The Devil All the Time (2020) - full transcript

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If you asked most people
where Knockemstiff, Ohio

or Coal Creek, West Virginia were,

they probably couldn't point 'em out
to you on a map.

But I guarantee,
they'd be there all the same.

How and why so many people
from those two piddlin' places on that map

could end up connected
has a lot to do with our story.

Some would claim it was just dumb luck,

while others might swear
it was God's intention.

But I'd say
with the way things turned out,

it was a little bit of both.

In 1957, it'd take someone
approximately ten hours



to drive from Coal Creek
to a paper mill town

in southern Ohio called Meade.

Once you got to Meade,
Knockemstiff was only a short drive away.

Four hundred or so people
lived in Knockemstiff

in 1957,

nearly all of them connected by blood
by one godforsaken calamity or another,

be it lust or necessity
or just plain ignorance.

The Russells had rented the house on top
of the Mitchell flats for nine years now.

But most of the neighbors down below
still considered them outsiders.

Hey, Dad.

You're coming with me today, boy.

Years ago,
Willard had fitted together

a weathered cross above a fallen tree

in a small clearing behind his house.



He came every morning and evening
to talk to God.

It seemed to his son that his father
fought the Devil all the time.

Now, you pray on...

what happened today.

Now, remember, be honest.

No bullshittin', he'll know.

When he prayed,

his mind would often drift back
to the war in the South Pacific

and the day that he and a couple
of other soldiers came across the body

of Gunnery Sergeant Miller Jones.

Holy shit.

Fuck.

What's it say?

Miller Jones.

Fuck!

We gotta do something.
The Japs just left him up there.

Next stop, Meade, Ohio.

- Please.
- Thank you.

Right before Willard fell in love,

the man whose seat he took
would also meet his match.

I'm so sorry. I forgot my damn keys.

Okay. Guy by the window counter.

So, what'll you be having?

Ham and cheese.

Ham and cheese.

- Okay.
- You're a little green on the job.

That obvious, huh?

My brother just got me the job, so...

Ham and cheese.

You take pictures?

In the years to come,
Carl would call Sandy "the bait,"

and she'd called him "the shooter."

Only when I find a smile
pretty enough to photograph, that is.

Both called
their victims "the models."

I'll have to think about it.

What can I get ya?

Meatloaf is the blue plate special.

Um... Just coffee and a doughnut.

Thank you.

- Looks really fine.
- No!

No!

- Get out. I told you last time.
- Come on, now.

Next time,
the cops will drag you out.

- Excuse me.
- Get out!

I'm just gonna take my break outside.

All right.

All right!

Thank you. God bless you.

Did you need anything else?

Um... No, I'm fine.

That was nice, what you did.

Some people just need a little help
once in a while.

You know what I mean?

Yep.

- Hmm.
- You back home from the war?

Nah, I'm just passing through.

On my way to West Virginia.

My people are from Coal Creek.

That's too bad.

You have a nice face.

Well...

It's nice to meet you.

It's nice to meet you, too.

Is it true
the Japs ate their own dead?

- Where'd you hear that?
- Read it in the paper.

- Lord, that's good stuff.
- Mm-hmm.

- I got three more in my kit.
- Yeah?

Yep. And I've got something else
for you, Uncle Earskell.

Now, this here is supposed to be the gun

that Hitler used to blow his brains out.

You still got
the bullshit in you, ain't you?

- You think that guy lied to me?
- Yeah.

That is a nice gift, though.

- Yeah.
- Thank you.

It's German.

That's a Luger.

Oh, come here! Oh...

Oh, Lord, I was so worried.

No...

It wasn't that bad.

It wasn't that bad, Mama.

I would ask you to get down
and thank Jesus with me,

but I can smell the liquor on your breath.

I know.

I felt the need to celebrate.

I'm in love.

What's this girl's name?

Well, I ain't never got her name.

Earskell.

You ain't got her name?

I left her a dollar tip, though.

A what?

For a cup of coffee?

Well, she won't forget that.

I know you like this waitress.

Oh, but there's a...

A girl from church I want you to meet.

I don't wanna go to church, Mama.

You get some rest.
You'll feel better in the morning.

Though he couldn't look at a cross

without thinking of Miller Jones,

he never told anyone
about the crucified Marine.

- Welcome.
- Willard.

Willard, I've asked Helen to sit with us.
Go on, Helen.

- Nice to meet you.
- Hi, how are you?

Willard just got back, Helen.

- You...
- Welcome home.

It's been four days.

Willard didn't know
that Emma had promised God

that in exchange
for bringing him home safe,

she'd make sure he married Helen Hatton.

The girl's family burned up
in a house fire

leaving the poor thing all alone.

Good gracious.

It's hot, ain't it?

- Amen.
- It's bound to get hotter.

Right now, we got two boys
from over in Topperville

- gonna lead the service today.
- All right.

And from what folks tell me,
they got a right good message.

So, let's bring 'em up.
Boys, come on up here.

- Let's make 'em feel welcome.
- Oh!

Welcome, boys. Welcome.

See that one in the wheelchair?

Drank too much strychnine or antifreeze,
or something is why he can't walk.

So good to see you. Thank you for coming.

Testing their fate, they call it.

It's going too far, the way I see it.

Thank you, Reverend.

My name is Roy Laferty,

and this here is my cousin, Theodore.

Now, the Holy Ghost is going to visit
this little church

that bears his sacred name!

Come on, Theodore!

Whoo!

What is it you're most afraid of?

Hmm?

Because if your worst fear is rats, well..

Satan'll make sure
you get your fill of them. Mm.

- That's right, tell 'em, boy.
- Brothers and sisters...

you'll see them,

eating away at you whilst you lay there

unable to lift a single finger.

And it won't ever cease.

A million years

in eternity.

Now, don't even try and figure that up.

Come on, Lord.

Ain't no human head big enough
to calculate misery like that!

Yeah?

And really, brothers and sisters,
ain't no man ever been evil enough,

- not even that Hitler fella...
- That's right.

Come up with the ways
Satan's gonna make them sinners pay

- come the Judgment Day!
- Yeah!

Yeah! Yes, that's right, my friends!

Yes, sir! Praise the Lord!

Amen.

Let me tell you something, friends.

Before I found the Holy Ghost...

I was scared plumb to death of spiders.

- Ain't that right, Theodore?
- Mm-hmm.

- Mm?
- Hmm.

I was a runt,

hiding under my mother's long skirts,

spiders crawling through my dreams...

Hm.

Laying eggs in my nightmares.

They was...

hang in their webs everywhere...

waitin'.

I had fear in me all the time,
awake or asleep, didn't matter.

Now, that's what hell is like,
brothers and sisters!

Praise the Lord.

I got no rest from them devils!

Amen!

Not until the Lord gave me strength!

Amen!

Brothers and sisters...

Whoo!

Behold!

The Lord looks out for me now!

Amen!

Mark my word, people!

The Spirit will take away your fears
if you're willing!

Them spiders,
sure was a nice touch.

I ain't gonna sleep tonight as it is.

I wish Helen left with us.

Well, she might have come with us,

if you'd paid her a little more attention.

The right man
would make a good life for Helen.

Emma was concerned
something bad might happen

if she couldn't keep her promise to God.

Helen did, in fact, meet the man
she would marry that afternoon.

Bless me, Reverend.

Bless me.

And Willard's mind was already
hundreds of miles away.

Be right there.

I ain't no rush.

- Why, if it isn't...
- I never got your name.

Charlotte,
second call on chicken over peas.

Be right back with you, hon.

See, full-time, I'm a lawyer.

Real estate isn't my business, but...

I own a few of these properties
around Meade, Knockemstiff.

Real long-term investments.

There aren't any sinks in here,
Mr. Dunlap.

Ain't no running water, missy.
There's a well out back.

What do you think, Arvin?

Though he hadn't talked to God in years,

not a single petition or word of praise

since he'd come across
the crucified Marine.

Willard could feel it
welling up inside him now,

the urge to get right with his maker

before something bad
happened to his family.

Where'd you go?

I was just looking the land over.

What you think?

It's nice.

Rent seems fair for what we get.

We keep saving,

we could probably buy it.

Wouldn't that be something?

Arvin have a home of his own.

I never did have that.

Things are good, Mama.

We found a place
in a holler called Knockemstiff.

Let's move!

Arvin just turned one,
and he has lots of grass to play on now.

We're saving money
to buy the house one day.

So things are gonna be tight for a while.

We'll get to you as soon as possible.

Your son, Willard.

P.S...

I got the urge to pray again.

"We'll get to you as soon as possible.
Your son Willard.

P.S. I got the urge to pray again."

- Sure you don't mind watching Lenora?
- Sure.

Don't mind. Hand her over here.
Where y'all going?

We just thought we'd take a ride.

Get out of that little house for a bit.

Though she didn't know it,
she'd never see Lenora again.

Seven years later, they found
Helen's body buried in the woods.

I'm thinking we take a walk.

Be fine to pray outside
and adore them trees.

Whatever you want, Roy,
but what about Theodore?

Theodore will be all right
sitting in the car.

That's right.
Don't y'all worry about me.

Maybe I oughta take me a nap.

Just be you and me, sweetheart.

In 1957,

Arvin Eugene Russell was nine years old.

He was the only kid on the school bus
who wasn't somebody's relation.

Three days before,
he'd come home with another black eye.

You're coming out back with me today, boy.

You got a deposit to make, sir?

- C'mere, Jack.
- Second time.

Those little shits keep picking on him.
It ain't right.

Them boys might be bigger than you.

But the next time
one of them starts his shit,

I want you to finish it.

You understand?

Yes, sir.

Now, you pray on what happened today.

And remember,

be honest, no bullshittin'.

He'll know.

Hell, they having
a little revival meetin'.

Shit, I'm thinking now'd be a good time
to pay his old lady a visit.

Dad?

This here's the Lord's time,
not nobody else's.

Probably in bed
keeping it warm for me.

Shut the fuck up, Lucas.

Wouldn't you take a piece of that?

Come on, you dumb son of a bitch.
This thing's getting heavy.

Despite Arvin's fears,

the two poachers
didn't head to his home that day.

Arvin, gonna go gas up.

No sense in you
napping in here like a house cat all day.

- Get off the couch, Jack.
- Can Jack come?

Mm-hmm.

- Come on, Jack.
- Hey.

Will you get me some sugar?

Hmm.

Roll up your window.

Motherfucker!

- -Oh, shit! Hey, take it easy!
- He's gonna fuckin' kill him!

Come on! Get off him!

That's enough!
You're gonna kill him!

Oh, shit!

God!

- Stubbs!
- Stubbs, get out here, man!

- Get out of here!
- Come on, give me a hand.

Get the fuck out of here!

Now you remember what I told you?

About them boys on the bus
that gave you the black eye?

That's what I meant.

Just gotta pick the right time.

Yes, sir.

There's a lot of no good
sons of bitches out there.

More than a hundred?

Yeah, at least that many.

How about I buy you a candy bar, huh?

We gotta get some sugar for Mama too.

Mm-hmm.

Arvin would often think back on this day

as the best one
he ever spent with his father.

So what kind of candy bar
you gonna get, huh?

Um... a Charleston Chew, yeah.

Mama?

Mama?

Mama?

Mama?

Dad!

Mama!

No! Charlotte!

Listen to me. Charlotte!

- What are you saying?
- The test results aren't good.

The morphine will continue
to dampen the pain but...

there's no way we can destroy that cancer.

Let's talk downstairs.

Now... them doctors
can't do your mom any good.

But He can save her.

Yeah, if we just pray hard enough.

The Lord can do anything

if you just ask him right.

Okay?

Now hold them tight.

And pray like you mean it.

Lord,

please save my wife.

Destroy this cancer inside her, Lord.

We need your help, Lord.

We need your help,
and I know you can do it.

I know you can do it.

Please Lord, please.

Pray, God dammit.

- You want your mama to die?
- No, sir.

Then pray!

Lord, please save my mama!

- Clean the cancer inside of her!
- We need your help!

Now you pray, now! You hear me?

Yes, Lord!

Save my mama, Lord!

Please clean the cancer inside of her!

And don't be crying, you hear?
Don't be crying!

Pray like you mean it! Lord!

Spare my wife!

Don't take her from me.

Don't take her from me.

Don't take her from me.

Everything's gonna be okay.

God'll hear us.

And he'll take care of Mama.

You good, honey.

We got cozy rooms in the back
if you need some company.

I'm fine.

It occurred to him
that maybe something more was expected

than just his prayers and sincerity.

God had a tendency
of asking men to make sacrifices

in order to prove their faith.

Dad, no!

Dad, no!

Dad!

Lord, this here is my boy's dog.

We loved him.

He loved him.

Now you take him!

Bring him back!

You save Charlotte!

It's gonna be all right, Arvin.

It's gonna be all right.

I'm thinking
we might take us a trip.

Go down and visit your grandma
in Coal Creek.

You can meet Uncle Earskell.

And that girl that's living with them...

She's just a little younger than you.

Maybe we'll stay for a while.

Arvin.

I wish you were here, Jack.

When Dad goes to sleep...

I'm going to bring you down
and give you a proper burial.

Just like they gave to Mama.

I'm not doing that no more, you hear me?

I ain't prayin'!

You hear me?

I said I'm not doing that no more.

You hear me?

There's money to be made
if a man of the law is careful and...

doesn't get a big head.

I wanna get out of my house, Lee.

I told you, sweetie,

it's only matter of time.

And no more parking lots.

No more Pepsi cups. Just a big ole bed.

Yeah.

People like me in this town.

- You know that, honey.
- Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

I'll get myself elected.

Get a...

- cushy place up in Brewer Heights.
- Mm-hmm.

You see them...

That was good.

- You get it all in the cup?
- Yeah.

Any cars out
around Knockemstiff? Over.

Deputy Bodecker around those parts?

We got a call from Hank over at...

- Fuck.
- Can you get over and check that out?

- Can I come with you?
- Are you crazy?

- Come on.
- Didn't you hear anything I said?

I've got an election to think about.

Well?

Better not be one of them goddamn
window peepers you keep calling about.

I wish it was.
It's about this boy's Daddy.

Well, what is it, son?

He's dead.

And they buried his poor mama today.

It's a damn shame, it is.

Is that blood on your face?

No.

Somebody left us a pie.

- He's right there.
- Jesus.

What's that smell?

God dammit, boy.

What the hell is this?

It's a prayer log.

Prayer log?

Yeah.

But it don't work too good.

Lenora?

Mama's coming, Lenora.

It's all right.

Hey, it's all right.

It's all right.

Roy!

Your dinner's ready.

I've got the Holy Ghost in me!
I'm ready to use it!

Lord!

- Speak!
- Roy?

I've been thinking...

Maybe the Lord wants you
to come out into the light.

I mean, how can you be close to God
stuck in there?

The Lord don't like dark places.

Roy?

Roy'd been bitten on the cheek
by a spider while preaching a sermon,

and his head had puffed up
as big as a pumpkin.

All right, then.

Enjoy your dinner.

In the time it took
the swelling to go down,

he'd become convinced
that the Lord was testing him

to see if he was ready
to take on something bigger.

He'd stayed in the dark closet
for a fortnight waiting on an answer.

He smelled worse
than a truck-stop shitter.

Lord, is that you?

Oh, no, I'm not scared!

I trust in you!

Glory to God!

I hear you! Yes, I am here!

Helen. Oh, it's so good to see you, honey.

- Been a while, ain't it?
- Is everything all right?

Oh, everything's fine now.

Uh, Roy finally got
himself straightened out.

Well, that's good to hear.

"P.S.
I got the urge to pray again."

- Sure you don't mind watching Lenora?
- Sure.

Don't mind. Hand her over here.
Where y'all going?

We just thought we'd take a ride.

Get out of that little house for a bit.

There you go.

Yes.

This spot looks about
as good a place as any, don't it?

Yes.

The Lord is here, sweetheart.

I can feel him.

God loves you, Helen.

Lenora...

God...

I've heard your word.

Helen...

I resurrect you...

with the grace of God in me...

I resurrect you!

Return!

God!

It is time!

Resurrect! Return!

Return, Spirit! Resurrect!

God!

Resur...

God!

Resurrect!

Come on, now!

Come on, now, res...

I could tell the police what happened.

That it was an accident.

You stabbed your wife
in the neck with a screwdriver.

Tried to bring her back from the dead
and then buried her body.

That ain't an accident, Roy.

That sounds like a crazy person
who killed his wife.

Keep driving south.

If we stay off highways,

we should be fine.

Where are we, Roy?

Roy?

Roy?

Roy?

Where about?

C-Coal Creek, West Virginia.

We'll get you close enough, son.

I'm Carl, by the way, this here's Sandy.

Huh? Ain't she somethin'?

Mister, I do appreciate this.

I don't understand
people that won't pick up strangers.

It should be a good thing,
helping someone out.

You sound like a Christian.

Carl used to teach at Sunday school.

Didn't you, babe?

That's right.

That's right.

What's your name, sweetie?

It's Roy.

Roy Laferty.

So what's in West Virginia, Roy?

Going back home to see my daughter.

Buddy, come on.

Hey, come on.

I wanna show you something.

Huh?

What?

I'm giving you a good thing here, buddy.

Come on.

Said I'm giving you
a good thing here, buddy.

I wanna get some shots of your ugly
old mug sitting next to a pretty lady.

Come on, she likes lanky old studs
like yourself. Come on.

What's going on here, mister?

Oh, come on, Jesus Christ, huh?

Pay attention. It's like I said,
you're gonna fuck my wife

and I'm gonna take some pictures,
that's all.

Your wife?

Come on.

I've never heard of such a thing.

I thought you was a good Christian...

Shut the fuck up
and get that welfare suit off, son.

- Jesus.
- Well, I've been run through the wringer!

Do you really want these hands
touching you?

Oh, come on, sweetie.

We'll just take a few pictures and then
the big dumb bastard will leave us alone.

Woman... look at me.

Do what I say, you son of a bitch.

No, I ain't.

Oh, Jesus.

Carl, maybe we should just
get out of here.

Oh, forget it. Jesus.

- I'm cold, Carl.
- I know it's cold

Roy looked up
at the clouds drifting by and wondered

if that's what death would be like,
just floating away in the air.

He preached on it for years,
but still didn't know what to expect.

Just one thing.

Yeah, what's that?

Her name is Lenora.

What the fuck you talking about?

My little girl.

Lenor...

Come on.

This was still early days for the pair,

and Carl was still working out
the particulars.

God damn...

He realized that he would have
to get more selective with his models

if he wanted to keep Sandy on board.

Get some shots off down there
while the light's still good.

Good day, ma'am.

- You Emma Russell?
- Yes.

I have some papers for you to sign
and the boy here's all yours.

Here, let me have that.

Arvin?

Here, you give me that heavy old bag.

Oh...

Oh...

Oh, sweetie,

we are so happy you're here.

This here is your...

your Uncle Earskell.

Hey, there.

This is Lenora.

Lenora is your stepsister.

Hi, Arvin.

Hi.

Here we go.

Oh, here we go.

- Happy birthday, Arvin.
- Happy birthday, honey.

- Happy birthday!
- Oh, no.

Happy birthday.

All right.

Make a wish
before that candle burns out.

It looks like a dandy cake.

- Arvin!
- All right, hang on.

Thank you.

Well...

This was your daddy's.

What's that?

That's Willard's gun he gave me.

I figure it's time to pass it on.

That's a German Luger.

Brought back from the war.

I... got no use for handguns myself.

But I figure he'd want you to have it.

It's the best present
I ever got. Thank you, Uncle Earskell.

Shotgun's what'll do you good.

Maybe, but I don't have
anything else of his, so...

thank you.

Time does pass.

Get down there.

Boys in school liked
to pick on Lenora for her pious manner

and pinched face.

You're so damn ugly, I'd need a sack
over your head just to get a hard-on.

Gene Dinwoodie,
Tommy Matson, and Orville Buckman

had managed to corner her
by the dumpster behind school.

Probably fucked your brother,
you brother fucker.

Hey!

- Come on, get him!
- Please stop! Stop!

God dammit!

- Get the fuck off me!
- Stop it!

Get off of me! Fuck!

Arvin loved her like his own sister.

- Sister fucker.
- He would do anything to protect her.

No matter what the weather was,

Lenora would visit her mother's grave
after school.

Some days
she'd even read the Bible out loud,

and imagine her mother was listening.

Though he wasn't one for praying

Arvin would often drive her
and keep her company.

Arvin?

It was a sight
you didn't end up in the hospital.

Yeah, well, there's a lot of no good
sons of bitches out there.

Well, Lord, Arvin, you've been saying that
almost since the day I met you.

You know, that's because it's true.

Maybe you should try praying for 'em then.
Would that hurt none?

You already do enough for all of us,
and where's it doing you much good, huh?

You know what would do you good?

To not be wandering behind school
by your own self, like I told you.

Fuckin' Gene Dinwoodie.

Do you ever think about...

how we ended up orphans
living in the same house?

No.

Besides, you might not even be an orphan.

As far as everybody
around here is concerned

your daddy's probably still out there
somewhere alive and kicking.

Fuck, he might even come over that hill
any day now, dancing a jig.

I hope so.

I pray every day he will.

Even if it means he did something?

I've already forgiven him.

Hm.

We could start over.

That's crazy.

No, it's not.

What about your father?

What about him?

I know what my daddy did.

Well...

forgivin' him...

if he could come back.

Well, shut your mouth. We both know
that ain't never gonna happen.

I'm sorry for bringing it up.

It's all right.

You know,
I appreciate you always coming with me.

I know you'd probably rather
be doing something else.

We're kin.
We gotta look out for each other.

Lenora! Arvin!

C'mere!

I might be gone a while.

I'll be praying for you.

In the meantime...

My sister's boy from down in Tennessee

is gonna come up and take my place.

He just graduated from one of them...

Bible colleges.

Well, I would appreciate it if you all
would try and make him feel welcome.

Tell your grandmama I'm asking folks
to bring a dish next sermon.

Of course.

What you got planned
after school, Arvin?

Cliff Baker says he can get me
on the crew laying blacktop

on the Greenbrier stretch off Route 60.

Yeah.

I'm probably just gonna do that. You?

Oh, my old man's holding me here.

Better than getting shipped off
to Vietnam I expect.

Yeah, I suppose so.

Everyone says

they like the way I do them, but I...

Well, just get him a big steak then.

You know
I can't afford anything like that.

Grandma, quit worrying about it.
He's just a preacher.

Anyway, everyone says ain't no one
doesn't like you, you know that.

So chicken livers it is.

It's nice to meet you, Reverend.

It's nice to meet you.

- Nice to meet you, Reverend.
- Nice to meet you.

Emma was known
as one of the best cooks in the county.

When people praised her food,

she always told them
that she couldn't fry an egg

until she found the Lord.

And that he was the one
that guided her hand

and made everything turn out good.

All right.

My heart's in my stomach.

That hat. You know better.

Hello there.

Pleased to meet you, Reverend.

Emma Russell.

Nice to meet you too. What you got there?

As Preston Teagardin swished the juice

from the chicken livers
around in his mouth,

he felt the stirrings
of a sermon coming on.

Blessed...

are they who hunger...

and thirst...

for righteousness.

Hope you like them, Reverend.

Preston loved
the way people listened to him

and held onto every word.

Hmm.

He was grateful
his mother decided all those years ago

that he was going to be a preacher.

He'd never win a fist fight,

but he could recite
the Book of Revelation in his sleep.

Friends...

There's no doubt...

we're all humble people gathered here.

- Amen.
- Amen.

Y'all have been awful nice to me

and I thank you from the bottom
of my heart for the welcome.

Yes.

But friends...

the poor soul...

that brung in them chicken livers
on that beat-up plate...

let's just say I'm inspired to preach
on it for a minute before we eat.

Sure...

some of us are better off than others.

And I see...

plenty of white meat and red meat

laid out on this table.

And I suspect that the folks
that carried them platters in

- eat mighty good sometimes.
- Yes, sir.

But poor people...

got to bring what they can afford.

So them organs...

is a sign to me...

telling me that I should,

as the new preacher of this church,

sacrifice myself.

So that y'all can have a share
of the good meat tonight.

And that's what I'm going to do, friends.

I'm going to eat these organs.

'Cause I model myself
on the good Lord Jesus

whenever he gives me the chance.

And today...

he's blessed me with another opportunity

- to follow in his footsteps.
- Amen.

Now, don't you worry
about that pus-gutted blowhard.

I bet he ain't got two nickels
to rub together.

I never been
so embarrassed in all my life.

I could've crawled right under the table.

- All right, I'm gonna go talk to him.
- No, Arvin.

None of that.

He sure ain't the preacher
I was hoping for.

Grandma, that ain't no preacher.
He's as bad as they got on the damn radio.

Heck, I bet he just wanted
them chicken livers all for his own self.

That's why he did that.

You see the way he was gobbling them down.

You shouldn't talk like that, Arvin.

Preacher Teagardin wouldn't be here
if the Lord hadn't sent him.

Whoo! Lenora!

Hey, chicken shit!

That preacher's a little flashy.

Are you not coming?

No, I got some things to do
before we go home.

Can't we go do them after I see Mama?

No, you go on, I'll be back.

Go on.

...stand on the verge
of a big breakthrough.

God has said in the next few years,
we stand on the verge of paradise.

But there's something wrong.

And I'm gonna tell you,
we've got to have prayer power

and spiritual power.

In south Vietnam,
soldiers fight with arms.

But now our spirit...

Who is it out there?

Lenora Laferty, Preacher Teagardin.

Girl, you been crying?

It's nothing.

I just get down sometimes...

Uh...

The kids at school, they like to tease,

and I ain't gonna have family there
come next year.

I was like you when I was your age.

Full of the Lord.

Some of them other kids just...
came down hard on me.

What did you do about it?

Well...

it was a rough time.

They was just jealous.

Envy.

Brings out the worst in people.

Especially the young ones.

I don't know
if you have anywhere you gotta be.

But, uh...

maybe we can take a drive.

There's a quiet place I found
I like to go and pray on things.

Like his father years before,

Arvin had always been careful
about picking his time.

He knew he'd stand a better chance

if he didn't try to take on
all the dirty bastards at once.

What was that?

Nothing.
It must not have got shut all the way.

Let's get them bloomers off, come on.

You... Close that door!

Goddamn better be worth it.

You piece of shit!

Stop it!

Motherfucker!

Hey, Orville, will you start it up, man?
I don't think it's the spark plugs.

Hey...

No. Hey, Gene, you want another Twinkie?

I'm all right, thank you.

Wait...

Wait! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!

Want your fuckin' Twinkie now?
Is that what you want?

No!

You touch my sister again...

I'll kill you.

Do you understand me?

Yes.

- Do you understand me?
- I'm so sorry.

Now, we can feel the Lord our here,
can't we?

It's kind of you to come all this way.

Lenora...

have you truly opened yourself
to the Lord with...

Preacher Sykes or...

any other preacher?

Once...

Reverend Sykes wept with me.

Hmm.

That's not my meaning.

Have you shown yourself

as the Lord made you?

You mean in my birthday suit? No.

- No?
- No.

To show yourself

as the Lord made his first children,

is to truly turn yourself to him...

and his witnessing of it.

Now, that's courage itself.

Meaning I take off my clothes?

Come on and pray with me.

Lord, Lenora is showing herself to you.

See her, Lord,

as you made her.

She presents herself to you now.

Give her the strength.

We are together

before the Lord.

Amen.

Amen.

Sorry I didn't come today.

It's okay.

I know there's other things
you wanna be doing probably.

So, I can come on my own from now on.

Like her mother years ago,

Lenora felt the same force
that drew Helen to Roy Laferty.

The girl imagined that she could touch
the love emanating from the preacher.

Thirty-three to Athens,
50 to Clarksville...

Seventy-nine North to Pittsburgh.

Thirty-three, 50, 79.

Thirty-three, 50, 79.

Thirty-three, 50, 79.

Fuck you, Carl!

Shit.

Shit.

It was the summer of 1965,

and the couple were getting ready for what
would be their fourteenth road trip.

Carl had decided long ago

that young, good-looking hitchhikers
were the best.

What the fuck is going on out here?

Couldn't sleep.

And you went outside for...

Thought I'd pack the limousine early.

We don't pack early, Sandy, that's a rule.

- You fucking around?
- No.

- Work?
- No.

I gotta go into town
for business tomorrow.

Think I wanna drive around
in a car full of bags?

Buying a camera ain't business.

Hmm.

I'm coming, God dammit!

- I'll break in if you don't answer.
- Jesus.

- You don't look too good.
- I was asleep.

What do you want?

Huh?

What are you looking for?

Stop tearing my damn kitchen apart.

You got any candy?

Jane got you sober again?

Going somewhere?

Not that it's any of your business,
big brother,

but I'm going on a little vacation.

North Carolina.

Why are you here, Lee?

Hmm?

I've been getting a lot of calls
from people about

girls that someone snatched
out of Tecumseh.

They even mentioned your name
a couple times.

That's horseshit.

I got another election coming up, Sandy.

Ol' Matthew's out there doing anything
he can to try to make me look bad.

Is Carl the one pimping you?
That fat son of a bitch?

No, he's working, making deliveries.

Deliveries?

For who?

Hell if I know.

But he's bringing home money
that I don't gotta ask you for.

Is it Leroy?

Get the fuck out of here, Lee.

Son of a bitch has it coming.

Just leave off the horn
until after the election, you understand?

Don't act like you do nothing wrong.

I'm the law around here, little sister.

And that makes all the difference.

Cody Hamilton,

a 20-year-old carpenter out fishing
early one morning in West Virginia.

What the fuck are you doing, Sandy?

Hey, Lee. Sandy's off.

Leroy's private space
owns up half this dump.

I'm gonna inspect those whore rooms.

Lee, ain't nothin' there.

Let me by.

Lawman.

When the man who puts extra money
in your pockets asks why you're as red

as a newborn baby,

you tell him who the whore is.

Bodecker believed
people were like dogs:

once they start digging,
they don't wanna stop.

First, it would just be
that the Sheriff had a whore for a sister,

and after that, all the bribes
and other shit that had piled up

since he'd first pinned on a badge.

And if he wasn't careful,

eventually someone would find out
about his own dealings with Leroy.

My boy, my boy.

- It's been a while.
- Yeah.

- Whatcha having, honey?
- Coffee. Ain't staying long.

You got a new toy?

It's an English firearm.

It's really rare.

It's got special bullets.

Untraceable.

Untraceable.

Sorry!

Word starts going around Sheriff's
got his eye on the girls at Tecumseh.

That's gonna cost me my money.

Me losing money
is gonna cost you your cut.

It didn't have anything to do with you.

It does now.

Bobo, you ever go and beat the shit
outta someone I made my money off?

No.

Never crossed my mind,
thinking about that.

Guy running against me
is going door-to-door

telling folk I look the other way
when it comes to Sandy.

Bobo, don't eat my scraps.

Give over the envelope.

There's debt you owe me.

What I'm gonna lose at the bar.

Horse shit.

You ain't losing nothing there.

Yeah?

And you know that
'cause you're a loaded diaper

like everyone else who works for me

or because all of Meade
knows you're dirty?

That's your weekly earnings
'til we're square.

Now, get the fuck out of my diner.

Bodecker knew
that Leroy and his errand boy Bobo

would kill him soon enough
if he made any more trouble.

He had an election to think about

and couldn't afford any liabilities.

My bar is off limits and so is
your whore sister, you understand?

Thanks for stopping.

- What's your name, sweetie?
- Private Gary Matthew Bryson.

That's a nice name.

You sound like you're at roll call.
Relax, boy.

Which of them you go by?

Gary. That was my dad's name,
so at home, I'm Gary Matthew.

Matthew?
That's from the Bible, ain't it, Carl?

Everything's from the Bible, honey.

Hell, Ol' Matthew,
he's one of the Apostles.

You probably knew your name
came out of the Bible, didn't you?

We didn't go to church much
when I was a kid.

But you've been baptized, right?

Of course.

We ain't heathens.

I just don't know much
about the Bible is all.

Good.

Lord knows where a person
who ain't saved might end up.

Hm... Right now it looks like Vietnam.

It's beautiful, isn't it?
All them trees just going up, up, up.

That's a good picture.

Sure is.

You're a nice boy, Gary.

Thanks for inviting me to lunch.

What do you say we eat, huh?

What do you want, Gary?

Uh, bologna's good.

Bologna? You want cheese?

Yes, please.

Okay.

Thank you.

Here you go, hon.

Gary?

Oh, no, thank you.

You don't drink?

I don't hold it very well.

Usually gets me in trouble.

Well, come on.

You mean to tell me
you're not gonna have a drink

with a pretty little thing like her?

Oh, what the hell.

Yeah.

Whoo! That'll wake you up.

- Here.
- No, you go on and take another one.

- Cheers.
- Cheers.

I got an idea.

Seeing as we might not
see one another again...

we oughta record this for posterity.

- You mean a picture?
- Damn right, I mean a picture.

- Sure, I'm game.
- That's the spirit.

I'll tell you what, Private.
Why don't you just...

lie down on that blanket there
on your side.

Like that?

Like that.

Now, take that bottle and hold it

like you got it on you all the time.

How's that?

- You're snoozing through Ferlin.
- I don't like this gospel shit.

You know, we did him a favor.

He was just gonna get shot up
and killed in Vietnam anyways.

God dammit.

- He wasn't nothing but another model.
- I told you I don't like this anymore.

Ain't it fair
if I hate the way some of 'em cry?

Not that you'd appreciate it,

but tears make for a good photograph.

What Sandy didn't understand

was that to his way of thinking,

this was the one true religion.

Only in the presence of death

could he feel the presence
of something like God.

No, no, no!

Please! Please! Please!

Don't you... Don't you touch
that fuckin' camera there, son.

The sick fuck.

How about we check into a motel?

Get a couple of steaks,
and relax for a day or two.

How does that sound?

Private Gary Matthew Bryson
won't be reporting to Fort Eustis.

But he ain't a coward,
he went and got himself killed.

Buried by the Mechums River
in West Virginia.

Chopped up pretty bad in a suitcase.

No, I won't speak to nobody else.

I've heard of cases

in my reading

about sin

where someone got so sick...

over some sin

they felt

they had committed that was so terrible

that they...

started imagining things.

Back, I read a story about...

people.

Poor people.

Barely

able to write...

thinking they're...

the president

or...

or a Hollywood celebrity

like Ava Gardner.

I...

I don't understand
what you're talking about.

The thing is, that's the part of it.

The book says...

it's not,

not understanding.

See, think about it.

How...

could I be

the daddy...

when all we done
is spend time with the Lord?

Late night?

Played cards
over at Elder Stubbs's garage again.

You win this time?

No, not really.

Saw Fred Dinwoodie over there.

He said his boy is just about healed up.

I still think
you could have held back a little bit.

Well, he ain't bothered Lenora since.

Him or his candy-ass buddies.

I gotta go check in on her.
She ain't been feeling too good.

You keep an eye on her for me
while we're at church.

Lenora had stopped asking Arvin
to join her at Helen's grave.

He didn't mind much.

His mind
would always drift back to Willard

and the prayer log and his poor dog Jack.

Besides, he'd gotten a job
working on the road crew

and was busy making some money.

I never missed church before.

I'm so ashamed.

You ain't got nothing to be ashamed of.

I'm sure the Lord will forgive you
for missing one Sunday.

Ol' Jesus probably had
his fair share of bad mornings.

I love you, Arvin.

How's about we, uh...

Go see your mama's grave
when you're better?

Sound all right?

The good book...

is filled with good men

and women

suffering delusions.

Eve in the garden.

Noah...

naked, drunk.

Bringing shame upon his family.

The idol
the Jews bowed before in the desert.

And even the Lord Jesus himself
was presented with delusions in the desert

that only through his faith...

and his strength...

- overcame.
- Mm-hmm.

Praise Jesus.

The Lord's delusion in the desert
was a game...

of the so-called "Devil."

And what the Lord experienced...

was a delusion
that would've kept him from saving us!

But he did not fall for it!

It is our delusions

that lead us to sin.

Striking a mother or a wife
for something that you thought they said.

Neglecting work or Sunday service,
for that matter.

Right. You said it.

Some girl...

gets a feeling for a fella
and lets him have her holy gift.

Delusions!

Blaspheming the Lord
in your mind and in your heart

for some wrong done to you
by another person.

That's true.

You're saying you don't...

remember all the things
we did in your car?

I'm saying you must be crazy.

Coming in the Lord's house
and talking all this trash.

Look, my advice to you, girl...

is you figure some way to get rid of it.

'Cause otherwise...

it's gonna be you, a whore mother,

and her little bastard child
running around,

living in that poor old woman's house
who raised you.

If nothing else, think of her.

She'll die from the shame of it all.

Come on.

Come on.

Lenora suddenly knew
she was making a mistake.

Grandma wouldn't be ashamed

and she and her baby would be okay.

Oh, my God!
Oh, my God!

No! No! No!

Grandma!

Grandma!

No, no, no!

Grandma!

Grandma!

No one would know
she wasn't a suicide

and that in the end,
she was all right with her maker.

Oh, Lord.

There's just some things
we can't understand.

But you take her into your arms.

Uh, ain't somebody...

saying prayers or...

Need to have a word with you, Arvin.

- All right, see ya, buddy.
- Yep.

See ya tomorrow.

About what?

It's, uh...

It's about Lenora.

What about her?

I came by here instead of home
so nothing's...

put on your grandmother.

"Put on"? What do you mean?

Well...

ol' Dudley, in the Coroner's...

I ain't never heard of no Dudley.

Well, he's a drunk...
but he ain't no liar.

Did you know Lenora was carrying a baby?

That's bullshit.

That son of a bitch is lying.

I tell ya...

Dudley ain't a liar.

He came to me privately
so as your family knew.

I felt he was right.

Now, I might've put my foot
in something. It...

wasn't my intentions.

You know that preacher
ain't said no words for her.

Not for people that kill themselves.

Uncle...

Arvin wanted so much
to be able to tell them goodbye,

but they would be better off
not knowing anything

if the law came looking for him.

You have to be good to Grandma.

You know that she ain't hardly been out
of her bed since the funeral?

Yeah.

Grandma needs you.

All right?

Dear Grandma...

I'm writing to you
because I cannot say goodbye to your face.

I love you and I will always remember
the things that you have done for me.

What I'm about to do,
I do because I have to,

not because I want to.

Please do not try and find me.

Love, your grandson, Arvin.

Excuse me.

Excuse me.

Preacher?

Got time for a sinner?

I've been doing wrong
and I wanna get right by the Lord.

Well, that's what I'm here for.

I've done...

lustful acts.

Yeah.

That could be a big problem.

Especially for the young people.

Go on, tell me about it.

I got me a pretty wife at home.

One that'll do pretty much anything I ask.

But I treat her real bad.

Well, when you say anything,

what do you mean?

Just what I said.

Sometimes she'll be going down
on me with...

Well, you know, her mouth.

Heck, I get so excited I start forcing it.

She ever puke on you?

They got a little trigger,
back there in their throat.

Yeah, well, that ain't my problem.

Well, what's the problem then, son?

This guy I work with
has got himself a daughter.

Real young thing,
just started high school.

One day I got this girl in my truck
and I drove her out into the sticks

and I...

had my way with her.

Did she put up a fight?

No.

But, you see, the problem is, is...

once I'd had a taste,
I just couldn't get enough.

I kept taking that girl there
any chance I got.

So I'd strip her clothes off.

But I'd make her pray
before we got started.

Why don't you take that hat off, boy.

Sometimes I'd even...

keep her panties.

Now, I'd just...

sniff 'em as she rode off on her bike.

And then I'd go home
to that whore of a wife of mine

and make her bake me a cake
like I was celebrating.

What in the hell is this?

You've been spying on me, boy?

I've been watching your every move
for the last couple weeks.

You can't get enough
of that Reaster girl, can you?

Is that how you did my Lenora too?

So...

Mrs. Russell's boy?

All right.

Don't do anything you'll regret, son.

Why don't you put the gun down and...

we can talk all about it.

Go ahead and talk.

It wasn't my fault.

And Lenora...

was just like this...

this Reaster girl.

She wouldn't let me be.

But I want you to know that I...

I pray for that girl's soul

every night.

Do you pray for her baby's soul too?

Look, I didn't have...

nothing to do with that.

She came to me...

- saying she got that way from a boy...
- Don't fuckin' lie to me!

Lies...

The lies...

The lies are hers.

She got it in her head
that I was the father.

That I was gonna take care of everything.

God dammit, boy!

Listen to me!

I ain't gonna take the blame
for no bastard child!

It would ruin me, man.

You can understand that, can't you?

Hell!

Listen to me, boy.

She was...

delusional.

She was crazy.

You see?

No, she was just lonely.

No, man.

Please, God!

Please, God!

Fuck.

Fuck!

Shit.

Shit.

He had to get away from this place

or any he ever called home.

But in this moment, he felt a sudden force

pulling in back towards Knockemstiff.

No matter what else happened,

he had to try to set right
those things about his father

that still ate at his heart.

Come on.

Fuck.

Morning, Lee.

Heya, Bobo.

Sorry to come by so early.

I was on my way to work and...

I thought I might chew your ear.

Hm.

Still thinking
about that gun you showed me.

Uh... I'm gonna scramble some eggs.
You want some?

Yeah.

I'll take coffee if you got any.

Coming up.

Leroy here?

He's upstairs.

Pistol's in the dining room.

Pretty nifty.

It's a fine piece.

Wonder if you'd consider selling me it.

Well, I just got it.

But everything's got a price, I guess.

You know,
one thing I never can get is the...

scoops and water.

Is it more water to scoops

or more scoops to water?

Jackie DeShannon here on KBWB.

Jackie first toured with The Beatles...

"Bobo, go there do this."

He goes there, does it.

He's simple.

You too.

Huh.

...at Hopkins Automotive.
And now, for the WIXY sports scoreboard.

Carl?

I see him.

Carl?

- We don't even know where he's going.
- Carl?

- Just...
- God dammit, Carl.

He's going to Ohio.

No one from home. That's your rule.

Let's just see where he's going, Sandy.

Morning.

Where you headed?

Meade, Ohio. You heard of it?

The paper-mill town, right?

Yeah, that's right.

We're passing right through it.

What you going to Meade for?

- Just visiting.
- Got family there?

No, I used to live there a long time ago.

Well, probably ain't changed much.
Little towns never do.

Where is it y'all live?

In Chesterfield.

We're headed up to Chicago, Illinois.

We like picking up strangers
along the way, don't we?

Meet new people, don't we, hon?

Sure do.

Oh, shit.

My old billy don't work like it used to.

I'm gonna have to...

Pull over and take a leak somewhere here.

Is that all right by you?

Sure.

There should be a road
somewhere up here on the right.

- Here?
- No, a little further.

Little further. Slow down.
Turn in right here.

This is good.

Right here.

Yeah, this'll work.

I won't be long.

Oh, shoot.

Damn.
That's gonna be one fine sunset.

You have to be patient with me
while I get a few shots off.

Hon, give me the key.

Don't you worry none.
We've got some hooch in the back and...

Well, Sandy's good company.

The thought of killing Carl

and taking off
with the boy in the backseat

suddenly crossed Sandy's mind.

He was young, but that didn't mean
she couldn't make it work.

Tell you what, son. Why don't you ste...

Shit!

No! Calm down, please!

I don't wanna shoot you! Put the gun down!

- I don't want to shoot.
- I'm so sorry!

Carl, you want sandals or heels?

Heels.

Serial murderers
aren't the most trusting kind.

Carl brought the additional quality
of being maniacally paranoid.

Sandy's behavior
before they left home made him uneasy,

and Carl thought it'd be better if he was
the only one with a loaded weapon.

Poor Sandy never stood a chance.

Her gun was loaded with blanks.

Jim Lacey.

New Burlington, Indiana.

Carl never photographed
a more symmetrical face.

This photo really meant something to him.

Jim had been their first.

Sheriff Bodecker,
this is Deputy Howser. Come in. Over.

Sheriff, you there?

A farmer called in a double homicide
off the 506. I need you here.

I'm sorry, Lee. This is fucked up.

What do you mean?

It's your sister and her husband.

Carl was shot twice.

Sandy once.

It looks like it was a nine millimeter.

Sandy got one shot off but...

her gun was loaded with blanks.

- Jesus Christ.
- Lee?

Give me a couple minutes here
alone with her.

She'd always been
sort of fucked up,

but Lee blamed Carl
for the way she'd gone downhill.

Regardless of all that,
she was still his baby sister.

But the sheriff couldn't help but think
of his own situation for a moment.

He thought about that photo
he found of her

and worried about what else
people might find

if he didn't get to it first.

Reverend Roy Laferty,

Durham, North Carolina.

Though the poor fucker had been
completely worthless as a model,

Carl was insistent on keeping a record

of both his successes and his failures.

Howdy.

You look like you've been traveling.

- Yeah.
- Where you headed?

There used to be a house and a barn
up on the hill over there.

Some lawyer owned it. You know it?

Sure I do.

Up in the Mitchell Flats.

Still there?

Well, I'll be damned.

You're that Russell boy, ain't you?

I just thought, seeing as I was this way,
I'd stop by and see the old place again.

Son, I hate to tell you this,
but that place burned some years ago.

They think some kids did it.

Wasn't nobody ever living there
since you and your folks.

Well, heck, I come all this way,
I may as well walk up there anyways.

Sure, just cut across Clarence's pasture.

He won't say nothing.

I never did thank you
for the night my dad died.

You were awful kind of me,

and I just want you to know
that I ain't never forgot it.

You had that pie smeared
all across your face.

Damn Bodecker thought it was blood.
Remember that?

Yeah, I remember everything
about that night.

He ain't the lawman that I expected.

Shame about his sister though.

Why? What happened?

Well, his sister and her husband
were found dead.

Not far from Meade.

You come back to see me.

We'll sit out and drink some beer.

I'll do that.

Lee.

Got a call from Sheriff Thompson
in Lewisburg, West Virginia.

Wants you to call him back
as soon as possible.

I had a man shot down here two days back.

He was a preacher.

And we're suspecting it's a boy
that used to live up around your parts.

That right?

How'd he kill the man?

A couple shots.

Pistol. Probably a Luger
that the boy's known to have.

- That's a nine millimeter, ain't it?
- That's right.

What'd you say the boy's name was?

I didn't say, but it's Arvin Russell.

Both of his parents died up around there,
as I understand it.

Father was a suicide,
and he's been living down here

with the grandmother and the uncle.

Listen, I don't think the boy's dangerous.

From what I'm hearing,
this preacher might've deserved killing.

Is this boy driving?

Could be.

He owns an ol' busted up Chevy 3100, '54.

I don't know
that it'd make it all the way up there.

At this point, he might be hitchhiking.

Dark hair, not bad looking. Quiet.

Who's gonna bury Jack?

I don't know.

I don't know
who's gonna wanna touch that thing.

Look, kid...

my daddy didn't do anything
like what your daddy did up there,

but he did up and leave me,
my mama, and my sister.

He just went off to the shoe factory
one morning and never came back.

And there was nothing to do
but forget his sorry ass.

Some people were born
just so they could be buried.

Arvin thought about the days
leading up to his mother's death,

how Willard wanted so much
for her to live.

His father
would have done anything to save her.

Fuck the blood and stink,
the heat and the insects.

Anything.

Arvin said to himself.

And suddenly he realized,
standing in his father's church,

that he'd had no other choice,

that Willard had needed to go
wherever Charlotte went.

Arvin Russell!

I know you're down there somewhere!

It's Sheriff Bodecker, son!

Got some questions to ask you!

Sorry about that!

Goddamn bird scared me.

I ain't here to hurt you!

And I know that you don't wanna hurt me!

Come on out so we can have us a talk!

Okay.

I figured this might be where you'd come.

Remember that night
you brought me up here?

That was an awful thing your daddy did.

God dammit, boy, don't...
Don't fuck with me!

Put the gun down, Sheriff!
I got one pointed right at you!

Can't do that, son!

Just set it on the ground and step away!

What?

Just set it on the ground and step away!

So you can kill me like you did my sister
and that preacher down in West Virginia?!

I'm not a bad person, Sheriff.

That preacher weren't no good!

He hurt my sister so bad
she killed herself, Sheriff!

I had no choice!

I hate to be the one to tell you this,
Sheriff, but your sister...

and her husband,
they weren't no good neither!

I got a snapshot in my pocket here
of her hugging on some dead guy.

You let loose that gun
and I'll show it to you!

I had no choice.

They were gonna kill me, I swear.

I begged her to put the gun down.

I'm sorry.

Though it seemed to Arvin
as if hours went by

while he listened
to the Sheriff fight to stay alive,

it actually took the man
only a few minutes to die.

Thank you, mister.

I didn't think
anybody was gonna pick me up.

Looks like you had a rough day.

Yeah.

Uh, where you headed?

I ain't figured that out yet.
Where you headed?

Cincinnati.

- All right.
- That okay for you?

Uh...

Yeah, I've been meaning
to get up that way.

... to make known
his final decision

to significantly increase

the number of US troops
deployed to south Vietnam.

He explained the reason for his actions
in these historic words.

We intend to convince the communists

that we cannot be defeated

by force of arms

or by superior power.

They're not easily convinced.

Arvin didn't want
to fall asleep sitting next to a stranger,

and as he fought hard to stay awake,

his mind began taking him places.

He started to think maybe the law
would recognize he had done good.

Maybe he'd be forgiven.

Maybe he'd even be able to see Grandma
and Uncle Earskell again.

Or maybe that was too risky.

What happened?

But still...

maybe he'd meet a girl,
start a family like his daddy did.

As the thoughts came, he wasn't sure
if he was going backwards or forwards.

He knew wherever this was,

it felt nicer than Knockemstiff.

No fighting or screaming or pain.

Then the thought of enlisting
got into his brain.

And he wasn't sure if he was thinking
about himself or Willard anymore.

He didn't want
to end up in a war like his father.

But he was good at fighting.

Maybe that's where he belonged.

Grandma would tell him to pray on it,
and he'd laugh at her.

But maybe she knew something he didn't.

Right now, he needed sleep

and just felt lucky
someone was giving him a ride.