Issue #2A Chapter by Brytt Comic Issue Two: War efforts increase, Introduction of Jax Page One Panel 1.
Evan waves to a group of teens near a cinema. They wave back. Evan is smiling, carefree, with a backpack
over one shoulder. He has a purple sock
hat, black sweatpants, and bright yellow sweatshirt. EMBER
(Internal Monologue) What does it mean to be normal? 2. Lizzy
-- pigtails now, in a black skirt that reaches just past her knees, and a blue
blouse -- sits in a chair with a packet of papers. EMBER
(Internal Monologue) If everyone is different, like
they say we are… 3.
Lizzy’s hands as she grips the papers tighter. SECRETARY
(Voice Over) Elizabeth
Vaughn-Shroedër? EMBER
(Internal Monologue) …does such a concept even exist? 4.
Ember lays on the blue-grey couch in the Vaughn-Shroedër living
room. She crosses her arms behind her
head and looks at the ceiling. EMBER
(Internal Monologue) Because I’m not normal. Not even
close. Transition: DUAL CONTROL: FOREIGN Page Two 1. Dr.
Vaughn-Shroedër stands in the doorway of the living room. Ember does not move. Dr. Vaughn-Shroedër grins innocently at
Ember. VAUGHN-SHROEDËR Ember,
hold down the fort for me, okay? EMBER Whatever. 2. Dr.
Vaughn-Shroedër vanishes. Ember closes
her eyes. 3.
Ember’s eyes snap back open in realization. (Transition) He’s building something… Page Three 1.
Ember’s silhouette in a doorway overlooking a tall staircase. Behind her is a yellow light. The staircase looks old and the walls are grey
brick. 2.
Ember takes a step onto the staircase.
Show only one bare, electronic foot.
(SFX: KKRIIIIIIKKK!). 3.
Ember continues down the stairs (SFX:
KRIK! KRAK! KRK! KRIK!). EMBER
(Internal Monologue) The doctor really needs to fix
these stairs. 4. (SFX:
TTP TPP THP). Ember looks up,
surprised. EMBER Hmm? Page Four 1.
Ember holds up her cybernetic left arm, which glows slightly. She looks nervous. Only a few items, wires and scraps, are
visible in the light. EMBER He-h-hello? 2. A
glowing green eye looks out from behind a large shelf holding spark plugs and
different kinds of batteries. A pale human
hand touches the side of the shelf. EMBER
(Voice Over) Is
s-somebody here? 3. (SFX: SHHRRRFF). Ember turns towards the noise, her arm now
lit up brightly, illuminating the whole room.
She grins, as if triumphant. EMBER Ah-ha! 4. The
glowing eye and human hand are no longer by the shelf, but Ember moves towards
it, determined that she has found the source. Page Five 1.
Ember stands next to the shelf, still holding up her arm for light. She now looks thoroughly terrified. EMBER I-I
know you’re there! 2.
Ember’s foot hits a large coil of wire. EMBER Ack! 3.
Ember moves backwards, but she trips over something. 4.
Ember falls towards the shelf. EMBER Aah-aahh! Page Six 1.
Dust flies off the shelf as it falls over, and Ember follows it
down. (SFX: KUH-KRRRSHH!). 2.
Dust clouds the air as Ember lies on top of the wreckage she has
created. She coughs (SFX: KUFF!
KUF-KUFF!). 3. A
shadowy figure kneels next to Ember, barely noticeable through the dust. It looks vaguely human. Page Seven 1.
Ember looks up as a pale hand reaches through the debris. She seems surprised. 2.
Ember puts her own hand in the other. 3. The
hand pulls Ember out of the wreckage slowly.
The flying dust begins to settle a bit.
Ember coughs slightly (SFX:
KMF-KUFF!). 4.
Ember collapses in front of a human figure in dark blue cargo pants and
a black t-shirt. 5.
Ember looks up shakily. Page Eight 1.
Ember looks up at JAX -- a
youthful boy in his late teens or early twenties. He has emerald green eyes and black hair that
hangs in loose waves around his face. He
is also pale and covered in dust. A set
of large dog tags hang around his neck.
His face is expressionless. Page Nine 1.
Ember looks confused. Her body
shakes beneath her in shock. EMBER Who…? 2.
Ember passes out. Jax’s eyes
widen. 3. Jax
looks up the stairs, his hands resting lightly on his knees. Ember is still limp in front of him. DR.
VAUGHN-SHROEDËR (Voice Over) Ember? Where did you go? Ember! 4. Jax
taps on the floor twice: (SFX: KNUK KNUK). DR.
VAUGHN-SHROEDËR (Voice Over) Jax? I told you to stay hidden! Page Ten 1. Jax
picks up Ember as Dr. Vaughn-Shroedër (SFX:
KRK KRAK KRIK KRAK) appears on the stairs.
He is holding a small, boxy contraption in one hand. His face is worried when he sees Ember. DR.
VAUGHN-SHROEDËR Bring her upstairs, Jax. Quickly! 2. Dr.
Vaughn-Shroedër runs back up the steps.
(SFX: KRIK KRAAK KRK KRK KRIK). Jax carries Ember to the stairs. Page Eleven 1. Ember
lies on the couch in the living room once more.
She is still asleep but stirring. DR.
VAUGHN-SHROEDËR (Voice Over) Hold
still, I’m not finished! 2. Ember
opens her eyes. DR.
VAUGHN-SHROEDËR (Voice Over) Almost
got it… 3. Jax
is sitting in a dining chair near the couch, looking at the ceiling. A fleshy panel on his neck is open, and Dr. Vaughn-Shroedër
is looking into it and fixing something. 4. Ember
sits up with a startled look. EMBER Doctor? Page Twelve 1. Dr.
Vaughn-Shroedër closes the panel and looks at Ember. He smiles. DR.
VAUGHN-SHROEDËR There
you are, Ember! 2. Dr.
Vaughn-Shroedër turns back to Jax, who touches his throat. The panel that was in his neck is now unnoticeable. DR.
VAUGHN-SHROEDËR That
should do it, Jax. Try it out! 3. Jax
looks over at Ember as she stares at him in shock. He brushes some hair from his eyes. JAX Hello,
Miss Ember. Page Thirteen 1. Dr.
Vaughn-Shroedër Smiles brightly. Jax
glances at him. DR.
VAUGHN-SHROEDËR BRILLIANT! IT WORKS! 2.
Ember leans close to Jax, who remains expressionless. She puts her fingers to her lips. EMBER What
is it? 3.
Neither Ember nor Jax make a movement. DR.
VAUGHN-SHROEDËR (Voice Over) He‘s a body guard. I made him. 4. Jax
smirks. Ember’s eyes widen. JAX I am Jax, a guardian and friend of Miss Lizzy Vaughn-Shroedër. Page Fourteen 1. All
three turn with fearful surprise as a voice yells out. Small panel. LIZZY DAD! 2.
Lizzy stands by the front door, which swings open behind her. She’s kicking off high-heeled shoes (SFX: THONK!
THRNK!). She does not even
look up because she is worn down from walking in the heels. LIZZY You forgot the money for the trip back! Page Fifteen 1. Lizzy
looks up and sees Jax, who grins again.
Lizzy looks a bit surprised, but not shocked. LIZZY Umm… 2.
Lizzy crosses her arms. LIZZY Explain. DR.
VAUGHN-SHROEDËR (Voice Over) Well,
uh… 3. Dr.
Vaughn-Shroedër shrugs, disappointed.
Ember puts her hands on her hips and glares at him. Dr. Vaughn-Shroedër looks at the floor. DR.
VAUGHN-SHROEDËR I, ah, thought maybe he could, um… 4.
Lizzy’s eyes widen, but her arms stay crossed. She seems stunned by her father’s
answer. Jax returns to an emotionless
state. DR.
VAUGHN-SHROEDËR (Voice Over) …protect
you? Page Sixteen 1.
Lizzy storms past Ember and Dr. Vaughn-Shroedër. Jax and Ember watch her leave. Dr. Vaughn-Shroedër continues to stare at the
floor. 2. Jax
stands up to go after Lizzy, but Ember pushes him back (left arm). Other than that, no one moves. 3. Jax
sits down again, but Ember stands up.
Jax watches her now. 4.
Ember leaves the room. Page Seventeen 1. In
the kitchen, Lizzy sits at the table with a box of chocolate cakes (like Hostess,
only that’s copyrighted, so they will be “Miss Daisy” brand!). She’s reaching into the box and looks
frustrated. There is a doorway and
several cabinets behind her (this is where Ember was sitting Issue 1, Page 24,
Panel 2). LIZZY Knew
it… I knew… I knew it! 2.
Lizzy pulls the plastic-wrapped treat out, still muttering
furiously. Ember appears in the doorway
behind her looking worried. LIZZY What with the- the recruiting,
a-an’ the s-soldiers an’ the interview, I- 3.
Lizzy pulls the plastic off the cake and yells at it. Ember remains calm. LIZZY I
KNEW IT WAS HAPPENING! Page Eighteen 1.
Lizzy tries, and miserably fails, to shove the entire cake into her
mouth at once. It gets all over her face
and hands. 2.
Ember moves towards Lizzy slowly as she begins to tear. Lizzy reaches angrily back into the snack box
for another cake. EMBER Lizzy… LIZZY Mpfft? 3.
Ember touches Lizzy’s shoulders as Lizzy pulls a second cake out of the
box. EMBER Put
the chocolate down… LIZZY Mrop. Page Nineteen 1.
Ember reaches towards the snack, which Lizzy struggles to keep away from
her. EMBER This
won’t fix anything, Liz. LIZZY Yef
it wiw! 2.
Ember takes the cake away and grabs the box while Lizzy pouts like a
five-year-old. Ember stays calm as she
speaks. EMBER Now…
what’s wrong? 3.
Lizzy swallows the cake (SFX:
GLLULP~). Ember puts the snacks away
as she watches Lizzy. 4.
Lizzy props her chin on her hands with her elbows on the table. She’s still pouting a bit. Ember closes a cabinet door, shutting out the
chocolate Miss Daisy treats. LIZZY It’s bad out there, Ember, real
bad. EMBER Uh-huh.
Page Twenty 1.
Lizzy sweeps some crumbs away as she continues. Ember leans against a wall behind her and
watches. LIZZY The natives, you know, the
Pun’erii? They’re sentencing humans for
anything they can, Em! 2.
Lizzy turns to Ember, tears forming in her eyes. Ember looks sympathetic and concerned. She touches Lizzy’s shoulder again. LIZZY Especially with that girl, that
Jen-eye missing. They’d do anything to
get her home, Ember, anything! 3.
Lizzy is crying now. LIZZY A-and
if anything… Page Twenty-One 1.
Lizzy turns away from Ember, who hugs her gently. Lizzy throws her face into the table (SFX: SMAKK!). Ember scrunches her face up in pain. LIZZY If anything, us humans are only
makin’ it worse! 2.
Ember pulls Lizzy towards her and into a tight hug. She rubs Lizzy’s back with her human
hand. (SFX: SNIFFLE SNUFF SNIFF). EMBER Shh, it’ll be okay, Liz. It’s gonna be okay. 3.
Lizzy returns Ember’s embrace, still sobbing (SFX: SNUFFLE BLUBBER SNIFF). Page Twenty-Two 1.
Evan walks down a road in a deteriorating shopping area. It is now mid-afternoon, and the road is sparsely
populated by humans. Evan is carrying
two blue fabric bags filled with food (include bread, strange vegetables, and a
carton of fruit juice). He is smiling
and singing as he walks. EVAN And I will never let ya faaall! I’ll never let ya down, I sweeaar…! 2. Evan
nears his house, his smile bigger when he sees it. EVAN Whenever you neeed mee, I praaah-mise… Page Twenty-Three 1.
Evan opens the front door. EVAN …I’ll
bee theerrree! 2.
Evan peeks inside the door.
Je’anae turns to look at him as she sits on a couch. She smiles brightly at him, almost laughing. EVAN Hey! JE’ANAE Evan! 3.
Evan puts down the bags and kicks the door shut (SFX: KU-KLUNK!). Je’anae
smiles at him. JE’ANAE Did you get my peanut butter and
versai roots? EVAN Yeah. 4.
Evan pulls what looks like a green ginger root from one bag and looks at
it in disgust. EVAN I don’t know how you eat this
stuff… JE’ANAE
(Voice Over) I
usually don’t! Page Twenty-Four 1.
Je’anae looks through one of the bags excitedly. Evan watches her with a frown. JE’ANAE I just, I feel like I need to eat one now. Like, it just sounds really good. 2.
Je’anae stands up with a jar of peanut butter and takes the root from
Evan as she continues. JE’ANAE I don’t really like peanut butter,
either. Page Twenty-Five 1.
Evan follows Je’anae back to the couch.
She is twisting the lid off of the jar as she sits down. EVAN You
were sick last night. JE’ANAE I
must be better. 2.
Evan sits down as Je’anae dips the root in her peanut butter. EVAN But you don’t normally eat this
stuff? JE’ANAE Nope! 3.
Je’anae nibbles the snack as Evan watches her, now looking quite
worried. EVAN Je’anae,
it’s not, um… 4.
Je’anae turns to Evan in disbelief, still munching hungrily on the root. EVAN …n-not
a craving... EVAN …is
it? Transition: End Issue #2… © 2011 BryttAuthor's Note
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BryttBritt, IAAboutQuotes From the Innermost Circle of the Fantasy World Known as My Mind: Irony: the graduation quote at my high school has been "Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path .. more..Writing
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