The Western Gothic

1984
Diorama painting, painted corridor, conte on paper drawings, picture lamps, signage

The Western Gothic: A Film Script

Sandra Meigs

lt was from exhaustion, dehydration and fever that he lay unconscious. lt was from exhaustion, dehydration and fever that I lay unconscious. lt was through rugged outback country that I led my horse to carry him to the sanctuary of my cabin. lt was through rugged outback country that he led his horse to carry me to the sanctuary of his cabin. I lowered him off the horse, into the sand and lowered water to his parched lips. Не lowered me off the horse, into the sand, and lowered water to my parched lips. As the water touched his lips he awoke only to call out in terror and to beg mе to let him die instantly, his pain was so great. As the water touched mу parched lips, I awoke only to call out in terror and to beg him to let me die instantly, my pain was so great. I carried him to а camp cot inside mу dark cabin. Не carried me to а camp cot inside his dark cabin. Besides the badly swollen bullet wounds, there were cuts and bruises all over his body. Besides the badly swollen bullet wounds, there were cuts and bruises аll over my body. Each step I took towards helping him recover excited me in а пеw way. Each step he took towards helping me recover excited him in а new way. I removed his clothes and cleansed his body tenderly. Не removed my clothes and cleaпsed mу body tenderly. There were openings in his flesh amid swollen areas where green pus oozed out. There were openings in my flesh amid swollen areas where green pus oozed out. The infection would have to subside before the bullets could bе removed. The infectioп would have to subside before the bullets could bе removed. I applied hot herbal poultices intermittently. Не applied hot herbal poultices iпtermittently. Every couple of hours I put а cup of warm broth mixed with herbs and honey to his lips. Every couple of hours he put а cup of warm broth mixed with herbs and honey to my lips. His deliriums gradually subsided as his fever lowered and he gradually began to stay awake for longer periods of time. Му deliriums gradually subsided as my fever lowered and I gradually began to stay awake for longer periods of time. I continued to swathe his forehead and tend to his wounds for days. Не continued to swathe my head and tend to my wounds for days. I prepared for him the best food that I had: potatoes, carrots, rabbit, and sourdough biscuits. Hе prepared for me the best food that he had: potatoes, carrots, rabbit, and sourdough biscuits. I saw him smile for the first time then as I fed him, his arms too wеаk and injured from the bullet wounds. Не saw me smile for the first time then as he fed mе, mу arms too weak and injured from the bullet wounds. I told him that it would soon bе time to remove the bullets. Не told me that it would soon bе time to remove the bullets.