A lawyer's accidental killing triggers a brutal survival hunt that culminates in a tense legal confrontation.
Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases
The Mojave Expedition
Horton Madec secures a hunting permit and hires Ben to guide him into the remote desert. The pair establishes a professional dynamic as they travel deeper into the isolated landscape.
Key Events
Permit Acquisition — Madec secures a rare permit to hunt bighorn sheep in the Mojave Desert. Characters: Horton MadecLocation: Los Angeles
Hiring Ben — Madec hires Ben to drive him into the desert and locate sheep. Characters: Horton Madec, Ben CampbellLocation: Gas Station
Desert Journey — The pair travels deep into the desert, establishing isolation. Characters: Horton Madec, Ben CampbellLocation: Mojave Desert
Accidental Shooting — Madec accidentally shoots Winnie Haas, mistaking him for a sheep. Characters: Horton MadecLocation: Desert Scrub
The Fatal Mistake
Madec accidentally shoots prospector Winnie Haas and attempts to bury the body. Ben discovers the truth, leading to a moral confrontation where Madec refuses to report the accident and offers a bribe.
Key Events
Accidental Shooting — Madec accidentally shoots Winnie Haas, mistaking him for a sheep. Characters: Horton MadecLocation: Desert Scrub
Body Concealment — Madec buries Winnie Haas and insists on pretending it never happened. Characters: Horton MadecLocation: Desert Ground
Discovery of Hand — Ben notices a bloody human hand and digs up the body, realizing the truth. Characters: Ben CampbellLocation: Burial Site
Moral Confrontation — Ben demands to report the accident; Madec refuses and cites his importance. Characters: Horton Madec, Ben CampbellLocation: Desert Camp
Bribe Offer — Madec offers Ben thousands of dollars to keep quiet about the incident. Characters: Horton Madec, Ben CampbellLocation: Desert Camp
Elimination Decision — Madec decides to eliminate Ben as the only witness to the crime. Characters: Horton MadecLocation: Desert Camp
The Desert Ordeal
Madec decides to eliminate Ben, forcing him to strip and leaving him to die. Ben endures extreme physical suffering, hallucinations, and a gunshot wound while attempting a desperate escape.
Key Events
Elimination Decision — Madec decides to eliminate Ben as the only witness to the crime. Characters: Horton MadecLocation: Desert Camp
Forced Stripping — Madec forces Ben to strip to his shorts at gunpoint to stage a dehydration death. Characters: Horton Madec, Ben CampbellLocation: Desert Outpost
45-Mile Escape — Ben attempts to walk 45 miles to the nearest highway while Madec tracks him. Characters: Ben CampbellLocation: Desert Trail
Big Lizard Shooting — Madec shoots Ben as he climbs the butte, causing a back injury. Characters: Horton Madec, Ben CampbellLocation: Big Lizard Butte
Desert Suffering — Ben suffers dehydration, hunger, sunburn, and hallucinations while hiding. Characters: Ben CampbellLocation: Desert Wasteland
Slingshot Acquisition — Ben retrieves a slingshot from Winnie Haas's abandoned tent. Characters: Ben CampbellLocation: Prospector's Tent
Water Discovery — Ben uses Winnie's taught techniques to locate water inside a cave. Characters: Ben CampbellLocation: Desert Cave
The Counterattack
Ben utilizes survival skills and a slingshot to turn the tables, setting Madec's tent on fire and wounding him. He drives them back to town to face the authorities.
Key Events
Water Discovery — Ben uses Winnie's taught techniques to locate water inside a cave. Characters: Ben CampbellLocation: Desert Cave
Tent Fire — Ben sets Madec's tent on fire to distract him and create an opening. Characters: Ben Campbell, Horton MadecLocation: Madec's Camp
Hand Wounding — Ben shoots Madec in the hand with the slingshot, neutralizing the threat. Characters: Ben Campbell, Horton MadecLocation: Madec's Camp
Return to Town — Ben drives both men back to town to confront the authorities. Characters: Ben Campbell, Horton MadecLocation: Desert Road
Police Deception — Madec presents a detailed false story; police initially side with him. Characters: Horton MadecLocation: Police Station
Gas Pump Investigation — Ben unclogs the pump and retrieves the hidden slingshot from the underground tank. Characters: Ben Campbell, Horton MadecLocation: Gas Station
Truth Exposed — Police find the slingshot, believe Ben, and order Madec to get a lawyer. Characters: Ben Campbell, Horton MadecLocation: Gas Station
Madec's Defeat — Madec's legal status fails to save him as the evidence proves his guilt. Characters: Horton MadecLocation: Gas Station
Story Breakdown
The Accidental Shooting — Madec's hunting trip goes wrong when he fatally wounds Winnie Haas.
Permit Acquisition — Securing the rare hunting license.
Fatal Mistake — Mistaking Winnie for a bighorn sheep.
The Cover-Up Attempt — Madec tries to bury the body and silence Ben through bribery.
Body Concealment — Burying Winnie Haas in the desert.
Bribe Offer — Offering cash to keep Ben quiet.
The Desert Pursuit — Madec abandons the bribe and actively hunts Ben to eliminate the witness.
Forced Stripping — Leaving Ben exposed to the elements.
Big Lizard Shooting — Wounding Ben during his escape attempt.
The Survival Struggle — Ben relies on Winnie's teachings to endure extreme desert conditions.
Desert Suffering — Battling dehydration and hallucinations.
Water Discovery — Finding a cave water source.
The Tactical Counterattack — Ben turns the tables using a slingshot and fire to neutralize Madec.
Tent Fire — Creating a distraction to strike.
Hand Wounding — Shooting Madec to end the threat.
The Legal Confrontation — Back in town, Madec uses his legal expertise to deceive the police.
Police Deception — Presenting a fabricated narrative.
Initial Doubt — Authorities temporarily side with Madec.
The Final Revelation — Ben uncovers the hidden slingshot, proving Madec's guilt and securing justice.
Gas Pump Investigation — Retrieving the slingshot from the tank.
Truth Exposed — Police accept Ben's account and arrest Madec.
Ben Campbell, a 22 year old gas station attendant in a small desert town, is looking to make some extra money. He is surprised when Madec, a wealthy lawyer, asks him to be his guide on a hunting trip in the desert. When Madec accidentally shoots a prospector, he is fearful of what it will do his reputation and decides to eliminate the only witness, Ben, who is forced to go on the run. In addition to being hunted by Madec, Ben must also contend with the harsh desert elements. But if he does make it back to town alive, will anyone believe his story?
