[Page 1 - 4 Panels]
Panel 1:
Pure black.
Panel 2:
A crack of bright sunlight interspersed with dust on a metallic floor.
Panel 3:
Limestone rubble collapses into the room. The shelves lining the walls (I'll describe them shortly) are now more visible, but the room is still very dim.
Panel 4:
Four figures move into the room, slowly and delicately. From left to right are Raz, Cassady, Derringer, and Jensen. All are wearing desert/outdoors hiking gear. Where skin is exposed, it's slightly sunburned and shining with sweat.
Text box at bottom of page: Time Until Reset: 335:59:59
[Page 2 - 9 Panels]
Panel 1:
A view of the four.
From left to right are:
Tracey Jensen, her shoulder-length red hair tied into a ponytail. Her eyes are wide and scanning the room.
Blake Derringer, staring at nothing in particular, unable to process what he is seeing. He has a sweat band on his forehead and his mouth is clamped shut around the drinking end of a Camelbak straw.
John Cassidy, whose mouth hangs open entirely. His brown shoulder-length hair is swept behind a baseball cap with a video game controller emblem.
Raz, their professor, who looks calm enough, though his eyes are threatening to pop out of their sockets. His wrinkles and age marks are more pronounced in the cave's dim light.
Panels 2 - 5:
Small extreme close-ups of the character's eyes.
Jensen's are hazel.
"Holy shit," she whispers in a meager bubble at the bottom of the panel.
Derringer's eyes are a dark blue.
Cassady's are a lighter shade of blue.
Raz's are a deep brown, and there are tears forming in the corner of his eyes.
Panel 6:
A shot of the group, but Raz is the focus as he slumps to the ground.
Panel 7:
Raz's on the ground. The others have surrounded him to help him up.
Jensen (Off panel): Teach!
Cassady (Off panel): Oh shit!
Panel 8:
We pull back to get a better look as Jensen and Cassady help Raz up.
Derringer stands close, looking concerned.
Panel 9:
We continue to pull back, the four silhouetted against the opening of the cave/room.
Derringer offers Raz his water while the old man wipes his eyes, Jensen and Cassady both having a hand lightly on each of the professor's shoulders.
The room is now even more visible.
[Page 3 - 7 Panels]
Panel 1:
The sun shines brighter on their backs as Jensen and Cassady stand to either side of Raz, their hands still on his shoulders.
Derringer stands with his hands in his hair as he continues to look about the dimly lit room.
Cassady: I know how big this is, boss, but...
Jensen: -Maybe we should step outside and take a sec?
Panel 2:
Raz and Jensen turn and move towards the entrance they've just made.
Cassady turns and stands next to Derringer, both taking their time taking in the sight of something impossible.
Panel 3:
Closer in on Raz and Jensen helping each other back through the entrance hole. Both are smiling but clearly exhausted after a long hike.
Raz: Can you believe it, Tracey!? It's... It's...
Jensen: Probably the biggest find ever, of all time.
Panel 4:
Close up on Jensen as she gives Raz a shaky smile. The sun is shining directly on her face, but she doesn't seem to mind.
Jensen: If I weren't so wiped I'd be doing cartwheels and handstands.
Panel 5:
Close up on Raz. The sun shines on his face too, but he's still smiling as he winces.
Panel 6:
Looking over Raz's shoulder to Derringer and Cassady, still staring around the cave.
Raz: Come on boys, let's rest a bit before we run back to the car.
Panel 7: Zoom in from Raz's shoulder to Derringer and Cassady.
[Page 4 - 3 Panels]
Panel 1:
Raz and Jensen exiting the cave, the camera next to Cassady's arm hanging by his side. Sweat, dirt, and a light sunburn cover his slightly hairy arm.
Panel 2:
Pull back to a full view of the two boys. Derringer has both hands on his hips. Cassady has a hand on Derringer's shoulder while he uses the other to wipe sweat from his head, glancing with amusement at Derringer's frozen expression.
Panel 3: Covers bottom ⅔'s of the page.
We get our first full and clear view of the room and what's lining the walls inside:
Floor-to-ceiling shelves stuffed with any and every form of physical writing as can be thought of. Scrolls, papers, clay tubes presumably filled with papyrus, stone tablets of all shapes and sizes.
The panel itself is a wide and clear shot of the boys and the cave. The camera is behind scrolls and papers whose silhouettes wrap around the two.
Derringer: Well, there's your ticket to Harvard.
Cassady: Right... How about you? You just won the lottery my man.
D: I don't know... Blackjack and hookers? Maybe I'll go to Harvard with you.
[Page 5 - 6 Panels]
Panel 1 - Top half of page
A comic equivalent of a hard-cut to a "Utah Community College" sign on the front corner of campus. It's evening, and the orange rays of dusk reflect neatly on the giant plaque hung above the main entrance to the campus. It's an old building made of gray stone with a polish that can't quite hide how aged and beaten it is.
Panel 2 - Second half of page
We see Cassady in his "office" and at his "desk." The office is a narrow study room and his desk is a torn-up card table where his laptop sits.
The room is dark, the only real source of light being the glow of the laptop's monitor.
The study room has two rows of counters on either side of Cassady's "desk" that span the entire room. Wherever he can reach is covered in cans, bottles, bags of all shapes and sizes, pizza boxes, wrappers, and any other form of waste that can come from a college student's food and drink taste.
Against the wall behind Cassady are two small trash cans filled well above the rim with similar garbage.
Cassady is sitting bolt upright, his right hand working the mouse connected to his laptop with visible tension.
Panels 3 - 6: Much smaller panels inside Panel 2.
Panel 3:
In the top left, a close up of Cassady's hand intensely moving the mouse.
Panel 4:
Cassady's finger furiously clicking the left mouse button
Panel 5:
His free left hand squeezing tightly.
Panel 6:
His brow furrows as he makes a final click.
[Page 6 - 9 Panels]
Panels 1 - 4 are sequenced at the top of the page.
Panel 1:
A mouse (PC mouse, not animal, sadly) hovers over a blank minesweeper panel.
Panel 2:
The panel depresses as the mouse clicks on it.
Panel 3:
A red mine square.
Panel 4:
Cassady's brow rises in shock and annoyance.
Panel 5:
Cassady's fist slams onto the desk.
Panel 6:
Cassady sitting on a cheap folding chair nestled into his makeshift desk. He's slumped in his seat, and his hands are over his face.
Cassady: God damnit.
Panels 7 - 9:
Longer, more vertical shots of Cassady dragging/rubbing his eyes in a display of exhaustion that seems pretty weird now that I type it, but I swear people do it.
At the top of Panel 9: Knock Knock!
[Page 7 - 6 Panels]
Panels 1 - 3: Vertical panels that take up the top half of the page.
Panel 1:
A bemused Derringer gazes at his colleague through the latticed window in the "office" door. I don't know how else to describe the weird grid thing that's on most industrial doors, but I hope that'll do.
Panel 2:
Derringer opens the door and peaks his head in.
D: "Hey man."
He still looks bemused, but his face has softened with sympathy for the terrible news he's about to give Cassady.
Panel 3:
From the POV of Cassady, we now have a full view of Derringer standing in the room, holding the door open. He's wearing a lab coat, his hands in the front pockets.
D: "You good?"
Panel 4:
A side view of Cassady propping himself on the hind legs of his chair, his head resting against the wall.
C: "Mmm... Kinda sorta. Is it that time?"
Panel 5:
Derring double checks the time on his phone with a weary smile.
D: "Yessiree.
Panel 6: Covers the bottom quarter-or-so of the page.
Cassady has gotten up and is stretching his arms as he walks toward Derringer. C looks a lot more tired before work, but still in decent spirits.
C: "Ugh... had your caffeine yet?
D: "Not yet."
C: "I'll grab us both some after we get my uniform."
[Page 8 - 5 Panels]
Panel 1:
Derringer, hands in front pockets, is standing watch outside a large gray door. The cheap plastic sign next to the door reads "Lab 1." There are a few scribbles and scratches on the sign from students over the years.
It's not likely we can see them, but the floors and ceiling are pock-marked white boards and scatter-colored grayscale carpet respectively.
Panel 2:
Cassady comes through the door while pulling on his own white lab coat. Derringer's nerves get the better of him as he pivots his head side to side, craning his neck to see if there's anyone in the hall to witness the horrid thievery.
Panel 3:
The door slams as the two hurry off, grinning.
Panel 4: takes the bottom 2/3s of the page:
A look at the central foyer/hallway of Utah Community College as the boys make their way to the library.
The visual details, as they always should be, are completely up to the artist, but just in case, I'll put what I personally see for reference:
Unlike most of the rest of the building, this main hall actually looks very nice. The floors are a "tasteful" white tile, with a very thin carpet on either side where the tables and other hallway entrances are.
Right now in the story, it's 5:30 PM, and dusk is starting to shine through the big glassy windows and doors on the far ends of this big hallway.
A few students and staff are at chairs or tables on the carpeted areas, but otherwise Cassady and Derringer walk alone down the middle of the hall, Cassady with his arms at his sides and D's still in his pockets.
D: "You think whoever runs the place will ever get pissy at us for borrowing the coats?"
C: "Probably, but we'll burn that bridge when we're done crossing."
Bottom right of panel: Time Until Reset: 16:59:59
Panel 5:
The two approach the hallway that leads to the library. A few smaller, nondescript paintings that are more than likely student works line the wall.
On the right hand of the image we can see the hallway the two mean to swing into, and if it's visible, the vending machine at the far end of said hallway.
[Page 9 - 9 Panels]
Panel 1:
Cassady brings out his wallet, which is old and stuffed with gift cards and receipts.
Panel 2:
Cassady punches in the numbers for his selection.
C: "Whataya want?"
Panel 3: A close up of a large bottle of CoCo Cola as it's selected and pushed over the edge of its aisle.
Panel 4: A shot within the vending machine of the bottle falling towards the bottom.
Panel 5: Wider, bigger shot of Cassady taking a sip of his drink while Derringer leans his head and forearm against the glass as he closely inspects the machine's selection of energy drinks.
D: "Hmmm..."
Panel 6: D's face reflects off the glass as his choice is in focus: A large can of "Organic Meow-nster" energy drink.
Panel 7: Derringer's fingers punch in the selection.
C (Off panel): "Organic Meow-nster?"
Panel 8: The can is pushed over the edge of its aisle.
D (Off panel): "Duh, if I'm gonna have a heart attack-"
Panel 9: A mirror of Panel 4, the energy drink falling towards the chute.
D (Off panel): "-I want it to be a healthy one."
[Page 10 - 6 Panels]
Panel 1: Long horizontal shot at top of page.
Cut to a faux horror shot of Cassady and Derringer drinking their sodas. Raz has appeared right behind them, a heavy grimace on his face when he says:
Raz: Taking yer sweet time, kids?
Panel 2: Same wide shot.
The boy's eyes bulge out of their sockets as soda erupts from their mouths, both choking as they brace themselves against the hallway walls. Raz maintains his grimace.
Panels 3 - 5:
Close ups of Raz's grimace breaking into laughter.
Panel 6:
Raz, still laughing, slaps Derringer's back as he is still bent over and wiping soda from his mouth.
Raz: "You're late!"
[Page 11 - 7 Panels]
Panel 1:
Derringer is recovering.
D: "cough cough, sorry teach, we were- cough"
Panel 2:
Cassady is smiling as he wipes his mouth. Raz's good natured but surprisingly potent humor has always been a welcome distraction from what has now become a daily routine of boredom and stress.
C: "We were just grabbing my coat."
Panel 3:
A touch of concern on Raz's face.
R: "A perfectly valid excuse, but Tracey needs to catch the bus."
Panel 4:
Derringer and Cassady are shocked as they're reminded. D looks at his phone's screen in a panic.
C: "When!?"
Panel 5:
A close-up of the time and date on Derringer's phone. It is 5:46 PM on October 6th.
Panel 6: Close up.
Raz's face goes a bit tougher.
R: "Her bus gets here in ten minutes."
Panel 7:
A very wide view of the three as they head towards the nearby library door. Derringer and Cassady follow Raz, the former two looking distraught that they might make their friend late.
R: "Lucky for you she's all ready to go."
[Page 12 - 7 Panels]
Panel 1:
Raz's hand lands on the library door's doorknob. Since he's using his left hand, we can see the simple, golden wedding ring on his ring finger.
If we can see the gridded window near the top of the door, we'll probably see Jensen right behind it, about to smack Raz in the face.
Panel 2:
Raz's hands are very quickly pushed back and against him as Jensen barrels through the door, in quite a hurry to catch her bus.
Panel 3:
Unfortunately for Raz, the door carries enough momentum to smack him in the face. If she can be seen, Jensen is just as shocked by the impact as Raz.
Panel 4:
Cassady and Derringer, recovering quickly from their own surprise, rush to the stunned professor, Jensen only steps behind them.
J: "OH MY GOD!"
Panel 5:
The two boys help Raz up, Raz only wincing slightly and touching his nose to check for blood. Jensen has both hands clutched to her chest.
J: "Are you okay!?"
Panel 6:
All three students huddle around Raz who, after checking for blood or a broken nose and finding neither, gives a small smile.
R: "I'm fine."
[Page 13 - 10 Panels]
Panel 1 - 5, small quick-action panels: Raz brings out a small package of tissues from his pocket and wipes sweat from his face.
Panel 6:
Jensen moves in to get a closer look at the injury and apologize profusely to her teacher.
Panel 7:
Raz smiles, puts his left hand up, and points to the watch on his wrist.
R: "Don't worry, I'm fine, now hurry so you're not late."
Panel 8:
The figurative lightbulb above Jensen's head flips on as she realizes she is going to be late.
J: "Oh shit!"
Panel 9:
Jensen turns and runs down the hallway, turning and waving a hand goodbye.
J: "I'm so sorry! Good luck you guys!"
Panel 10:
The three others, still just a bit surprised at what just happened, wave their own goodbyes.
D: "See ya!"
C: "Be safe!"
[Page 14 - 3 Panels]
Panel 1, very small and in top left:
The three are in the library. Raz closes the library door behind them with a "click".
Panel 2, bird's eye/camera view, top half of the page:
Here we get a good view of the library, where most of the findings of the biggest archeological discovery of all time get their treatment: The Utah Community College Library. For the most part I'll leave this up to the artist's interpretation, but I will make note of a few things:
Three long tables meant for studious students that have been entirely cleared off to make room for the litany of books, scrolls, plates, tubes, and everything in between discovered in the cave.
A desk on the far side of the room with two laptops and two chairs.
A sizable main desk for faculty, next to the entrance. It's covered in scanning and photography equipment.
As for the characters, Raz stands next to the entrance as the two head to the desks at the far end of the room.
R: "Thanks again for your hard work you two. I promise the big payday will come sooner or later.
D: "It's all good, teach."
C: "Yeah, it's no big deal"
Panel 3, bottom half of page:
Much more simple. A wide side view of the two boys. Cassady is already sitting and logging into his laptop, Derringer is sliding his seat out. Both of their expressions grow more concentrated as they mentally dial in for the monotonous work to come.
[Page 15 - 9 Panels]
For this page I'm gonna have closeups on either side showing both of the students getting ready for work, the page being split down the middle with Cassady and his routine on the left side and Derringer's on the right.
Panels 1 & 2:
Close ups of latex gloves being pulled onto their hands.
Panels 3 & 4:
Gloved hands typing very speedily on their laptop keyboards.
Panels 5 & 6:
A close up of the screens showing login information and a few different programs running.
Panels 7 & 8:
Extreme close ups showing the two's frowns and audible sighs.
Panel 9:
A unified horizontal panel at the bottom of the page. Both boys have realized they have forgotten to grab something from the table to examine. Cassady cranes his neck back and playfully pleads with Raz.
C: "Could you pretty please grab us a stack before you head out?"
[Page 16 - 5 Panels]
Panel 1:
Raz, already having brought objects from the first table to work with, slams them into the desk near the two, scaring the shit out of them. Raz grins maliciously while he does this.
Panel 2:
A reaction shot of the two either in the act of or just recovering from shitting themselves, for the most part figuratively. Raz is already walking back towards the library entrance.
R: "Gotcha covered. Good luck!"
Panel 3:
We catch one last look at Raz as he steps through the library door, a hand waving back at the students he knows are glaring at him. If we can see it, his smile has grown much more sincere and soft.
Panel 4:
The two students are turned back in their stools, shooting their professor only moderately angry looks.
C and D: "Thanks."
Panel 5:
The two unwrap plastic covered ancient books and begin typing descriptions into their laptops, their brows furrowing again as they begin to focus.
[Page 17 - 10 Panels]
Gonna be a bit challenging to put this down well but here we go:
Panels 1 - 9: A 9 by 9 grid.
Odd numbered panels depict the "camera" slowly zooming in from above on a particular blue book wrapped in plastic on the first table.
Panel 2:
A shot of Cassady very un-amusedly watching the scanning machine on the old faculty desk do its magic.
Panel 4:
Derringer takes a sip from an organic energy drink and lifts a book from the pile near his desk.
Panel 6:
A shot of both boy's hands flying across the laptop keyboards.
Panel 8:
A view of the two's faces from behind their glowing laptop monitors. Both have developed tired looks and baggy eyes. Derringer palms his eyes.
Panel 10: Horizontal panel.
One of the boy's hands wraps around the blue book we've been zooming in on.
[Page 18 - 6 Panels]
Panel 1: Close-up, horizontal panel at top of page.
From behind the upraised book we see the top half of Cassady's face, the very unlucky first victim in tonight's story. He gives the book, the only one so far to have any outstanding color, a curious look as he holds it up and looks at it.
Panels 2 - 5: Fill the middle third of the page.
The "camera" is mounted directly above Cassady as he walks back to his desk. Each panel zooms in with a focus on the book. By Panel 5, Cassady is sitting in front of his laptop and prepared to pull it out of its thick plastic sleeve.
Panel 6: Last third of the page, horizontal.
A close up of Cassady's hands removing the book from it's sleeve.
[Page 19 - 4 Panels]
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
Panel 1: Top third of page, close up.
Cassady's hands holding the now-bare book. The book itself has no special markings of any kind, even the binding is strangely factory smooth and simple. The blue leather almost shines, as if this book is fresh off the press.
The collected pages are a harsh white.
Panel 2:
Cassady's left hand slides slowly over the strange book.
Panel 3:
He cracks the book open.
Panel 4: Bottom third of page.
A close up on Cassady's eyes as he opens and looks into the pages of the book. For reasons he wouldn't be able to describe, he's full of trepidation and excitement. If, through some reflection, we can see the pages, they are completely blank white.
[Page 20 - 7 Panels]
Panel 1: Top third of page.
A wide POV of blank, white pages.
Panel 2:
A look at Cassady's deflated, even slightly annoyed face. He hadn't known what to expect, but he hadn't expected nothing at all.
Panel 3:
Cassady flips through several pages. All are blank.
Panel 4:
A close look again at a miffed and annoyed Cassady.
Panel 5:
An extreme close up of one of Cassady's eyes as he looks at the pages.
Panel 6:
Cassady's eye bulges, his pupil dilating as he sees something "on" his hands.
Panel 7:
Cassady violently shoves away from his desk, sending his seat crashing to the floor as he struggles to stay standing. His expression is rigid shock and confusion. The book lands closed on his laptop's keyboard.
[Page 21 - 8 Panels]
Panel 1:
Derringer, hearing the commotion, whips his head around from the scanner he is sitting in front of, his eyes still sunken but a bit more alive and wary at the noise.
Panel 2:
Zoom out from Derringer to include Cassady, staring at his hands in uncomprehending bewilderment (those last two words might be redundant but whatever.)
D: "What's up?"
Panels 3 - 5 are smaller panels through Cassady's point of view, the key being that we're not seeing EXACTLY what he is. Think of it this way: The camera is directly in front of his eyes, not the eyes themselves.
Panel 3:
A shot of Cassady's hands held out in front of him, palms downward. They are shaking, muscles straining, and quickly losing color.
Panel 4:
Cassady flips his hands palm-side up. Palms are sweaty and pale.
Panel 5:
Cassady's mind snaps as what he sees cannot be rationally explained. His mind is only horror and confusion, and his expression reflects that.
Panel 6:
The "camera" has pulled back to behind Derringer as he watches the scene unfold. Cassady begins to look everywhere with that horrified and confused look. Whatever he is seeing is happening to everything.
D: "Dude!?"
Panel 7:
Regaining some focus, Cassady turns his head towards his friend, the confusion even harsher on his face as he tries to find the words for what he's seeing.
C: "Th-"
Panel 9: Extreme close up of Cassady's mouth forming/starting to say "the-"
[Page 22 - 2 Panels]
Panel 1:
Cassady freezes, as if receiving a massive shock throughout his body. His face has just enough time to contort into shock and pain before-
Panel 2:
His eyes suddenly and harshly roll back into his head, his mouth drops open, and all life leaves his body.
[Page 23 - 3 Panels]
Each of the three panels track Cassady's head as he collapses backwards onto the ground.
The real kicker/detail is that even though Cassady's eyes have rolled back into his head, they're locked on to something.
That being the case, his eyes come back forward as he falls backward and his face points to the sky.
Cassady's dead, but whatever killed him hasn't let go of his eyes.
[Page 24 - 5 Panels]
Panel 1:
Extreme close up of Cassady's eye as it points skywards. The pupil is intensely dilated.
Panel 2:
Close up of Cassady's mouth, still dropped open in shock and pain.
Panel 3:
Derringer, though having been frozen in fear, jolts back to life as he screams his friend's name.
D: "Cass!?"
Panel 4:
Derringer runs to Cassady's body.
Panel 5:
Derringer almost collapses next to Cassady's body, his hands poised above the body but hesitating.
D: "Holy shit man what-!?
[Page 25 - 6 Panels]
Panel 1:
Derringer's face freezes as the thought forces its way into him that, however impossible it might be, his friend is dead.
Panel 2:
Derringer moves his hand slowly, it shakes almost violently.
Panel 3:
D's hand grasps Cassady's arm. C's fingers are curled and taut.
Panel 4:
D's fingers wrap around C's wrist as he checks for a pulse.
Panel 5:
D yanks his hand away and recoils from the body, screaming.
Panel 6:
A wide shot of the campus's front entrance. It's night time, all the various city lights casting a dim glow to the building. Leaves and garbage are carried in a light breeze. A homeless man sleeps next to a cart full of bags and bundles of clothes.
Derringer (Off Panel): "CAASSS!?"
[Page 26 - 3 Panels]
Panel 1: Top half of page.
Raz sits upright on his bed, his legs hanging off the side of the bedrame. A lamp on his nightstand casts a dim light as he takes a call, his phone to his ears, listening and speaking intensely.
An alarm clock next to his lamp reads 9 PM.
His wife sleeps soundlessly next to him.
R: "Oh god... Yes, I'll be there as soon as I can."
Panels 2 and 3 are split halves of the bottom half of the page, showing either side of Jensen's room.
Panel 2:
Jensen's girlfriend holds their baby, no more than a year old, wrapped in blankets and dozing while Jensen gives them both a kiss. Girlfriend, who's name is Stacey, looks worried but doesn't object to Jensen's late night run, as she had known Cassady as well.
Stacey: "Promise you'll let me know when you get there?"
J: "Promise.
Panel 3:
Jensen wipes away tears as she walks through the door to her apartment. She has heard Cassady is dead, but is still processing it. She is pale and trembling slightly. Deep down she already suspects that something from their discovery might have been responsible.
Key detail: In the apartment living room, there is a play area for their son in the corner. Next to it is a large bookcase.
[Page 22 - 5 Panels]
Panel 1: Wide horizontal shot.
We are back in the library.
In the foreground, 2 EMT's wheel Cassady's body out of the library on a stretcher. The body is in a thick black body bag.
In the background, past the library door, 2 police officers stand in front of Derringer, seated on his previously toppled stool.
Derringer seems to have aged 5 years. The bags and shadows around his eyes have gotten much worse. His eyes are puffy and red from crying.
Officer 1: Is there anything else you can tell us?
Panel 2:
Derringer rubs his eyes with his palms, wishing everything and everyone would just go away.
D: "No, I'm s-sorry."
Panel 3: D's hands slide down his face, fresh tears welling in his eyes.
D: "It really..."
Panel 4: D's head collapses into his hands as he breaks down again.
D: "Oh jesus..."
Jensen (Off panel): "Blake!"
Panel 5: Wide horizontal.
Jensen and Raz enter the library quickly, Jensen almost at a run as they head for Derringer. The officers are shocked to see them there.
[Page 28 - 7 Panels]
Panel 1:
Derringer and Jensen hug each other, D rising slowly from his seat while J almost tackles him.
J: "Oh god Blake are you alright?"
Panel 2: The two cops look awkwardly at each other. Raz waits patiently behind them.
Officer 1: Uh, pardon, but we were told not to-"
Panel 3: Raz steps forward and interrupts.
Raz: Sergeant Miles said to head back, son. Him and the president just finished.
Panel 4: Officer 1 pockets the notepad. Officer 2 zips up his jacket.
Officer 1: "That so? Thanks."
Panel 5:
The two officers head towards the exit, both turning to tip their hats. Raz gives a wave back as they leave.
Officer 1: "Have a better night, everyone."
Officer 2: "Sorry for your loss."
Panel 6:
Raz, just as emotionally rattled as his students but just keeping himself held together, finishes his wave, his hand shaking as he lowers it.
Panel 7:
Just a minute or two later, the three sit at the empty end of the long table closest to the library entrance. Derringer looks slightly better, but not by much. All three are still feeling shock.
Raz: "Does anyone want something to drink?"
Jensen: "I'm okay.
Derringer: "I'm good, thanks."
[Page 29 - 8 Panels]
Panel 1: Small window.
A fist knocks on a wall next to the library door to announce President Friedland, head of the Utah Community College.
Even on as short and late a notice as tonight's, she's managed to throw on light makeup work and business looking clothes.
Panel 2:
Raz and Jensen look up in surprise. Derringer can barely put up the effort.
Panel 3:
A shot of Friedland standing in the library doorway, arms crossed and slouching just the slightest. She's collected much better than the others, but not by too much.
President Friedland: "How is everyone?"
Panels 4, 5, and 6: Shots of each of the other three's faces.
Raz's exhaustion seems to have grown.
Derringer rubs his eyes and stares at the floor.
Jensen just shakes her head.
Panel 7:
Despite her professional demeanor, President Friedland timidly and quietly approaches the table. Raz stands up from his chair as the two speak.
President Friedland: "Does anyone need anything?"
Raz: "It's okay Rose, I offered, but all of our stomachs are lead balls."
Panel 8:
Raz closes the distance to where the president is standing.
President Friedland: "I have some news from the EMT's."
[Page 30 - 8 Panels]
Panel 1: Small window.
Close up of Raz, who is very nervous to hear the details of his lost student's death.
Raz: "Right..."
Panel 2:
Raz turns to his two seated students.
Raz: "We'll just be a second-"
Panel 3:
Derringer suddenly gains some slight color as his body jolts to life.
D: "Wait!"
[Page 31 - 4 Panels]
Panel 1:
A close up of Cassady's open, bloodshot eyes looking straight into the ceiling above him, still locked on something.
Panel 2 - 4:
Pulling back from Cassady's eyes gradually, revealing a morgue, Cassady lies naked on a slab about to be pushed into storage.
On Panel 4, he's pushed inside.
Friedland (Off panel): They couldn't give me all of the details, especially with the ten minutes they had, but I got one of the EMT's to admit something was "pretty weird."
[Page 32 - 9 Panels]
Panels 1 - 4:
Close ups of each of the character's faces in this order:
1. Friedland easing off, but still determined.
Friedland: Please tell us everything, Blake.
2. Jensen looking apprehensive, constantly glancing at everyone else. She wasn't there, after all.
3. A tired defeat washes over Derrin as he resigns to being skeptically interviewed again.
Derrin: I already-
4. Raz interrupts, concerned with keeping the spotlight off of Derrin.
Raz: Cardiac arrest, president, the paramedics-
Panel 5:
Losing control, Friedland SLAMs her hand on the table.
Panel 6: Wide horizontal.
Everyone at the table jolts.
Friedland: RICK!
Panel 7:
Friedland wipes away a budding tear with one hand, propping her glasses up to get easier access to her eyes with the other hand. As unlikely as it is, she thinks something like a drug overdose has been covered up.
Panel 8: Close up.
Derringer looks at the book Cassady had opened, his nerves spiking.
Panel 9: Extreme Close Up.
Derringer's eye as he stares at the book.
Friedland (Off Panel): WHAT. HAPPENED?"
[Page 33 - 3 Panels]
Panel 1: Wide shot, top half of page.
We cut to a wide shot, the book in the forefront as all characters follow Derrin's gaze.
Jensen shivers as she sees it.
Derringer, now looking directly and with certainty at the book for the first time, is scared.
Derrin: I think it was that.
Panel 2: ¼ of the page.
Zoom in on the book that sits closed on the laptop keyboard.
Derrin: I don't know if it was something physically on the book, something the cleaners missed.
Or... something in it.
Panel 3:
Close up of D's face as he struggles to put what he saw into words.
D: He almost said something. The words were almost out of his mouth when he... seized up...
[Page 34 - 6 Panels]
Panel 1:
Friedland, having reached her limit, gives a "tsk."
Panel 2:
Friedland walks quickly around the table towards the book.
Panel 3:
Derringer starts to panic. Jensen and Raz are motionless, shocked.
Derrin: Wait...
Panel 4:
The book is now back in the foreground, a tired and irritated Friedland approaching from the middle ground.
Panel 5:
Friedland takes the last few steps to the book more slowly as she reaches out for it, just a hint of fear in her heart.
Panel 6:
With Friedland's fingers inches away from the book, Derrin's hand grabs her wrist before she can touch it.
Derrin: STOP!
[Page 35 - 4 Panels]
Panel 1: Wide shot.
Friedland and Derringer freeze, Friedland with surprise and Derrin with a newfound determination and not a tiny amount of fear.
Panel 2:
With that mix of emotions, Derringer speaks firmly and outwardly for the first time in hours.
Derrin: Please.
Panel 3:
A close up of Friedland looking shocked and she takes a few seconds to process the situation.
Panel 4:
Friedland yanks her hand away.
[Page 36 - 8 Panels]
Panel 1:
Flustered, annoyed, and just the tiniest bit grateful for the intervention.
Friedland, sighing: Alright, whatever, it's just a stupid book.
Panel 2:
Derrin is relieved. Friedland demonstrates a nervous tick as she itches a spot above her lip.
Friedland: We're all tired, and we need rest. I'm going to lock up this room, we're all going to get some sleep, and we'll all meet back up here first thing in the morning.
Panel 3:
Friedland's professional demeanor slips more as she lets herself look as exhausted, irritated, and sleep deprived as she is.
Panel 4:
We focus on Derrin as Friedland finishes. He grimaces, appreciating his small victory and almost unaware that he saved the president's life.
Friedland (Off panel): Does that satisfy everyone?
Panel 5:
Raz has walked to Derrin and puts his hand on his shoulder.
Raz: Some rest for all of us would be fantastic.
Panel 6:
Jensen has also walked to Derrin and puts a hand gently on his upper arm.
Jenson: I agree. C'mon Blake, I'll drive you home.
Panel 7:
Derrin's fear and anxiety break.
Derrin: Uh, thanks, yeah, that sounds good, but don't you take the bus?
Panel 8:
Jensen, smiling: I borrowed Stacey's truck.
If they can be seen, Raz is smiling sadly and Friedland is scratching above her lip.
[Page 37 - 4 Panels]
For the first time in this comic, a box for a narrator appears. We'll see how well I integrate it.
The page is split into four panels, with 1 and 2 being a mirror of Friedland and Raz in their perspective vehicles.
3 and 4 are a horizontal panel of Jensen's truck split into two.
Panel 1:
Raz drives down a highway, fighting sleep and (so far) keeping it in check. His car is a nice compact SUV that his wife enjoys more than he does.
Raz thinks of his dead student and fights back tears.
Narrator: The teacher sheds a tear for his lost student. He also curses the fact that a decrepit has-been is alive while a young man full of potential isn't.
Panel 2:
Friedland, in a sleek car of expensive make, also travels down a highway. Exhaustion is setting in. She shivers.
Narrator: The president shivers and wonders why she felt scared locking the library door.
Panel 3: Derringer's head rests against Jensen's passenger window. He's out cold. If the view outside can be seen, Jensen is driving them through dimly lit streets.
Panel 4:
On the other side of the truck's interior, Jensen loosely grips the steering wheel, barely keeping her concentration.
Narrator: Tracey thinks of her dead friend and looks forward to a rest she will never get.
[Page 38 - 4 Panels]
Panel 1:
Jensen waves from the driver's seat at Derrin, who waves back under a streetlight in front of an apartment building.
Panel 2:
Jensen's window rolls up, the reflection giving a view of Derrin walking into the apartment building.
Jensen pulls out her phone.
Text window from Jensen's phone:
Stacey: 2 missed calls.
1 Voicemail.
Panel 3:
Jensen puts the phone to her as she puts the car in drive.
Panel 4:
Stacey's voicemail from the phone: -what to do oh Jesus I can't see I put Riley in his crib I almost dropped him oh god I'm so scared every time I-
A thud as Stacey drops the phone. The voicemail ends.
Jensen stares at her phone, horrified.
[Page 39 - 8 Panels]
Panel 1: Jensen's foot slams on the gas pedal with a SLAM!
Panel 2:
Jensen's car peels away from the apartment building's parking lot.
Panel 3:
A shot of Jensen speeding home.
Panel 4:
Jensen's car flies into her parking spot.
Panel 5:
She takes the steps up to her apartment three at a time, out of breath and close to passing out but beyond giving a damn.
Panel 6:
She nearly slams into the door as she fumbles her keys.
Panel 7:
Her key slides into the door's lock.
Panel 8:
Despite all of her momentum before, she opens the door slowly. A part of her already suspects what she's going to find.
[Page 40 - 3 Panels]
Panel 1: Top half of page, wide shot.
From Jensen's POV, we see the living room. Everything looks the same as when she left, with one key exception in her bookshelf:
On the bottom row there is an empty space.
On the floor, next to the bookshelf is a closed book.
The book.
Panel 2:
With the reader possibly having missed the detail, we zoom in on it.
Panel 3:
Reaction shot from Jensen, who above all else in this moment, is confused. How could that thing be here?
[Page 41 - 10 Panels]
Panel 1:
Back in Jensen's POV, we focus on the doorway leading from the living room to the kitchen.
Stacey (Off Panel): Tracey?
Panel 2:
Still in the POV, we approach the kitchen door with Jensen. The voice gets louder and more desperate at the approaching footsteps.
Stacey (Off Panel): Oh god Tracey I'm so scared all I can see is-
Panel 3: Close up.
A shot from inside the kitchen of Jensen slowly opening the door, her eyes close to the opening. She is shaking, terrified, but unable to will herself to move any faster.
From off camera, there is a THUD.
Panel 4:
Jensen startles at the noise.
Panel 5:
Wincing, she throws the door open.
Panel 6:
A glimpse at most of the kitchen.
On the very lower right corner of both the page and the panel, a pair of feet covered with pink socks lay limp from the corner of the kitchen we can't quite see.
If it can fit: Extreme close up of Jensen's eye widening/dilating with terror.
[Page 42 - 4 Panels]
Panel 1: Top 2/3s of the page.
With what I hope I've written to be a well-executed page turn reveal, it's the artist's time to shine.
Stacey's body is sprawled in the corner, her upper back and head against a cupboard. She's wearing pajamas and her hair is all over the place.
Her face is twisted in fear, her eyes wide open and rolled back into her head so hard that the veins and bloodshot seem to crawl from the bottom of her eyelids.
Her hands are curled tightly into her chest.
Panel 2:
Jensen, deathly mortified and at the edge of insanity, falls against the kitchen wall and slides to the floor. At the edge of the panel, darkness begins to creep in.
Panel 3:
We close in on Jensen as her body violently shakes, her eyes filling with tears and her eyes reaching towards her face.
The darkness closes into the panel as Jensen loses consciousness.
Panel 4:
Almost complete darkness.
Jensen: Why...?
[Page 43 - Total Blackness]
[Page 44 - 12 Panels]
The characters that were able to sleep wake up.
Somewhere in the panels (I couldn't decide if I should specify where) each of the characters has a bookshelf.
The book is in each of these.
Panels 1 - 4: Derrin's morning.
1: Derrin's phone screams with an alarm he forgot to disable. His phone is hooked up to a charger and rests next to his head.
2: Derrin sits on a folding chair in front of a folding table, slowly eating cheap cereal with an energy drink next to the bowl
3: Having slept in yesterday's work clothes, he pulls a sweater on in front of his front door.
4: Now in his car driving to campus, he looks like a zombie. The car is dirty enough to be considered a safety hazard.
Panels 5 - 8: Raz's morning.
5: Raz is woken up from the beeping of an old fashioned digital clock that rests on his nightstand, which as we've previously seen, sits next to an old lamp.
6: He sits on a decent kitchen chair in front of a decent kitchen table. On his plate are eggs and toast, with a cup of tea to drink
7: Buttoning up a work shirt in front of a mirror. He smiles sadly as his wife gives him a hug.
8: Driving back to campus, Raz doesn't look as bad as Derrin, but he's getting there.
Panels 9 - 12: Friedland's morning.
9: Friedland wakes from a phone alarm. She slept on her recliner, not bothering to change out of her clothes.
10: Friedland sits at a rather nice table with her head in her hands. No breakfast for her.
11: She fixes her makeup in front of a nice, fancy mirror. She's tired and miserable.
12: She drives to campus in her spotless, luxury car.
Radio: -reporting a series of odd deaths overnight-
[Page 45 - 9 Panels]
Panel 1:
Derrin walks into the library to see Jensen already sitting at the first table, her same seat from the previous night.
She hasn't changed clothes.
Panel 2:
Focusing in on her, Jensen looks the worst of all four. Her eyes are bloodshot, her face is slightly hollow, and the bags under her eyes have only grown more pronounced.
She's not entirely at that table.
D: Hey. When'd you get here?
J (Almost whispering): Just a few minutes ago. Couldn't sleep.
Narrator: The thought of telling him that she's been waiting in front of the campus's entrance for hours never crosses her mind. Not much does anymore.
Panel 3:
Raz and Friedland walk in together, both looking slightly better than they did waking up. Derrin has taken a seat. The "camera" is also in a position that shows Jensen's bare feet. They are dirty and scratched, the bottoms black with dirt. She's walked all the way here.
Raz: I know it's the opposite, but good morning.
Friedland: Did everyone get at least a few hours sleep?
Panel 4:
Jensen (lying) and Derrin nod.
Raz is surprised as he notices something on the librarian's desk.
Raz: Oh my word, is that little Riley?!
Panel 5: Everyone is seated at the table now, and besides Jensen, they all turn in surprise to look at the baby carrier and small pink backpack on top of the librarian's desk.
J: Hope you... Don't mind.
Panel 6:
Raz beams with happiness.
Raz: Not at all! In this case...
Panel 7:
Raz slows mid sentence. He's noticed the aisles of aisles of books and their dozens of new additions.
Raz: The more the... Merrier...?
[Page 46 - 4 Panels]
Panel 1: Top half of page.
A good view of what's got Raz's tongue: The shelves of the library are scattered with blue spines that weren't there before.
Raz (quietly): What...?
Panel 2:
Derrin and Friedland look at Raz with confusion. Jensen casts a glance at the phenomenon she's already seen and disregarded.
Derrin: Teach?
Friedland: Rick?
Panels 3 and 4:
Reaction shots showing confusion and surprise from both Derrin and Friedland as they notice the books.
[Page 47 - 5 Panels]
Panel 1: Top third of page.
We take the perspective of the original book, still lying in the same spot on the laptop keyboard.
Derrin, Raz, and Friedland are out of their seats and timidly walking towards the shelves.
Jensen sits motionless.
Derrin turns his head to the first book.
D: Wait.
Panel 2:
Still book perspective.
Derrin hurries toward the "original" book.
Panel 3:
Still book perspective.
Derrin's hand reaches out for the book.
Panel 4:
D's hand shakes.
Panel 5:
Grimacing, Derrin grits his teeth and grabs the book from the desk.
[Page 48 - 9 Panels]
Panel 1:
Raz tentatively pulls a copy of the blue book from the shelves.
Panel 2:
Derrin approaches and holds the original book up to the copy. They're the exact same.
Panel 3:
Shot of the three looking at the books R and D are holding, confused and scared (Derrin even moreso.)
Panel 4:
Derrin darts off "screen."
Raz: Blake?
Panel 5:
Derrin almost looks angry as he briskly walks to the workstation the original book had been laying on.
Panel 6:
His momentum and anger grow as he reaches for a small garbage can next to the librarian's desk.
Raz (Off panel): Blake!?
Panel 7:
Derrin pours the garbage onto the floor.
Panel 8:
D plants the empty garbage can next to the workstation.
Panel 9:
D brings his lighter out from his pockets.
Raz (Off panel): BLAKE!!
[Page 49 - 6 Panels]
Panel 1:
Raz rushes towards Derrin, who flicks the lighter on against the book.
Raz: Blake, STOP!
Panel 2:
Derrin yells towards his professor, not looking away from the book. D's face is pure malice, an insane malice, as what could burning the original book possibly achieve?
D: BACK OFF!
Panel 3:
Close up of the flame being held to the pages of the book.
Panel 4:
Some life has come back into Jensen's eyes, but most of said life is fear as Derrin fights against their impossible situation.
D continues to hold the flame to the pages.
Panel 5:
Raz starts to run towards his student, but Friedland's hand on his shoulder stops him. She points in shock to the flame.
Panel 6:
Another close up of the flame. It has no effect. D is beginning to sweat, his anger draining back to fear.
[Page 50 - 8 Panels]
Panel 1: Smaller panel.
Friedland, her own patience at the situation long gone, let's out a "tsk."
Panel 2: Smaller panel.
She yanks one of the duplicate books from the shelves.
Panel 3:
She slams it onto the table, really scaring Jensen when she does.
Friedland: I'm done.
Panel 4:
A close up of Friedland's hand on the book's cover.
Friedland: It's just-
Panel 5:
Her hand begins to open it.
Friedland: - a god damn -
Panel 6:
Jensen and Raz shield their eyes.
Friedland: - BOOK!
[Page 51 - 5 Panels]
Panel 1: Top half of page.
The book lays open on the table. Its pages are completely white.
Panels 2 - 5:
The same shot in Panel 1 repeated in four panels. Starting very slightly with the first and ending with an all encompassing intensity.
The world's colors are warping.
As I imagine it, the world turns to red and black, but if you happen to come up with better colors and/or imagery (in all honesty I think this is likely) I will leave it up to you.
[Page 52 - 12 Panels]
Alright, here comes what is going to be my biggest challenge in writing this comic: Page 52 and onwards.
I only hope it isn't as hard to draw as it was to rough draw/put on paper.
Ready?
Me neither, let's get started.
Initially I typed a whole page of what the books are, but hopefully that comes across in the pages anyway.
If not, hit me up and I'll tell you everything I know.
Anyway, back to the hard stuff.
Panels 1 - 12 are entirely from Friedland's distorted POV as she sees future versions of herself and everyone else.
Panel 1:
The ghost of Friedland's hands rise up to her face.
Panel 2:
The ghost hands turn as Friedland's real hands come up into view.
Panel 3:
A blur as Friedland turns.
Panel 4:
Derrin's "ghost" approaches her while the real one stands still.
Panel 5:
Raz's ghost comes into view while D and his ghost continue to timidly approach the president.
They are clearly speaking but no voices can be heard.
They have speech bubbles, but they are just static.
Panel 6:
A blur as Friedland falls to the floor
Panel 7:
Friedland looks to her right and sees herself puking into the garbage can next to the workstation.
Panel 8:
Puke spills from her mouth into the can.
Panel 9:
More motion as she falls onto her side.
Panel 10:
Raz and Derrin (and their ghosts) bend down to help her, speaking loudly into her view to try and get through to her.
Panel 11:
Friedland's ghost hands cover her eyes.
Panel 12:
Darkness.
[Page 53 - 8 Panels]
Panel 1:
We're back to normality as Friedland is curled up on the floor, sobbing and hyperventilating.
Derrin and Raz are by her side, but both look scared and don't know what to do.
If Jensen can be seen, she's still in her chair, but crying as she watches.
Panel 2:
Close in on D, R, and Friedland.
Raz: Rose!? ROSE!?
Panel 3:
D looks to his teacher, his face naked with a need for any sort of guidance.
D: What do we do!?
Panel 4:
Raz looks at his student, his own face almost as lost as his student's.
Panel 5:
Jensen: She can't speak.
Panel 6:
D (exasperated): Why!?
Panel 7:
Jensen wipes away tears, but her face isn't nearly as distressed as the others.
J: They can't or they die.
Panel 8:
Both of the men look confused.
D: They?
Raz: Tracey, please, if there's anything you can tell us...
[Page 54 - 7 Panels]
Panel 1:
Derrin goes to the table.
Raz gives Friedland one more light shake.
Raz: Rose, please...
Panel 2:
No reaction. Raz begins to help her up off of the floor and into a sitting position against the librarian's desk.
Panel 3:
Raz tenderly touches one of Friedland's shoulders and taps the hands covering her face.
Panel 4:
Friedland spreads her fingers ever so slightly.
Panel 5:
Raz, very clearly enunciating and giving visuals cues, says:
Raz: Stay here, I'll be back.
Panel 6:
Friedland hesitates -
Panel 7:
Then nods.
[Page 55 - 6 Panels]
Panel 1:
A view of the copy of the book on the librarian's desk.
Derrin and Jensen sit closely together at the end of the table, Raz leaning against the table and dialing 911 into his cell phone.
Narrator: While the others talk, the president gets an idea.
Panel 2:
Friedland's hand creeps over the table and reaches for the book.
Narrator: It's a very bad idea, but in her state of mind, anything is worth being free.
Panel 3:
Friedland pulls the copy of the book in front of her. She wears an odd look of hope and fear.
Panel 4:
She looks to the others and hopes what she is about to try will work.
Panel 5:
She breathes deeply for the last time.
Panel 6:
She opens and looks into the book again.
[Page 56 - 5 Panels]
If shit hadn't hit the fan before, it's about to now. Instead of being able to read the book or even reverse its effects after looking into it a second time, she's doubled down on the "virus" and is about to pay the price.
Panel 1:
Each of Friedland's fingers holding the book bend and SNAP backwards.
Panel 2:
Her legs twist and bend with various CRACKs.
Panel 3:
With a view of her back pressed against the desk (The desk in the case being see-through glass so that Friedland's back is clearly visible) we see her spine and shoulders malform.
Panel 4:
Her hand rotates clockwise around the wrist, her jaw pops to the left side and stretches her face.
All she can be in the very brief time before she dies is surprised, her eyes wide.
Panel 5: Bottom half or third of the page.
Another panel where the artist gets to shine (even more than usual, at least) as Panel 5 is a wide shot of the aftermath.
The book has fallen closed next to her body.
[Page 57 - 8 Panels]
Panel 1:
The three near the table all look with violent disgust and shock.
Raz: OH DEAR GOD!!!
D: JESUS CHRIST!
Panel 2:
Focus on Jensen, who has now completely dissociated. She can only stare at the body, pale and mouth hanging open while the others panic.
(All off panel:)
R: 911 is busy! Oh god-
D: Busy!? What do you mean busy!?
R: I mean the line won't even go through!
Panel 3:
Zoom in on Jensen.
All off screen:
R: We, oh god, we need to cover her up.
D: A-a-alright *retch*
Panel 4:
Continue zooming on Jensen.
All off screen:
R: I need to go get my wife. Now.
D: My cat... My cat is still at my *retch*
R: Go grab it, and any food you can find.
D: Food!?
Panel 5:
Last panel zooming on Jensen.
R: Food. As much as you can carry, then hurry back.
D: A-alright.
Panel 6:
Raz appears in front of Jensen, startling her.
R: Tracey!
Panel 7:
Jensen looks at Raz as if she's just woken up from a dream.
J: What?
R: We're going to be right back. Can you wait in the lobby with Riley?
Panel 8:
Jensen stares, almost dumbly, at Raz.
J: Okay.
Panel 9:
Raz and Derrin are hurrying out of the library door. Raz looks back to Jensen one last time.
R: We'll hurry, you and Riley be safe.
J: Okay.
[Page 58 - 6 Panels]
Panel 1: Top ¼ of page.
The others are gone. Jensen continues to sit and stare at the body now covered in the lab coat Derrin had been wearing yesterday.
Panel 2:
Jensen stands.
Panel 3:
She walks to her baby, who is miraculously sleeping quietly in her carrier.
Panel 4:
She reaches into the carrier to pick her baby up.
Panel 5:
Jensen cradles her son to her chest.
J: Ahhh... It's okay, I'll be with you no matter what.
Panel 6:
She walks to the closed blue book next to the body.
[Page 59 - 6 Panels]
Panel 1:
She hugs her child to her chest again.
Panel 2:
She reaches for the book-
Panel 3: Wide shot, ¼ of the page sized
and opens it.
Panel 4:
Her eyes go wide as the world changes like it did for Friedland.
Panel 5:
She stares with a scared but wondrous expression.
J: Oh.
Panel 6: Wide shot, ¼ page size.
Jensen looks around and is shocked to see her ghost walk out of the library, two thin red lines snaking their way from their heads towards the sky.
The red lines are slightly more distinct on the real people.
[Page 60 - 4 Panels]
Panel 1:
Jensen comes out of the library door to follow the ghosts.
Panels 2 and 3:
A shot of the ghosts walking down the hallway followed by the real Jensen.
Panel 4: Bottom half of page.
A large but simple shot of Jensen following her ghost down the same wide common area/hallway that Cassady and Derringer were walking just a day earlier.
The place is empty now, and all viewed in the warped lens of Jensen's new reality.
[Page 61 - 4 Panels]
Panel 1:
Jensen walks down the steps of the community college building. Her ghost is already well on her way down the cement path leading to the busy street a few dozen feet away.
If visible, traffic is piled into the streets and more garbage than usual flows in the wind.
Panel 2:
The ghosts stop at the street's curb, Jensen and her baby close behind.
Panel 3:
As Jensen reaches her ghost, it looks up. In this panel, if they are visible, we catch a brief glimpse of people running up and down the streets.
Panel 4:
In a sudden reverse to a view of the "real" world and all of its normal color, we see Jensen standing on the curb, looking up, and hugging her baby to her chest again.
[Page 62]
Alright, time for the artist to flex those toned artistic muscles for the finale.
Page 62 is back to the warped view of reality.
We've pulled way back to see a wide shot of the street where Jensen is looking up, I'll let you decide how much we see. But be warned: Don't go too hard, the extreme super wide shot is on the next page.
There are only a few details I want to mention.
In what sky we are able to see, there are thin lines that will be revealed next page to be opening eyes. If they are at all visible yet, the eyes have strange pupils and irises.
For every person and their ghost, there is a red line that connects to the things in the sky. Most are still connected, a few are beginning to cut and shorten down to their now-dead owners.
[Page 63]
This is it! The money shot.
We pull out to a vast, wide view of the Salt Lake valley.
Already a few fires have sprung up. If any other sign of people can be seen, they are signs of fear and panic.
Red lines, many separated and shortening, seem to fall like rain to the hundreds of thousands souls they are connected to.
The eyes in the sky are now open and glaring down at the world below.
Text box: Time Until Reset: 00:00:01
[Page 64 - Complete blackness]
[Page 65 - 4 Panels]
Panel 1: Wide shot.
Text box: Ten minutes later...
Derrin and Raz come back through the library entrance, their demeanors happy and their hands full of drinks and snacks.
Jensen sits at the table looking at her laptop and various stacks of artifacts.
One solitary workstation sits in the spot where there were once two.
Derrin: We're back!
Jensen: Finally! Mama needs her coffee.
Panel 2:
A wider shot of the library as D and R sit down and begin divvying up the gas station spoils.
The other tables that had before been packed with so many dozens of artifacts, are scattered with a select few.
D: I hope Mama doesn't mind her coffee decaf.
J: Don't even play with me.
Panel 3:
R: Settle down young-uns, food time is peace time. We did just see the new president walking around if you want to go say hi Tracey.
Panel 4:
Jensen: I'm good, unless he wants to be the fourth member we've been looking for all semester.