“MERCY CREEK HAD TOO MANY EYES”(Chapter 4)

“MERCY CREEK HAD TOO MANY EYES” Performed Da’Outlaw Written by Twelve Da’ Outlaw — Chapter Four 12Gauge858 Music Edited Rewrite [Intro — dry wind, saddle leather, uneven hoofbeats, low cello] Outlaw Saint — spoken You really letting him ride into Mercy Creek? Da’ Outlaw Yep. Saint He knows you know. Da’ Outlaw Nah. He knows I’m looking. [Bella SNORTS] Verse 1 Mercy Creek beneath the ridge Church bell leaning over town Jennifer’s mare raised up her head Before one hoof touched ground Sarah watched across the rooftops Said, “Sky ain’t carrying rain” Jennifer rubbed along her mare “Storm don’t always come that way” Two tables full of Compadres James found six strings minus one MarieP tapped against her cup SirSpyder counted everyone Snake sat close enough to hear us Far enough to know his place Then a silver chain crossed through the door Mr. Desire showed his face CHORUS Mercy Creek… had too many eyes Mercy Creek… watching every side Curtain move… rooftop light Bella hit the dirt—every horse went tight Mercy Creek… had too many eyes Mercy Creek… nowhere left to hide One by the window, one by the door Every time we turned—there was one eye more Compadres / Crowd MERCY CREEK! TOO MANY EYES! MERCY CREEK! TOO MANY EYES! [Bella] SCRRRRAPE! Crowd WATCH ’EM! Saloon Scene Mr. Desire Evening, ladies. [Sarah puts her boot across the empty chair] Sarah Chase No. Mr. Desire I didn’t ask yet. Sarah You were gonna. [Compadres laugh] Mr. Desire — to Jennifer Woman like you don’t ask permission. Jennifer You didn’t know that. I just told you. Verse 2 Desire changed his angle twice Watching which woman pushed him back Not trying hard enough to win one Just remembering how they react Then Evelyn walked up to Saint Two cups balanced in one hand Talked of horses, roads and weather Never sounded like a plan Saint held the cup but never drank SirSpyder watched across the room Da’ Outlaw watched SirSpyder watching Snake slipped out Too damn smooth CHORUS Mercy Creek… had too many eyes Mercy Creek… watching every side Curtain move… rooftop light Bella hit the dirt—every horse went tight Mercy Creek… had too many eyes Mercy Creek… nowhere left to hide One by the window, one by the door Every time we turned—there was one eye more Compadres / Crowd MERCY CREEK! TOO MANY EYES! MERCY CREEK! TOO MANY EYES! [Bella] SCRRRRAPE! Crowd WATCH ’EM! Verse 3 — Stable Snake crossed behind the stable Never walked toward Bella’s stall Went straight for Outlaw’s saddlebag Like he’d measured where it’d fall Jennifer’s mare kicked the boards Stephanie put down her glass Sarah never asked what happened She was through the doorway fast Stable door swung open wide Snake’s hand caught where it shouldn’t be “Buckle loose,” he told the posse Jennifer looked once— “That buckle opens from the other side.” Snake checked the exit. Sarah caught it. Sarah There. Every time he gets caught he checks the door before he checks us. Bella Breakdown — Hoofbeat Only [Bella raises her head] SNORT! [Stall chains rattle] [Bella releases a sharp horse cry] WHEEEE-HEE-HEE! Da’ Outlaw What Bella say?! Compadres / Crowd WATCH ’EM! Outlaw Saint What we do?! Crowd WAIT! [Bella] SCRRRRAPE! Crowd WATCH ’EM! Verse 4 Sarah watches where eyes travel Jennifer hears weather through her mare Stephanie knows a boundary moving Before a hand gets halfway there Saint won’t drink what he didn’t pour Spyder counts the doors and chairs James hears when the rhythm changes MarieP catches signals in the air Snake thought failure meant we missed him Desire thought his charm fell flat Lady Temptation knew much better— Every failed move gave something back [Beat drops] Outlaw Saint Desire kept the women talking. Jennifer He tried. Saint Lady kept my eyes turned sideways. SirSpyder And Snake went through the stable. [Silence] Da’ Outlaw They weren’t trying to take my people. They were trying to learn ’em. [Bella SNORTS] FINAL CHORUS Mercy Creek… had too many eyes Mercy Creek… now we know why Snake in the stable, Desire outside Lady at the window—same hand, three sides Mercy Creek… had too many eyes Mercy Creek… watching us all night Thought they were studying every move we made Whole time Bella had ’em measured by the gate Compadres / Crowd MERCY CREEK! TOO MANY EYES! MERCY CREEK! TOO MANY EYES! [Bella] SCRRRRAPE! Da’ Outlaw What Bella say?! Crowd WATCH ’EM! Outlaw Saint What we do?! Crowd WAIT! [Bella gives a long horse cry] WHEEEE-HEE-HEE! Everybody MERCY CREEK HAD TOO MANY EYES! Outro — Low Cello / Horse Breathing Da’ Outlaw looks from Snake to Mr. Desire to Lady Temptation. Da’ Outlaw — spoken Three different positions. One operation. [Bella SCRAPES] Thought she was warning us about one snake. Nah. She was warning us— about the grass. [Bella horse cry] Compadres — distant Mercy Creek… Too many eyes… [Hoofbeats fade]