On the stakebed

...while Coffey sits with his back to the cab.

PAUL

John? Do you know where we're

taking you?

COFFEY

Help a lady?

PAUL

That's right. Help a lady. But how

did you know?

COFFEY

Dunno. Tell the truth, boss, I

don't know much'a anything. Never

have.

The truck pulls out. Coffey waves as the fireflies get left

behind, dwindling away like stars.

COFFEY

Bye, fireflies. Bye.

WIDE ANGLE OF COUNTRYSIDE

The truck rumbles from the fields onto a dirt road, countless

fireflies swirling in its wake...

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. MOORES HOUSE - NIGHT

Headlights come over the rise. The truck appears, rumbling

down toward the house. The world is isolated and still.

IN THE TRUCK CAB

Harry stops and cuts the engine, leaving the headlights on.

Silence now, save for the trilling of crickets.

IN THE STAKEBED

Paul and Brutal both look terrified now that they're actually

here. An urgent whisper:

BRUTAL

We can still turn back.

Paul hesitates, wanting to do just that, but:

COFFEY

Boss, look. Someone's up.

Lights are coming on inside the house. Coffey rises and steps

down from the truck, pulling Paul along. Brutal follows them.

BRUTAL

This is a mistake. Christ, Paul,

what were we thinking?

PAUL

Too late now. Harry, keep John

here until we call you.

Paul and Brutal walk to the front door as the lights inside

the house keep clicking on. The last one finally comes on

over the stoop, the front door opens a crack...and the twin

barrels of a shotgun poke out into the night.

HAL

Who the hell goes there at two-

thirty in the goddamn morning?

PAUL

Hal, it's us! It's Paul and

Brutal--it's us!

The door swings wider, revealing Hal's face gaunt and haggard

in the yellow porch light, stunned to see them:

HAL

Paul, what are you doing here at

this hour? Jesus, it's not a

lockdown, is it? Or a riot?

PAUL

Hal, God's sakes, take your finger

off the trigger...

Hal doesn't, aiming past them at the truck in the yard.

HAL

Are you hostages? Who's out there?

Who's by that truck?

Coffey steps into the glare of headlights with Harry tugging

on his arm, trying to hold him back. Hal cocks both hammers.

HAL

John Coffey! Halt! Halt right

there or I shoot!

His aim wavers as a woman's voice comes from upstairs:

MELINDA (O.S.)

Hal? Who are you talking to, you

fucking cocksucker?

A frozen moment. Hal mortified. Paul gives him a look--is

that Melinda?

Hal's shotgun shifts back to Coffey--but Paul steps in front

of the muzzle.

PAUL

No one's hurt. We're here to help.

HAL

Help what? I don't understand. Is

this a prison break?

PAUL

I can't explain what it is. You

just have to trust me.

Coffey comes up the steps, brushes Paul aside, stops before

the warden. Hal blinks, his thoughts suddenly fuzzy--it's

that benign hypnotic effect Coffey has.

HAL

What do you...want?