Script: AFTER, story one

Starting today I'm posting a series of six-page draft comic book scripts that go by the name of AFTER. Each story is, to a large degree, independent. There will be some repeating characters, there will be links between some of them, but these are secondary. However, all the stories do take place AFTER some world changing event. It shouldn't be hard to figure out, and I'll get heavy-handed with the hints after a few stories just to be sure.

The idea of independent stories is that way they could be drawn by different artists. So if anyone out there likes the look of one of the stories, please left me know.

I have six written so far ... here's the first one;

AFTER
Story one
Starry, starry night
by David Tulloch

Disclaimer: Like anything I write, the panel breakdowns are just suggestions. If you want to group some panels together so there are multiple speech bubbles, or break them apart so there are more panels with less words, feel free. Layout suggestions are just that. You're the artist, feel free to play with the layout and frames as you wish.

The story starts with some silent panels over the first two pages, so the art will have to carry the story at the beginning. Then it degenerates into two people talking against a night sky backdrop.

Page ONE

1/1
A man and woman sleeping in bed

1/2
we see the man is awake

1/3
he lies awake for a second frame

1/4
then he gets out of bed quietly

1/5
puts on a dressing gown ...

1/6
creeps out of the room ...

Page TWO

2/1
In another room, say the kitchen, we see him opening the back to to the outside of the suburban home.

2/2
He quietly closes the door behind him as he goes outside.

2/3
A large panel of him sitting on the grass, staring up at a starry sky.
TITLES
AFTER
Story one
Starry, starry night.
By David Tulloch and (your name goes here)


Page THREE

3/1
The woman coming across the grass toward him

3/2
She sits beside him. Her name is Alex. His is Mike.
Alex: "Couldn't sleep again?"
Mike: "No. Sorry, Alex"

3/3
From this frame on the contents are really up to you, unless stated otherwise. The words carry the story from here, but the pictures can offer support, or just be of cool bits of the house, sky, the people, trees, etc.
Alex: "You still miss her, don't you Mike?"
Mike: "No ... "

3/4
She gives him a look.
Mike: "Well, yes. Of course I do, but it's not that though."

3/5
Mike: "I'm happy now. Happy with you."
Alex: "Seems to me if you were happy you'd sleep a lot better."

3/6
Mike: "It's just ... "


Page FOUR

4/1
Mike: "It's just I thought I knew her. I thought I was happy before. But she wasn't who I thought she was."

4/2
Alex: "I am. You must know that."
Mike: "Yeah. I do. I mean, you're here, aren't you."

4/3
Mike: "It ... it was a betrayal. She hid her beliefs from me. Her inner core."
Alex: "You're assuming what happened was all .. kosher, then."

4/4
Mike: "Oh, very good. Well, yeah. I guess I am assuming that. What else could it have been?"
Alex: "There are theories."


Page FIVE

5/1
Mike: "There are always theories. Only one type of crackpot was taken."
Alex: "If you think it was the real deal doesn't that make us the crackpots?"

5/2
Mike: "Yeah. I guess so."

5/3
Mike smiling.
Mike: "You know, somehow that makes me feel better ... "

5/4
Mike: "We are crackpots, but we're the same kind of crackpot. And of that we can be sure."
Alex: "I've got nothing to hide."


Page SIX

6/1
Mike: "Let's go back to bed."
Alex: "Good, I need some sleep."

6/2
Mike: "I wasn't planning on sleeping."
Alex: "I have work tomorrow, Mike."

6/3
Large frame with multiple speech bubbles (slowly fading, that is reducing in font size) from the two of them as they walk back toward the back door holding hands. Alex has just kicked (or is kicking) Mike in the shin.
Mike: "Yeah, but I'm irresistible."
Alex: "Ha! you just go on thinking that."
Mike: "It's true ... you have no will of you own ... you must obey me."
Alex: "I'll kick you in the shins in a minute."
Mike: "How could you even think of hurting your lord and master. Ow!"
Alex: "Like that."
Mike: "Ouch! It's just as well I love you, you know."
Alex: "Oh you do, do you?"
Mike: "Yes. I really do."

END