Confederate Ghosts
story by
Robert Sherwin
&
Christopher Williams
written by
Robert Sherwin
Robert Sherwin
21 Kent Place
Cos Cob, CT 06897 [email protected]
203.285.5638
November 1, 2025
FADE IN:
Title card:
Wainwright Plantation, South Carolina, Spring, 1862
In the middle of a raging storm...
...a young black man, LEWIS, 17, crouches under a shack,
ragged clothes soaked, clutching a sack, eyes darting
nervously.
A TAP above him. Lewis ducks as a horse patrol SLOSHES past.
EXT. ROW OF SHACKS - NIGHT
Six shacks on wobbly brick pylons. Pummeled by torrential
rain. THUNDER and lightning.
INT. SHACK - NIGHT
A steady DRIP splashes into a metal bucket.
SADIE, 40, an enslaved woman, sits at a bare table, mending
a garment by candlelight.
Nearby, her daughter NELLI, 12, tops beans from a large pile.
The task is repetitive—almost soothing.
Nelli glances at Sadie, fear rising in her eyes. Sadie stays
focused, needle moving with quiet precision.
Rain pelts the window. Thunder RUMBLES, closer now.
Sadie lifts the candle, walks to the window.
Peers into the night, scanning both directions.
Lightning FLASHES—illuminating worry etched across her face.
SADIE
Follow the moss, Lewis.
She BLOWS OUT the candle.
Beneath the floorboards, Lewis waits, tense and still.
A double TAP from above.
He scrambles out. Bolts for the woods.
EXT. WOODS - NIGHT
Lewis silhouette flickers in the storm.
He SLAMS into a branch and hits the ground.
Motionless, then—
Struggles to his feet, confused. Approaching HOUNDS.
Keyboard TAPPING...
Genres:
["Drama","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
2 -
Night Tensions
INT. JAY'S MOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
JAY WILLIAMS, late-30s, African-American, in reading glasses,
hunched over a laptop, typing.
SADIE (V.O.)
May the good lord be with you, Lewis.
INT. ANNIE'S MOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
ANNIE PERKINS, late-20s, guarded but alert.
Closes the drapes, flips the deadbolt, kills the bedside
lamp.
Rummages through a backpack, sets a folded hoodie on the
nightstand.
Slips into bed, fully clothed.
Headlights bleed through the curtains.
She sits up, wide-eyed.
Unwraps the hoodie, clutches a pistol, motionless.
FOOTSTEPS outside her door. FADE.
She exhales.
INT. JAY'S MOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
Jay squints at the bluish screen, taps the keyboard.
He leans back, shoulders slump, sips water.
SLAMCUT:
He opens the door, peers into the darkness. SPRING PEEPERS,
hypnotic.
Something stirs at the treeline. Jay flinches, stares.
The peepers SWELL into—
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
3 -
Dawn Observations and Motel Frustrations
EXT. EDGE OF WOODS – DAWN
LEWIS emerges from the thick fog.
A SYMPHONY of cicadas and morning songbirds.
He crouches behind a rock, eyes locked on a distant house.
The cellar door CREAKS open. A shadowy FIGURE appears, gently
swinging a hurricane lamp.
Lewis's eyes brighten.
EXT. MOTEL PARKING LOT - MORNING
Bright sunlight.
Jay emerges, carrying his duffel, shading his eyes.
He pops the trunk, tosses in the bag, leaves it open.
Leans against the car, scrolls his phone.
LOCALS speed past in rusty trucks and weather-beaten sedans.
A pesky wasp BUZZES Jay. He swats. BUZZES closer. He swats,
again.
FLASHCUT — Lewis's feet racing through the night woods.
The wasp stings Jay's hand.
JAY
Son of a-!
A pickup ROARS past.
A crude, hand-painted gun shop door sign and Confederate
flag decal fill the frame.
He straightens, eyes riveted, rubs his knuckles.
Behind him, Annie steps out, backpack slung, phone to ear.
ANNIE
I understand.
(beat)
Yes. Thank you.
She manages a brittle smile toward Jay.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
4 -
Journey Through Tension
INT. CAR - DAY
Annie, turned away, SNAPS out her SIM card. Jay notices in
the mirror.
She pockets it, then glances over at him, forced smile.
JAY
Jack recommends a diner about thirty
minutes out.
ANNIE
(wipes her eye)
Okay.
EXT./INT. CAR - DAY
Jay’s car WHOOSHES down a state highway.
Cotton fields sweep past, sun glinting off white bolls.
Annie turns to Jay.
ANNIE
I plan to pay half the expenses.
Jay looks over, curious.
JAY
No need. Jack's on it.
ANNIE
Nice agent.
(blinks)
Did he say anything—
(Jay looks over)
ANNIE (CONT'D)
About me?
They briefly lock eyes.
JAY
He never mentioned you.
(Annie's jaw tightens)
What's your thesis about?
She shifts in her seat, keeps glancing over.
ANNIE
Early Reconstruction.
(beat)
The messy part.
He scoffs, nods.
EXT. TWO-LANE HIGHWAY, SOUTH CAROLINA - DAY
The two-lane highway stretches into the foothills.
Jay's car approach a four-way stop. Signs read:
Piedmont Region, next left. Columbia—right at stop sign.
EXT. /INT. CAR - DAY
They enter South Carolina's hilly Piedmont region—foothills
of the Blue Ridge.
The two-lane road is narrower. Follows a winding river.
They pass a gun-shop and firing range. Staccato POPS echo
in the hollows.
ANNIE (O.S.)
Hard to believe—my ancestor owned a
munitions factory near here.
INT. CAR - DAY
Jay glances at her.
JAY
Muskets?
ANNIE
And bullets.
He raises his brow, ambivalent.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
Sold it right before the war.
Jay's eyes narrow as he navigates the turn.
JAY
Bad timing?
Annie smirks, pained.
JAY (CONT'D)
Or good conscience?
Their eyes meet briefly.
ANNIE
Family legend claims the latter.
(waves index finger)
And I will research it someday.
EXT. RURAL DINER - PARKING LOT - DAY
Jay's car crunches into the dirt lot.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
5 -
The Recruiter's Invitation
INT. PICKUP TRUCK - DAY
A MYSTERY MAN lights a cigarette.
Weathered hands. Long nails. Silver bracelets. Skull ring.
A rattlesnake wrist tattoo coils around "SEVEN-1."
His eyes narrow as he tracks Jay and Annie.
He TAPS the ring on the steering wheel, slow and deliberate.
EXT. RURAL DINER - DAY
Annie and Jay walk toward the entrance.
ANNIE
My dad once found a gator in his
kitchen.
Jay stops, turns to Annie, raised eyebrow.
JAY
What?
ANNIE
Next day he taught me how to shoot.
The Mystery Man's eyes follow Annie and Jay. They duck into
the diner.
He exhales a cloud of bluish smoke, bracelets CLINKING.
INT. RURAL DINER - DAY
The Mystery Man enters, 50s, steady gait, quiet confidence.
This is the RECRUITER. A Confederate general re-imagined:
black jeans, white shirt, gray ponytail tucked under a
Stetson.
He sits in a booth behind Annie and Jay.
SHELLEY HOLMES, mid-40s, slides over the card and receipt.
SHELLEY
Come back and see us.
A beat.
JAY
Hey—mind if I ask you something?
SHELLEY
Shoot, hon.
JAY
What's with all the, the re-
enactments?
(beat)
Down here.
Behind them, the Recruiter turns slightly.
SHELLEY
Those mostly good 'ole boys playin'
dress up. Blowin' off steam.
(beat)
They don't bite.
She moves on, exchanging a wary glance with the Mystery Man.
He shifts in his seat, his profile now visible.
MYSTERY MAN
(Southern drawl)
Ain't worth the time or the money.
JAY
Sorry?
A faint JINGLE of bracelets as the man turns fully.
RECRUITER
Not authentic.
(beat)
Like ours.
He smiles. Doesn't blink. Just watches Jay breathe.
ANNIE
You also have a re-enactment?
RECRUITER
We do.
Jay and Annie exchange friendly smiles.
JAY
What's the hook?
RECRUITER
There is none.
(beat)
We live the last two days.
The Recruiter stands, removes his hat.
RECRUITER (CONT'D)
May I?
Annie shoots a glance at Jay. He shrugs.
ANNIE
Please.
Annie slides next to Jay. The Recruiter sits opposite them.
He puts his hands squarely on the table.
RECRUITER
The war never ended here.
JAY
I'm sorry—where?
The Recruiter narrows his eyes at Jay.
RECRUITER
The Park.
(beat)
We don't do make-believe.
Annie and Jay exchange a glance—intrigued, but cautious.
ANNIE
(whispers to Jay)
We already bought the other tickets.
JAY
I can get a refund.
RECRUITER
Two nights. Invitation only.
(beat)
Five miles down River Road. Cross
the bridge—
(smiles)
You're in the Confederacy.
Annie brightens, turns to Jay. He smiles, tight.
JAY
There's a little voice in my head.
ANNIE
Saying?
JAY
Don't.
Annie's shoulders slump, disappointed. Jay feels it.
JAY (CONT'D)
Miss this chance.
Annie pauses, then smiles.
Jay glances at the Recruiter—calm, calculated, just a tad
off.
She notices. Her brow tightens.
EXT. RURAL DINER - DAY
Jay holds the door for two chirpy Midwest couples, both 60ish.
These are the SHEBOYGANS.
Inside, the Recruiter leans forward, eyes tracking, fingers
drumming on the table.
JAY
...crazy Russians still re-enact the
Battle on Ice!
At the car, their eyes meet.
ANNIE
Never a shortage of good material.
Jay raises a brow. Annie mimics him.
She hops in. Jay glances back at the diner, then follows.
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
6 -
Into the Fog
INT. CAR - DAY
Annie and Jay pick up where they left off.
ANNIE
People have been trying for centuries.
She watches the road blur past, then turns to him, twisting
her seatbelt tighter.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
(hesitantly)
Have you ever tried?
JAY
(looks over, confused)
Connect with my ancestors?
She nods. He blinks.
JAY (CONT'D)
Some doors are better left shut.
Annie smiles—half curious, half unsettled.
Jay turns his eyes back on the road—SLAMS THE BRAKES.
They're bearing down on a huge barrier of SPIKED TREE TRUNKS.
The car SKIDS, fishtails. Jerks to a stop. A dust cloud
rolls over the car.
JAY (CONT'D)
JESUS!
They're inches from an abatis, a Civil War-era battlefield
defense. Its sharp points glinting.
Annie loosens her grip on the door handle, swallows hard.
Jay, breathing rapidly, doesn't move.
He kills the engine. They both exhale.
The cicadas SCREAM.
The wooden spikes loom—ancient, deliberate, waiting.
EXT. END OF ROAD - TRAIL HEAD - DAY
They step into the earthy aroma of a damp forest.
Jay gazes up at the thick canopy.
JAY
Whoa.
Annie takes a deep breath.
ANNIE
It's so quiet.
Jay reaches for the bags. Annie grabs hers first.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
...I got it!
He SLAMS the trunk closed.
They navigate around the abatis:
JAY
Those made life hell for cavalry.
A fog rolls over the path, swallowing them up.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
7 -
Tension at the Diner
EXT. RURAL DINER - DAY
The Sheboygans exit the diner. A white Corvette pulls in.
SHEBOYGAN GINNY
Nobody's going to believe us—a real
battle!
SHEBOYGAN JOEL
What side are we on again?
They disappear inside their RV.
The COLONEL, 50, a stern Southern gent, steps out of the
Corvette.
A rental with NY plates pulls alongside. JACK GRADY, 40,
metro casual, hops out. Stretches and GROANS loudly.
GRADY
Colonel.
COLONEL
Son.
They shake hands. Matching wrist tattoos flash—coiled
rattlesnakes. SEVEN-2. SEVEN-3.
They head for the diner.
INT. RURAL DINER - MOMENTS LATER
Colonel and Grady slide into the booth.
The Recruiter extends a fist. The others follow. Skeleton
rings CLANK together.
Shelley watches from the counter.
Low voices.
RECRUITER
Republic ain't lookin' so good.
He leans toward Grady, covers Grady's skull ring with his
hand.
RECRUITER (CONT'D)
Six recruits?
Grady squirms.
GRADY
You got your targets.
Grip tightens.
RECRUITER
I care about two.
GRADY
Why?
A beat.
RECRUITER
They tell stories. People listen.
GRADY
About what?
RECRUITER
That the war's not over.
They exchange stares. The Colonel checks his pocket watch.
COLONEL
They won't be long now.
Recruiter sips.
RECRUITER
See, Jack, we don't kill Park
visitors.
(beat)
We re-purpose them.
A quiet chuckle passes between them.
COLONEL
Time to update our story.
Grady pulls away from the Recruiter, uncertain and anxious.
GRADY
What makes them special?
The Recruiter doesn't rush it. His eyes meet the Colonel's.
RECRUITER
Bloodlines.
Grady frowns.
COLONEL
Old scores.
The Recruiter leans in on Grady.
RECRUITER
Every three months.
(beat)
That's her clock.
Grady snorts.
GRADY
When does it stop?
The Recruiter holds his gaze. Sips.
RECRUITER
When our history gets told.
A beat. Shelley appears with the pot.
SHELLEY
Refill?
The Recruiter points to his cup.
She pours, drops the tab.
SHELLEY (CONT'D)
...up front when you're ready.
She walks off.
The Recruiter cracks his knuckles. Bracelets jangle.
Grady stares at the table.
The Recruiter turns to the Colonel.
RECRUITER
Business?
COLONEL
High cotton at Wainwright.
(beat)
Hotel's expanding.
The Recruiter nods, eyes narrow.
RECRUITER
You hear that, Jack?
Grady swallows.
RECRUITER (CONT'D)
Don't miss that window.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
8 -
Whispers of the Woods
EXT. DEEP WOODS - DAY
Jay follows Annie down the path.
A low-rolling fog swirls around them.
They freeze. Up ahead—a massive statue choked by vines.
Jay rips the ivy away, exposing a weathered, stone face.
JAY
Stonewall Jackson.
ANNIE
What's he doing here?
Jay doesn't look away from the bronze eyes of the General.
JAY
Penance?
She bobs her head, smiles at him.
Jay and Annie shrink down the path, swallowed by the woods.
EXT. OVERLOOK - DAY
Atop a high bluff. Distant rolling hills. Below, a river
slithers through a lush flood plain.
Jay approaches the edge. A strong gust tests his balance.
ANNIE
Careful.
He gazes at the fertile valley. Storm clouds gather.
JAY
(dumbfounded)
Not a cell tower in sight.
Annie steps closer to the edge, hair whipping.
ANNIE
And that storm's heading right for
us.
They hustle off down the path.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
9 -
A Meadow of Wonder
EXT. WOOD'S EDGE - DAY
Annie and Jay reach the meadow. Waist-high grass. A wide
carpet of emerald leads to the river.
They go still, taking in the natural beauty.
Jay spots a buckboard wagon, single horse and driver, across
the river.
JAY
Hey. Check it-
She slows, steps closer to the riverbank, eyes fixed on the
wagon. His eyes narrow.
The wagon pulls up to The Bridge—a rough-hewn, covered bridge.
ANNIE
There it is!
Jay and Annie stare at it.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
Oh my God.
(mesmerized)
It's almost...
(debating)
Unreal.
His eyes narrow. Slack-jawed.
JAY
Yeah.
ANNIE
Antebellum?
JAY
Quite possible.
It starts to rain. Annie frowns. Jay brightens, hands out,
catching drops.
JAY (CONT'D)
Real? Or re-enactment?
She brushes hair from her face, her eyes fixed on the sky.
ANNIE
Do I have a choice?
The sky opens up, drowning out the world.
JAY
Nope.
He takes off.
ANNIE
Hey!
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
10 -
Shelter from the Storm
EXT. COVERED BRIDGE - DAY
They duck under cover, wet. Catch their breath.
Thunder CRACKS above. Rain DRUMS the roof.
Jay spots his water bottle on the ground.
JAY
(quietly)
Shit.
He sprints into the rain for the bottle, returns soaked and
breathless.
Annie fights a smirk.
JAY (CONT'D)
Look.
Ahead of them, golden light spills across the bridge
floorboards. Behind them, rain pounds down.
She tilts her head, furrows her brow.
ANNIE
Thought that only happens in Florida.
Jay smiles broadly, lips closed.
The buckboard wagon enters the bridge on the sunny side.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
Hello 19th century.
JAY
(mutters)
Hello dysentery.
Annie throws him a quick, disapproving glance.
The wagon arrives. Driver hops down.
DRIVER
Welcome to the Park.
He secures the horse, grabs Annie's backpack.
ANNIE
Thank you.
Jay rubs the horse's neck.
JAY
(whispers)
Hey buddy...
(beat)
What century are you from?
The driver helps Annie up onto the plank front seat.
Annie twists in her seat.
ANNIE
Coming?
Jay snaps back to reality.
JAY
Yeah.
(MORE)
JAY (CONT'D)
(hesitates)
Yeah.
He throws his bag up, hops onto the wagon.
EXT. THE PARK - DAY
The wagon creaks out from the covered bridge.
Annie and Jay shield their eyes from the harsh sunlight.
The driver, TERENCE ABERNATHY, mid-30s, grips the reins,
scans the path ahead.
Genres:
["Historical Fiction","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
11 -
Whispers of Danger
EXT. TRAIL - DAY
The wagon rolls along, wheels crunching rhythmically.
Terence sits rigid, clad in antebellum farm hand clothes.
ANNIE
How long have you been working in
The Park, Terence?
Terence pauses and considers.
TERENCE
Nearly three years now.
(beat)
It ain't easy.
Annie glances at Jay.
JAY
What's that?
A BOOM in the distance. Birds scatter.
TERENCE
Finding your way home.
Annie and Jay consider the implications.
Jay tightens his jaw, casts a furtive glance at Annie.
Sickly gray smoke seeps through the trees.
ANNIE
Is that...part of the re-enactment?
He scrutinizes the distant smoke.
TERENCE
No, ma'am.
Reaches for his rifle under their feet. Jay helps him.
TERENCE (CONT'D)
(gazing out)
...likely Union raiders.
Annie and Jay sit up, energized, curious.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
12 -
Arrival in a Divided Town
EXT. WOOD'S EDGE - DAY
The wagon breaks through the trees and enters a dusty Southern
town, circa 1865.
EXT. MAIN STREET - DAY
Townsfolk bustle about in period clothing—blacksmith
hammering, women with baskets, saloon delivery men, youngsters
sweeping.
An elderly Black man, coarse trousers and wide-brimmed straw
hat. Leans against a storefront, chewing on a piece of straw.
He studies Jay.
Jay, thrown off, offers a small nod. The man doesn't blink.
Jay watches him, hoping to be acknowledged.
Annie catches the gaze of a young mother and son.
The little boy stares at Annie—like she's a ghost.
She offers a friendly wave. He ducks behind his mother.
EXT. STREET - DAY
At the end of the street stands a rambling hotel.
Terence pulls the wagon to a stop. He hops off and secures
the horse.
Jay and Annie climb down with their bags.
As Terence turns, he reveals a long scar across his cheek.
Annie and Jay freeze.
ANNIE
Will you be around later?
TERENCE
Whatever Miss Wright says, that's
what I do.
Jay presses his palm with a $20 bill.
JAY
Thanks my friend.
TERENCE
(resisting)
No, sir, I can't accept this.
Jay stuffs the bill into Terence's vest pocket. Pats him on
the back, smiles.
A wrinkle forms on Terence's forehead.
Jay joins Annie climbing the front steps.
Terence carefully examines the odd bill.
EXT. HOTEL - DAY
The weathered, clapboard hotel leans slightly with age.
Genres:
["Historical Fiction","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
13 -
Check-In at the Cumberland Hotel
INT. HOTEL - DAY
Jay and Annie step into the dusty lobby, smells of old wood
and trapped memories.
INTERCUT
A coffle of chained PEOPLE passes outside the hotel.
A muscular stray angrily BARKS at them.
BACK TO SCENE
Jay turns his eyes outside, briefly.
Annie steps up, rings the front desk bell. DING.
From a side door—CYNTHIA WRIGHT, mid-40s, confident, curvy,
eyes bright, with a troubling twinkle.
CYNTHIA WRIGHT
Well hey there, y'all! Fine, swell
day out there!
ANNIE
It sure is!
Jay smiles, obligingly. Cynthia flashes a practiced smile.
CYNTHIA WRIGHT
My name's Cynthia Wright. Welcome
to the Cumberland Hotel, a treasured
Southern institution.
Loud SCRAPING echoes, as workers drag tables across the hall.
Jay and Annie glance over. Cynthia CLEARS her throat.
CYNTHIA WRIGHT (CONT'D)
Here at the Park, we proudly tell
our history—the way it really
happened.
Jay and Annie exchange glances, raised brows.
Cynthia turns a guest book toward them.
CYNTHIA WRIGHT (CONT'D)
If you don't mind.
Jay notices her wrist tatoo: a rattlesnake coiled around
"SEVEN—4."
Annie flips through many signed pages.
ANNIE
Business is good.
CYNTHIA WRIGHT
(polite smile)
Like a house on fire.
(beat)
Though not too many city folk.
Annie signs the book, hands pen to Jay. He signs.
CYNTHIA WRIGHT (CONT'D)
You might be our first.
Jay and Annie nod, politely.
JAY
I'm sorry—what time is the first
event?
CYNTHIA WRIGHT
Sunset.
JAY
Tonight?
CYNTHIA WRIGHT
And tomorrow night is our big finale.
(Annie and Jay smile)
Are you both writers?
She focuses on Annie.
ANNIE
I'm a historian. Soon to be.
JAY
I write.
(beat)
When I can't find anything else to
do.
Cynthia LAUGHS. Annie giggles.
Cynthia furrows her brow, tilts her head.
CYNTHIA WRIGHT
Some folks like to revise things.
(stares at Jay)
You?
Her smile is hard and unyielding.
He squirms, unsure what she's asking.
JAY
Sure, if it needs rewriting then—have
at it.
(beat)
Fiction. Non-fiction is fact-based.
CYNTHIA WRIGHT
Like history.
JAY
Right.
Wright blinks, repeatedly. She checks her pocket watch.
CYNTHIA WRIGHT
Nelli will help you into your attire.
Annie smiles excitedly at Jay. He calmly raises an eyebrow.
THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR
Two COUPLES shuffle in—Wisconsin retirees in their 60s.
They're a loud blur of Gore-Tex and neon against the dusty
walls.
SHEBOYGAN JOEL
Just saying, I hope you read the
fine print.
His wife GINNY shoots him a scolding glance.
The rhythmic CLACK-CLACK-CLACK of their oversized wheelie
luggage sounds like gunfire in the quiet lobby.
Jay's eyes narrow—he recognizes them.
Cynthia greets them with a tight smile.
CYNTHIA WRIGHT
Right with you, folks.
Jay and Annie smile warmly at the Sheboygans.
CYNTHIA WRIGHT (CONT'D)
(to Jay)
Top of the stairs, Room A.
(to Annie)
For you, darlin': down the hall,
left, third room—my favorite.
Cynthia's mouth stretches into a rigid smile, then hands
over the keys.
Annie and Jay smile, appreciatively. An awkward beat.
ANNIE
...off to wardrobe!
INT. WARDROBE AREA - DAY
A large, cluttered room of ante-bellum garments: old coats
and dresses on hooks. Suits piled high on tables. A crate
of mismatched shoes.
Nelli, now 18, carries a bundle of clothing—her posture tense,
conditioned to obedience.
Glimpsing her, Jay and Annie's eyes brighten.
Nelli freezes, locks eyes with Jay.
He returns the look, slightly disoriented.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical Fiction"]
Ratings
Scene
14 -
A Night of Tension and Mockery
INT. HOTEL STAIRCASE - NIGHT
Jay and Annie appear at the top of the staircase.
Annie elegant in an antebellum gown. Jay strikingly handsome,
dressed Frederick Douglass-like.
Annie missteps and grabs Jay's arm.
ANNIE
Whoa!
He steadies her. She raises her eyebrow at his attire.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
My...
He proudly adjusts his bow tie.
They exchange a brief smile.
Cynthia Wright watches them descend, worry in her eye.
INT. ASSEMBLY ROOM - NIGHT
Swept in with the crowd, Annie and Jay take in the smoky
room—scattered candles on mismatched tables.
A makeshift stage: fiddle, banjo, snare drum, a pile of
homemade instruments.
A disabled BOY is hauled onto the stage, crutches tucked
under one arm.
He hobbles toward his fiddle.
Jay's smile fades as he catches stares—from nearly every
white man in the room.
The tension breaks when the Sheboyganite ladies sweep in,
twirling in frilly ante-bellum gowns.
Their husbands follow glumly in ridiculous Planter outfits.
Two Confederate SOLDIERS enter. A Sergeant Major struts in,
followed by a Corporal—mean, drunk, searching.
The fiddle boy teases out a haunting TONE beyond his years.
A hush.
His towering, slack-jawed PARTNER taps out a basic beat—simple
and steady.
In the rear, the Colonel, now a powerful planter, enters the
room with his WIFE—a jaded beauty.
The onlookers divide. Hushed reverence for the elegant couple
who glide to their seats.
The Colonel sits rigidly. His cold blue eyes scan the crowd.
His wife sits in his shadow, turned away, weary eyes.
Somebody lights the Colonel's hefty cigar.
He announces his presence, exhaling a thick cloud.
Through the haze he catches Annie’s eye. Discreetly tips
his brim.
Annie plays along, smiles, gracefully tilts her head. He
takes note.
His critical gaze slides over to Jay, who meets it.
Sergeant Major hands a folded message to the MANAGER—a sweaty
man in a sack coat.
He struggles to climb on stage.
MANAGER
Ladies and Gentlemen! Please!
The Colonel's eyes narrow, assessing the rowdy crowd.
MANAGER (CONT'D)
(shouting)
Please!
The crowd ignores him.
A SCUFFLE breaks out, when—
A pistol BLAST tears into the ceiling.
Jay and Annie jolt, hesitate, then slowly relax.
Jay eyes plaster drifting down from the ceiling.
The Colonel steps forward holding the pistol.
Annie watches with rapt attention.
He SNATCHES the note, surveys the room.
COLONEL
QUIET!
The room obeys. The Colonel eyes narrow.
COLONEL (CONT'D)
Rumor sayin' we suffered a "setback"
in Richmond.
(guttural)
Bury it.
(waves the note)
Old Man's got them Yanks on the run!
STOMPING and SHOUTING.
The Colonel scowls. Waits for silence.
COLONEL (CONT'D)
Tomorrow—April 8, 1865—on the banks
of the Appomattox, Robert E. Lee and
his boys will crush that butcher
Grant—
Jay and Annie hang on every word.
COLONEL (CONT'D)
—and our War of Independence will
reach its righteous conclusion!
Crowd ERUPTS. Jay and Annie lean back, exhilarated.
He starts to WHOOP—mocking. She grins. They exchange a
look.
COLONEL (CONT'D)
Godspeed to the Confederacy!
The band launches into a ROUSING DIXIE.
The Colonel’s wife yawns and rolls her eyes.
Ginny jumps to her feet.
GINNY
I wish I was in the land of cotton—!
The crowd joins her in a rousing Dixie.
Jay and Annie exchange glances—they stitch on brittle smiles,
compelled to laugh.
Genres:
["Historical Drama","Period Piece"]
Ratings
Scene
15 -
Echoes of Optimism and Uncertainty
INT. HOTEL STAIRCASE - LATER
Reaching the second-floor landing, Annie and Jay look down
at the boisterous crowd spilling into the lobby.
ANNIE
What was that?
Jay furrows his brow, sarcastic.
JAY
Delusional optimism?
ANNIE
(eyes wide)
Somebody should tell them they lost
the war!
Annie giggles. Jay feigns a smile, preoccupied.
Annie yawns, energetically, speaking through it.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
Excuse me.
JAY
(empathetically)
Long day.
Annie smiles. The silence feels right.
ANNIE
Thank you.
JAY
Thank Jack.
Annie pulls back. Tilts her head, ironically:
ANNIE
I think I will.
Their smiles linger, briefly, comfortably.
Annie about-faces, walks down the hall and around a corner.
He appreciates the moment.
INT. JAY'S HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
Jay slips inside his small room. A narrow window looks down
on a shadowy alley.
He tosses his bag onto the plain pine bed. Pulls out his
pen and notebook. Pauses. MUFFLED conversation outside.
Peeks out the window. Two Confederate SOLDIERS pass below.
One looks up, his eyes meet Jay's.
Jay hesitates, then steps back. His brow furrows, uncertainty
creeps in.
INT. ANNIE'S HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Annie fumbles along a wall until a gas sconce flickers on.
A room of faded opulence. Tall windows. Iron bed. Dust-
choked curtains.
She takes it in, mouth slightly open.
Her modern backpack sits on the bed, a jarring contrast with
the period decor.
Annie COUGHS, draws back the curtain, cracks the window.
She surveys the noisy, growing CROWD outside the hotel.
Furrows her brow.
Annie's eyes scan the room, landing on a silver brush and
comb set atop a dresser.
She crosses over and inspects the brush. Her eyes linger-
FLASHBACK - INT. ANNIE'S ATTIC - NIGHT
Annie kneels at a steamer trunk.
She studies a heavy silver mirror, blowing off a layer of
dust. Monogrammed "AP."
Something about it unsettles her. Returns it. Rummages.
Her eyes widen.
Annie lifts a framed portrait of an antebellum man—handsomely
attired, presenting a shiny, new pistol to camera—like he's
selling it.
Her eyes narrow. She flips it over, then back. Rubs a dirt
smudge off the glass. An ambiguous smile curls her lips.
END FLASHBACK
INT. ANNIE'S HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
Annie runs the hotel brush through her hair, rhythmic.
An ARGUMENT spills in from outside.
CORPORAL (O.S.)
Gimme your money you lazy-
She snaps her head up, eyes wide.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
16 -
Authority Amidst Chaos
EXT. HOTEL SIDE - CONTINUOUS
The drunk Confederate corporal waves a pistol at a LOCAL
FARMER, 65.
CORPORAL
(stumbles, growling)
Where's...your...wife!
The farmer, eyes bulging, stumbles back and falls.
LAUGHTER from the crowd.
Annie pulls back a curtain.
From a safe distance, the Colonel puffs on a cigar, scowling.
His wife doesn't bother to look, idly twirling a curl.
The Corporal spins, waving his gun at the noisy, scattering
crowd.
The farmer seizes the moment—scrambles up and bolts.
The Corporal spots him, pivots, raises the pistol, when-
The Colonel strides in, rips the weapon away, and SLAMS him
to the ground.
The crowd—and Annie—watch in scared silence.
COLONEL
ON YOUR FEET, SOLDIER!
The Corporal staggers up. The Colonel grabs him, jams the
revolver to his head—COCKS the trigger.
COLONEL (CONT'D)
Three. Two—
The drunk's eyes go wide. He stumbles back, off-balance.
The Colonel scoffs. A beat.
He reels around and casually FIRES at the drunk—misses.
The Colonel surveys the crowd, growling:
COLONEL (CONT'D)
We are on the eve of a historic
victory.
(disgusted)
And y'all acting like goddam Border
Ruffians!
(spits)
NOW GO ON!
The crowd disperses—hasty, obedient.
INT. ANNIE'S HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
She closes the window slowly—tight jaw, furrowed brow.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
17 -
A Moment of Shelter
INT. JAY'S HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Warm, flickering gaslight.
Jay reviews his notes, seated comfortably in an armchair.
INT. ANNIE'S HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Annie rummages through her backpack, frantic.
She freezes—eyes wide, breath shaking.
INT. JAY'S HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Jay scribbles in his notebook.
INSERT NOTEBOOK
"timeframe" and "POV" underlined.
Below, "false?" scrawled beside "narrative."
A KNOCK. Jay tosses his notebook aside.
He opens the door.
Annie stands there in loose pajamas, shaking, clutching a
quilt and pillow.
ANNIE
That guy fired his pistol again.
A beat. Jay tilts his head.
JAY
Maybe the show...kept going?
She shrugs, fights a tear.
He sees her distress, opens the door wider.
JAY (CONT'D)
Come in.
Annie locks eyes with Jay. A beat.
She moves sheepishly into the room.
He closes the door.
JAY (CONT'D)
Those boys were hittin' it pretty
good.
ANNIE
I'll say.
He grabs his bag and bedding.
JAY
Here.
ANNIE
(quietly)
Thank you.
She places her bedding down. Hesitantly lowers herself onto
the mattress.
Annie smiles, awkward. Jay mirrors it.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
18 -
Night of Displacement
INT. HOTEL FRONT DESK - NIGHT
An ELDERLY COUPLE stands before Cynthia Wright.
Head bowed, Wright shuffles some papers. Then—
She looks up, thin smile.
CYNTHIA WRIGHT
Now good evening.
The couple's eyes widen. Mouths slack. Frozen.
Cynthia holds their stare. TAPS her skull ring on the
counter. Sharp, hollow clicks.
They blink. Slowly turn away.
Cynthia watches them go, eyes narrowing.
INT. JAY'S HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
Jay leans forward.
JAY
I didn't give you my phone.
Annie leans in, eyes wide.
ANNIE
No. I can't find mine.
(beat)
Or my laptop.
Jay and Annie exchange confused glances.
JAY
Terence?
Annie shakes her head, slowly.
ANNIE
(righteously)
Who needs them that badly?
He shrugs, shakes his head.
EXT. HOTEL - NIGHT
CRICKETS chirp. A distant YAPPY cur.
An old mare, burdened with belongings, stands hitched to a
post. Moonlight glints off its metal bit.
O/S, a man COUGHS—thick, guttural, persistent.
The old couple, turned away by Cynthia Wright, huddle beneath
a thin blanket on the hotel steps.
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
19 -
Deadline Tension
INT. JAY'S HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
Jay picks up his notes. Exhales.
JAY
Jack expects the first three, two
weeks after we're back.
She tilts her head.
ANNIE
Chapters?
(Jay nods)
Impossible.
JAY
Fast and loud. That's Jack.
Annie smirks.
ANNIE
Mother Truth can't be rushed.
Jay raises a brow, shuffles his notes.
A glint in Annie's eye—curiosity, maybe admiration.
He sets the notes down.
JAY
I'm thinking reportage. The entire
weekend.
Annie's interest sparks.
ANNIE
That's interesting.
They hold each other's gazes.
A beat. She bites her lip.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
About Jack...
(he looks up)
I never actually met him.
JAY
Never met him?
ANNIE
We talked over the phone.
He leans back.
JAY
Huh.
FLASHCUT
Polished Confederate boots climb the front stairs. A wide-
brimmed hat. Gold braid.
ANNIE (V.O.)
He wanted someone to catalog his toy
soldiers.
(beat)
The cast-iron ones.
The shadow stops at Jay's door.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
20 -
Shadows of Suspense
INT. JAY'S HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
Jay smiles at Annie's naivete.
JAY
Lead.
ANNIE
But when he mentioned your itinerary—
(beat)
I was all in. Lead?
Jay nods, regret flickering. She frowns.
Annie drifts to the window.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
It's so dark.
She steps back.
KNOCK—
Annie looks to Jay.
He raises a finger to his lips.
A shadow fills the doorway.
They lock eyes.
It lingers.
Breathless.
Then moves on.
INT. STAIRCASE - NIGHT
The General's wide brim descends slowly, commanding the space.
He stops at the desk. Cynthia Wright looks up.
A tense exchange. Low voices. Sharp eyes.
Cynthia glances toward Jay's room.
She nods.
A beat.
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery","Suspense"]
Ratings
Scene
21 -
Buried Histories
INT. JAY'S HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Annie WHISPERS—
ANNIE
Who was that?
JAY
Maybe that guy from the diner.
(beat)
With our refund.
Annie smiles, nervously.
FLASHCUT — HOTEL FRONT DESK
The General lifts his eyes toward the second floor landing,
The Recruiter stands there.
Transformed, stroking his beard.
Confederate Greys immaculate. Gold-braided hat gleaming.
INT. JAY'S HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
Jay stands by the window, jaw tightening.
He blinks, then turns to Annie, cocooned under her covers.
JAY
I was born Jamal Lewis Perry.
(beat)
My adoptive parents liked the name
"Lewis"—so they kept it.
Annie's gaze softens.
ANNIE
Jay Lewis Williams.
(he nods)
Seems like there's a story there.
Jay smiles faintly. Turns back to the window.
A barn owl HOOTS—distant, lonely.
JAY
I started searching.
ANNIE
For what?
He meets her eyes.
JAY
Records. Birth certificate.
(beat)
There's nothing.
(pained)
I have no history.
Annie watches him, sympathetic.
EXT. PATH - OUTSIDE OF TOWN - NIGHT
A raccoon scurries across the path, vanishing into the brush.
RUSTLING in the thicket—
An enslaved MAN and WOMAN, in rags, crouch low, clutching a
COLICKY baby.
JAY (V.O.)
But history doesn't stay buried.
A flickering LIGHT slices through the darkness.
Two armed SLAVE PATROLMEN on horseback swing torches into
the brush.
He shields the mother and child. Baby WIMPERS. She presses
its mouth to her breast.
The torch swings close.
They freeze.
Then—suddenly—it swings away. The patrol passes.
The couple exhales, slumping with relief.
FADE OUT
FADE UP
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
22 -
Suspicion and Care
INT. HOTEL 2ND FLOOR LANDING - DAY
Jay, dapper in a scaled-down version of his evening suit,
locks his door.
NELLI (O.S.)
'Morning, sir.
She brushes past him.
JAY
Good morning.
He watches her walk away, down the hall. His eyes narrow.
JAY (CONT'D)
(calls out)
Oh, hey...Nelli...
(she turns around)
You're in school, right?
She looks at him, confused. He declares:
JAY (CONT'D)
Summer job?
She tilts her head, still confused.
NELLI
I do...like...summer, sir.
Jay smiles, politely. His eyes flicking.
JAY
What else do you do? Around here?
Nelli stiffens.
NELLI
Whatever they ask.
Jay smiles faintly.
Annie hurries around the corner, in a modest hoop skirt.
ANNIE
Sorry 'bout that.
Jay points at her loose collar lace. She blushes, ties it.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
Thank you.
JAY
Ready?
Annie looks hopefully at Jay.
ANNIE
I think so?
Genres:
["Drama","Historical Fiction"]
Ratings
Scene
23 -
Tension in the Dust
INT. HOTEL LOBBY - DAY
Dust particles and tobacco smoke hang in pale shafts of light.
Jay and Annie at the front desk.
Cynthia Wright, paperwork in hand, barely looks up.
CYNTHIA WRIGHT
The hotel regrets any loss.
(looks up)
We have a war goin' on.
Jay scoffs, lightly. Cynthia glares.
CYNTHIA WRIGHT (CONT'D)
(checks pocket watch)
Head straight down main. Terence
will meet you at the stables. First
stop: oral history with our General.
Annie shoots Jay an excitable smile.
CYNTHIA WRIGHT (CONT'D)
After a quick meal, short visit to
the Cabin, back here for tonight's
final activities.
Cynthia opens a velvet box—six copper medals with Bonnie
Blue ribbons.
CYNTHIA WRIGHT (CONT'D)
Every guest receives one.
Annie leans closer, curious. Jay hesitates, eyes lingering
on the medals.
JAY
Who lives in the cabin?
Wright hesitates.
CYNTHIA WRIGHT
The question is who...but what.
(almost whispering)
Something eternal. God's unwavering
love.
Jay blinks, impressed and unsettled.
Cynthia fixes him with a sharp glance, then lets a thin,
practiced smile return.
CYNTHIA WRIGHT (CONT'D)
Time's a wastin'!
Jay and Annie flash strained smiles. They hustle off toward
the entrance.
Cynthia exits quickly through a door marked, "office."
EXT. MAIN STREET - DAY
Annie and Jay emerge from the hotel.
The street bustles with 19th century activity: cobbler,
blacksmith, bricklayer.
Jay and Annie walk past working-class townspeople. Some
stare at the mixed-race couple.
Annie spots the Corporal, squatting on a loading dock, rolling
a cigarette, scowling at her.
ANNIE
That's him—the one who shot at the
old man.
Jay's eyes narrow toward the soldier.
The Corporal shadows them from a distance.
He stops to chat with a well-dressed man waiting while the
blacksmith shoes his horse.
The man turns—it's the Colonel, eyes cold, tapping a riding
crop against his boot.
Genres:
["Historical Fiction","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
24 -
Echoes of War and Compassion
EXT. BARN - DAY
Terence approaches, leading his horse.
The horse's harness CLINKS rhythmically with each step.
ANNIE
Good morning.
TERENCE
Ma'am, sir.
JAY
Hey, Terence.
Terence starts hitching the horse to the wagon.
Annie and Jay watch, curious.
ANNIE
What's her name?
TERENCE
This here's Safflower.
(pats its flank)
Former war horse.
JAY
One of the lucky ones.
Jay and Terence exchange sober glances.
The Colonel rides past, eyeing them with contempt.
Jay and Annie exchange an uneasy glance.
Terence swings onto the wagon bench, holding the reins, then
offers his hand to Annie.
ANNIE
Thank you.
Annie climbs aboard, followed by Jay.
JAY
Who was that?
Terence's jaw tightens.
TERENCE
The Colonel.
A beat.
JAY
...and?
Terence doesn't answer. The wagon moves along.
Jay and Annie shoot each other a curious glance.
Wagon wheels GRINDING dirt.
MATCHCUT
O/S THUMPING
EXT. BEHIND A LARGE CLAPBOARD BUILDING - DAY
NELLI, 16, enslaved. Her broom strikes a rug. Dust swirls.
Strike.
About 50-feet away...
Terence, in his late 20s, in war-torn Confederate uniform,
gaunt, limping.
He collapses on the ground. She freezes, murmurs:
NELLI
Mercy, Lord.
Nelli rushes over, falls to her knees. She hesitates. Slips
her hand around his neck.
NELLI (CONT'D)
Hush now.
Her dress. A drop of blood. Her eyes find a bullet wound.
She tears a piece of her rag dress, starts wrapping.
END FLASHBACK:
Genres:
["Historical Fiction","Drama","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
25 -
Whispers in the Cemetery
EXT. TRAIL IN THE WOODS - DAY
The wagon rattles along a leafy path.
They reach a small cemetery of wooden crosses.
Terence pulls on the reins.
TERENCE
They don't like us stopping here.
Jay turns, narrows his eyes.
JAY
Who's "they"?
TERENCE
The ones still fightin'.
Annie watches Terence hops down. Her gaze lingers on the
empty space he left behind.
EXT. SMALL CEMETERY - DAY
The Sheboygans stand under a live oak, in simple period
costumes, chatting with the RECRUITER/CONFEDERATE GENERAL.
A sharp breeze cuts through the warm, still air.
In the distance, a muscular ENSLAVED MAN, 30s, knee-deep.
Finishing the last of six new graves.
EXT. PERIMETER OF SMALL CEMETERY - DAY
Jay and Annie walk toward the Sheboygans and the officer.
ANNIE
(sotto voce)
Is that—?
They exchange tight smiles with the Recruiter/General, their
eyes barely meeting his.
JAY
(sotto voce)
Didn't see this coming.
Jay eyes the Recruiter, now in full Confederate regalia.
The Recruiter/General clears his throat.
GENERAL
I am Nathaniel Tyler Jenkins,
Lieutenant General, Confederate States
Army.
(removes hat)
We stand here today on sacred
ground—the final resting place.
The Sheboygans listen with rapt attention. Annie listens,
warily.
The General clasps his hands and bows his head.
GENERAL (CONT'D)
Let us pray...
The Sheboygans follow his lead.
Jay focuses on the General and his attire.
SHEBOYGANS
Our father...
Jay glances at the gravedigger. Their eyes meet briefly, a
silent understanding across eras.
GENERAL
...and deliver us from evil.
They make the sign of the cross. Annie hesitates—
GENERAL (CONT'D)
Ma'am?
ANNIE
So why the bridge? Why not go
directly into town?
The General gazes skyward. He turns to Annie, eyes heavy.
GENERAL
That edifice connects...all of us.
A sudden FLAPPING—
FLASHBACK TO:
Genres:
["Historical Fiction","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
26 -
Resurrection at the Riverbank
EXT. RIVERBANK - DAY
Pigeons SCATTER.
GENERAL (V.O.)
The skirmish began on the vernal
equinox. Better part of two days.
Smoke, chaos.
The General on horseback, sword raised.
GENERAL (CONT'D)
CHARGE!
He wheels toward Jackson T. Grady, rifle shaking.
GENERAL (CONT'D)
What do we fight for, soldier!?
Grady, tear-streaked, turns slowly. He ignores the enemy,
levels his rifle at the General. FIRES.
The General crashes into the grass with a heavy THUD—powerless
and still.
His horse stands vigil, silhouetted against the smoky
backdrop.
GENERAL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
My death gave us a second chance.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. SMALL CEMETERY - DAY
Roses on a pine casket. Rain spots the wood.
A pile of dirt accumulates.
PULL BACK
Mourners leave the burial site.
An enslaved man works a shovel, rhythmically.
A grim PREACHER MAN, black frock coat and wide-brimmed hat,
clutches a pocket-sized, brass-clasped bible.
Rolling THUNDER. He looks skyward. Lightning FORKS glint
off the brass. SILENCE. Then, a biblical DOWNPOUR.
Casket lid RATTLES. A hand, ring gleaming, slides it aside.
The General sits up. Ghost pale. Rain-lashed.
His hollow eyes find the Preacher Man's hat. Water sluices
off the brim.
Genres:
["War","Drama","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
27 -
Echoes of War
EXT. RIVERBANK - CONTINUOUS
Mist rises. Dying soldiers MOAN. The river runs red.
The ghostly General stands among the dead soldiers.
Dozens of white orbs rise through the river's mist.
The bridge shimmers into existence—then SLAMS into place.
EXT. BRIDGE - DAY
The General stares in awe at the bridge, a jagged, rough-
hewn structure.
Reverent, he kisses his ring. Steps forward.
Behind him—
GRADY (O.S.)
(feeble)
General...
Grady emerges through drifting smoke—trembling, a bullet
hole in his forehead.
He salutes, limp.
The General's eyes narrow. Scrutinizes the ghostly figure.
A beat.
The General snaps a firm salute.
GENERAL (V.O.)
Death gave us a new mission—
FLASHCUT
High above the diner, the Confederate flag waves proudly.
GENERAL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
To recruit.
Far below, Annie and Jay leave.
GENERAL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Sacrifice.
The Sheboygans enter—all grist for the mill.
GENERAL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
...and sustain.
EXT. PERIMETER OF SMALL CEMETERY - CONTINUOUS
Heavy silence hangs. Jay scratches his beard, anxiously.
GENERAL
A nation torn by war—
(beat)
Carries the scar forever.
Annie shoots Jay a look, who meets the General's eyes.
JAY
Scars belong to the wounded, General.
ANNIE
Not the ones who did the wounding.
It's a serious stare down.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","War"]
Ratings
Scene
28 -
Fractured Realities
EXT. TRAIL - DAY
Jay, Annie and Terence creak along in the wagon.
ANNIE
He's out of his mind.
Jay stares ahead, unsettled.
JAY
There's more where that came from.
EXT. FIELD - DAY
The wagon emerges from the woods. A sea of tall grasses,
swaying gently in the cool breeze.
Bees BUZZ. Wildflowers dance in the wind.
Terence hands Annie several pieces of hardtack.
Annie eyes the plain, unleavened biscuit.
She bites down hard, several times, then-
Cracks it against the wagon railing.
Annie offers Jay a piece, but he's distracted.
JAY
Terence?
TERENCE
Sir?
JAY
Has the war ended?
Terence is confused.
TERENCE
I don't understand.
JAY
Did the surrender—at Appomatox—
happen?
Quietly resigned, Terence gazes toward the horizon.
TERENCE
Don't reckon General Lee will ever
bow to that man.
Jay starts rocking back and forth, anxiously.
JAY
Can we, can we stop? Please. I
need to get off.
TERENCE
Sir, the cabin-
JAY
(standing)
-STOP TERENCE! PLEASE!
Jay leaps off the wagon, prompting Terence to halt it.
Annie scrambles down, follows him into the field.
The rising wind whips the tall grasses.
She catches up, shielding her eyes from the bright sun.
ANNIE
What's going on?
He looks toward the horizon, then lashes out—whacking at the
tall grass.
Annie waits.
JAY
The guy at the diner, he wasn't just
selling tickets.
He locks eyes with her. She's at a loss for words.
JAY (CONT'D)
It's more than a bridge—
(beat)
It's a gateway, a portal.
(beat)
He's not a wizard behind the curtain—
ANNIE
He's the booking agent.
Their eyes lock. Reality begins sinking in.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
Terence can take us back to the
bridge.
Jay shakes his head.
JAY
What if he's punished—for helping
us?
Annie exhales, shoulders slump. Jay rubs the back of his
neck.
Suddenly—
ANNIE
We can walk back. It's not that
far.
Jay looks at Annie, incredulous.
JAY
Unarmed? Through a war zone?
Annie searches for an answer. Jay steadies his breathing.
He looks at her, deadly serious.
JAY (CONT'D)
Grant and Lee never met.
Annie stills. Her eyes soften with understanding.
ANNIE
You know that's not true.
JAY
I do—
He holds her gaze.
JAY (CONT'D)
But they don't.
Annie's mouth opens. Her brow furrows.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
29 -
The Weight of Secrets
EXT. CLEARED LAND - DAY
The wagon rolls off the trail and into a clearing.
Up ahead: a weathered wood shack. Stray chickens peck at
the dirt. A mangy mutt dozes on the porch.
TERENCE
This where Miss Sadie lives.
JAY
What's her story?
TERENCE
She was separated from the others.
Because of what her son did.
JAY
What'd he do that was so—?
TERENCE
Escaped.
Annie and Jay exchange a look.
TERENCE (CONT'D)
They don't like it when property
starts "thinkin'" for itself.
FLASH CUT
Lewis running through darkness, rain pouring.
Jay leans in.
JAY
That night he escaped—raining?
TERENCE
Bottom fell out good that night.
(beat)
Put the dogs on him.
FLASH CUT
Lewis cautiously approaches the man with lantern.
JAY
But he reached a safe house—a man
with a lantern.
Terence looks ahead, eyes forlorn.
TERENCE
Lewis never comin' back.
(beat)
They kill him if he tries.
Jay glances at Annie, unsettled.
TERENCE (CONT'D)
They punish Ms. Sadie for what Lewis
done. Took Ms. Nelli when she only
thirteen.
(beat)
Miss Sadie's the last stop now. A
circus animal.
Jay and Annie share a tense look.
The afternoon sun bears down. A rising CHORUS of cicadas.
Terence pulls on the reins, stopping the wagon.
TERENCE (CONT'D)
When you're ready—I'll be here.
Jay and Annie climb down, heading for the shack.
He steps over a sleeping mutt. Glances back at Annie.
TAPS on the door. Waits. TAPS again, louder.
The door OPENS.
An African-American AIDE, 60s, stands waiting—angelic face,
proud bearing, simply dressed, a beguiling smile.
Jay and Annie take her in, intrigued.
JAY
Hello. We're with the...uhhh—
The Aide smiles, lips pursed. Jay hesitates.
JAY (CONT'D)
Is...Ms. Sadie here?
AIDE
Always.
She glances at Annie.
ANNIE
Hi. I'm Annie.
The Aide's expression doesn't change.
JAY
May we speak with her?
The Aide studies them a beat. Steps aside.
Genres:
["Historical Drama","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
30 -
A Mother's Plea
INT. SHACK - DAY
Sparse. Dirt floor. A single bed, a table, a hearth.
By the hearth sits SADIE, 50s—frail, nearly blind, hands
gnarled with arthritis. She knits slowly.
The Aide resumes her post beside her.
Annie and Jay exchange a worried glance.
JAY
May I...?
The Aide nods.
Jay pulls up a stool, eases onto it.
Sadie pays him no mind.
Jay leans in, gentle.
JAY (CONT'D)
Hello Miss Sadie.
SADIE
Who that?
JAY
My name's Jay. And this is my friend,
Annie.
ANNIE
Hello, Sadie.
Sadie considers them. Jay and Annie wait.
She reaches out—finds Jay's hand. Begins to massage it,
searching.
SADIE
Who are you?
Jay hesitates, then stiffens.
JAY
Jay Williams. Jay Lewis Williams.
Sadie's face lights up.
SADIE
Lewis? Where you get that name?
JAY
...from my mother. My birth mother.
Sadie lifts a hand, traces his face. He stiffens—then
steadies himself, takes her hand.
JAY (CONT'D)
I was a year old when she gave me
up.
Jay wipes at his eye. Annie watches, quietly.
Sadie fixes her glassy gaze on him, mirroring his emptiness.
SADIE
They told me Lewis went to Kansas
City.
Jay's breath catches. He glances at Annie.
JAY
I was adopted in Kansas City.
Silence stretches.
SADIE
Why your Mama do that?
Jay lets out a small, pained chuckle. No answer.
Sadie exhales heavily. Her crooked smile fades.
SADIE (CONT'D)
Can you find Lewis?
Jay blinks—unsure.
SADIE (CONT'D)
...and my sweet baby girl! She didn't
do nothin' to nobody!
(MORE)
SADIE (CONT'D)
(shakes her head)
Every young'un needs their mama.
Jay swallows.
She reaches into a small satchel. Removes a folded news
clipping. Smooths it carefully. Hands it to him.
Jay unfolds it. Glances at Annie—troubled.
SADIE (V.O.) (CONT'D)
To all, I seek my daughter, Nelli,
now seventeen. Stolen from me. If
you know where my baby girl is,
address Sadie, U.S. Route 19,
Wainwright Plantation, Centerville.
Sadie reaches into her satchel again. Removes a locket.
Cradles it a moment. Then presses it into Jay's hand—her
hands trembling.
SADIE (CONT'D)
...the Colonel be real mad if he
knew you had that. Real mad.
Jay closes his fist around the locket.
He looks at Sadie.
She rocks, jaw set.
EXT. SHACK - DAY
Jay steps outside, visibly shaken, the locket tight in his
grip. Annie meets his eyes with an empathetic gaze.
He brushes off some dust and carefully opens the locket.
Inside, a faded photo of Sadie and Nelli, four years earlier.
Annie watches, her anxiety growing with the heavy burden
pressing on Jay.
He traces the frame, eyes fixed on the image, deep in thought.
He eventually looks up at Annie.
JAY
We might not know where Lewis is,
but we sure as hell know where to
find Nelli.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
31 -
Into the Shadows of Wainwright
EXT. EDGE OF WOODS - DAY
Terence watches Annie and Jay approach, their faces grim.
Without a word, they climb onto the wagon.
Terence feels their unease, then softly flicks the reins.
The wagon wheels begin to turn, slow and steady, carrying
them forward into the unknown.
The three of them rock gently in their own thoughts,
accompanied by the soft THUMP THUMP of wheels on the path.
Finally, Jay breaks the silence.
JAY
Terence? What kind of "business" is
Wainwright?
Terence shoots Jay a fearful look and struggles to respond.
TERENCE
Agriculture.
JAY
Agriculture?
(beat)
What's the Colonel grow?
(Terence freezes up)
He owns Wainwright, doesn't he? And
the cabin, and Sadie.
(beat)
Doesn't he?
The two men share a tense glance.
TERENCE
It's not safe for you to be in his
company—'specially not you.
(beat)
Wainwright ain't part of the tour,
neither.
Jay goes still, eyes narrowing—like a switch just flipped.
JAY
...let's make it part.
Without a word, he grabs the rifle, climbs down, walks away.
ANNIE
Jay! What are you doing?! Stop!
Annie's beside herself—she glances desperately at Terence.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
I'm sorry, Terence!
(turns toward Jay)
Jay, stop! Please! Just wait a
second!
Her pleas fall on deaf ears. Annie jumps down, rushes over
and grabs his hand.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
You don't need to be a hero.
Jay and Annie lock eyes, as she searches for a glimpse of
the truth he’s chasing.
JAY
I need to bear witness.
He sees the fear in her eyes—but also the resolve.
ANNIE
Then I'm coming.
Annie turns back toward Terence.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
I'm going with him!
Terence grows anxious by the sudden turn of events.
Jay clutches the rifle, Annie stays close. Each step slower
than the last, eyes scanning the trees.
As his new friends leave him behind, Terence MUTTERS:
TERENCE
Where you go—I go.
He SNAPS the reins, driving the wagon forward.
EXT. PATH - DAY
All three aboard, the wagon rattles down the trail.
EXT. PLANTATION DRIVEWAY - DAY
Terence drives onto the sprawling plantation.
Enslaved people work. Their eyes flick to Jay and Annie.
The low, rhythmic DRONE of work songs hang in the humid air.
Jay notices two MEN building a stone wall. One wields a
sledgehammer—the gravedigger. His scarred back is exposed.
The two men lock eyes in a weighted stillness.
SMASH! The hammer hits. Jay flinches.
They near the manor house. Annie taps his forearm.
Jay gazes at the structure, jaw tight, eyes narrow.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
32 -
Confrontation at the Manor
INT. PLANTATION MANOR HOUSE - CHAMBER WINDOW - DAY
The Colonel watches through binoculars, lowering them as a
faint smile creeps in.
EXT. PLANTATION MANOR HOUSE - FRONT STEPS - DAY
The wagon stops. A MALE and FEMALE servant await them.
Jay helps Annie down.
The servants escort her up the steps.
TERENCE
(ashen)
Sir. Please.
Jay looks at Terence, his tone inevitable.
JAY
We're here for a reason.
Jay follows Annie up the stairs.
Terence watches, worry in his eyes.
A BUTLER and MAID step onto the veranda, followed closely by
the Colonel's wife.
INT. PLANTATION MANOR HOUSE - DAY
The Colonel descends the wide staircase into a sumptuously-
appointed foyer.
He reaches for the hall gun—thinks better of it.
EXT. PLANTATION MANOR HOUSE - FRONT STEPS - DAY
Annie and the Colonel's wife exchange greetings.
COLONEL'S WIFE
I don't believe we've met.
ANNIE
My name's Annie Perkins.
The Colonel strides onto the portico, quickly sizes up Jay.
COLONEL
(loud, brash)
And you are?
JAY
Jay Lewis Williams.
Jay extends a hand. The Colonel's eyes narrow.
COLONEL
Lewis?
(steps toward Jay)
Had a boy named Lewis.
SMASH CUT
LEWIS—a blur of motion. He blindsides the Colonel.
Lewis loops a noose around the Colonel's neck. Snaps it
tight, yanks the Colonel off his chair.
He kicks his legs, desperately. The cocktail tray shatters.
Glass and gin spraying everywhere.
Lewis drags him across the dirt until the kicking stops—peace
restored.
Lewis stares, gasping. A moment of horror.
He bolts into the treeline.
ON THE COLONEL
His eyes snap open—icy and hollow.
BACK TO PRESENT
The Colonel's cold stare pins Jay, who stares right back.
COLONEL (CONT'D)
Tried to kill me.
The Colonel puffs his chest—Jay sees a pistol tucked in his
waistband.
COLONEL (CONT'D)
(eyes narrowed)
Ran away like a razorback.
Annie tilts her head, bristling.
ANNIE
You're surprised?
The Colonel smiles broadly. He sweeps a low, mocking
bow—never breaking eye contact with Annie.
COLONEL
Jeremiah Wainwright—they call me the
Colonel.
The wife turns to leave—pausing to whisper in Annie’s ear:
COLONEL'S WIFE
Real colonels fight and die for the
Confederacy.
She smiles spitefully, disappears inside.
Annie's gaze snaps back to the Colonel. Her spine stiff,
her smile razor-thin.
ANNIE
Annie. Perkins.
The Colonel narrows his eyes, gazes at Annie.
COLONEL
Perkins? Perkins?
He steps uncomfortably close to her.
COLONEL (CONT'D)
What brings you to our doorstep?
Annie shoots a look at Jay.
JAY
Research.
COLONEL
(barks)
Research!
Jay nods, jaw firm.
Their eyes lock. The Colonel's jaw slackens, his mouth
curling into a greasy, controlling grin.
He motions. Two WHITE GUARDS, one armed, surround Jay.
Jay meets the guards' looks with a stoney defiance.
COLONEL (CONT'D)
Show him where the bodies are kept.
ANNIE
(loud whisper)
Jay don't!
The guards roughly grab Jay and lead him away, struggling.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
Stop! Let him go!
Jay throws a determined glance at Annie.
Her stunned gaze follows him until he rounds the corner.
She momentarily freezes, then turns squarely to the Colonel.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
This disgusting...endeavor—
(jaw tight)
Will never succeed.
The Colonel smiles, motioning toward her.
COLONEL
Oh, but it already has.
Annie swallows, steadies her breathing. Her eyes flick to
where Jay was dragged off—an enslaved woman sweeps.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
33 -
Tension on the Veranda
INT. PLANTATION - BACK VERANDA - DAY
Annie and the Colonel gaze out at a lush landscape.
COLONEL
The moment I laid eyes on you, said
to myself: that's Annabelle Stewart.
All grown up!
ANNIE
Where did you take him?
The Colonel steps back, pulls out the pistol.
COLONEL
I gotta give it to your Pappy.
(pulls the pistol)
He knew how to build things.
Annie's eyes quickly scan the hallways and shadowed alcoves.
COLONEL (CONT'D)
This fine instrument is killin'
Yankees.
ANNIE
Where is he?
COLONEL
Your boy?
Annie seethes. The Colonel opens his arms, as if explaining
to a child.
COLONEL (CONT'D)
He's in class.
Annie blinks, helplessly.
INT. MANOR HOUSE - PARLOR - DAY
Annie and the Colonel enter the well-appointed room.
Her eyes search around. The Colonel gently grabs her elbow.
She cringes.
COLONEL
You look plum fatigued.
SMASHCUT
She sits with him—tense and unyielding—on a plush love seat.
An enslaved WOMAN appears. She carefully hands a tumbler to
the Colonel.
He offers it to Annie, who shakes her head.
He doesn't blink, and continues to hold out the drink.
She hesitates. Then accepts it.
The Colonel raises his glass, staring at her—like easy prey.
He tosses back the drink, never taking his eyes off her.
Annie, holds the glass, unflinching. She waits until he's
finished, then splatters her drink on the table.
She gazes defiantly at the Colonel, whose eyes narrow.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
34 -
Power Struggles on the Plantation
EXT. PLANTATION SHED - DAY
A surly guard throws Jay threadbare, Negro-cloth overalls.
He examines them, looks up in disbelief.
JAY
You fuckin' kidding?
A rifle butt SMASHES his face. He YELPS, and crumbles to
the ground.
INT. PLANTATION MANOR HOUSE - FOYER - CONTINUOUS
Annie and the Colonel enter the foyer. He carries a tumbler.
She's wound, tight.
JAY (O.S.)
HELLLLLP!
ANNIE
(eyes darting)
JAY!?
Annie moves toward Jay's voice—the Colonel grabs her wrist.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
LET GO OF ME!
He twists her wrist, a vicious torque that drops her to the
floor.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
AHHHHHHHHH!
His smirk widens as he slowly lifts her to her feet.
Seething, Annie looks at him with cold eyes. A tear rolls
down her cheek.
She wipes her nose, gathers herself-fury building.
COLONEL
(damp breath)
Welcome home, Annabelle.
Suddenly—Annie takes a swing. He parries it, LAUGHS low.
She jerks away. Glares at him.
ANNIE
I may have lived here a long time
ago—this will never be my home.
The Colonel SCOFFS, throws back another mint julep. He
exhales, savoring the liquor and the moment.
COLONEL
Know why your Daddy sold that factory?
(she stares at him)
Because he wanted in on—
(gesture around)
This.
Annie's eyes narrow, jaw tightens. She locks eyes with him.
ANNIE
...helps to know your history.
The Colonel leans into her space. Thin, mocking smile:
COLONEL
Doing my best. To rewrite it.
She blinks, a flash of fear—quickly replaced by fury.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
35 -
Captured and Confined
EXT. ENSLAVED PERSONS QUARTERS - DAY
Jay, hands bound and in rags, staggers past enslaved people
at work—woozy from the blow.
Hushed WHISPERS:
PERSON1
Who that over there!? That Lewis?
PERSON2
(long stare over)
That boy ain't Lewis!
PERSON3
Nobody catchin' him. He too smart!
He's dragged toward a former shack, now a jail.
The guards open the padlock, fling open the door.
Jay struggles, mightily. A guard cold-cocks him. He hits
the ground.
Some enslaved worker notice. They remain still.
The guards drag him like a heavy sack into the cell.
GUARD
Welcome home, boy.
Door SLAM. Key JANGLE. Padlocked.
INT. THE BOX - DAY
Slats of blinding light pierce the dust.
Jay's breathing ECHOES, detached from his own body.
Glints of light seep through his eyelids. Hazy consciousness.
Jay stumbles to his feet, shaky, unsteady.
A bound, enslaved PRISONER crouches in the corner. He
MUMBLES—low, broken, unintelligible.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
36 -
Desperate Escape
INT. PLANTATION MANOR HOUSE - FOYER - DAY
Annie and the Colonel stroll past the winding marble
staircase.
She stops. Turns to him with a razor smile.
ANNIE
Thank you. This was
very...informative.
She turns to leave—
The Colonel snatches her wrist. His grip tight, cold glare.
He lifts her chin; she swipes his hand away.
His smile vanishes. He lifts her chin again, then—
Strikes her with a hard BACKHAND. Her head snaps to the
side.
She reels back, stumbling against the marble staircase.
She fixes on the Colonel with a penetrating glare, then—
Flees up the stairs.
The Colonel scoffs. He watches her desperate flight.
He breaks into large, determined strides up the stairs.
Annie reaches the landing. She looks down a hallway. Rattles
a stuck door.
INT. PLANTATION MANOR HOUSE - CHAMBER - DAY
She rushes in. Locks the door. Presses an ear.
Silence. Her eyes riveted on the knob.
A key CLINKS. Her eyes widen. The knob turns.
She steps back, mouth open.
The Colonel steps in. Dangles the key at her.
Annie backs away, slowly.
He locks the door. Slips the key into his coat pocket.
Slowly turns to face her.
COLONEL
Delighted to see you again.
Annie takes a desperate step back toward the king-sized four-
poster bed. She points an accusatory finger.
ANNIE
I swear to God: your wife will hear
about this.
Annie hits the edge of the bed, nowhere left to go. Panic
washes over her as the Colonel inches closer.
COLONEL
My wife...is of no consequence.
Trapped against the bed, Annie's eyes open wide. She suddenly
pivots—to a coy, Southern belle:
ANNIE
What would my Daddy think, you
carrying on like this?
He smiles, confident. Annie lowers onto the bed.
The Colonel steps between her legs.
She reaches for his waistband. Her other hand slips into
his coat pocket.
Annie looks up at him, seemingly possessed, when—
She drives a knee into his groin—he YELPS, reels backwards,
falling on his ass. THUD.
Annie lunges for the door. He desperately reaches out and
trips her.
She stumbles, gathers herself—jams the key into the lock
multiple times.
The door flies open. The Colonel staggers after her, hunched
in pain.
She SLAMS the door in his face. Tries locking him inside.
The knob starts to RATTLE loudly. The Colonel RIPS the door
open.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
HELP!
Annie hurls the key. Clips his eye.
COLONEL
Arrrgghh!
He stumbles back.
ANNIE
SOMEBODY...PLEASE!
She BOLTS down the staircase, fumbling with her heavy hem.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
HELLLLLP!
INT. THE BOX - DAY
Jay squints through the slit window.
JAY
(pounds on door)
ANNIE!
COLONEL (O.S.)
DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!
Genres:
["Drama","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
37 -
A Descent into Chaos
INT. STAIRCASE/FOYER – CONTINUOUS
Annie reaches the last step—when she crashes hard on the
floor. She motionless, supine.
Slight movement. Lifts her head, woozy. Her eyes register
the rifle at the front door.
COLONEL (O.S.)
Now I'm drivin' the wagon.
Her eyes widen. She whips her head around—the Colonel looms
over her, pistol trained.
She whips her head toward the rifle—it's gone.
COLONEL (CONT'D)
My turn to say goodbye.
He COCKS it. She crabs backward, eyes bulging.
BOOM! Annie flinches. She SCREAMS as the Colonel's lifeless
body crashes toward her.
He face-plants, hard...on his cherished floor.
REVEAL
His wife, clutching the rifle, looming over his bloody corpse.
Annie gasps for air, eyes locked on the wife—
The rifle slips from her hand. CLATTER. Annie, mouth agape.
The wife doesn't move. Catatonic. Her fingers stay curled,
gripping a phantom weapon.
Annie blinks, then carefully approaches.
She stoops, never taking her eyes off the wife. Picks up
the rifle.
The wife watches with hollow fascination. She turns and
ascends the stairs.
EXT. PLANTATION - BACK VERANDA - CONTINUOUS
An enslaved boy and girl sit under the veranda decking,
giggling.
They blow daffodil feathers into the wind. The seeds
scatter—and vanish.
EXT. A CLEARING - DAY
Jay's cellmate is bound upright to a large oak.
Sensing danger, enslaved workers freeze and cut their eyes
toward the commotion.
INT. THE BOX - CONTINUOUS
Guard 2 pokes his rifle barrel through the barred window.
GUARD 2
You're next, runaway.
He spits a mouthful of tobacco juice.
O/S CRACK of a whip. GROANS. Jay's eyes widen.
Another CRACK. He flinches.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
38 -
Defiance and Escape
INT. PLANTATION MANOR HOUSE - CHAMBER - CONTINUOUS
The wife kneels at a sunlit prayer desk. Finishes Lord's
Prayer.
She rises and crosses to the dressing table.
In the mirror, she unpins a small collar brooch—a gleaming
Confederate battle flag.
She studies it once. Then places it on the floor.
Her heel comes down. Deliberate. Crushing it.
She reaches for a pair of gold scissors.
Unpins her bun. Her hair spills down.
She cuts roughly at chin level.
Dark clumps fall around her hem.
O/S CRACKS of a whip.
CLOSE ON Guard 1, enjoying his cigarette.
CLOSE ON Jay, who notices the jail door isn’t locked.
EXT. THE BOX - DAY
Jay EXPLODES from the cell.
He body-slams Guard 1. They crash to the dirt, trading blows.
Nearby, Annie takes aim at Guard 1—the hammer drops. Silence.
She wrestles with the bolt, but it's seized.
Guard 2 flings his butt, grabs his rifle, aims at Jay.
Annie sees it—too late. CRACK!
Guard 2 face-plants, a bloody spot spreads on his back.
She tosses the useless iron and races toward Jay.
ON TERENCE
...who lowers his rifle, his steady resolve now glimmering
with pride.
A group of ENSLAVED stand nearby, a silent wall of witnesses.
In a final parry, Jay shoves Guard 1, sending him reeling
into the dirt.
Separated and gasping, they stare at Guard 2's motionless
body.
Jay grimaces, massaging his shoulder.
Annie reaches him, trembling.
ANNIE
I'm sorry Jay—the gun—it wouldn't
fire!
Jay pulls her against him. She SNIFFLES, wiping her nose on
his rough sleeve.
The witnesses remain motionless. A shroud of silence.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
39 -
Silent Acknowledgment
INT. PLANTATION MANOR HOUSE - CHAMBER - CONTINUOUS
The wife stands over the bed folding a silk gown, determined
to smooth out every wrinkle.
She lifts a pair of evening shoes, pausing mid-air. Her
fingers linger on the delicate straps, then slowly sets them
aside.
A long breath. She reaches for worn, sturdy walking shoes.
Drops them into her Gladstone bag.
Her gaze drifts over the neatly folded gown. A flicker of
loss crosses her face.
She closes the bag.
EXT. THE BOX - CONTINUOUS
Jay breathes heavily, chest rising and falling. His gaze
lingers Guard 2’s lifeless form.
He shoots Annie a glance. Silent acknowledgment of what's
been done.
Terence squats, carefully cuts the prisoner down.
The prisoner's bruised, broken body sags into the arms of an
enslaved woman, who cradles him like a child.
Terence rises, dark blood matted on his cuffs.
Jay and Terence lock eyes. A wordless understanding passes
between them.
They approach each other, embracing with a gravity.
Annie steps closer, a silent observer.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
40 -
A Moment of Hope and Uncertainty
INT. PLANTATION MANOR HOUSE - FOYER - CONTINUOUS
The wife, in a simple hoop skirt, grips the wide banister
and slowly descends the staircase.
She carries two travel bags, awkwardly switching hands.
An enslaved woman sits on the bottom stair, hunched over,
SOBBING.
The wife stops. Her spine stiffens.
COLONEL'S WIFE
Where is my husband?
ENSLAVED WOMAN
I saw him here. The Colonel—dead.
(wide eyes)
Don't know where he gone, ma'am.
The wife reaches out and squeezes the gnarled hands of the
confused, elderly woman.
COLONEL'S WIFE
(leans in)
Your prayers have been answered.
She smiles, warmly. Turns toward the front door.
EXT. PLANTATION DRIVEWAY - CONTINUOUS
Jay, Annie and Terence stand in a loose circle.
TERENCE
I couldn't sit on my hands no more.
Jay and Annie gaze warmly at their friend.
SILENCE stretches, when—
Annie signals Jay to turn around.
A growing crowd of enslaved people fix their eyes on him.
He gazes at the hopeful, frightened crowd.
Jay glances at Annie.
JAY
I am—
He locks eyes with the sledgehammer man.
JAY (CONT'D)
Your witness.
Annie wipes a tear.
JAY (CONT'D)
All of this...it's over. Finished.
He scans the stunned crowd.
JAY (CONT'D)
You can leave...
(beat)
Nothing's stopping you!
No reaction. Eyes shift between Jay and the manor house.
JAY (CONT'D)
GO!
VOICE IN CROWD
Amen...
Another voices rise—uneasy.
VOICE IN CROWD (CONT'D)
What about the Man!?
The mention of the Colonel hangs heavy. MURMURS.
Jay looks toward the manor house. Annie follows his gaze.
They see—
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
41 -
A Hopeful Departure
EXT. MANOR HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
The wife stands on the portico, diminished—her Gladstone bag
and toiletry sack at her feet.
BACK ON JAY
JAY
What happened back there?
Annie meets Jay's gaze, then declares to the crowd:
ANNIE
(shouting, emphatically)
The Colonel will never again hurt
you! Never!
The crowd MURMURS, restless.
VOICE IN CROWD
Where ya been, Lewis?
Jay blinks, jaw firm, turns to the crowd and shouts:
JAY
I was lost. Up North.
Hope ripples through the crowd—some wipe their eyes.
Jay and Annie exchange a satisfied glance.
EXT. PLANTATION DRIVEWAY - DAY
Terence, Jay and Annie climb onto the wagon.
Jay freezes.
JAY
We can't leave.
Annie tilts her head. Jay pulls out the locket. Annie's
eyes widen.
ANNIE
Nelli.
EXT. PLANTATION DRIVEWAY - MOMENTS LATER
Terence guides Safflower down the long driveway.
Jay and Annie watch workers drift back to their chores.
Others trail the wagon, hesitant, drawn by the uncertain
promise of freedom.
Jay looks back at Wainwright Plantation, holds—
Then meets Annie's eyes. Her lips downturn.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
42 -
Echoes of War
EXT. WOODED TRAIL - LATER
Terence grips the reins, eyes locked on the road ahead.
Annie and Jay stare toward the horizon, both exhausted.
A tear tracks down Jay's face. He doesn't wipe it. She
reaches for his hand, lacing her fingers through his.
He exhales, closes his eyes. His shoulders finally drop.
They pass a scenic crossroads. Jay and Annie's eyes soak in
the late afternoon.
Unbeknownst to them, the glint of bayonets approach in the
opposite direction.
CLOSER ON
A column of BLUE COATS move rhythmically through the dust.
EXT. WOODED TRAIL - DUSK
A Union raiding SQUAD advances: two dozen infantry, six
cavalry, several officers, a field medic, and a workhorse
dragging a 12-pound Napoleon cannon.
Two Black soldiers follow, hauling a field-mounted Gatling
gun.
TIGHTER ON
Lewis, now a muscular 20-year-old soldier in Union blues,
who bears a striking resemblance to a younger Jay.
WHITE OFFICER
C'mon! Pick it up, Lewis!
Lewis tightens his grip, sweat streaming. He hauls the
massive weapon through the dirt. Refusing to break.
EXT. COUNTRY PATH - DUSK
The wagon rolls through late-afternoon sunlight. Exhausted,
Terence, Annie and Jay rest on the front bench.
TERENCE
I went to war.
(beat)
But God never meant me to be a
soldier.
FLASHBACK TO:
EXT. CONFEDERATE ENCAMPMENT - EDGE OF WOODS - DUSK
Ravens CAW as buzzards circle overhead.
Deathly blue smoke drifts through pock-marked trees.
TIGHTER ON
Terence stands frozen—his weapon slips from his hands, thuds
softly on the dirt.
Eyes vacant, he turns and walks away from the encampment.
LIEUTENANT
Halt soldier!
Terence continues walking.
LIEUTENANT (CONT'D)
Soldier!
(raises his pistol)
That's a direct order!
The Lieutenant FIRES—the shot grazes Terence's shoulder.
Terence vanishes into the trees.
END FLASHBACK.
Terence rocks silently, lost in memory. Jay gazes at him,
sensing the weight of something unspoken.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","War"]
Ratings
Scene
43 -
Imminent Threat
EXT. HOTEL - DUSK
Terence halts the wagon. Dust swirls. The heavy stillness
is broken only by distant cannon FIRE.
Confederate soldiers pile rocks and dirt onto the hotel
fortification.
The gravedigger walks past, shovel balanced on his shoulder,
the metal blade streaked with damp earth.
Jay and the gravedigger exchange wary glances.
A beat. Jay refocuses, furrows his brow.
JAY
What are they doing?
TERENCE
Preparing. Best finish up quick.
Terence’s face goes pale, a ripple of fear spreading through
Annie and Jay.
TERENCE (CONT'D)
...Yanks'll be here soon.
Jay squints.
JAY
Union soldiers?
Terence nods, trembling. Jay and Annie lock eyes.
JAY (CONT'D)
We have no time.
They leap down from the wagon and race up the hotel steps.
A Confederate sharpshooter tracks them from the rooftop,
finger on the trigger.
INT. HOTEL - DUSK - CONTINUOUS
Jay and Annie step into the lobby. Mayhem.
Soldiers load weapons. Furniture is dragged into makeshift
barricades. Ammo clatters across the floor, echoing through
the lobby.
The Sheboygans sit listless in a cluster of chairs, their
eyes vacant in the otherwise empty activity room.
Cynthia Wright reaches into a drawer, places a revolver on
the front desk, hand lingering on the weapon. Her charm
gone, eyes hawk-like.
Jay and Annie weave through the chaos. Wary stares track
them.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","War"]
Ratings
Scene
44 -
Chaos at Dusk
INT. SECOND FLOOR LANDING - DUSK
They reach the second-floor landing. Jay scans the hallways.
His gaze keeps returning to the battle preparations below.
ANNIE
Where is she!?
A burst of GUNFIRE shatters the air. SCREAMS pierce the
chaos. Dust and debris kick into the hallways below.
Jay spins to Annie, locking eyes. Another crack of GUNFIRE.
JAY
Those six open graves? They're saving
two for us.
Annie squints. Jay grabs her shoulders, speaking slow and
deliberate.
JAY (CONT'D)
Everyone gets a medal for their
sacrifice.
Her face pales, jaw dropping as the realization hits.
JAY (CONT'D)
Get your stuff!
Annie bolts down the hall. Jay slips inside his room, closing
the door softly behind him.
INT. ANNIE'S HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Annie quietly enters. Freezes.
A REBEL SHARPSHOOTER at her window.
He whirls, leveling his rifle. She throws up her hands.
ANNIE
No! I'm a guest! That's my bag!
The teenage soldier hesitates, suspicious.
Annie smiles, disarmingly. Tense beat.
He slowly lowers his rifle.
Annie grabs clothes from her backpack.
JUMPCUT TO:
She steps from behind a Victorian screen.
The sharpshooter puzzles over her modern attire.
He turns back to the window.
A bullet RIPS through him, flinging him onto the bed.
Annie stumbles back, eyes wide, heart racing.
A bullet WHINES past her ear.
She jumps. Flees.
Genres:
["Drama","Action","War"]
Ratings
Scene
45 -
Confrontation in the Shadows
INT. JAY'S HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Jay, in contemporary clothes, blows dust from the locket.
He opens it. Gazes wistfully at the faded photo.
KNOCK. Jay closes the locket.
Door creaks open. It's Nelli.
JAY
Nelli!
NELLI
(doesn't enter)
Sir, your presence is required
downstairs.
Jay studies Nelli, trying to read her. She's cold and
implacable.
JAY
You need to see this.
He steps forward, opens the locket.
Nelli inches closer to examine the photograph, then looks up
at Jay, puzzled.
NELLI
Where you get this?
JAY
From your...mother.
Nelli stiffens, steps back.
NELLI
My mama been dead fer a long time.
Jay shakes his head gently, softens his breath.
JAY
She's alive.
She freezes, blinking.
JAY (CONT'D)
After Lewis escaped-
NELLI
Lewis?
JAY
The Colonel took you away.
Nelli's brow wrinkles.
NELLI
Why?
JAY
To punish your mother.
Nelli glances at the locket, then at Jay. Her face brightens.
NELLI
My mama's...alive?
Jay nods, as Nelli's chest heaves.
NELLI (CONT'D)
Who are you?
Jay pauses, for emphasis:
JAY
I'm—
(beat, blinks)
Kin.
Nelli's fingers tremble over the locket.
Cynthia Wright steps from the shadows behind Nelli, a pistol
leveled at Jay's chest.
JAY (CONT'D)
Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!
Jay stumbles back, hands raised, heart pounding.
Wright presses the steel barrel against Nelli's trembling
cheek. We glimpse the tattoo on her wrist.
CYNTHIA WRIGHT
Get downstairs. Now!
Nelli freezes; Jay’s eyes narrow in anger.
Wright cocks the pistol. Every muscle tenses. Then—
Annie SLAMS into her. The gun FIRES.
They crash to the floor, dust and debris flying, grappling
for the pistol.
CUT TO:
Jay, gun trained on Wright, glares at her.
Annie offers Nelli a gag.
Nelli's gaze lingers on it. Her eyes flick to Annie, then
Jay. A slow, defiant smile curls across her lips.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","Action"]
Ratings
Scene
46 -
Chaos at Dusk
EXT. HOTEL - EARLY EVENING
Union riflemen crouch behind scrub, keeping a steady volley
on the battered hotel.
Lewis locks in the Gatling.
A young soldier threads the bullet ribbons. Another slams
the feeder home.
The gunner exhales, tightening his grip.
Time stretches. The air is thick with anticipation.
—then a hellish RAT-A-TAT-TAT tears through the twilight.
A scream pierces the din. Glass shatters on the hotel facade.
Soldiers topple, dust and dirt kicking into the air. One
tries to crawl for cover—another falls beside him.
The Gatling spits fire in brutal rhythm. Screams. Walls
ripped with holes. Glass shatters.
A pause.
Another volley. Screams rise. Smoke and fire spread.
A mother shields her child. Both freeze as a bullet strikes
a nearby wall, splintering wood and glass.
Lewis reels back, stomach taut, heart racing, watching the
carnage unfold.
The volley crescendos, merciless and inescapable.
EXT. DOWN THE STREET FROM HOTEL - EARLY EVENING
Terence hits the dirt behind his panicked horse.
Gunfire CRACKS around him.
He tugs the reins. The horse REARS. He barely keeps hold.
Genres:
["Drama","War"]
Ratings
Scene
47 -
Descent into Chaos
INT. ASSEMBLY ROOM - CONTINUOUS
The General storms in, waving his pistol.
The Sheboygans are frozen in fear.
GENERAL
To the stairs! Move! Now!
The Sheboygans exchange panicked glances, before Joel and
Bill are driven into the chaotic lobby.
INT. SECOND FLOOR LANDING - EARLY EVENING
Annie, Jay and Nelli glance nervously at the battle below:
Soldiers and citizens fight bravely, but are no match for
Union firepower.
Jay turns to Nelli.
JAY
Are there any fire escapes?!
Nelli frowns, confused.
JAY (CONT'D)
Stairs! Backstairs!? Side stairs!?
NELLI
Servant stairs?
JAY
Show us!
They rush off down the hall.
INT. HOTEL BACK STAIRCASE - EARLY EVENING
Nelli, Jay, and Annie reach a closed door. Jay steps forward,
revolver drawn, eyes sharp with caution.
He opens the door, peers down the long staircase. At the
bottom, a REBEL SOLDIER takes cover from Union fire.
Jay signals Annie and Nelli to stay put—he quietly descends
the stairs.
Genres:
["Drama","Action","War"]
Ratings
Scene
48 -
Mercy Amidst Chaos
INT. BOTTOM OF BACK STAIRCASE - EARLY EVENING
Jay COCKS the revolver against the Rebel's head.
The terrified soldier turns—a trembling 14-year-old boy.
BOY SOLDIER
Please mister...
Jay's expression softens. He lowers his pistol.
JAY
Give me your rifle.
The boy nervously hands over his weapon. Jay takes out his
room key.
JAY (CONT'D)
Upstairs. Last door on the right.
There's a woman in the room. Do not
engage her.
The boy nods, trembling, tears welling in his eyes.
JAY (CONT'D)
Stay there until the fighting stops.
Take it!
Trembling, the boy climbs the stairs, glancing back at
Jay—trying to understand his mercy.
A bullet SPLINTERS the door frame, sending wood shards and
dust into the air.
Jay crouches, scanning.
Behind a tree, a skinny, bearded Confederate marksman lies
prone.
Jay FIRES—then a bullet tears into his leg. He SCREAMS,
collapses into the door frame. Blood pools beneath him.
The Confederate soldier takes aim again but is abruptly cut
down by Union FIRE.
Nelli drops beside him, tearing fabric to staunch the wound.
Jay gazes at her, pained and grateful.
INT. JAY'S HOTEL ROOM - EARLY EVENING
The boy turns the key, peering inside, tense and uncertain.
Cynthia Wright, gagged and bound, thrashes in a chair, eyes
wild, letting out strangled grunts.
When he hesitates, she violently rocks the chair—it CRASHES
to the floor.
She thrashes, muffled screams seeping through the gag.
The boy freezes, nervously holds his ground.
Genres:
["Drama","War","Action"]
Ratings
Scene
49 -
Under Fire: A Desperate Escape
INT. HOTEL BACK STAIRCASE - EARLY EVENING
Annie slings the boy's rifle over her shoulder.
Nelli and Annie lift Jay to his feet. He grimaces in pain.
JAY
Union soldiers behind the hedgerow.
NELLI
I can get us there.
ANNIE
Ready?
All three lock eyes.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
1, 2....3!
They bolt from the stairwell. Jay drags his leg.
Bullets whiz past, pinging off walls, slicing the air around
them.
They reach cover behind the hedgerow, gasping for breath.
A rifle-toting Union soldier freezes, eyes narrowing at the
unlikely trio.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
Please! He needs help!
EXT. BEHIND UNION LINES - LATER
A medic bandages Jay’s leg. Annie squats at his side.
Gunfire has subsided. Nelli grips the rifle, vigilant.
NELLI
I don't see him. Where could he be?
ANNIE
He'll be there. You can count on
Terence.
Nelli slumps—then her eyes narrow.
A handful of Black Union soldiers, including Lewis, position
a twelve-pound cannon.
He catches his breath, scanning the field.
Their gazes lock—recognition flickers. Her eyes widen.
She pushes the rifle into Annie's hands, sprints toward him.
They collide in a fierce hug.
The medic settles Jay into a field chair.
Nelli guides Lewis' gaze toward Jay. Their eyes meet—an
unspoken kinship forming.
Annie watches the exchange. The connection is undeniable.
She manages a smile, even as her eyes well up.
A sudden shout breaks the moment.
COMMANDING OFFICER (O.S.)
TAKE HIM OUT! NOW!
A soldier fumbles with his jammed rifle.
The officer yanks it away, clears the jam—then is hit in the
shoulder. He drops the weapon.
Annie grabs it, braces, and FIRES. The kick rattles her,
but she holds on.
The rooftop sharpshooter tumbles—THUD.
The commanding officer studies her, suspicious.
Annie meets the officer's gaze—stunned, breathless, just a
hint of triumph.
Genres:
["Drama","Action","War"]
Ratings
Scene
50 -
Betrayal and Chaos
INT. HOTEL LOBBY - EARLY EVENING - CONTINUOUS
Waving a revolver, the General leads the four Sheboygans
onto a covered porch.
Joel steps up, chest out.
SHEBOYGAN JOEL
We did not sign up for this!
The General's long arms snake around Joel and Bill, anchoring
them to his sides in mock-affection.
GENERAL
Rouse thy strength, men! We got
ourselves a fight!
He slips inside and locks the door—with a heavy, chilling
CLICK.
The Sheboygans look at each other, perplexed.
Joel shakes the knob, pounds the door, slams himself against
the oak.
EXT. BEHIND UNION LINES - EARLY EVENING
Annie notices the Sheboygans huddled on the hotel porch.
Her eyes shift back to the Union side, where an artillery
commander lowers his binoculars, pointing at the Sheboygans.
COMMANDER
FIRE!
The Commander's sword jerks downward. BOOM!
The cannonball SLAMS into the porch roof, collapsing it onto
the Sheboygans, in a thunderous CASCADE of rubble.
EXT. BEHIND THE UNION LINE - EARLY EVENING
Annie and Jay—he now leaning on a makeshift crutch—stare in
horror at the smoldering ruins.
Jay puts a comforting arm around Annie’s shoulder.
JAY
C'mon, Terence is waiting.
EXT. HOTEL FRONT - EARLY EVENING
White rags on poles are waved. A CREW of citizens scurry
out with empty stretchers.
FADE TO BLACK:
FADE UP:
Genres:
["Drama","War"]
Ratings
Scene
51 -
Urgency in the Woods
EXT. TRAIL IN THE WOODS - SUNRISE
Terence checks his pocket watch, frowning.
TERENCE
Seventy-five minutes until you're
stuck on this side.
(beat)
I'll be pushin' her.
Terence SNAPS the reins. The horse bursts into motion.
Nelli perches nervously beside him.
Annie cradles Jay's wounded leg on the straw-covered bed.
Eyes peeled, shotgun at the ready.
EXT. TRAIL IN THE WOODS - EARLY MORNING
The wagon moves slowly, sunlight filtering through the trees.
ANNIE
You okay?
JAY
Yeah. You?
Her cheek rests against his shoulder.
ANNIE
All things considered...feeling pretty
good.
(beat)
Next time...can we keep it north of
the Mason-Dixon?
He smiles. Foreheads touch.
Nelli looks at Terence.
NELLI
I heard what you did.
TERENCE
What I did?
NELLI
At the big house.
(beat)
You didn't have to. Why did you?
Terence tightens his grip on the reins. Keeps his gaze fixed
ahead.
TERENCE
I know what I saw ain't right.
She nods, fighting back a tear.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
52 -
Bittersweet Farewell at the Bridge
EXT. COVERED BRIDGE - DAY
The wagon pulls up as distant THUNDER rumbles.
Terence, Nelli and Annie help Jay down. He steadies himself
with a crutch.
TERENCE
(check his pocketwatch)
Twelve minutes. Best be crossin'.
They pause, gazing at the storm clouds pierced by rays of
golden sunlight.
No one's in a hurry to say anything.
ANNIE
Will you be alright?
TERENCE
We be just fine, ma'am.
He holds Nelli's hand; she struggles with emotion.
TERENCE (CONT'D)
We have work to do.
Jay and Annie exchange urgent glances.
JAY
Come with us.
Terence and Nelli exchange a tense look.
ANNIE
It's not perfect.
A beat.
NELLI
General Lee ain't never gonna
surrender.
Jay and Annie relent, managing small smiles.
The four stand in a perfect circle. A brief glow surrounds
them.
NELLI (CONT'D)
You promised to take me to see my
Mama.
TERENCE
(smiles)
I did.
Annie steps forward and hugs Terence. Jay hobbles over to
Nelli, embraces her.
JAY
Tell Sadie—
(chokes up)
The family's going to be all right.
Jay grips her shoulders, locking eyes.
Distant THUNDER. Eyes shift toward the approaching storm.
Nelli fights a tear. Terence and she climb onto the wagon.
Terence snaps the reins. The wagon lurches forward.
The sky BURSTS open into a downpour.
Jay and Annie watch from the bridge, soaked. They share a
bittersweet smile before disappearing into the shadows.
EXT. BRIDGE - DAY
Jay and Annie step off the bridge. Sunshine now.
She smiles, opens her arms toward the sky.
He starts down the path, limping—crutch scraping.
A sharp series of BEEPS slices the air. Jay's pocket
vibrates; the screen glows in his hands.
Annie and Jay look at each other, reality setting back in.
His crutch suddenly CLATTERS to the ground.
Jay and Annie freeze. Jay tests his leg. Solid.
They trade baffled looks.
Annie follows, when she notices something.
ANNIE
Jay. Look...
They watch the bridge slowly evaporate, carrying Terence and
Nelli with it.
Their shoulders slump—a mix of relief and sorrow.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","War"]
Ratings
Scene
53 -
Secrets in the Woods
EXT. DEEP WOODS - DAY
Annie follows Jay as he walks steadily up the path.
ANNIE
Soooo, after he, ummm, sold the
factory, he didn't just, you know,
leave town-
Jay stops.
JAY
I know.
She narrows her eyes, questioning.
ANNIE
What?
JAY
He bought slaves.
Annie stiffens.
JAY (CONT'D)
Went bust in less than a year.
Her eyes narrow in confusion.
JAY (CONT'D)
The Colonel sold him bad seed.
Nothing took.
Annie freezes, stares.
JAY (CONT'D)
He let 'em all go.
She struggles with the sudden turn of events.
ANNIE
But he had a plan.
Jay throws her a slight, exasperated glance.
JAY
He was a fool, not a monster.
She kicks a pine cone, her eyes searching Jay's face.
DISSOLVE TO:
Jay leads, stick-beating through the overgrowth.
ANNIE
Okay so...whoever finishes first—book
or thesis—picks any restaurant.
JAY
Yep.
Entering a small clearing, Annie stops.
ANNIE
Wait.
A chill breeze sweeps past. Her eyes scan the ground—an
empty plinth choked by butchered vines.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
Who took Stonewall?
She shoots Jay a nervous glance. Jay blinks. A crow SQUAWKS.
JAY
(deadly serious)
Let's keep moving.
They quicken their pace, dead leaves crunching underfoot.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
On a drum stick, TAPPING on the rim of a drum.
On a fiddle, beginning a mournful DIRGE.
On a distant low berm, the fiddle boy and the freakishly
tall drummer.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
54 -
Righteous Fury at the Graveyard
EXT. GRAVEYARD - DAY
A small, restless crowd gather in drab funeral attire.
Tattered rebel flags mark individual graves.
Four pine boxes are carried to the burial sites. Two open
graves remain.
TIGHT ON: Bonnie Blue war medals, pinned to each coffin.
The General stands off to one side, eyes scanning the
mourners.
The preacher man clutches a bible.
PREACHER MAN
These four, brave Confederate heroes—
(angrily)
Cut down by Yankee raiders.
CROWD MEMBER
Murderers!
The crowd RUMBLES—feet pounding, fists punching the air.
CROWD MEMBER (CONT'D)
Make them pay!
PREACHER MAN
(stern glare)
Rise up in righteous fury-
(thundering)
Send our martyrs north!
The crowd ROARS their approval.
The General, brow furrowed, fidgets with two Bonnie Blue
medals in his gloved palm.
A mournful Southern DIRGE rises from the crowd as we drift
up toward the darkening sky-
-AUDIO DISSOLVE into DISTANT SIRENS.
SUPER: ONE MONTH LATER
Genres:
["Drama","War"]
Ratings
Scene
55 -
Echoes of the Past
EXT. RESIDENTIAL STREET, BROOKLYN - EARLY EVENING
A police car SCREECHES to a stop outside a brownstone.
Two cops leap from the cruiser, sprint up the stoop.
Dog BARKS. Sirens rise, ECHOING down the street.
INT. JAY'S APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS
Jay peers through a curtain, face lit by FLASHING police
lights.
A white Corvette pulls in behind a black pickup. His eyes
narrow.
The Colonel and Recruiter step out in boots and bolos.
They move purposefully along the sidewalk, eyes scanning
windows, predatory.
Jay steps back, frozen—like he's seen a ghost.
The dog BARKS, fading into the distance.
DISSOLVE INTO-
Children LAUGHTER.
EXT. SHEBOYGAN, WI - SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOOD - EARLY EVENING
The sun casts long shadows down a neatly-groomed street.
Kids chase each other, laughing.
EXT. JOEL AND GINNY'S - BACK PATIO - EARLY EVENING
A group of Midwesterners, early 60s, gathers for a cookout.
Joel mans the grill. Ginny steps outside, balancing a tray
of snacks.
Her eyes meet Joel’s—both carry a new, measured intensity.
Ginny gives Joel a brief nod. He returns it.
JOEL
Ladies and gentlemen! May I have
your attention! Quiet please-
GINNY
-QUIET!
Ginny’s voice cuts through the chatter. The crowd quiets,
nervous and obedient.
JOEL
Ginny, Mary, Bill, and I recently
took a little...vacation.
FLASHBACK TO:
EXT. HISTORIC BATTLEFIELD - DAY
A distant BUGLE rises.
Old headstones dot the landscape.
Early morning sun glints off the weathered granite.
The four Sheboygans walk a grassy knoll, reading inscriptions.
JOEL (V.O.)
We wanted to trace Lee's steps:
Gettysburg to Bristoe. Cold Harbor
to Petersburg.
EXT. JOEL AND GINNY'S - BACK PATIO - DAY
GINNY
But the highlight came just outside
Aiken, South Carolina—where we met
someone who revealed-
JOEL
(solemnly)
Our forgotten past.
The audience stills. Some are confused.
GINNY
(cold)
We had no choice.
A breeze kicks up—grill smoke wafts through the gathering.
JOEL
(doctrinaire)
We were called on.
Silence stretches. One person half-claps. Uneasy glances,
whispering.
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
56 -
Tension on the Stoops
INT. BROOKLYN TOWNHOUSE - MORNING
Doorbell BUZZING.
Annie peeks through the blinds. On the stoop—JEFF NOKOVICH,
late 20s, backpack slung over his shoulder. He paces,
restless.
Annie recoils, sliding a table drawer slightly open, glimpsing
her pistol.
More BUZZING. Annie's hand hovers over the intercom, unsure.
She pushes the talk button.
ANNIE
Stay there.
EXT. TOWNHOUSE STOOP - CONTINUOUS
Jeff leans on the railing, scrolling his phone.
Annie appears at the glass and iron door, arms crossed.
JEFF (O.S.)
You took out a restraining order?
(beat, softer)
C'mon Annie. Open up.
Annie stiffens, hands on hip. Muffled, through the glass:
ANNIE
Goodbye Jeff.
She turns toward the stairs. He winces, voice tight:
JEFF
Some guy was looking for you.
Annie freezes, turns slowly toward him. Their eyes lock.
She throws the bolt, cracking the door just enough to peer
out.
ANNIE
You didn't give—
He tilts his head, dismissive, voice flat.
JEFF
He asked for it.
She blinks, then closes the door. The bolt flips, ECHOING
in the empty hall.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
57 -
Confrontation in the Tunnel
EXT. NYC PARK - TWILIGHT
Leaves rustle along a shadowy, deserted path.
Jay strides ahead, every step deliberate. Annie stuggles to
keep pace.
ANNIE
What are you going to say to him?
JAY
(not slowing down)
Nothing. He's talking first.
EXT. NYC PARK - TUNNEL - TWILIGHT
Darkness pools at the near entrance. The far end is a
blinding rectangle of late afternoon sunlight.
Annie's eyes stay fixed on that distant light.
Leaning against the arch, Jay glances up at her, then back
to nervous phone scrolling.
A MAN approaches through the glare—slow, deliberate.
Footsteps CLACK.
ANNIE
Someone's coming.
Jay doesn't look up. Louder CLACKS.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
Jack? Is that you?
The man reaches the entrance, but remains in the shadows.
MAN
(thick drawl)
Annie, I presume?
ANNIE
You presume right.
The man steps forward—slick, work-casual.
GRADY
Jackson T. Grady, III.
ANNIE
(realizing)
You're...Southern.
Annie looks at Jay, who now stares coldly at Grady.
GRADY
You made the ultimate sacrifice.
(beat)
Welcome to the Seven Club.
Annie narrows her eyes.
ANNIE
"Seven Club"?
GRADY
A brotherhood. To restore the
original mission.
ANNIE
(quietly concluding)
The initial wave.
GRADY
Yes.
Grady pulls back his sleeve, revealing his 'Don't Tread on
Me' and 'SEVEN-2' tattoos.
ANNIE
First seven to secede.
GRADY
You've done your homework.
(beat)
You're both in on the ground floor.
Annie and Jay exchange sharp glances.
GRADY (CONT'D)
We're going to be everywhere—every
state, every agency...every court.
ANNIE
(snarky)
Oh. I can sit in on your trial.
Her comment bites—he glares at her.
GRADY
Hearts and minds, Annie.
(turns to Jay)
And that, my friend, is where you
come in.
Grady steps over. Puts a hand on Jay's shoulder. He slaps
it away.
GRADY (CONT'D)
Hey! That's how you treat a—
Jay explodes, forearm to Grady's throat, slamming him into
the stone arch as his choke-hold tightens.
JAY
I'm not your friend!
ANNIE
(pacing, distraught)
Jay!
JAY
Those were my people! My family!
(tightens hold)
Why? For power? Greed?
ANNIE
Jay—stop!
Grady GURGLES. Claws at Jay's arm.
Jay pushes down harder, when-
-he catches Annie's eye. She's in tears.
He slowly, reluctantly, breaks his hold.
Grady collapses, gasping.
Jay backs off, trembling, points his finger.
JAY
We'll never surrender.
(beat)
Never!
A SHADOWED PERSON approaches deep in the tunnel.
ANNIE
We need to go.
He freezes.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
Now.
He nods. They run, disappearing over the rise.
AT THE ARCH, Grady massages his throat, his face a mottled
purple.
A shadow in the tunnel, motionless. Silhouette of a cowboy
hat. A cigar sparks up.
RECRUITER (O.S.)
Warned you 'bout them two.
The Recruiter, emerges from the tunnel—updated general attire,
GRADY
(hoarse)
...kid nearly ripped my head off.
(looks around)
You let 'em walk?
The Recruiter doesn't look his way. He fishes a pinch of
tobacco from a pouch, carefully packs it into his cheek.
RECRUITER
Ain't them I'm worried about.
He lets a dark stream of tobacco juice hit the pavement.
RECRUITER (CONT'D)
It's that damn book.
SUPER - ONE MONTH LATER
EXT. BRIDGE - DAY
Three tour buses, draped in neo-Confederate vinyl wrap, pull
to a synchronized stop.
The buses sit oddly still. Then-
Doors hiss open. Hundreds of wide-eyed tourists spill out.
They huddle in the shadows, under the bridge's massive
trusses. Dwarfed.
Across the river, a ribbon of buckboard wagons advances toward
the bridge.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
58 -
A Moment of Triumph and Tension
INT. SAFE ROOM - NIGHT
A bare bulb hums, casting a jaundiced light on Jay.
He leans forward on a makeshift desk, hunched over a laptop.
Two thumb drives and a half-empty water bottle sit nearby.
He scratches his five-day stubble. Scrolls the screen, eyes
narrowing. Blue light reflects in his tired eyes.
He takes a few small breaths, then-
-slides a drive into the port, quietly clicks save—soft CHIME.
Repeats with the other drive. CHIME.
Annie peeks in. Jay looks up, clutching the last drive.
His eyes soften, relieved. Her eyes sparkle, hopeful.
JAY
Publisher's fast-tracking it. Digital
at midnight. Hard copies in a few
weeks.
Annie gazes at him, proud. She steps in, hugs him.
ANNIE
You did it.
JAY
You rode shotgun.
Annie pulls back, a shadow of worry crosses her face.
ANNIE
What about-
JAY
(mock fear)
The Club?
Annie nods. Jay's jaw tightens.
JAY (CONT'D)
Time to get the word out.
A shared look passes between them.
He finishes packing up, hoists a bag over his shoulder.
JAY (CONT'D)
(optimistically)
Ready?
She hesitates. Then, reliably, she nods.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
59 -
Voices from the Shadows
EXT. PUBLIC THEATER - NIGHT
Students and locals cluster outside.
The marquee reads: Jay Lewis Williams: "Confederate Ghosts"
INT. PUBLIC THEATER - NIGHT
Dr. PETE JAROMBEK, Humanities Chair, stands at a lectern
before a packed house.
PETE
And now, please welcome Doctor Annie
Perkins.
APPLAUSE.
Annie walks on stage, glowing. Jay watches her proudly from
the wings.
Pete shakes Annie's hand as she takes the lectern.
ANNIE
Thank you, Dr. Jarombek.
(handling notes)
Good evening.
She glances at Jay, standing behind the curtain. He winks;
Annie softens.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
Three of his works are New York Times
bestsellers. He's been short-listed
for the Booker Prize.
ON JAY, standing proudly, clutching a copy of his book.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
In "Confederate Ghosts," Jay Lewis
Williams takes us back to witness
the enduring wounds of the Civil
War—wounds we still feel today.
She looks out over the attentive faces, then swings her arm
upstage.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
Jay Lewis Williams.
APPLAUSE.
Jay joins her at center stage with a brief embrace.
ANNIE (CONT'D)
(whispers)
It's time.
Jay smiles at Annie's timely comment.
He steps to the mic, adjusts it, sips water:
JAY
How y'all doing tonight?
Some in the audience smile. Eyes brighten.
JAY (CONT'D)
Good, good.
He takes in the audience—mostly college students and young
professionals. A beat.
JAY (CONT'D)
Tell me something: if war is hell—
(beat)
What's civil war?
The room stills, engaged.
JAY (CONT'D)
Nothing civil about it, right?
Some in the audience nod.
Then a hand rises. A YOUNG BLACK WOMAN, mid-20s, dressed
for work, hesitates, then speaks:
YOUNG WOMAN
It's when a country turns on itself.
(beat)
Destroys itself.
Jay nods, growing in agreement.
He takes his book, steps out from the podium, moves downstage.
A groomed, middle-aged MAN, stands up.
Jay acknowledges him.
JAY
Yes?
MAN
This book is meant to be non-fiction?
JAY
Yes.
WHITE MAN
(incredulously)
...but you write about vanishing
bridges...working plantations-
(beat)
-battles that no one witnessed.
Annie's eyes are riveted on Jay. He looks at the man, firmly:
JAY
I witnessed them.
He gestures backstage at Annie.
JAY (CONT'D)
We witnessed them.
WHITE MAN
Where's your evidence?
(beat)
How will anyone believe you?
Jay eyes narrow, breathes heavier.
In the back—the Recruiter, the Colonel, and Grady, push
through a group of standing customers.
Jay notices them. He glimpses Annie, whose eyes darken.
The three ghosts slip into the last few seats, back row.
JAY
Up there-
He gestures toward the back row.
JAY (CONT'D)
The three in the back.
The audience pivots, necks crane. The ghosts sit motionless.
JAY (CONT'D)
There's your proof.
Murmurs and gasps in the audience.
The Recruiter and Jay eye each other, cold and unflinching.
Jay turns toward Annie, who nods her head, encouragingly.
He calmly flips to a book-marked page and reads:
JAY (CONT'D)
"We can argue over who gained, and
who lost.
(beat)
But how it ended?
(beat)
If it ever did?"
Jay looks up and firmly shakes his head.
JAY (CONT'D)
That's not up for debate.
The Recruiter jumps to his feet, bellowing from the back:
RECRUITER
YOU DON'T OWN THAT STORY! IT'S MY
HISTORY!
Jay narrows his eyes, glares upward, steady and firm:
JAY
We've heard yours.
(beat)
It's their turn.
Annie's face brightens.
The Recruiter's eyes narrow, taps his chest, growling:
RECRUITER
Only I tell it!
Many in the crowd shrink in their seats. Jay ignores the
Recruiter, turns to the audience.
JAY
You didn't start this.
(beat)
But you own what happens next.
His words hang in the stagnant air.
The Recruiter flicks two fingers, from his eyes to
Jay's—forewarning him.
ON JAY
The room falls SILENT—as if submerged underwater.
FLASHCUT
The Recruiter jumps to his feet. His shadow stretches along
the wall, distorted and unreal.
He bellows—GARBLED, HEAVY ECHO.
Jay flinches. Blinks.
Suddenly, reality again—the crowded auditorium rushes back.
He looks upward. The ghosts melt into the crowd. His gaze
lingers.
Jay shuffles to the lectern. Straightens some papers—hands
trembling. Offers the audience a weary smile.
He turns, when a white woman, mid-40s, stands and starts
CLAPPING LOUDLY. Followed by the black woman and the young
man. Slow BUILD.
Jay stops. His expression softens. He nods appreciatively.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical Fiction"]
Ratings
Scene
60 -
Echoes of Triumph
INT. BACKSTAGE - CONTINUOUS
Noise BLEEDS IN from the auditorium—applause, shouts,
chanting.
Jay and Annie are SWARMED by SUPPORTERS—hands clapping
shoulders, voices overlapping.
SUPPORTER
You nailed him—
SUPPORTER (CONT'D)
Everyone saw it.
Jay smiles, overwhelmed but steady. Annie stays close.
They lock eyes—a quiet, shared breath in the exuberance.
Over Jay's shoulder—
A SHADOW. Jay's smile falters.
Just beyond the edge of the crowd, half-obscured by moving
bodies:
NELLI. She isn't solid, doesn't glow. She DISSOLVES IN—as
if remembered.
Jay blinks. She remains.
Annie follows Jay's gaze. Stiffens.
Across the room, another figure DISSOLVES IN—
TERENCE. He stands farther back, near an old brick wall.
His eyes move past Jay—carefully measuring the crowd's energy.
The supporters surge again, pulling Jay and Annie forward.
When Jay looks back—
Nelli is DISSOLVING OUT. But never fully gone.
Terence lingers a beat longer. He looks at Jay. No approval
or accusation. Just recognition.
Terence DISSOLVES.
The noise SWELLS.
Jay exhales. Acceptance.
Annie takes his hand.
The crowd presses in as they stand together—alive, carrying
what came before.
A thin, haunting fiddle line creeps in.
FADE OUT.
END.