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244EXT -- HAYFIELD -- DAY

Red walks the long rock wall, nearing the tree. A squirrel scolds him from a low branch, scurries up higher. Red studies the base of the wall. Nothing unusual here. Just a bunch of rocks set in stone. He sighs. Fool's errand. Turns to go. Something catches his eye. He walks back, squats, peering closer. Wets a fingertip and rubs a stone. A layer of dust comes off. Volcanic glass. Gleaming black. He tries to get the rock out, anticipation growing. It won't come; it's too smooth. He pulls a pocketknife and levers the rock free. It tumbles at his feet, leaving a ragged hole. Red leans down and solves the mystery at last, staring at the object buried under the rock. Stunned. It's an envelope wrapped in plastic. Written on it is a single word: "Red." Red pulls the envelope out and rises. He just stares at it for a while, almost afraid to open it. But open it he does. Inside is a smaller envelope and a letter. Red begins to read:

ANDY (V.O.)

Dear Red. If you're reading this,

you've gotten out. And if you've

come this far, maybe you're willing

to come a little further. You

remember the name of the town,

don't you? I could use a good man

to help me get my project on

wheels. I'll keep an eye out for

you and the chessboard ready.

(beat)

Remember, Red. Hope is a good

thing, maybe the best of things,

and no good thing ever dies. I will

be hoping that this letter finds

you, and finds you well. Your

friend. Andy.

By now, tears are spilling silently down Red's cheeks. He opens the other envelope and fans out a stack of new fifty- dollar bills. Twenty of them. A thousand dollars.