Dreamland

This is my half-brothers story.

I tell it because it's all I can do

with the way things turned out.

Eugene left me with something more important than any of the facts.

Now, first thing people get wrong about his story

is the beginning.

It didn't start with the Wells lady.

It started with the first train full of homesteaders.

Amongst the heartbroken fearful who arrived in bismark on that day

were John, Olivia and Eugene baker.

The bakers had moved their lives west into the great plains, on a promise.

A promise that now looked as rotten as the dirt they stood on.

They prayed for rain and began to build a new life up from scratch.

But John wasn't convinced.

He believed there was something cursed about this land.

Over the next years, John's drinking worsened

and he became paranoid.

His mind filled with visions of some other life...

Where he could live in god's grace again.

And just like that, when Eugene was five years old,

- he lost his father. - You're just leaving?

An absence was created that would haunt him for the rest of his life.

Eugene only ever got one postcard from his father.

In it, John claimed he had found the eye of god

in the most beautiful place on earth,

the Gulf coast of Mexico.

Olivia quickly tried to fill that absence in Eugene's life,

and a year later she married George Evans,

a county deputy, farmer and my father.

But John baker and the world he wrote about

were never far from my brother's mind.

He wondered what his father had really found out there.

Then, when Eugene was 17,

something else took his attention.

All of ours, for that matter.

Just like the curse John had spoken of, the land turned on us.

My fellow Americans, I have been on a journey to nine states.

Fourteen storms hit bismark in the first year.

I saw a group of families who had lost their wheat crops,

lost their corn crops,

facing a winter without food.

The more we tried fo start over, the worse they got.

And the banks came for bismark.

Crazy preachers would scream about god and salvation...

While families did the only thing they still could...

Until they couldn't even do that anymore.

Eugene hid away in the abandoned family barn.

He would daydream about his destiny,

fantasizing about a life like his heroes...

The outlaws and adventurers he read about.

Phoebe, come back here!

I suppose no one warned Eugene about what can happen

when you dream about something so much.

That's how Allison Wells entered this story...

Like a bat out of hell...

Headed straight...

For my brother.

Roadblock for me, would you?

Look at this cold bastard.

I bet he'd be in bed with a different broad every night if he were real.

I bet he knows exactly the right thing to say to a girl to make her crazy.

That's all it takes really... words.

Unless you live in a dead old town like this.

Amen to that.

Hey, what's going on?

Harold, he'll tell you all about it.

Check it out?

All right, folks, we got some things need to be said.

So, y'all quiet down now so they can be heard.

Ma'a m?

During their raid on a Missouri bank,

the thief and murderer, Allison Wells,

sent a nine-year-old little girl to heaven.

Nine years old.

And that was just one of five human souls

that were taken on that day.

If you see this woman, do not confront her.

She will not hesitate to take another life.

Now, all and all, she's just one little lady

with half the Texas law enforcement trying to find her.

And find her we shall.

Is this real, this reward?

Ten thousand dollars if we find her?

You're deputy Evans' boy, ain't you?

Yes, sir. He's my stepfather.

Well, I appreciate your interest, son,

but we've already got all the help we need from the Evans family,

so just run on home.

Search party meeting at church after the service.

God and coincidence

cannot occupy the same earth.

We know this, ladies and gentlemen,

for where there is a sign, there is the hand of god.

And our community is under his palm now.

And now we see why...

Women like Allison Wells...

Eugene.

What a drag.

Ready to go?

Eugene?

Hey, Joe.

- I want you at home today. - Why?

With that Wells lady on the loose, it's not safe around these parts.

We're going with the search party, ma. We'll be safe.

We'll look after each other, all right? You have my word.

Home by dark.

- Yes, ma'am. - And stick together.

Give me that.

- Can I come? - No, you cannot.

By dark. Yeah.

Can you even imagine having that much money?

I sure as hell can. Can't you?

No, not really.

I bet you actually can't neither.

Fighting words, Evans.

Hell, you best give me your share so as I don't whup ya.

I will die of laughing before you whip me, boy.

Think we'll find her dead?

I don't know. Probably.

You okay?

- Hey? What's the matter? - Nothing.

Come on, tell me. What's up?

We're going to California.

They told us this morning.

Said we are giving up on Texas.

Shit, man.

How long you going for?

Well, forever.

When you think about it, why would we come back?

Yeah.

Guess you'll have to find someone else to bitch to.

Ain't no one I'd rather bitch to than you, garza.

- Can you handle that? - Let go, you jackass!

No. I gotta get it in before you go.

Yeah.

Come get me! Come get me!

I'm gonna miss you, buddy.

Come on! Come on!

Let's go!

What you gonna do?

I'm faster than you, boy.

I always have been.

You really think we're going to find her in all this?

It's worth a try.

I said "before dark."

George wants to talk to you.

You're in trouble.

I'll do his request.

You wanted to see me?

A mother's word... is law.

When a mother tells a son to do something, he does it.

Always.

That's how families work.

Good times and bad.

We understand each other?

Yeah... yes, sir.

What you got there?

Nothing.

Do us both a favor.

Don't act like you think I'm stupid.

What money from what job did you pay for that garbage?

See, your mother may let you off easy, but I can't.

There's no room for boys in this family anymore.

Think about that.

Wash up.

Lights out.

Don't make a sound.

Don't!

It's yours if you want it.

What's your name?

- I'm Allison. - I know who you are.

Well, then it's only fair that I know who you are.

Eugene.

Eugene.

That's a smart name.

Ain't that you?

- They said you was a killer. - I'm not a killer.

Eugene...

I'm gonna be real frank with you.

I'm trying to maintain composure,

but this hole in my leg is hurting like a motherfucker right now.

So, if you help me, I'll tell you everything.

Listen to me. Eugene, listen to me.

I'm not a killer.

You still wouldn't believe my story.

Just like one of these books.

Except I'm the man in the hat.

Wow. Not bad.

All right.

Oh, Jesus.

Looks worse than it is.

All right. Got steady hands, kid?

I think you should see a doctor or something.

No, no, no. You're my doctor now, okay?

Dr. Eugene.

- Okay? - Okay.

Okay. Clean your hands with that.

Everything's gonna be fine, all right?

Okay. Get the tweezers. Clean them.

Okay.