Rabbit hunting

Last night we had rabbit pie for dinner, cooked by my sister-in-law, Diana. It was yummy. All night it was referred to as 'meat' pie in case the idea of eating lil' bunnies was too much for the kids to take. However, some people let the rabbit out of the hat, and the kid's didn't seem to care. There's a disconnect there between the name of an animal and the name of food. They have the same word for both, but the kids don't have enough knowledge at their current ages to put in the intervening steps.

It did remind me of the one time I was taken rabbit hunting. My father decided we were going to shoot some rabbits. With impeccable timing he took me along just after I had finished reading Watership Down.

We travelled to a farm that we had been invited to hunt at,. We then tromped off into the bush at the back of the farm ... which just shows how skilled and knowledgeable we were regarding rabbits.

Oddly enough, the bush was devoid of rabbits. We did startle a goat, which for reasons I cannot remember we didn't shoot.

Eventually we arrived back at the farmhouse, tired and rabbitless. That's when the farmer laughed at us, and said he'd intended for us to sit on his front porch and blast away at the rabbits all over the paddock there.

The place was filled with rabbits. From his front door we could see dozens, maybe hundreds of rabbits all happily playing on the grass ... totally unaware that two men and a boy were standing there with leaden doom waiting for them.

We went home without firing a shot.

I think even my father thought there was something unsportsmanlike about sitting on a porch chair shooting unsuspecting rabbits.

Fiver got to live another day.

Picture by Guy Landry

It's pink. It's cute. It's loud.

The latest stringed instrument purchase for the household was a 3/4 size pink Hello Kitty Fender Squier guitar.

It's awesome.

Technically it's for the wee girl, who has been showing a lot of interest in guitars and basses of late. Technically.

So far I've been the one whose played it the most. We connected up to an effects box and made some really odd noises.

The wee girl is rather pleased with it, and has shown it off to friends and relations at every opportunity. So be warned. Come visit us at your peril.

BBQed Banana Cake

Okay ... this 'recipe' may not be for everyone ...

1. Take one normal banana cake recipe.

I believe my wife was using the Edmonds Cook Book, a New Zealand staple.

2. Add one malfunctioning oven.

Something had spilled over last time it was used, and thick foul smelling smoke poured out of the oven.

3. A pinch of an idea.

So I suggested baking the cakes on the BBQ. It has a hood, so it's not as crazy as it first sounds.

4. Stand by BBQ and closely monitor temperature while drinking cider and reading a book.

There were actually two cakes, and one took a wee bit longer than the other, so it was 45 minutes of cider and reading. Such hardship. The book was Jasper Fforde's Shades of Grey, which I'm rather enjoying.

5. Sit back and enjoy a piece of banana cake, fresh from the BBQ.

It was yummy.

Script: AFTER, story six

Okay, so LIFE has got the better of me lately. I'll get back to regular posting as soon as I can.

AFTER
Story Six
Shell Game
by David Tulloch and (your name here)

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.

Page ONE
The whole episode takes place in a prison visitor meeting room. Pete and Connie, from previous episodes (Great Expectation and Fish). The security is low, touching and exchanging of (previously inspected) material is allowed. It's a kind, friendly kind of prison. Even the chairs look comfortable.

1/1
TITLES
AFTER
Story Six
Shell Game
by David Tulloch and (your name here)
Pete: "So how was the beach?"
Connie: "Wet. Like you said."

1/2
Connie: "How ya doing?"
Pete: "I'm coping. It's not that bad in here. Three squares a day."

1/3
Connie: "How long?"
Pete: "Don't know. It depends on me, they say."


Page TWO

2/1
Connie: "At least it's your first time, so ... "
Pete: "Second. Got done for dealing weed back before."

2/2
Connie: "Does that count these days?"
Pete: "Maybe not. I just have to show I'm reformed."

2/3
Connie: "How's the guy you ... you know?"

2/4
Pete: "He's fine. Had a black eye when he pointed me out in court ... and his arm in a sling. But he's fine."

2/5
Silent and awkward pause.

2/6
Pete: "You shouldn't have come."
Connie: "It's okay .. I checked. He only fingered you."


Page THREE

3/1
Pete: "That's not why."

3/2
another pause.

3/3
Connie: "Look, it's not that I don't care ... "
Pete: "Yeah, yeah. You love me like a brother or something."

3/4
Connie: "No ... more than that."
Pete: "How much more, Connie? That's the question."


Page FOUR

4/1
Connie: "I got you something."
(Connie hands over the handmade necklace of a shell on a string that she had been wearing in the Go Fish episode)

4/2
Pete looks at it in his hand.
Pete: "Thanks."
Connie: "All the fun of the ocean without getting wet. You can put it to you ear."

4/3
Pete does so.

4/4
Pete looking a Connie.
Pete: "I never could figure you out."
Connie: "I've never figured me out, either."


Page FIVE

5/1
Pete: "Do I have a shot with you?"
Connie: "A shot at what? "

5/2
Pete: "Yeah. I guess that's a stupid question."

5/3
Pete: "The game's rigged isn't it."
Connie: "What game?"

5/4
Pete: "Every game, Connie. I never seem to know where to find anything."


Page SIX

6/1
Pete: "Looking for love in all the wrong places."
Connie: "Huh? That's deep for you, Pete."

6/2
Pete: "It's from a song. My father was really into country music."
Connie: "He was taken?"

6/3
Pete: "Yeah. Mom too, and my sister. Just me now."
Connie: "Sorry."

6/4
Pete: "I'm better off. So are they, I guess."

6/5
Connie: "So are we in hell, Pete?"
Pete: "Nah. We're in Austin."

6/6
Connie: "It's not the same thing?"
Pete: "Not even close."

END

Script: AFTER, story five

My wee boy is teething. This is slowing down my rate of production somewhat. Anyway, enjoy ...

AFTER
Story five
Rock Paper Sibling
by David Tulloch and (your name here)

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.

This story takes place in the home of a musicologist and his wife (a lawyer). They are arguing about priorities. The house has a large number of LPs, CDs and digital equipment, stereo stuff, and some musical instruments. There are historical music posters (old jazz, blues and rock bands) on the walls. An inner-city apartment. Tidy, well-kept, properous.

There are small references to other episodes in this story, but they are not all overt.

The woman is Maire. The man is Lyall.


Page ONE

1/1
Marie: "He's your brother, Lyall. You should go see him."
Lyall: "I can't. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance."

1/2
Marie: "He needs you."
Lyall: "He's never needed me. Anyway, it's doctors he needs."

1/3
Marie: "Don't be so callous. If you got mugged he'd come and see you."

1/4
Lyall: "You sure of that? Anyway, that's not the issue here. I have a chance to interview the bass player of Slaughtered Lambs."
TITLES
AFTER
Story five
Rock Paper Sibling
by David Tulloch and (your name here)


Page TWO

2/1
Lyall: "There's not many of these guys left, Marie, and most of them don't want to talk about the old days."

2/2
Marie: "That's because no one cares about them anymore, Lyall."
Lyall: "That's not true. Not completely."

2/3
Marie: "All their fans went away. Most of them went away. If they got left behind it means they weren't really what they said they were, doesn't it?!?"

2/4
Lyall: "You're missing the point, Marie. This is important to me."
Marie: And your brother isn't?"

2/5
Lyall: "To be honest? No. Not as much."

2/5
Marie: "Would you come see me in the hospital?"
Lyall: "Of course I would. It's not the same thing at all."


Page THREE

3/1
Lyall: "Slaughtered Lambs were big, Marie. Really big. They were regulars on the Pastor Billy show. They played to massive full stadiums of devoted fans ... "

3/2
Marie: "And now they're all gone."
Lyall: "That's the point. It's a dying art form."

3/3
Marie: "Dead. It's not just dying, Lyall. It's dead."
Lyall: "That just makes it more urgent. It has to be documented before it's too late."

3/4
Marie: "Why? Why can't it just be left to disappear? It serves no purpose. It has no relevance."

3/5
Lyall: "People used to say that about folk music. About bluegrass. About the blues. We almost lost it all, Marie."

3/6
You could focus on a Library of Congress Recordings poster on the wall, or something similar like a Leadbelly picture ... since that is what Lyall is talking about here.
Lyall: "Just a few people like the Lomax's saved it for us. We would have lost so much, been so much poorer as a culture. That's why I'm doing this, Marie. It's important."


Page FOUR

4/1
Marie: "You don't even like any of the music, Lyall?"
Lyall: "I like some of it?"

4/2
She looks at him with a stare.
Marie: "Really?"

4/3
Lyall: "Okay ... most of it terrible. But I'm not doing this for me. I'm doing it for the future ... "

4/4
Lyall: "For posterity."


Page FIVE

5/1
Marie: "Slaughtered Lambs? Good grief. Talk about a lame name."
Lyall: "Yeah. They all had stupid names. You should listen to some of their lyrics."

5/2
Marie: "No thanks."
Lyall: "I'll send Bill some flowers and a card. Promise."

5/3
Marie: "A big bunch?"
Lyall: "A big bunch. Expensive and O.T.T."

5/4
Lyall: "If he's still in hospital after I get back I'll make an effort."
Marie: "You'd better."


Page SIX
The fight is over. Lyall gets his briefcase together and begins to leave the apartment, kissing his wife, etc. We let this happen in the background, and focus in on the pile of books on his desk, which are various tomes and papers discussing Christian Rock Bands in academic language, several of which are written by Lyall. We don't need to see all of the titles, some of the words can be hidden, etc. See below for suggested titles.

6/1
Marie: "Now go and talk to your fallen bass player."
Lyall: "Yes, ma'am."

6/2
Marie: "Call me when you get there."
Lyall: "I will."

6/3
Marie: "You got everything."
Lyall: "I think so."

6/4
Marie: "Drive safe."
Lyall: "I always do."
Suggested titles for the papers and books we end up focused on in tis last panel are ...
Lyall Fullington, Hallelujah Jah: Reggae music in the Christian rock genre.
Lyall Fullington, Baby vs. Jesus: Semantic Substitution in Christian Rock.
Mervyn Rice, Unauthorized Biographies Present: Slaughtered Lambs.
Kyle Manners, Slaughtered Lambs and Wasted Knights--God, Cash, Drugs and Rock 'n Roll
Lyall Fullington, When the Music Stops: The Fate of Christian Rock after the Day of Taking.
END

Script: AFTER, story four

AFTER story four
Go Fish
by David Tulloch and (your name here)

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.

Page ONE

1/1
Connie, the homeless girl from a previous episode, Great Expectation, is standing on the side of a highway, thumb out, hitch-hiking. She has a backpack that looks like it was once a school bag, although not hers. She is returning from the ocean, and has a necklace she has made of a shell on some string around her neck. Cars and pickups go by on the road which is not congested, but still busy.

1/2
A pickup pulls over in front of Connie, and she jogs toward it.

1/3
A large panel with Titles that shows the pickup close up, so we can see the rear bumper/tailgate of the pickup. There's a Christian fish symbol on it, as well as an NRA bumper sticker that read 'From My Cold Dead Hands'. We can see the open passenger side door, and Connie's legs. The fish symbol on the truck should be nice and obvious, and the titles should be nearby to further draw attention to it. After all, this is after the rapture, so anyone driving a truck with these symbols must be an interesting kind of person.
(off) Get in, little lady.
(off) Thanks, mister.
TITLES
AFTER
Story four
Go Fish


Page TWO
The next few pages take place inside the pickup. The man is a heavy-set. His backstory (in case it helps visualize him) is that he was a radio evangelical preacher before the rapture. The fact that he remains gives some indication to his character. The radio is on, quietly at first, in the pickup.

2/1
Man: "Where you headed?"
Connie: "Austin."
(radio, soft): "... all you're bar-be-que needs under one roof. Bar-be-que Town ... "

2/2
Man: "I can get you a-ways."
Connie: "Thanks."
(radio, soft): "For the best Bar-be-que around, come down to Bar-be-que Town."

2/3
Man: "Nice to have some company. Normally just me and the radio."
(radio, soft): "And you're back with Dr. Marsha. Go ahead caller."

2/4
Man: "You from round here?"
Connie: "I used to be."
(radio, soft): "Hi, Dr. Marsha. I'm Bob, from Fort Worth ...

2/5
Man: "Things change, don't they."
Connie: "Yeah."
(radio, soft): "Hi, Bob, what can I help you with today? ... "


Page THREE

3/1
The man's hand turning up volume knob.
Man: "I used to be on the radio, you know."
(Radio, now louder): "Um, I have a problem. It's kinda ... personal."

3/2
Man: "Pastor Billy they called me. People used to hang on my every word."
(Radio): "It's okay, Bob. You know me, I don't judge. The time for that has passed."

3/3
Man: "Things change."
Connie: "Sorry."
(Radio): "Well, um when I'm with a woman, you, know, intimately, and it gets intense ... "

3/4
Man: "Oh, it's okay. Now I get to drive around all day. I like it."
(Radio): Well, one of us, her or me, will often say something out loud like 'Oh my God', or even 'Jesus' ... That's very common, Bob."

3/5
Man: "It was confining being on the radio. Kept you pinned down."
(Radio): "Yeah, but ... it seems wrong somehow, Now, after everything that happened, it just seems wrong. I find it spoils the mood ... "

3/6
Man: "You must know what I mean. You're a free spirit. I can see that."
(Radio): "I see. So what do you want from me, Bob? Something else to scream out during sex?"


Page FOUR

4/1
Man: "I like Dr Marsha. She's a straight shooter."
(Radio): "Um, ... I guess that could help."

4/2
Hand turning the volume down and off

Radio: "Maybe you could try yelling the woman's name, Bob. Assuming you know it, that is. ... Um, I suppose I could try (click)."

4/3
Man looking at Connie.
Man: "So what do you scream out, little lady?

4/4
Connie looking worried.
Connie: "Could you let me out, please."
Man: "Aww, come on now. I was just talking."


Page FIVE

5/1
Connie: "Please. I think I left something important behind. I need to go back."
Man: "I can take you all the way to Austin if you'll just be nice."

5/2
Connie: "I want to get out, please."
Man: "You sure about that?"

5/3
Man: "There's not many folks that pick up hitchers round here ... and there's so many more of you lately."

5/4
Connie reaching into her backpack. The man holding a and up defensively as though he's given up.
Connie: "I have a knife."
Man: "Fine, fine. I don't need no trouble."


Page SIX

6/1
The pickup pulled over on the side of the road, Connie's door opening.
(Man): "There. See, I didn't mean you no harm."
(Connie): "Sure, mister."

6/2
Connie is now out of the pickup.
Man: "So many of you wandering around aimlessly on the highways these days."

6/3
Man: "I don't need to waste time with an ingrate like you, missy."

6/4
He starts to drive off, and once again we can see the tailgate bumper of the back of the pickup with the fish symbol and bumper sticker. Connie standing in the foreground on the side, looking a bit shaky.
Man: "Plenty more fish in the sea for this fisherman."

END

Script: AFTER, story three

At the very least these script fulfill my self-imposed condition that they be very different than the Utterly Rucked ones ...

AFTER
Story Three
Oh, Dog!

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.

Page ONE
1/1 A man, David, shaving.
(Simon, off): "Oh for fuck's sake ... "

1/2
Man stops shaving.
David: "Language, Simon. Watch the language."

1/3
We can see there's a small child, about one year old, in a high chair eating some food messily. There is another man. They are a couple. Make them of different ethnic looks just for added emphasis.
Simon: "He's only a baby, David. He doesn't understand."
David: "There are a number of studies that suggest that tone of voice is important."

1/4
A pile of dog shit.
Simon: "Yeah, well, those studies are as big a pile of shit as this."
TITLES
AFTER
Story Three
Oh, Dog!


Page TWO
2/1
David: "Ah. Well I told you ..."
Simon: "Don't!"

2/2
David: "But if he doesn't go out in the evening ... "
Simon: "Just don't, okay."

2/3
David: "Well?"
Simon: "Well what?"

2/4
David: "Are you going to clean it up?"
Simon: "Are you?"

2/5
David: "If you'd taken him out last night when it was your turn."
Simon: "I said fucking don't."

2/6
Simon: "And don't you 'language' me, either."


Page THREE
3/1
Simon: "You pick it up. I'm going to work."
Daid: "If I'm picking this up you're picking Rufus up from daycare."

3/2
Simon: "I can't ... meeting."
David: "Well then I can't either."

3/3
Simon: "Can we not do this, David?"
David: "What you're not doing is looking after the damn dog."

3/4
Simon: "That's because I don't want the damn dog."

3/5
David: "We made a commitment."
Simon: "Yeah, well. We've made a lot of commitments lately."

3/6
David: "What? Are you saying you wish we hadn't got married?"
Simon: "I never said that."


Page FOUR
4/1
David: "Then you wish we'd never had Rufus?!?"
Simon: "Of course not. It's the damn dog I don't want. We don't need it anymore. We have ... more."

4/2
David: "We promised we'd look after him. We signed a contract."
Simon: "Yeah, promised it to people we didn't know. To people the world is better off without."

4/3
David: "That's a horrible thing to say."
Simon: "It's true though, isn't it?"

4/4
Simon: "You have to admit. If they hadn't ... ascended or whatever, ... well, we wouldn't be married ... we wouldn't have even been able to adopt a child, let alone have a biological splice like Rufus."

4/5
David: "We promised. We took their money."
Simon: "It was less than one hundred dollars. The mutt ate through that in a week."

4/6
Simon: "C'mon! you thought it was a scam, like everyone else. You never believed it would actually happen. Pet Rapture Insurance from JesusPets.com! Hell, it was a damn scam. We just didn't know we were the ones being scammed."


Page FIVE
5/1
Simon: "You don't even like dogs. You've always said you were a cat person."
David: "But you're allergic to cats."

5/2
Simon: "But I'm allergic. I wish it had been to dogs instead."

5/3
Simon: "It sheds hair everywhere, it poops everywhere ... I found a flea the other day, David. A flea!"

5/4
Simon; "We can just turn him in to the stray reduction program."
David: "But they'll kill him, Simon."

5/5
Simon: "Yes. Yes they will."

5/6
David: "I ... I can't do it."


Page SIX
6/1
David: "He's a living creature, Simon."
Simon: "Doesn't have a soul though. That much we know."

6/2
David: "Yeah, well. Having a soul isn't that great. My sinful, corrupt little soul didn't get me anywhere."
Simon: "It got us Rufus ..."

6/3
Simon: "It got us a life together. The life we always wanted."
David: "Yeah. I guess it did."

6/4
Simon: "I'll walk the damn dog when I get home tonight. And I'll be nice."

6/5
David: "I'll pick up Rufus from daycare."

6/6
David: "Love you."
Simon: "Love you too, my corrupt soul-mate."

Script: AFTER, story two

The second in the AFTER series. Introduces some reoccurring characters.

AFTER
Story two
Great Expectation
by David Tulloch and (your name here)

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.


Page ONE
Two street 'kids' in Austin, Texas, panhandling. One male, one female. They are both early twenties. They are scruffy, but not overly so. It is a calculated scruffy. Not too unclean, as it means people will avoid you, but not too tidy, or people won't feel sympathy. The guy has a scruffy, sparse beard. She is Connie. He is Pete. The weather is warm. They don't seem too worried about life. Things aren't that bad, really.

1/1
TITLES
AFTER
Story two
Great Expectation
by David Tulloch and (your name here)
Connie holding out a tin to a passerby. Pete beside her.
Pete: "Spare some change, man?"

1/2
Hand dropping something in the tin.
(tink)
(Connie, off): "Cool. Thanks. Have a nice day."

1/3
Connie pans another passerby.
Connie: "Hey there, you got some spare coin on you?"

1/4
But this one keep walking. Connie doesn't give up, following them with the tin.
Connie: "No? C'mon, please. Anything?"

1/5
Connie, professional to the end, gives them a smile anyway.
Connie: "Catch you next time then."


Page TWO

2/1
Connie counting the money in the tin. Pete standing there.
Pete: How we doing, Connie?
Connie " ... seventeen, eighteen ...

2/2
"Connie: "We're real close. Less than a quarter away from a box."

2/3
Pete tries his luck.
Pete: "Hey, dude. Spare some change?"

2/4
But doesn't get anything.
Pete: "Next time, dude."

2/5
He tries again ...
Pete: "Hey there. Got a quarter? "

2/6
But still no luck.
Pete: "Just a quarter?"


Page THREE

3/1
Pete: "Man, you try. I'm giving off a bad vibe or something"
Connie: "I'm just cuter than you, Pete."

3/2
Connie sees a man, middle aged, a little overweight, dressed nicely but not too prosperous, walking towards them.
Connie: "Hey, I know this guy ... he always gives up some cash."

3/3
Connie: "Hey there, mister. Can I get some spare cash?"
Man: "Not today."

3/4
Connie (and Pete) follow him as he goes by, not giving up.
Connie: "C'mon, please. You know me?"
Man: "Not today. I'll give you some tomorrow."

3/5
They are shadowing him, moving alongside.
Pete: "Just a quarter, man. One lousy quarter."
Connie: "C'mon."
Man: "Just leave me alone, please."


Page FOUR
4/1
Connie still won't give up.
Connie: "But you're always so nice, man. You always give something."
Man: "Just not today. Okay?"

4/2
Pete moves in front of the man, blocking his path.
Pete: "We really need a quarter, dude."

4/3
The man brushes past Pete, not answering back.
Pete: "Hey! Don't try to prented you don't hear me."

4/4
Larger frame. Pete hits the man from the side, in the head. Connie is looking on shocked.
(Whack!)


Page FIVE

5/1
Pete jumps on the man, who goes down under the assault.
Connie: "Fuck, man ... what you do that for?"
Pete: "Just help me."

5/2
Pete is trying to get the man's wallet from his pants, the man is groggy but fighting back. Connie is standing there, open mouthed and shocked. This is not what she expected or wanted.
Pete: "Stop struggling."

5/3
Pete has the wallet.
Pete: "Got it ... c'mon."

5/4
Complete change of scene. A party of 'kids' in a flop house. They are passing around a bladder of wine. Connie looks depressed. Pete is trying to be happy. Connie is sitting apart from the rest, and Pete has wandered over to talk to her.
Pete: "What are you so fucking down for. It's a party."
Connie: "Fuck, Pete. You really messed him up."

5/5
Pete: "Yeah, well. He deserved it?"
Connie: "He was one of the nice ones. Always gave me something."

5/6
Connie does not look happy with Pete.
Pete: "Yeah, exactly. He always gave. So when he didn't it was like he was breaking a deal ... a contract."


Page SIX

6/1
Pete: "We'd better stay off the streets for a few days."
Connie: "Yeah. I might go south for a few weeks. I haven't seen the ocean for a while now."

6/2
Connie: "You like the ocean?"
Pete: "Me? It's just water, right? I don't like getting wet."

6/3
Connie: "The ocean is ... romantic."
Pete: "Romance? Doesn't exist any more. It all got taken up."

6/4
Pete: "You gonna come back?"
Connie: "Maybe."

6/5
Pete begins to head back to the others.
Pete: "You'll come back. I know you will."

6/6
Pete wanders off to join the others in the drinking and laughing. Connie remains apart and alone. Silent frame. (Pete is actually in love with Connie. Connie, however, is not in love with Pete, or indeed anyone.)

END

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

Don't dis this claimer

I was writing a script ... yes, yes, I'll post something soon ... and it occurred to me I should put a little blurb at the front of it. Then it occurred to me that i should retroactively put it on all my previous scripts. For now I'll just post it below;

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; play with the layout and frames as you wish. If I'm really keen on a layout you'll be able to tell from the rabid instructions.

Status update

I'm thinking. I'm thinking ...