Short Sreen Play

"BUCK"

By

Darrell Vincent

FADE IN


INT. HOUSE - NIGHT
 JIM thirty-seven, a portly man, 6’2" with dark neatly trimmed hair, supporting a freshly grown beard for the
hunting season, loves reading mythology books and his son MATT sixteen, 5’11" in great physical shape, is into reading
graphic novels, are meticulously going through their list of gear to pack for the deer opener hunting trip.

Jim and his son have not missed opening season of deer, since Matt turned ten.

INT. JIM’S BEDROOM
Jim yells to Matt who is down the hall in his room.

JIM
Matt did you pack your longies?

 MATT (V.O.)
Of course dad. This isn’t the first time going deer hunting.

Matt races to his closet and snatches the longies he had forgotten.

JIM

Just checking, it’s suppose to dip down pretty cold and snow.

MATT (V.O.)

Yes dad.

Matt shouts back tucking his longies into the suitcase.

Jim snags his American Indian Myths And Legend book from the nightstand and carefully places it in his suitcase.

INT. TRUCK - MORNING

JIM

Glad we are leaving early, it would be a pretty slow drive later.

MATT

You got that right.

Jim turns off Interstate 35 onto C.R. 19 and takes it to the end. At the end of the driveway he turns into and winds his
way through the dense canopy of trees. Snow is falling heavily as he plows his way through the undisturbed snow.
They come to an opening, the headlights shine on an old cabin with weather-beaten shake siding and faded flowered
curtains hang in the windows.

EXT. CABIN - EVENING

JIM
You start unloading and I’ll run in and start the wood stove.

EXT. CABIN DOOR
Jim is shivering as he inserts the key into the lock and turns it. The door sticks, he gives it the usual boot to the
lower right corner, it flies open.


INT. CABIN
Jim grabs some paper from a pile, CRUMPLES it and places it in the wood stove. Piles some wood on top of the paper,
strikes a wood match and the chimney begins SNAPPING and CRACKLING as heat pours through it.

Matt brings the last of the gear and piles it in their respective bedrooms.

LIVING ROOM
Jim is in his easy chair reading his Myths and Legends book and Matt is sprawled out on the couch reading his book. Jim
says to Matt.

JIM

You really should read some of these stories, they are fascinating. Here’s one that

is appropriate "Deer Hunter and the White Corn Maiden."

Jim and Matt both laugh.

MATT

Sounds just great, you really believe that stuff

JIM

Not really but some of it makes you stop and think.

I’m going to finish this one and hit the sack.

MATT

Ya me too.

INT. CABIN - BEDROOM - MORNING
Jim’s alarm BLARES out music. He looks over, the clock shows 4.00am.

JIM

You up kid?

MATT (V.O.)

Yep. Turn that cow poke music off.

 Jim reaches over and hammers the off button.

The two hurriedly dress with little conversation.

 EXT. WOODS - TRAIL
They slowly proceed, snow CRUNCHES under their boots with every carefully placed step. Jim stops and points to a fresh
set of deer tracks, and nods his head at Matt. Matt smiles back. They reach Matt’s stand and Jim gives him the thumbs
up, Matt climbs up into his stand. Jim waits till Matt is settled and proceeds to his stand.

EXT. WOODS - JIM’S STAND
Jim climbs up, brushes the snow out and sits. He looks at his watch 6:00. The woods are deafeningly silent.

Forty-five minutes later a shot RINGS out,Jim fumbles with his rifle trying to get ready. Nothing comes by so he waits
thirty minutes, gets down and slowly walks towards Matt’s stand. Jim sees Matt looking out to his left. Jim gives Matt
a little whistle. Matt turns,looks and points down to hisleft. Jim circles around and sees the deer laying motionless in the snow.

JIM

You got him. Come on down.

MATT

Yes, yes, yes.

Jim approaches the deer and yells.

JIM

It’s a nice eight point buck buddy.

MATT

Yes, alright, my first buck.

After hugs and kudos Jim flips the deer on it’s back.

JIM

I’ll teach you how to gut a buck. Get your knife out.

Matt slides his knife out.

MATT

Ready.

JIM

Ok, kneel down behind it and spread the legs wide. Now cut up, but not to deep.

Good, that’s good. Now there is a bone you have to cut through, be careful it is hard.

Matt steadies the knife on the bone, raises his other hand and slams
it down on the top of the knife. The knife slips.

MATT

Shit. I cut myself.

JIM

I told you be careful, let’s see it.

Jim wipes away the mixture of deer blood and Matt’s blood with his handkerchief.

JIM

It’s not to bad, hold this on tight and we will clean it up

better when we get back to the cabin. I’ll finish up.

INT. TRUCK - NIGHT
The two are heading south to the hospital to have the cut looked at.

MATT

Sorry about this dad.

Matt says with his head down, stroking his bandaged finger.

JIM

That’s alright "Buck", we’ll go getit stitched up and be back next weekend.

MATT

Buck ?

JIM

In honor of your first eight pointer.

They both laugh.

INT. HOUSE - MORNING
Jim and Matt are packing for their second weekend of hunting.

 INT. TRUCK - MORNING

JIM

We have one more tag to fill, let’s get it done.

MATT

I got a feeling it is going to be a good weekend.

EXT. CABIN - NIGHT
Jim and Matt unload the truck.

INT. CABIN - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Matt falls asleep on the couch with his graphic novel on hischest and Jim in the chair
with his myths and legends book in his lap.

Matt wakes up.

MATT

Dad wake up, let’s go to bed.

Jim grunts and snorts.

JIM

Ok Buck.

INT. CABIN - MORNING
Jim and Matt are dressed and head out the door.
EXT. CABIN - MORNING
The ground is covered with fresh snow. They slowly head towards their stands carefully placing each foot.
EXT. MATT’S STAND
Jim nods to Matt, gives him the thumbs up and Matt heads up the tree.
Jim waits till he brushes the snow out of the stand and sits down then starts down the the trail.

EXT. JIM’S STAND
Jim climbs up, brushes the snow out and sits down. Forty-five minutes later a shot RINGS out.
He smiles, waits thirty minutes and climbs down. He gets to where he can see
Matt’s stand but doesn’t see Matt in it.

EXT. MATT’S STAND
Jim sees Matt’s rifle on the ground. The snow around the tree is flattened and disturbed.
Matt’s and his footprints are leading to the tree but only a set of deer tracks are going away.

JIM

Matt, Matt, where are you? Matt.

Jim’s voice echoes back, then silence.

JIM

Matt!

Jim pulls out his cell phone and dials 911.

JIM

I need help please, my son is gone. We are hunting at the end of C.R 19,

I heard a shot coming from his stand,

when I got there his rifle was there but he is gone. Please help.

Jim is listening and shaking his head up and down,
then hangs up. Jim yells.

JIM

Matt, please Matt where are you?

Silence. Jim runs back to the cabin, leaves his rifle there and runs to the road.

EXT. ROAD - MORNING
A sheriffs car, a DNR truck and a highway patrol pull up at the same time.

JIM

You gotta help me, my son, he’s missing.

Jim’s arms are flailing frantically.

SHERIFF

Calm down sir.

JIM

But, my son.

SHERIFF

Calm down and tell us what happened.

Jim tells them what happened.

EXT. MATT’S STAND

SHERIFF

You didn’t touch or disturb anything did you?

JIM

No, no, look there is not much to look at.

The sheriff picks up the rifle and smells it.

SHERIFF

It’s been fired.

DNR OFFICER

It pretty much looks the way he described it.

There’s a set of tracks leading in and deer tracks heading out.

Search dogs smell around and pick up no sent.
Day, weeks and months of searching turn up nothing.
INT. CABIN - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Jim, hair grayer and much thinner sits grimly staring at the couch Matt always laid in.
EXT. WOODS - TRAIL - MORNING
Jim walks to Matt’s stand, nods his head, gives the thumbs up and heads to his stand.
EXT. WOODS - JIM’S STAND
Jim climbs up, sits down and blankly stares into the woods.
He reaches up and wipes away a frozen tear, with the back of his glove.

Jim sees nothing all morning and gets down.
EXT. MATT’S - STAND
Jim climbs up,and sits down, convulsing he tries fighting back the tears. An hour later
he sees some thing coming. Dries his eyes and pulls up his rifle. In the scope he sees an eight point buck
heading his way. He is shaking so bad he can hardly hold therifle still. The buck is about fifty yards out.
He CLICKS the safety off and slowly squeezes the trigger. The buck drops right there and never moves.
Thirty minutes later he gets down and slowly walks towards the deer. He gets to the
deer, smiles and pumps his fist in the air looking into the woods.

JIM

This one’s for you Buck.

He flips the deer over, spreads it’s back legs and takes his knife out. The deer begins to quiver.
He jumps back, turns around and grabs his rifle. He spins back around pulling the
rifle up to his cheek, it’s Matt laying there in a pool of blood.

JIM

NO, NO GOD NO.

He grabs his son and hugs his lifeless body.

FADEOUT