THE CULPEPPER CATTLE CO.

Ben Mockridge (Gary Grimes) is a 16-year-old boy who has always dreamed of being a real cowboy. To fulfill his dreams, he persuades Frank Culpepper (Billy Green Bush) to let him be part of a cattle drive. On the journey, Ben learns the hard truth about being a cowboy. It is tiring, dirty, lonely, and often violent. Ben’s first job is to get some replacement cowhands after a bloody shootout that leaves several men dead. It is a day’s journey to town, and Ben is robbed of both his gun and horse on the way. Upon Ben’s return to the cattle drive, the cattle drivers find a pasture with ample water for the cattle to drink. When Culpepper offers payment to the self-described owner of the pasture, the man demands much more. Upon Culpepper’s refusal, the landowner has his henchmen confiscate Culpepper’s guns, and also takes away Culpepper’s strongest men. At the next rest pasture, the cattlemen find a group of religious zealots expecting to settle there, in what they believe will be their holy land. While the cattle are watering, the same so-called landowner shows up again, claiming that this pasture is also his land. He tells the zealots and Culpepper that they have an hour to leave. Unconcerned about the religious folk, Culpepper and his men mount up and leave, though Ben stays behind. Ben feels obliged to help defend them, affected by the minister's gentle attitude. He straps on a pistol as the cattle drive leaves. Unexpectedly, one after another, the cattle drivers return... even Culpepper. The landowner and his men return, galloping toward the encampment. What follows is a bloody and horrific shootout. Each and every man, including Culpepper, is killed. Ben is the sole survivor. With tears running down his dirty face, he checks on each man who has fallen, finding each one dead. The minister, seeing all of the carnage, declares that he cannot stay in this “valley of death,” and says he is leaving. At this point, the boy pushes his pistol into the