         
          Sam joins Deng, sees the chains.
                         
                          DENG (CONT'D)
           LRA wanted us here.
                         
          Sam realizing that these children were used as bait -- for him.
                         
          EXT. RAVINE RIDGE - DAY
                         
          We're at the top of the ravine now and we see Sam and the others
          moving toward the location of the SNIPER...
                         
          ... and Sam is the first to reach the body... laying on the ground
          face down... a pool of blood soaking the dirt underneath... and he
          rolls the body onto it's back and we see it's just a kid -- no older
          than 15 years old.
                         
          INT. SAM'S TUKUL - CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - NIGHT
                         
          It's late at night and we see Sam on his cot, sitting here in the
          dark. And we hear the sound of his satellite phone vibrating on the
          table next to him. He picks it up, sees DONNIE'S name on the
          screen...
                         
                          SAM
                          (INTO PHONE)
           Hello?
                         
          INT. UNKNOWN LOCATION - PENNSYLVANIA - DAY
                         
          And we see Donnie on a couch by himself in this shitty little room.
                         
                          DONNIE
           Sam, it's me.
                         
          INTERCUT THE CONVERSATION:
                         
                          SAM
           Everybody ok?
                         
                          DONNIE
           Oh yeah, everybody's just fine. I was
           just callin to say `hey' is all.
                         
                          SAM
           How're the girls?
                          85
                         
                          DONNIE
           They're good. Paige cooked us all dinner
           the other night. Chocolate-chip pancakes.
                         
                          SAM
           By herself, huh?
                         
                          DONNIE
           Yep. I helped her with the stove is all.
           She did everything else. Pretty good too.
                         
          And now we see Donnie's DOPE WORKS sitting on the table in front of
          him. He's using again.
                         
                          DONNIE (CONT'D)
           How's it goin over there?
                         
                          SAM
           Goin fine.
                         
                          DONNIE
           Hey, maybe I'll come with you one of
           these trips. I'd like to get outta here
           for a spell. See what it's like.
                         
                          SAM
           Sounds good.
                         
          And it's silent between them... both of these men lost in their own
          worries for a moment... and then...
                         
                          DONNIE
           Ask you a question?
                         
                          SAM'S VOICE
           Yeah.
                         
                          DONNIE'S VOICE
           You think God will forgive us for the
           things we've done?
                         
          And we're watching Sam, this question hitting him like a freight
          train. Unable to answer.
                         
          EXT. NIMULE - SUDAN, AFRICA - DAY - DAYS LATER
                         
          We're hit by a crush of people, a thousand black faces moving past
          us and all the noise and confusion of this busy border town. And we
          find Sam, Deng, and Nineteen here loading supplies into the back of
          the SUV.
                         
           VOICE (O.S.)
           They talk about you...
                         
          Sam turning to find Agnete, the aid worker, approaching him.
                          86
                         
                          AGNETE
           In the camps. The children. They say
           there is a white preacher who hunts the
           LRA. This place does not need more
           killing, Mr. Childers.
                         
                          SAM
           I'm just tryin to help these people. Same
           as you.
                         
                          AGNETE
           War upon war does not fix what is broken
           here. The history of this country is
           filled with righteous killers. That is
           how it always begins, with men thinking
           they are killing for the right reasons.
                         
                          SAM
           I got a 200 kids who are gonna sleep safe
           tonight and wake up tomorrow mornin to a
           bowl of hot food. Right or not, that's
           all the reason I need.
                         
                          AGNETE
           And what about the rumors I have heard
           about you supplying weapons to the SPLA?
                         
          Sam turning to her, face-to-face, starting to get pissed...
                         
                          SAM
           You fight the evil in this place your
           way, I'll fight it mine.
                         
                          AGNETE
           Do not delude yourself, Mr. Childers.
           You're a mercenary, not a humanitarian.
                         
          Sam, finished with this conversation, slams the lift-gate closed on
          the truck and starts to climb in...
                         
                          AGNETE (CONT'D)
           They say you are doing good. That you
           have special powers. That you are
           protected by angels and cannot be killed
           by bullets.
                         
          Sam looking at her and there's a warning in what she says next...
          about violence corrupting men... consuming them...
                         
                          AGNETE (CONT'D)
           They said the same thing about Kony in
           the beginning.
                          87
                         
          EXT. SAM'S TUKUL - CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - DUSK
                         
          Sam sitting outside his tukul alone, tearing open an airmail package
          and pulling out another VIDEOCASSETTE, slides it into his
          videocamera, hits play --
                         
          ON THE SMALL SCREEN we see a school production... children dressed
          in costumes shuffling across the stage... lines being spoken by
          rote...and then the awkward entrance of Paige speaking her lines...
          but instead of finding joy in this sweet moment he finds
          heartache... the distance from his family... from their innocence...
          simply too great to bear in this moment...
                         
          ... and then he hears giggling... and he realizes two young orphan
          BOYS have snuck up behind him and are looking at the screen over his
          shoulder... and Sam holds it up so they can see better and now more
          children gather around -- maybe 10 or 15 kids -- pointing at the
          small screen... giggling and chatting in Arabic...
                         
                          ORPHAN #1
                          (ARABIC)
           Look at their shoes...
                         
                          ORPHAN #2
                          (ARABIC)
           They look silly...
                         
                          ORPHAN #1
                          (ARABIC)
           This is how Americans dance?
                         
                          ORPHAN #2
                          (ARABIC)
           Their dancing is terrible!
                         
          The children laughing hysterically... and for an instant Sam is
          swept out of his melancholy by their sweet enjoyment...
                         
          ... and then Sam sees Deng and Nineteen approaching quickly...
                         
                          SAM
           What's goin on?
                         
                          DENG
           An LRA convoy has moved north over the
           border. They're heading for Ed Duim.
                         
                          SAM
           That's where they sell em on the black
           market, ain't it?
                         
          EXT. DIRT ROAD - DEEP IN SUDAN - NIGHT
                         
          A moonless night... and we see headlights piercing this blackness...
          bouncing down a singletrack road... we are...
                          88
                         
          INT. SAM'S TRUCK - DRIVING - NIGHT
                         
          Deng behind the wheel driving -- Sam in the passenger seat -- Marco,
          Nineteen, and a third SPLA SOLDIER jammed in the back --
                         
                          DENG
           Look...
                         
          Far ahead we see three sets of HEADLIGHTS coming towards us on the
          road -- just bouncing white dots on the horizon -- and silently
          they begin to check their mags and weapons -- preparing for battle --
                         
          -- and the headlights get closer -- Deng not slowing down -- and we
          realize we are on a collision course with this convoy -- and finally
          we see MUZZLE FLASHES in the distance -- and --
                         
          THUNK!, THUNK!, THUNK!
                         
          Machine gun strafe hitting the front and side of the truck --
                         
                          SAM
           Let's go!
                         
          Sam and Nineteen leaning through the open windows as Deng drives --
          leveling their AK's and firing --
                         
          KRAKAKAKAKAK! KRAKAKAKAKAK!
                         
          And now the approaching convoy LIGHTS UP with RETURN FIRE! -- Sam
          and Nineteen hanging out the windows blasting back -- Deng stepping
          on the gas, accelerating toward the convoy like some hellish game of
          "chicken"(reminiscent of Sam and Donnie's wild ride with the Drifter
          in scene #29) --
                         
          -- and we watch as the headlights barrel towards us at full bore --
          BULLETS POPPING across the windshield of the truck -- SAM AND
          NINETEEN IN CONSTANT FIRE MODE -- THE SOUND DEAFENING -- headlights
          blown out on both trucks and now we're plunged into total blackness -
          - only the wild-strobe of machine gun fire lighting up the night as
          these trucks slam towards each other -- and finally --
                         
          THE LRA CONVOY CAREENS OFF THE ROAD AND BOTTOMS OUT IN A DITCH
                         
          Deng skidding to a stop as Sam, Nineteen, and the third SPLA SOLDIER
          pile out of the truck -- firing and advancing on the caravan by
          foot.
                         
          EXT. DITCH - SIDE OF DIRT ROAD - NIGHT
                         
          Rebels jumping out of their disabled trucks -- Sam and his men
          flanking them -- blasting one of the trucks until the engine bursts
          into flames -- cutting down the rebels before they even knew what
          hit them. And then there's a great stillness. The quiet of death...
                          89
                         
          ... Sam coming out of the blackness with his AK leveled... moving
          toward the flaming wreckage of the caravan... Deng, Nineteen, and
          Marco moving to each rebel body... making sure they're dead.
                         
                          NINETEEN
           Clear!
                         
          Sam and Deng moving to the back of the Transport Truck...
                         
                          SAM
           Bring me a flashlight.
                         
          Marco hustling up with a spotlight -- Sam switching it on as Deng
          rips the canvas back and we see --
                         
          TWENTY THREE CHILDREN IN THE BACK OF THIS TRANSPORT TRUCK
                         
          Boys and girls... none of them older than twelve... tied together
          with rope... emaciated... terrified... in very bad shape.
                         
                          MARCO
                          (ARABIC)
           The front axle is broken... this truck
           won't drive.
                         
                          SAM
           What'd he say?
                         
                          DENG
           The truck is too damaged to move.
           (meaning the children)
           We don't have room for them all,
           Preacher.
                         
          The implication of this hitting Sam, his mind reeling, turning to
          Nineteen...
                         
                          SAM
           Bring our truck up here and shine them
           lights on us.
                          (TO DENG)
           Pull everyone of them kids outta there.
                         
                          DENG
           (to soldiers, Arabic)
           Bring the children out...
                         
          Deng and Marco helping the children out... one-by-one... untying
          them...
                         
                          SAM
           Put em right here... real easy...
                         
                          DENG
                          (ARABIC)
           Put them together here... gently...
                          90
                         
          And now Nineteen pulls up in the SUV, lighting up the children.
                         
                          DENG (CONT'D)
           What are you doing?
                         
                          SAM
           We're takin the ones that ain't gonna
           make it through the night. Come back for
           the others later.
                         
          And Sam moves to the first child in the group -- a little girl --
          reaching out to her but she pulls back.
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           Tell her I'm not gonna hurt her.
                         
                          DENG
                          (ARABIC)
           It's ok... he will not hurt you...
                         
          And slowly the little girl steps forward... and Sam gently unbuttons
          her shirt and begins to examine her little body... turning her
          around in the harsh light of the SUV's headlamps... and he finds
          five infected gashes on her back... whip wounds... already turning
          gangrene... and he gently pushes her toward Deng...
                         
                          SAM
           Put her in the truck.
                         
          And Sam continues with the group... assessing each child's health...
          tenderly running his hands over their broken, starved bodies...
          somehow calculating which ones are worse off and pulling them out of
          line...
                         
          ... and he reaches the last child and we see that the SUV is now
          PACKED with children... huddled into every available corner... 10
          children in total. There's no more room.
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           Tell em we're comin back.
                         
          Deng hesitating, knows the reaction he's going to get...
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           Tell em!
                         
                          DENG
                          (ARABIC)
           We will be back for you!
                         
          The children become hysterical, crying, running at Sam and grabbing
          for him, begging to be taken.
                          91
                         
                          SAM
           Let's go!
           (to the children, holding up
                          TWO FINGERS)
           Two hours... I'll be back in two hours...
                         
          Sam, Deng, and the others loading into the SUV... some of them
          climbing onto the roof... the only available space... the remaining
          children clamoring around the truck as it begins to pull away...
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           Tell em to hide. Don't come out til they
           see my face...
                         
          Deng yelling this to the children as they drive off...
                         
                          DENG
                          (ARABIC)
           Hide until we return!
                         
          ... the faint cries of the children slowly fading as they speed into
          the darkness.
                         
          EXT. CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - DAWN
                         
          A red sun breaking the horizon. It's ONE HOUR LATER and we see the
          SUV blasting through the front gate of the compound and skidding to
          a stop -- DOORS POPPING OPEN -- SOLDIERS JUMPING OFF THE ROOF --
          Betty and the other camp women already pulling the children out of
          the truck... ushering them into the infirmary...
                         
          Sam yelling at another soldier as he walks across the courtyard --
                         
                          SAM
           Gas it up! We're leavin here in five!
                         
          INT. TRUCK - DRIVING - MORNING
                         
          Two hours into this return trip and it's silent in this cab. Deng
          checking a handheld GPS, clocking their position, and then they see
          it -- through the windshield -- in the distance --
                         
                         SMOKE
                         
          Rising in a thin column a half-mile away.
                         
          EXT. ROAD - DEEP IN SUDAN - DAY
                         
          The scene of the ambush the night before. Burned out pickup trucks
          and dead LRA rebels strewn in the dirt. Sam's SUV arriving and he's
          the first one out... whistling for the children but they're nowhere
          to be seen.
                         
          And now we realize that the column of smoke isn't coming from the
          bombed-out LRA trucks -- it's coming from behind them. Sam moving
          around the back of the TRANSPORT TRUCK to see --
                          92
                         
          THIRTEEN LITTLE BODIES STACKED ON TOP OF EACH OTHER
                         
          The children Sam left behind.
                         
          Burned alive by the LRA an hour earlier.
                         
          Sam just standing here, staring at this smoldering pile of children.
          Starting to go someplace very dark. And as he puts it, most of him
          died in the bush this morning too.
                         
                          CUT TO:
                         
          INT. PITTSBURGH AIRPORT - NIGHT - (JUNE/2005)
                         
          And we see a line of American TRAVELERS waiting to be checked
          through customs... BUSINESS MEN in their rumpled suits carrying
          briefcases, PARENTS with their tired children returning from
          vacation... and Sam standing in this line with his duffel bag,
          somehow cut-off from the life all around him. And the CUSTOMS
          OFFICER waves him forward... Sam handing him his passport...
                         
                          CUSTOMS OFFICER
           Sudan?
                         
          And he looks up, studies Sam --
                         
           CUSTOMS OFFICER (CONT'D)
           What are you doing over there?
                         
          And we see Sam has no answer for him. This question beginning to
          plague him like a festering sore.
                         
          EXT. PASSENGER PICK-UP - PITTSBURGH AIRPORT - NIGHT
                         
          It's raining and we see Sam sitting on a bench waiting, staring o.s.
          at a SKYCAB TROLLEY. Two men working through a pile of BLACK GOLF
          BAGS, heaped on top of each other like bodies, tossing them one-by-
          one into the back of the trolley...
                         
           VOICE (O.S.)
           Sam!
                         
          He looking up as Donnie gets out of his car, smiling.
                         
                          DONNIE
           Sorry I'm late. Sixteen was all jammed
           up...
                         
          Donnie is strung out, but Sam is too deep in his own shit to see it.
                         
                          DONNIE (CONT'D)
           Welcome home, buddy.
                         
          INT. OFFICE - BANK - JOHNSTOWN, PENN. - DAY
                         
          A BANK MANAGER at a desk, in a gray suit, shaking his head.
                          93
                         
                          BANK MANAGER
           I understand what you're saying, but
           there's just not a lot we can do, until
           we pay down some of what you owe my hands
           are tied.
                         
          REVERSE to see Sam sitting in a chair across from him, a manila
          folder filled with his business papers sitting on his lap.
                         
                          SAM
           It's just an application for a short term
           loan.
                         
                          BANK MANAGER
           Sam, we already took out a second on your
           home.
                         
                          SAM
           It's only 90 days.
                         
                          BANK MANAGER
           You're completely leveraged.
                         
                          SAM
           I only got one truck over there, John. I
           need the money to buy a second vehicle.
                         
          Sam opens a manilla folder and pulls out a photo of a truck for
          sale.
                         
                         
                         
                          SAM
           It's important. Now, there's one in
           Kampala I can probably get for twenty-
           one...
                         
                          BANK MANAGER
           (cutting him off)
           Sam, we know what you're doing over there
           in Africa and we support it but ...
                         
          Sam leans over the desk and sets another photograph down in front of
          him -- and we see it's a gruesome photograph of a mutilated boy...
                         
                          SAM
           I want you to look at this. See that?
           Twelve year old boy had both his arms cut
           off by LRA...
                         
          An employee approaches the bank manager with something to sign,
          looks down at the photos. The Bank Manager becoming uncomfortable.
                         
                          BANK MANAGER
           Sam... It's not necessary.
                          94
                         
          Sam pulls out another photograph and sets it in front of the Bank
          Manager -- this one even more gruesome...
                         
                          SAM
           Look at this John, when we found this
           little girl her breasts had been hacked
           off...
                         
          Bank Manager not looking at the photograph...
                         
                          BANK MANAGER
           Sam, this isn't necessary...
                         
                          SAM
           Look at her. Look at this girl.
                         
          Bank Manager glancing at the photograph then looking away...
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           Now I ain't in here askin fer money fer a
           hot tub or vacation or somethin like
           that. I'm askin for an extra vehicle so I
           can save some children. You understand
           that?
                         
                          BANK MANAGER
           I do, but...
                         
                          SAM
           But nuthin. I need you to open yer little
           book there and do whatever you need to do
           to get me that loan...
                         
                          BANK MANAGER
           Sam, You need to calm down...
                         
                          SAM
           Don't tell me to calm down! Look at those
           pictures! -- Look at em, John --
                         
          And he slams the desk with his open hand, taking us to...
                         
          INT. CHAPEL - SHEKINAH FELLOWSHIP CHURCH - CENTRAL CITY - DAY
                         
          A/C on the fritz and it's blistering hot in here. 150 parishioners
          in pews waving themselves with hand fans trying to stay cool. And we
          see Sam at the pulpit in mid-sermon, shirt pitted and rolled up to
          his elbows. The rage in this man is palpable.
                         
                          SAM
           ... Open yer eyes!... Wake up!...
                          (BEAT)
           You call yerselves children of God, but
           you ain't. Ya'll just sheep followin him
           deaf, dumb, and blind...
                          (AMPED-UP)
                          (MORE)
                          95
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           But God don't want sheep. He wants wolves
           to fight his fight. Men and women with
           teeth to tear at the evil that's out
           there...
                         
          The congregation whipped into a frenzy. A few of them jumping to
          their feet, shouting praise...
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           THE LORD'S PROPHETS AIN'T MEEK MEN. THEY
           AIN'T MEN IN FANCY CLOTHES, THEY'RE
           WARRIOR PROPHETS...
                         
          INT. CAR - DRIVING - KAMPALA, UGANDA - DAY
                         
          And we see John Garang in the back of this car as it drives through
          downtown Kampala.
                         
           SAM (V.O.)
           ... MEN OF CONVICTION!...
                         
          INT. CHAPEL - SHEKINAH FELLOWSHIP CHURCH - CENTRAL CITY - SAME
                         
          Sam becoming more possessed...
                         
                          SAM
           ... WHO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A
           STICK AND A SWORD AND AIN'T AFRAID TO
           PICK UP EITHER IF THEY NEED TO!...
                         
          The congregation responding, "Amen!"
                         
          EXT. TARMAC - KAMPALA AIRPORT - DAY
                         
          The motorcade pulling to a stop. Garang and other GOVERNMENT
          OFFICIALS getting out and making their way to a waiting HELICOPTER.
                         
           SAM (V.O.)
           ... SOLDIERS WILLING TO GO FORTH AND
           SHOUT HIS NAME LIKE MEN OF WAR!...
                         
          INT. CHAPEL - SHEKINAH FELLOWSHIP CHURCH - CENTRAL CITY - SAME
                         
          Sam, a building fury...
                         
                          SAM
           ... DRAWING UP BATTLE LINES AGAINST HIS
           ENEMY WHEREVER THEY MAY BE...
                         
          EXT. TARMAC - KAMPALA AIRPORT - DAY
                         
          Garang and the others loading into the helicopter, locking doors.
          Propellers starting to rotate.
                          96
                         
           SAM (V.O.)
           ... WILLING TO FIGHT TO THEIR LAST
           BREATH...
                         
          INT. CHAPEL - SHEKINAH FELLOWSHIP CHURCH - CENTRAL CITY - SAME
                         
                          SAM
           ... UNTIL THE LEGIONS AGAINST THEM FALL
           AND ONCE AGAIN THERE IS ONLY HIS LIGHT...
                         
          EXT. TARMAC - KAMPALA AIRPORT - DAY
                         
          The helicopter lifting off the ground, ascending into the cloudless
          sky until it's just a speck in the limitless blue...
                         
           SAM (V.O.)
           And only then will their hearts beat no
           more... and they will be turned to dust.
                         
          INT. CHILDERS' HOUSE - CENTRAL CITY, PENN. - DAY - (JULY/2005)
                         
          Paige and her girlfriend from her 7th grade class sit on the
          landing. Donnie flips through a magazine, Lynn puts away laundry.
          Chatter here about an upcoming formal...
                         
                          PAIGE
           Mary Strauss and them is havin dinner at
           The Chimney.
                         
                          LYNN
           Who's her date?
                         
                          PAIGE'S FRIEND
           Tony Wilks.
                         
                          LYNN
           I thought Tony Wilkes was goin with Patty
           Hobbes' daughter.
                         
                          PAIGE
           They broke up last month.
                         
          And now we see Sam off from the group, absently watching the TV in
          an adjoining room... and a NEWS REPORT begins... a PICTURE OF JOHN
          GARANG flashing on the screen... Sam moving closer to the set so he
          can hear --
                         
                          TV NEWSCASTER
           ... Sudanese opposition leader John
           Garang has been killed in a helicopter
           crash according to a statement released
           by the Sudanese Government in Khartoum
           today.
                         
          Sam going completely still...
                          97
                         
           TV NEWSCASTER (CONT'D)
           Garang was hailed as a peacemaker in
           Sudan and was instrumental in ending the
           21-year civil war that has ravaged that
           country.
                         
          ARCHIVAL SHOTS OF GARANG.
                         
           TV NEWSCASTER (CONT'D)
           Six of Garang's associates and seven
           others also died in the crash which is
           being blamed on bad weather.
                         
          Sam frozen, shocked... just staring at the TV as the newscast
          switches to another story...
                         
           PAIGE (O.S.)
           Dad? -- Dad?
                         
          Sam looking up to find everybody staring at him.
                         
                          PAIGE (CONT'D)
           What do you think about us gettin a limo
           for next weekend? Wouldn't be too
           expensive since there'd be six of us.
                         
          Sam lost here for a moment...
                         
                          PAIGE (CONT'D)
           Hel-lo? Earth to Dad? What do you think?
                         
                          LYNN
           Honey, you ok?
                         
                          DONNIE
           Heck, why don't I just drive ya'll?
                         
                          PAIGE
           We ain't crammin in the back of your
           Caprice.
                         
                          DONNIE
           Ya'll could fit in there easy.
                         
                          PAIGE
           We got dresses, Donnie! We'll get all
           wrinkled! Plus it smells in there.
                         
                          DONNIE
           I can get some freshener, Paige, that
           ain't no problem.
                         
                          PAIGE
           Dad, what you think? Can we get a limo?
                          98
                         
                          SAM
           No.
                         
                          PAIGE
           Dad. Please. Patty and them is gettin
           one.
                         
                          SAM
           You ain't rentin no limo to Pittsburgh.
                         
                          LYNN
           We could probably get us a deal through
           one of Tom Hickey's boys. Between the six
           of them it wouldn't cost too much.
                         
                          SAM
           Nobody's spendin money on no friggin
           limousine.
                         
                          PAIGE
           But dad...
                         
          Sam snapping, FLASHING WITH RAGE --
                         
                          SAM
           WHAT THE HELL DID I JUST SAY?!
                         
          Quiet. Nobody moving. Completely still. And then...
                         
                          LYNN
           We're just talkin bout it, honey...
                         
                          SAM
           Too much talk in this house. I got mouths
           to feed and you're talkin bout pissing
           money away on a limo.
                         
                          PAIGE
           It's my formal, dad.
                         
                          SAM
           I don't give a shit what it is! You ain't
           gettin no limo, end of story.
                         
          Tears welling up in Paige's eyes, anger, hurt, wanting to lash out
          at him somehow. And what she says next she's felt her whole life...
                         
                          PAIGE
           You love them black babies more than you
           love me.
                         
                          SAM
           WATCH YER MOUTH LITTLE GIRL, BEFORE I
           SLAP IT!
                          99
                         
                          LYNN
           Sam...
                         
          Donnie instinctively grabbing his arm, protective...
                         
                          DONNIE
           Hey...
                         
          And Sam spins -- gets in his face -- eyes dark and threatening --
                         
                          SAM
           What the hell you think you're doin, boy?
                         
                          LYNN
           Honey...
                         
                          SAM
           SHUT THE FUCK UP!
                         
                          DONNIE
           Take it easy, buddy.
                         
                          SAM
           Don't tell me to take it easy in my own
           fuckin house...
                         
          Sam and Donnie toe-to-toe and the threat of serious violence here.
          Tension like a hair trigger.
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           That ain't your wife and this ain't your
           family. You nuthin but a stray fuckin dog
           round here, boy.
                         
                          DONNIE
           You don't mean that...
                         
                          SAM
           Hell I don't. Now you get the fuck outta
           here fore I put yer head through that
           wall.
                         
          Donnie standing here, hurt... looking to Lynn to make sure she's
          alright and she nods for him to go... and he turns and walks out.
          Paige bursting into tears and running out of the room.
                         
          INT. BAR - DAY
                         
          A crowded, noisy outlaw bar in Johnstown. We see Sam sitting at the
          bar all alone, a shot of whisky and a bottle of beer in front of
          him. Staring into a void.
                         
           VOICE (O.S.)
           You that Preacher, ain't ya?
                          100
                         
          Sam turns to find a burly looking BIKER standing next to him
          smiling.
                         
                          BIKER
           Yep, you him. I seen your face in the
           papers few years ago. Call you the
           Machinegun Preacher, right?
                         
          Sam nods.
                         
                          BIKER (CONT'D)
           (to his buddies)
           Told you this is the guy.
                          (TO SAM)
           Hot damn, I knew it! Papers was talkin
           bout how you was like some kinda African
           Rambo or somethin, right?
                         
                          SAM
           You don't mind, I'd like to just sit here
           right now.
                         
                          BIKER
           You still helpin them niggers over there?
                         
          Sam bristling...
                         
                          BIKER (CONT'D)
           The way I figure it, the reason you so
           interested in helpin them porch monkeys
           is cause you probably throwin it in them
           nigger bitches, ain't ya?
                         
          The Biker smiles a nasty, malicious smile. His buddies moving next
          to him now... and we see a quiet storm brewing in Sam...
                         
                          BIKER (CONT'D)
           Am I right? You a nigger fucker, boy?
                         
          A moment here --
                         
          Sam staring at the Biker with a look we've come to know -- and --
                         
          CRACKKKK! -- Sam HEAD-BUTTS the Biker's face and a sudden, violent
          brawl breaks out -- Bikers swinging cue sticks -- Sam wading into
          the crew -- swinging wild -- taking the Biker down and stomping on
          his face -- bloody -- murderous -- and then --
                         
          EXT. JAIL - JOHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA - DAY
                         
          Sam released, coming out a door and we see Lynn's car parked in the
          parking lot, engine idling.
                          101
                         
          EXT. JAIL - JOHNSTOWN / INT. LYNN'S CAR #2 - DAY
                         
          Lynn behind the wheel as Sam comes around the passenger door and
          gets in. And the two of them just sit here for a long beat, until...
                         
                          LYNN
           You're gonna sit there and you're gonna
           lemme talk.
                         
          BEAT. Sam says nothing.
                         
                          LYNN (CONT'D)
           I've always believed in you. I trusted
           you, trusted the Lord, and did what I
           could so you could follow your dream.
                          (BEAT)
           But I ain't willin to lose you to what
           you're doin over there. Ain't gonna just
           stand by and watch you get swallowed up
           by it.
                         
          She looks to him and we see she has tears in her eyes...
                         
                          LYNN (CONT'D)
           I know you're all them kids got, but
           you're all we got too. Paige needs her
           father. I need my husband.
                         
          INT. SHED - CHILDERS HOUSE - NIGHT - (AUGUST/2005)
                         
          Sam sitting in a chair in the dark. And we hear his cell vibrating
          on the desk. He picks it up and sees DONNIE'S name on the screen...
          a moment here and then he sets the phone back down... doesn't answer
          it... as we go...
                         
          INT. UNKNOWN LOCATION - SAME
                         
          Donnie on a couch and he looks like hell... pale, gaunt face...
          phone at his ear listening to RINGING and RINGING... and then the
          sound of Sam's voice...
                         
                          RECORDED MESSAGE
           This here's Sam. You know what to do.
                          (BEEEEP)
                         
                          DONNIE
                          (QUIETLY)
           Hey buddy, it's Donnie. Shoot, I was
           hopin' you was there...
                         
          Donnie hesitating... doesn't hang-up... and we can feel how badly he
          needs to talk to somebody...
                         
                          DONNIE (CONT'D)
           Other day I was thinkin bout when you and
           me was kids.
                          (MORE)
                          102
                          DONNIE (CONT'D)
           That summer we'd go down to the quarry
           over in Montrose, remember that? We
           hooked up them ropes and spent all day
           swimmin and jumpin off them walls...
                         
          Donnie smiling to himself, a fleeting memory, and then something
          dark coming over him. And now we see another man here in this shitty
          dope house, cooking up a spoon of black tar, juicing a needle.
          Donnie watching him like a hawk...
                         
                          DONNIE (CONT'D)
           I wish you was there to pray with me,
           buddy.
                         
          EXT. WOODS - CENTRAL CITY, PENN. - DAWN
                         
          Eastern White Pine wrapped in early morning fog. Hazy. Floating like
          a dream. And then the sound of WOOD SPLINTERING... and we find Sam
          alone in this vapor cutting logs with an axe. Sweating despite the
          chill in the air...
                         
          ... and then a voice from somewhere far off. Sam stopping, looking
          into the haze as a figure materializes... coming toward him calling
          his name... at first it looks like Donnie... but then we see it's
          Lynn...
                         
          And when she reaches him her look tells us something terrible has
          happened.
                         
                          CUT TO:
                         
          INT. CHAPEL - SHEKINAH FELLOWSHIP CHURCH - CENTRAL CITY - DAY
                         
          DONNIE'S CORPSE lying in a casket...
                         
          Packed with mourners. And we hear a CHILDREN'S CHOIR singing a
          plaintive hymnal... "My Jesus, I love thee"... and Donnie's mother
          in the first pew, dressed in black, surrounded by a few other women
          offering her comfort.
                         
          And now we see Sam moving up the steps to the platform... and the
          choir softly finishes... and he looks out over the congregation...
          not saying a word for a long beat... and then...
                         
                          SAM
           Most of you want me to stand up here and
           make some sense outta this. That's why
           you come here today. You want me to tell
           you that God has his plan for all of us,
           and when he wants to call us back home
           he's gonna do it.
                          (BEAT)
           That's what you wanna hear...
                          (QUIETLY)
           That's what you wanna hear...
                          103
                         
          And Sam stops, unable to continue... just stares out at the
          congregation... at the expectant faces looking back at him,
          waiting...
                         
          ... but he steps away from the lectern, down the steps, and walks up
          the aisle toward the exit... the congregation staring at him as he
          passes...
                         
          INT. LYNN'S CAR #2/CHILDERS DRIVEWAY - DRIVING - DAY
                         
          Hours later. Lynn and Paige still dressed from the funeral, driving
          up the driveway to their house.
                         
                          PAIGE
           Mom, who are those men?
                         
          THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD we see a FLATBED TRUCK parked next to the
          house and 7 or 8 MOVERS pulling heavy machinery out of the barn.
                         
          EXT. GARAGE - CHILDERS HOUSE - CENTRAL CITY, PENN. - DAY
                         
          Lynn getting out of the car, approaching some of the men...
                         
                          LYNN
           S'cuse me, what are you doing?
                         
                          MOVER
           Loadin up...
                         
          And she makes her way into...
                         
          INT. GARAGE - CHILDERS HOUSE - CENTRAL CITY, PENN. - DAY
                         
          Filled with movers busily hauling equipment out of the garage. Lynn
          coming in, confused...
                         
                          LYNN
           Hey, s'cuse me...
                         
          And now she sees Sam going through a cabinet in the back.
                         
                          LYNN (CONT'D)
           Sam, what's goin on? What are these men
           doin here?...
                         
          Sam slamming the cabinet closed, moving past her without saying a
          word. Lynn grabbing his arm, stopping him.
                         
                          LYNN (CONT'D)
           Where are they taking our stuff?
                         
                          SAM
           Ain't ours no more. Best go through and
           make sure they ain't takin nuthin that
           belongs in the house.
                          104
                         
          He walks off...
                         
                          LYNN
           Sam...
                         
          And she sees two men start to dismantle the "Childers Construction
          Company" sign that she painted herself years ago --
                         
                          LYNN (CONT'D)
           Hey! -- Don't touch that! --
                         
          EXT. GARAGE - CHILDERS HOUSE - CENTRAL CITY, PENN. - DAY
                         
          Sam moving toward the house. Lynn comes out of the barn after him...
                         
                          LYNN
                          (CALLING AFTER)
           Sam!
                         
          But he's not stopping. He reaches the house...
                         
          INT. CHILDERS' HOUSE - DAY
                         
          ... Sam coming inside, moving to the kitchen... Lynn following him.
                         
                          LYNN
           Honey, I know you're hurtin. I know
           you're angry, but we need to talk about
           this...
                         
                          SAM
           It's all done, so save yer breath...
           where's the keys to the safe?
                         
          Sam grabs papers from the counter and hands them to Lynn. She
          quickly pages through them, can't believe what she's reading.
                         
                          LYNN
           You sold the business for $27,000?
                         
                          SAM
           I need a new truck for the orphanage.
                         
                          LYNN
           A new truck? You sold our business for a
           new truck?
                         
          Sam finds the Keys.
                         
                          LYNN (CONT'D)
           That was our future, Sam. Paige's future.
                         
          Lynn follows Sam into the office.
                          105
                         
                          LYNN (CONT'D)
           Everything we have has gone to those
           children, Sam. There's a point when there
           ain't no more to give.
                         
                          SAM
           What's the combination? What's the
           fucking combination.
                         
                          LYNN
           Paige's birthday.
                         
          Sam starts to spin the combination but hesitates...
                         
                          LYNN (CONT'D)
           You don't know it, do you? You don't even
           remember your own daughter's birthday.
                         
                          SAM
           What are the numbers?
                         
                          LYNN
           You fight for everyone but us.
                         
          She moves past him, spinning the combination and cranking open the
          vault. Sam grabbing a couple stacks of cash.
                         
                          LYNN (CONT'D)
           You take that and we lose the house. The
           church. All of it.
                         
                          SAM
           You can make it up with the ministry.
                         
                          LYNN
           What ministry?! They see what you've
           become, Sam. They see how far gone you
           are. You need to get quiet with The Lord.
                         
          And he looks to her...
                         
                          SAM
           Fuck the Lord.
                         
                          LYNN
           Don't say that. Don't turn yer back on
           him.
                         
                          SAM
           ... He turned his back on me! -- on
           Donnie! -- on every one of them kids over
           there.
                         
                          LYNN
           The good you're doin is destroyin this
           family.
                          106
                         
                          SAM
           What good have I ever done?
                         
          Sam standing here, weighing something in his mind. A choice he must
          make here... and finally he moves past her...
                         
                          LYNN
           Please don't leave...
                         
          But he's gone.
                         
                          CUT TO:
                         
          EXT. KAMPALA AIRPORT - DAY
                         
          And we see Sam moving across this crowded tarmac. Disconnected. A
          bit frightening. And he's greeted by Deng.
                         
                          DENG
           Welcome back.
                         
          But Sam says nothing, and Deng sees that his eyes are deserted.
          Inevitable. And Sam moves past him without saying a word.
                         
          INT. MESS HALL - CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - DAY
                         
          30 or 40 adults and children here eating the last meal of the day.
          And we see Sam in a corner, off from the rest of the group. And
          maybe it's just the lighting in here, but there's a darkness around
          him -- literally as if the space surrounding this man is devoid of
          light.
                         
          And we see William working his way through the room... refilling
          cups with hot tea... his particular job here... and he comes up to
          Sam and accidently sloshes some of the tea onto Sam's arm and he
          flinches! -- burned -- "Damn it!" -- shoots his arm out and
          accidentally hits William in the chest -- knocking him backward onto
          the ground.
                         
          The entire room falls silent. Nobody moving.
                         
          And Sam gets up and walks out of the room.
                         
          INT./EXT. TRUCK/RURAL ROAD - SUDAN - DAY
                         
          A convoy of 2 OR 3 AID RELIEF TRUCKS coming down this dirt road. And
          we see Agnete here with a DRIVER in the first truck as they drive
          onto a NARROW BRIDGE -- and just before they reach the other side --
                         
          A PICKUP TRUCK filled with heavily armed LRA REBELS pulls in front
          of them, cutting them off.
                         
                          AGNETE
           STOP THE TRUCK! -- STOP!! --
                          107
                         
          The truck grinding to a halt. The driver becoming terrified, trying
          to jam the truck into reverse --
                         
                          AGNETE (CONT'D)
           No, no, no! -- don't go back --
                         
                          DRIVER
           WE ARE GOING TO DIE! -- THEY WILL KILL
           US!
                         
                          AGNETE
           You move and they'll shoot! -- calm down!
           -- I will talk to them.
                         
          Agnete climbing out of the truck as we go --
                         
          EXT. NARROW BRIDGE - SUDAN - DAY
                         
          Rebels jumping out of the pickup truck and moving up the bridge as
          Agnete approaches -- holding up her hands --
                         
                          AGNETE
           It's ok -- we are a relief convoy --
                         
          Agnete and the LRA LEADER meet in the middle of the bridge --
                         
                          AGNETE (CONT'D)
           We have only medical supplies -- non-
                          MILITARY --
                         
          And suddenly the LRA LEADER slams her in the gut with the butt of
          his rifle and she collapses. The other Rebels swarm all over the
          convoy, pulling out AID WORKERS and DRIVERS, forcing them onto their
          knees in a group.
                         
                          ADULT REBEL #3
           Get on your knees!... Get down!...
                         
                          DRIVER
           PLEASE DON'T KILL US!
                         
                          ADULT REBEL #4
                          (ARABIC)
           On your knees or we will take your legs!
                         
          Everyone terrified -- some of them sobbing -- Agnete looking up,
          trying to talk to the LRA LEADER--
                         
                          AGNETE
           We are only a relief convoy --
                         
                          LRA LEADER
           Shut your mouth!
                          108
                         
          -- and he SLAMS her in the face with the butt of his rifle and she
          goes down hard... and he rests the barrel of his rifle on the back
          of her head... he's going to shoot her -- and --
                         
          KAK! KAK! KAK!
                         
          His chest EXPLODES! -- three bursts from behind -- the other rebels
          spinning toward the gunshots as --
                         
          KRATAKRATAKRATAKRAK!!!
                         
          A firestorm of lead -- Sam, Deng, and the rest of his team coming
          onto the bridge shooting -- rebels scrambling for cover but it's too
          late -- dropping as they try and sprint away -- and in an instant
          it's all over.
                         
          Agnete sees Sam, rushes toward him, but when he looks at her she
          freezes. He is completely unrecognizable to her in this moment -- a
          killer's thousand-yard stare -- barely human -- more like a machine
          than a man.
                         
          And he moves past her down the bridge, to the LRA LEADER on the
          ground who is still alive. And he puts the barrel of his rifle
          against the rebel's head and...
                         
          BOOOOM!
                         
          He's dead. Just like that. And he continues walking up the bridge.
          And we see Agnete, Deng and the other soldiers having just witnessed
          this.
                         
          INT. INFIRMARY - CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - NIGHT
                         
          William coming in quietly, moving next to one of the captured Rebels
          from the previous scene who is shackled to a bed, injured. Two SPLA
          soldiers here standing guard.
                         
                          WILLIAM
                          (ARABIC)
           I want to ask you something...
                         
          William pulls out the photograph of his brother, holds it up...
                         
                          WILLIAM (CONT'D)
           This is my brother. His name is
           Christopher. He was stolen by the rebels.
                          (BEAT)
           Do you know if he is alive?
                         
          The Rebel looks at the photograph but says nothing, just shakes his
          head... and he looks off, his thousand yard stare inscrutable...
                         
          And William simply folds the photograph back up and slips it into
          his pocket... but he doesn't leave... he sits here a moment
          longer... quietly... thinking... and then...
                          109
                         
                          WILLIAM (CONT'D)
           Were you taken when you were young like
           me?
                         
          The Rebel hears this and turns to him... and nods his head...
                         
                          WILLIAM (CONT'D)
           Do you remember your parents?
                         
          And we see something happening in this hardened rebel... his eyes
          filling with a distant memory... a sadness... and slowly he nods his
          head again.
                         
          And we stay here with these two lost souls sitting next to each
          other... silent... connected by a shared history and anguish.
                         
          EXT. CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - DAY - LATER
                         
          Sam sitting alone, lost to the world around him. Deng approaches.
          Neither one acknowledging the other for a long beat until...
                         
                          DENG
           Do you hear that, Preacher?
                         
                          SAM
           What?
                         
                          DENG
           There is no more laughter. The children
           do not play here anymore. They are scared
           once again.
                          (BEAT)
           But now they are scared of you.
                         
          Sam, no response.
                         
                          DENG (CONT'D)
           The men do not trust you any longer to
           lead them into battle. They say you have
           a wish to die.
                          (BEAT)
           I am worried about my friend. I want to
           help him.
                         
                          SAM
           I don't need your help.
                         
          And Sam turns away. After a beat Deng walks off, leaving him alone
          once again.
                         
          INT. SAM'S TUKUL - CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - NIGHT
                         
          And we see Sam here in the dark... moonlight filtering in through
          the thatched roof... like shards of glass cutting through the
          blackness... and he doesn't look right here... soul worn thin...
          eyes hollow... starting to go someplace very bad...
                          110
                         
          ... IMAGES FLASHING IN HIS HEAD... babies burned and screaming...
          Donnie in his coffin... and we realize we're watching something
          here... his world starting to cave in on him...
                         
          ... and he drops against his cot... distraught... tears in his eyes
          and this man is breaking... and suddenly we see a gun in his hand...
          finger curling around the trigger as he puts it to his head... eyes
          closing against the world... and...
                         
          WE HEAR A KNOCK AT HIS DOOR
                         
          Sam frozen... still holding the gun... and slowly the door pushes
          open and we hear soft footsteps shuffling into this dark room...
                         
          ... and William steps into the light, sees Sam here on the ground
          with the gun in his hand... and slowly he moves next to him, sitting
          on the cot without saying a word... just the two of them here for a
          moment... and then slowly he begins in perfect English...
                         
                          WILLIAM
           I remember my parents when I sleep. I see
           them in my dreams sometimes.
                         
          Sam looking to William... this small boy sitting above him...
          telling his story...
                         
                          WILLIAM (CONT'D)
           My father was big like you. They shot
           him. We were so scared. Then the rebels
           gave me a club and told me if I didn't
           kill my mother they would shoot my
           brother and me.
                         
          And William pauses in his story... lost in this memory... his face
          becoming a mask of pain... but no tears... there are no more tears
          in this young man left to be shed... and so he continues...
                         
                          WILLIAM (CONT'D)
           I refused, but my mother told me to swing
           hard... that I must make her proud...
                          (BEAT)
           And so I did. I made her proud.
                         
          And now William looks down at Sam... staring at this man on the
          ground... and he reaches out and gently touches Sam's head... a
          moment of tenderness for both of them... an act of love.... these
          two broken souls finding each another here... and William says...
                         
                          WILLIAM (CONT'D)
           If we allow ourselves to become full of
           hate then they've won. We must not let
           them take our hearts. This is the most
           important thing.
                          111
                         
          And Sam sets the gun down and reaches out to William, pulls him into
          an embrace... holding him close... and we know that without a doubt
          this boy has saved this man's life.
                         
          INT. CHILDERS' HOUSE UPSTAIRS HALLWAY- CENTRAL CITY, PENN. - NIGHT
                         
          Soft Christian music is playing on the radio. Lynn folding clothes
          in the laundry room when the phone rings. Paige comes into the
          upstairs hallway and answers it.
                         
                          PAIGE
           (quiet, into phone)
           Hello?
                         
          INT. SAM'S TUKUL - CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - NIGHT
                         
          Sam on his sat phone --
                         
                          SAM
           Bug? You there?
                         
          INT. CHILDERS' HOUSE - CENTRAL CITY, PENN. - NIGHT
                         
                          PAIGE
           Dad?
                         
                          SAM
           Yeah, it's me.
                         
                          PAIGE
           You ok?
                         
                          SAM
           I'm ok, Bug.
                         
          And there's a long pause... so much to say but no words to say it...
          each of them holding their phones to their ears and just
          listening... and finally Sam says...
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           I'm thinkin of a tree...
                         
          And we see tears well up in Paige's eyes when she hears this... and
          now we see Lynn coming around the corner, overhearing them as they
          begin their little game one more time...
                         
                          PAIGE
           You said tree... I'm thinkin of a knee.
                         
          Sam smiling to himself... and we realize this man is coming back to
          life when he says...
                         
                          SAM
           You said knee, I'm thinkin of bee...
                          (BEAT)
           I love you, Bug.
                          112
                         
                          PAIGE
           I love you too, Daddy.
                         
          Lynn hearing this and tears roll down her cheeks as we go...
                         
          EXT. COMPOUND - CHILDREN'S VILLAGE ORPHANGE - NEXT DAY
                         
          And we see the soldiers at their posts... Betty and the other Camp
          Women cleaning clothes and preparing food... and we see most of the
          children loitering around a tree in the shade, sullen, not playing
          on the playground.
                         
          And then we see Sam coming into the courtyard kicking a soccer
          ball... some of the children see him and point... and slowly the
          entire camp begins to notice Sam kicking the soccer ball awkwardly
          by himself out in the open... Betty and the other women stopping
          their chores and watching him, speaking to one another in Arabic...
                         
          Deng and the other soldiers staring as Sam pops the ball into the
          air and bounces it off his head...
                         
          ... and now a couple of the smaller kids sprint for him and he kicks
          them the ball... and slowly the rest of the children join in the
          fun... kicking the ball back and forth... an impromptu soccer
          game... and then we hear LAUGHTER again... joy flooding back into
          this place.
                         
          Deng watching with a big smile as this white man dances around these
          little children... a Pied Piper of joy... playing in the dirt.
                         
          EXT. FRONT GATE - CHILDREN'S VILLAGE ORPHANAGE - DAY - LATER
                         
          And we see William approach a knot of soldiers standing by the front
          gate smoking cigarettes...
                         
                          WILLIAM
           Excuse me...
                         
                          SPLA SOLDIER #3
           What is it?
                         
                          WILLIAM
           Is it true an LRA commander was captured
           last night?
                         
          Soldiers nodding their heads "yes."
                         
                          WILLIAM (CONT'D)
           Where is he being held?
                         
                          SPLA SOLDIER #3
           At the army base in Kisoro.
                         
                          WILLIAM
           Are you going there?
                          113
                         
                          SPLA SOLDIER #3
           Yes.
                         
                          WILLIAM
           Can I ride with you?
                         
                          SPLA SOLDIER #3
           Why do you want to go to Kisoro?
                         
                          WILLIAM
           I want to ask the commander something.
                         
                          SPLA SOLDIER #3
           No, you cannot ride with us. Wait till
           tomorrow and go with the women on the
           bus.
                         
          And the soldiers turn their backs on William and he slinks away.
                         
          EXT. RIVERBANK - CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - DAY
                         
          We see a line of women along the riverbank in their colorful
          dresses... scrubbing pans and washing clothes... singing an ancient
          African spiritual as they work... the sun dropping pale red on the
          horizon...
                         
          And we see Sam here too... alone with himself... sitting at the
          river's edge, watching the water rolling gently past... listening to
          the soft serenade of the women... the beauty of it all...
                         
          ... and then he gets up and walks into the river... and he kneels
          down so that water reaches his waist (reminiscent of his first
          baptism in scene #35)... and now the women on the riverbank stop
          their work, watching him as he closes his eyes and gently leans
          back... submitting to the water... and when he comes up again we see
          in his eyes that his soul has been saved in this simple act.
                         
          And the women begin to shout their praise from the riverbank as we
          go...
                         
          INT. DORM - CHILDREN'S VILLAGE ORPHANAGE - DAY
                         
          And we see William here alone, pulling out a small satchel...
          filling it with a bottle of water and a blanket...
                         
          EXT. COMPOUND - CHILDREN'S VILLAGE ORPHANGE - DAY
                         
          William at the edge of the compound... looking over his shoulder to
          make sure nobody is watching him... and then quickly slipping under
          the fence and he's gone...
                         
          EXT. BUSH - DUSK
                         
          William walking through the dry scrub alone... already a couple
          miles deep in the bush... the sun starting to set... light waning...
          William starting to get nervous, picking up his pace...
                          114
                         
          AND THEN THE SOUND OF MEN
                         
          A squad of LRA rebels coming through the scrub... William hiding
          under a bush, terrified... the men coming closer... no idea if they
          saw him or not... his mind racing... voices getting louder...
          starting to hyper-ventilate from the fear -- and --
                         
                         WILLIAM BOLTS
                         
          Sprinting through the bush -- running for his life -- rebels see him
          -- yelling for him to stop -- chasing him down -- shooting their
          rifles into the air and he hits the ground in the fetal position --
          too terrified to continue -- eyes clamped shut as 4 or 5 rebels
          surround him -- guns pointed at his head -- caught.
                         
          INT. INFIRMARY - CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - DUSK
                         
          Sam coming into the building, finding Betty tending to a sick child.
                         
                          SAM
           Have you seen William?
                         
          Betty shaking her head "no", and we see the worry on Sam's face...
          intuitively knows something is wrong.
                         
          INT. LRA TRUCK - DRIVING - DUSK
                         
          William bound and gagged being dragged through the bush by 5 or 6
          rebels... and one of the rebels sees him staring at them and he
          brings the butt of his Kalishnikov down hard -- striking William on
          the head as we go --
                         
          EXT. OFFICE - CHILDREN'S ORPHANAGE - DUSK
                         
          Deng coming up to Sam...
                         
                          DENG
           Some of the soldiers said he was asking
           about the commander that is being held at
           Kismoro.
                         
          Sam closing his eyes, knows instantly what William has done.
                         
                          SAM
           Get em on the phone, see if he's shown up
           at the base yet.
                         
          EXT. LRA CAMP - DEEP IN THE BUSH - NIGHT
                         
          William shoved through the bush... moving deeper into this rebel
          encampment... dark and otherworldly... figures moving around camp
          fires... laughing... men with little girls... their child wives...
          with pregnant bellies... and incongruously the sound of American rap
          music coming from a jambox somewhere.
                         
          The overriding sense we get from this place is one of `insanity.'
                          115
                         
          And William is dragged to a clearing next to a grouping of tents and
          he's kicked to the dirt... two other soldiers pinning him to the
          ground as a third grabs his feet and pulls off his shoes... William
          YELLING and now a handful of other LRA soldiers start to gather
          around... most of them only a few years older than him... watching
          as his ankles are bound together and placed on a wooden block...
                         
          ... and now another soldier steps forward with an AXE... and the
          crowd whips into bloodlust... shouting... cheering...
                         
          AND THE SOLDIER LIFTS THE AXE INTO THE AIR --
                         
          WILLIAM WRITHING ON THE GROUND BUT CAN'T GET FREE --
                         
          AND THE SOLDIER STARTS TO BRING THE BLADE DOWN -- AND --
                         
           VOICE (O.S.)
                          (ARABIC)
           Stop!
                         
          The soldier freezes -- everyone turning as an LRA COMMANDER comes
          through the crowd -- takes the axe from the soldier --
                         
                          SOLDIER
           He ran from us.
                         
                          COMMANDER
           He is worth nothing with no feet. Put him
           with the others until tomorrow.
                         
          EXT. COMPOUND - CHILDREN'S VILLAGE ORPHANGE - NIGHT
                         
          Deng hustling up to Sam... shaking his head...
                         
                          DENG
           They have not see the boy.
                         
                          SAM
           Ok. Get Nineteen and Marco -- we're gonna
           go look for him.
                         
          EXT. LRA CAMP - DEEP IN THE BUSH - NIGHT
                         
          And we see William in a bamboo cell in the center of camp... and we
          see other children here... in various stages of fear and
          suffering... some of them completely naked... shivering in the cool
          air... others catatonic, probably doped up or too battered to move.
                         
          INT. SUV - DRIVING - NIGHT
                         
          Sam, Deng, Nineteen and Marco in this lead truck... been out here
          for hours... behind them we see the second camp truck following...
                         
          And they come to a fork in the road, pulling to a stop.
                          116
                         
                          DENG
           It will be light soon. What do you want
           to do?
                         
          Sam looking at a topo map on his lap...
                         
                          SAM
           Let's go through Maridi, see if they've
           seen anything.
                         
          EXT. LRA CAMP - DEEP IN THE BUSH - DAWN
                         
          Pale yellow sun breaking and we see William and a line of 10 or 12
          other children -- shackled in iron -- being loaded into the back of
          a TRANSPORT TRUCK.
                         
          INT. SUV - DAWN
                         
          Both SUV's parked off the side of the road now. Sam and Deng here,
          looking at maps and the GPS tracker. And we hear Deng's radio
          squawk. He digs it out, responds in Arabic, then turns to Sam...
                         
                          DENG
           The village outside of Akot says an LRA
           caravan came through there an hour ago.
           They were headed for Ed Duim.
                         
          INT./EXT. - LRA CONVOY/BUSH - DEEP IN SUDAN - DAY
                         
          A convoy of 4 or 5 LRA trucks barreling down this dirt track. And we
          see lots of rebels standing up in the back of these trucks, cradling
          heavy weapons, alert -- and suddenly we see in the distance --
                         
          TWO ROOSTER-TAILS OF DUST COMING AT US
                         
          From different angles -- converging on the LRA convoy -- the Rebels
          see them and point -- they know what's coming and they begin to
          prepare for war --
                         
                         THE ROOSTER-TAILS
                         
          Getting closer -- and then we see them --
                         
          SAM'S TWO TRUCKS
                         
          Bouncing over the terrain towards us -- coming fast -- and then --
                         
          WOOOOSH!
                         
          An RPG streaks toward the lead LRA truck and -- KABOOOM! -- the
          truck is blown off it's axles -- the other LRA trucks pulling off
          the road -- and suddenly we're in a withering firefight -- the roar
          of heavy weapons at full-tilt.
                         
          SAM AND HIS MEN
                          117
                         
          Jumping out of their trucks and flanking the LRA convoy --
          triangulating fire -- shredding the rebels -- blowing them back off
          their feet.
                         
                         NINETEEN
                         
          Sprinting through the bush -- edging around the LRA trucks --
          finding a position on their weak side and locking an RPG into a
          launcher -- shouldering it -- aiming -- WOOOOSH! -- the missile
          streaking toward the second LRA jeep and --
                         
          KABOOOM!
                         
          It's blasted into the air -- onto it's side -- rebels scurrying away
          from the wreckage -- still firing -- an absolute hail of lead --
          AK's barking in every direction --
                         
          KRATAKRATAKRATAKRATAKRAKKK!
                         
          One of the rebels standing up -- firing an RPG -- WOOOOOSH!
                         
          MARCO crouched behind the new orphanage truck firing -- sees the
          white streak coming at him -- dives -- just as --
                         
          THE TRUCK IS EVISCERATED IN THE BLAST!
                         
          SAM moving closer to the rebels -- shooting -- picking them off one
          by one -- gunfire raking over his head -- a dozen muzzle flashes
          coming from everywhere -- Sam yelling over the thunder --
                         
                          SAM
           Go! -- Go! -- Go! -- Go!
                         
          And we see Deng coming out of the bush to his right -- and then
          Nineteen to his left -- and they charge on the remaining rebels --
          Sam providing covering fire -- a curtain of lead cutting through the
          enemy -- and just like that it's over -- Sam waving behind him --
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           Cease fire!!
                         
          -- and suddenly there's just a sick silence -- smoke rising from the
          shot-to-shit LRA trucks -- bodies strewn in the dirt -- the brand
          new orphanage truck bombed out and smoking on it's side.
                         
          And Sam makes his way to the first TRANSPORT TRUCK -- Deng covering
          him as he rips the canvas back to see --
                         
          50 CHILDREN CRAMMED INTO THE BACK OF THIS TRUCK
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           Pull em all out! C'mon, let's go!
                         
                          DENG
           (to Soldiers, Arabic)
           Take them out.
                          118
                         
          Soldiers start to unload the children --
                         
                          SAM
           Cut them loose!
                         
                          DENG
           (to soldier, Arabic)
           Cut the ropes!
                         
          Sam moves to the second TRANSPORT TRUCK, rips the canvas back to
                         FIND --
                         
          50 MORE CHILDREN SHACKLED IN THE BACK OF THIS TRUCK
                         
          Holy fuck indeed.
                         
          He's been here before... 100 kids and he only has one good
          vehicle... and we watch him standing here... staring at these tiny
          faces looking back at him... a moment... lost in indecision until
          one of the kids stands up near the back...
                         
                         IT'S WILLIAM
                         
          Sam sees him and suddenly he knows exactly what he needs to do...
                         
                          SAM
           C'MON, LET'S GO!... get em out of there
           and line em up! -- C'MON! --
                         
          And we've seen this before... Sam going through these children...
          assessing their health... one by one... separating the worse off
          from the others... forming two group... turning to Deng and Nineteen
          and motioning to the smaller group (about 15 children)...
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           Load these here into the truck. Put em
           three deep if you have to...
                         
          Deng herding the children toward the one good truck...
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           (turning to Marco, Arabic)
           Come with me --
                         
                         NEW ANGLE
                         
          Sam and Marco moving from one dead LRA rebel to the other... rolling
          them onto their backs... going through their belts... pulling out
          extra ammo clips and grenades...
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           Get them AK's too.
                          (ARABIC)
           The machine guns.
                         
          Marco swinging four or five machine guns onto his shoulder...
                          119
                         
                         NEW ANGLE
                         
          At the SUV, now jammed with children. Sam talking to Nineteen, Marco
          and the others...
                         
                          SAM (CONT'D)
           I need all you to climb up on that roof
           and keep yer eyes peeled. That road back
           might be hot, so be ready.
                         
                          NINETEEN
           What about you, Preacher?
                         
           VOICE (O.S.)
           We're staying.
                         
          Sam turns to see Deng next to him, holding an AK in his hands, a
          steely resolve in his eyes. Sam nods, emboldened by his support.
                         
                          SAM
           (to the soldiers)
           Go on. Get outta here.
                         
          The soldiers load onto the SUV and drive off, leaving Sam and Deng
          standing here in the middle of these 85 children.
                         
          Waiting for the war that will surely come.
                         
          INT. SUV - DRIVING - DAY
                         
          And we stay in this truck as it pulls away... driving for a long
          time... until Sam, Deng, and the children become only specks on the
          horizon... and then...
                         
          WHITE LETTERS ON A BLACK SCREEN THAT READ --
                         
                         
                         
           "To this day, Sam Childers fights for the children of Sudan and
           Northern Uganda."
                         
                         
                         
                          THE END
                          120
                         
                         LEGENDS:
                         
                         
                         
          Joseph Kony and his Lord's Resistance Army continue their reign of
          terror in Sudan and Northern Uganda.
                         
                         
                         
          Amnesty International estimates that Kony and the LRA are
          responsible for over 400,000 murders and more than 40,000 child
          abductions. These children are tortured, raped, sold into sex
          slavery, and forced to take part in ritualized killing by LRA
          commanders.
                         
                         
                         
          The Islamic Government of Sudan continues to provide weapons and
          safe haven to Kony and the LRA as part of a deal to wage a proxy war
          against the predominately Christian South.
                         
                         
                         
          Without pressure from the United States, this support will continue
          and more innocent children will be slaughtered.
                         
                         
                         
          Now you know.
                          121
                         
                         
                         
                         
          As of 2011, Sam Childers has rescued over 800 children from the LRA.
          His `Angels of East Africa Orphanage' is home to more than 300
          orphans, and feeds over 1200 meals a day to neighboring villagers in
          need.

Machine Gun Preacher



Writers :   Jason Keller
Genres :   Action  Crime


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