Script Part One: Weight of the World
Soulless Script: Part One
Page One
1. The entire panel is the mouth of someone who’s talking.
Henry: I’m not a happy person…
2. Henry, at the counter of a bookstore. A female customer stands on the other side of the counter, holding a purse with one hand inside. Henry is holding up a novel with no book jacket on it. A clock (similar to the clocks at school) shows that it’s almost ten at night on Friday, October 14th, 2011. A television in the background shows a man reporting the news, but it is muted.
Henry: …but this book made me so depressed and bored that I couldn’t finish it.
3. Henry putting the book down on the counter lightly.
Henry: Seriously, the Lord of the Rings the most boring book of all time. I read fifty pages and Frodo was still in the Shire. He was in his forties when he finally got off his ass and started walking.
4. The customer still standing, talking. Her hand is no longer in her purse, looking confused.
Woman: But I heard the movie was so good.
Henry: Did you watch the movie?
Woman: No, because I didn’t want to ruin the book.
5. Henry smiling, still talking.
Henry: Don’t worry. Tolkien did that all by himself. Go buy the movie and watch it, not this crappy book. Really, it’s a good movie.
Woman: Oh… okay. Um, thanks.
6. The woman begins to walk out of the building, Henry waving at her. By him, the TV shows another man talking about the weather. On the bottom of the screen, text says 'oung teen in Portland, Oregon was f'.
Henry: Bye. Come back soon!
Sarah: (off panel) What are you doing?
Page Two
1. Henry turning around, seeing his boss, Sarah, leaning out of the doorway into the back rooms. She has skin similar to Scott’s complexion, and curly black hair that goes beyond her shoulders. Sarah is wearing glasses, but is squinting over them, angry.
Henry: Helping a customer make the right choice.
Sarah: By spending twenty bucks on a movie we don’t sell instead of five for a book we have here?
2. Henry, smiling at Sarah. From the look in his face, it’s obvious that he’s trying to flirt with her, but she’s too angry to care. The TV text now says 'parents suspect foul play. The boy's fri'
Henry: Yeah, but it’s the right thing.
Sarah: Guiding someone through what to do with their live in a moral conundrum is one thing, but telling someone to go away because they don’t like the same books as you is just retarded.
3. Sarah continues, pointing at Henry.
Sarah: And don’t even start on the Rings. Those books were amazing and you would know that if you weren’t too lazy to read a few hundred pages.
4. Henry opens his mouth to reply, but Sarah cuts him off.
Sarah: Just sell the books and turn the lights off at eleven.
5. Sarah disappears into the back room. Henry watches her go.
6. Henry looking up at the clock, seeing that it’s now six o’clock. The TV says 'olice have taken Alex Sut'
Page Three
1. The clock now says 6:57.
2. Henry, now wearing headphones, watches the last customer leave the shop. The TV shows a talk show host interviewing a celebrity.
3. Henry standing at the door, turning the open sign around.
4. (same panel POV) The sign now says closed. Henry is now across the room and the lights are off.
5. In Sarah’s office, she’s sitting in front of a computer, looking at two pictures on her desk. One is of her and Henry, standing and holding hands at a comic book store. Standing with them, looking at comics in his hands, is another man. Chubby, blonde, wearing a grey hoodie. Later this man will be given a name: Johnny. The second picture shows a very dark-skinned man wearing a tuxedo, his arm around a pale woman with a drink in her hand. Two caramel-skinned children stand with them, a teenage Sarah and her younger brother.
Henry: (off panel) Hey, I wanna ask you something.
6. Sarah looking up, her glasses askew. Henry’s standing in the doorway, smiling.
Sarah: What is it?
Henry: It’s about earlier.
Page Four
1. Sarah taking off her glasses.
Sarah: Yeah, we do. Sit down.
2. Henry walking into the room.
Henry: Here’s the thing… I know I’ve been-
Sarah: You’ve been rude to customers, driving off business and making every associated with the store look bad. You’re fired.
3. Henry, no longer smiling.
Henry: Well… That sucks. We, um, still need to talk.
4. Sarah, angry.
Sarah: About what? How you're being treated unfairly? How you care so much about your job? How you need the money when I know for a fact that your mom's paying your bills and you're spending your paychecks on video games? Go ahead, tell me what you want to talk about.
5. Henry sitting, silent.
6. Henry stands up.
Page Five
1. Sarah slouching over her desk, a tear in her eye. Her head's leaning in one of her hands.
2. Sarah takes off her glasses with the second hand.
3. Sarah's hand, putting the now folded pair of glasses on the desk.
4. Sarah looking at the picture of her, Henry and Johnny.
Henry: (off panel) I actually wanted to see if you felt like having dinner with me.
5. Sarah looks up, the tear rolling down her face, the first of many.
6. Henry walking into the doorway.
Henry: But that doesn't sound like such a good idea, so I'm just gonna call it a night.
Page 6 (three wide panels)
1. This panel shows a street, from the POV of someone across the street. Henry, his hood up, is walking from the right side. There is an alleyway right behind him, and someone is peeking from the darkness to him. Not as visible is another man on the roof, wearing a cloak with a hood, right by a satellite dish. The windows are mostly closed with curtains blocking the view inside, but some are open and showing people watching TV, eating dinner and other normal nighttime activities.
2. Henry standing still, looking back. The alley man is gone.
3. Henry continues walking, the alley man watching him and the roof man starting to follow him from the rooftops.
Page Seven
1. A small kitchen in an apartment. A woman, young and fair looking but stressed, is walking towards the stove; some may remember her from the prologue: Julia, Henry's sister. Her hair is messy, a few stains on the front of her shirt. Julia's head is leaning to the side, holding a cell phone to her ear. The walls are a dull pink and all of the appliances look beaten and old. Overall, the room looks like someone tried to get to cleaning it but was too busy.
Julia: I thought you hated spaghetti.
Scott: (on phone) I hate onions. There's a difference.
2. Julia grabbing a large pot from the stove.
Julia: It's just bits of it you can't even taste.
Scott: (on phone) They why would they put them in the sauce?
3. Julia walking into the dining room.
Julia: *sigh* I don't know. Just come home and eat.
Scott: (on phone) What else do we have at home?
Julia: Bread sticks and baby food.
4. Scott in his car, showing that he's wearing a bluetooth while driving. He's obviously enjoying the back-and-forth with his wife, showing that at least he has a playful personality with talking to someone he's comfortable with.
Scott: What flavor?
5. Scott's POV, showing him looking at the entrance to an apartment building. Walking up the steps is Henry, drenched in rainwater.
Julia: (on phone) It tastes like toasted bread with butter on it, smart-ass.
Scott: I meant the baby food, honey.
6: Scott squinting as he tries to get a good look at Henry, who is opening the door to the apartment hallway.
Scott: Julia, is Henry having dinner with us?
Julia: (on phone) No, he said he was having dinner with his boss.
Scott: Doesn't sound like it went well. He's walking in now.
Page Eight (three rows of three panels)
1. Scott's hand grabbing an umbrella, which is on his passenger seat.
2. The umbrella sticking out of the open car door.
3. Same panel as the last one, but the umbrella is open.
4. Scott getting out of the car.
5. Scott walking around the car, towards the front door of the apartment building.
6. Right at the open doorway, Scott's hand is outstretched, clicking a button on his keys. The car beeps and locks.
7. Scott jogging up the stairs, closing him umbrella. The background shows that he's on the second floor, and that the hallways looks more dirty than the apartment he lives in.
8. Scott's hand, tightly holding the umbrella handle. The hand looks tense, angry almost.
9. Scott almost catching up to Henry, who is right in front of the door that says 4A. His hand is up, about to knock. Scott, looking worried and stressed, the opposite of his playful grin earlier.
Scott: Henry! What are you doing here?
Page Nine
1. Henry turning around. He's slouching, his arms at his sides. With the grubby, wet cloths, he looks pathetic. Obviously, he's not having a good day.
Henry: Oh. Hi. I was just about to see Julia.
2. Scott, with a look of pity on his face.
Scott: But she said you were going on a date.
Henry: Got fired instead, but I think she's still playing hard to get.
3. Henry and Scott (who has now walked up all of the stairs) are standing in front of the doorway together.
Scott: Did you call?
Henry: My cell was turned off, and here's closer than home, so I just felt like dropping in.
4. Henry looking embarrassed and uncomfortable, staring at his feet. Scott is thinking, probably about whether he should let Henry in or not.
5. Scott now looking at Henry, who is still staring at his feet.
Henry: So should I go home or what?
Scott: No, it's fine. Come in.
6. Scott's hand, no longer tense looking as much as tired, putting a key in the keyhole of the front door.
Page Ten
1. Scott and Henry at the doorway, the door now wide open.
Scott: Hey, Julia. Henry and I are here now. Is the food done?
Julia: Yeah, it's all set up in the dining room.
2. Scott, now in the house, holds the door open with one hand and holds the other one out, physically inviting him in.
Scott: Take off your shoes.
Henry: Yeah, yeah. Should I put my jacket somewhere?
3. Scott pointing at the small table right by the door.
Scott: Just set it there.
4. Julia standing at the table, putting a spoonful of spaghetti onto a plate. From the panel's POV, only one half of the table is shown, where a baby's sitting in a baby seat, eating from a plate with a pile of apple sauce on it.
Julia: Hey, Henry. What happened with your boss?
5. Henry setting his wet jacket on the table.
Henry: She told me she didn't like hanging out with me and that I was a shitty employee, so she fired me.
Julia: (off panel) Was she right?
Henry: I guess.
6. Henry's face, his rain-covered face making him look weary and tired.
Henry: (saying quietly to himself) I really liked her, too.
Page Ten
1. Scott is walking into the dining room, putting his umbrella on a hanger-device on the wall and his dry jacket on another hanger.
Scott: So, bread sticks, huh?
2. Turning around, Scott sees that his seat, across the table from Julia. His plate has a small glass container, baby food, with a small plastic spoon in it.
3. Julia putting spaghetti onto another plate, for Henry. This third plate is paper, unlike Scott and Julia's plates.
Julia: Well? Sit down and eat.
4. Scott sitting down, looking amused.
Scott: Hey, it's green bean flavored.
5. Henry walking into the room, an amused look on his face. Like Julia, he looks tired but content.
Henry: Are you really going to eat that?
Julia: Only if he wants dessert.
Scott: Well, at least there's no onions in it.
6. Henry sitting down, the baby eating her apple sauce with her hands and Scott grabbing a spoon from beside his plate. Julia sitting down, drinking from a plastic cup (not the crappy cheap ones). Everyone seems to be in a good mood.
Julia: Scott, shut up and eat your food.
Page Eleven
1. The sink in the kitchen, where three plates, three sets of silverware and four small bowls are stacked together.
Caption: Two hours later...
2. Scott and Julia sitting together in the living room, watching TV. Henry in the background, playing with the baby in the other room.
Scott looks slightly annoyed.
Julia: So who do you think's going home tonight?
Scott: Henry, if I'm lucky.
Julia: I meant on the show, asshat.
3. Scott turning his head to look at Julia.
Scott: Seriously, I don't like him showing up all the time. I mean, he is Britney's uncle, but he's starting to get on my nerves.
Julia: How so? What's he done to piss you off?
4. Julia, looking angry. Scott trying to explain.
Scott: Come on. The first thing he does when he gets fired is come to his rich brother-in-law's house? You know he's going to ask for money.
5. Julia, even more angry, is clenching her fists.
Julia: Yeah, or he decided to come to his sister's house to feel better.
Scott: Not likely.
6. A view of Henry playing with the baby, the quiet fight in the other room.
Julia: What the hell does that mean?
Scott: It means that his agenda isn't about feeling better, because he never feels better.
Page Twelve
1. Showing Scott, adjusting his body so he's giving Julia her full attention.
Scott: Henry's always depressed. He's been free-falling through life since your dad died and finally hit bottom. That's no one's fault but his.
2. Julia looking away, angry.
3. Julia turning to Scott.
Julia: You just don't like him as a person.
4. Scott replying to Julia.
Scott: No, I don't. Mainly because he's a leech. Henry sucks the happiness out of people until they can't take it anymore. I mean, try to explain the whole Johnny thing.
5. Julia starting to get up, Scott looking slightly annoyed at her for walking away from this mini-fight.
Scott: Hey, I'm sorry.
6. Julia staning up, looking at Scott.
Julia: Henry may get annoying, but at least he doesn't talk shit about someone behind their back.
Page Thirteen
1. Henry walking down the street, talking into a cell phone. This panel is long, going across the page.
Caption: Later that night.
Henry: Scott hates me.
Panels 2, 3 and 4 make up a picture, the same long street that Henry walked down on page 6. Unlike that page, however, these three panels are tall and thin.
2. Henry walking down the street, still holding the phone. Just like the last time he was walking down a street (page 6), there is someone on the rooftops, starting to climb down an alleyway that's partly shown here.
Julia: (on phone) Well, sort of. It's because he doesn't know you.
3. Henry, now slouching as he walks. In this panel, he has just walked past the alleyway, and the man who was following him is climbing down and is near the alley floor.
Henry: Actually, I think that's the problem.
4. As Henry continues down the street, the man is beginning to follow.
Julia: (on phone) Maybe it's because he's more of a jock and you're a nerd.
Henry: I'm no nerd. Now Johnny, total nerd. I'm more of a...
5. Henry stops walking, thinking. this panel shows his upper body.
Henry: (thought bubble) What the hell am I?
6. Henry still thinking.
Julia: (on phone) Um... hello? Henry?
Page Fourteen
1. Henry continues walking down the road, close to a bus stop. He looks deep in thought.
Henry: Hey, sis. I have a question for you.
2. Julia laying in bed, looking at something with anger in her eyes.
Julia: Don't call me sis. What's the question?
3. Shown from over Julia's shoulder, Scott is putting a pillow on the couch.
Henry: (over phone) What clique do I fit into?
4. Julia now deep in thought, her face similar to Henry's both because of their thinking and the fact that they're siblings.
Julia: Um... I don't wanna say emo-
Henry: (over phone) Am I really emo?!
5. Julia turning her body to get off of the bed.
Julia: I donno. You're more of a non-conformist.
Henry: (over phone) A what?
6. Julia's feet as she gets off of the bed.
Julia: They're the guys you see at school that hate the preppy kids for being happy, so they talk about how much everyone sucks.
Henry: (over phone) Ah.
Page Fifteen
1. Julia begins to walk towards the door.
Julia: The part that really makes you sound like it is when you make fun of every single popular thing that comes up in conversation, even cool things. And you're never able to hang out alone.
2. Julia standing at the doorway, holding the doorknob.
Henry: (over phone) I can be alone of I want to.
3. Scott laying down, looking sleepily at Julia.
4. Julia shutting the door, so Scott's no longer in her view.
Julia: Lies. Haven't you ever noticed how much you cling to me?
5. Julia walking back to bed.
Julia: Since you and Johnny stopped talking, you've been showing up at my apartment all the time.
6. Julia sitting on the bed.
Henry: (over phone) That's total crap. I visit because you're my sister and I enjoy your company.
Page Sixteen
1. Henry walking towards a bus stop, where no one's waiting for the bus.
Henry: I mean, you could be partly right about me being all clingy, but that's just me being lonely. I wasn't clingy when I was hanging out with Johnny and Sarah.
2. Henry looks at his watch. It's just about 11 PM.
Julia: (over phone) That's because you got clingy with them. Now you have to make new friends.
Henry: Or convince you to try and get me my job back.
3. Julia moving herself, getting ready to lay down in bed.
Julia: You really think anyone but yourself should go talk to Sarah? Come on, man, that's a terrible idea and you know it. Just call her yourself.
4. Henry standing at bus stop, looking down the street. A bus is on the way.
Henry: Please? Talk to her and I'll babysit for a week straight.
Julia: (over phone) Deal.
5. Julia starting to lay down, pulling a blanket over herself.
Julia: And don't try to weasel your way out of it, nanny.
6. Henry grabbing something from his jacket pocket as bus begins to stop.
Henry: Alright. Goodnight.
Julia: (over phone) Night.
Page Seventeen
1. Henry walking onto the bus, pulling a couple dollars from his jacket pocket.
2. Henry standing at the metal machine, putting his money in.
3. The bus driver hands Henry a ticket.
Henry: Thanks.
4. Henry walking down the aisle.
5. From Henry's POV, a seat between a young woman with a bag of groceries in her lap and an older man in a clean suit with a bow-tie on and a newspaper opened.
6. Henry sitting down.
Page Eighteen (these four panels are stacked on top of each other, all page-wide)
1. Henry sitting beside the newspaper man and grocery woman.
2. Henry as he turns his head, slightly confused and suspicious.
3. The back of the bus, showing a grubby man sitting alone. He is glaring at Henry from the seat farthest back.
4. Henry looking concerned and a little scared.
Page Nineteen
1. Henry is still looking at the man across the bus, but the newspaper man is folding his paper to close it. Here, he is folding it closed like a book.
2. The same shot of the first panel, but the newspaper man is folding his paper into fourths.
3. The newspaper man pulls the yellow cord above the seats.
SFX: ding
4. Henry looking around, noticing that the bus is at his stop.
5. Henry and the newspaper man both getting up from their seats.
6. Henry getting off of the bus.
Page Twenty
1. Henry watching the bus drive away.
2. Close-up of the window at the back of the bus, the grubby man watching him.
3. A view of Henry, the newspaper man walking another direction. Henry is smiling.
Henry: (thought) What a douche.
4. Henry walking towards an apartment building.
5. Walking into a lobby, Henry looks towards an elevator door.
6. A close-up of the door, showing an 'out of order' sign.
Henry: (off panel) Why does the universe hate me?
Page Twenty-One
1. Henry walking up a set of stairs, a sign on the wall saying that he's on the 3rd floor.
2. Henry walking past a sign that says 4th floor.
Henry: *sigh* I hate my life.
3. Walking down a hall, Henry grabs something in his jacket pocket. The hall is filthy, implying that it's not exactly a nice neighborhood. All of the doors are on one side of the hall, several windows on the other.
4. A close-up of Henry's hand, showing his bus ticket and a key ring. There's only two keys on the ring, and one of them has the number '404' on it, saying that he's in the fourth room on the fourth floor.
5. From the POV of someone looking through a peephole on their apartment door, Henry is walking towards the door right by the one somebody is looking through.
6. The door by him opening, Henry looks to the person that's not view.
Neighbor: (off panel) Henry! Hi.
Page Twenty-Two
1. Henry doesn't move at all, the view in this panel from the wall opposite the doors. He is facing a young woman, with freckles and brown hair on a ponytail. She is not wearing any make-up, but has a natural beauty similar to Sarah, though they are not related.
Henry: Hi, um.. neighbor.
2. The girl, looking very energetic and happy, walks a little closer to Henry.
Neighbor: So how are you today? Or, you know, tonight.
3. The girl, now blushing rambles on.
Neighbor: Not that it's late or anything, I just wanted to ask how you were.
4. Henry staring at her, confused.
5. The girl's cheeks redden even more.
Neighbor: Sorry... I tend to ramble when excited.
6. The girl tries to explain herself.
Neighbor: And I don't mean that you make me really excited. Not that you're boring or anything, unless you think you are, or something.
Page Twenty-Three
1. Henry blinks.
2. The girl looks down, embarrassed.
Henry: It's fine.
3. The neighbor, now excited again, smiles.
Neighbor: So how are you?
4. Henry replies.
Henry: Oh, my life completely sucks, and I don't feel like talking to anyone right now.
5. The girl looks like she's been slapped in the face, surprised and shocked.
Neighbor: Oh.. I'll talk to you later, then.
Henry: Thanks.
6. The girl walks away, Henry smiling.
Neighbor: Bye.
Henry: Good night.
Page Twenty-Four
1. As the girl's door closes, Henry turns to unlock his door.
Henry: (thought) Gotta go take my meds now.
2. A close-up of the socked foot of someone who is running.
SFX: patpatpatpatpatpatpatpat
3. Henry's eyebrow goes up on curiosity.
SFX: patpatpatpatpatpatpatpat
4. Henry turning his head, his eyes going wide in surprise.
SFX: patpatpatpatpatpatpatpat
5. The newspaper man running to Henry, his right arm outstretched and going for Henry's throat. He is just out of arm's reach in this panel.
6. The hand grabs Henry's throat, a firm grip. The other hand is holding Henry's right wrist.
Henry: Grugh!
Page Twenty-Five (these panels are all horizontally long, together showing the first four floors of the building Henry lives in.
1. Henry and the newspaper man both falling, the newspaper man above Henry. They are just coming out of the fourth floor window.
2. Henry being pulled upwards by the newspaper man at the third floor.
3. Henry now above the newspaper man at the second floor.
4. The two fall, Henry landing on top of the man. The sidewalk they land on is right by a blue, windowless van.
SFX: CRACK!
Page Twenty-Six (panels 3 through 6 are all the same view)
1. The panel is very low to the ground, only barely showing the van's side door sliding open.
2. Two very clean hands come out of the van, grabbing Henry's arms.
3. From above, this panel shows Henry pulled into the van, only his belt line and under shown. There is a small red spot on the newspaper man's white shirt, his jacket wide open. Shards of glass are all over the sidewalk, some on Henry and the newspaper man.
4. Hands coming out of the van again, grabbing the newspaper man, whose spot of blood is growing.
5. The newspaper man being pulled inside.
6. A small line of blood remains.
Page Twenty-Seven
1. The hand of the driver, who is turning the key in the ignition.
2. The driver's foot pushing on the pedal.
3. A view of the front seats, from outside the car. The driver, very young but wise looking, the newspaper man sitting in the passenger seat.
Newspaper man: *groan* That hurt.
Driver: You fell four floors. What did you expect, a pleasant tingling sensation?
4. The hands of the newspaper man as he opens the glove compartment.
5. The hands pull out an ice pack and a small red box, the word 'emergency' on the side.
6. The man opens the box, showing needles, thread and bandage material.
Newspaper man: *sigh* I hate stitching myself back together.
Page Twenty-Eight (this page is entirely in Henry's POV)
1. Eyes open to reveal that Henry is on his side and looking at the back of someone's seat.
2. Henry moving his head so he is looking of the window (still lying on his side, so it's as if he's looking up).
Henry: *Ugh* Where...?
3. Henry looking at the seat he's in front of, seeing the back of newspaper man's head.
Henry: The fuck is...
4. Henry shaking a bit, his vision blurry.
5. Looking down, Henry sees that his hands are handcuffed together. They are very tense, as is the rest of his body.
Henry: What's going on?
6. Henry trying to grab towards the newspaper man, but his chains are attached to something behind his chair, so he is unable to reach far.
Henry: What the fuck's going on?!
Page Twenty-Nine (this page is also entirely in Henry's POV)
1. The newspaper man turns back to see Henry struggling.
Newspaper man: He's awake, sir.
Driver: Obviously.
2. The driver turns his head to look at Henry in the mirror above the dashboard. From Henry's POV, there is no reflection in this mirror, just the top area of an empty seat.
Henry: Who are you?
Driver: Knowing my identity would ruin the test.
3. Henry screaming at the man in the mirror, knowing he can see Henry.
Henry: What fucking test?
4. The man continues.
Driver: The only thing I'll tell you is this: you're a selfish person, and have almost nothing to live for, but you're a lucky person.
5. Henry looking at the driver's seat.
Driver: Only a few before you have been given the freedom of living out of captivity after the procedure, and you'll be one of them.
6. Henry looking at his chains again.
Driver: You will be injected with a tranquilizer and wake up in your apartment in two or three weeks.
Page Thirty (also through Henry's POV)
1. Henry pulling at his chains.
Driver: We will study you as you're thrown into your old life, unaware of what we took from you.
2. Henry looking at the newspaper man as he stares at Henry, a needle in his hand.
Newspaper man: Hold still.
3. Henry starting to move back, the needle stuck in his arm (though the panel doesn't show where the needle is stuck.
Driver: And Henry? You need to know one thing, so you can prepare for this.
4. Henry pulling his chains more, his vision becoming blurry because of the tranquilizer.
Driver: You've been living your life through other people, never acting like a true adult, not even like a human being...
5. Henry looking at the mirror, his vision even blurrier and his eyes beginning to close.
Driver: Since your father's death, you believed you had the weight of the world on your shoulders.
6. Henry's eyes, barely open, no distinct shapes shown. The Driver turns his head, and a very blurry face is seen.
Driver: Well, I can tell you... Things are about to get heavy.
Page Thirty-One
1. A view of the van from above. It looks close to dawn.
Caption: Hours later.
Driver: Give him another shot.
2. One of the newspaper man's hands opening the red emergency kit, which is on his lap.
3. The open kit, showing some bloody cloth and a few needles. Newspaper man is grabbing one of them.
4. The needle being stuck into Henry's arm.
5. The needle being pushed down upon, the tranquilizer being injected.
6. The van driving past a sign that says 'Welcome to Maine. Enjoy your stay.'
Page Thirty-Two
1. Julia sitting in a small cafe, two cups in front of her. Scott's jacket rests on the seat next to hers. Julia's hands are holding her cup. She is looking towards the counter.
2. A view of the counter, with a digital clock above the menu. The clock shows the time, just past noon, and the date: Sunday, October, 16th, 2011 (two days after Henry was kidnapped).
3. Another clock is shown, a circular clock that also says it's just past noon. The wall behind it is brick, old and disgustingly dirty. A nail was beaten into the wall, a string attached and holding the clock up.
Newspaper man: (off panel) I hate being up this late.
4. The same wall, but from farther away. A desk with various rods and cords on it is shown, as are the shadows of two men, one of them carrying someone else. Also on the table is some sort of helmet, with metal bars on the sides; each bar is attached to a cord that is going somewhere.
Driver: (off panel) Well, it's better to do it as soon as the machine's ready, which it is. I'm not waiting another day's light just because you don't want to get burned.
5. The POV from behind, Henry's unconscious body being put into a chair.
Driver: (off panel) You've been injecting the tranquilizer every two hours?
Newspaper man: Yes, sir.
6. A view similar to the last panel, but it's the back of Julia's chair.
Page Thirty-Three
1. A hand grabbing the handle of a door, the entrance of the cafe Julia's sitting in.
2. Sarah pushing the door of the cafe open. Julia is sitting, drinking her coffee, holding the cup up with both hands.
3. Julia setting her cup down, her eyes bulging in anticipation as she sees Sarah walk in.
4. Julia waving one of her hands in the air to get Sarah's attention.
5. A hand waving in front of Henry's face, the other one opening his eye.
Driver: He's ready. Put the bars on him.
6. This panel shows Henry sitting in the chair, still unconscious. There are straps on Henry's upper limbs and torso, keeping him in place. He is only wearing boxers. His lower arms are chained up so the forearms are touching the chair's arm. His hands are open. Each chair has a long metal rod coming out of it, with a circular metal end like an arm brace. A circular design is painted onto his chest, magical symbols.
Page Thirty-Four
1. Newspaper man's hands, pushing the metal bar down onto Henry's right arm.
2. Another bar being pushed down onto Henry's left arm.
3. A similar bar being attached to the back of Henry's leg, where a flat metal piece is also attached to the bottom of his foot.
4. The other leg's metal bar is put into place.
5. The newspaper man's hands, tightening the strap along Henry's chest.
6. The helmet that was on the table now being put on Henry's head.
Newspaper man: He's ready.
Page Thirty-Five
1. Sarah sitting with Julia, in Scott's seat.
Sarah: That's just like Henry. Having everyone else but him fight his battles.
Julia: I know, it's rather weak, but he's really upset.
2. Sarah looking skeptical.
Sarah: How so?
3. Julia looking concerned.
Julia: He hasn't been returning my calls, and when I tried to talk to him he wouldn't answer the door.
4. Sarah looking amused.
Sarah: He was probably asleep. If he knew you were there, he would have jumped at the chance to whine about how the universe is against him or something.
5. Julia smiling.
Julia: Yeah, he's not too independent, is he?
Scott: (off panel) Excuse me, you're in my seat.
6. Sarah turning around to talk to Scott.
Sarah: Oh, sorry. I'll- Scott?!
Page Thirty-Six
1. The newspaper man sitting in front of a computer, clicking on something.
Newspaper man: Alright, the grid is connected to our line.
2. The driver putting on a rubber glove. He is standing next to a giant switch on the wall.
Driver: Will the city lose its power again?
3. The newspaper mans smirking.
Newspaper man: I hope not, sir. Should I put the goggles on now?
4. The driver putting a pair of goggles on.
Driver: Yes.
5. The driver putting his hand on the switch.
Driver: Ready?
Newspaper man: Ready.
6. The Driver pulling the switch down.
Page Thirty-Seven
1. This panel takes up the entire page. Henry is being shocked by electricity on every limb and his head. The symbol on his chest is as bright as the current of power on every piece of metal attached to him. Henry's eyes are wide open, a bright blue light coming from him.
Henry: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Page Thirty-Eight
1. The driver pulling the switch up.
2. Henry falling back into his chair, knocked out again.
3. The driver walking towards the computer.
4. Both men take off their goggles.
5. The driver smiling.
Driver: It's done?
Newspaper man: Yes, he's dead.
6. The panel shows Henry's face.
Driver: Call MacIntire. Tell him the good news.
Newspaper man: Yes, sir.
THE FOLLOWING PAGES ARE IN BLACK AND WHITE
Page Thirty-Nine
1. Henry lying down on a carpet, a cat walking towards him.
2. The cat starting to walk on Henry's chest.
3. Standing triumphantly in the man's chest, the cat's head is held high.
4. The cat sneezes on Henry's face.
5. Henry sits up, his eyes wide. The cat falls off of Henry.
Henry: Ew. Fucking gross.
6. The cat scratching Henry's arm.
Page Forty
1. Henry holding his wound with a tense hand.
Henry: Ow!
2. Henry looks confused.
Henry: (thought) Wait... no ow. I mean, I feel like I got the crap kicked out of me, but my arm doesn't hurt.
3. Henry getting up from the floor, holding his head.
4. Standing up now, Henry looks more confused.
Henry: (thought) How the hell did I get here? What happened last night?
5. Henry looking at his wound.
Henry: (thought) And why isn't this red?
6. Henry's eyes bulge as he looks around the room.
Henry: (thought) Nothing's red...
Page Forty-One
1. Henry walking to the front door.
2. Henry flipping a light switch.
3. From Henry's POV, the light bulb is not on.
4. Henry walking into a small hallway.
Henry: *grumble* Goddamn lights.
5. Walking into the bathroom, Henry is frowning and poking his wound with one hand, turning on hot water with the other
SFX: POKE, POKE.
6. Henry shrugging.
Page Forty-Two
1.Henry putting his wound under the water's stream.
2. Frowning still, Henry looks up.
3. Same angle as panel 3, Henry's eyes bulge in complete surprise.
4. Henry stepping back, confused and shocked.
5. Henry holding his arm out, as if he's deciding whether or not to touch something.
6. From beside Henry, this panel shows his hand lying flat on the mirror, but he is not in the reflection.
Caption: End of Part One
Page One
1. The entire panel is the mouth of someone who’s talking.
Henry: I’m not a happy person…
2. Henry, at the counter of a bookstore. A female customer stands on the other side of the counter, holding a purse with one hand inside. Henry is holding up a novel with no book jacket on it. A clock (similar to the clocks at school) shows that it’s almost ten at night on Friday, October 14th, 2011. A television in the background shows a man reporting the news, but it is muted.
Henry: …but this book made me so depressed and bored that I couldn’t finish it.
3. Henry putting the book down on the counter lightly.
Henry: Seriously, the Lord of the Rings the most boring book of all time. I read fifty pages and Frodo was still in the Shire. He was in his forties when he finally got off his ass and started walking.
4. The customer still standing, talking. Her hand is no longer in her purse, looking confused.
Woman: But I heard the movie was so good.
Henry: Did you watch the movie?
Woman: No, because I didn’t want to ruin the book.
5. Henry smiling, still talking.
Henry: Don’t worry. Tolkien did that all by himself. Go buy the movie and watch it, not this crappy book. Really, it’s a good movie.
Woman: Oh… okay. Um, thanks.
6. The woman begins to walk out of the building, Henry waving at her. By him, the TV shows another man talking about the weather. On the bottom of the screen, text says 'oung teen in Portland, Oregon was f'.
Henry: Bye. Come back soon!
Sarah: (off panel) What are you doing?
Page Two
1. Henry turning around, seeing his boss, Sarah, leaning out of the doorway into the back rooms. She has skin similar to Scott’s complexion, and curly black hair that goes beyond her shoulders. Sarah is wearing glasses, but is squinting over them, angry.
Henry: Helping a customer make the right choice.
Sarah: By spending twenty bucks on a movie we don’t sell instead of five for a book we have here?
2. Henry, smiling at Sarah. From the look in his face, it’s obvious that he’s trying to flirt with her, but she’s too angry to care. The TV text now says 'parents suspect foul play. The boy's fri'
Henry: Yeah, but it’s the right thing.
Sarah: Guiding someone through what to do with their live in a moral conundrum is one thing, but telling someone to go away because they don’t like the same books as you is just retarded.
3. Sarah continues, pointing at Henry.
Sarah: And don’t even start on the Rings. Those books were amazing and you would know that if you weren’t too lazy to read a few hundred pages.
4. Henry opens his mouth to reply, but Sarah cuts him off.
Sarah: Just sell the books and turn the lights off at eleven.
5. Sarah disappears into the back room. Henry watches her go.
6. Henry looking up at the clock, seeing that it’s now six o’clock. The TV says 'olice have taken Alex Sut'
Page Three
1. The clock now says 6:57.
2. Henry, now wearing headphones, watches the last customer leave the shop. The TV shows a talk show host interviewing a celebrity.
3. Henry standing at the door, turning the open sign around.
4. (same panel POV) The sign now says closed. Henry is now across the room and the lights are off.
5. In Sarah’s office, she’s sitting in front of a computer, looking at two pictures on her desk. One is of her and Henry, standing and holding hands at a comic book store. Standing with them, looking at comics in his hands, is another man. Chubby, blonde, wearing a grey hoodie. Later this man will be given a name: Johnny. The second picture shows a very dark-skinned man wearing a tuxedo, his arm around a pale woman with a drink in her hand. Two caramel-skinned children stand with them, a teenage Sarah and her younger brother.
Henry: (off panel) Hey, I wanna ask you something.
6. Sarah looking up, her glasses askew. Henry’s standing in the doorway, smiling.
Sarah: What is it?
Henry: It’s about earlier.
Page Four
1. Sarah taking off her glasses.
Sarah: Yeah, we do. Sit down.
2. Henry walking into the room.
Henry: Here’s the thing… I know I’ve been-
Sarah: You’ve been rude to customers, driving off business and making every associated with the store look bad. You’re fired.
3. Henry, no longer smiling.
Henry: Well… That sucks. We, um, still need to talk.
4. Sarah, angry.
Sarah: About what? How you're being treated unfairly? How you care so much about your job? How you need the money when I know for a fact that your mom's paying your bills and you're spending your paychecks on video games? Go ahead, tell me what you want to talk about.
5. Henry sitting, silent.
6. Henry stands up.
Page Five
1. Sarah slouching over her desk, a tear in her eye. Her head's leaning in one of her hands.
2. Sarah takes off her glasses with the second hand.
3. Sarah's hand, putting the now folded pair of glasses on the desk.
4. Sarah looking at the picture of her, Henry and Johnny.
Henry: (off panel) I actually wanted to see if you felt like having dinner with me.
5. Sarah looks up, the tear rolling down her face, the first of many.
6. Henry walking into the doorway.
Henry: But that doesn't sound like such a good idea, so I'm just gonna call it a night.
Page 6 (three wide panels)
1. This panel shows a street, from the POV of someone across the street. Henry, his hood up, is walking from the right side. There is an alleyway right behind him, and someone is peeking from the darkness to him. Not as visible is another man on the roof, wearing a cloak with a hood, right by a satellite dish. The windows are mostly closed with curtains blocking the view inside, but some are open and showing people watching TV, eating dinner and other normal nighttime activities.
2. Henry standing still, looking back. The alley man is gone.
3. Henry continues walking, the alley man watching him and the roof man starting to follow him from the rooftops.
Page Seven
1. A small kitchen in an apartment. A woman, young and fair looking but stressed, is walking towards the stove; some may remember her from the prologue: Julia, Henry's sister. Her hair is messy, a few stains on the front of her shirt. Julia's head is leaning to the side, holding a cell phone to her ear. The walls are a dull pink and all of the appliances look beaten and old. Overall, the room looks like someone tried to get to cleaning it but was too busy.
Julia: I thought you hated spaghetti.
Scott: (on phone) I hate onions. There's a difference.
2. Julia grabbing a large pot from the stove.
Julia: It's just bits of it you can't even taste.
Scott: (on phone) They why would they put them in the sauce?
3. Julia walking into the dining room.
Julia: *sigh* I don't know. Just come home and eat.
Scott: (on phone) What else do we have at home?
Julia: Bread sticks and baby food.
4. Scott in his car, showing that he's wearing a bluetooth while driving. He's obviously enjoying the back-and-forth with his wife, showing that at least he has a playful personality with talking to someone he's comfortable with.
Scott: What flavor?
5. Scott's POV, showing him looking at the entrance to an apartment building. Walking up the steps is Henry, drenched in rainwater.
Julia: (on phone) It tastes like toasted bread with butter on it, smart-ass.
Scott: I meant the baby food, honey.
6: Scott squinting as he tries to get a good look at Henry, who is opening the door to the apartment hallway.
Scott: Julia, is Henry having dinner with us?
Julia: (on phone) No, he said he was having dinner with his boss.
Scott: Doesn't sound like it went well. He's walking in now.
Page Eight (three rows of three panels)
1. Scott's hand grabbing an umbrella, which is on his passenger seat.
2. The umbrella sticking out of the open car door.
3. Same panel as the last one, but the umbrella is open.
4. Scott getting out of the car.
5. Scott walking around the car, towards the front door of the apartment building.
6. Right at the open doorway, Scott's hand is outstretched, clicking a button on his keys. The car beeps and locks.
7. Scott jogging up the stairs, closing him umbrella. The background shows that he's on the second floor, and that the hallways looks more dirty than the apartment he lives in.
8. Scott's hand, tightly holding the umbrella handle. The hand looks tense, angry almost.
9. Scott almost catching up to Henry, who is right in front of the door that says 4A. His hand is up, about to knock. Scott, looking worried and stressed, the opposite of his playful grin earlier.
Scott: Henry! What are you doing here?
Page Nine
1. Henry turning around. He's slouching, his arms at his sides. With the grubby, wet cloths, he looks pathetic. Obviously, he's not having a good day.
Henry: Oh. Hi. I was just about to see Julia.
2. Scott, with a look of pity on his face.
Scott: But she said you were going on a date.
Henry: Got fired instead, but I think she's still playing hard to get.
3. Henry and Scott (who has now walked up all of the stairs) are standing in front of the doorway together.
Scott: Did you call?
Henry: My cell was turned off, and here's closer than home, so I just felt like dropping in.
4. Henry looking embarrassed and uncomfortable, staring at his feet. Scott is thinking, probably about whether he should let Henry in or not.
5. Scott now looking at Henry, who is still staring at his feet.
Henry: So should I go home or what?
Scott: No, it's fine. Come in.
6. Scott's hand, no longer tense looking as much as tired, putting a key in the keyhole of the front door.
Page Ten
1. Scott and Henry at the doorway, the door now wide open.
Scott: Hey, Julia. Henry and I are here now. Is the food done?
Julia: Yeah, it's all set up in the dining room.
2. Scott, now in the house, holds the door open with one hand and holds the other one out, physically inviting him in.
Scott: Take off your shoes.
Henry: Yeah, yeah. Should I put my jacket somewhere?
3. Scott pointing at the small table right by the door.
Scott: Just set it there.
4. Julia standing at the table, putting a spoonful of spaghetti onto a plate. From the panel's POV, only one half of the table is shown, where a baby's sitting in a baby seat, eating from a plate with a pile of apple sauce on it.
Julia: Hey, Henry. What happened with your boss?
5. Henry setting his wet jacket on the table.
Henry: She told me she didn't like hanging out with me and that I was a shitty employee, so she fired me.
Julia: (off panel) Was she right?
Henry: I guess.
6. Henry's face, his rain-covered face making him look weary and tired.
Henry: (saying quietly to himself) I really liked her, too.
Page Ten
1. Scott is walking into the dining room, putting his umbrella on a hanger-device on the wall and his dry jacket on another hanger.
Scott: So, bread sticks, huh?
2. Turning around, Scott sees that his seat, across the table from Julia. His plate has a small glass container, baby food, with a small plastic spoon in it.
3. Julia putting spaghetti onto another plate, for Henry. This third plate is paper, unlike Scott and Julia's plates.
Julia: Well? Sit down and eat.
4. Scott sitting down, looking amused.
Scott: Hey, it's green bean flavored.
5. Henry walking into the room, an amused look on his face. Like Julia, he looks tired but content.
Henry: Are you really going to eat that?
Julia: Only if he wants dessert.
Scott: Well, at least there's no onions in it.
6. Henry sitting down, the baby eating her apple sauce with her hands and Scott grabbing a spoon from beside his plate. Julia sitting down, drinking from a plastic cup (not the crappy cheap ones). Everyone seems to be in a good mood.
Julia: Scott, shut up and eat your food.
Page Eleven
1. The sink in the kitchen, where three plates, three sets of silverware and four small bowls are stacked together.
Caption: Two hours later...
2. Scott and Julia sitting together in the living room, watching TV. Henry in the background, playing with the baby in the other room.
Scott looks slightly annoyed.
Julia: So who do you think's going home tonight?
Scott: Henry, if I'm lucky.
Julia: I meant on the show, asshat.
3. Scott turning his head to look at Julia.
Scott: Seriously, I don't like him showing up all the time. I mean, he is Britney's uncle, but he's starting to get on my nerves.
Julia: How so? What's he done to piss you off?
4. Julia, looking angry. Scott trying to explain.
Scott: Come on. The first thing he does when he gets fired is come to his rich brother-in-law's house? You know he's going to ask for money.
5. Julia, even more angry, is clenching her fists.
Julia: Yeah, or he decided to come to his sister's house to feel better.
Scott: Not likely.
6. A view of Henry playing with the baby, the quiet fight in the other room.
Julia: What the hell does that mean?
Scott: It means that his agenda isn't about feeling better, because he never feels better.
Page Twelve
1. Showing Scott, adjusting his body so he's giving Julia her full attention.
Scott: Henry's always depressed. He's been free-falling through life since your dad died and finally hit bottom. That's no one's fault but his.
2. Julia looking away, angry.
3. Julia turning to Scott.
Julia: You just don't like him as a person.
4. Scott replying to Julia.
Scott: No, I don't. Mainly because he's a leech. Henry sucks the happiness out of people until they can't take it anymore. I mean, try to explain the whole Johnny thing.
5. Julia starting to get up, Scott looking slightly annoyed at her for walking away from this mini-fight.
Scott: Hey, I'm sorry.
6. Julia staning up, looking at Scott.
Julia: Henry may get annoying, but at least he doesn't talk shit about someone behind their back.
Page Thirteen
1. Henry walking down the street, talking into a cell phone. This panel is long, going across the page.
Caption: Later that night.
Henry: Scott hates me.
Panels 2, 3 and 4 make up a picture, the same long street that Henry walked down on page 6. Unlike that page, however, these three panels are tall and thin.
2. Henry walking down the street, still holding the phone. Just like the last time he was walking down a street (page 6), there is someone on the rooftops, starting to climb down an alleyway that's partly shown here.
Julia: (on phone) Well, sort of. It's because he doesn't know you.
3. Henry, now slouching as he walks. In this panel, he has just walked past the alleyway, and the man who was following him is climbing down and is near the alley floor.
Henry: Actually, I think that's the problem.
4. As Henry continues down the street, the man is beginning to follow.
Julia: (on phone) Maybe it's because he's more of a jock and you're a nerd.
Henry: I'm no nerd. Now Johnny, total nerd. I'm more of a...
5. Henry stops walking, thinking. this panel shows his upper body.
Henry: (thought bubble) What the hell am I?
6. Henry still thinking.
Julia: (on phone) Um... hello? Henry?
Page Fourteen
1. Henry continues walking down the road, close to a bus stop. He looks deep in thought.
Henry: Hey, sis. I have a question for you.
2. Julia laying in bed, looking at something with anger in her eyes.
Julia: Don't call me sis. What's the question?
3. Shown from over Julia's shoulder, Scott is putting a pillow on the couch.
Henry: (over phone) What clique do I fit into?
4. Julia now deep in thought, her face similar to Henry's both because of their thinking and the fact that they're siblings.
Julia: Um... I don't wanna say emo-
Henry: (over phone) Am I really emo?!
5. Julia turning her body to get off of the bed.
Julia: I donno. You're more of a non-conformist.
Henry: (over phone) A what?
6. Julia's feet as she gets off of the bed.
Julia: They're the guys you see at school that hate the preppy kids for being happy, so they talk about how much everyone sucks.
Henry: (over phone) Ah.
Page Fifteen
1. Julia begins to walk towards the door.
Julia: The part that really makes you sound like it is when you make fun of every single popular thing that comes up in conversation, even cool things. And you're never able to hang out alone.
2. Julia standing at the doorway, holding the doorknob.
Henry: (over phone) I can be alone of I want to.
3. Scott laying down, looking sleepily at Julia.
4. Julia shutting the door, so Scott's no longer in her view.
Julia: Lies. Haven't you ever noticed how much you cling to me?
5. Julia walking back to bed.
Julia: Since you and Johnny stopped talking, you've been showing up at my apartment all the time.
6. Julia sitting on the bed.
Henry: (over phone) That's total crap. I visit because you're my sister and I enjoy your company.
Page Sixteen
1. Henry walking towards a bus stop, where no one's waiting for the bus.
Henry: I mean, you could be partly right about me being all clingy, but that's just me being lonely. I wasn't clingy when I was hanging out with Johnny and Sarah.
2. Henry looks at his watch. It's just about 11 PM.
Julia: (over phone) That's because you got clingy with them. Now you have to make new friends.
Henry: Or convince you to try and get me my job back.
3. Julia moving herself, getting ready to lay down in bed.
Julia: You really think anyone but yourself should go talk to Sarah? Come on, man, that's a terrible idea and you know it. Just call her yourself.
4. Henry standing at bus stop, looking down the street. A bus is on the way.
Henry: Please? Talk to her and I'll babysit for a week straight.
Julia: (over phone) Deal.
5. Julia starting to lay down, pulling a blanket over herself.
Julia: And don't try to weasel your way out of it, nanny.
6. Henry grabbing something from his jacket pocket as bus begins to stop.
Henry: Alright. Goodnight.
Julia: (over phone) Night.
Page Seventeen
1. Henry walking onto the bus, pulling a couple dollars from his jacket pocket.
2. Henry standing at the metal machine, putting his money in.
3. The bus driver hands Henry a ticket.
Henry: Thanks.
4. Henry walking down the aisle.
5. From Henry's POV, a seat between a young woman with a bag of groceries in her lap and an older man in a clean suit with a bow-tie on and a newspaper opened.
6. Henry sitting down.
Page Eighteen (these four panels are stacked on top of each other, all page-wide)
1. Henry sitting beside the newspaper man and grocery woman.
2. Henry as he turns his head, slightly confused and suspicious.
3. The back of the bus, showing a grubby man sitting alone. He is glaring at Henry from the seat farthest back.
4. Henry looking concerned and a little scared.
Page Nineteen
1. Henry is still looking at the man across the bus, but the newspaper man is folding his paper to close it. Here, he is folding it closed like a book.
2. The same shot of the first panel, but the newspaper man is folding his paper into fourths.
3. The newspaper man pulls the yellow cord above the seats.
SFX: ding
4. Henry looking around, noticing that the bus is at his stop.
5. Henry and the newspaper man both getting up from their seats.
6. Henry getting off of the bus.
Page Twenty
1. Henry watching the bus drive away.
2. Close-up of the window at the back of the bus, the grubby man watching him.
3. A view of Henry, the newspaper man walking another direction. Henry is smiling.
Henry: (thought) What a douche.
4. Henry walking towards an apartment building.
5. Walking into a lobby, Henry looks towards an elevator door.
6. A close-up of the door, showing an 'out of order' sign.
Henry: (off panel) Why does the universe hate me?
Page Twenty-One
1. Henry walking up a set of stairs, a sign on the wall saying that he's on the 3rd floor.
2. Henry walking past a sign that says 4th floor.
Henry: *sigh* I hate my life.
3. Walking down a hall, Henry grabs something in his jacket pocket. The hall is filthy, implying that it's not exactly a nice neighborhood. All of the doors are on one side of the hall, several windows on the other.
4. A close-up of Henry's hand, showing his bus ticket and a key ring. There's only two keys on the ring, and one of them has the number '404' on it, saying that he's in the fourth room on the fourth floor.
5. From the POV of someone looking through a peephole on their apartment door, Henry is walking towards the door right by the one somebody is looking through.
6. The door by him opening, Henry looks to the person that's not view.
Neighbor: (off panel) Henry! Hi.
Page Twenty-Two
1. Henry doesn't move at all, the view in this panel from the wall opposite the doors. He is facing a young woman, with freckles and brown hair on a ponytail. She is not wearing any make-up, but has a natural beauty similar to Sarah, though they are not related.
Henry: Hi, um.. neighbor.
2. The girl, looking very energetic and happy, walks a little closer to Henry.
Neighbor: So how are you today? Or, you know, tonight.
3. The girl, now blushing rambles on.
Neighbor: Not that it's late or anything, I just wanted to ask how you were.
4. Henry staring at her, confused.
5. The girl's cheeks redden even more.
Neighbor: Sorry... I tend to ramble when excited.
6. The girl tries to explain herself.
Neighbor: And I don't mean that you make me really excited. Not that you're boring or anything, unless you think you are, or something.
Page Twenty-Three
1. Henry blinks.
2. The girl looks down, embarrassed.
Henry: It's fine.
3. The neighbor, now excited again, smiles.
Neighbor: So how are you?
4. Henry replies.
Henry: Oh, my life completely sucks, and I don't feel like talking to anyone right now.
5. The girl looks like she's been slapped in the face, surprised and shocked.
Neighbor: Oh.. I'll talk to you later, then.
Henry: Thanks.
6. The girl walks away, Henry smiling.
Neighbor: Bye.
Henry: Good night.
Page Twenty-Four
1. As the girl's door closes, Henry turns to unlock his door.
Henry: (thought) Gotta go take my meds now.
2. A close-up of the socked foot of someone who is running.
SFX: patpatpatpatpatpatpatpat
3. Henry's eyebrow goes up on curiosity.
SFX: patpatpatpatpatpatpatpat
4. Henry turning his head, his eyes going wide in surprise.
SFX: patpatpatpatpatpatpatpat
5. The newspaper man running to Henry, his right arm outstretched and going for Henry's throat. He is just out of arm's reach in this panel.
6. The hand grabs Henry's throat, a firm grip. The other hand is holding Henry's right wrist.
Henry: Grugh!
Page Twenty-Five (these panels are all horizontally long, together showing the first four floors of the building Henry lives in.
1. Henry and the newspaper man both falling, the newspaper man above Henry. They are just coming out of the fourth floor window.
2. Henry being pulled upwards by the newspaper man at the third floor.
3. Henry now above the newspaper man at the second floor.
4. The two fall, Henry landing on top of the man. The sidewalk they land on is right by a blue, windowless van.
SFX: CRACK!
Page Twenty-Six (panels 3 through 6 are all the same view)
1. The panel is very low to the ground, only barely showing the van's side door sliding open.
2. Two very clean hands come out of the van, grabbing Henry's arms.
3. From above, this panel shows Henry pulled into the van, only his belt line and under shown. There is a small red spot on the newspaper man's white shirt, his jacket wide open. Shards of glass are all over the sidewalk, some on Henry and the newspaper man.
4. Hands coming out of the van again, grabbing the newspaper man, whose spot of blood is growing.
5. The newspaper man being pulled inside.
6. A small line of blood remains.
Page Twenty-Seven
1. The hand of the driver, who is turning the key in the ignition.
2. The driver's foot pushing on the pedal.
3. A view of the front seats, from outside the car. The driver, very young but wise looking, the newspaper man sitting in the passenger seat.
Newspaper man: *groan* That hurt.
Driver: You fell four floors. What did you expect, a pleasant tingling sensation?
4. The hands of the newspaper man as he opens the glove compartment.
5. The hands pull out an ice pack and a small red box, the word 'emergency' on the side.
6. The man opens the box, showing needles, thread and bandage material.
Newspaper man: *sigh* I hate stitching myself back together.
Page Twenty-Eight (this page is entirely in Henry's POV)
1. Eyes open to reveal that Henry is on his side and looking at the back of someone's seat.
2. Henry moving his head so he is looking of the window (still lying on his side, so it's as if he's looking up).
Henry: *Ugh* Where...?
3. Henry looking at the seat he's in front of, seeing the back of newspaper man's head.
Henry: The fuck is...
4. Henry shaking a bit, his vision blurry.
5. Looking down, Henry sees that his hands are handcuffed together. They are very tense, as is the rest of his body.
Henry: What's going on?
6. Henry trying to grab towards the newspaper man, but his chains are attached to something behind his chair, so he is unable to reach far.
Henry: What the fuck's going on?!
Page Twenty-Nine (this page is also entirely in Henry's POV)
1. The newspaper man turns back to see Henry struggling.
Newspaper man: He's awake, sir.
Driver: Obviously.
2. The driver turns his head to look at Henry in the mirror above the dashboard. From Henry's POV, there is no reflection in this mirror, just the top area of an empty seat.
Henry: Who are you?
Driver: Knowing my identity would ruin the test.
3. Henry screaming at the man in the mirror, knowing he can see Henry.
Henry: What fucking test?
4. The man continues.
Driver: The only thing I'll tell you is this: you're a selfish person, and have almost nothing to live for, but you're a lucky person.
5. Henry looking at the driver's seat.
Driver: Only a few before you have been given the freedom of living out of captivity after the procedure, and you'll be one of them.
6. Henry looking at his chains again.
Driver: You will be injected with a tranquilizer and wake up in your apartment in two or three weeks.
Page Thirty (also through Henry's POV)
1. Henry pulling at his chains.
Driver: We will study you as you're thrown into your old life, unaware of what we took from you.
2. Henry looking at the newspaper man as he stares at Henry, a needle in his hand.
Newspaper man: Hold still.
3. Henry starting to move back, the needle stuck in his arm (though the panel doesn't show where the needle is stuck.
Driver: And Henry? You need to know one thing, so you can prepare for this.
4. Henry pulling his chains more, his vision becoming blurry because of the tranquilizer.
Driver: You've been living your life through other people, never acting like a true adult, not even like a human being...
5. Henry looking at the mirror, his vision even blurrier and his eyes beginning to close.
Driver: Since your father's death, you believed you had the weight of the world on your shoulders.
6. Henry's eyes, barely open, no distinct shapes shown. The Driver turns his head, and a very blurry face is seen.
Driver: Well, I can tell you... Things are about to get heavy.
Page Thirty-One
1. A view of the van from above. It looks close to dawn.
Caption: Hours later.
Driver: Give him another shot.
2. One of the newspaper man's hands opening the red emergency kit, which is on his lap.
3. The open kit, showing some bloody cloth and a few needles. Newspaper man is grabbing one of them.
4. The needle being stuck into Henry's arm.
5. The needle being pushed down upon, the tranquilizer being injected.
6. The van driving past a sign that says 'Welcome to Maine. Enjoy your stay.'
Page Thirty-Two
1. Julia sitting in a small cafe, two cups in front of her. Scott's jacket rests on the seat next to hers. Julia's hands are holding her cup. She is looking towards the counter.
2. A view of the counter, with a digital clock above the menu. The clock shows the time, just past noon, and the date: Sunday, October, 16th, 2011 (two days after Henry was kidnapped).
3. Another clock is shown, a circular clock that also says it's just past noon. The wall behind it is brick, old and disgustingly dirty. A nail was beaten into the wall, a string attached and holding the clock up.
Newspaper man: (off panel) I hate being up this late.
4. The same wall, but from farther away. A desk with various rods and cords on it is shown, as are the shadows of two men, one of them carrying someone else. Also on the table is some sort of helmet, with metal bars on the sides; each bar is attached to a cord that is going somewhere.
Driver: (off panel) Well, it's better to do it as soon as the machine's ready, which it is. I'm not waiting another day's light just because you don't want to get burned.
5. The POV from behind, Henry's unconscious body being put into a chair.
Driver: (off panel) You've been injecting the tranquilizer every two hours?
Newspaper man: Yes, sir.
6. A view similar to the last panel, but it's the back of Julia's chair.
Page Thirty-Three
1. A hand grabbing the handle of a door, the entrance of the cafe Julia's sitting in.
2. Sarah pushing the door of the cafe open. Julia is sitting, drinking her coffee, holding the cup up with both hands.
3. Julia setting her cup down, her eyes bulging in anticipation as she sees Sarah walk in.
4. Julia waving one of her hands in the air to get Sarah's attention.
5. A hand waving in front of Henry's face, the other one opening his eye.
Driver: He's ready. Put the bars on him.
6. This panel shows Henry sitting in the chair, still unconscious. There are straps on Henry's upper limbs and torso, keeping him in place. He is only wearing boxers. His lower arms are chained up so the forearms are touching the chair's arm. His hands are open. Each chair has a long metal rod coming out of it, with a circular metal end like an arm brace. A circular design is painted onto his chest, magical symbols.
Page Thirty-Four
1. Newspaper man's hands, pushing the metal bar down onto Henry's right arm.
2. Another bar being pushed down onto Henry's left arm.
3. A similar bar being attached to the back of Henry's leg, where a flat metal piece is also attached to the bottom of his foot.
4. The other leg's metal bar is put into place.
5. The newspaper man's hands, tightening the strap along Henry's chest.
6. The helmet that was on the table now being put on Henry's head.
Newspaper man: He's ready.
Page Thirty-Five
1. Sarah sitting with Julia, in Scott's seat.
Sarah: That's just like Henry. Having everyone else but him fight his battles.
Julia: I know, it's rather weak, but he's really upset.
2. Sarah looking skeptical.
Sarah: How so?
3. Julia looking concerned.
Julia: He hasn't been returning my calls, and when I tried to talk to him he wouldn't answer the door.
4. Sarah looking amused.
Sarah: He was probably asleep. If he knew you were there, he would have jumped at the chance to whine about how the universe is against him or something.
5. Julia smiling.
Julia: Yeah, he's not too independent, is he?
Scott: (off panel) Excuse me, you're in my seat.
6. Sarah turning around to talk to Scott.
Sarah: Oh, sorry. I'll- Scott?!
Page Thirty-Six
1. The newspaper man sitting in front of a computer, clicking on something.
Newspaper man: Alright, the grid is connected to our line.
2. The driver putting on a rubber glove. He is standing next to a giant switch on the wall.
Driver: Will the city lose its power again?
3. The newspaper mans smirking.
Newspaper man: I hope not, sir. Should I put the goggles on now?
4. The driver putting a pair of goggles on.
Driver: Yes.
5. The driver putting his hand on the switch.
Driver: Ready?
Newspaper man: Ready.
6. The Driver pulling the switch down.
Page Thirty-Seven
1. This panel takes up the entire page. Henry is being shocked by electricity on every limb and his head. The symbol on his chest is as bright as the current of power on every piece of metal attached to him. Henry's eyes are wide open, a bright blue light coming from him.
Henry: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Page Thirty-Eight
1. The driver pulling the switch up.
2. Henry falling back into his chair, knocked out again.
3. The driver walking towards the computer.
4. Both men take off their goggles.
5. The driver smiling.
Driver: It's done?
Newspaper man: Yes, he's dead.
6. The panel shows Henry's face.
Driver: Call MacIntire. Tell him the good news.
Newspaper man: Yes, sir.
THE FOLLOWING PAGES ARE IN BLACK AND WHITE
Page Thirty-Nine
1. Henry lying down on a carpet, a cat walking towards him.
2. The cat starting to walk on Henry's chest.
3. Standing triumphantly in the man's chest, the cat's head is held high.
4. The cat sneezes on Henry's face.
5. Henry sits up, his eyes wide. The cat falls off of Henry.
Henry: Ew. Fucking gross.
6. The cat scratching Henry's arm.
Page Forty
1. Henry holding his wound with a tense hand.
Henry: Ow!
2. Henry looks confused.
Henry: (thought) Wait... no ow. I mean, I feel like I got the crap kicked out of me, but my arm doesn't hurt.
3. Henry getting up from the floor, holding his head.
4. Standing up now, Henry looks more confused.
Henry: (thought) How the hell did I get here? What happened last night?
5. Henry looking at his wound.
Henry: (thought) And why isn't this red?
6. Henry's eyes bulge as he looks around the room.
Henry: (thought) Nothing's red...
Page Forty-One
1. Henry walking to the front door.
2. Henry flipping a light switch.
3. From Henry's POV, the light bulb is not on.
4. Henry walking into a small hallway.
Henry: *grumble* Goddamn lights.
5. Walking into the bathroom, Henry is frowning and poking his wound with one hand, turning on hot water with the other
SFX: POKE, POKE.
6. Henry shrugging.
Page Forty-Two
1.Henry putting his wound under the water's stream.
2. Frowning still, Henry looks up.
3. Same angle as panel 3, Henry's eyes bulge in complete surprise.
4. Henry stepping back, confused and shocked.
5. Henry holding his arm out, as if he's deciding whether or not to touch something.
6. From beside Henry, this panel shows his hand lying flat on the mirror, but he is not in the reflection.
Caption: End of Part One
