ýýýý×ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ2Final Draft, Inc. Final Draftôôÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿû"FFFF000000060002000177AA000000000074000000002000110000001-7EFC6F000Â480048-25215200200BC-1‚0Â7D00647015200264FFFF0‚‚102610‚‚2120000100001DD70000006904A240840‚‚526C23221C47103CC0002266C2321BC04A28A0840‚‚2326C49821C3EB03C800148CA449812208A0CE5840‚‚4986C6FE21C44203C80026F21226FE1300CE510E940840‚‚6FE6C84E21C3C703CC0028426C84E209010E91574840‚‚84E6CB5021C44F03CC003B446CB5020901574193B840‚‚B506CE6A21C39603CC004E5E6CE6A1BC0193B1DD440840‚‚E6A6C115421C48B03CC00511486C1154CE01DD4218840840‚‚11546C141A21C39403CC006140E6C141A145021882584840‚‚141A6C16A42103E103CC00716986C16A41220258429DA840‚‚16A46C18B421743603C800718A89618B416F029DA2DB840840‚‚19826C1BC221C3DA03CC0081BB6B41BC2D002DB831B940840‚‚1BC26C1EA021C3FA03CE0091E88FC1EA011F031B93579840‚‚1EA06C214E21039B03CC00A21426C214E16803579399540840‚‚214E6C23C02173DC03CC00B23B46C23C0217039953E65840‚‚23C06C26CE2174B003CC00C26C26C26CE14503E65428A840‚‚26CE6C2A0021740F03CE00D29E86C2A00FF0428A46DE840‚‚2A006C2CEA21743B03CE00E2CDEB42CEA15C046DE4B6140840‚‚2CEA6C308821747C03CE00F3070FC308811F04B614F52840‚‚30886C33A21FB3D203CE00103396B433A218604F5253F1840‚‚33A26C366821746703CC0011365C6C36681ED053F157F7840‚‚36686C398221740003CE0012396AFC398211F057F75CBD840‚‚39826C3CFC2174BD03CC00133CF06C3CFCA405CBD615F840‚‚3CFC6C403A21749903CC0014402E6C403AA40615F6943840‚‚403A6C44A42177D903CC00154498B444A4FA069436E89840‚144A46C495821C52103CC0017494C6C495816806E8972C8840‚149586C4BFA21041B03CC00184BEE6C4BFA161072C877BB840‚‚4BFA6C50282174D703CC0019501C6C5028129077BB7C9F840‚‚50286C53722174C803CC001A53666C537212907C9F8160840‚‚53726C57102174B303CC001B57046C5710C708160860640840‚‚57106C5AA221C48E03CE001C5A8A6C5AA2106086068AAE840‚‚5AA26C5E1C21748D03CC001D5E106C5E1C12208AAE8E6740840‚‚5EC66C621021C39903CE001F6204B4621018608E67926D840‚‚62106C64682173E103CC001F645C6C64681680926D96D7840‚‚65126C676A21044503CC0020675E6C676A168096D79A8540840‚‚68386C6BBE21739A03CE00226BB2B46BBE13909A859F69840‚‚6BBE6C6F142104CD03C800236F088F6F1412909F69A416840‚‚6F146C721621748B03CC0024720AB4721619B0A416A8EE40840‚172166C74E821C4AF03CC002574DC6C74E817D0A8EEAD9A840‚‚74E86C789E20948203CC002678926C789E18B0AD9AB336840‚‚789E6C7BC421758C03CC00277BB86C7BC4D50B336B7F5840‚‚7BC46C7F3E21749903CC00287F326C7F3E16F0B7F5BCE1840‚‚7F3E6C82D02104E303CC002982C46C82D0A40BCE1C1CC840‚‚82D06C86AA2104E403CC002A869EB486AADE0C1CCC6F2840‚‚86AA6C8B5E21050403CE002C8B52B48B5E19B0C6F2CBA4840‚‚8B5E6C8EB421747D03CC002D8EA86C8EB41D80CBA4D07040840‚‚8EB46C926A21C4C503CE002E9252FC926A12D0D070D5BA40840‚‚926A6C962C21C54203CC002F9620B4962CEC0D5BADD2940840‚‚962C6C9BF421C76303CC00319BE86C9BF4C00DD29E2B0840‚‚9BF46C9FAA21757803CC00329F9E6C9FAACE0E2B0E845840‚19FAA6CA4A621758503CC0034A49AB4A4A611D0E845EDD9840‚‚A4A66CA88C21058003CC0035A8806CA88CF10EDD9F339840‚‚A88C6CADF421754403CC0037ADE8B4ADF41710F339F821840‚‚ADF46CB19E2174BB03CE0038B1866CB19E1A00F821FDF7840‚‚B19E6CB4E82175BD03CC0039B4DCB4B4E815C0FDF7102FB840‚‚B4E86CB7C62094D603CC003AB7BA6CB7C61A70102FB107B3840‚‚B7C66CBB2821748603CC003BBB1C6CBB281C30107B310C45840‚‚BB286CBE1221749103C8003CBE061D8BE121D8010C45110F8840‚‚BE126CC14421749D03CC003DC1386CC144FF0110F8114EB840‚‚C1446CC2AC2173D403CC003DC2A06CC2AC13E0114EB118AD840‚‚C2AC6CC55A2103B203CC003EC54E6CC55AD50118AD11C79840‚‚C55A6CC7F021739403CC003FC7E46CC7F01ED011C791210240840‚‚C7F06CCB5221C47D03CC0040CB46B4CB521080121021255E40840‚‚CB526CCEA821C42C03CC0041CE9C6CCEA81AE01255E129AB40840‚‚CEA86CD18621743003CC0042D17AB4D1861780129AB12CA6840‚‚D1866CD3D42172CC03CC0043D3C86CD3D41AE012CA613155840‚‚D3D46CD6CA21749303CC0044D6BEB4D6CA17101315513471840‚‚D6CA6CD8AA2102FF03CE0044D89EB4D8AA178013471138BB840‚‚D8AA6CDBAC21743903CC0045DBA06CDBACDC0138BB13C28840‚‚DBAC6CDE2A21733203CC0046DE1E6CDE2A202013C281410D840‚1DE2A6CE10821C4D303CC0047E0FC6CE108E301410D1459540840‚‚E1086CE40A21C47203CC0048E3FE6CE40AF801459514995840‚‚E40A6CE6942173E903C80049E688130E6941CA01499514DB3840‚‚E6946CE98A21741803C8004AE97E17FE98A1A2014DB3151F8840‚‚E98A6CEBB221742A03C8004AEBA6D7EBB218D0151F8156F640840‚‚EC746CF02A2174F403CC004CF01EB4F02AEC0156F615B82840‚‚F02A6CF3BC21046103CC004DF3B06CF3BC192015B8215FB6840‚‚F3BC6CF78A21042603CE004EF772FCF78A157015FB6163CC840‚‚F78A6CFA502173F603CE004FFA44B4FA5018D0163CC167E3840‚‚FA506CFCCE2173FF03CC0050FCC2B4FCCE1550167E316C19840‚‚FCCE6CFFE821742403CC0051FFDCB4FFE812B016C1917055840‚‚FFE86C1035621043203CC00521034AB410356F301705517484840‚‚103566C106402173FC03CC0053106346C106401CA0174841787B840‚‚106406C1092A2173E603C800541091E1451092A1B501787B17CAD840‚‚1092A6C10C7421741A03CC005510C686C10C7410D017CAD180A3840‚‚10C746C10F522173BE03CC005610F466C10F521ED0180A3184BC840‚‚10F526C111322173DE03CC0056111266C111322020184BC188CF840‚‚111326C113C821740703C80057113B013E113C818B0188CF18CD8840‚‚113C86C116BE2173EA03CC0058116B2B4116BE186018CD8190E9840‚‚116BE6C1196C21740803C800591196012B1196C1630190E91947A840‚‚1196C6C11BD221736D03CC005A11BC66C11BD216101947A1984940840‚‚11BD26C11E1E2103B403CC005A11E12B411E1E16301984919D50840‚‚11ED46C122DE2104EE03CC005C122D26C122DE114019D501A1B0840‚‚122DE6C1265820942403CC005D1264C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IN: EXT. Ashland pennsylvania - AERIAL VIEW - day Mountains. Green and glorious, the Pennsylvania ALLEGHENIES give safe harbor to the dozens of mining towns that populate her valleys. The settlers came not for the beauty, but for the treasure buried deep beneath the surface: COAL. Minersville, Shamokin, Shenandoah, Centralia. These are the towns of the booming coal region of central Pennsylvania. Ashland is one of the more prosperous neighbors. Ext. Ashland main street, 1938 - day Main street bustles with life: A CROWD lines up outside the Art Deco Palace theatre. WOMEN and CHILDREN dressed in Sunday best swarm the sidewalks. MEN stand around meticulously shined cars, fedoras tipped back off their foreheads in the oppressive heat. A young boy in knicker suit and cap weaves through the crowds, swooping his toy airplane in the air above him. MIKEL, 5, mindlessly crosses the street as... ...a '38 Buick Coupe speeds in his direction... Int. Ashland city bank - present day NoMIE Watch out! NOMIE, 16, all attitude and angst, is perched on a window ledge of the abandoned bank building. The liquor bottle she's just drained has crashed onto the street below. 000200000404000004A23FE,Molly You are so hiiiiiiiigh Nomie! Molly, 15, kneels on a dirty mattress in the corner. She squeezes her lips with her fingers, lost in a drug induced haze. Get high and go nowhere. That's what kids do in this town. Molly (CONT'D) I can't feel my lips. That feels so weird. Paper bags, paint cans, empty bottles and cigarette butts litter the cracked marble floor. Decades of wallpaper, torn and peeling, are tagged with graffiti by Greg, 15. He sprays an anarchy sign across a faded BLACK SABBATH poster. BIGGS, 17, jumps his skateboard off the teller counters, screaming along with the punk music blaring from the boom box. Molly (CONT'D) I can't feel my lips. Do I still have lips? Molly turns her desperation to Biggs, who flies onto the mattress and straddles Molly, biting her lips in a violent kiss. Greg turns the spray can on them, shoots a shower of black across Molly's leg. Molly (CONT'D) What the fuck retard? Molly grabs a bottle from the floor and hurls it at Greg. It shatters against the wall. 00020000044B000008A0445,Greg Jesus Molly, you throw like my grandma. MOLLY Your grandma could kick your ass. Like I'm going to now. She jumps up and chases him in an inebriated game of tag. Nomie's POV: The once busy streets of yesteryear are now deserted, the crowds replaced by the grim reality of today. Nomie takes a long drag from her cigarette, the cherry glowing bright before the ash takes over. NOMIE Let's get out of here. Int. Anna's kitchen - day CLOSE ON: The glow of burning coal embers. An iron poker jostles the coals and deep orange heat emerges from underneath a coat of ash. ANNA, 88, closes the door of the cast iron coal stove that warms her tidy kitchen. She wipes toast crumbs from the table, straightens out the placemats, and takes the last sip of coffee from a stained mug. She rinses the mug and sets it to dry on the dish rack, her movements steadied by a lifetime of ritual. Anna drags a kitchen chair over to the 50's era refrigerator and climbs up to reach a battered sugar tin hidden on top. She sets the tin on the kitchen table next to a bill for property taxes DUE: $620. 00020000040A00000CE5404,Anna pulls out a couple of bills from the can. She upends it and a few coins fall to the table. Empty. Int. Anna's living room - dAY Polka music crackles from an old stand-up radio. A family photograph (circa 1924) resides on the wall beside a three bar Byzantine crucifix. Anna blesses herself three times, kisses the crucifix, then the picture. She pulls on the sweater that sits warming on the radiator and ties a babushka around her head, ready for a day out. Ext. Shamokin - day A 'patch' coal town in steady decline. Small pockets of row houses, built fast for function at the turn of the century, have grown decrepit over the years. Many half-collapsed, they rely on their sturdier neighbors to prop them up. The railroad track is rusted and overgrown with weeds and the shallow riverbed glows orange with sulfur contamination from the coal breaker factory that looms in the distant horizon. High above the hovels, a Byzantine cross pierces the sky, blazing atop the golden onion domes of a Ukrainian church. 000200000491000010E948B,Anna trudges up the hill, past crumbling houses, junked up cars on blocks in backyards, and her neighbor BERKIE, hanging clothes out on the line. She stands ankle deep in overgrown grass. ANNA Hiya Berkie. Berkie Hiya Anna. How ya doing today? ANNA Going into town. Need anything? BERKIE Play the numbers for me? Berkie pulls out a dollar from the pocket of her housedress. ANNA Your money is better spent fixing that lawn mower of yours. BERKIE Don't you mind my business now. If you were smart you'd let go of that dollar and take a chance. News said it's up to 8 million. ANNA I got my health. That's my million dollars. Ext. STREET - same A Buick Skylark land yacht peels down the street and screeches to a halt in front of a better maintained house. PETER's long hair and scraggly beard make him look both younger and older than his 32 years. He keeps the radio screaming as he pulls out a case of beer from the trunk and takes it inside the house. Peter Hey Gramps. GIBBY, a permanent fixture on his front porch, nods to Peter as he spits tobacco juice into a tin vegetable can. His shirt sleeve hangs freely by his side, arm gone long ago. 0002000003CD000015743C7,Anna catches her breath, leans on the handrail of Gibby's steps. Anna Hiya Gibby. Got your porch painted I see. Gibby My grandson's helping me fix it up. He's handy like that. Could do yours, he's looking for work. ANNA When I win the lottery. (beat) Looks real good though. GIBBY So do you. ANNA Cataracts got you half-blind and foolish. GIBBY Had eyes for you all my life Anna Bubonyzch, don't need to see to know that's the truth. ANNA Don't start with that old man. Too late now. MARY, all 80 something long years of her, brings Gibby his prescription medication along with a glass of juice. Mary You want him Anna? Take him. 65 years, that's enough. Peter lets the screen door bang as he exits. mary (CONT'D) Pete's headed up to town. He'll take you. Int. Buick skylark - day A chasm of space separates Peter and Anna on the bench seat. He turns the radio off, hesitates before starting the car. Anna's sunk into the seat, purse firmly in hand. 00020000049F0000193B499,PETER (softly) Seat belt. ANNA Ah, yes. I always forget. Anna struggles with the seat belt, hands shaking. Peter leans over and clicks it into place. They drive in silence while the small patch of Shamokin gives way to the black flatland of a strip mined mountain, coal exposed as far as the eye can see. ANNA (CONT'D) I remember when your father got this car. So proud the day he brought it home, so new and shiny. You weren't even born yet. He was a Buick man, just like your grandpop. (beat) He'd be proud of you for taking such good care of it. Peter smiles at the thought. EXT. Ashland MAIN STREET - dAY The old Palace Theatre is now a jiffy mart selling lottery tickets, booze and video rentals. A 'For Lease' sign is propped inside the broken window. The marquee advertises: 88th Annual St. Stanislaus Church Bazaar, July 27-29. Int. BUICK SKYLARK - same Anna shoves a few dollars in Peter's hand. He refuses it, but she closes his hand around it and gives it a pat. ANNA Gas isn't free. Ext. Ashland main street - same Nomie and friends file out of the jiffy mart, loud and wild. Biggs does a few tricks on his skateboard as the gang cruise the sidewalk. 0002000003BA00001DD43B4,Molly Did you get the MadDog? Greg lifts his shirt up, flashes a bottle shoved into the waistband of his pants. Nomie pulls out a few packs of cigarettes, tosses one to Molly. Molly (CONT'D) Shit Nomie, I hate menthols. NOMIE I don't. An OLD LADY shuffles down the sidewalk, burdened with grocery bags. Biggs 'accidentally' bumps into her, her purse and grocery bag fall to the ground. Biggs Hey Grandma, sorry about that, let me help you. While Biggs diverts the lady's attention, Molly scoops up her purse, riffles through her wallet, steals a handful of bills before giving it back. bIGGS (CONT'D) You gonna be ok, need any help getting those home? Old lady Oh, no. Thank you. moLLY Fourteen bucks. Social Security checks must be late. Int. Ashland bank - day Fluorescent lighting, linoleum floors, plastic mini blinds. Modern, circa 1975. The lone worker, MARLENE, perks up as the bell on the door jingles, signalling a customer. 000200000402000021883FC,MARLENE Hiya Anna. Checks in already? ANNA No. Gotta take some savings out. Property taxes. MARLENE City should be paying you, keeping it up like you do. It's a shame what's happened to Walchuk's. Won't even spend the money to tear it down. A hazard it is. That yellow tape ain't gonna keep the hoodlums out and whose gonna pay when they get hurt? Neighborhood's going to pot, a shame it is. Did ya hear that Tommy's up in Scranton now, that new jail they're building, lots of good jobs there. I'm trying to get Frank to go but he's dead set on the Marines when he graduates. God forbid we're still in Iraq, I can't even think about it. Here ya go. Marlene opens up the security gate to the vault of safety deposit boxes. Anna takes her hand and gives it a warm pat. ANNA They got a mind of their own at this age. I'll say a prayer. Int. Safety deposit box vault - daY A safety deposit box contains a few stacks of bills, each denomination bound by a rubber band and tally sheet. The numbers steadily decrease. 00020000045C00002584456,Anna carefully counts out money, there's not much left. She stuffs all the money into her purse and leaves. Int. waconic and associates, Tax office - day Al Waconic, tax officer, works out of the front parlor of his home. Anna's meager savings are spread out before her. Anna Social Security comes in a few days, I can pay the rest then. Al Anna, you're paying more in taxes than the house is worth. Why don't you give it up, let the city worry about it. Mom's up at Blue Mountain, she just loves it there. Nothing to worry about there, they take care of everything. ANNA I can pay four hundred now. AL They have bingo, ice cream. Father Singleton comes to say mass every morning at 8. You don't even have to walk to the church anymore. ANNA That's my church. My house. I'm not going anywhere. I'll be back on the 5th with the rest of the money. So long now. Int. St. stanislaus church - day Byzantine icons smile down from the walls, an ornate altar the centerpiece of a church that's seen better days. Anna kneels at the foot of the Virgin Mary and Jesus, the Pieta. She blesses herself and rises. 0002000003E4000029DA3DE,Father Kuchinych Good to see you Anna. How are things? AnNA Not so bad as our Lord's, Father. FATHER kuchinych Are we gonna get those famous perogies of yours for the bazaar this year? It's our last year you know. St. Anthony's up in Shenandoah is taking over since we lost money last year. No one wants to come to church anymore, but you never thought they'd turn down bleenies and beer. ANNA As long as these hands can mash potatoes and roll out dough, you'll get your perogies. FATHER KUCHINYCH May God Bless You Anna. Int. Ashland STREET, BEE'S ANTIQUES - daY A hodgepodge of the past displayed for purchase. Jerry Got no need for clothes or jewelry, got plenty of that. And nobody wants pictures of other people. AnNA There's Babba's wedding chest, cedar, with silk lining. She always said it was worth a fortune. Jerry isn't sold, doesn't sound worth his effort. JERRY I'm gonna be out at Gibby's tomorrow around noon. I'll stop in then and take a look at what you've got. 00020000040700002DB8401,Anna picks up an old wire potato masher, a homemade job twisted from thick gauge wire. ANNA What'll you take for this? Ext. Shamokin vintage car graveyard - day SMASH. A windshield shatters under the heel of a heavy combat boot belonging to Biggs. He stands on the hood of a car, rusted out and overgrown with weeds, its tires long gone. He swigs from a bottle of beer. Nomie and Molly share space on the hood of another car, passing a bottle between them. A dozen other vintage models surround them, including a 40's era bakery truck. The faded 'Kaladis and Sons Bakery' still visible. molLY Where'd you get this beer? NOMIE It's Lyle's. moLLY Jesus Nomie, he's gonna kill you. NOMIE He's probably passed out in his own vomit right now. What's he gonna do, puke on me? Doesn't matter anyway, I'm leaving tonight. MOLLY Where you going? Nomie takes a long hard swig from the bottle. She doesn't have a clue but that's not stopping her. NOMIE Out of this shithole. What about your cousin Jimmy in New York? MOLLY 0002000003C6000031B93C0,He said we can crash with him for 200 bucks a month, but we need to pay upfront. Greg tries to pry off the silver hood ornament, but it won't budge. GREG I'm leaving. I'm leaving. You say the same shit everyday. Why don't you just fucking leave already. NOMIE Cause I don't have any fucking money dickwad. greG I bet Jimmy would let you suck him off for rent. He said you were good, worth the twenty bucks. She flips him off and he returns the gesture but Nomie's struck by his words and everyone knows it. With one strong kick, Nomie snaps the hood ornament off and marches away. Molly throws her bottle at Greg. MoLLY You're such a dick! She chases after Nomie. MoLLY (CONT'D) Nomes, wait up! Wait! He's a dick, okay, we all know it. Look, stay with me, my Mom won't care. Just a few days, till we can get some money, okay? Int. AnnA'S HOME - day Jerry surveys the meager home. He's tapping on the glass panes of a table lamp, disappointed. 0002000004220000357941C,JERRY They made some of these out of lead crystal, hot collectibles right now. Too bad. Look, I can take the coal stove, the chiffarobe, and the clawfoot tub. $400 for everything, nothing else has any real value. Anna looks at her lifetime of memories, worthless. ANNA I need the stove. JERRY 250 then. I'll have my guys pick the pieces up later this afternoon. And if you Ashland your mind about that stove, let me know. Hard to find those things working anymore. (checks over the house one last time) You should get yourself a microwave, they're miracle workers for baked potatoes--but you gotta prick them with a fork for the steam to come out or they'll explode and leave a terrible mess. My wife hates that. Jerry counts out the money in cash into Anna's hand. Int. AnNA'S HOME, bathroom - night Anna kneels beside the clawfoot tub, scrubbing it clean. She rises to her feet, wiping the sweat from her brow. She goes to the sink, stares at herself in the mirror, tired. She wets a face towel and sponge bathes her face, neck and chest. 0002000004D6000039954D0,int. anna's home, TV Parlor - daY Anna lays in the recliner, dozing. The chiffarobe is emptied, a few things stacked on the table, top drawer open. A knock on the door startles her awake. She closes the drawer, strokes it to say goodbye. Anna opens the front door to find Greg and Molly standing there. She's not happy to see the hellraisers on her porch and narrows the door. Greg Hi. We live down the street and we're trying to makes some money this summer for college, wanted to know if you needed any work done. aNNA I don't need anything. Molly We could cut your grass, clean your cellar, take out your ashes. ANNA I do that myself. greG What about fixing those steps? They look pretty bad. You don't want to fall and get hurt do you? As they continue their sales pitch... Ext. Back porch - same Biggs and Nomie slip into the house via the back door. Biggs surveys the living room, motions for Nomie to go upstairs. Int. Bedroom - same A collection of old photographs gather dust on the dresser. Nomie riffles through a drawer, pockets a few items of jewelry. She looks around the shabby room, spies Anna's purse on the bed. She opens it to find A wad of cash inside. She grabs it and stuffs it into her pockets. 00020000042B00003E65425,ANNA (o.S.) I'm gonna call the police! Int. Parlor - same Nomie's POV from the top of the stairs: Anna has a death grip on the iron coal poker. She waves the sharp end at Biggs. He smiles, arms up in the air. biGGS Easy grandma, chill out. ANNA Get out of my house. This is my house. Biggs turns to leave, purposefully knocking a Byzantine icon off the dresser onto the floor. It breaks. biGGS Nothing but a bunch of old junk in here anyway. Anna locks the door behind him, shaken. She kneels down to clean the broken icon on the floor, suddenly raises her hand to her chest, pained. She struggles to get up but falls to the floor. Int. Nomie's bedroom - night Over the sound of sirens in the black of night: Nomie lies in bed, staring into the dark. Muffled VOICES seep under the door. It's Nomie's mother, PENNY, and her boyfriend, LYLE. DRUNK. Penny (o.S.) Oh, baby. That's so good. Lyle (o.S.) She home? Penny (o.S.) Who cares, don't stop baby. Where you going? Lyle (o.S.) Do I need permission to take a piss? Int. Bathroom - nigHT 00020000045A0000428A454,Lyle, early 30's, receding hairline and a beergut the pushes against his Black Sabbath tee shirt, relieves himself while finishing his beer. He doesn't flush, doesn't wash his hands, checks himself out in the mirror. Smiles. Front tooth missing. Pure sleazeball. int. NoMIE'S beDROOM - nigHT Lyle pushes Nomie's bedroom door open, his body silhouetted from the hallway light... Ext/INT. ABANDONED COAL BREAKER- night The old breaker is a forgotten factory left to rot in the middle of nowhere. Moonlight streams in through rows of broken windows, illuminating a cloud of dust. Nomie crawls in through a hole made by pried up slats, backpack slung over her shoulder. Molly and Greg are already hanging out. Molly Nomes, where you been? NOMIE I'm getting out of here. Wanna come? Nomie looks to Molly, her best hope for a partner in crime. MOLLY For reals? Where you going? NOMIE It doesn't matter. I got my Mom's car. Greg climbs up the breaker, swings from the cross beams like it's a jungle gym. It creaks and whines under his weight. NOMIE (CONT'D) (whispers to Molly) I've got money, come on. 000200000489000046DE483,MOLLY Biggs is scoring some E. Molly's all talk, no action. NOMIE Forget it. Some friend you are. MOLLY Wait. You can share my tab, then we can go, ok? Deal. Nomie takes a swig from Molly's Mad Dog bottle and sits atop one of the oil drums stacked around the floor. She lights a cigarette, tosses the match and a flame shoots up in a dried up pool of oil dancing around for a few seconds before dying. Nomie starts shooting matches on the ground, watching as little flames fire up and then disappear. NOMIE I think that lady is dead. MOLLY What lady? NOMIE That house in Shamokin. She took a heart attack or something. MOLLY What? How do you know? NOMIE I called 911. Molly We're gonna get in so much trouble. They're gonna know it was us, why did you do that? NOMIE I called from the payphone down by Gadidis', it was anonymous, so stop your freaking out. I wasn't going to leave her there, alone and dead in the middle of the floor. Biggs arrives to join the gang. Biggs Who's dead? Greg Fucking girlscout Nomie here called 911 on that old lady. Swinging that coal poker like she's freaking Willie Mays, you gave her a heart attack. MoLLY 0002000003F700004B613F1,Yeah, but if she's not dead than she's gonna blame us and we're gonna get in a ton of trouble! Greg jumps down from the beam. GREG I'm not going down for killing some old geezer. I didn't do anything. molly You ever hear about breaking and entering? Conspiracy? Robbery? We're accomplices! biggs Conspiracy? This isn't fucking CSI. Jesus, people take heart attacks and die all the time, relax. GREG If I go to jail I'm dead! FUCK! Greg kicks over an old oil drum, splashing oil across the floor. Nomie has to jump out of the way, retaliates by flicking a match at Greg. Molly's freaked out, organizes an escape plan. MOLLY Nomie's got her Mom's car and some money--let's just get out of here and hide out for a while, like Bonnie and Clyde. I get to be Bonnie. We'll be on the lam! NOMIE (not wanting to share the adventure with the boys) I don't have that much money-- MOLLY Come on, you keep saying you want to get out of here, now's your chance! Come on, please? NOMIE (mulling it over, now excited) 0002000004A500004F5249F,I get to drive! Greg leans in real close to Nomie's face, practically spits on her. GreG I'm not going anywhere with this BITCH! Nomie flicks another match, aimed directly at Greg's face. He jumps back and the lit match lands in the fresh pool of oil and the flames shoot up, SPREADING out of control. Ext. Coal breaker - nighT The four run as fast as they can, behind them the coal breaker is ENGULFED IN FLAMES. Ext./Int Nomie's mom's car - night They all jump into the car, exhilarated, invincible kids without a clue to consequences. Pumped up on adrenaline, Nomie fishtails the car, trying to control it as she speeds along winding roads, heads banging on the roof when jumping hills, loving every second of being bad until-- BAM! Nomie takes the curve too fast and flies into a ditch. The car stalls to an instant stop and the laughter sours into fear. BIGGS Fuck! He bolts out of the car, Molly and Greg fast behind him, everyone abandoning Nomie. INT. JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER Hallway - day A wild-eyed TEEN wearing the regulation orange coveralls of a juvenile delinquent is escorted down the hall by two burly ATTENDANTS. She struggles under their grasp, screaming. 00020000040C000053F1406,Teen Get off me! Don't touch me! Nomie sits alone on a bench, forehead banged up, hand picking at a loose thread on her orange coveralls. Penny Nomie! Penny's on the downside of a bad hangover, a bathrobe over yesterday's clothes and slippers on her feet. PENNY (CONT'D) Baby, are you okay, honey? NOMIE I'm fine. Penny's a woman at the end of her rope, failing every step of the way with her daughter and knows it. PENNY I moved us here because I wanted you to stop this. You're worse than ever. NOMIE I thought we moved here so Lyle could fuck you full time. SLAP! Penny connects hard with Nomie's cheek. It's a well practiced maneuver between mother and daughter that Nomie accepts with icy satisfaction. PENNY What am I supposed to do with all your hate Nomie? Penny tries to connect with her daughter, is beginning to crack through her cold steel exterior until Lyle turns the corner and she freezes up again. Lyle Woo-ee. Look at you, you're a bonafide juvenile delinquent. I like that orange jumpsuit. PENNY 0002000004CC000057F74C6,Lyle, please. LYLE If I was your Daddy, which thank God you don't come from my seed, but if you did, you'd wish you'd never been born! NOMIE Fuck you. LYLE Fuck me? I'd watch that mouth of yours, they love little girls like you in the joint. Nomie springs up from the bench and attacks Lyle. He keeps her at arms length, taunting. Penny turns rabid, gets between them. PENNY Lyle! Stop it! She's my daughter, let me handle this. Penny stares Lyle down, he wanders off down the hall. Penny (CONT'D) I don't know what to do with you any more Nomie. Life sucks--you're not the only one that's pissed off about it. Gladys (o.S.) Nomie. Penny I love you. You're my flesh and blood, but I can't do this anymore. Gladys the social worker peeks her head out, calls Nomie impatiently. Gladys Nomie Chukunkski. Nomie leaves her Mom, refusing to soften. Int. Detention center room - same Gladys, a long-time slave of Pennsylvania's Health and Welfare social program, has too much heart for this job but won't stop trying to make it better. She spills the contents of her purse out on the table, rummages through an assortment of junk, finds gum, pops it in her mouth, offers a piece to Nomie who refuses it with silence. 0002000004A800005CBD4A2,GLADYS What was I thinking, trying to quit now. Gladys opens up a manila folder, checks out Nomie's rap sheet. Nomie fidgets with the bandage on her head. GLADYS (CONT'D) Your head ok? Nomie shrugs. Pulls her sleeve down to hide the scars that run along her wrist. GLADYS (CONT'D) Your mother needs some time to figure things out. (beat) She's signed over temporary custody to the state. Gladys pulls some paperwork from her briefcase and puts it in front of Nomie. WHAT? Nomie bolts out of the room, runs down the hall, but her Mom is long gone. Nomie MOM! MOM! Gladys tries to soldier through the moment but her heart is breaking. For the first time we Nomie for what she is: a vulnerable little girl. NOMIE (CONT'D) She wouldn't do that. She wouldn't do that. She can't do that. GLADYS She doesn't have a choice Nomie. EXT. BLUE MOUNTAIN ASSISTED LIVING HOME - DAY A high rise building of drab concrete and tiny windows. A prison for a different kind of inmate. INT. BLUE MOUNTAIN - same A massive complex of hallways and doors. Elderly wander up and down the halls, circling like caged animals. MR. KINDALL, the Mr. Rogers type manager, welcomes Nomie and Gladys. 0002000007EA0000615F7E4,MR. KINDALL We here at Blue Mountain are all really excited about you becoming part of our team Nomie. GlADYS I really appreciate your help with this Roy. MR. KINDALL Anything for you Glady. We lose a lot of our staff around her during the summer, vacations and school breaks and all, so we can use the help. And besides, we always enjoy a friendly face around here, and it sure is a pretty one at that. How many colors do you have there? He points to Nomie's rainbow dyed hair. She just scowls. Mr. kINDALL (CONT'D) She is the spitting image of Penny at that age. I remember when the two of you nearly blew up the chemistry lab and Mr. Vebrosky lost his eyebrows? Damn Funny. He's here now, room 315. You should say hello. He doesn't get many visitors nowadays since his son moved down to Virginia. Mr. Kindall guides them through the lobby to another set of doors. MR. KINDALL (CONT'D) We have a few rules here Nomie that you're going to need to follow. Even though we provide full nursing care, many of our residents here only need assistance, making sure they take their medication, building social engagements after losing a loved one, they're here because they want to be, they just can't live alone anymore. They're free to come and go as they please, it's like a big resort that way, but this wing-- He taps out a secret code on a keypad, an electronic lock releases the door, giving them entrance to... Int. Lockdown - same Mr. Kindall Is for our special cases. Alzheimers, dementia, the runners. We've got to keep them protected because sometimes they forget where they are and well, let's just say we don't want to find them wandering out in the streets by themselves. Why don't we see your room Nomie? INT. NOMIE'S ROOM - day A small cinder block room, a prison with pink walls and cheap hotel room decorations. NOMIE No way! I'd rather be in jail. It's zombie land out there. What does he know about"community" "belonging" and my personal fave "giving back"? You can't make me stay here. 00020000054C00006943546,Gladys straps a house arrest monitor on Nomie's ankle. GLADYS No, but this can. Go more than ten blocks and the cops will be right behind you. Let's just call it community service lock down. NOMIE This is fucked up! Nomie plops down on the bed, arms crossed around her knees, combat boots on the sheets. GLADYS Look, your Mom's trying to get her life back on track. NOMIE Yeah right, with that asshole Lyle. Gladys You don't like Lyle. Nomie goes stone cold silent. GLADYS (CONT'D) Is there anything you want to tell me Nomie? NOMIE This town is a shithole, who cares? GLADYS I care. NOMIE It's your job, they pay you to care. GlADYS I'm paid to make sure you are in a safe and stable environment. I'm not paid to care. NOMIE Whatever. GLADYS Nice attitude. This is serious Nomie. I'm putting my behind on the line because your mother is an old friend. I'm trying to help you out. You burned down a private structure. That's arson. You stole your Mom's car and drove it into a ditch, all while drinking underage. The judge is not your biggest fan, and you should be thanking me or your ass would be in jail right now. Sorry, I shouldn't speak to you that way. Nerves. Gladys digs through her purse. No cigarettes. Nomie tosses her a pack from her backpack, followed by a lighter. Gladys lights it up, blows out the window. 00020000044500006E8943F,GLADYS (CONT'D) I really gotta quit. Tomorrow. Look, if your mother can't get sober the state is taking you away permanently, and there's nothing I can do about it. Nobody wants that, but right now, as an abandoned minor, you are custody of the state. We take care of you, and in return, you take care of them. Everybody wins. INT. community room - daY Sylvia Bingo! SYLVIA sits among a group of seniors, fingers filled with colored disks to mark the bingo cards spread out before her. An elderly volunteer cranks the bingo ball cage, calling out into a microphone. Volunteer Sylvia's our first winner of the day. Pick out your prize dear. Nomie wears a smock and a smiley face nametage that boasts: 'Hi! My Name is Nomie', but Nomie is not smiling as she pushes the prize cart across the room. VOLUNTEER (CONT'D) Don't clear your cards because we keep playing until everybody wins. I-16. Sylvia looks over the prizes: stuffed animals, candy bars, crocheted socks, dishes of dessert. She's excited like a child but Nomie stands there bored, hating everything about this place. 0002000004F9000072C84F3,Sylvia Goodness. What should I choose? NOMIE Gee lady. I don't know, they're all so great. Sylvia points at a teddy bear, snuggles up to it. SYLVIA Oh, isn't he the cutest thing? NOMIE Adorable. SENIOR Bingo! Nomie pushes the cart to the next winning senior who points to the dishes of dessert. seNIOR (CONT'D) Is the butterscotch pudding fresh? NOMIE Fresh out of the can this morning. Nomie slops down the dish. SENIOR Vera has bingo too. A frail VERA reaches out to Nomie with her bony hand, shaking with a tremor she can't control. VERA Tapioca, that's my favorite. NOMIE I don't have tapioca. VERA You used to bring me tapioca. Why don't you come anymore? Vera grabs onto her wrist. VERA (CONT'D) Tapioca. I want tapioca. NOMIE I don't have tapioca lady. Let me go. Nomie serves her a bowl of vanilla. Vera smiles to the senior beside her. VERA That's my daughter. My daughter. Vera's hand shakes so bad she can't get the pudding into her mouth, spilling half of it onto her polyester blouse. Vera (CONT'D) My daughter. Grossed out, Nomie walks away from Vera's babbling. INT. NOMIE'S ROOM - NIGHT Nomie jams a butter knife into the ankle monitor, trying to pry it off but it's not budging. She throws the knife across the room and begins to cry. 0002000004EA000077BB4E4,She forces herself to stop, picks the knife up, and pushes the blunt end into the soft underside of her forearm. Int. BLUE MOUNTAIN HOME, Anna's room - daY Gladys guides Anna from a wheelchair to the bed. Anna jerks her arm free. ANNA I'm not a cripple. She's more frail than she was before and has to lean on the bed railing for support. GlADYS Here, let me help you. ANNA I know all about your help. Gladys opens the curtains to reveal a parking lot and garbage dumpster view. GLADYS Anna, I know it's hard, but the state has a responsibility to take care of its citizens. ANNA The state? What is this, Russia? You can't force me to stay here. I want to go home. Gladys closes the curtains, arranges a few of Anna's pictures and knick knacks on the dresser, the entirety of her belongings in her new home. GLADYS They've got bingo at three. That should be fun, huh? And guess who your neighbor is. Just like old times, Helena Waconic. Anna waves her hand in disgust. ANNA To hell with her. Int. community room - day Helena, 89, dawdles into the community room where Bill (85) and his red-headed wife, Iryna, set up for a game of bridge. Iryna puts out a plate of cookies and Bill shuffles a deck of cards Vegas dealer style. 0002000004C700007C9F4C1,BILL Come on Helena, light a fire under that dupa! Helena Hey, you've got a senior citizen here, have some respect. Helena struggles with the weight of the basket in her arms. A mutt's furry snout pops out and looks around, yapping. Helena pushes his head back down and offers him a treat from her pocket. HELENA (CONT'D) Shh. Quiet in there Buddy. You're going to get us in trouble. Iryna Does he have to be at the table? Helena takes Buddy from the basket, nuzzles him. Helena You mean good old Buddy here? He's harmless. She holds him out for Iryna but she won't take him. Helena reaches out for a cookie, Iryna slaps her hand away. IRYNA Wash your hands. HELENA We used to drink water from the gutter as kids, didn't kill me. Helena sneaks a cookie and shares it with Buddy, hiding in her lap underneath a blanket. Helena (CONT'D) Where's Tilly? iryna Didn't you hear? Passed away last night, in her sleep. Only 75, too young. HELENA How we gonna play cards now? IRYNA I hear they brought in Anna Bubonyzch. Stroke. We could get her to be our fourth. BILL That's right, cause I can't beat the pants off ya with just three of us. Bill playfully slaps Iryna on the bottom, she gives him her best smile. 0002000004AC000081604A6,Iryna You just keep your hands where they belong Mister. Bill gives her tush another squeeze. HELENA Humph. Nomie cleans up the remains of a bingo game. Helena (CONT'D) Hey, you. Chippee. I'm talking to you. You play bridge? NOMIE I've got work to do. Helena And isn't that work to keep us happy? iryna We've got cookies! Nomie reluctantly sits down next to Helena. heLENA The thing about bridge is teamwork. Just watch and follow. Int. Physical therapy room - daY The gym for the over 80 crowd. Therapists work with the residents, rehabilitating failing bodies. Nomie counts out repetitions for a guy lazily lifting a plastic dumbbell. She's about as lifeless as he is. NOMIE 10, 9, 8... The physical therapist, JEFF, works out with Anna. Anna's giving it her all to move across the floor in her walker, but it's still slow going, and he has to help her along. Jeff Take it easy Anna. You're not going to walk out of here in a day. ANNA To hell with you pretty boy. Jeff Feisty. I like that in my ladies. That's enough for you today. Exhausted, she collapses in her wheelchair. Nomie stares at Anna--is she that woman from the house in Shamokin? Int. DiNING ROOM - daY 0002000004AE000086064A8,Nomie clears off dinner tables. She picks up dirty silverware, snotty tissues, a water glass filled with someone's forgotten dentures. Cab (o.S.) Hey Red. CAB, 17, would be James Dean if this was a different era. Not even an apron and hairnet can hide the rockabilly coolness of his tattoos and pompadour. Nomie tries to play it cool, but her heart's beating fast. He holds out a food tray. CAB (CONT'D) Yeah you. Like the hair. Deliver this to room 29 will ya? Int. Hallway outside Anna's room - day Nomie knocks on the door. No answer. She pushes it open. NOMIE Hello? Anna is halfway out of her wheelchair, one hand grasping the curtain, the other using the dresser for leverage. She tries desperately to get up and stand, but she can't. She plops back down in the chair. ANNA What do you want? NOMIE Dinner. A plate of mushed up, formerly known as solid food congeals on the plate. ANNA I'm not hungry. NOMIE Ok. Nomie turns around and is ready to walk out. ANNA I need to go to the bathroom. NOMIE I'll get a nurse for you. ANNA I don't need a damn nurse to help me go to the bathroom. Nomie pushes Anna to the bathroom but the wheelchair won't fit through the doorway. 0002000003BF00008AAE3B9,NOMIE There ya go. ANNA I can't do it by myself. NOMIE I'm just a volunteer here, I'm not a nurse. ANNA You gotta have a goddamned college degree to lift me up? Nomie tries to pick Anna up. ANNA (CONT'D) Ow. You're hurting me. NOMIE What do you want me to do? ANNA Help me! Anna grabs onto the bar beside the toilet. ANNA (CONT'D) I got it. I got it! What? You wanna watch? (scared) Don't leave. Wait in the other room. Nomie sits on the bed, looks around the sad room at the meager belongings. She goes to the photographs on the dresser, recognizes the one with two women in 20's bobs from the house in Shamokin. Nomie picks up a gold locket beside the picture, opens it, but quickly puts it down when Anna calls out. ANNA (CONT'D) You there? Nomie helps Anna back into the wheelchair. ANNA (CONT'D) Thank you. The unexpected nicety touches Nomie, makes her feel good. Nomie picks up the photograph. NOMIE Is this you? You were pretty. 00020000040C00008E67406,ANNA We were all something once. Anna sees her locket, open. She thrusts her hand out. ANNA (CONT'D) Did you touch my locket? Gimmee that. Steal everything you got. I know all about it. NOMIE I wasn't going to steal it, I just wanted to see it. Anna grabs it from Nomie's hands. She tries to wheel herself across the room but gets stuck trying to get out the door. She struggles, refusing to give up, but she's trapped. Nomie finally grabs onto the handles and steers her out the door. NOMIE (CONT'D) Where do you want to go? ANNA Take me outside. Int. HalLWAY - day Iryna's in the hall, socializing with other seniors. iryNA Hiya Nomie. We could use you at bridge tonight. I was right, you are a fast learner. NOMIE Ok. ANNA Hey, talk to her on your own time, she's mine right now. Nomie enters the special code into the keypad. Anna watches. Int. Lobby - day CLICK. The lock releases them into the lobby. They head for the automatic sliding doors, but as they exit an ALARM goes off. Nomie checks her ankle cuff. 0002000004700000926D46A,CATHY, a chubby and chatty aide, turns off an alarm monitor attached to Anna's wheelchair. She treats Anna like a pet, bending down in her face and talking a little too loud. cathy Hey Miss Annie, don't you look pretty as a picture today. You want to go outside? (to Nomie) When she wants to go outside just turn this off. It's a safety precaution, so our runners don't wander off. ANNA You mean escape from this hellhole. I need some fresh air. This place stinks. cathy Don't you say that Miss Annie. We love you here, why would you want to leave us? (to Nomie) You have to stay with her outside. Just make sure to turn the alarm back on when you come inside again. Ext. BLUE MOUNTAIN - day Nomie wheels Anna outside and sits on the bench beside her. ANNA I don't need a baby sitter. NOMIE Maybe I want to sit outside too. ANNA Do whatever you want. I don't care. The two sit in silence. ANNA (CONT'D) You got a smoke? Come on, cough up, I can smell it on ya. Nomie pulls out a cigarette, watches through the window, makes sure they're not being watched. She lights it up and passes it over to Anna for a puff. 0002000003B4000096D73AE,ANNA (CONT'D) I forgot how good that is. I was seven years old when I had my first smoke. Now they say it's no good for you. What do they know? (beat) Where you from girl? NOMIE Ashland. ANNA What's your name? NOMIE Nomie Chukunski. ANNA Chukunski? You Michael's girl? NOMIE That's my grandpop. Robert's my Dad. ANNA Robert, he was a good boy. Married that wild thing though. You must belong to her. NOMIE I don't belong to anyone. I'm an orphan now. ANNA Hard life the Chukunskis had. No luck here, shoulda stayed back in the old country. Anna strokes the locket in her lap. The clasp is broken and it opens to reveal two old pictures, one a woman, the other a man. Anna fumbles with it. ANNA (CONT'D) You broke it when you tried to steal it. NOMIE I didn't break it. Let me see. ANNA I got my eye on you. NOMIE (under her breath) I'm scared. Nomie fixes the clasp, it closes and opens again. NOMIE (CONT'D) There. All fixed. 0002000004EA00009A854E4,ANNA You're forgiven. Anna strokes the picture of the woman, lost in memory. NOMIE Is that you too? ANNA Girl, don't make me out to be dead yet. That's my mother... CLOSE ON: The woman's face in the locket. FaDE TO: INT. STEAMSHIP, 1921 - flashback VANYA is scarcely more than a child herself and already mother to ANNA, 3, and an infant son, METRO, cradled to her chest. Only 19, she wears the pallor of death. Anna's small fingers reach for the betrothal locket hanging from her mother's neck. She touches the picture of the man, a handsome lad with piercing eyes and a stern smile hidden behind a beard. ANNA Pappa! Vanya Yes Anna. We will see Pappa soon. Int. SteAMSHIP - sAME EASTERN EUROPEAN IMMIGRANTS are crammed into the lower decks of a steamship headed for America. Many are sick and dying with the influenza epidemic. A WOMAN, half-dead, reaches out and grabs onto the ankle of NATACHKA, a young Ukrainian woman, wearing an elaborately decorated dress and fine leather boots. Woman Chanuk, wichowznia blinski. (Please, I wanna go home) NaTACHKA (English) We have no home anymore. Natachka pulls free from the dying woman's grasp. She drinks whiskey from a mason jar, stops at the sight of the sickly Vanya and her children. 0002000004B300009F694AD,The decorative embroidery on the hem of Vanya's roughhewn skirt is the same motif as Natachka's skirt, meaning they are neighbors of the same city. naTACHKA (CONT'D) You from Lemko? vanya East side of the river. Plenchka. Natachka holds her jar out to Vanya. NATACHKA It will keep the evil away. Vanya blesses herself three times, pulls her children to her. NATACHKA (CONT'D) God doesn't hear you down here. Anna peers wide eyed from her hiding place in her mother's skirts. Vanya coughs, waking Metro at her breast. He cries and she cannot calm him. Vanya My husband, Olek, he's never seen his son. Natachka takes Metro in her arms, and without letting Vanya see, she soaks a handkerchief in the whisky and gives it to Metro to suck on. He calms instantly. INT. STEAMSHIP - morNING The STEAM WHISTLE BLOWS. Natachka wakes, Metro asleep in her arms and Anna curled up beside her. VANYA IS DEAD. Natachka unlaces Vanya's boots and pulls them off her feet. She searches Vanya's skirt, takes a roll of money hidden in the hem. She undoes the locket and puts it around her own neck. Anna watches, wide eyed. Anna (V.O.) Hey! You paying attention here girl? I'm not talking to myself. 0002000004DE0000A4164D8,NoMIE (V.O.) Yeah, sure. ANNA (v.O.) That's the problem with you kids nowadays--no respect. Don't know where you came from and don't care. NOMIE (V.O.) I said I'm listening. ANNA (V.O.) So my mother was dead when we arrived in America... EXT. Shamokin COAL TOWN - day Natachka is weary with Metro cradled in her arm and Anna in hand tumbling beside her. Rows of simple "patch" houses line each side of the main dirt road. The coal breaker looms on the horizon. CHILDREN play along the street, HUSBANDS drink beer from tin pails, MOTHERS hang laundry in front yards. Natachka waves at a horse and carriage. It is Chanuck, the coal colliery owner. His suit and shiny hair distinguish him from the simplicity of the others. He passes, kicking up a dust cloud in his wake. EXT. anna's HOME - day A strong man with a body like an ox, OLEK swings a heavy steel ax, splintering logs of wood in his backyard. Each plot of land is separated by a small fence, though the houses are attached. CHARDA (o.S.) It is a sin to work on this holy day, Olek. The neighbor Charda, a robust beauty, holds a freshly slaughtered chicken in her hand. Her daughters, two twin toddlers and 5 year old HELENA, chase after the feathers floating in the air. 0002000004B20000A8EE4AC,OLEK When God brings my family, I will rest. Ext. ChaRDA and thomas' house - same Natachka grasps Charda's fence for support. Anna and Helena share a gaze, the start of a lifelong friendship. NATACHKA I'm looking for Olek Bubonyzch. Natachka shows the locket picture to Charda, who questions her in Ukrainian. CHARDA Are you Vanya? Anna breaks free and runs to Olek. ANNA Pappa! Olek scoops Anna up into his arms, stops at the sight of Natachka. She hands Metro to him. NATACHKA Your children. OLEK And my wife? ANNA We drank the whiskey Pappa! Natachka turns to leave, but cannot take more than a few steps before she COLLAPSES to the ground. INT. KITCHEN - DAY Olek stands at the coal stove, jostling the coals in the belly of the iron beast. A kettle steams on the stove. Anna and Helena run in the door, apron pockets bulging with garlic bulbs. They empty their pockets on the table. Charda follows them in, she cares for baby Metro. CHARDA How is she? OLEK Only God knows. Charda places a basket of food on the table. CHARDA For you and the children. You must eat. INT. BEDROOM - night Olek force feeds Natachka the garlic mash. She fights it. Anna watches, wide eyed at the footboard. 0002000005A20000AD9A59C,ANNA (V.O.) She had given up on life, but my father wouldn't let her die. INT. KITCHEN - DAY Olek, blackfaced and covered in coal dust, washes himself in a wooden barrel tub that sits in the middle of the kitchen. Anna pours a kettle of steaming water into the tub. Olek kisses her face, streaking it black. She scrubs his back. He splashes water on her, laughing. ANNA Will she be our new Mamma? INT. anna's BEDROOM - day Olek stares at his wedding portrait, then with a breath of resignation, places it in a wooden box. He crosses himself and puts the box away in a trunk. Natachka stirs and moans. Olek wets a cloth in the basin beside the bed, places it to her forehead. Her hand reaches up to his as she struggles with the fever. INT. MINE TUNNEL - day Miners crawl on their knees through the bowels of the earth, small flames flickering from their canvas wick hats. EXT. MINE SHAFT - day MINERS' CHILDREN wait for their fathers as the shaft elevator rises from the depths below. The miners exit, eyes adjusting to daylight. Their clothes and bodies are wet and filthy with mud and coal sludge. Anna runs up to Olek. anna Pappa! Pappa, she's awake! Olek puts Anna upon his shoulders and hurries home. INT. kitchen - DAY Natachka puts away the blankets from her bed. Her belongings are bundled on the table. Anna tears from Olek's hand and runs to Natachka. Natachka removes the locket, places it in Anna's hands. 0002000004C50000B3364BF,She takes the pail from Olek's hands, puts it in its place on the shelf. She lights a match and fires up the oil lamps on the table. END FLASHBACK. Ext. BLUE MOUNTAIN - present day Anna takes the last drag of a cigarette. NOMIE So she became your mother just like that? ANNA My father needed a wife and mother for his children. Babba was alone in a new country and a man had walked her back from death. NOMIE Did they love each other? ANNA Love. We didn't know what love was back then. We had family. That's all that mattered. Int. HALL - daY Nomie wheels RUTHIE, the token centegenarian, rambling away. ruthiE I hope they have carrot cake today. They gave me a cake for my 100th birthday. Did you know I'm 100 years old? MR. JOHNSON struts down the hall in nothing but black calf socks and his Depends diaper. DIANA, a sourpuss nurses aide, cuts him off. diana Mr. Johnson, seems you've forgotten your pants again today. Mr. johnson They're all dirty, they don't know how to do laundry right here. diana Nomie, can I get your help getting Mr. Johnson back into his trousers? Int. Mr. Johnson's room - day Nomie steadies Mr. Johnson while Diana lifts his leg into his pants. They're stained and wrinkled. 0002000004F20000B7F54EC,Mr. Johnson These aren't my pants. diana Sure they are Mr. Johnson. Mr. Johnson gets agitated, won't put his pants on. Inside the waistband, in big black marker is scribbled: Gadidis. NOMIE He's right. They're Mr. Gadidis' in room 215. MR. JOHNSON They're not my pants. I want my pants. diana I'll find your pants later, but right now if you want to eat, you need to put these pants on. I don't have time for this. Nomie checks his closet, but there's only a few shirts crumpled on the floor. NOMIE I'll go check the laundry room. diana If Mr. Johnson wants dinner tonight, he's just going to have to put on a pair of pants, and these are just as good as any. NOMIE That's gross. You can't force him to wear someone else's dirty pants. diana I don't have time for your attitude. Either of you. Come on Mr. Johnson. Diana tries to force his leg into the pants, but Mr. Johnson puts up a fit. Nomie storms out of the room. Int. Laundry room - day Piles of stained sheets and towels, heaps of clothes. Nomie searches through a rack of freshly cleaned items, checking out the names in the waistband. She finds a pair belonging to Mr. Johnson, grabs them. int. Hallway - same Nomie nearly gets knocked over by Biggs, charging around the corner. 0002000004F10000BCE14EB,BIGGS Nomad! I thought you were in the slammer. NOMIE Nope. Greater punishment: community service. BIGGS Bummer. Hey, thanks for not ratting us out. My Dad would have kicked my ass out of the house if I was to get thrown in juvey again. NOMIE Whatever. Mr. Kindall interrupts them. Mr. Kindall Russell. Visiting your grandfather? Biggs doesn't answer, just half nods. Mr. kINDALL (CONT'D) Sign in at the front, don't forget this time. BiGGS Yeah, ok. Biggs waits until Mr. Kindall's gone before resuming the conversation. He leans close, flashes a stash of pills in his shirt pocket. BigGS (CONT'D) This place is like a free pharmacy. You could so hook us up. We're gonna be hanging at the station tonight, come meet us. NOMIE Can't. She shows him the ankle cuff. BigGS Had one of those last year. I can show you how to get it off. They'll never know. NOMIE Really? Down the hall, Mr. Kindall is accosted by Diana. She's in a fitful rage and gestures wildly, pointing at Nomie. Int. Mr. Kindall's office - dAY Mr. Kindall sits behind his desk, twirling a pencil between his fingers. Nomie hides behind her attitude, legs tucked back under the chair to hide the missing ankle cuff. Mr. kindall So what's this about, trouble with Diana? 00020000052C0000C1CC526,NOMIE That bitch makes people wear dirty clothes. MR. KINDALL We don't like that language around here. This is a family environment. Did you hear me? NOMIE I'm not deaf. Mr. Kindall puts the pencil down, gets stern with her. MR. KINDALL And I'm not blind. No boys in your room. NOMIE We weren't having sex if that's what you mean. Mr. kindall Well, I wasn't going to be so blunt. That boy, Biggs Halupa? Every time he visits his grandfather seems money and other things are missing. I don't want you socializing with him. NOMIE Now you think you're my father? MR. KINDALL No, I don't. But my job here is to keep an eye on you, make sure your time here is good for all of us. Mr. Kindall can't play bad cop for too long, he's just a big softee at heart. MR. KINDALL (CONT'D) Nomie, we're glad you're here, the residents really like you. And I do too. There's something about the look in his eye, the way he touches her hand a second too long...and she instinctively reacts by STABBING A PENCIL INTO HIS HAND. Int. Mr. kindall's office - later Gladys reads Nomie the riot act. GlADYS For Christ's sakes Nomie, I've known Roy all my life, he wouldn't hurt a fly. What the hell were you thinking? Mr. Kindall squeezes a wad of paper towels around his hand. Mr. KINDALL Hey, let's just forget about it. 0002000004B80000C6F24B2,GLADYS Forget about it? MR. KINDALL It was an accident, wasn't it Nomie? She barely broke skin. GLADYS Roy, she stabbed a pencil into your hand! Nomie won't defend herself, won't say anything. GLADYS (CONT'D) Maybe I made a mistake. You're just like your Mom. Pack your stuff, now. Nomie wants to fight, but instead marches out. Gladys closes the door and sits down, defeated. GlADYS (CONT'D) I really thought this would be good for her. Mr. kindall She's good with the residents, they've really taken a shine to her. GLADYS I can't risk her acting out again. What if she hurt one of them? MR. KINDALL She's the one who's hurting. I think she needs them as much as they need her. Let her stay. Int. Nomie's room - day Nomie retrieves a rolled up ball of socks hidden in the back of her dresser drawer. She opens them to reveal her stash: a collection of jewelry, watches, a large wad of money. She pulls a bottle of prescription drugs from her pocket, adds it to her bundle. She stuffs it all into her backpack and then climbs out the window. Ext. NoMIE'S HOME - dusk A sad half of a double home. Nomie stares into the window. Lyle dozes in front of the TV, scratching his balls. 0002000004D20000CBA44CC,Ext. NOMIE'S HOME - nIGHT A window is jimmied with a screwdriver, the frame gives and the window is pushed up. Nomie crawls inside. Int. NOMIE'S KITCHEN - nIGHT Nomie lifts a set of car keys from the countertop. Lyle Hey Jailbait. I don't think Penny wants you stealing her car again. She was pretty pissed off last time, and you know how she gets when she gets pissed. Not pretty. Nomie goes for the window, but Lyle blocks the doorway with his body. Lyle (CONT'D) But you sure are getting pretty. Lyle corners her, his beer breath in her face. Nomie JABS him in the throat with the keys and bolts out the door. EXT. Ashland STREET - NIGHT Nomie hangs out on the corner stoop, smoking, counting the money from her stash. A couple of stoner type guys in a low-rider call out to her. GUY #1 Hey, come here. Nomie doesn't budge from the steps, stuffs the money back into her backpack. GUY #2 You need a ride? NOMIE Where you going? GUY #1 Where you wanna go? She keeps her distance, but approaches. NOMIE I'd need to get to Philly, you going there? GUY #2 Sure, we could take you there. NOMIE Really, awesome. That's just great! Guy #1 But first we have to know--are your thighs like peanut butter? GUY #2 0002000005500000D07054A,Yeah, do they spread? Nomie flicks her cigarette at the guy's face, it hits him. Guy #2 (CONT'D) Bitch! He gets out of the car but Nomie takes off fast, speeding across the road, dodging down alleys. She loses them. Ext. Ashland street - same Nomie wanders the dark and deserted street, a lost soul with nowhere to go. She hears a muffled cry and sees a large lump silhouetted on the road. ANNA Home. Anna's on the ground, her wheelchair trapped half on the curb, half in the gutter. She reaches out to Nomie for help. ANNA (CONT'D) I want to go home. Nomie rights the wheel chair, struggles to lift Anna back into it. Anna clutches onto her, begging. ANNA (CONT'D) Take me home. I want to go home. Please. NOMIE Anna? You ok? It's me, Nomie. How did you get out here? The alarm monitor lies on the ground, the light off. NOMIE (CONT'D) Shit. Anna's disoriented and banged up, but seems alright. Nomie pushes the wheelchair back in the direction of the nursing home. Anna wails likes a wounded animal. ANNA No! Home! I want to go home. Int. blue mountain home, NoMIE'S ROOM - day Nomie lays on her bed, draws on her arm with a marker. Gladys enters, a new ankle monitor in hand. NOMIE Come on! GlADYS You know the rules. NOMIE Screw the rules. I didn't have to come back. I could have left her out there on the street and kept going. 0002000007750000D5BA76F,GLADYS But you didn't. I know. NOMIE I won't go anywhere, I promise. (totally defeated) I get it, ok? I got nowhere else to go. Int. COMMUNITY ROOM - day Bill, Iryna, Helena and Buddy, are at the card table. BILL The kid's bad news. heleNA Bill Kaladis. You were quite the devil in them days yourself. BILL I just needed a good woman to bring out the angel in me. Iryna Then give her a chance. Kids have it tough nowadays. HELENA Never did me no harm, and Buddy likes her. He doesn't like anyone. Do you Buddy? And she's smart, a real whiz at bridge. BILL Bad blood, the Chukunski's. Rotten to the core, every one of them. Nomie hears Bill's comment and it hurts. NOMIE I understand if you don't want me to play bridge anymore. She leaves. Iryna gives Bill the evil eye. Int. Nomie's room - day Nomie cries on her bed. She stops and wipes her eyes fast when she hears a knock. It's Helena and Buddy. Buddy jumps up onto Nomie's bed and licks her face. It's the first time we've seen her smile. Helena Don't listen to that Bill, he's just sore cause when he was little your Grandpop would pick on him, and he still holds the grudge. NoMIE Grandpa Stanley was mean. HELENA He was a tough one, old fashioned. Your Mom had it rough growing up with him he was so strict. It's no surprise she rebelled. But when she met your father, she changed. Best thing in the world to get out of here. Never should have come back. NOMIE God, does everybody know everybody here? HELENA Small town, can't escape it even if you wanted to. If you want to be a bad seed, nothing I say is going to stop it, but I don't believe it for an instant. Look at Buddy, he likes you. That's good enough for me. (beat) Now I've got a job for you. EXT. Ashland STREET - DAY Nomie's burdened down with grocery bags, feet stumbling over Buddy as he weaves side to side, curious about everything in his path. 00020000058D0000DD29587,NOMIE Buddy. Stop it. He does. Nomie trips over him, crashes, groceries spilling out onto the ground. Buddy jumps up on her, tail wagging. Nomie shoves Buddy, sends him yapping. NoMIE (CONT'D) Buddy. I'm sorry. Come here. She puts out her hand, but he won't come near her. Nomie sits down on the steps of a house, cracks opens a soda. An elderly LADY sits on the front porch, watching. Nomie pulls out a doggie chewtoy from the bag and teases Buddy with it. He playfully attacks it but nips her hand. NOMIE (CONT'D) Shit! PORCH LADY Heh, heh, needs to learn not to bite the hand that feeds him, eh? Buddy takes off running. EXT. ALLEY - DAY Nomie runs down the alley chasing Buddy. NOMIE Buddy! You little shit. Buddy! Ext. Cab's backyard - dAY Cab's lean body is framed by a tight wife beater tank top that shows off his tattoos. He sings along to Frank Sinatra as he restores a vintage '41 Pontiac Torpedo. Cab's German shepherd, Marilyn, is chained up in the yard. Buddy runs to her, sniffs his new friend, then tries to hump her. NOMIE Buddy! No, Buddy, don't do that. Nomie grabs him, struggles to put the leash back on. CAB No worries, Marilyn's a good girl, fixed. Nomie is beyond embarrassed, tries to act cool as her dog is humping Cab's dog. NOMIE Hey, haven't seen you around lately. CAB You been looking for me? Cab is cool, slick, confident. Nomie stares at the Pontiac, embarrassed. 00020000059B0000E2B0595,Cab (CONT'D) My gramps is in the hospital. I've been spending time with him. Cab rubs a rag over a silver rocket hood ornament. CAB (CONT'D) Check this out. I just got this from a guy in Pottstown. Wrecked his first car when he was 17, but he kept this. Used it as a paper weight. NOMIE Why? CAB A kind of tribute I guess. He bolts the rocket to the front of the hood, stands back. Cab (CONT'D) 41 Torpedo. Pretty cool huh? Nomie does her best to appreciate what she sees before her: a rusted out, dented old piece of metal. NOMIE It's so old. He raps the roof with his fist. CAB Hard steel. Things bounce right off this baby. Just gotta knock out some of these dents and give her a new paint job. Good as the day she first hit the road. Engine's solid. Nomie peers in the window. NOMIE It doesn't have a CD player. Or air conditioning. CAB It's not about that man. It's about what it used to be like. Cab slides into the front seat, grabs onto the steering wheel, caresses it. CAB (CONT'D) You know, who sat here before, where they went, what they did, who lost their virginity in the backseat... Nomie stares at him, he hops out, self-conscious. Cab (CONT'D) It's just that things were different then. It all meant something, ya know? He runs his hand along the roof of the car. CAB (CONT'D) There's a story here, you just have to find it. So what's your story Red? I haven't really seen you around before. 00020000059A0000E845594,NOMIE We, my Mom and I, we moved her a few months ago from up Scranton. My grandma died and she left us her house and my Mom grew up here, but it totally sucks, there's like nothing to do. Cab It's not that bad. NOMIE Right. This your place? Cab Nah. I live with my grandpa, he's cool. My parents dumped me off here when I was little, so it's been me and him for a long time. NOMIE Is he gonna be okay, being in the hospital and all? CAB Yeah, yeah, it's just gallstones. He'll be home tomorrow. He's helping me rebuild this baby--should have her up and running in no time. I'll give you a ride when she's ready. Nomie blushes, shy. NOMIE Yeah, okay. Int. Anna's room - day Nomie peeks in the door. Anna lies in bed, staring at the ceiling. Nomie picks up a decorative egg on Anna's dresser. NOMIE Hey Anna. We're going to make pysan--pysan--whatever these are called. They're gonna show me how to make them, you want to help us? Anna doesn't answer. Nomie pulls out a candy bar from her pocket, places it beside her on the bed. NoMIE (CONT'D) I got this for you at the store. I know you like chocolate. (beat) I wanted to hear more about what it was like growing up here. It was a pretty cool story. Anna turns her face away, stares at the wall. INT. COMMUNITY ROOM - DAY Iryna and Helena prepare supplies (bowls of colored dyes, a candle, straight pins) to make pysanky, decorative Ukrainian eggs. Nomie helps. 0002000005660000EDD9560,IRYNA My mother made the most beautiful pysanky in all of Galicia. They'd come from miles around just to buy them from her. Bill charges in, dapper with his Brylcreamed hair. BILL Good afternoon beautifuls, I'm not late am I? He nuzzles Iryna on her neck, she giggles. Helena sneaks out a bottle of whiskey from Buddy's basket, pours it into three glasses. She looks at Nomie, pours a small glass for her. Helena This is the good stuff. Mr. Kindall cruises by. Helena quickly sets down a bottle of Ginger Ale on the table, same color as the whiskey. MR. KINDALL Hey ladies, top o' the morning to ya! You keeping our girl here out of trouble? IrYNA We're teaching her to make pysanky. HELENA Cause she's a Ukie and needs to know. Mr. kindall Are ya now? NOMIE That's what they say. Mr. kindall Okey, dokey. You kids have a good time. Helena raises her glass, makes a toast. hELENA Nostrovya! ALL Nostrovya! Nomie chokes on the fire water. Helena Homemade. Old country recipe. Bill Smooooooth. The gang settle in to making pysanky. Nomie watches and follows along. IRYNA Anna should be here, she loved making pysanky. NOMIE I asked her, but she won't leave her room. HELENA Ah, she's just feeling sorry for herself, like always. IryNA It's not right what they did. Take a woman away from the only home she's ever known. A right shame. She could use a friend now. 0002000004EE0000F3394E8,HELENA She's no friend of mine. BILL Time to let bygones be bygones Helena. Isn't that right kid? He winks at Nomie. No hard feelings. Helena waves her arm at Bill, she doesn't want to hear it. NOMIE What happened? HELENA Ah, it was so long ago, who remembers? It's the statement of someone that remembers, but would rather forget. Helena inspects Nomie's work. Helena (CONT'D) You're letting your red into your yellow and before you know it, nothing but a brown mess. NOMIE Isn't this a lot of work just for some egg? Helena Egg? This is not just some egg, this is pysanky, our tradition. If you are Ukrainian, learn how to do it right. Take pride in your heritage! Here, like this. Helena, with painstaking precision, draws decorative lines with wax over the yellow dye, then dunks the egg in red. BILL Let the kid go, at least she's trying. NoMIE No, I want to learn. Like this? Helena Yes. Good. See, yellow is courage, red is passion, and when you mix the two--orange. That's wisdom. Bill I remember how all you girls got together for Easter, for days you'd be making pysanky for the blessing of the baskets. Helena You should have seen our church. Oh, busha madyia, was it ever beautiful. Helena places her egg over the candle flame. 0002000005DC0000F8215D6,EXTREME CLOSE UP: The wax covered egg is pushed into the flame, the wax begins to melt and the intricate design of the dyed egg is revealed. FADE TO: Int. Ukrainian orthodox church, 1925 - flashback HELENA (V.O.) Our parents built the church just like in the Old Country. They didn't want to forget... Pysanky eggs are part of the Easter offerings laid at the alter. Baskets are filled with meats, cheese, homemade bread. A celebration of life. The church is a testament to the strength of the parish, all poor coal mining families, all immigrants. The girls wear white Easter dresses and crowns of flowers and ribbons. A three bar Byzantine cross shines in the sunlight streaming in from the stained glass windows, gold gilt icons watch over the flock from the iconistas (altar). The priest is adorned in heavy brocade vestments, and the mass, in Ukrainian, is sung as a duet between priest and parish. PRIEST O ve-si-sey vsya-kom hra-dee, stra-nee, i vee-ro-yu zhi-vu-shchikh v nikh, Ho-spo-du-po-mo-lim-sya. {For this villiage for every city country and for all living therein with faith, let us pray to the lord} CONGREGATION Ho-spo-di, po-mi-luy. {Lord, have Mercy.} PRIEST O-pla-va-uy-shchikh, pu-te-she stvu yu shchikh, ne-du-hu-yu shchikh, straz-du shchickh, plee-nen-nikh i-o-spa-se-nee yi-ihk, Ho-spo-du po-mo-lim-sya. {For those who travel by sea and land, for the sick the suffering, the captive, and for their safety and salvation, let us pray to the Lord} 00020000050A0000FDF7504,CONGREGATION Ho-spo-di, po-mi-luy. {Lord, have Mercy.} CLOSE ON: The devilish smile of Bill, 6, as he peers out from underneath a pew. He pinches the backs of Helena's legs. Helena kicks Bill, sends him howling. Bill's mother GERTIE, yanks him up by the collar. She's a stern woman used to hard work, but Sundays are for God. PRIEST (English) And so we make a new life here in America. And we celebrate our love of Christ, and of his Resurrection. And like Christ, we will rise, our first generation children of this country our salvation. EXT. CHURCH CELEBRATION - DAY Anna and Helena run, ribbons from their crown of flowers streaming behind them. They are chased by Bill and other children. The parish stream from the church. Charda is pregnant and carries an infant. CHARDA Helena, take care of your sisters! Natachka is also pregnant, about to burst any minute. All the women are either pregnant or cradle small infants. Children are a thriving commodity. RUTHIE, a cherubic woman with round face and rounder body teases Charda. RUTHIE Charda, so many daughters, has Thomas planted a son this time? THOMAS' wiry frame seems fragile next to the solid men that circle around a barrel of beer, drinking. Red-faced and swaying, he tries to keep up with the others. 0002000004BE000102FB4B8,NATACHKA I hope. He won't be planting much in that state. CHARDA Nothing's changed here. They were drunks back home, they're drunks now. RUTHIE But at least here they have an excuse. all (together) It washes the coal dust down! GERTIE And on Easter Sunday yet. chARDA You start them on the communion wine and then they get the taste for it. EXT. church road - SAME A gang of IRISH MINERS stroll down the street, stopping to make trouble. They hurl stones and insults at the Ukrainian men. IRISH LAD Get back on the boat hunky. Bill's father, WASSIL, drunk and always willing to fight, charges after the gang. The men pull Wassil away, staving off a brawl. Olek boldly threatens the Irish with his barrel chest and searing eyes. OLEK It is a holy day for us. You can leave us in peace. Bill, hidden behind the men, hurls a stone at the Irish miners, smacking one in the head. Wassil picks his boy up and puts him on his shoulders, proud. BILL (V.O.) My father was a miner, so that meant that I was to be a miner too. INT. BILL'S HOME - dawn Bill sleeps in a small bed with five other children all crowded together. Beside them, in another bed lie his parents, Gertie and Wassil, and a newborn infant. 000200000498000107B3492,Gertie wakes, lights the oil lamp. GERTIE William. Bill crawls out of bed, rubs his eyes, shivers in the cold. INT. KITCHEN - dawn Bill tosses nuggets of coal into a smoldering coal stove. Sitting on the floor, he stokes the coals with a metal poker and blows until they burn brightly. His job complete, he closes his eyes and drifts to sleep... Gertie shakes his shoulders and wakes him. Mother and son sit at the kitchen table. Bill shoves warm porridge into his face with one hand while Gertie rubs grease from a big tin can onto Bill's fingers, raw and scabby. He winces with pain. Bill Ow, Momma, that hurts. Wassil enters, coughs violently, hacking up black mucous and spits it into a metal spittoon. He retrieves his mining clothes from behind the coal stove, puts the warm items on over his long johns. WASSIL Got to build up the callouses, toughen yourself up. GERTIE He's too young Wassil. WASSIL Toil is the only thing gonna put bread on the table. GeRTIE And beer down your throat. Wassil slams his hand on the table, Gertie flinches. He laughs, picks up two carbide lamps from the shelf. He suddenly backhands Bill, knocking him to the floor. 0002000004B900010C454B3,WASSIL You didn't clean the lamps last night. BILL I forgot Pappa! Wassil There's no forgettin' in this house. Wassil takes his belt, a thick leather strap, and threatens his son. GERTIE Please, Wassil. Wassil raises his hand, but doesn't strike her. WASSIL It's too early in the morning for a beating Woman. Don't tire me. (to Bill) Those lamps aren't cleaned, we can't see. Like blind rats, already down in hell. EXT. BILL'S HOME - morning A harsh winter blankets the mountains in a sheet of white. The breaker looms like a dreaded monster at the top of the hill. Smoke billows from the stacks like the breath of the men making their way towards it. Gertie hands Bill his lunch pail and tightens the scarf around his neck. She kisses him with the desperation that it could be the last time ever. GERTIE (whispering) I put a little extra in your pail. Bill runs after his father, joining the trail of men up the mountain. Gertie blesses herself at the crucifix in the doorway. INT. BREAKER - dAY The NOISE is deafening as large masses of coal are deposited via conveyor belt inside giant clawlike iron crackers that break the large pieces into smaller ones and send them tumbling down chutes. 0002000003F9000110F83F3,Young BOYS, known as Breaker Boys, sit along the chutes, their nimble hands working to separate coal from shale and stone. They all sport the same bleeding and cracked fingers, 'miner's strawberries'. A stern, one legged MINER leans upon a switch of wood that serves both as crutch and as punishment for disobedient boys. A boy flicks bits of rocks to the boy above him. He returns with a series of fast hand signals which the boy sitting behind him then copies to the boy behind him. It is the Breaker Boys secret code. All the boys look at Bill, smaller than the others and the new kid. His skin is clean, not plagued by the black dust that creeps into the pores of a veteran breaker boy. The miner's stick is rapped against a boy's head. He obediently continues working. The boy behind him snickers and receives the same treatment. BILL (v.O.) It was a hard life, but it taught you to be strong. EXT. BREAKER - daY The boys taunt and chase Bill, pushing him down into the snow. He struggles to get up. 0002000003C8000114EB3C2,stanley, larger than the other boys, shoves him down again. stanley Next time it jams, it better be broken. Understand? If it's broken means we don't have to work. All the other boys surround him. Bill sees his father watching and boldly gets up and uses his head as a battering ram into the kid's stomach. He jumps atop him and pummels with fury. Wassil looks on, proud. EXT. STREET - dusk Bill plays "kick the can" with all of the boys, a newly respected scrapper. Gertie calls out to Bill. GERTIE William, get your father. It's suppertime. EXT. BARROOM - dusk Bill peers in the windows of an ordinary house. Inside are the miners, drinking at a makeshift bar. INT. BARROOM - laTER Wassil sits at the bar. Bill pulls at his sleeve. Bill Pappa! WASSIL Ah, it's the scrapper. Joe, get my son a beer, today he's a man! Wassil puts him on a stool next to him, and the bartender sets a beer in front of Bill. He grimaces at the taste, but chugs it down. 0002000003D2000118AD3CC,Ext. BaRROOM - niGHT Wassil carries Bill over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Snow falls down on father and son as they make their way home. INT. BREAKER - daY The boys are at their places. The crackers come to a grinding halt, a loud moan emanating from the machinery. The coal boss shouts to Bill to crawl up and inspect the grinders. BOSS Damn crackers! You, new boy, no monkey business, or you'll work until midnight. The dead engines leave a silence, nothing but the breathing of the boys. They taunt him, whispering threats. BOYS Time, time, time. Bill crawls into the ominous crackers. A rock is wedged between the spikes. Bill works the rod with surprising strength and agility for such a small boy. Finally, it gives way. He crawls out. BILL All clear! The boys boo and hiss. The engines start, the noise builds. MINER Oil it boy! Bill takes an oil can and lubricates the vicious jaws. In an instant, his arm gets caught, JERKED into the crackers. 00020000048F00011C79489,END FLASHBACK. INT. BLUE MOUNTAIN community room - PRESENT day Nomie's eyes are wide with disbelief. Bill's sleeve hangs empty at his side. NOMIE Oh my god! Bill pops his arm back into his sleeve. NOMIE (CONT'D) That's not funny! Bill pulls up his sleeve to show a long serpentine scar crawling up his arm. He twists his arm to show the limited range of motion. BILL Ah, you weren't a miner if you hadn't been bitten by the breaker. Int. NoMIE'S ROOM - day Nomie looks at her own trail of scars up her forearm, pulls her sleeve down over them. Int. Ashland library - day Nomie is flipping through a book, simple and self-published from the SCHYULKILL COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY. Old black and white photographs chronicle the birth of the region, an entire existence built around COAL. Biggs and Molly plop down at the table with her, scoping out the place to make sure they're not being watched. NOMIE Hey. BIGGS What did you get? Nomie opens her backpack, empties out a collection of pills. Molly picks up a yellow one, studies it. Molly Clonidine. What's this do? biGGS Jesus Nomie. That's blood thinner. Ain't gonna do shit. I told you what to get. 0002000004620001210245C,NOMIE I'm not as good as a thief as you. Biggs goes through the pills, expertly separating them. He scoops up a bunch of blue ones, Vicodan. Biggs Get more of these, the round blue ones. These will knock you off your ass. MoLLY Oh, I want one. Molly pops it in her mouth, ready for any kind of high she can get. molly (CONT'D) Fugazi's playing up Hazelton tonight, come with us. NOMIE I have to get back for the dinner shift. Molly You're just a little goody two shoes now aren't you? Don't let them brainwash you in there--oh, life was so hard, I had to walk two miles to school, BIGGS Barefoot, in the snow-- Biggs/molly --Uphill, both ways! NOMIE You guys are so queer. Whatever. BIGGS You're gonna start stinking like piss and Lysol, that's how everybody smells there. NOMIE This summer is such a waste. Ext. Shamokin - day Nomie stands in the charred remains of the breaker, gazing down the hill at a row of dilapidated houses, Anna's included. She looks at the book in her hand, a photograph from the turn of the century, this exact vantage point. When she squints her eyes she can almost imagine... 0002000004530001255E44D,But when she opens them all she sees is trash. Everywhere. Liquor bottles, rubber tires and tin cans infect the creek. A tee shirt, stuck on a branch, endlessly swirls in the brackish water. Nomie trudges through the rubble, towards Anna's house. She peeks in the windows, some have been broken, it looks like the local kids are using it to party. A NOTICE is pasted on the door. PAST DUE TAXES DELINQUENT: TOWNSHIP OF Shamokin. Int. AnNA'S ROOM - day Anna hasn't moved. Her hair is plastered to her head, her housedress twisted around her lifeless body. Diana shouts in Anna's face. diana Ooh, you stink. Did you wet the bed again? Bad girl. I told you to push the button when you need to go. ANNA I did. Two hours ago. Diana picks her up and plops her in the wheelchair. She strips the bed linens. diana No reason you're not out of this bed by yourself, only making more work for me. Diana jams the soiled linens into the laundry bag. She grabs a wrinkled housedress from the closet and pulls it over Anna. diana (CONT'D) I'll give you a bath tonight, but right now I don't have time. 000200000301000129AB2FB,She rakes a hairbrush through Anna's matted hair, who winces in pain but doesn't say anything. Nomie enters with the food tray. NoMIE Hey Anna. Diana still has it out for Nomie. Diana The bed needs new sheets, and don't let her get back into it. She's gonna need a shower and I'm too tired to get her in and out of that bed again. Diana exits. Nomie places the food tray cart in front of Anna and goes about putting new sheets on the bed. NOMIE I went to the library today, they have the coolest book with all these awesome pictures about what it was like here, you know, like even before you were born. They said the first miners settled here in 1886. Anna just sits there, staring at her food but not touching it. Nomie grabs the fork and hands it to Anna. 0002000004B500012CA64AF,NOMIE (CONT'D) You have to eat, come on. Jeez, Helena was right, you are a stubborn old goat. This angers Anna, who grabs the fork and starts eating. Nomie smiles in satisfaction, goes into the hall to the food cart, but keeps talking. NOMIE (CONT'D) It was a reference book so I wasn't technically allowed to check it out, but I thought you'd like to see it-- When Nomie enters the room, the contents of Anna's food tray has been dumped onto the freshly made bed, and it's Anna who hides a wicked grin. Nomie doesn't miss a beat as she scoops up the sheets, and tosses them into the laundry bag. NOMIE (CONT'D) There's a picture where you can even see your house, it's page 32. I didn't recognize it at first because there are so many other houses around it now, but see where the coal breaker is back on the hill, it's the same street. Cool huh? Int. comMUNITY ROOM - daY Nomie and Helena set up for a game of bridge. NOMIE I'm really worried about Anna. She hasn't gotten out of bed for two weeks now. Sometimes I think she's just doing it for spite. HELENA She's as stubborn as they come, nothing you can do about it. NOMIE Why does she hate it here so much? You guys like it don't you? 0002000003220001315531C,HELENA Call a place home all your life, hard to let go. I'm here because I know it makes it easier on my kids. They don't have to worry about me pattering around in that big old house all by myself. It was this or move in with them, but who wants an old lady in their way all the time? Nomie Does Anna have any children? Helena's saved from her awkward pause by the arrival of Bill and Iryna. Iryna carries a pie. IRYNA Ruthie's daughter made a huckleberry pie! NOMIE What's a huckleberry? BiLL What's a huckleberry? You sure you're from around here girl? IrYNA Don't be sour with her Bill. Kids don't know about these things now. Iryna gives her a slice of pie, small purplish berries spill out from the sides. IRYNA (CONT'D) You're in for a real treat. Bill Like a blueberry but better. 0002000004500001347144A,NOMIE Wow. This is great. BILL Helena, remember that time, when the mines closed on strike, and we all had to pick huckleberries to help out, and Gibby had that rattlesnake-- Helena Boy, do I ever. Fade to: EXT. HUCKLEBERRY PATCH, 1925 - dawn The sun crests over the mountaintop, creating a halo around a majestic oak that stands alone in a clearing. DEAD rattlesnakes hang from the branches. A wave of bushes along the mountainside offer up a sea of tiny blue huckleberries. An army of children, some just a few years old, expertly strip the branches of berries. Bent over, they fill buckets at their feet or tied to their waists. Some of the bigger kids carry buckets tied yoke style, on poles slung over their shoulders. Helena's little sister Clara struggles with the weight of her bucket, spilling the berries. Helena Clara! Be careful. Clara wipes sleep from her eyes, her fingers stained blue. She smears a blue streak across her cheeks. ClARA I'm tired. helENA One more and then we can go home. Anna eats her berries as she works, coerces Clara to work by playing a game. 000200000373000138BB36D,ANNA I bet I can fill my bucket faster than you can Clara. Clara Uh-uh. I bet you can't. HelENA I bet I can beat the pants off the both of you. The girls race each other to fill their bucket first. GIBBY, a small boy with overly large ears, freckles, and scabby knees comes to tease the girls. gibby I saw a rattler the other day, right there. I think it had babies. Anna sticks her tongue out at him. ANNA I'm not afraid of no dumb snake Al Gibinich. She continues pulling berries from the branch when a rattlesnake head rears out of the bushes. Anna jumps back and falls to the ground, screaming. Gibby laughs, a dead rattlesnake dangles on his stick. gibBY Looks like you're afraid now. She grabs the snake stick, turns it on Gibby, then starts chasing Helena and Clara with it. They spill their buckets, berries falling to the ground as they run around laughing. 0002000004EB00013C284E5,Helena (v.O.) I just remember getting a good whipping when we came home with only half our buckets half full. We didn't realize how important those berries were. At five cents a quart, that was a lot of money when there was nothing else. Times were tough for a while, with the strike and all. INT. chardA'S KITCHEN - moRNING CLARA Goodbye! Clara stares out the window, waving to her father. CHARDA Never say goodbye. Goodbye is forever. Say "so long"--you hope that it won't be so long till you see them again. Charda is at the table, sifting thru a 50 pound bag of "King Midas" flour, a smiling King logoed on the side. She picks tiny black bugs from the flour, squeezing their bodies between her fingers before tossing them in an ashcan. Maime helps pinch the tiny bodies, she's covered in flour. An infant is swaddled up, lying on the table. Charda (CONT'D) Come on Clara. Clara joins her mother and sister at the table. Helena's face is buried in her schoolbooks as she scoops lard from a pan and smears it on a piece of bread. The infant cries. CHARDA (CONT'D) I don't have another hand Helena. Helena picks up her infant sister and bounces her in the air while still reading her schoolbook and stuffing her sandwich in her knapsack. 00020000048E0001410D488,ChARDA (CONT'D) I'm gonna need your help this morning at the culm hole. HeLENA But I've got school. CHARDA You're old enough now, you don't need school. HELENA I can clean houses after school, make two dollars a week like Winnie. CHARDA School don't teach you what you need to know. HELENA I won't be a miner's wife! ChARDA There is no shame in that. Nothing Helena can say will Ashland her fate. HELENA (v.O.) We did what we were told. Our lives were set in stone. EXT. culm hole - EARLY MORNING CLOSE UP: The smiling face of King Midas. The flour bag logo is prominently displayed across the behind of Clara, bent over to pick up a piece of coal, exposing her homemade underpants. WOMEN AND CHILDREN scavenge bits of coal from a pile of stone refuse. The small children deftly pick out nuggets while the older kids roll down large chunks to the bottom where they're cracked with hammers and mallets, and put into a burlap sack, buckets, or a wheelbarrow. A gunshot rings out, bits of shale explode from the top of the pile. Several boys race down the bank as more shots are fired. The women hurry to pile the coal into their carts before running away. 00020000040600014595400,gerTIE Bastards, it's only garbage anyway. CHARDA But it's another 10 cents from their pockets if we don't buy it. A group of coal henchmen stand at a distance, rifles raised. Ext. Coal hole - day Bill and Metro, strong as men although only ten, shovel a mound of dirt from boards that cover a coal hole. Olek ties a rope around the front bumper of his car, drops the other end down the shaft. Olek Chanuck won't let us work, then we take it ourselves. Thomas and Wassil climb down the rope into the shaft. EXT. STREET - same Children play in the streets. The black sedan of the COAL AND IRON POLICE cruises by, their duty to protect the mine owner's property and make sure no stealing or illegal activity is going on. The children run into the street and block the car from moving. Others lean into cars and honk the horns. EXT. COAL HOLE - same Olek, Bill and Metro bag the coal brought up from the mine. The sound of screaming kids and the honking of the horns is a warning of the police. Olek shouts down the mine. 0002000004240001499541E,OLEK It's the Ol' Coal and Iron. Thomas and Wassil haul up a bucket filled with coal. Several bags are already in the trunk. The three men finish bagging the coal while Bill and Metro cover the hole with boards and dirt. EXT. COAL HOLE - The police come through the bushes, clubs in hand. The three men casually lean up against the car, smoking. POLICE What you boys doing out here? Wassil, you don't need to get in anymore trouble do you? Wassil No sir. Just waiting for work. The police nudges Wassil with his club, motions for him to open the trunk. Only one bag of coal. Police You boys know that's the property of Mr. Chanuck. He owns the coal, the land, your houses. That's stealing. Thomas How do you expect us to feed our children when you close the mines down? POLICE That's not my business, but this is. BilL (v.O.) And that's how we fooled them. Our pops would let them find one bag, Metro and I would hide the others. HELENA (v.O.) But they just weren't after the coal holes. This was prohibition and they went after the boilo too. 00020000044B00014DB3445,Int. charda and thomas' home - daY A makeshift still comprised of a metal washtub, some copper pipes, and glass jugs fill the kitchen. Helena makes a paste from flour and water, rolling small balls of dough between her palm. Charda pours a pot of boiled potatoes into a copper pot. This will become moonshine. CharDA If there are any leaks, you take the dough, and patch up the hole, like this. She shows Helena how to plug up an open seam in the pipes by sticking a doughball around it. Thomas sticks his finger in the liquid, tastes it. thoMAS Don't make it too sweet, its got to have that burn. chaRDA My mother always said this is the holy water. Strong enough to keep the devil hisself away. Helena sneaks a taste, Charda slaps her hand. chARDA (CONT'D) What did I tell you? You'll go blind! EXT. STREET - daY The police haul a wagon filled with bootleg moonshine. INT. charda and thomas' HOUSE - day The police search the house. Maime is in the washtub with a cloth tossed over her, hiding the still. police Words out you're making the boilo, gonna have to check your house. 000200000504000151F84FE,chaRDA My little girl was taking a bath, we wasn't expecting visitors. A board creaks under the foot of the officer. He lifts it up, a hiding place for a quart jug of moonshine. He picks up the jug, sniffs it. SMASH. Helena holds an iron coal poker in her hands, smiling. END FLASHBACK Int. ComMUNITY ROOM - present day Helena still has that same guilty smile. She takes a swig from her glass. BILL You sure were a hellraiser. Helena Yeah, but nothing like Anna. When she wanted to fight you, you got out of the way. She was a good friend. NOMIE What happened between you two? HELENA Anna isn't good with Ashland. I grew up, got married, had a family. I moved away from the patch and she just never forgave me for that. I had my own family now, she felt left out. What could I do? IRYNA Kiss and make up already, I'm tired of you two. Int. AnNA'S ROOM - night Anna lies in bed, staring out at the window. A firefly rests on the screen, its body glowing luminescent green. NoMIE Hey, there's someone here that wants to say hello. Helena makes a peace offering, a slice of huckleberry pie. Helena Huckleberry, your favorite. NOMIE We miss you Anna. AnNA They put diapers on me, mash up my food, treat me like a goddamned baby. I wish God would take me already. 000200000492000156F648C,Helena Don't you say that Anastasia Bubonyzch. I've known you for over 80 years, and I know you don't give up. ANNA This is no way to live. NOMIE It's no way to die! ANNA You don't know nothing. NOMIE Stop saying that. I know that all you're doing here is feeling sorry for yourself. Life is tough, but you're just giving up. ANNA I'm a Bubonyzch. We don't give up. Helena takes a few steps back, holds the pie out. HELENA Then get your dupa out of that bed and come get some pie. Anna struggles to get up, but her body is too weak. ANNA I can't. Ashamed, Anna turns away to face the window, watches the firefly, belly burning bright. ANNA (CONT'D) Do you remember the fireflies? All over the back fields when we were kids? Helena Oh boy, how could I forget? Lit up the summer sky like fireworks. FADE TO: EXT. OUTHOUSE - night, 1927 A few lightening bugs flash in the night sky as Anna makes a way through the tall grass with a large stick, her little brother Harry chasing behind. The outhouse is a small wooden shack with a hole that drops into the river. Anna pokes around with her stick and a few rats scurry out. Harry's afraid to go in. 00020000043A00015B82434,ANNA Don't be such a baby Harry. Harry goes inside, Anna stands guard. Harry Anna? Anna Yeah? HARRY Why is Popop mad? ANNA Baba wants to go back to the old country. HARRY I don't wanna go. I like it here. ANNA Me too. Anna's POV: A symphony of lightening bugs appear, dancing through the darkness like fireworks. ANNA (CONT'D) Harry! Harry, look! Harry stumbles out of the outhouse, his knickers halfway down. Anna catches a firefly in her hand, whispers into her hand and lets the bug fly away. ANNA (CONT'D) Make a wish. Harry chases after fireflies, catches one. He whispers, but won't let it go. HARRY I wanna keep it. ANNA You can't Harry. When it flies away, it takes your wish with it. She points to the sky, filled with stars. ANNA (CONT'D) See, up there. When you make your wish, they fly up to the sky, and when it starts to shine, your wish comes true. STAY ON FIREFLIES AND THE STARRY SKY. ANNA (v.O.) (CONT'D) I learned to watch what I wished for after that, because my father did stop working in the mines. They closed down on strike. Helena (v.O.) 00020000041C00015FB6416,Yeah, yeah, we already told her about the culm hole and the moonshine. Get to the part when the strike was over and they went back to the mines again. How we survived. ANNA (v.O.) Don't boss me Waconic, you were always telling me what to do. So anyway, I remember it like it was yesterday... BACK TO: INT. CORNER BARROOM - night There is a weight upon the miners, a worry on their faces that age them. Still they drink. A young man busts through the doors. YOUNG MAN The strike is over! The mines are open again! The miners holler and cheer, throw their caps in the air, toast each other. Wassil lifts a whiskey barrel with only his two index fingers. All the miners watch this incredible feat of physical strength. The mass of muscles on his arms and across his chest bulge under the strain. Lifted, he quickly lets the barrel drop from his fingers with a thud and cheers go around. He has a shot of whiskey on the bar waiting for him. Olek, sitting at the bar with Thomas, is drunk, and cocky. OLEK That's a fine job for a monkey. 00020000041D000163CC417,The men turn at this duel and Wassil backs away from the barrel in offering. Olek shoos the rest of the men back so that he has a cleared area of the floor. OLEK (CONT'D) I need a little "Miner's Mary" if you would fellas. The miners begin to sing a folk song and clap out a fast rhythm. Olek climbs on top of the barrel and performs a physical feat of squats and kicks, an athletic ballet. This has started a good humored riot, and Wassil in retaliation performs his own kicks and jumps to the cheer of the crowd. Wassil and Olek stand at either end of the bar, performing even more feats of physical strength in dance. It builds to a crescendo, then exhausted and dead drunk, Olek just totters right off the bar, crashing below. INT. KITCHEN - night Natachka hangs Olek's clothes behind the stove to dry when the door opens to reveal a bleeding and semi-conscious Olek propped up in the arms of Thomas. Natachka runs to his side with a washrag for his bleeding forehead. NATACHKA Good Lord, what has happened? Were you down the coal hole? 00020000043C000167E3436,ThOMAS The strike is over! He sits Olek down and makes a quick getaway. OLEk (slurring) I did it for you, my little pysanky. Natachka grabs the cast iron skillet from the coal stove, brandishing it as if to strike Olek. NATACHKA Out! Out of my kitchen. You want to play, go back to the bar. Olek continues his babbling of his love, tries to get affectionate with her. She fights against her own laughter at his silliness, but still banishes him from the house with the threat of the skillet. EXT. HOUSE - night Olek lies, sacked out on the front porch, mumbling. Olek My sweetheart's the mule in the mines--I drive her without any lines--On the dasher I sit And I chaw and I spit All over my sweetheart's behind. EXT. PORCH - dawn Olek is asleep. Natachka opens the front door, a clothes basket in her arms. Anna kneels beside her father, slips a bit of food into his pocket. ANNA (whispered) For lunch Poppa. (loudly) It's time for work Poppa. NATACHKA Tell your father that the next time he scares me half to death, he's going to have a lot more than a bump on his head. 00020000044200016C1943C,Natachka exits to the yard, turns for Anna to follow her. NATACHKA (CONT'D) Anna, come. Anna, torn between the two, knows it is her duty to join her mother. EXT. COAL MINES - moRNING The men pile themselves into the shaft elevator, ready for their descent underground. MINER Did ya make it home alright Wassil? wasSIL No, the missus locked me out, made me sleep in the yard. OLEK Did she now? Gotta show her who's got the upper hand in things. Isn't that right Tommy? THOMAS May God strike me if it ain't the truth. WaSSIL Really? Then where's your pail today Olek? Olek doesn't have the customary tin lunch pail tied to his belt. OLEK Real men don't need to eat! The miners share in a good laugh, but become stilled as the elevator starts its descent. EXT. RIVER - day Wash day. The women scrub clothes on graters on the bank, while the girls rinse them in the river. Their skirts are hitched up as they wade ankle deep. natachka Drunk as a skunk he was! And for the first day back to work! Charda I'm going to buy one of those new hats, with real silk flowers around the brim! 0002000004350001705542F,natachka Oh, Charda, he's going back to the coal mines, not the gold mines! GERTIE Ruthie, how's Al? Will he keep his arm? RUTHie The doctor said nothing can be done, but he won't be in the mines now. I thank the Lord for that, he is my only son. On the river: A sock floats by, then another, then a petticoat, than a dress. Clara is stripped to her 'King Midas' knickers, tossing in her clothing piece by piece. Helena Clara! CLARA Look! CHARDA Clara, stop that nonsense. Natachka looks at the girls in the river, turns to the women. NATACHKA They must get wet to be washed anyways, no? The women race each other into the river, and soon mothers and daughters grab one another and dance and splash around. Someone begins to sing a folk song, and everyone joins in. INT. COAL MINES - SAME A string of miners crawl on their knees through the narrow coal vein. A tiny light shines from their canvas hats and illuminates their warm breath in the cold air. Olek prepares the dynamite while Thomas and SEVERAL OTHER MINERS pick ax and drill holes into the rock wall. 0002000003FD000174843F7,THOMAS Charda thinks the baby will come today. I will have a son tonight when I go home. OLEK Four daughters already. It is time for a son. Olek threads a fuse through a stick of dynamite and shoves it deep into the hole. Behind it, Thomas jams the hole with rags stuffed with chipped rock. THOMAS Ready. They light the fuse. EXT. RIVER The women and girls singing, dancing. Suddenly, Charda doubles over with labor pains. The women rush to her side, help bring her to the river bank. INT. MINES OLEK Thomas! The plug! The rock and rag plug slips loose. Thomas hurriedly tries to restuff the rag with a rod, but it is too late and the force of the dynamite shoots out the plug and the rocks pepper Thomas' face with great force. The explosion sends him flying backwards. The men rush to his limp body. The foreman comes over to assess the damage. foreman Give the poor devil some air. EXT. RIVER Charda lies on the bank of the river, the women shouting advice as she pushes. Natachka holds her hand. 0002000004380001787B432,NaTACHKA Push Charda, push and deliver us a boy. INT. MINES Thomas writhes in pain, hands covering his eyes as blood trickles between his fingers. THOMAS I can't see. Olek! Olek! Olek I'm here. Olek grabs his whiskey flask and pours whiskey over Thomas's face. Thomas wrenches with pain. Other miners have stopped their work in concern, but the foreman reprimands them. foreman Unless he's dead, I better see work. Olek helps lift Thomas onto the back of the mule to be hauled out of the mine. He goes with Thomas. foreman (CONT'D) No pay today for you Olek. THOMAS Olek, go. You have children to feed. Olek grabs onto his friend's hand, squeezes it. EXT. RIVER Charda clutches Natachka's hand. Pushing. INT. MINES The miners solemnly carry on drilling and pickaxing. Another round of dynamite is placed in the walls. EXT. RIVER With a final exhaustive push, Charda delivers. a newborn baby cries out. INT. MINES The explosion breaks a wall, a torrent of water rushes in and floods the corridor, picking up men and equipment like twigs and carrying them away. 0002000003FC00017CAD3F6,EXT. RIVER The clothes, floating in the calm water, are swept away by the force of the current. The mine siren blows and the women freeze in terror. Charda cradles her newborn to her breast. A son. EXT. STREET - daY A horse cart delivers the deceased men. Wrapped in cloth, the bodies are piled one atop the other. The women and children wait in the streets, blessing themselves in hopes the cart passes their homes. INT. KITCHEN - DAY Natachka stands at the stove, Anna watches out the window. NATACHKA I said get here and peel those potatoes. Now! Anna obediently obeys. A knock at the door. Natachka slowly wipes her hands on her apron before opening the door to see two men. MEN (tipping their hats) Good day Widow Bubonyzch. At her feet is the body of Olek, wrapped in a simple sheet. Anna cries out, runs to the body, but Natachka stops her. NATACHKA Clear the table. INT. KITCHEN Olek is laid out on the table, surrounded by candles and his children. The door is open to reveal the scene outside: 00020000041F000180A3419,EXT. TOWN Outside a funeral procession sings a heart wrenching dirge. The townsfolk sing in prayer as they enter each house, blessing the dead. INT. KITCHEn The townsfolk stop in front of Natachka's house and retrieve Olek. Natachka is stoic, and all the children are obediently silent. EXT. TOWN Eleven coffins are carried upon the shoulders of the remaining men, followed by townsfolk and the priest. A cloud of incense swells as the priest swings the holder, blessing the ceremony. INT. KITCHEN - night Anna, dressed in her father's mining clothes, is curdled up by the coal stove. His worn boots swallow her feet, his overalls engulf her body. Natachka enters the kitchen, adds more coal to the coal stove and lays a blanket upon her daughter before extinguishing the oil lamp. INT. KITCHEN - mORNING Natachka wakes Anna and pulls Olek's clothes from her. Anna is difficult. NATACHKA Enough! There is work to be done. Anna removes her father's clothes. Natachka hands them to Metro. The boots are too large, he pulls the laces tight. 000200000419000184BC413,NATACHKA (CONT'D) The lunch pail. Anna reaches up to the shelf where her father's lunch pail sits. She will not let go of it, but Natachka pries it from her hands, packs it and gives it to Metro. NaTACHKA (CONT'D) You are the man of the house now. Metro nods. She places her husband's mining cap upon her son's too small head. Metro gravely goes out the door to join the men up the hill. EXT. CHARDA AND THOMAS' HOUSE - DAWN Charda stands outside in the street with her four girls and baby boy. Mr. Chanuck oversees their eviction from his post on his carriage. His cronies remove all the family belongings from the home and place them out onto the street. CHARDA My man isn't even cold and you turn his children to the street? The men continue to clear out the home, ashamed to look at her face. Natachka barrels out of her house, confronting the men. NATACHKA There is no shame here! Stanislawa, how dare you. Stanislawa It has been ordered. There is no son to take the place of the husband. Charda lunges at him, Natachka stops her. 00020000040F000188CF409,CHARDA And you want to take a son too so that he may die. You killed him and now you will see us starve! Natachka helps Charda and the girls pick up their belongings and take them into Natachka's house. Anna, rock in hand, sails it right at Mr. Chanuck's head. It knocks his hat off, and Anna takes off running into the house. INT. HOUSE - niGHT All the children lay in one bed, cramped in the small room. Natachka dutifully tucks them all in before putting out the light and climbing into the second bed with Charda and her newborn. Helena and Anna are huddled together... END FLASHBACK. Int. AnNA'S bed, present day Anna and Helena, both in bed, lean on each other like they did as girls. AnNA I wish I killed that bastard. Helena Your aim was never very good. ANNA I could have if I wanted to. Nomie sits in the chair, eyes red from crying. The two stop bickering just long enough to console her. HELENA Honey, are you ok? NOMIE It's just so sad. HELENA Sad? I'll tell you sad. Wait till you hear what happened after-- 00020000041700018CD8411,AnNA Ah, stop showing off Waconic, no one wants to hear about that. HELENA Showing off? Please, if anyone was a show off I say look no further! Anna shakes her fist at Helena. Helena moves further away from her. HeLENA (CONT'D) You want to hit me Anna, you're going to have to come and get me. AnNA Don't think I won't Waconic. Anna looks at Nomie and Helena. Nomie puts the walker in front of Anna, holds her hand out. Anna grabs onto it. MONTAGE: SCENES OF NOMIE and HELENA HELPING ANNA --Helena and Nomie each have a side of Anna, helping guide her down the hallway as she struggles on her walker. --The physical therapy room, Nomie steadying her while she walks on the walking bars. --Nomie and Helena cheer Anna on while she takes a few tentative steps with her walker. Buddy yaps along beside her. Int. ComMUNITY ROOM - day Bill and Iryna snuggle on the couch. Nomie and Helena stand at the doorway like sentrys, demanding attention. NOMIE And now, making her first solo appearance since she tried to escape...drumroll please. 000200000397000190E9391,Helena makes a drumroll sound. NoMIE (CONT'D) Anastasia Bubonyzch! Anna makes her way across the room with the help of a cane. It's slow going, but the smile on her face could light up a blackout. Everyone gives her a big round of applause. EXT. FESTIVAL PICNIC--NIGHT A banner reads: "88TH ANNUAL SAINT STANISLAUS CHURCH BAZAAR" The entire town is out for the greatest tradition of them all: the annual church picnic. It's about bleenies and beer, pierogies and polkas. A rock band plays on stage as old and young mingle together. Cab is the charismatic lead singer. Nomie grooves a little to the music, eyes trained on Cab. He notices her, she shyly looks away. Helena and Anna drink hi-balls from plastic cups. ANNA What's with this racket? Helena (sneaking cup to Nomie) Here, a little nip never hurt anyone. Iryna and Bill disco to rock music on the dance floor. Helena scoffs at them bumping hips. 0002000003D50001947A3CF,HELENA (CONT'D) Ugh, two lovebirds. Save it for the bedroom will ya? NOMIE Were you ever married Helena? HELENA Sure I was doll, a right bastard too. God did me a favor when he took him. Forty-four years with him, bless his soul. Cab replaces his guitar with an accordion. CAB Alright, we're going to Ashland tempo here and get some of our old favorites out here on the dance floor. They strike up a polka. Helena Now that's what I like to hear! Helena grabs Nomie's arm, pulls her out to the dance floor. Before Nomie can protest, Helena's twirling her around. NOMIE I don't think I'm any good at this, I can't dance. Helena Nonsense. Don't try, just do. And off they go, smiling and laughing as Helena drags Nomie around. By the end of the song, Helena is out of breath and a little wobbly. She has to stop. NOMIE Are you ok? Helena Oh, yeah, heart's not as young as it used to be. Gotta take it easy. I'm eighty-nine years old ya know? Time for another hi-ball. 00020000050D00019849507,Helena exits, Cab enters. CAB Nice Chardash. (off Nomie's confused look) The Chardash. It was the dance you just did. NOMIE Oh. Cab looks at the gang getting tipsy by the bar. CAB Those your friends? NOMIE Yeah. Yeah, they are. Kinda dorky huh? CAB Looks like a cool crowd. Hey, there's a get together afterwards at the stripping hole. You interested? NOMIE Do I have to take my clothes of? CAB The stripping hole, it's just a hangout place. You can keep your clothes on, but only if you want. NOMIE Yeah, sure, Ok. EXT. festival - LATER Nomie watches Cab on stage. BILL He's got the eyes for you. Hey, don't look so shocked. Just cause we're old doesn't mean-- He jabs her with his elbow and winks. BILL (CONT'D) Know what I mean. Trust me, I know that look. He turns his attention over to Iryna who dances with Helena. BILL (CONT'D) Look at her, as beautiful as the day I fell in love with her. She didn't grow up here, came after the Bolshevik famine. Nothing but skin and bones, look at the curves on her now. Iryna bounces up, laughing. She falls into Bill's arms. IRYNA Come on, it's the funky chicken! EXT. STRIPPING HOLE - NIGHT A small bonfire lights up the hideout of an old coal stripping hole. A group of Cab's friends hang out, drink beer, smoke some weed. 00020000046600019D50460,NOMIE You know what would be good right now? A big huckleberry pie. scott What the hell's a huckleberry? Scott passes the joint to Cab. He doesn't smoke it, passes it to Nomie. She pauses, decides to pass too. JENN They're like a blueberry, right? My grandmother told me about them. NOMIE They used to pick them all day and sell them for a nickel a bucket. Can you imagine working all day, and you'd only get a nickel at the end of the week for an ice cream. Everyone is looking at her, but with total acceptance and happiness. No angry judgement here. scott You are so high! NOMIE It's true. They were hard days. CAB They thrive on these burnt out mountains. Come on, let's pick some huckleberries. EXT. STRIPPING HOLE SOUNDS of kids bumping in the night in their search for huckleberries. scott Ow, shit! Watch out. JeNN I can't find any. Cab lights a lighter and bends down to a bush filled with small blue berries. He waves Nomie over. She crouches beside him. CAB Here, like this. Plump berries hang off the end of the branches. There' a sweet tension between the two as if they are going to kiss. 00020000037C0001A1B0376,The moment is broken by the wailing SIREN of a police car, and a sweeping SEARCH LIGHT. scott (O.S.) Shit, it's the cops. A stampede of bodies through the bushes, off in a run. Nomie freezes, unsure of what to do. Cab pulls her farther into the bushes, they crouch down, hiding. NOMIE I can't get in trouble! CAB Shh...Don't run. They'll think we've gone. The voices become more distant as the cops chase the others across the stripping hole. Nomie breathes heavily, waiting. All around them is the sound of cicadas and the flashes of fireflies as their faces come into focus in the moonlight. They kiss. Nomie captures a lightening bug in her hand, whispers, then sets him free. INT. BLUE MOUNTAIN ASSISTED LIVING HOME - MAGIC HOUR An ambulance pulls away, its red lights flashing. Gladys waits in the lobby. NomIE What happened? GlADYS It's Anna. She took another stroke. 00020000064B0001A526645,NOMIE Oh my God. Is she going to be ok? I want to go. Can we go see her? GlADYS She's in surgery. It's in God's hands now. INT. HOSPITAL - day The nurse cares for an unconscious Anna. A ventilator breaths for her, an IV drip feeds her. NuRSE Does she have any family? The nurse looks to Gladys and Nomie. NURSE (CONT'D) You might want to call her priest to perform last rites. NOMIE No. Gladys goes to comfort her, but she pulls away. gladyS Honey, she's 92 years old, she had a good life. It's her time. NoMIE No. You don't know her like I do. It's not her time, she's not ready yet. She's not. Ext. Anna's home - day Nomie and Gladys stand in the middle of Anna's home. Liquor bottles and beer cans are piled on the floor, the couch is marred by cigarette burns, and the old radio has been smashed to pieces. NOMIE All she ever wanted was to come home. Maybe we could clean it up. GLADYS It wouldn't do any good honey. The city condemned it. The wiring is so old it could set fire to the place any second. The hot water has been broken for years, the only heat is from the coal radiators. It's not fit for living. Nomie How could she live that way for so long? GlaDYS Sometime you just have to make due. She'd been doing that all of her life, but time just caught up with her. NOMIE It's not right. INT. HOSPITAL - day Anna's photographs sit on the nightstand. Pysanky hang from the ceiling, spinning from strings. Nomie is in the corner, creating more pysanky. Anna wakes, surprised and filled with glee at all the pretty things. Anna, with shaky hands, reaches out for the eggs. 0002000006E60001AB6B6E0,NOMIE Pysanky Anna, remember? Be careful, it's very delicate. See, the colors, the shapes, they all mean something. Like yellow means courage and friendship, red passion and love. Anna is studying the egg carefully. NOMIE (CONT'D) And see here, this is a chicken for luck, and this is a star for hope. But there doesn't seem to be much hope for Anna. Int. Hospital - day Nomie's sleeping in the chair, beside Anna. A knock at the window stirs her awake. It's Cab. Cab They told me you were here. How's she doing? NoMIE She doesn't deserve to die like this. Nomie breaks down and cries, allows herself to be hugged and consoled by Cab. Int. Iryna and bill's room - day Nomie looks at all the family pictures: children, grandchildren, great grandchildren. A long, happy life. Nomie Wow? Are these all yours? IrYNA Bill had a little something to do with it too. Iryna comes from the bathroom, rubber gloves on hands, carrying bowls and dye bottles. NOMIE Iryna, what's love like? IRYNA Love is a strange emotion. It's like that smile on your face. Yeah, just like that. You're not quite sure why it's there, you just can't help it. NOMIE How do you know if it's for real? You know, if they like you to? IRYNA Love gives you hope. Love is love, there's no explaining it. Just enjoy it. (beat) Thanks for helping me out with this, they're charging twenty-five bucks at the beauty parlor now. Figured I could do it myself. NOMIE Sure. I do it myself too. IRYNA You've got such a pretty face, why do you hide it underneath all that? Nomie looks at herself in the mirror, at her piercings, her rainbow dyed hair. NOMIE Really, do you think I'm pretty? IRYNA As a peach sweetheart. You just don't let anyone see it. Your father would be so proud. 00020000035E0001B24B358,Nomie turns sad, hugs Iryna tightly. NOMIE I'm really going to miss you. IRYNA Oh, honey, this doesn't have to be goodbye. Now that your community service is over you are free to do what you want. Maybe you'll come visit us once in a while, huh? Hey. Let's do you too. Sometimes a Ashland does you good. Int. NOMIE'S hoME, kitchen - day Penny's got the whole house decorated, a 'Welcome Home' banner stretched across the kitchen. Nomie's returned home a changed girl, piercings are out and her hair is only one color, the same firery shade as Iryna. penny Wow, look at you. Honey, you're beautiful. Penny pulls a bottle of champagne from the fridge. NOMIE I thought you stopped drinking? PENNY This isn't a drink. This is a celebration! Things are going to be different, I promise. Penny throws her champagne back, pours herself another glass. 0002000004BF0001B5A34B9,PENNY (CONT'D) Two months, cross my heart. Lyle left, for good this time. That deserves a toast! Nomie agrees and clinks her glass against Penny's. PENNY (CONT'D) I want to start fresh, put all this behind us. We'll sell the house, go to Florida. Just like we've always talked about. NOMIE But I don't want to leave. Anna's in the hospital. PENNY What are you, Florence Nightengale? What about me, I'm your mother, I need you. You're my flesh, my blood. Nothing can Ashland that. We're gonna start a whole new life. You and me against the world, just like old times. Come on, Florida! NOMIE Can we go to Miami? Ext. Cemetery - day A blackened, algae covered marble statue is being scrubbed by Nomie and Helena. HeLENA She's got no more fight left in her, it'll be a few weeks at most. Nomie pours water over the head, the grime washes away to reveal an angelic face. HeLENA (CONT'D) She's beautiful. You gave her the best gift ever. Reveal a half-sized marble statue of the Virgin Mary, cleaned to her original grandeur. She guards the grave site of 'Bubonyzch'. Headstones indicate the family members: Olek, Natachka, Metro, Harry. And their children too. NOMIE Why didn't Anna have kids Helena? 0002000003440001BA5C33E,HELENA Come on. I want to show you something. Helena takes her to a small headstone, a child's grave marked by a marble lamb statue. HeLENA (CONT'D) Mikel. He was the love of her life, but God decided to take him back. It was an accident, but she blamed herself. He loved that airplane, loved it so much seemed nothing else in the world mattered. Never saw that car coming--She couldn't have any more children after that. (beat) She loves you like her own Nomie. Helena bows her head at Mikel's grave and says a prayer. Nomie peers across the rolling green hill dotted with headstones. She looks around at all the names, the history that lies forgotten beneath the ground. yaschenchak. Federovich. SYNCAVAGE. MINARCHICK. She bends down to pick a smattering of wildflowers and starts walking, tentative, but purposeful. 00020000050F0001BD9A509,She stops in front of a modern grave stone, cautiously places the flowers on the stone. CHUKUNSKI. ROBERT. Husband and Father. Iraq War Veteran, Air Force. 1967-2005 NomIE Hi Dad. INT. HOSPITAL room - day Nomie and Gladys sit with Anna. Penny knocks on the door. NOMIE Mom! Come in, this is Anna. PENNY I don't like hospitals, can we talk out here? PENNY (CONT'D) Florida here we come! Say goodbye and meet us in the parking lot. NOMIE What? I can't leave now. Did you sell the house? PENNY We're just gonna leave it. It'll be impossible to sell, no one wants to live here anymore. NOMIE What about our things? PENNY We're starting fresh right? Who needs to drag around a bunch of memories? Florida, sunshine, no more snow! NOMIE You're drunk. PENNY No, just one, just a little one. NOMIE I can't believe it. PENNY Come on, we don't have time to waste. We gotta get there before hurricane season. Lyle's cousin has a trailer but we have to move it inland before the storms hit. NOMIE Lyle? Nomie gets defensive and pulls away. NOMIE (CONT'D) God, don't you get it? Lyle is what we should be running from! PENNY So he gets a little grabby at times, he's just playing. NOMIE No, he's not. And neither am I. Penny Don't pull this shit on me, we're going! NOW! NOMIE 0002000007510001C2A374B,You can't make me. Penny grabs her by the arm, squeezes hard and tries to pull her away. PENNY Oh yes I can tootsie. You're under 18, and I'm still your mother so you have to do what I say, and I say get your ass downstairs right now, cause we're going to Florida! Gladys puts herself between the two of them, hands Nomie some papers. GlADYS Nomie, all you have to do is sign these papers and you become a legal adult, fully emancipated from your mother's custody. I've already talked it over with Mr. Kindall. You can continue to stay at Blue Mountain, get paid a decent salary for the job you're doing. You don't have to go anywhere you don't want to. You've got a home right here, with us. PENNY Who the hell do you think you are? She's my daughter, get your own goddamned kid, you can't have mine. Nomie looks between the two, then looks to Anna. NOMIE I love you Mom, but I won't do this anymore. GLADYS If you don't mind, our friend needs us. Int. Tax collectors office - day Nomie pulls out the wad of cash from her backpack. The tax collector signs the deed and hands it over to Nomie. Ext. Cab's house - day Cab's in the backyard, putting the finishing touches on the newly restored Pontiac. It shines. Cab Hey doll. NOMIE Cab, I need your help. CAB Sure, what do you need? Ext. Anna's home - day Nomie, Cab and the rest of his friends unload brooms, mops, paint buckets, and tools from the trunk of Cab's car. NOMIE I can't believe they want to help. Cab All I had to do was ask. Montage: the kids cleaning, painting, fixing. --Nomie scrubs the old coal stove, covered in soot. --Nomie, in an old apron, shakes out a dirty rug, a dust cloud blows in her face. --Nomie holds a flashlight for Cab as he works on the wiring of the wall socket. --Nomie finds an old jug of moonshine, recoils at the smell. --The kids clear out the back yard of weeds. 00020000035B0001C9EE355,--Still others repair and paint the fence. Nomie waves her paintbrush to Cab, hammering down a loose floorboard on the porch, and swipes paint across her face, laughs. Ext. vintage car graveyard - same Biggs, Greg and Molly hang out and get high on the hood of a car. They watch the activity at Anna's house, then turn back to doing nothing. Ext. Anna's home - later Nomie looks at the buckling porch, the hole in the roof. NOMIE We can't do that kind of stuff. I don't have much money left, what are we gonna do? Peter carries a tool box. Gibby and Mary stand behind him. PeTER You guys need any help? Berkie, in her housedress, hands Nomie a check for a thousand dollars. Berkie Anna's been my neighbor all my life. She'd play the numbers for me every week. Thought it was foolish. Last week I got four numbers. Not much, but I wanted to help. 0002000005000001CD434FA,Int. Cab's torpedo - day Bill, Iryna and Helena ride with Cab. Buddy sticks his head out the window, catching wind. BILL Pretty sweet little lady you've got here. Still think about Shirley, my '39 Buick. What a body on that girl! CAB Still had the rumble seat till '39 didn't they? BILL Yessir, that's right. You know this baby's got the turbo release. First model to come out with it. CAB I've tried opening the choke, but she just won't give. BILL Son, you're moving too fast. She's got to be caressed, slowly till you hear her purr, then pull the choke- The car lurches forward with a surge of power and a roar of the engine. CAB's eyes light up. Bill (CONT'D) Yeah, that's what I'm talking about! iryna You boys and your toys. Helena spies the Byzantine church. Helena Look, the old church! They pass a block of dilapidated homes, half falling down. A mass of rubble lies where the barroom once stood. IRYNA Oh, Gadidis', my first beer! Bill kisses her. BILL And my first love! Helena breaks them apart, pulling Bill back towards the window. Helena That's got to be a Gibinich. Look at that nose. Hey, pull over. Cab stops the car in front of Peter. Bill calls out to him. BILL Hey, you, are you a Gibinich? peter Sure am. You looking for my grandfather Al? 0002000003F30001D23D3ED,BILL He still around? PETER Same place as always. Ext. Patch home - later Gibby sits on the porch, spitting tobacco. The car pulls over and Bill yells out the window. BILL Gibby! gIBBY Kaladis. Still waiting on that beer you owe me. BILL You got it! Is Tilly's still standing? gIBBY Nope, been torn down for years now. The breaker burnt down, some kids playing with matches. Insurance paid me out fifty grand! Someone bought Anna Bubonyzch's house, doing some good work there, maybe bring the neighborhood back. Ext. AnNA'S CHILDHOOD HOME - day Two delivery men carry a hospital bed in through the front door. GLADYS She's only got a few weeks Nomie, you sure you want to do this? (beat) This isn't going to be easy you know. NOMIE Who said life was easy? Cab's car pulls up, the gang get out, marvelle