Dead South (2016) Movie Script
Silas once told me war pushes
people in and out your life.
But you better off
guessing on the wind
than tryin' to figure it.
Truer words was never spoke.
The hero part is later,
after the labeling part.
In the moment,
it just be some cowering
and some that choose
to throw their lives away.
Later, maybe some of those
that threw their lives away,
they be the heroes.
More than half
a million men was killed
by snipers, small battles...
...and skirmishes
of just a few dozen men...
...made up about half
of all the killing.
I curse the ground
of this northern soil,
and given the chance, I will not
touch this land again.
Anything can happen here.
We are abandoned by hope.
There be's misery,
and there be's misery
that changes your life forever,
and puts you on a new path.
That particular misery
was creeping in the woods
that night
and it's what brung
them brothers,
and all what they done
here to nightshade.
Can you look at me?
You're awake. Are you all right?
Can you look at me?
Son, son, look at me.
Look at me, come here.
Here.
Can you look at me?
Can you sit up?
Come on, you can do it.
Sit up on me. Come on.
There you go.
You and your brother have been
unconscious for five days.
Frankly, I'm surprised
you even survived.
You have
a very serious infection.
I have seen this, a half a dozen
times during the war.
It's overwhelming
your body's defenses.
Soon, even daylight
will make skin feel like
hot coals are on it.
There's no medicine to help you.
But... there is one thing.
They're only rumors
that I've heard,
but they're very persistent.
When you make
an offering to him,
by no means make it modest,
but I think he's... he's the
only one who can help you.
You have to go to Lazarus notch
and see the potion man.
Now lay back down, easy, easy.
That's good.
Cannibals.
Word told it started in the
prison camps during the war.
Some took to it to survive,
some didn't.
But it gave them
strength, power, spread past
the walls of the camps.
Now some was sheriff, deputies,
home guard, drifters...
We're the home guard, fellas.
We need to see all of your
release papers, right now.
...whatever they
wanted to be called,
they was all just eaters.
Whoa.
This is not our fight.
Like opium smokers,
they couldn't stop.
They was addicted
to human flesh.
All right, then. I think...
I think that should
just about do it then.
Poison.
What?
Poison... it's all that
spills from your lips, Stokes.
- Poison and lies.
- Shut up, Lester.
Things ain't perfect for no one.
But the war is over,
and if we're going to keep
things together here at
eye tooth hollow,
it's best we
abide an understanding
with Royce and his nightwalkers.
I don't got much use for them.
Now, let's be clear.
We're all in a world of trouble
if those negroes
up and clear off.
This truce is critical for us
to have an abundant survival.
And this truce is...
Is designed for one thing,
and one thing only,
and that is to keep
our labor in place,
so as we all can be fed.
Are we done?
Well, mister, hurry-up,
why don't you just repeat,
back to me, the rules,
so as we can be certain
there are no misunderstandings.
Royce and his ghouls go first.
Me and mine are left to their
cast offs and their leavin's.
And?
The only ones who what get took,
are the troublemakers,
and lawbreakers or, generally,
any uppity niggrahs,
or anybody what dares fall on
the mighty emperor's bad side.
This truce between you,
your men...
...and Royce and his people,
is the law.
And more important than that...
...you are accountable.
Well, I thought
we might need them for cover.
You were right.
I'm sorry I was right.
Hilde, I want you to have...
Try... try not to talk, Jim,
save... save your strength.
How could they know
the horror, and river of blood,
that would be
released by that deed?
Stick with the plan,
little brother.
We've already put them
through enough.
Seems like red hat and his men
are headed in the same direction
as we need to be going.
We'll catch up.
The reason we got you
all out here in this breeze,
is 'cause y'all is respected,
and can talk to the rest.
Mr. Lincoln says you
are all free to leave,
go where you will.
But he don't know that
we all depend on each other
and understand each other
in this hollow.
You can all shove on,
but when the cotton's grown
and ready for pickin',
what will you have?
Same thing we all have
right now... nothing!
When you're out there
on the road...
What harmin' bandits are waitin'
out there to prey on you.
You... you've got to stay here.
See... see through the season.
Sheriff has heard of reports
that speak of cannibalism.
Blood drained corpses
of unfortunate
and innocent travelers.
We need each other
despite whatever
yankee laws are saying....
...about freedom.
There we was,
and there they was,
tryin' to tell us
to keep slaving for 'em
like it was
brisket and biscuits.
And they didn't even
crack a smile.
What about us croppin' cheap,
like peanut and hemp?
- We make bigger coin wit' that.
- Eye tooth is cotton.
Well, ain't y'all tired
a picking cotton
for Jimmy crack corn yet?
- What did he say?
- - I'm telling y'all.
We get a lil' piece a land,
a lil' piece,
- we all throw in together.
- I don't believe this.
- It's good dirt around here.
- This boy,
he just doesn't understand.
We get one good bumper,
that all we need.
We can build from there.
Is you moonshine crazy!
All flavor of spookies
runnin' round here,
you tryin' to join
the Chuck wagon?
Take your ass home
'fore they chop you up.
I want you to take
care of that boy.
Just do it quietly.
Home guard, huh?
Ain't y'all heard,
the war's over.
You scream pretty,
real pretty.
Pray to god
if the brothers came for you.
But god, don't listen
to no nonsense.
Two whiskeys.
We're holding the paper
for a nightshade farm,
mister, here in eye tooth.
Do you know who we can
talk to about selling it?
Well, now, boys,
you can't sell that...
...'cause I own it.
Well...
That doesn't bother me.
You see we have plenty
of your type around here.
And that paper's no good.
No one will buy it from you,
'cause you don't own it.
Our paper says different.
And we done quit bosses
for good, mister.
- Much obliged.
'Neighbor.
If you're interested in some
whore cabins, just east of here,
they're clean and they're white.
But ifin' you boys is hungry,
there's some nigga whores
down in the holler,
and you can do
what you want with them.
You see we have ourselves
a truce here in eye tooth.
Nightwalkers like you
will not touch any eater,
and the eaters
won't touch you.
You know, I hope them pantied
ladies at least as friendly
as the welcoming committee
outside of town.
Well, come on then.
You ghouls ain't gonna be
the first ones to cross my path.
Hey, why you lettin'
your horses go?
Somebody's been
floodin' this land.
These fields...
Covered with creek silt.
This could be good land
but Stokes keep floodin' it
to help irrigate his own land.
Right 'Cher yonder.
What we going to do, hilde?
We don't have nearly enough for
the potion man,
we can't sell this,
and we don't have enough
for planting or labor.
Look, the way I see it,
i could bandit for the money.
- No...
- That feller in town, Stokes,
thinks he owns our land.
Well, I could kill him,
take what he got.
You know that'll 'cause
more problems for us
then it'll solve.
Look, we wouldn't have
nearly enough time
to sell the farm before we run.
Then we'd just be
on the run with no money,
instead of just having no money.
Yeah, well, either way,
he ain't getting nightshade.
This here farm
is our only chance.
Come on, now,
you got another solution?
Oh... oh...
Looks like maybe the solution
to our problems
been living rough right here.
We're the charmington's.
My name is Beau,
this here is my brother, hilde,
and this property is ours.
I told you they didn't look
nothin' like Stokes' men.
Stokes is done
lordin' over what ain't his.
Hush up!
If Stokes ain't dead,
he ain't done lordin'.
Well, we got paper that say
different and so do the law.
We ain't got nowhere else to go
'cause them
free-work niggrahs...
Made it where
an honest man can't work.
We been tryin' to hold up
waitin' for Jim everette
to make it back,
so we can work with him,
help him get nightshade
up and croppin' again.
What's your name squatter?
My name's Ferris,
Ferris hoagland.
And these here is my people,
even if it ain't by name.
Well Ferris,
Jim everette is dead.
Nightshade is ours now.
Now, y'all can run off if you
want to, but come first rain,
we fixin' to start croppin'
and make a go of it
here at nightshade.
Now, we gonna need all
the money from the crop,
but if you work
the land with us,
we'll deed this farm over
to whoever done helped us.
Are you sayin' we work
this season for free,
then y'all gonna
give us the land?
That's right.
- We 'spose to believe that?
- We ain't croppin' with
no niggrahs!
I ain't your boss, squatter,
but you don't like who I hire,
you can take your chances
out on the roads or the woods
or in town.
Or y'all can stay and work.
We only plannin' on staying
this one season,
then we going home
to our people.
You work or leave.
What y'all fixin' to crop?
Hemp, peanut, tobacco.
Whatever we can
afford the most of.
Charmington's huh?
Well, y'all definitely
ain't from around here.
I need to order some supplies,
Mr. Jenkins.
I got cash money.
The charmington brothers
want to buy some hemp seed.
Much obliged, sir.
Sir, you still wantin' me
to take Stokes' order
out to his place?
You's the most ignorant fool
I've been displeasured
to ever know.
I can't take your money, Silas.
You better take
that money and ride on.
Exactly what you think gone
come of you foolin' around
with them nightwalker?
Everybody want a
piece of you right now:
Stokes, them plantation boys,
Lester hunt and the
rest of them eaters.
If you want to live, boy,
you best to move on.
I can't leave, Silas.
And I got me some land to crop.
Land to... what?
Boy, you been drinkin'
corn liquor from them jugs.
- Move on, griff.
- It's for true, Silas.
Now, them brothers,
they ain't got no money to pay,
but they going to keep
the crop money
and pay whoever crop with them,
with the land.
And you fool enough
to believe them spookies?
I need you to listen to me
on this here, Silas.
Now, you ain't seen them
when they said it.
Now, these spookies here
is... they's different.
They's different than everybody.
They's different, Silas,
and they paying with the land.
Now, this here be's
our chance here, Silas.
Now, we gonna have to share
the farm with those squatters
and whoever crop with us,
but it's gonna be ours.
Our land, Silas.
You hearin' me, old man?
Our land.
What's on the list of supply?
How you figure to get that
there, with Jenkins how he is?
No, we, we can't
get the seed from Jenkins,
gotta go to bachelorville,
or lake Weir for that.
About two weeks 'til first rain.
But they should wait,
so Stokes don't get
no word of it.
But I could get
everything else on here.
And some of our people to work.
We gone have us some land.
Yeah, boy...
We gone have us some land...
You got some nerve
drawing down on me, niggrah.
I was gonna field dress you
quick, with my ax.
But, now...
You let me pass,
or I aim to kill
the first one of you Jimmy's
that's bold enough to stop me.
Would you look at this.
I want to thank you all
for coming to my
humble planters party.
We have plenty
to rebuild something better.
And, free or not,
we don't have to worry about
our slaves leavin' us.
Because they are deadly afraid
of Royce and Lester's men...
Goddammit, Lester!
Now, go ahead and play,
play something nice.
I said play,
you malingering bastard.
Now, folks, there's no need
for you to get upset about this,
we're all used to
Lester and his boys
with a wild streak.
We have, on the veranda,
some spiced custard
and mint julep.
Please, go this way, and I'll be
rejoining y'all, momentarily.
Beautiful dress.
I told you, did you not hear me,
that I would not abide
you disrupting
these festivities?
- Now...
- This goddamn ghoul
- was moving funny...
- ...Take your boys and go.
Now!
This ain't right.
This ain't no kinda balance
a power like you talked about.
Them ghouls is practically
running the show.
We ain't on even ground
here with this thing.
I have four fresh coloreds
waitin' out by the barn
for you boys.
You can have your pick
of three of them.
Mm-hm. We just getting
Royce's hand me downs.
They ain't nearly
as fresh as you say.
Hardly got no strength
left in 'em.
They's fresh enough.
Now, the barn, Lester.
Come on, boys.
Please... please accept
my deepest apologies.
But you can't completely
blame Lester, now, can you?
Those charmington boys,
they launched
an unprovoked attack
on Lester and his men yesterday.
Now, they may not be local,
but they must abide
by the rules.
I expect those boys to be
punished appropriately.
You just gotta get a feel
for it, the weight, the balance.
You don't think about it,
know the blade will hit.
Outta help the next time
you run out of bullets.
All right, then.
That's the spot.
In the hollow of the neck.
Use two hands,
you do not stop pressing.
Your blade should be looking
for daylight on the other side.
You're pretty good with that.
Yeah, well, I had to work at it.
You're a natural.
Go on back now, I'll catch up.
Yes, sir.
Yeah... I had to work at it.
It's pretty much all
I'm good for, is killing men...
And trees
farther from home
with each and every one.
Your dresses have been
particularly beautiful lately.
Do you have a gentleman in mind?
I noticed the men
gathered outside the stables,
daddy.
Odd sort for honest man's work.
I hire them sometimes.
Some on, some off.
Just depends
on our needs is all.
There are quite
a number of them.
These new men wouldn't have
anything to do with the people
- planting down on nightshade,
do they?
- Now, Philly...
I just don't see the point
of pushing everyone off
Jim everette's place.
The hard facts are that
we need to hold on
to everything that we've got.
And that includes nightshade
and the flood grounds.
You realize,
we are surrounded by
thousands and thousands
of freed slaves?
We're out-numbered nine-to-one.
Now, what happens if they get
the notion for revenge?
They're going to go after
what families first?
- But, daddy, what if...
- Sweetie, there are
no what ifs.
Daddy, your freed slaves
don't want any revenge.
They just want to try to
find their families
and start some new kind of life,
and these men you've hired
are not farm hands.
This is not the time
for this discussion,
'cause it's upsetting
my digestion.
The war is finally over
and if we can just...
No!
No.
Now...
Sweetie, Jenkins promises me
that he'll have Silas
run those dresses right up here
as soon as they arrive.
I think I'm ready
for that chicken now.
Thank you.
Thank you, Henry.
You are my very heart, Philly.
My very heart,
we must remain
together on all of this.
Now, listen...
Listen, they'll be no more
of those late night walks.
I want you to stay
close to daddy, now.
And no more of those little
clandestine charity meetings.
Please, put the silverware back.
We'll soon
be without any eating utensils.
If I cannot alter my fate,
as you say, daddy,
then what do utensils matter?
Or anything else I may
choose to do with my time?
Henry, please tell Marie
that the chicken is
particularly excellent tonight.
You look like you're still
ready for the war.
For the squatters.
My canning skills ain't
the best in eye tooth,
but last season's berries
were the best in years.
My name is Stokes.
Philomena Stokes.
Of course... my name is
beauregard charmington.
My brother hilde and I,
we own nightshade.
You're a beautiful man,
aren't you?
Do you have a nickname your
brother or family uses for you?
Beau...
Beau.
Well, Beau... Beau,
I'm going to
figure one out for myself.
Welcome to eye tooth hollow,
Mr. charmington.
Welcome to my home.
You're welcome, Michael!
You and miss philomena
gonna get married now?
Hilde...
Hilde.
Hilde!
You know what, brother,
you are not the god of sky
and light and steel and battle.
Things was right lively
out there that day.
And they took their chances,
same as us.
I owe, hilde.
Jim everette, at camp,
tried to help me, wound up dead.
- Shit, you tried to help me,
you end up bit.
Poisoned, with the blood fever,
just like me.
Now, I owe, hilde.
I owe and too many people
been payin' my bill.
You're leaving out the part
where you done saved me.
May we come in?
Come on.
So...
Where are we going with this?
We're not going anywhere.
Stokes believes that
he can control everything.
Which is really, not unlike
a muskrat, lost and drowning
in a mighty river,
while anointing himself
the river king.
The two of you
are all that matters.
I mean, the blood feud
with the eaters is nothing.
They're so focused on the
short term gains of their
digestive mistakes,
they're blind.
Most of them can hardly
even speak anymore,
and that only portends much
greater and irreversible changes
if they don't alter their diet.
We don't care
nothing about them.
As well you shouldn't,
in the end,
they're hardly a threat.
- Just don't let them
mass up on you.
- You have a point?
Stokes wants me
to kill you both.
But I think that's a bad idea.
And it would be a violation
of the truce.
Not his, mind you, mine.
I think you're far too valuable
to be treated as livestock.
Get out.
Just hear me out.
The two of you are now... gods.
But you still think
you're mortal.
I mean,
you've been handed Olympus,
and you want to toil the fields
as farm hands?
But around you, all the land,
and all the people,
all of this is ours.
We want you to join us.
You heard my brother.
Now, did you
see that, gentlemen?
I told you they had it in them.
I'm gonna allow your little
commedia Dell'arte to play out.
And in the fullness of time,
there will be clarity.
Jasper, I found out
your mother was sold
to the Robinson family
in cutlerville, Virginia.
Bessie,
i haven't been able to find
anything out about Herman
just yet,
but I'm going to keep trying.
Little Sarah...
...I'm sorry...
Your daddy died
three years ago, as a runaway.
He was trying to get back here.
Trying to get back to you.
Jasper...
This is for you.
This is from my hope chest.
I want you to use it
to get back to your mother.
Go on, now, go on.
Shh...
You know, he's right.
Y'all done for, boys.
No... no, wait. Wait.
Wait... it's not...
It's not what it looks like.
I'm sorry!
Come on now, Beau,
let's get these bodies.
Do you want to feel
the sun on your skin again,
my child?
Now, make sure you get the
squatters and the new families
working up on the east fields
by tomorrow morning.
Then, tomorrow night,
me and Beau,
will finish up
what they didn't get to.
Yes, sir.
That be 'bout the last field.
We'll be ready for first rains.
You know, I'm grateful
for what y'all doing here.
Hell, I'm grateful
for every lil' thing.
The war done took
most everything.
That's what war do, mostly.
But right here on the tail end
of that, there be's somethin'.
I never much cared nothin' much
about... family and farming.
And we was never rich enough
to own nobody.
And, now, I'm grateful
for that mercy.
You see, everything they told us
we was fightin' for...
...we thought we was
fightin' for, that was a lie.
Yeah, the men who started
this war, well...
...they just as easily kill
a white soldier,
as they do a black slave.
Or a lame plough horse.
Yeah, we was nothin' to them.
You see,
the war funny like that.
How it be teachin'
and takin' all at once.
I done learnt
a few things by it.
Like what I'm 'spose
to do with this?
What I'm 'spose to do
with freedom?
That keep me up most nights.
Since I come here to nightshade,
well, I sleep just fine.
And so do the rest.
You should know that.
Now, if you find things
happen... or things change,
your plans change,
well, you should know
how these people
have taken a shine to you.
Well, you all will always be
welcome here.
You know, if something changes.
Well... goodnight, gentlemen.
Goodnight griff.
That mug made griff
a regular chatterbox.
Vino veritas.
What?
Now, y'all
in violation of the law.
Nightshade farm
and these woods is mine.
I laid claim to it
openly and notoriously.
If you persist
with this insurrection...
...it will end up
in the fires of hell.
Now, who shot at my pig?
Who was shooting at my pig?
Why you chasing my pig?
We only feedin' our families.
Thems wild hogs
don't belong to nobody.
Hallelujah!
I have found the reason for our
mutual misery and discontent.
You see,
there's simple misunderstanding.
I own all the pigs,
and the possums,
and the rabbits,
and the water,
and every blade of grass.
As a matter of fact,
you're breathing my air,
without my permission.
Collect their weapons.
Nightshade has been the flood
plane of my ancestral home for
years,
and what you're doing
is upsetting
the Jewel of eye tooth,
with your unsightly rabble.
And this will be your
last and only warning.
Our deed is legal and proper.
Leave now, or we'll kill you.
I don't think so.
Why don't y'all come out
and model those bush robes
i heard about?
So you think you going shoot us
all from your little hidey
holes in the trees?
It looks like our bunny rabbits
have grown teeth now.
All right, then.
All right.
But I will be back!
We will be back.
Clear!
The very definition of,
"you shall show
to them no mercy."
- Hilde...
- Double the patrols.
This is all we got.
Maybe our chance
is one in a thousand,
hell, maybe a million.
What if the doc was wrong
'bout the potion, man, huh?
What if they're ain't
no cure for what we got?
No, we... this our one chance.
Our one chance to go back...
To what we was.
We're going to make it back.
We could just kill Stokes,
take he got.
There'd be plenty
for the potion man then.
Right, of course not.
Your delicate constitution
won't permit us banditry.
And nor yours,
prior to fighting confederate.
That's your problem,
little brother,
you think the war's over.
What are you doing here?
Are you afraid of me?
I've seen many
nightwalkers in my life.
That's not what I asked you.
I am.
You seem to be a very
violent man, Beau charmington.
And, yet,
you do not try and escape.
Perhaps you see something else.
Perhaps you see who I really am.
Shit! What in tarnation
you do that for!
I hope...
That them pantied ladies
are at least as friendly
as the welcoming committee
outside of town.
These our men
went done gone missing.
Go get everyone.
Right now!
You goddamned ghouls
gonna pay for this.
First rain's a coming
and it's been two weeks
since those boys
stole my property.
And they're still on it.
They're still on it.
And you have done absolutely
nothing to get them off.
Absolutely nothing.
- Well, I tried to bring them
into the fold...
- Into the fold!
...but they're not
exactly ready yet.
Into the fold!
Into the goddamned fold!
Have another drink, filbert.
It is what you do best lately.
The misery of your inaction...
Makes a man want to imbibe.
Royce...
Royce, I'm giving you
'til sun up tomorrow
to remove those boys
from my property.
And that's your last chance.
If you haven't done it by then,
i know someone be
more than happy
to push them off.
This is wrong, Lester.
Stokes is wrong.
Go on and tell it
to the trees ghoul,
I don't take orders from you.
Stokes has got you out here,
attacking nightshade
and you mean to tell me it's
never even occurred to you
that this is senseless,
not to mention dangerous.
How many men of yours
are you willing to sacrifice
out here tonight
on the altar of Stokes' whim?
If Stokes says it gets done,
its gonna get done.
Stokes can't last like this,
Lester, and you know it.
You can be the new Stokes.
Let's move.
Obviously, I've lowered myself
to the height of a fool.
Nothing good
can come of it, brother.
Good already has.
The day suits?
No time.
Get up! Get up!
Get up, you big son of a bitch!
They sun poisoned.
We gotta get 'em
to the sleeping boxes.
- Come on.
- Come on, Beau.
Come on, we got you.
What the hell is
wrong with you boys, huh?!
I mean, you just...
You...
All you're going to do
is get yourselves killed!
Ain't nobody ever been good to
our family like you, Mr. hilde.
Sorry I didn't stop that man.
I was going to...
Or die tryin'.
Sorry he weren't quicker with
the rifle, Mr. hilde.
I got you, come on.
Come on, Mr. hilde.
Come on, Beau.
Niggers and squatters...
On the grave of my granddaddy...
...you will rue this day.
Death is too good for you.
I'll give you
the money in these pockets,
if you kill
that worthless ghoul.
Go back to
your daughter, Mr. Stokes.
Say her name one more time.
Come on.
Philomena.
- Just say it one more time.
- My, my.
You are drunk, filbert.
But I encourage you
to continue upon your
course of action.
Some actions do have
consequences, however.
I... never want you to say
the name of my flower... ever.
Ever.
Listen, those boys,
they're gonna start
planting come first rain.
But I want you to
forget about that, you cowards,
you groveling sniggering dogs...
...And just remember the fact,
that those night walking freaks
have hired our slaves
and are paying them with land.
- Land?
- They're paying them with land.
- With land.
- - No.
And what other kind of acts,
grotesque acts of...
And disgusting, vile...
Why they... they're living
together with white people,
how many of those
white people are white women.
- Women?
- Niggers and white women!
Come on, now, this is our town.
We need to enforce
whatever laws are necessary
or becomes necessary
to uphold and support
our rights and traditions.
And them nightshade brothers'
ain't eatin' those niggrahs
from down in the bottom,
like we gots to.
No, no, them two brothers
is eatin' us.
Me and my men.
They're huntin' us down
like pigs on truffles.
Picking us off one at a time!
Now, that is a violation
of the truce that we're 'spose
to have with the ghouls!
You wait a minute, Lester...
And that niggrah, griff,
helping them to hunt us down!
You're right, Lester.
You're right, and I agree.
Now, it's up to you
to make a decision,
you must decide on what side
you're going to be on.
Or by god...
Well, I'm not going
to fight against you,
but you better pray
to whatever deity it is you got.
Pray that the new blood's
wrath will be merciful,
but I truly doubt it.
Lester, I want you to gather
up all of our friends.
All those undead, goddammed...
...eaters and deputize 'em all!
Go find them in every county,
every place you find them,
bring them in here
and deputize them.
Well, it's about goddamn time!
We will set... now for
a correction in nightshade
of biblical proportions.
We are about to scourge
eye tooth hollow
of all those
race-mixin' niggers and ghouls
for the very last time!
That's right!
We must fight!
We must fight
for our rights and traditions!
I'll be back from bachelorville
by tomorrow night
with the seed for planting.
We'll get the seed in the ground
before first rain.
There are two of us, you know?
I always told mama
you could count.
I want to go with you.
Griff can't
protect nightshade alone.
I'll be fine,
just mind the store for a day.
It'll be safe
for a few days, at least.
Stokes is gonna need time
to build up more men.
That'll be at least three days,
i expect.
It's now or never, if going
to make a go of our harvest.
You and griff will be okay.
I'll be back in one night.
That girl's making you soft.
Now, come on, now,
don't get all womanly on me.
Brother...
I will not
say this to you again.
You're tender-hearted.
You talk too much
and do too much.
Like you got something to prove.
You are also the finest man
I've ever known my whole life
and I envy you,
your Mercury heart.
You got nothing to prove, Beau.
For whoever cannot see these
obvious and wonderful qualities
in you, is not worth the letters
and breath to dissuade.
And I cannot imagine the station
at which I find myself,
without you by my side.
You a bear, Beau.
You a goddamned grizzly.
Hiya!
I want you both on
the eastern field tonight.
I'll take the Meadow with Beau.
Mr. Jenkins say you
want to see me, Mr. hunt.
Yes, we do, Silas.
Yes, we do.
- Have a seat.
- Yes, sir.
Have a drink.
Yes, sir.
Daddy!
Daddy, where are you?
No...
Philomena! Hey...
Philomena!
Shh, shh...
Hey, tell me what's happening.
- Hey, hey, what's wrong?
What happened?
What happened?
It's just...
It's this whole place, Beau.
It's eye tooth itself.
There is no love here.
- Shh...
- Except with you at nightshade.
Tell me about what you're
going to do when you leave here.
Tell me about your family.
As soon the crop comes in,
we're gonna have enough money,
we are going
to go see the potion man.
All right, we are gonna...
We're gonna be human, again.
We're gonna go home.
- Why can't you go home now?
- Because I...
- Before things get worse.
- 'Cause I ain't exactly right.
All right, I don't know what
i am, but I am not what I was.
You're fine just how you are.
Shh...
Well, there's my brother, too.
I ain't never heard of
a nightwalker making that
transition back, not ever.
We aim to try.
What is this, Beau?
It's my family.
My family's gone, Beau.
I'm all alone.
No... hey...
You are never alone
as long as your family is near.
Yessum, I believe today
is the day of first rains.
Too many of them for us alone.
Hilde must have been wrong
about them
gatherin' men so quick.
Hold them off long as you can.
I'm going to go get Beau.
Run!
To Silas...
For conveying the proper message
to our negroes.
Whiskey.
Goddammit, Lester, what the
hell happened this morning?
We did what you said,
we poisoned the ground.
All high ground,
you got all the crops?
- All of them?
- Yes, sir, we did.
Twenty large bags
of lime and... acid.
I want a raise, goddammit!
What y'all have promised us,
ain't nearly enough
for this madness.
Sure, sure, you earned it.
It was like them ghouls
knew we was coming.
One of 'em got loose
in that... that robe a his,
and killed us or run us off
who weren't already killed.
Now, where's the rest
of your deputies?
Are you not listening?
They're dead!
The whole thing went sideways
out there, all of it!
So, those charmington boys,
they just run you all off?
Uh, no, it weren't but one them
in that bushy suit a his.
And those goddamned squatters
did their part, too,
and that niggrah, griff.
Less than a dozen a us survived,
prolly less than half a dozen.
So how many of those others
were killed besides your men?
You weren't there, Stokes,
you don't know
what we was dealing with!
Even your goddamned daughter
showed up in that crazy mix.
If you have harmed a hair
on my little Philly's head...
Quit your threats, Stokes.
She wasn't supposed to be there.
The new men
thought she was a squatter.
We done lost five men
getting her!
You fiends!
There weren't but
no other way to bring her.
She was like a bag
of angry cats.
You have doomed us!
You have doomed us all!
These me are going to
take you home now, Philly.
I am my father's daughter!
And by my birthright, I am
doomed with the rest of you!
There will be a reckoning
for all that we have done!
There will be a reckoning
for all that we have done!
There will be a reckoning!
No!
You men...
Just get her home!
There will be a reckoning!
There will be a reckoning!
Reckoning!
Where's the other brother,
Lester?
I have no earthly idea.
I want you to ride to every
burg and briar patch you can,
find every man with a firearm
and have them here tonight,
have them here by the town hall,
tell them I will pay $100
and five acres of land.
We're going to
end this thing tonight.
One night's work.
That's all, now, get.
Come on.
I want you men to get down
to Jenkins store
and get all the wood
you can get.
We're going to secure the hall
for our families.
Now go.
My mama's dead, griff.
She got killed.
Can't find David.
I gotta go warn Silas.
They might be
coming for him, too.
- I want to go with you.
- Find your brother.
I'll be back in a spell.
Go.
Beau was off with
miss philomena for a spell,
and when they came to attack,
I went off to fetch him
so we could stand together.
I wouldn't let them
mass up on you.
Where is she?
The few what we didn't kill,
they done took off with her.
She went with them?
Not like that,
she was kicking and screaming.
Yeah, I'm sure.
They poisoned
high field with lime.
The rains done already washed
it across the whole farm.
There won't be nothing
growing here at nightshade
this season.
And... they killed Ferris.
And Silas, too.
Left him hanging out there
in the middle of the town.
I'm sorry
for your troubles, griff.
You a good man.
We know you and Beau
needed this here money...
...so we all throwed in.
It only 'bout $75,
but it all the moneys we got.
You still gots to see
the potion man
so you could go home
to your peoples.
That's some good seed stock.
Y'all keep it 'til next season,
clean up the bad
top soil from the rows,
plough it under and come next
season, you'll be good to grow.
Y'all are now the owners
of nightshade.
Well, they just gonna run us off
soon as you leave, Mr. hilde.
How we gonna stay
and make a go of it?
You can stay, griff...
...'cause y'all going to be
the only ones left.
'Cause I'm gonna to kill
anything bigger
than a yardstick.
It's mine! It's mine!
I curse the day you were born,
you motherless cur!
I curse you through
the afterlife!
May you rot in hell!
My god...
And I'm just gettin' started!
Kill him!
Get in there!
Get him out of there!
Get him out!
Get in there!
That's right, ghoul, we got him.
We killed your soulless brother.
And you ain't
no goddamned different.
We gonna kill you, too.
I told Stokes it was
a bad idea to go this way.
You don't know nothing of your
new nature, do you, hildebrant?
What happens when it's been
too long since we've fed?
We start to become handsome,
beautiful.
Exquisite, irresistible.
The hungrier we get, the more
beautiful we become to them.
That's an evolutionary
development.
It allows us to
predate more effectively.
Join us, hilde.
Let us show you our world.
You don't have to hide,
you don't have to be alone.
Not that it matters,
because I'm going to
kill you all.
Which one of you
fed on Silas?
Waste not, want not.
Hilde!
Hilde!
You can have this
little spit of land,
but I will see you again.
You want to feel the sun
on your skin again?
Yes, sir.
Do you want to be human?
Yes, sir, I do.
Do you have an offering for me?
Yes, sir. Right here.
Come in.
people in and out your life.
But you better off
guessing on the wind
than tryin' to figure it.
Truer words was never spoke.
The hero part is later,
after the labeling part.
In the moment,
it just be some cowering
and some that choose
to throw their lives away.
Later, maybe some of those
that threw their lives away,
they be the heroes.
More than half
a million men was killed
by snipers, small battles...
...and skirmishes
of just a few dozen men...
...made up about half
of all the killing.
I curse the ground
of this northern soil,
and given the chance, I will not
touch this land again.
Anything can happen here.
We are abandoned by hope.
There be's misery,
and there be's misery
that changes your life forever,
and puts you on a new path.
That particular misery
was creeping in the woods
that night
and it's what brung
them brothers,
and all what they done
here to nightshade.
Can you look at me?
You're awake. Are you all right?
Can you look at me?
Son, son, look at me.
Look at me, come here.
Here.
Can you look at me?
Can you sit up?
Come on, you can do it.
Sit up on me. Come on.
There you go.
You and your brother have been
unconscious for five days.
Frankly, I'm surprised
you even survived.
You have
a very serious infection.
I have seen this, a half a dozen
times during the war.
It's overwhelming
your body's defenses.
Soon, even daylight
will make skin feel like
hot coals are on it.
There's no medicine to help you.
But... there is one thing.
They're only rumors
that I've heard,
but they're very persistent.
When you make
an offering to him,
by no means make it modest,
but I think he's... he's the
only one who can help you.
You have to go to Lazarus notch
and see the potion man.
Now lay back down, easy, easy.
That's good.
Cannibals.
Word told it started in the
prison camps during the war.
Some took to it to survive,
some didn't.
But it gave them
strength, power, spread past
the walls of the camps.
Now some was sheriff, deputies,
home guard, drifters...
We're the home guard, fellas.
We need to see all of your
release papers, right now.
...whatever they
wanted to be called,
they was all just eaters.
Whoa.
This is not our fight.
Like opium smokers,
they couldn't stop.
They was addicted
to human flesh.
All right, then. I think...
I think that should
just about do it then.
Poison.
What?
Poison... it's all that
spills from your lips, Stokes.
- Poison and lies.
- Shut up, Lester.
Things ain't perfect for no one.
But the war is over,
and if we're going to keep
things together here at
eye tooth hollow,
it's best we
abide an understanding
with Royce and his nightwalkers.
I don't got much use for them.
Now, let's be clear.
We're all in a world of trouble
if those negroes
up and clear off.
This truce is critical for us
to have an abundant survival.
And this truce is...
Is designed for one thing,
and one thing only,
and that is to keep
our labor in place,
so as we all can be fed.
Are we done?
Well, mister, hurry-up,
why don't you just repeat,
back to me, the rules,
so as we can be certain
there are no misunderstandings.
Royce and his ghouls go first.
Me and mine are left to their
cast offs and their leavin's.
And?
The only ones who what get took,
are the troublemakers,
and lawbreakers or, generally,
any uppity niggrahs,
or anybody what dares fall on
the mighty emperor's bad side.
This truce between you,
your men...
...and Royce and his people,
is the law.
And more important than that...
...you are accountable.
Well, I thought
we might need them for cover.
You were right.
I'm sorry I was right.
Hilde, I want you to have...
Try... try not to talk, Jim,
save... save your strength.
How could they know
the horror, and river of blood,
that would be
released by that deed?
Stick with the plan,
little brother.
We've already put them
through enough.
Seems like red hat and his men
are headed in the same direction
as we need to be going.
We'll catch up.
The reason we got you
all out here in this breeze,
is 'cause y'all is respected,
and can talk to the rest.
Mr. Lincoln says you
are all free to leave,
go where you will.
But he don't know that
we all depend on each other
and understand each other
in this hollow.
You can all shove on,
but when the cotton's grown
and ready for pickin',
what will you have?
Same thing we all have
right now... nothing!
When you're out there
on the road...
What harmin' bandits are waitin'
out there to prey on you.
You... you've got to stay here.
See... see through the season.
Sheriff has heard of reports
that speak of cannibalism.
Blood drained corpses
of unfortunate
and innocent travelers.
We need each other
despite whatever
yankee laws are saying....
...about freedom.
There we was,
and there they was,
tryin' to tell us
to keep slaving for 'em
like it was
brisket and biscuits.
And they didn't even
crack a smile.
What about us croppin' cheap,
like peanut and hemp?
- We make bigger coin wit' that.
- Eye tooth is cotton.
Well, ain't y'all tired
a picking cotton
for Jimmy crack corn yet?
- What did he say?
- - I'm telling y'all.
We get a lil' piece a land,
a lil' piece,
- we all throw in together.
- I don't believe this.
- It's good dirt around here.
- This boy,
he just doesn't understand.
We get one good bumper,
that all we need.
We can build from there.
Is you moonshine crazy!
All flavor of spookies
runnin' round here,
you tryin' to join
the Chuck wagon?
Take your ass home
'fore they chop you up.
I want you to take
care of that boy.
Just do it quietly.
Home guard, huh?
Ain't y'all heard,
the war's over.
You scream pretty,
real pretty.
Pray to god
if the brothers came for you.
But god, don't listen
to no nonsense.
Two whiskeys.
We're holding the paper
for a nightshade farm,
mister, here in eye tooth.
Do you know who we can
talk to about selling it?
Well, now, boys,
you can't sell that...
...'cause I own it.
Well...
That doesn't bother me.
You see we have plenty
of your type around here.
And that paper's no good.
No one will buy it from you,
'cause you don't own it.
Our paper says different.
And we done quit bosses
for good, mister.
- Much obliged.
'Neighbor.
If you're interested in some
whore cabins, just east of here,
they're clean and they're white.
But ifin' you boys is hungry,
there's some nigga whores
down in the holler,
and you can do
what you want with them.
You see we have ourselves
a truce here in eye tooth.
Nightwalkers like you
will not touch any eater,
and the eaters
won't touch you.
You know, I hope them pantied
ladies at least as friendly
as the welcoming committee
outside of town.
Well, come on then.
You ghouls ain't gonna be
the first ones to cross my path.
Hey, why you lettin'
your horses go?
Somebody's been
floodin' this land.
These fields...
Covered with creek silt.
This could be good land
but Stokes keep floodin' it
to help irrigate his own land.
Right 'Cher yonder.
What we going to do, hilde?
We don't have nearly enough for
the potion man,
we can't sell this,
and we don't have enough
for planting or labor.
Look, the way I see it,
i could bandit for the money.
- No...
- That feller in town, Stokes,
thinks he owns our land.
Well, I could kill him,
take what he got.
You know that'll 'cause
more problems for us
then it'll solve.
Look, we wouldn't have
nearly enough time
to sell the farm before we run.
Then we'd just be
on the run with no money,
instead of just having no money.
Yeah, well, either way,
he ain't getting nightshade.
This here farm
is our only chance.
Come on, now,
you got another solution?
Oh... oh...
Looks like maybe the solution
to our problems
been living rough right here.
We're the charmington's.
My name is Beau,
this here is my brother, hilde,
and this property is ours.
I told you they didn't look
nothin' like Stokes' men.
Stokes is done
lordin' over what ain't his.
Hush up!
If Stokes ain't dead,
he ain't done lordin'.
Well, we got paper that say
different and so do the law.
We ain't got nowhere else to go
'cause them
free-work niggrahs...
Made it where
an honest man can't work.
We been tryin' to hold up
waitin' for Jim everette
to make it back,
so we can work with him,
help him get nightshade
up and croppin' again.
What's your name squatter?
My name's Ferris,
Ferris hoagland.
And these here is my people,
even if it ain't by name.
Well Ferris,
Jim everette is dead.
Nightshade is ours now.
Now, y'all can run off if you
want to, but come first rain,
we fixin' to start croppin'
and make a go of it
here at nightshade.
Now, we gonna need all
the money from the crop,
but if you work
the land with us,
we'll deed this farm over
to whoever done helped us.
Are you sayin' we work
this season for free,
then y'all gonna
give us the land?
That's right.
- We 'spose to believe that?
- We ain't croppin' with
no niggrahs!
I ain't your boss, squatter,
but you don't like who I hire,
you can take your chances
out on the roads or the woods
or in town.
Or y'all can stay and work.
We only plannin' on staying
this one season,
then we going home
to our people.
You work or leave.
What y'all fixin' to crop?
Hemp, peanut, tobacco.
Whatever we can
afford the most of.
Charmington's huh?
Well, y'all definitely
ain't from around here.
I need to order some supplies,
Mr. Jenkins.
I got cash money.
The charmington brothers
want to buy some hemp seed.
Much obliged, sir.
Sir, you still wantin' me
to take Stokes' order
out to his place?
You's the most ignorant fool
I've been displeasured
to ever know.
I can't take your money, Silas.
You better take
that money and ride on.
Exactly what you think gone
come of you foolin' around
with them nightwalker?
Everybody want a
piece of you right now:
Stokes, them plantation boys,
Lester hunt and the
rest of them eaters.
If you want to live, boy,
you best to move on.
I can't leave, Silas.
And I got me some land to crop.
Land to... what?
Boy, you been drinkin'
corn liquor from them jugs.
- Move on, griff.
- It's for true, Silas.
Now, them brothers,
they ain't got no money to pay,
but they going to keep
the crop money
and pay whoever crop with them,
with the land.
And you fool enough
to believe them spookies?
I need you to listen to me
on this here, Silas.
Now, you ain't seen them
when they said it.
Now, these spookies here
is... they's different.
They's different than everybody.
They's different, Silas,
and they paying with the land.
Now, this here be's
our chance here, Silas.
Now, we gonna have to share
the farm with those squatters
and whoever crop with us,
but it's gonna be ours.
Our land, Silas.
You hearin' me, old man?
Our land.
What's on the list of supply?
How you figure to get that
there, with Jenkins how he is?
No, we, we can't
get the seed from Jenkins,
gotta go to bachelorville,
or lake Weir for that.
About two weeks 'til first rain.
But they should wait,
so Stokes don't get
no word of it.
But I could get
everything else on here.
And some of our people to work.
We gone have us some land.
Yeah, boy...
We gone have us some land...
You got some nerve
drawing down on me, niggrah.
I was gonna field dress you
quick, with my ax.
But, now...
You let me pass,
or I aim to kill
the first one of you Jimmy's
that's bold enough to stop me.
Would you look at this.
I want to thank you all
for coming to my
humble planters party.
We have plenty
to rebuild something better.
And, free or not,
we don't have to worry about
our slaves leavin' us.
Because they are deadly afraid
of Royce and Lester's men...
Goddammit, Lester!
Now, go ahead and play,
play something nice.
I said play,
you malingering bastard.
Now, folks, there's no need
for you to get upset about this,
we're all used to
Lester and his boys
with a wild streak.
We have, on the veranda,
some spiced custard
and mint julep.
Please, go this way, and I'll be
rejoining y'all, momentarily.
Beautiful dress.
I told you, did you not hear me,
that I would not abide
you disrupting
these festivities?
- Now...
- This goddamn ghoul
- was moving funny...
- ...Take your boys and go.
Now!
This ain't right.
This ain't no kinda balance
a power like you talked about.
Them ghouls is practically
running the show.
We ain't on even ground
here with this thing.
I have four fresh coloreds
waitin' out by the barn
for you boys.
You can have your pick
of three of them.
Mm-hm. We just getting
Royce's hand me downs.
They ain't nearly
as fresh as you say.
Hardly got no strength
left in 'em.
They's fresh enough.
Now, the barn, Lester.
Come on, boys.
Please... please accept
my deepest apologies.
But you can't completely
blame Lester, now, can you?
Those charmington boys,
they launched
an unprovoked attack
on Lester and his men yesterday.
Now, they may not be local,
but they must abide
by the rules.
I expect those boys to be
punished appropriately.
You just gotta get a feel
for it, the weight, the balance.
You don't think about it,
know the blade will hit.
Outta help the next time
you run out of bullets.
All right, then.
That's the spot.
In the hollow of the neck.
Use two hands,
you do not stop pressing.
Your blade should be looking
for daylight on the other side.
You're pretty good with that.
Yeah, well, I had to work at it.
You're a natural.
Go on back now, I'll catch up.
Yes, sir.
Yeah... I had to work at it.
It's pretty much all
I'm good for, is killing men...
And trees
farther from home
with each and every one.
Your dresses have been
particularly beautiful lately.
Do you have a gentleman in mind?
I noticed the men
gathered outside the stables,
daddy.
Odd sort for honest man's work.
I hire them sometimes.
Some on, some off.
Just depends
on our needs is all.
There are quite
a number of them.
These new men wouldn't have
anything to do with the people
- planting down on nightshade,
do they?
- Now, Philly...
I just don't see the point
of pushing everyone off
Jim everette's place.
The hard facts are that
we need to hold on
to everything that we've got.
And that includes nightshade
and the flood grounds.
You realize,
we are surrounded by
thousands and thousands
of freed slaves?
We're out-numbered nine-to-one.
Now, what happens if they get
the notion for revenge?
They're going to go after
what families first?
- But, daddy, what if...
- Sweetie, there are
no what ifs.
Daddy, your freed slaves
don't want any revenge.
They just want to try to
find their families
and start some new kind of life,
and these men you've hired
are not farm hands.
This is not the time
for this discussion,
'cause it's upsetting
my digestion.
The war is finally over
and if we can just...
No!
No.
Now...
Sweetie, Jenkins promises me
that he'll have Silas
run those dresses right up here
as soon as they arrive.
I think I'm ready
for that chicken now.
Thank you.
Thank you, Henry.
You are my very heart, Philly.
My very heart,
we must remain
together on all of this.
Now, listen...
Listen, they'll be no more
of those late night walks.
I want you to stay
close to daddy, now.
And no more of those little
clandestine charity meetings.
Please, put the silverware back.
We'll soon
be without any eating utensils.
If I cannot alter my fate,
as you say, daddy,
then what do utensils matter?
Or anything else I may
choose to do with my time?
Henry, please tell Marie
that the chicken is
particularly excellent tonight.
You look like you're still
ready for the war.
For the squatters.
My canning skills ain't
the best in eye tooth,
but last season's berries
were the best in years.
My name is Stokes.
Philomena Stokes.
Of course... my name is
beauregard charmington.
My brother hilde and I,
we own nightshade.
You're a beautiful man,
aren't you?
Do you have a nickname your
brother or family uses for you?
Beau...
Beau.
Well, Beau... Beau,
I'm going to
figure one out for myself.
Welcome to eye tooth hollow,
Mr. charmington.
Welcome to my home.
You're welcome, Michael!
You and miss philomena
gonna get married now?
Hilde...
Hilde.
Hilde!
You know what, brother,
you are not the god of sky
and light and steel and battle.
Things was right lively
out there that day.
And they took their chances,
same as us.
I owe, hilde.
Jim everette, at camp,
tried to help me, wound up dead.
- Shit, you tried to help me,
you end up bit.
Poisoned, with the blood fever,
just like me.
Now, I owe, hilde.
I owe and too many people
been payin' my bill.
You're leaving out the part
where you done saved me.
May we come in?
Come on.
So...
Where are we going with this?
We're not going anywhere.
Stokes believes that
he can control everything.
Which is really, not unlike
a muskrat, lost and drowning
in a mighty river,
while anointing himself
the river king.
The two of you
are all that matters.
I mean, the blood feud
with the eaters is nothing.
They're so focused on the
short term gains of their
digestive mistakes,
they're blind.
Most of them can hardly
even speak anymore,
and that only portends much
greater and irreversible changes
if they don't alter their diet.
We don't care
nothing about them.
As well you shouldn't,
in the end,
they're hardly a threat.
- Just don't let them
mass up on you.
- You have a point?
Stokes wants me
to kill you both.
But I think that's a bad idea.
And it would be a violation
of the truce.
Not his, mind you, mine.
I think you're far too valuable
to be treated as livestock.
Get out.
Just hear me out.
The two of you are now... gods.
But you still think
you're mortal.
I mean,
you've been handed Olympus,
and you want to toil the fields
as farm hands?
But around you, all the land,
and all the people,
all of this is ours.
We want you to join us.
You heard my brother.
Now, did you
see that, gentlemen?
I told you they had it in them.
I'm gonna allow your little
commedia Dell'arte to play out.
And in the fullness of time,
there will be clarity.
Jasper, I found out
your mother was sold
to the Robinson family
in cutlerville, Virginia.
Bessie,
i haven't been able to find
anything out about Herman
just yet,
but I'm going to keep trying.
Little Sarah...
...I'm sorry...
Your daddy died
three years ago, as a runaway.
He was trying to get back here.
Trying to get back to you.
Jasper...
This is for you.
This is from my hope chest.
I want you to use it
to get back to your mother.
Go on, now, go on.
Shh...
You know, he's right.
Y'all done for, boys.
No... no, wait. Wait.
Wait... it's not...
It's not what it looks like.
I'm sorry!
Come on now, Beau,
let's get these bodies.
Do you want to feel
the sun on your skin again,
my child?
Now, make sure you get the
squatters and the new families
working up on the east fields
by tomorrow morning.
Then, tomorrow night,
me and Beau,
will finish up
what they didn't get to.
Yes, sir.
That be 'bout the last field.
We'll be ready for first rains.
You know, I'm grateful
for what y'all doing here.
Hell, I'm grateful
for every lil' thing.
The war done took
most everything.
That's what war do, mostly.
But right here on the tail end
of that, there be's somethin'.
I never much cared nothin' much
about... family and farming.
And we was never rich enough
to own nobody.
And, now, I'm grateful
for that mercy.
You see, everything they told us
we was fightin' for...
...we thought we was
fightin' for, that was a lie.
Yeah, the men who started
this war, well...
...they just as easily kill
a white soldier,
as they do a black slave.
Or a lame plough horse.
Yeah, we was nothin' to them.
You see,
the war funny like that.
How it be teachin'
and takin' all at once.
I done learnt
a few things by it.
Like what I'm 'spose
to do with this?
What I'm 'spose to do
with freedom?
That keep me up most nights.
Since I come here to nightshade,
well, I sleep just fine.
And so do the rest.
You should know that.
Now, if you find things
happen... or things change,
your plans change,
well, you should know
how these people
have taken a shine to you.
Well, you all will always be
welcome here.
You know, if something changes.
Well... goodnight, gentlemen.
Goodnight griff.
That mug made griff
a regular chatterbox.
Vino veritas.
What?
Now, y'all
in violation of the law.
Nightshade farm
and these woods is mine.
I laid claim to it
openly and notoriously.
If you persist
with this insurrection...
...it will end up
in the fires of hell.
Now, who shot at my pig?
Who was shooting at my pig?
Why you chasing my pig?
We only feedin' our families.
Thems wild hogs
don't belong to nobody.
Hallelujah!
I have found the reason for our
mutual misery and discontent.
You see,
there's simple misunderstanding.
I own all the pigs,
and the possums,
and the rabbits,
and the water,
and every blade of grass.
As a matter of fact,
you're breathing my air,
without my permission.
Collect their weapons.
Nightshade has been the flood
plane of my ancestral home for
years,
and what you're doing
is upsetting
the Jewel of eye tooth,
with your unsightly rabble.
And this will be your
last and only warning.
Our deed is legal and proper.
Leave now, or we'll kill you.
I don't think so.
Why don't y'all come out
and model those bush robes
i heard about?
So you think you going shoot us
all from your little hidey
holes in the trees?
It looks like our bunny rabbits
have grown teeth now.
All right, then.
All right.
But I will be back!
We will be back.
Clear!
The very definition of,
"you shall show
to them no mercy."
- Hilde...
- Double the patrols.
This is all we got.
Maybe our chance
is one in a thousand,
hell, maybe a million.
What if the doc was wrong
'bout the potion, man, huh?
What if they're ain't
no cure for what we got?
No, we... this our one chance.
Our one chance to go back...
To what we was.
We're going to make it back.
We could just kill Stokes,
take he got.
There'd be plenty
for the potion man then.
Right, of course not.
Your delicate constitution
won't permit us banditry.
And nor yours,
prior to fighting confederate.
That's your problem,
little brother,
you think the war's over.
What are you doing here?
Are you afraid of me?
I've seen many
nightwalkers in my life.
That's not what I asked you.
I am.
You seem to be a very
violent man, Beau charmington.
And, yet,
you do not try and escape.
Perhaps you see something else.
Perhaps you see who I really am.
Shit! What in tarnation
you do that for!
I hope...
That them pantied ladies
are at least as friendly
as the welcoming committee
outside of town.
These our men
went done gone missing.
Go get everyone.
Right now!
You goddamned ghouls
gonna pay for this.
First rain's a coming
and it's been two weeks
since those boys
stole my property.
And they're still on it.
They're still on it.
And you have done absolutely
nothing to get them off.
Absolutely nothing.
- Well, I tried to bring them
into the fold...
- Into the fold!
...but they're not
exactly ready yet.
Into the fold!
Into the goddamned fold!
Have another drink, filbert.
It is what you do best lately.
The misery of your inaction...
Makes a man want to imbibe.
Royce...
Royce, I'm giving you
'til sun up tomorrow
to remove those boys
from my property.
And that's your last chance.
If you haven't done it by then,
i know someone be
more than happy
to push them off.
This is wrong, Lester.
Stokes is wrong.
Go on and tell it
to the trees ghoul,
I don't take orders from you.
Stokes has got you out here,
attacking nightshade
and you mean to tell me it's
never even occurred to you
that this is senseless,
not to mention dangerous.
How many men of yours
are you willing to sacrifice
out here tonight
on the altar of Stokes' whim?
If Stokes says it gets done,
its gonna get done.
Stokes can't last like this,
Lester, and you know it.
You can be the new Stokes.
Let's move.
Obviously, I've lowered myself
to the height of a fool.
Nothing good
can come of it, brother.
Good already has.
The day suits?
No time.
Get up! Get up!
Get up, you big son of a bitch!
They sun poisoned.
We gotta get 'em
to the sleeping boxes.
- Come on.
- Come on, Beau.
Come on, we got you.
What the hell is
wrong with you boys, huh?!
I mean, you just...
You...
All you're going to do
is get yourselves killed!
Ain't nobody ever been good to
our family like you, Mr. hilde.
Sorry I didn't stop that man.
I was going to...
Or die tryin'.
Sorry he weren't quicker with
the rifle, Mr. hilde.
I got you, come on.
Come on, Mr. hilde.
Come on, Beau.
Niggers and squatters...
On the grave of my granddaddy...
...you will rue this day.
Death is too good for you.
I'll give you
the money in these pockets,
if you kill
that worthless ghoul.
Go back to
your daughter, Mr. Stokes.
Say her name one more time.
Come on.
Philomena.
- Just say it one more time.
- My, my.
You are drunk, filbert.
But I encourage you
to continue upon your
course of action.
Some actions do have
consequences, however.
I... never want you to say
the name of my flower... ever.
Ever.
Listen, those boys,
they're gonna start
planting come first rain.
But I want you to
forget about that, you cowards,
you groveling sniggering dogs...
...And just remember the fact,
that those night walking freaks
have hired our slaves
and are paying them with land.
- Land?
- They're paying them with land.
- With land.
- - No.
And what other kind of acts,
grotesque acts of...
And disgusting, vile...
Why they... they're living
together with white people,
how many of those
white people are white women.
- Women?
- Niggers and white women!
Come on, now, this is our town.
We need to enforce
whatever laws are necessary
or becomes necessary
to uphold and support
our rights and traditions.
And them nightshade brothers'
ain't eatin' those niggrahs
from down in the bottom,
like we gots to.
No, no, them two brothers
is eatin' us.
Me and my men.
They're huntin' us down
like pigs on truffles.
Picking us off one at a time!
Now, that is a violation
of the truce that we're 'spose
to have with the ghouls!
You wait a minute, Lester...
And that niggrah, griff,
helping them to hunt us down!
You're right, Lester.
You're right, and I agree.
Now, it's up to you
to make a decision,
you must decide on what side
you're going to be on.
Or by god...
Well, I'm not going
to fight against you,
but you better pray
to whatever deity it is you got.
Pray that the new blood's
wrath will be merciful,
but I truly doubt it.
Lester, I want you to gather
up all of our friends.
All those undead, goddammed...
...eaters and deputize 'em all!
Go find them in every county,
every place you find them,
bring them in here
and deputize them.
Well, it's about goddamn time!
We will set... now for
a correction in nightshade
of biblical proportions.
We are about to scourge
eye tooth hollow
of all those
race-mixin' niggers and ghouls
for the very last time!
That's right!
We must fight!
We must fight
for our rights and traditions!
I'll be back from bachelorville
by tomorrow night
with the seed for planting.
We'll get the seed in the ground
before first rain.
There are two of us, you know?
I always told mama
you could count.
I want to go with you.
Griff can't
protect nightshade alone.
I'll be fine,
just mind the store for a day.
It'll be safe
for a few days, at least.
Stokes is gonna need time
to build up more men.
That'll be at least three days,
i expect.
It's now or never, if going
to make a go of our harvest.
You and griff will be okay.
I'll be back in one night.
That girl's making you soft.
Now, come on, now,
don't get all womanly on me.
Brother...
I will not
say this to you again.
You're tender-hearted.
You talk too much
and do too much.
Like you got something to prove.
You are also the finest man
I've ever known my whole life
and I envy you,
your Mercury heart.
You got nothing to prove, Beau.
For whoever cannot see these
obvious and wonderful qualities
in you, is not worth the letters
and breath to dissuade.
And I cannot imagine the station
at which I find myself,
without you by my side.
You a bear, Beau.
You a goddamned grizzly.
Hiya!
I want you both on
the eastern field tonight.
I'll take the Meadow with Beau.
Mr. Jenkins say you
want to see me, Mr. hunt.
Yes, we do, Silas.
Yes, we do.
- Have a seat.
- Yes, sir.
Have a drink.
Yes, sir.
Daddy!
Daddy, where are you?
No...
Philomena! Hey...
Philomena!
Shh, shh...
Hey, tell me what's happening.
- Hey, hey, what's wrong?
What happened?
What happened?
It's just...
It's this whole place, Beau.
It's eye tooth itself.
There is no love here.
- Shh...
- Except with you at nightshade.
Tell me about what you're
going to do when you leave here.
Tell me about your family.
As soon the crop comes in,
we're gonna have enough money,
we are going
to go see the potion man.
All right, we are gonna...
We're gonna be human, again.
We're gonna go home.
- Why can't you go home now?
- Because I...
- Before things get worse.
- 'Cause I ain't exactly right.
All right, I don't know what
i am, but I am not what I was.
You're fine just how you are.
Shh...
Well, there's my brother, too.
I ain't never heard of
a nightwalker making that
transition back, not ever.
We aim to try.
What is this, Beau?
It's my family.
My family's gone, Beau.
I'm all alone.
No... hey...
You are never alone
as long as your family is near.
Yessum, I believe today
is the day of first rains.
Too many of them for us alone.
Hilde must have been wrong
about them
gatherin' men so quick.
Hold them off long as you can.
I'm going to go get Beau.
Run!
To Silas...
For conveying the proper message
to our negroes.
Whiskey.
Goddammit, Lester, what the
hell happened this morning?
We did what you said,
we poisoned the ground.
All high ground,
you got all the crops?
- All of them?
- Yes, sir, we did.
Twenty large bags
of lime and... acid.
I want a raise, goddammit!
What y'all have promised us,
ain't nearly enough
for this madness.
Sure, sure, you earned it.
It was like them ghouls
knew we was coming.
One of 'em got loose
in that... that robe a his,
and killed us or run us off
who weren't already killed.
Now, where's the rest
of your deputies?
Are you not listening?
They're dead!
The whole thing went sideways
out there, all of it!
So, those charmington boys,
they just run you all off?
Uh, no, it weren't but one them
in that bushy suit a his.
And those goddamned squatters
did their part, too,
and that niggrah, griff.
Less than a dozen a us survived,
prolly less than half a dozen.
So how many of those others
were killed besides your men?
You weren't there, Stokes,
you don't know
what we was dealing with!
Even your goddamned daughter
showed up in that crazy mix.
If you have harmed a hair
on my little Philly's head...
Quit your threats, Stokes.
She wasn't supposed to be there.
The new men
thought she was a squatter.
We done lost five men
getting her!
You fiends!
There weren't but
no other way to bring her.
She was like a bag
of angry cats.
You have doomed us!
You have doomed us all!
These me are going to
take you home now, Philly.
I am my father's daughter!
And by my birthright, I am
doomed with the rest of you!
There will be a reckoning
for all that we have done!
There will be a reckoning
for all that we have done!
There will be a reckoning!
No!
You men...
Just get her home!
There will be a reckoning!
There will be a reckoning!
Reckoning!
Where's the other brother,
Lester?
I have no earthly idea.
I want you to ride to every
burg and briar patch you can,
find every man with a firearm
and have them here tonight,
have them here by the town hall,
tell them I will pay $100
and five acres of land.
We're going to
end this thing tonight.
One night's work.
That's all, now, get.
Come on.
I want you men to get down
to Jenkins store
and get all the wood
you can get.
We're going to secure the hall
for our families.
Now go.
My mama's dead, griff.
She got killed.
Can't find David.
I gotta go warn Silas.
They might be
coming for him, too.
- I want to go with you.
- Find your brother.
I'll be back in a spell.
Go.
Beau was off with
miss philomena for a spell,
and when they came to attack,
I went off to fetch him
so we could stand together.
I wouldn't let them
mass up on you.
Where is she?
The few what we didn't kill,
they done took off with her.
She went with them?
Not like that,
she was kicking and screaming.
Yeah, I'm sure.
They poisoned
high field with lime.
The rains done already washed
it across the whole farm.
There won't be nothing
growing here at nightshade
this season.
And... they killed Ferris.
And Silas, too.
Left him hanging out there
in the middle of the town.
I'm sorry
for your troubles, griff.
You a good man.
We know you and Beau
needed this here money...
...so we all throwed in.
It only 'bout $75,
but it all the moneys we got.
You still gots to see
the potion man
so you could go home
to your peoples.
That's some good seed stock.
Y'all keep it 'til next season,
clean up the bad
top soil from the rows,
plough it under and come next
season, you'll be good to grow.
Y'all are now the owners
of nightshade.
Well, they just gonna run us off
soon as you leave, Mr. hilde.
How we gonna stay
and make a go of it?
You can stay, griff...
...'cause y'all going to be
the only ones left.
'Cause I'm gonna to kill
anything bigger
than a yardstick.
It's mine! It's mine!
I curse the day you were born,
you motherless cur!
I curse you through
the afterlife!
May you rot in hell!
My god...
And I'm just gettin' started!
Kill him!
Get in there!
Get him out of there!
Get him out!
Get in there!
That's right, ghoul, we got him.
We killed your soulless brother.
And you ain't
no goddamned different.
We gonna kill you, too.
I told Stokes it was
a bad idea to go this way.
You don't know nothing of your
new nature, do you, hildebrant?
What happens when it's been
too long since we've fed?
We start to become handsome,
beautiful.
Exquisite, irresistible.
The hungrier we get, the more
beautiful we become to them.
That's an evolutionary
development.
It allows us to
predate more effectively.
Join us, hilde.
Let us show you our world.
You don't have to hide,
you don't have to be alone.
Not that it matters,
because I'm going to
kill you all.
Which one of you
fed on Silas?
Waste not, want not.
Hilde!
Hilde!
You can have this
little spit of land,
but I will see you again.
You want to feel the sun
on your skin again?
Yes, sir.
Do you want to be human?
Yes, sir, I do.
Do you have an offering for me?
Yes, sir. Right here.
Come in.