I'm comin' out now.
I'm tired, I want something different.
I just want to have a conversation.
I just want to talk about it.
Shit.
What the shit, man?
Suck it! Drive.
How old is she?
A junior.
She's got nice titties. You talk to her?
No.
You're gonna have to talk to her.
I know.
Remind me when we get back to my house.
I think Galen's got a book on that.
Shit.
Your dad would kill us if he knew we went out there.
I'm not worried about my dad killin' us.
We need to move if we're gonna make it back.
Set your watch, we need a good 15 minutes.
There it is!
Galen says it's been here awhile.
He thinks the last flood did it.
Hold it.
Look.
Little shits.
There it is.
Yeah. There it is.
Came down from up there.
Motor's gone.
Who else knows about this?
Just me and Galen.
What's he think?
He don't care about it.
Good.
Because this boat's ours.
This is perfect.
Holy shit.
Dude.
Son of a bitch!
Those are awesome.
Man.
Neck.
Dude, look at that beave, you gotta see this.
- Neck. - What?
Someone's here.
What?
Someone's living here.
Shit.
We gotta go. Can't be late.
- What are you doing? - I saw that same
boot print up in the tree.
It's got a cross in the heel.
Somebody's been in our boat.
Shit. Let's go!
We gotta go if you wanna make it back.
Takes twice as long goin' upriver.
Hold on.
Up there, they stop.
Where the hell'd he go?
I don't know.
Shit, you know that guy?
I've never seen him before.
Shit.
What'd you say, boy?
It's a hell of a thing, ain't it?
What's that?
Boat in a tree.
Hell of a thing.
You talkin' about our boat?
Talkin' about my boat.
We found it.
Yeah, you found it with me livin' in it.
Possession is nine-tenths of the law.
You got crosses in your heels.
Nails.
Shaped like crosses.
What for?
Ward off evil spirits.
Bought 'em from a man I called an Indian,
but he was a Mexican,
said they were seven-league boots
worn by the seventh son of the seventh son.
Told me they'd turn me into a werewolf, that's a lie.
I don't know nothin' about that.
They just good luck boots.
As you can see, they ain't working too well so far.
What's your name?
I'm Neckbone, he's Ellis.
And, mister, I know you're not the owner of that boat,
not for nine-tenths of nothin'.
Neckbone...
That's a heck of a good handle, son.
Where y'all from?
What do you care where we're from?
DeWitt.
Arkansas boys.
Y'all had me worried for a second.
We supposed to know you?
I doubt it.
I grew up around here, but I've been gone awhile.
Where at around here?
Different places.
Spent a lot of time back up near the White.
You know Shelly's Oxbow?
Ellis.
Yeah, I know it.
An old man named Tom Blankenship used to live up in there.
He still does.
His boat's across from mine.
Well, ain't that somethin'?
Now, I like you two boys. You remind me of
me.
Seein' as how you two is from Arkansas,
and we know some of the same people and we grew up in some of the same places,
I reckon we can make a deal for somethin'.
A deal for what?
Food.
Food for a boat.
He's a bum, Ellis. Come on.
Why don't you go get your own food?
Well, I would if I could.
See, I told somebody I'd meet 'em here. So...
I'm stuck for now and what I've got is runnin' low.
He's a bum, Ellis, come on.
I ain't no bum. I got money, boy.
You can call me a hobo, 'cause a hobo will work for his living,
and you can call me homeless 'cause...
Well, that's true for now, but you call me a bum again,
I'm gonna teach you somethin' about respect your daddy never did.
When they show up, you'll leave?
Yup.
And when you leave, that boat's ours?
That's right.
I'm just in a tight spot.
Could use a little help.
We gotta go.
You get his name?
No.
Sorry.
Where ya been?
Me and Neck got caught up helpin' Galen.
You're supposed to be helpin' me. I had to load this myself.
I know. I'm sorry.
Get on in the back, can't be later than we are.
Supposed to be 10.
It's 10, you do your share.
I loaded this morning, makes it five.
Can you drop me at Neck's?
Hadn't you seen enough of him today?
Said he had somethin' for me.
You see any more of them Ding Dongs over there?
What did Mama want to talk to you about?
What?
This morning? What did she want to talk to you about?
You spy on me in my own house?
I wasn't spyin', I just heard y'all.
That's your mother's business.
I came for that book.
Oh, yeah. Gotta give it a minute.
Hear that music?
Yeah?
That means he's doin' it. That's his doin' it song.
You know who it is?
Whoever's drivin' that Pontiac.
You tell Galen about this morning?
Nah. You tell anybody?
That guy's crazy.
I don't know. I think he just needed a little help.
He can swim his ass off that island and get some.
I think I'm gonna go back out there, give him some food.
Why?
You're Neckbone, right?
Yeah.
Word of advice.
Don't grow up to be like your shit heel uncle.
Hey.
You hear me?
You treat a woman like a princess, got it?
Yeah.
Come on, baby!
I'm a goddamn princess!
That's uncalled for.
Hey, a lot of people are comfortable with that kind of thing in the bedroom.
Some people aren't. We know that about you now, okay?
What do you think I am?
Pearls.
Galen finds 'em in the mussel shells.
Come on, let's get that book.
- You weren't havin' any fun? - No!
- No fun at all? - No!
Please don't go.
I don't want you goin' back out there by yourself.
That river's scary enough with two people.
I don't trust that guy.
Here it is.
Galen said that really turned things around for him.
Thanks.
Watch out for that dog.
You really goin' back out there?
Yeah. I think it's the right thing to do.
All right.
I'll be over in the mornin' then.
Hey, that's a good book. Be sure you do the worksheets in back.
Let's get some dinner, Neck.
Hey, I'll call before I come.
All right.
You okay, Mama?
Yes.
Are you hungry?
You want me to fix you something?
I'm all right.
Well, then, I'm going to turn in.
Hey, Dad.
What do you know about Tom Blankenship?
What?
Mr. Blankenship, what do you know about him?
Why?
I don't know. He just looks Ionely over there all by himself.
Some people move to this river to work on it,
and some people move here to be left alone.
I want us to try and sit down for dinner tonight, okay?
Ellis?
Be home by 7:00.
Yes, ma'am.
Where do you think he's at?
Let's try the boat.
Looks like he made camp.
You think he's up there?
What are you doin'?
I try to never sleep in the same spot twice.
- What you got there? - Brought you some food.
Here, take it.
I owe you boys.
I was gonna try and run a trotline this afternoon.
See where that got me.
Green beans never tasted so good.
Why you have that pistol?
Protection.
Y'all needn't be afraid of me.
I've got two ways to protect myself out here, this shirt
and this pistol.
There are fierce powers at work in the world, boys.
Good, evil,
poor luck, best luck.
As men,
we've got to take advantage where we can.
Y'all comin'?
So who's this guy you're waiting on?
Oh, I'm not waitin' on no guy.
I'm waitin' on my girlfriend.
- Juniper. - Is she hot?
She's beautiful.
Bullshit!
Prettiest girl I've ever seen, hands down.
Blonde hair, long legs.
I tell you, she's like a dream you don't want to wake up from.
She's got these birds tattooed on her hands here.
Nightingales.
Good luck birds.
That a good luck snake?
No, it is not.
I hate snakes.
That's because God put 'em here for us to fear.
We knew to be afraid of snakes long before we ever even got into this world.
The Cherokee would wrap their pregnant women's bellies in snake skin.
Induce labor, scare the child out.
Put that around your bed at night.
Snake won't cross a braided rope.
Thanks.
So what's that tattoo for then?
A reminder.
Don't get bit.
I was 10, swimmin' about a mile up from here, me and Juniper.
Son of a bitch
swam up on me, bit me right here up under the armpit.
Juniper got me off to the clinic.
Doctor said I should have been dead in 20 minutes.
Took us over an hour just to get to town.
So what'd they do for it?
Gave me the anti-venom.
Cottonmouth.
See here?
Thing with anti-venom is,
they can only give it to you once.
Made of horse blood. Body would reject it a second time.
So the cure becomes more dangerous than the poison.
What happens if you get bit again?
I die
or just sweat it out.
We gotta go help Neck's uncle.
All right.
You never said your name.
Mud.
You can call me Mud.
Here, Mud.
I think you need this worse than I do.
I'll be all right.
You start datin', I bet her dad'll give you a free pickup.
I don't care about that.
What the hell are you doing?
Where you goin'?
Stop it!
Stop it! God!
Hey.
Holy shit, Pryor, get off your ass!
You only got what you deserve!
That's right, go home, Pryor!
Do I know you?
I'm Ellis, that's Neck.
We went to junior high with you before you went to high school.
How old are you?
Fourteen.
You know you just punched a senior.
So?
I'm May Pearl.
I know.
What else do you know?
Nothing.
Son of a bitch.
Ellis.
Ellis!
Look.
You ever seen that girl before?
No.
Did you see her hands?
Hey, girl!
Hey!
Hey, girl, where you goin'?
That ain't even cool.
Hello?
Sorry.
We think we know a guy that might know that girl over there.
May Pearl, let's go!
Okay.
Okay, I guess I'll see you.
If you can find my number, you should give me a call.
I can find it.
Where'd she go?
Into the Piggly Wiggly. She came from the motel.
Home for dinner?
What you hidin' for?
I ain't hidin'.
Come over here.
You know I love you?
Yes, sir.
I know.
I work you hard, 'cause life is work.
You know that?
Yes, sir.
Your mom is talkin' about movin' into town.
What's that mean?
She seems set on it,
wants to separate.
May even ask for a divorce.
What's that mean for me?
It means enjoy this river, son.
Enjoy it while you live on it.
'Cause this way of life isn't long for this world.
River Authority's about made certain of that.
But you and me,
we can still live out here, right?
R.A. Can't take your boat.
Not while you're still livin' in it.
This houseboat's in your mother's name.
Her daddy gave it to her, not to me.
She wants to leave it.
River Authority's got every right to come in here
and tear this place apart board by board.
That ain't right.
You work outta here.
We got the ice machine.
The traps.
What are we supposed to do?
Like I said, that's your mother's business.
I ain't no townie.
I ain't livin' like that.
I've let you down, son.
Man is supposed to be in charge of his own affairs,
but I haven't worked it like that.
But y'all are married.
Y'all are supposed to love each other.
I don't know about that anymore.
Hey, Ellis.
You're late.
Ellis?
Damn, boy, what you doin' out here?
I got you some Beanie Weenie.
I appreciate that.
But I didn't expect you out here at night.
Oh, look at that.
Boy, you really know how to do somebody right.
I wasn't gonna say nothin',
but it's pretty tough to make a meal out of pumpkin pie fillin'.
That's all my mom had.
Oh, I ain't complainin'.
Can I get one of those?
They're yours to begin with.
That's good, right?
You been out here too long.
The girl you're waitin' on,
she's your girlfriend?
Juniper.
Yeah.
How'd you meet her?
We grew up together.
You love her?
I do.
First time I saw her was on this river, just up from here.
She saved my life.
From the snake bite.
I was younger than you are right now.
When I came to in the hospital and she was there,
it was like the whole world just split wide open and
come back together new.
I knew from then on I'd do anything for her.
Why aren't y'all married then?
I've asked. Several times.
Marriage
just don't work for some people.
My dad says
my parents might be getting a divorce.
I'm sorry to hear that.
They say if it happens, and my mom moves us off the river,
the government can come take our boat.
Who says that?
Everybody.
They passed a law.
I saw Juniper today.
What?
She had the birds tattooed on her hands.
Just like you said.
You're right.
She's pretty.
Where'd you see her?
At the Piggly Wiggly.
I think she's staying at a motel nearby there.
That's good news.
That's real good news.
She know you're out here?
No. No, we...
We said we'd meet somewhere else, a couple days from now.
You wanna go tonight? I can take you up river.
Tomorrow.
I'll go tomorrow.
You want me to come and get you?
No, I can manage.
Hell, I made it out here, didn't I?
It's a hell of a thing, ain't it?
It's a hell of a thing.
Time to get up.
It's too early.
I'm going to Wal-Mart and I need you to come with me.
Mom.
Come on.
Ellis, I know what your father told you last night.
That's... That's not what I wanted.
I wanted to sit you down and talk about it.
What do you want to talk about?
You want to leave and that means they can tear up our house.
Well, I spent my whole life on that boat.
I don't think it's too much to ask...
Oh, no.
Oh, I hope no one's hurt.
I'm just sayin' there are two sides to this.
You know, I haven't made up my mind yet,
because I wanted you to be involved with my decision.
But I need a change, Ellis.
I deserve one.
I think they're searching people.
How you doin' today, ma'am?
I'm all right, how are you?
I'm doin' just fine. Have you seen or picked up any hitchhikers today?
No, sir.
Okay, could you open the back for me, please?
- It's open. - Okay.
Ma'am, have you seen this man?
No, sir.
Son, have you?
No.
Okay, well, there's been reports that he's in the area.
So if you see him, just call 9-1-1 for us, okay?
- Okay. - What'd he do?
What'd he do?
Move along, please.
Neck, Neck, pick up!
I knew it!
I told you that crazy son of a bitch was trouble.
Did you tell him where he is?
No, that's why I called you.
He needs to know people are looking for him.
You think he doesn't know that already?
Jesus, Ellis. Why do you even think he's on that island?
Ellis, I'm serious.
We don't know who this guy is.
He loves her, Neck. He told me.
I don't give a shit who he loves.
He's not dangerous.
It sounds like a shitload of state troopers thinks different.
No tellin' where the hell he's been sleepin'.
He might be gone already.
Shit.
Sorry, boys, but I'm going to have to go back on our deal for the boat.
I don't feel good about it, but I don't see any other way
out of what I'm into.
So you know about the state troopers?
What state troopers?
The ones spreadin' your picture all over the place.
Stoppin' cars on the 165, searching for your ass.
No, I don't know about that.
But it don't surprise me, I got a lot of folks lookin' for me.
Why?
I shot a man.
Killed him.
I'm sorry I didn't tell you boys sooner,
but I was hopin' to be long gone before anything came of it.
Didn't want y'all involved.
Look, y'all been real good to me.
You're the only friends I got out here.
If troopers got 165 blocked, that means they got other roads blocked, too.
So I ain't goin' to get nowhere in a car.
I want to try getting this boat down.
See if we can get it in the water.
See, with a boat like this, I can make it to the Gulf in two days.
Heck, from there, I can get anywhere.
But I need a boat at least this big to make it on the open water.
It's got no title, no owner,
nobody lookin' for it.
It's my best shot.
Who'd you kill?
Just a bad piece of business.
Y'all don't need to hear about it.
I need to hear about it.
Juniper, she...
She made a mistake.
Hooked up with this guy. He was no good. His name was...
Hutchins. His family owns a chain of restaurants down in Texas.
Where were you?
I was around, but
me and Juniper was on the outs.
She met him, he sold her on a pack of lies, he got her pregnant.
That's when he started showin' who he really was.
He dropped her down a flight of stairs after whoopin' her half to death.
She lost the baby, he made it so...
Doctors say she can't even have children no more.
There are things you can get away with in this world and there are things you can't.
I tracked him down,
found him in a little motel outside of San Antonio, he was there
with another woman. That's...
That's where it happened.
So I understand if you boys don't want to help me no more.
But I need this boat.
And I need to get it into the water, fast.
I made a list of things we're going to need. What you think?
You did it for her?
To protect her?
Yeah.
What you think?
I think you want us to run around, stickin' our necks out,
getting everything you need
just so you can take our boat.
That's about it.
What do we get out of it?
What you want?
What about that pistol?
Only two things I got out here worth anything.
This shirt.
And this pistol.
And I can't give you this shirt, 'cause I need it for protection.
But if you help me get this boat in the water, the pistol,
it's yours.
What kind is it?
A.45.
Got to get this boat floatin' first.
All right.
All right, y'all scrounge what you can off this list,
but if we're gonna do this right,
we're gonna need more help. Can you fetch Tom for me?
Tom Blankenship?
Yeah, I was hopin' to let that old assassin sit this one out.
We're gonna need him to get things that y'all can't.
Can you find him?
I know where he lives, but I've never talked to him.
Just tell him my name, he'll know.
Hey, boys.
Thanks.
Don't lose my pistol.
You coming?
Nah, I'll watch the boat.
Why are you huntin' me?
Are you deaf, boy? I said why are you huntin' me?
I ain't huntin' you.
What's your business here?
I come to find you.
I got a message for you.
You Senior's boy?
Yes, sir.
What you got to say to me that he can't tell me himself?
It ain't from him.
Mud sent me.
Mud?
Yes, sir.
What you know about him?
He told me to come find you.
Your daddy know about this?
No, sir.
Mud needs your help.
Where is he?
There he is.
You think that's his daddy?
I don't know.
Sir.
Where is she?
In town.
Got here yesterday.
What are you doing out here like this, Mud?
I killed that last man she was with, Tom.
He had it comin', too.
You have been doggin' this girl your whole life.
She's run you halfway across the country and back.
And for what? For this!
Be stuck out here on this island like this!
Beggin'!
A murderer now! A thief!
- I ain't no thief, Tom... - No? What would you call it then?
Not to mention draggin' these boys into this...
Man, he's really giving it to him.
You got any idea what you're doin'?
I'm right ashamed of you, Mud.
Don't expect any help from me, 'cause there's none to be given.
All right, I'm ready.
Where you goin'?
Hey!
God damn it.
You all right?
Looks like we're on our own, Ellis.
I didn't want to have to ask you to be the one to do this, but I need
to get this letter to Juniper. Can you take it to her for me?
Yeah.
All right, now listen up.
You got to be careful, all right? You can't just
walk up and knock on her door. You hear me?
You gotta watch yourself.
I can handle it.
Get that to her.
All right.
Watch yourself, Ellis.
You Mud's daddy?
Mud don't have no daddy.
No mama either, as far as I could tell.
He was livin' in the woods when I first met him.
Younger than you are now.
You boys need to watch yourselves now.
What Mud's into is somethin' you don't want to be involved in.
You best forget about him, you hear?
Which one?
Let's start at the top.
Work our way down.
All right.
What you want?
We're sellin' fish. Would you like to buy some?
Fish? I don't want to buy no damn fish.
Keep lyin' and I'll crack your nose open!
Keep lyin'!
You hear me, trash? Where is that guy?
Who are you?
Who the hell are you?
He send you?
You know this man?
Look at it! Do you know this man?
Fish! Fish! We're just sellin' fish!
Fish...
I know you know where he is.
And I swear to God,
I'll cut a hole through every one of you to find him.
We know you came here for him,
and we know he's too stupid to leave here without you.
So whenever he sticks his head up
out of whatever shithole he's hidin' in,
I'm gonna be there.
You tell him that.
You need to mind your business, boy.
You okay?
Yeah.
Man, he popped your eye.
Let me see your face.
Oh, God, I'm so sorry.
Here, hold this on there.
Thank you.
I'll buy your fish, okay?
How much do you want for the whole cooler?
Mud sent us to give you this.
You know Mud?
Yeah, we know him.
Says, "Hold tight."
We know, we read it.
Well, do you know how long hold tight is?
I think it's just a couple days.
He wants to get a boat for y'all.
God...
Tell him I'll wait.
But I don't want y'all gettin' involved.
So you tell him what I said and let that be it.
I don't want you gettin' in any trouble.
We'll be all right. Just keep your door locked.
We'll be in touch.
Wait.
What's your name?
I'm Ellis, he's Neckbone.
Thank you, Ellis.
We gotta go.
Let's go, hard on.
Hello? Is May Pearl there?
Hey, it's Ellis.
In the phone book.
Tomorrow?
Yeah, I can meet you.
Okay. Bye.
We got more, but no motor.
This will work for now.
Ellis, you get her my note?
Yeah.
Where'd you get that shiner from?
When we came up on Juniper's room,
there was this guy in there, he was beatin' up on her.
Ellis rushed him.