The opening scene depicts the death chamber in the Federal Penitentiary of Terre Haute, Indiana. A closer look reveals that there is a very pale and thin young man strapped to a gurney and covered with a thick, grey sheet up to his shoulders. The camera pans around the room as Timothy McVeigh struggles to look at the witnesses to his execution. Five witnesses chosen by McVeigh are shown with their hands pressed on the glass. McVeigh mouths the words, "It's okay" just as he had to his family when he was sentenced to death four years earlier and then the camera moves slowly back to reveal the entire chamber.

Warden Lappin asks McVeigh if he has any final words. There is an uncomfortable silence as McVeigh fidgets slightly but says nothing. Then Lappin reads off the eleven counts of which McVeigh was found guilty. After that, the warden speaks the last words McVeigh will hear: "We are ready."

In a few short moments, the tube leading from McVeigh's right leg to the unseen chemical preparation room jumps as the first injection, sodium pentathol, is administered. The camera moves in very close to McVeigh as the condemned man's wide-open blue eyes become more and more glazed over. The scene blurs and begins to fade, then, superimposed it, we can begin to make out a bunch of children, around ten years of age or so, playing baseball. It's a little league game and the camera comes to rest on the smallest and skinniest kid on the field: He is the very young Timothy McVeigh.

Scene Two

When I came up to bat, I couldn't hit a thing, but I tried to force a casual smile, pretending I didn't give a damn. Of course I did. Out of the corner of my eye I could see my father and that his face was rather stern. I guess he always wanted a son who got a charge out of sports and loved competition, but I obviously wasn't that mythical boy.

One of the kids was yelling at me for missing the ball all three times and so I walked slowly out to left field, head down and knowing I looked dejected. The camera comes in for a close-up of McVeigh, fighting back tears as he bites his lower lip and steels himself for more verbal abuse. Picture blurs and fades again.

Scene Three

One afternoon, my best friend and I were playing in our garage. I remember climbing up on something, then tumbled backward onto the cement garage floor. became almost hysterical and ran to get my father. I couldn't have cared less and managed to stand up unsteadily. My father cames dashing out of the house and I had no idea why he looked so scared and panicked. It was just a knock on the head. The camera closes in on a bad cut on the back of Tim's head, where the white of his skull is exposed. Picture blurs and fades to black.

Scene Four

One day, I was having fun riding my bike, then before I knew what was happening, I woke up and was lying on the living room couch. I had no idea who I was or where I was. Dad told me that I must have fallen off my bike and had a slight concussion. Picture blurs again and fades to black.

Scene Five

I remember a time when I hid under the covers late at night with a flashlight, reading my comic books. I loved them and had amassed quite an impressive collection. Just then, the sound of enraged arguing came filtering loudly through the wall separating my room for my parents'. I covered my ears and tried to concentrate on my reading. The yelling keeps going for several more minutes. I hated it when they went viciously at each other like that---it always seemed worse at night. Finally, I threw my comic book angrily on the floor and covered my head with his pillow. "Shut up!" I seethed, knowing that they couldn't hear me. Damn, it often sounded as if they were going to kill each other.

Scene Six

Several years have passed. The scene is that of a high school classroom. The camera zeros in on Tim, who is sitting at the back of the room, idly doodling on his workbook while the teacher drones on in a monotonous voice. As I sat there, I could hear the angry, shrieking voice of my mother as my mind becomes cluttered with graphic fragments of the last bitter argument. That one had led to my mother moving out with my kid sister, Jennifer. We get a close-up look at Tim's doodle and it shows a picture of a woman being hanged. End of scene.

Scene Seven

On graduation day I poseed for a picture with my grandfather. I remember looking him in the eye and telling him how much I loved him. I wished that I could have lived with Gramps. He then told me how proud he was of me and that I would really "go places" in life.

Scene Eight

I remember being with Gramps again as he taught me how to fire a gun. I really loved guns and I told he that I was going to buy a small plot of land to shoot as much as I wanted, since an obnoxious neighbour screamed at me for making so much noise. Camera closes in on the gun in Tim's bony hands and the scene fades to black.

Scene Nine

The scene opens with Tim dressed as a security guard. He has two bandoliers across his chest in an X and he's carrying a sawed-off shotgun. Tim's voice narrates, "When I graduated from high school, I had a small scholarship for a college education, but I just couldn't get interested in business school so I quit. This security guard stint was just to be temporary, until something better came along.

Scene Ten

Two years have passed and the scene opens with Tim in boot camp. A voiceover, using Tim's voice, narrates: "Here I am in the army. Well, I wanted to use a gun---after all, I'd worked as an armed security guard and besides, I'd led a very sheltered life It was time to get out and see the world.

Along with the voiceover, the scene depicts an infantry of young men struggling through an obstacle course as part of basic training. Tim looks as if he feels right at home.

Scene Eleven

The Gulf War has just begun. Tim finds out that he's going over to Saudi Arabia. This scene shows him talking to his neigbour, Mr. McDermott. Tears are rolling down his face. "I'm coming home in a body bag." McDermott hugs Tim and tells him it will be alright.

Scene Twelve

Scene is an ariel view of the war. Camera zeros in on a tank with the name "Bad Company" painted on it. We see the interior of the tank, cramped and claustrophobic and Tim's narrative is heard saying, "I killed a man yesterday. I just fired and his head disappeared in a red mist. This doesn't feel right. The guy was just like me---he doesn't want to fight anymore than I do. I hate being a killer." This last sentence is spoken over and over with an echo effect as the scene fades to black and we still hear bombs bursting.

Scene Thirteen

Scene shows Tim and his fellow soldiers receiving a hero's welcome and Tim comments that it sure beat the terrible reception the Vietnam vets got. "They all got called babykillers," says Tim. He makes an awkward pass at women in a bar. A close-up reveals many medals on Tim's chest. Still, he acts awkward around women and finally leaves the place.

Scene Fourteen

I recall the day I snapped as if it were yesterday. It was the middle of the winter, one of the coldest days in Buffalo in many years. Suddenly, I was choked with panic, hearing voices hollering at me and feeling as if I was going to smother. I knew I had to get out of the house, so I scrambled to the car, clad only in sweatpants, with no shirt, shoes or socks. I remember that the radio sounded too loud and erratic in the background, but it didn't drown out the pounding of my heart resounding in my ears. I just kept racing off down the road and arrived at Gramp's house, banging on the door while sweat poured from my head. When he answered, he cried out, "Timmy! What are you doing? It's the middle of the winter!" I found myself crying, but my voice seemed disembodied, seeming to come from someone else. Tears rolled down my cheeks and I could sense everything closing in on me. When asked what was the matter, I remember yelling, "Grandpa, I can't tell you!" With that, I ran wildly upstairs and threw myself on my granfather's bed. "I wanted to die. God, I just wanted it to be over!!" My mind raced as I thought about ways to kill myself, but then stopped when I realized that I just couldn't go through with it as long as Gramps was alive. So I moaned softly, wept in desperation and then fell into a deep sleep. The scene fades to black.

Scene Fifteen

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