A short-tempered bounty hunter reluctantly takes in and teaches a young boy to shoot, draw and avenge his murdered father after a mining town massacre.

SYNOPSIS:

Joel Wyatt is a timid 12-year-old farm boy who loves to chop firewood and read novels. His father, a deputy sheriff named Henry, rides into town for poker with his superior. That same night, bandits plot a massacre, killing every man, woman and child. Henry escapes and returns home to find Joel in the barn. Meanwhile, a notorious gunslinger named Billy Wilde breaks into the town’s bank and commands his gang to empty the vaults. He notices a small farm in the distance, lit with candles and lanterns. After hearing about Henry’s escape, he rounds up three men and gallops in pursuit. Henry sends Joel away and stays behind to confront Billy. Billy arrives and sees Henry standing on the porch with a shotgun. They have a brief conversation as the others circle the farmhouse. When Henry attempts to kill Billy, Billy kills him first and sets the house alight.

Wayne Cooper is a partially blind, short-tempered bounty hunter looking over the barren countryside. Before long, a weary child comes riding towards his farmhouse and collapses. Wayne reluctantly takes him in and goes off to get supper. After returning, he searches the child’s belongings, discovering a small journal tagged “Property of Joel Wyatt”. Joel wakes up in Wayne’s bedroom. Hungry and confused, he meets Wayne in the lounge room. While questioned by Wayne, he tells him what had happened between Billy and his father. Wayne eventually decides to set up an outdoor shooting range to teach Joel the art of marksmanship. Joel is easily frightened by guns, so Wayne warns him of Billy’s passion for killing children and subjecting them to torture. With that, he spends several weeks learning to become a successful hunter.

Billy declares himself the new town mayor after hanging the sheriff. The following day, he receives information on Joel Wyatt and how he could expose him to countless lawmen. Billy orders his men to go after Joel. That same evening, Joel returns to Wayne’s property after finishing his final hunting lesson. Wayne sets up a “shot glass” marksmanship test, in which Joel excels. At sundown, Billy’s gang arrives and circles the farmland, attempting to kill Wayne and Joel. They set fire to Wayne’s barn and farmhouse, but none survive the shootout. Wayne and Joel escape with minor injuries. At nightfall, Wayne accuses Joel of leading the bandits to his farm and threatens to abandon him, but Joel tells him that his father had promised him the town’s fortune if he assassinated Billy Wilde.

Billy and his men continue their daily routines. Before long, Wayne and Joel ride into town, split up and shoot their opponents throughout the area. Billy sends out his last few men to distract Wayne and Joel from entering the tavern. Wayne quickly kills two more bandits and discovers Billy puncturing barrels of alcohol with an axe. The bandit exits through the back door, luring Wayne towards the tavern. He sets off his trap with a stick of dynamite, triggering a mighty explosion. Alarmed, Joel runs to the scene and sees Wayne on the ground, pierced by shrapnel and glass. As he crosses the street, Billy quietly steps out of the sheriff’s house with a shotgun, takes aim and pulls the hammer. Joel reacts and shoots him in the head. Wayne succumbs to his injuries. On the brink of sadness, Joel leaves the town centre, mounts onto Wayne’s horse and rides into the sunset.

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Est. Script Length: 120 pages

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Image by Adam Derewecki