ONE WORD - WEEK 12 - BUNNY

I'm still a week behind. This was the word for last week, and this week I got an entirely different word that will most likely be written next week. I've decided that until I can completely catch up by writing two of these scripts in one week I'll just keep saving the new words I get every Monday for the following week. I will catch up eventually... this, I vow!

The word for this (last) week is bunny, obviously. I figure it was because of the Easter holiday, but I really didn't want to write a story about the Easter bunny. The only other kind of bunny I could think of off the top of my head resided at the Playboy mansion, so I decided looking up bunny on the 'net would probably be a good idea. It immediately redirected me to the word rabbit, and I found a bunch of information about rabbits, including a number of mythological fables. One story, in particular, really interested me, and this is my attempt to convert the story into a comic script with my own embellishments stirred into the pot.

PAGE ONE

Panel 1. A father and son are lying on their backs in a grassy field at night. The son is resting his hands behind his head in a position of extreme relaxation as he looks up into the moonlit sky. The father’s hands are folded together and resting on his midsection as he also watches the sky.

SON:
The moon is really big tonight.

FATHER:
Yes, it is. Can you see the rabbit?

Panel 2. The son is sitting up now, surveying the landscape for any sign of the rabbit his father mentioned. His father has propped himself up on one arm and is laughing softly at the reaction of his son.

SON:
What? Where?

FATHER:
No. Not on the ground. On the moon.

Panel 3. The moon is very large in the sky, and is positioned so that the image of the jade rabbit is visible. The father is pointing up in the direction of the moon, and the son is looking up at the moon in response.

FATHER:
Can you see the rabbit there? It’s carved into the face of the moon.

Panel 4. The son is still looking up at the moon, and now his moonlit face is reacting excitedly to the fact that he can see the rabbit his father has pointed out. The father is pleased at the reaction the new discovery has prompted.

SON:
I do see it! How did that happen?

FATHER:
Go ahead and settle back down, and I’ll tell you the story.

PAGE TWO

Panel 1. A monkey, an otter, a jackal and a rabbit are gathered together in an open area of a forest. Trees from the forest surround them on all sides, but there is enough space in the open area to provide them with ample room to congregate.

FATHER (CAP):
Long, long ago a monkey, an otter, a jackal and a rabbit met in the forest that was their home.

Panel 2. The jackal is sitting on its haunches, and its mouth is wide open with its tongue lolling out. Drool is dripping from the jaws of the jackal, and the rabbit is looking up at the jackal nervously.

FATHER (CAP):
Though they were not normally friend to one another, they decided that they would set aside their differences and be charitable to the next person they found to celebrate the Buddhist Sabbath.

Panel 3. A gaunt, old man pushes his way through the trees and underbrush into the open area where the animals are gathered. He is frighteningly thin and dirty, and is wearing little more than rags. There are copious amounts of minor scratches on his bare arms, legs, hands and feet. His hair is unkempt and he sports a tangled beard.

FATHER (CAP):
Upon making their decision, an old man entered the wooded glade and approached the four animals.

Panel 4. The old man is curled up into the fetal position, shuddering

FATHER (CAP):
The starving man begged the animals for any food they could spare, and the monkey, otter, jackal and rabbit set off to gather what they could.

PAGE THREE

Panel 1. The monkey is in a tree, looking at a variety of fruit hanging from the branches, and biting into another juicy piece of fruit that it is holding in its hands.

FATHER (CAP):
The monkey took to the trees, and found a bountiful assortment of fresh fruit hanging amongst their perches. It was more fruit than the monkey had ever seen at one time.

Panel 2. The monkey has dropped to the ground, and is examining the misshapen fruit that has fallen from the fruit tree.

FATHER (CAP):
But although there was more than enough to share, the monkey ignored the lush fruit hanging in the trees and dropped to the ground.

Panel 3. The monkey has picked up a couple pieces of rotting fruit from the ground and is holding them in its hands. It is looking down at the fruit, with the remnants of the juicy, fresh piece of fruit still clinging to the fur around its mouth.

FATHER (CAP):
At the base of the tree the monkey found numerous pieces of rotting fruit. Knowing the beggar would never know the difference, he quickly gathered it in his arms and began to make his way back.

Panel 4. The otter is trotting along the bank of a flowing river.

FATHER (CAP):
The otter had also gone to a place he deemed comfortable. His home was the river, and he knew with hard work and determination that he could catch a beautiful fish to present to the old man.

Panel 5. The otter has lifted its head and is smelling the air as he continues to trot along the bank of the river.

FATHER (CAP):
But as the otter approached the river, his keen nose detected the scent of fish in the air. He began to follow it to the source.

PAGE FOUR

Panel 1. The otter has come across a number of dead fish lying on the bank of the river. He has his nose down close to the dead fish and is examining them.

FATHER (CAP):
There the otter found dead fish that had washed up onto the river bank days before.

Panel 2. In the foreground, a strong, healthy fish is leaping from the river with rivulets of water trailing after it. The otter watches the fish from his place on the river bank in the background.

FATHER (CAP):
Although he knew a freshly caught fish would be better, the otter believed the effort involved would be too steep a price to pay for something as small as a beggar’s gratitude.

Panel 3. The otter is holding one of the dead fish in its mouth and has turned and is trotting away from the surging river.

FATHER (CAP):
He decided to bring one of the dead fish back to the starving man instead.

Panel 4. The jackal is on a well worn foot path in the forest that leads out from the dense forest into a field. An antelope is grazing not far from the jackal in the field, and the jackal is watching the antelope with hungry eyes and its tongue lolling again. The antelope is turned in the opposite direction, and has its head lowered for grazing, so it does not see the jackal.

FATHER (CAP):
The jackal was facing his own dilemma. He had come across an antelope grazing alone.

Panel 5. The antelope is lazily grazing in the field in the foreground. The jackal continues to watch in the background.

FATHER (CAP):
The jackal knew that if he gave chase he would eventually run the antelope down. But to work so hard for a meal only to give it away seemed a fool’s errand to the jackal.

PAGE FIVE

Panel 1. The jackal is looking down as a lizard emerges from the thick confines of the forest and onto the foot path.

FATHER (CAP):
At that very moment, a lizard sluggishly crept forth from the dense undergrowth of the forest into the path of the jackal.

Panel 2. The jackal has snatched the lizard up, and the lizard is hanging limply from its jaws.

FATHER (CAP):
Without hesitation the jackal snapped the lizard up in its jaws, celebrating his good fortune with a yelp.

Panel 3. The jackal is trotting away from the field with its ears up and its tail happily in the air. The antelope is bounding away in the background.

FATHER (CAP):
The jackal turned tail to bring its prize back to the beggar, satisfied it would be enough.

Panel 4. It is night now, and the old man has built a fire. All four animals approach the fire cautiously. The rabbit is the only animal that does not have something in its mouth or paws.

FATHER (CAP):
As the sun left the sky, each of the four animals returned to the spot where they had left the beggar to present their charitable gifts.

PAGE SIX

Panel 1. The animals have gathered near the fire, and their offerings are sitting in front of them. The rabbit has nothing sitting in front of him. The beggar is looking at the offerings carefully.

FATHER (CAP):
Three of the animals presented their offerings to the old man, but the rabbit had nothing to show for his journey into the forest.

Panel 2. The other animals are looking at the rabbit with mirth and malevolence as the rabbit bows its head before the old man. The old man is looking at the rabbit pleasantly, with no anger or disappointment evident on his face.

FATHER (CAP):
The other animals mocked the rabbit for his lack of virtue, but the rabbit ignored them and humbly apologized to the beggar. He had not the skill of the monkey, the otter or the jackal. All he would have been able to gather was grass from the ground.

Panel 3. The rabbit leaps into the fire. The old man and the other animals are reacting with surprise.

FATHER (CAP):
So with no physical gift to present, the rabbit made the most charitable offering of all.

Panel 4. The old man is gesturing dramatically and light exudes from his body as he transforms into the Buddhist god Sakra.

FATHER (CAP):
As the rabbit burned upon the fire the beggar had built, the other animals watched in wonder as the old man began to change.

PAGE SEVEN

Panel 1. Sakra is towering over the blazing fire and the three animals cowering near it.

FATHER (CAP):
Standing before them now was Sakra, the ruler of Heaven.

Panel 2. Sakra is gesturing with a sweeping motion of his arm. The fire is gone, and the unharmed rabbit is all that remains. Smoke is billowing from the back of the rabbit and drifting up and away into the moonlit sky.

FATHER (CAP):
Sakra extinguished the flames and restored the rabbit back to life.

Panel 3. The smoke in the sky has formed the shape of a rabbit and is framed by the full moon. Sakra is gesturing at the smoke as light exudes from his hands. This same type of light outlines the “smoke rabbit” as the image is seared into the face of the moon.

FATHER (CAP):
The smoke from the fire rose into the sky in the shape of a rabbit, and as a reward for the virtue of the rabbit, Sakra traced its form into the face of the moon.

Panel 4. Sakra has gathered the rabbit into his arms and is holding it protectively as he glowers down at the other three animals. They are humbly bowing their heads in shame.

FATHER (CAP):
Though the rabbit did not have the skills of the other animals, he had proven that the rewards of virtue were not defined by what one was able to do, but what one was willing to do.

Panel 5. The moon, with the shape of the rabbit cut into it.

FATHER (CAP):
The evidence would be plain for all to see forevermore.

ONE WORD - WEEK 11 - SWELL

Yeah... I know. This one is weird. Blatch!

PAGE ONE

Panel 1. Establishing shot of a crummy apartment complex. The building is very plain and square. The lawn is dilapidated, the sidewalk has cracks in it, and maybe there’s a dog peeing on a bush or something. It’s a pretty skuzzy place to live.

Panel 2. We’re looking at a right foot sitting on a pillow with a badly bruised and swollen ankle.

TONY (O/P):
Aw, man. That does not look good.

Panel 3. Sammy is sitting in a plush chair in the living room of the small apartment he shares with Tony. He is wearing shorts and a t-shirt. The front door of the apartment should be visible, because it’ll matter later in the script. Sammy’s right ankle is elevated on a pillow that is sitting on a stool in front of him. Tony is standing nearby, looking at Sammy’s swollen ankle with disturbed fascination.

SAMMY:
Tell me something I don’t know.

TONY:
Seriously, dude. You should go see a doctor.

Panel 4. Sammy is waving off Tony’s suggestion. Tony is looking at Sammy with an inquisitive expression.

SAMMY:
What’s the point? All he’ll say is I need to rice it.

TONY:
Rice it?

Panel 5. Sammy is holding up four fingers and counting them off.

SAMMY:
Yeah, you know… rest, ice, compression, elevation. Rice.

PAGE TWO

Panel 1. Tony is gesturing in the direction of Sammy’s swollen ankle. Tony is shrugging nonchalantly from his seated position.

TONY:
Okay--I’m not seeing any ice. And that’s what you do for a twisted ankle. But what if it’s broken?

SAMMY:
Ice is for pussies. Besides, it’s not broken.

Panel 2. Tony is looking at Sammy with an incredulous expression. Sammy is leaning forward in his chair, trying to explain the situation to Tony as if he were a child.

TONY:
How could you possibly know that?

SAMMY:
Because I’ve twisted my ankle dozens of times, dude. I was playing basketball, I came down on another guy’s foot and I twisted it. It’ll be fine in a couple of days. It barely even hurts.

Panel 3. Tony has turned and is jingling a set of keys as he walks toward the front door of the apartment. Sammy is licking his chops as he watches Tony walk away.

TONY:
If you say so. I’m about to go and get some food. You want something?

SAMMY:
Yeah, bring me back some of those microwavable burritos.

Panel 4. Tony is holding the front door open now, and is looking back at Sammy with a slightly disgusted expression. Sammy is being defensive about his precious microwavable burritos.

TONY:
Dude, gross.

SAMMY:
They’re good!

TONY:
Whatever you say, man.

Panel 5. Sammy is now yelling at the closed front door with his hands cupped next to his cheeks.

SAMMY:
And some salsa!

PAGE THREE

Panel 1. Tony is holding numerous paper bags stuffed to the brim with groceries as he stands outside of the front door of the apartment he shares with Sammy. He’s yelling at the closed door.

CAPTION:
Some time later.

TONY:
Dude, you think you can get the door? My hands are full!

Panel 2. We’re looking at the closed door of the apartment from inside the apartment.

TONY (FROM DOOR):
Dude!

Panel 3. The door has swung open, and Tony is looking down as he fights to get his keys out of the lock. The bags of groceries are sitting on the ground directly behind him, and something that was near the top of one of the bags has fallen out onto the ground.

TONY:
Thanks a lot, man. Now I’ve got to bend down and pick all the bags back up. Not cool. Not cool at--

Panel 4. Tony is looking into the apartment in the direction of Sammy. We cannot see Sammy. We can only see Tony. Tony is dismayed by whatever it is he sees, and he’s yelling.

TONY:
Aaaaahhhhhh!

Panel 5. Close in on Sammy’s face. He was sleeping, so he’s being startled out of his slumber.

SAMMY:
Huh? Whazzit? Whas goan on?

Panel 6. Tony is standing in the doorway, pointing in the direction of Sammy with a horrified expression on his face. His mouth is twisted into a sneer of disgust.

TONY:
Dude, you… I don’t--what the hell happened to you?

PAGE FOUR

Panel 1. We see Sammy for the first time. The right side of his body, save for his face, is swollen as badly as his ankle was previously. It is stretching his clothing and his skin to the limit. The right side of Sammy’s body looks a lot like a water balloon. Sammy is looking down at himself with revulsion.

SAMMY:
Aw, what the crap!?

Panel 2. Tony has stooped down a bit to get a better look at Sammy, almost as if he’s examining him. Sammy is flailing his arms demonstratively in an effort to get Tony to snap out of it.

TONY:
It’s like your whole body is swelling up like a balloon or something. You think I should call 911?

SAMMY:
What? Yes!

Panel 3. Tony is fishing his cell phone out of the pocket of his pants while he talks to Sammy. Sammy is holding his normal left hand over his massively swelled right arm and looking at it with fascination.

TONY:
You don’t have to be mean about it. Does it--I don’t know… hurt?

SAMMY:
No, actually. It just feels kinda weird. Like one half of my body is trapped in a water balloon or something.

Panel 4. Tony has gotten his cell phone out and is dialing. Sammy has made a fist with his left hand and has his index finger extended. He is hovering the digit over his massively swollen right arm.

TONY:
That is so freaking weird.

SAMMY:
I know. I wonder if--

TONY:
I don’t think that’s such a good idea.

Panel 5. Sammy’s index finger is prodding his massively swollen right arm. It is sinking inward as his finger pushes downward.

PAGE FIVE

Panel 1. Tony has the phone held to his ear. He is wincing at the sound of Sammy popping himself.

SFX:
POP!

Panel 2. Tony still has the phone held to his ear, but now he’s being struck by a massive amount of gore that is flying as a result of Sammy popping himself.

SFX:
BLATCH!

Panel 3. Tony still has the phone held to his ear. Gore is covering the front of his body and is dripping and pouring from him. Tony is in shock.

OPERATOR (FROM PHONE):
911. What’s your emergency?

Panel 4. Tony still has the phone held to his ear. The gore is still dripping from his body. He’s screaming at the top of his lungs into the phone.

TONY:
Aaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!

ONE WORD - WEEK 10 - ROOT

Yeah, I know... this is going up late. I also haven't posted anything to this blog all week. The day job has been quite the thorn in my side lately, and it's been difficult to find time to write anything at all. But I vowed to myself that I'd finish at least one of these one word scripts a week, and now that I'm nearly a fifth of the way there I don't want to lose my momentum. The word for this week was root. There were a lot of things I could have written about, but this story just crept into my brain and I decided to run with it. I'm not really sure how well I pulled this off. The use of pictures in the panels might backfire from an artistic standpoint (frames within a frame, if you will), but I kind of like the story, and I like the fact that I was able to incorporate a couple of splash pages as well.

PAGE ONE

Panel 1. A man named Boyd is sitting at a desk in a room in his home. The room has been converted into a personal office. Boyd has pulled the chair he is sitting in very close to the desk, and is hunched and slouching in it, so all we can see of him is from the middle of his chest upwards. He’s looking down at a picture he is holding in one of his hands. In his other hand is a bottle of whiskey. There is a glass of it that has spilled onto the desk. Behind Boyd, on the wall, is a shelf or case displaying a number of framed pictures. There are also plaques and framed documents (newspaper articles, certificates, etc.) hung up on the wall.

CAPTION:
It’s who I am. I can’t change it.

Panel 2. We’re looking at one of the framed pictures on the shelf. It is a picture of Boyd as a young boy, around 13 or so. He is with his father in the picture. His father is dressed in the uniform of an officer of the law--a sheriff. The father is massive in comparison to Boyd, and has a bit of a gut. He’s wearing large mirrored glasses and a wide-brimmed cowboy hat.

CAPTION:
My daddy was a lawman—one of the best this county ever had.

Panel 3. Another framed picture on the shelf. Boyd is an infant in this picture, and is being held by his father. His father is younger and thinner in the picture, dressed in a police uniform and excited to start his career in law enforcement. He’s shaking hands with an older man, Boyd’s grandfather, dressed in the same sheriff uniform that the father was wearing in Panel 2. Boyd’s grandfather appears very worn down physically, although there’s pride in his eyes at his son’s accomplishment.

CAPTION:
His daddy was a lawman before him. It’s been that way for generations. Never had much of a choice. I had to do the same.

Panel 4. Boyd is eyeing the bottle of whiskey he’s holding in his hands. The glass of whiskey that spilled is near.

CAPTION:
Had to be a drinker too.

Panel 5. Boyd takes a deep slug of whiskey straight from the bottle.

CAPTION:
The drinkin’ I’m good at. The law…

PAGE TWO

Panel 1. We’re looking at one of the framed newspaper articles hanging on the wall. The headline reads “Culver trumps Boyd” with a picture of a slick, clean-cut man with a 100-watt smile beaming out at us.

CAPTION:
Not so much.

Panel 2. Another newspaper article. This time the headline reads “Deputy Boyd in traffic accident” with a picture of a police cruiser wrapped around a telephone pole, and Boyd sitting on the curb nearby with his head in his hands.

CAPTION:
Never really took the time to put two and two together. Those things don’t mix.

Panel 3. A final newspaper article. This one is much smaller, it is dwarfed by the frame, and the headline reads “Deputy Fired”. There is no picture.

CAPTION:
So when I lost my position as deputy sheriff I wasn’t ready to blame myself. I decided to blame her instead.

Panel 4. We finally see the picture that Boyd is holding in his hand. It is a picture of his wife, a beautiful woman named Sally. She is smiling openly at the camera, pleased and comfortable with having her picture taken.

CAPTION:
Sally.

PAGE THREE

Panel 1. Another framed picture on the shelf. In this one, Boyd and Sally are high school kids dressed in clothing for their senior Prom. Boyd is wearing a tuxedo that doesn’t fit him very well with a frilly shirt and a large bowtie, and he’s somewhat angular and gangly in it. Sally is wearing a dress that fits her much better, and she’s a vision.

CAPTION:
Prettiest thing I ever saw. Fell in love with her and it stuck. She was my high school sweetheart and I married her first chance I got--just like my daddy did with momma, and his daddy before that.

Panel 2. We’re looking at another framed picture on the shelf. In this one Boyd and his pregnant wife Sally are looking at cribs in a store. They’re holding hands and very much in love. Sally has a slightly swollen belly.

CAPTION:
I loved her unconditionally. She could do no wrong in my eyes.

Panel 3. Boyd is taking another bitter slug of whiskey.

CAPTION:
I didn’t even blame her after the first miscarriage. Not even when we found out she’d never be able to bear children. Never give me my own son.

Panel 4. Another framed picture on the shelf. This is a picture of Boyd and Sally sitting together in a posed “Sears-style” shot. They’re not smiling very convincingly, don’t seem happy at all, and each of them is looking not at the camera, but at some distant point off in space.

CAPTION:
I guess that’s where it started to fall apart.

Panel 5. Another framed picture on the shelf. Boyd is a teenaged boy in this picture, and he’s with his father. There is a police cruiser in the photo, and its hood is open. Boyd and his father are both hunched over the open hood of the cruiser, examining the inner workings of the engine.

CAPTION:
You see, I had no legacy. No wisdom to impart to my son like my daddy had to me, and his daddy had to him.

PAGE FOUR

Panel 1.

CAPTION:
And that was a hard thing to live with. My daddy always told me that the strength of a family wasn’t in what you did, but what you left behind after you were gone. The stronger the roots, the stronger the family tree.

Panel 2. Another picture. Boyd is a young boy wearing a cowboy costume. He has a toy holster, six-shooter and a red cowboy hat with white stitching.

CAPTION:
I wanted my son to be a lawman like his daddy and his grandpa and his great grandpa before that.

Panel 3. Boyd is holding the whiskey bottle out in front of him, looking at it as his eyes drift off into memory.

CAPTION:
I wanted him to carry that tradition and pass it on to his own son someday. But that was never going to happen, because I’d never have a son to call my own.

Panel 4. Boyd is holding the whiskey bottle in the exact same way in this panel, only he’s somewhat younger now and less morose. He’s wearing his deputy uniform, but the shirt is partially tucked out and the uniform itself is wrinkled. The emotion he has now is one of fury. He’s looking past the bottle at Sally, and yelling angrily at the top of his lungs. Sally is yelling back at Boyd.

CAPTION:
So I fell into the bottle, and I could never quite bring myself to climb out again.

Panel 5. Sally is pulling at Boyd’s arm, trying to get the bottle away from him.

CAPTION:
Sally tried to help, god bless her.

PAGE FIVE

Panel 1. Boyd is striking Sally.

CAPTION:
But I didn’t want her help.

PAGE SIX

Panel 1. Boyd is crouched down next to Sally. Sally is on the ground, huddled up in a near fetal position, cradling her face. Boyd is trying to soothe her with his words, and he seems very distressed by what he’s done.

CAPTION:
I regretted it the first time, and told her it’d never happen again--and she forgave me like any good woman would.

Panel 2. Boyd is gripping Sally by the shoulders, and he’s yelling vehemently into her face. Sally is very frightened by Boyd. This is taking place days or weeks after the first incident of abuse, so they should be dressed differently, but Sally still has remnants of bruising from Boyd’s first attack.

CAPTION:
But we were fooling ourselves.

Panel 3. Boyd is in the bathroom of his house, hunched over the sink and staring at himself in the mirror. Vomit is clinging to his lips and bits of it are running down his chin. His eyes are bloodshot and bleary. His shirt is stained with vomit in a ring starting at his collar.

CAPTION:
It went on like that. For longer than I care to remember. And I came to loathe what I’d become. I wasn’t like my daddy, or his daddy before him. I was something else. Something I could barely stand to look at.

Panel 4. We’re seeing Boyd back at his desk again. He is pouring the bottle of whiskey out on his desk.

CAPTION:
I have plenty of regrets. Sally never deserved what I did to her, and maybe if I could have controlled my drinking I might have made a fine lawman sometime down the line.

Panel 5. The bottle of whiskey shatters on the hardwood floor of the office.

CAPTION:
But the biggest regret I have.

PAGE SEVEN

Panel 1. Boyd has finally leaned back in his chair. He is gutshot, and blood is seeping from the wound in his stomach. His shoulders are slumped, and his hands have dropped to his sides. The broken glass of the bottle is underneath one of his hands. We see that the blood has flowed down onto the floor and leaked out from underneath the desk. It has made a tree shape on the hardwood floor as it spreads out away from him.

CAPTION:
Is that I allowed my roots to wither and die.

ONE WORD - WEEK 9 - HEX HEROES

So the word for my ninth installment of the one word project (where I take a word from oneword.com on Monday and write a short script based on that word to submit to the masses on Friday) was British. I had no clue what to write about, and I was too busy this week to research the British Isles and come up with something extraordinarily clever as a play on the word. So instead I decided I'd write a story about the Hex Heroes that Jamie Roberts (he's from England!) has been creating recently. For those not in the know, Jamie has been working up headshots for various characters and asking people on Digital Webbing and over at DeviantArt to name them. Once he had enough name suggestions he set up a voting process over on his DeviantArt page that I believe is still ongoing. I didn't necessarily use the names that are garnering the most votes at present, and instead used the names I liked the best. This is just a silly script that took me less than a few hours to write. But it was fun.

If you want to see the characters check out the Hex Heroes thread at Digital Webbing

And if you want to vote for the names you like best visit Jamie Roberts' DeviantArt account

PAGE ONE

Panel 1. We’re inside a bank, and one of its walls is being smashed in from the outside by Wrecking Ball. His head is crashing through the wall, and he’s snarling menacingly as he bursts through.

WRECKING BALL:
YARGH!

Panel 2. Wrecking Ball, Optic, Recluse, Magenta and the Bubblegum Shark are all standing in the open area Wrecking Ball created by smashing the bank wall. Wrecking Ball’s head is detached from his body, and there is a sturdy chain leading from his head to his closed fist. The patrons of the bank are looking at the five villains with distressed and fearful expressions.

OPTIC:
We’re here to make a withdrawal!

PAGE TWO

Panel 1. Cueball, a super speedster, is racing down the street towards the bank at a ridiculously fast pace. He’s speaking into a miniature wrist communicator.

CUEBALL:
This is Cueball reporting. There’s trouble down here at the Hex National Bank! I’m moving to intercept, but you guys better get here fast!

Panel 2. Blind Patriot and Ashtray are standing around the water cooler in their superhero headquarters. Blind Patriot is smoking his trademark cigarette. They’re both trying to decipher the garbled message coming through their wrist communicators.

SFX (wrist communicators):
This is… WOOOOOOOOSH!

BLIND PATRIOT:
You catch any of that?

ASHTRAY:
Nope. You were saying?

Panel 3. Blind Patriot and Ashtray continue to talk while Blind Patriot flicks the ash from his cigarette onto Ashtray. Ashtray is extremely annoyed by this.

BLIND PATRIOT:
Right, yeah--so what I was saying is that this country, the good ol’ US of A, is the greatest country around. And if you don’t like it, you should just leave, because we don’t want your kind mucking up the red, white and blue for the rest of us, ya dig?

ASHTRAY:
Uh huh. So basically what you always say. And hey, I really wish you wouldn’t flick your ash on me.

BLIND PATRIOT:
You’re the Ashtray--our superhero butler. What else am I gonna do with it?

Panel 4. Tuning Fork approaches the other two heroes and is talking in their direction animatedly. Blind Patriot is cocking a thumb over his shoulder in the opposite direction.

TUNING FORK:
Team! I just received a communiqué from Cueball! There’s trouble down at the Hex National Bank! Where’s Tenta-Cool and Bucky Spitcurl?

BLIND PATRIOT:
They’re in a backroom somewhere playing hide the tentacle, I imagine. Was that what that radio signal was? How’d you manage to figure it out?

Panel 5. Tunning Fork is gesturing to the tuning fork attached to his head. Ashtray is walking away from the water cooler dispiritedly, and Blind Patriot is calling after him.

TUNING FORK:
My tuning fork makes deciphering any auditory signals a snap. But there’s no time to talk about that now. Ashtray! Get back there and find our missing members. We’ve got to get to the bank!

BLIND PATRIOT:
And keep a sharp eye so you don’t slip in the slime.

ASHTRAY:
Ugh. Yeah, thanks.

PAGE THREE

Panel 1. Cueball is dashing through the bank at top speed, colliding with the villains within like a human pinball. The villains are sturdy enough that Cueball’s actions are little more than an annoyance. Magenta has raised a shield of magenta-colored solid light around herself, and the others are too powerful for Cueball to do any significant damage to.

MAGENTA:
This is getting quite tiresome.

Panel 2. Optic watches Cueball as he dashes from villain to villain, colliding into them.

OPTIC:
Yes, it appears Cueball’s sleek exterior is resistant to both Recluse’s webbing and Bubblegum Shark’s, er… gummy frame. Luckily I have a solution of my own.

Panel 3. Optic is tracking Cueball using his technologically-advanced eyes, almost like the heads-up display of a fighter jet.

Panel 4. Optic takes out Cueball with a blast of red energy from his eyes.

SFX:
PEEYOW!

Panel 5. Wrecking Ball is looking up and speaking to Optic from his position on the floor. His body is wringing the chain in his hands in frustration. Optic is looking down at the unconscious Cueball.

WRECKING BALL:
Let me smash this yahoo, boss! He’s been a pain in my backside ever since we were kids.

OPTIC:
No, Wrecking Ball. Though I’d enjoy disposing of your brother as much as you would, we may need him once the rest of his team arrives.

PAGE FOUR

Panel 1. The heroes show up in the area where the bank wall once stood. Bucky Spitcurl and Tenta-Cool are now gathered with Tuning Fork, Ashtray and Blind Patriot. Bucky Spitcurl is standing in-between Blind Patriot and Tenta-Cool.

TUNING FORK:
You won’t have the chance, Optic!

Panel 2. Blind Patriot is talking to Bucky Spitcurl and gesturing with the cigarette in his hands at her head. She’s scowling at him in response.

BLIND PATRIOT:
You got a little slime behind your ear, doll. Want me to get it?

BUCKY SPITCURL:
You couldn’t see it even if it really was there, so shut it.

Panel 3. Tuning Fork is pointing forward in an inspiring pose as the heroes spring into action around him. Tenta-Cool is reaching forward towards Bubblegum Shark with the tentacles lining his head. Bucky Spitcurl and Blind Patriot dash for Recluse. Ashtray makes a beeline for Magenta.

TUNING FORK:
Take them down, team!

Panel 4. Blind Patriot has flicked the smoldering cigarette he was holding into one of the eyes of Recluse. Recluse fires webbing from his mouth blindly at Bucky Spitcurl, who is dodging the spray of webbing easily.

RECLUSE:
Blast you, Blind Patriot! That was a cheap shot!

BLIND PATRIOT:
Don’t know what you’re complaining about, Recluse. You’ve got seven other eyes to look out of, don’t you?

Panel 5. Bucky Spitcurl is punching Recluse’s lights out as Blind Patriot watches something off-panel. Blind Patriot has a disgusted look on his face.

BUCKY SPITCURL:
And they’ll all be seeing stars!

SFX (from off-panel):
SQUELCH!

BLIND PATRIOT:
Aw, now that just sounds wrong.

PAGE FIVE

Panel 1. Tenta-Cool and Bubblegum Shark are stuck together in a slimy, gummy mess. Tenta-Cool is trying to pull his tentacles free of Bubblegum Shark, but the gum covering Bubblegum Shark’s hide is making it impossible to do, and they’ve pulled and yanked one another into very awkward positions.

SFX:
SQUELCH! SQUELCH!

TENTA-COOL:
Uh--a little help, guys?

Panel 2. All the rest of the heroes and villains that remain standing are watching with disgusted fascination as Tenta-Cool and Bubblegum Shark continue to sloppily flail around with one another. Tuning Fork and Optic are in the midst of a death-grip, but even their fighting has come to an abrupt halt.

SFX:
SQUELCH! SQUELCH!

Panel 3. Tuning Fork has taken his hands off of Optic and is throwing them up in the air in exasperation.

TUNING FORK:
Okay, that’s it! I can’t stand it any longer! I propose a truce until we can get those two un-stuck. It’s seriously grossing me out!

OPTIC:
Agreed. I just… I don’t have the words for how foul that looks.

Panel 4. Ashtray is pointing in the direction of Tenta-Cool and Bubblegum Shark as they continue to struggle. Magenta is nodding her head in agreement at him.

ASHTRAY:
All I know is I’m not cleaning up after this mess.

PAGE SIX

Panel 1. The two teams are standing in front of the damaged bank, facing one another. Bubblegum Shark and Tenta-Cool are both extremely embarrassed by the situation. Tenta-Cool has strips of bubblegum still stuck to various portions of his body, and Bubblegum Shark is missing hunks of gum from his frame. Recluse has a bandage over one of his eyes, and is being supported by Magenta and Wrecking Ball. Cueball is being tended to by Bucky Spitcurl as Ashtray and Blind Patriot look on. Optic and Tuning Fork are standing near one another. All of them have bits of slime or bubblegum on them in various places.

CAPTION:
Three hours later.

Panel 2. Optic and Tuning Fork are having an awkward conversation. Tuning Fork has some gum strung between the rods of the tuning fork on his head.

TUNING FORK:
So, uh… yeah. I really don’t think this needs to go any farther today. You guys gave the money back, so I think we’re good.

OPTIC:
Yes, well… we won’t be thanking you or anything. We could still beat you if we wanted to, but I just really don’t ever want to think about this day ever again.

Panel 3. Tuning Fork and Optic are moving away from each other now, only half-heartedly looking back and gesturing.

TUNING FORK:
You, uh---you got a little gum on your hands there.

OPTIC:
There’s a little bit of it sticking to your tuning fork, actually. I didn’t want to say anything.

Panel 4. The heroes are walking away from the scene of the battle. Tenta-Cool is walking with the team, but most of the heroes are keeping their distance from him. Bucky Spitcurl is nearest to Tenta-Cool, but even she is a little hesitant to get near him now. Blind Patriot is sparking up another cigarette.

BLIND PATRIOT:
This was the worst super-battle ever.

ONE WORD - WEEK 8 - HTWWW

So this week I'm approaching my one word project a little differently. I did go to oneword.com this Monday, and I did get a word. But because I've been dedicating this entire week to the "How the West Was Weird" book recently released by Pulpwork Press, I decided to scrap my word for this week and write a script based on the image above instead. This was another of Jim Rugg's ideas for the cover of the book, and although it didn't make the final cut, the comic-style art is what gave me the idea to turn it into a one word installment. I'll be going back to the regular one word format beginning next week, but I think this is a nice way for me to contribute to "How the West Was Weird" beyond just talking up the stories the other writers came up with, and it might serve to help me finally close the chapter on my guilt for not having contributed a story of my own. That's the hope, anyway.

PAGE ONE

Panel 1. We’re looking down at a barren stretch of desert. Far off in the distance, the peaks of mountains can be seen stretching towards the sky. The vegetation, if there is any at all, is sparse and withering. There is a faint set of footprints on the hardpacked ground, leading across the panel. On the far right of the panel, we can see the shadow of a man. The man is not visible in the panel, but his shadow is.

Panel 2. The man, a gunslinger, is trudging through the desert. Each step is agony. His angular features are haggard, victimized by the harsh rays of the sun. His clothes are sweat-stained and filthy. He’s dressed as a cowboy, with a wide-brimmed hat, duster, simple button-up shirt and tight-fitting, sturdy pants. A gun belt is strapped around his waist with a six-shooter in the lone holster.

Panel 3. Zoom in on the face of the gunslinger. His face is sunburned and his lips are cracked and faintly bleeding. His face is dotted with stubble from neglect of the razor. His squinted eyes are sunken in his face, as though retreating from the light of the sun.

PAGE TWO

Panel 1. The gunslinger is looking over to the left (right of the page) at something we can’t see.

SFX (O/P):
Rawk!

Panel 2. Vultures are sitting on a withered, dilapidated tree that’s holding on for dear life. The vultures are eyeing the gunslinger as he walks past them with carnivorous desire.

Panel 3. The gunslinger continues to trudge inexorably forward. The tree the vultures were perched on is behind him now, and the vultures are hopping off of the tree to give chase.

Panel 4. The gunslinger still walks through the desert, but now the vultures are walking behind him in an almost comical fashion. It almost seems like he’s leading them, but they’re only waiting for him to collapse from the heat so they can feed.

PAGE THREE

Panel 1. The gunslinger trudges onward, but he’s laboring even more now. His shoulders are drastically slumped, his chin heavily dropped against his chest. He’s a living zombie.

Panel 2. The gunslinger loses his footing and pitches forward, falling onto the dusty ground.

Panel 3. The vultures scramble forward, their necks and sharp beaks outstretched, their wings spread wide in excitement.

VULTURES:
Rawk!

Panel 4. The lead vulture has reached the gunslinger, and is tearing at the meaty calf of his leg with its sharp beak. The pant leg and flesh of the gunslinger is ripping away as the vulture claims its prize. The gunslinger is barking in pain.

Panel 5. The gunslinger has drawn his weapon, an 1875 Remington revolver, and is separating the head of the vulture from its neck. The other vultures are taking to the sky in panic as the gun roars.

SFX:
BOOM!

PAGE FOUR

Panel 1. The gunslinger is walking again, in a mirror image of Page 2, Panel 4, and the vultures are still following his lead. But this time they’re keeping a cautious distance from him. There is a rag tied tightly around the leg injury of the gunslinger.

Panel 2. Zoom close in on the rag or handkerchief tied around the gunslinger’s leg wound. The rag is stained with blood, and more of it is seeping through the cloth.

Panel 3. The gunslinger has stopped in his tracks, a small plume of dust rising around his boots. He has noticed something that we cannot see.

Panel 4. We’re behind the gunslinger, looking around him at a spaceship settled in the midst of this barren landscape. It is as large as a small house, its cold metal reflecting the blazing sun. There is no sign of life from the spaceship, but its appearance is in stark contrast to its surroundings. The gunslinger is around fifty yards from the spaceship. Between the gunslinger and the spaceship the ground is littered with the bodies of other dead gunslingers. Most of them are little more than bits of rotting flesh on scattered bones framed by tattered clothing.

PAGE FIVE

Panel 1. The vultures take flight from behind the gunslinger, lumbering into the air, and he has turned to watch them depart.

Panel 2. The gunslinger has turned back to face the spaceship, and there is an alien standing between it and the gunslinger now. The skin of the alien is a deep green, its flesh mottled and coarse. Its limbs and digits are unnaturally long, and its face is more reptilian than human. It is dressed in a dark flight suit, and is looking at the gunslinger with emotionless, alien eyes. The alien has a gun belt strapped low on its thin waist just like the gunslinger, but the weapon in the holster has the flair and ridges and curves of an alien ray gun.

Panel 3. The alien is standing in a defensive posture. Its hand with the long fingers and sharp claws is hovering over the weapon in its holster, challenging the gunslinger.

Panel 4. The gunslinger and the alien face one another down over the distance between them. The duster of the gunslinger is tucked back behind his thin frame to provide easier access to his iron.

Panel 5. The gunslinger and the alien both draw their weapons and fire. The gunslinger’s iron spits a small plume of fire as a bullet roars from its barrel. The alien’s weapon sends a thin beam of energy slicing at and past the gunslinger. We are looking at the action from enough of a distance that we can’t tell who is being hit.

SFX:
BOOM!

SFX:
ZEEEEEE!

PAGE SIX

Panel 1. The gunslinger has been sliced by the energy beam the alien fired. The beam punched through his ribcage and cut upward, cleaving his flesh all the way through and cutting a path from his ribcage up and out of his left shoulder. The gunslinger is still holding his weapon, and he is still miraculously alive for the moment. His face registers shock, but little pain. He is in his death throes.

Panel 2. The gunslinger falls in a heap to the dusty ground. He is very much dead now.

Panel 3. The alien has crossed the distance and approaches the body of the gunslinger. The alien has holstered its weapon. There’s no need for it now.

Panel 4. The alien holds the wrist of the gunslinger in one hand as it pries the gunslinger’s gun from his lifeless death grip with the other.

Panel 5. The alien walks away from the body of the gunslinger with his gun in its hand. In the background, the vultures are landing to feed.

PAGE SEVEN

Panel 1. The alien enters its ship, still holding the gunslinger’s gun in its hand. The ship is highly advanced with large viewscreens, a single misshapen chair, banks and panels of advanced circuitry and technology.

Panel 2. The alien approaches an ancient-looking display case that is as out of place in the advanced spaceship as the spaceship itself is in the barren wasteland outside. The display case is filled with western era guns of various kinds. Colt peacemakers, Schofield and Remington revolvers, various lever action rifles like the Yellowboy.

Panel 3. The alien reverently places the gun of the gunslinger into the case with all the others.

Panel 4. The alien has left the gun case in the background, and is operating one of the viewscreens by manipulating the advanced technology around it.

Panel 5. The alien watches the viewscreen as another gunslinger is shown trudging through the desert on the monitor.

ONE WORD - WEEK 7 - FAULT

The word for the seventh installment of this exercise was fault. The first thing that came to mind was earthquakes because of fault lines. I live in California, after all, and Lex Luthor would have sank us into the ocean because of those pesky fault lines if it hadn't been for you, Superman!

Erhm... sorry about that. Anyway, there's also the fact that you can't turn on the television without somebody famous asking you to donate money to the relief efforts in Haiti. Not that I'm complaining about that or anything, mind you. I'm just saying... I've got earthquakes on the brain. But I inevitably decided to go in a different direction. My last two scripts were pretty heavy on the panel description and light on the dialogue, so I decided to reverse course and drive this puppy with the talking heads.

PAGE ONE

Panel 1. A young man named Carlson is sitting in one of those swiveling, ergonomic office chairs at his workstation in a nondescript cubicle. He is wearing a long-sleeved, button-up, collared shirt with a tie and slacks. Office work clothes. He is busily typing away at the computer sitting on his workstation. There is an office phone with a display of buttons sitting close at hand on the workstation, and the workstation itself and the walls of the cubicle are decorated with photos, a cup of pens, coffee mug, stapler, and other assorted odds and ends necessary to survive a day of work spent in a cubicle. We should be looking at Carlson from an angle that provides us a view of the top of the cubicle. An attractive female intern is strolling past Carlson’s cubicle as he works. It is important that we’re able to see this over the top of the cubicle as it sets up the next panel.

Panel 2. Another young man named Johnson is peering over the wall of Carlson’s cubicle and speaking to Carlson. Carlson has stopped working and is looking up at Johnson inquisitively.

JOHNSON:
Better keep your head down today, Carlson.

CARLSON:
Why? What’s going on?

Panel 3. Johnson is entering the cubicle, and Carlson has swiveled in his chair slightly to regard Johnson. Johnson seems slightly unkempt in contrast to the neater Carlson. Johnson’s shirt isn’t tucked in very well, wrinkles in his clothing, and maybe his hair is a little disheveled. Stuff like that.

JOHNSON:
The boss is on the warpath. He wants somebody’s head on a platter.

CARLSON:
I guess that’s better than having it on a spit.

Panel 4. Johnson is holding a pen upright in his closed fist as if he would hold a tiny sword or a spear (or a pike!). Carlson is looking at the pen and smiling slightly.

JOHNSON:
Yeah, or a pike.

CARLSON:
Yeah--so what happened?

Panel 5. Johnson is shrugging his shoulders as he speaks to Carlson. Carlson is barely paying attention to Johnson now, fiddling absent-mindedly with one of the objects on his desk.

JOHNSON:
Aw, you know--the usual. Some document didn’t get faxed on time and he got chewed out for it, so now he’s trying to figure out whose fault it was so he can do some chewing of his own.

CARLSON:
That figures. So what was the document?

Panel 6. Johnson is leaning casually against the wall of Carlson’s cubicle as he speaks to him. Carlson has turned around to face Johnson again, and this time he’s much more interested in what Johnson has to say. He’s leaning forward slightly in his chair.

JOHNSON:
One of the quarterly reports for the Peterson file.

CARLSON:
Aw, crap. I was doing work on the Peterson file.

JOHNSON:
I know it. That’s why I’m over here. I tried to warn Jennings, but he already got called in. I’m sure the boss man is reaming him a new one as we speak.

PAGE TWO

Panel 1. Carlson has leaned back in his chair, slightly relieved. Johnson is still leaning against Carlson’s cubicle, but his arms are crossed in front of his chest now.

CARLSON:
Oh, okay. So it should be cool then, right?

JOHNSON:
Only if Jennings says it was on him. He’s the third victim this morning. Simmons and Polanski already took their beatings. I saw them a few minutes ago looking like walking wounded.

Panel 2. Carlson has thrown his hands into the air in frustration and turned away from Johnson. Johnson is watching him with a thin smile.

CARLSON:
Well that’s just great. I sure as hell hope it was Jennings that did it, because I wasn’t asked to fax any documents for the Peterson file.

JOHNSON:
Oh, I know it wasn’t you. I’m the one that was supposed to fax the file.

Panel 3. Carlson is looking back at Johnson with an incredulous expression. Johnson has dropped down to one knee so he is at Carlson’s level.

CARLSON:
What? Johnson, if you’re the one that was supposed to do it, why are you letting the boss go on his rampage?

JOHNSON:
Because if somebody else says it was their fault, then I’m in the clear.

Panel 4. Carlson is looking at Johnson with a flat expression. Johnson is still smiling faintly.

Panel 5. Same panel as before, only now Carlson is animated as he berates Johnson.

CARLSON:
Are you kidding me right now? That’s seriously messed up.

Panel 6. Johnson is using the flat edge of one of his hands and making a chopping motion into the flat palm of his other hand. Carlson is pointing an accusing finger at Johnson.

JOHNSON:
I’m dead serious, man. I really don’t want to take the fall for this one. I think I’m on the chopping block as it is if you know what I’m saying.

CARLSON:
So why are you telling me then? I could just walk in there and tell the boss it was your fault.

Panel 7. Johnson is looking at Carlson with a smug grin. Carlson looks like he wants to amck it off of Johnson’s face.

JOHNSON:
Yeah, but you won’t do that.

CARLSON:
Why the hell not?

PAGE THREE

Panel 1. Johnson is shrugging and speaking in a casual, carefree manner again.

JOHNSON:
Because you’re a nice guy, C-money. If you go tell the boss it was my fault, I’ll get fired. And if I get fired, I’ll be out of a job. And if I’m out of a job, I’ll have to look for a new one. And I obviously won’t be able to use this one as a reference--because I got fired. It might take me months to get a new job, and I’m living paycheck to paycheck as it is.

Panel 2. Carlson is incredulous again as he reacts to what Johnson just said. Johnson is holding up the index and middle fingers of one of his hands to indicate the number two to Carlson.

CARLSON:
You make more than I do!

JOHNSON:
True--but I got expenses, man. Did you know I’m divorced with two kids?

CARLSON:
You’re twenty-four years old!

Panel 3. Johnson is shrugging in his easygoing, infuriating manner again. Carlson is rolling his eyes.

JOHNSON:
What can I say? I matured early in life.

CARLSON:
That’s debatable.

Panel 4. The phone sitting on Carlson’s workstation is ringing, and both Carlson and Johnson are looking at it like deer caught in the headlights.

SFX:
Breeet. Breeet.

Panel 5. Johnson is nudging Carlson gently with his elbow and gesturing with his chin in the direction of the phone. Carlson is glaring icily at Johnson.

SFX:
Breeet. Breeet.

JOHNSON:
You should probably answer that, man. Could be the boss.

CARLSON:
Mmm, yeah. Thanks for that.

PAGE FOUR

Panel 1. Carlson has his finger extended and is pushing a button on the phone. Johnson is watching Carlson with a pleading expression as he talks to the receptionist.

CARLSON:
This is Carlson.

PHONE:
Mr. Carlson--Mr. Winters would like to see you in his office.

CARLSON:
Okay--thanks, Judy.

Panel 2. Carlson has dropped his face into his hands. Johnson is gripping Carlson on the shoulder and shaking him lightly. The expression on Johnson’s face is bright and encouraging.

CARLSON:
Ugh. I really hate you, dude.

JOHNSON:
C’mon, big guy. Just take one for the team. You can handle that stodgy prick way better than me. And I know he’d never fire you. You’re like his golden boy.

Panel 3. Carlson has whirled on Johnson and is pointing a finger at him menacingly. Johnson has drawn back somewhat with his hands raised to about face level with the palms facing outward toward Carlson, trying to look as harmless as possible.

CARLSON:
If you’re trying to flatter me, calling me golden boy ain’t the way to get it done--and I’m not taking one for the team, Johnson. I’m taking one for your sorry ass.

Panel 4. Carlson is pushing his chair away from his workstation and the crouching Johnson. Johnson is looking at Carlson with supreme gratitude, as Carlson has finally relented.

JOHNSON:
So you’re actually gonna do it?

CARLSON:
Yes, Johnson. I’m actually going to do it.

Panel 5. Johnson is pumping his fist with one hand as he uses Carlson’s chair to help him get to his feet. Carlson is already standing, and he is looking at something outside of the entrance of the cubicle that we cannot see. His face is surprised and mortified.

JOHNSON:
Yes! You’re the man, Carlson. I won’t forget this!

PAGE FIVE

Panel 1. Mr. Winters is standing just outside of Carlson’s cubicle. Carlson is using one hand to scratch absently at the back of his head as he tries to think of something (anything!) to say. Johnson is on his feet now and sees Mr. Winters too. He’s reacting with disappointment at having been caught, slapping the palm of one of his hands to his forehead. Mr. Winters is holding a mug of steaming coffee in one of his hands, and he’s fuming nearly as bad as the piping hot drink.

CARLSON:
Oh, uh--hey, Mr. Winters, sir. Have you been here long?

JOHNSON:
Ah, crap.

ONE WORD - WEEK 6 - BLADE

So the word for week six of this experiment was blade. I didn't decide what I was going to write about until Wednesday night. I visited the oneword.com website on Monday as I normally do, and I got my word with no problem, but nothing really came to mind until I was more than halfway through the week. And although at three pages this is, by far, the shortest script I've written for this project, I'm still fairly satisfied with it. I'm not sure how much more I could have done to beef up the story, especially considering what I chose to write about and how I chose to approach it.

PAGE ONE

Panel 1. We’re looking at a cityscape with a park located smack dab in the middle of it. Buildings frame the trees and lawns of the park on all sides.

CAPTION:
Once upon a time there was a city. And in this city there was a park.

Panel 2. We’re looking at a beautiful meadow of grass near a walking/riding trail in the park. A sign is posted in the meadow of grass that reads “Keep Off”.

CAPTION:
And in this park there was a meadow. And in this meadow there was an abundance of grass.

Panel 3. We’re at the level of the individual blades of grass now. They are tall and lush and crisscrossing one another. We shouldn’t be able to see the ground the grass is springing up from though. It’s more like we’re looking up at the grass from the ground.

CAPTION:
The grass in this particular meadow was lush and vibrant, and it was not uncommon for people to admire it as they strolled by. This made the grass proud--and it grew as high and as fast as it could to please its admirers.

Panel 4. Now we’re truly at ground level, and smack dab in the middle of the long blades of grass is a much shorter blade of grass. The longer blades of grass tower over this short blade of grass, making it seem rather insignificant.

CAPTION:
All except for one little blade of grass.

PAGE TWO

Panel 1. The long blades of grass are in the foreground, and in the background we can see a trail leading off into the distance with people jogging, walking dogs, or taking a stroll on it.

CAPTION:
The longer blades of grass tried to convince the little blade of grass to grow with them so that it could experience the adulation of man’s admiration.

Panel 2. The tall blades of grass are blowing happily in the wind, and the small blade of grass is barely being ruffled by the wind at all.

CAPTION:
Or to grow to their height so that the small blade of grass could feel the same exhilaration they felt as the wind swept over them.

Panel 3. Rain is falling on the tall blades of grass and the small blade of grass, running down their sleek frames and collecting on the spongy ground.

CAPTION:
But even though he got his fair share of rain and sunshine the small blade of grass simply refused to grow.

Panel 4. The long blades of grass are surrounding the small blade of grass tightly on all sides.

CAPTION:
And when the long blades of grass mocked the short blade of grass for his diminutive size, and asked him why he didn’t grow like the rest of them, the short blade of grass simply replied--

Panel 5. Close in on the short blade of grass.

CAPTION:
I know something you don’t know.

PAGE THREE

Panel 1. A man is in the park near the meadow and is wrestling a lawnmower out of the opened back end of his pickup truck. The truck is parked on the walking/running trail, and there are orange cones warning any possible pedestrians to keep back.

CAPTION:
And so it was that one day a different sort of man arrived at the meadow in the park--a man the long blades of grass had never seen before. And the man brought along with him a machine.

Panel 2. The man is systematically mowing the meadow with the “Keep Off” sign. He’s already mowed a good portion of the meadow row-by-row, and is in the process of cutting another row.

CAPTION:
And with this machine the man provided the long blades of grass with a new experience to talk about to the small blade of grass. For in their vanity, the long blades of grass had grown too long, and were no longer admired as they once had been.

Panel 3. The man is mopping his brow as he admires the freshly cut lawn. The hand he’s not using to mop his brow is resting on the inactive lawnmower as he leans against it. The back end of the pickup truck is still open, and there is a cool drink sitting on it waiting to be tasted.

CAPTION:
Now because of the man and his machine the long blades of grass were long no longer, and when the man was finished using his machine he admired his handiwork with pride.

Panel 4. The long blades of grass have been chopped down to the size of the small blade of grass. Their tops are ragged and stumpy now, but the small blade of grass has been unaffected by the havoc the lawnmower has wreaked.

CAPTION:
The long blades of grass were dismayed. Their sleek and sweeping frames had been reduced to ragged stumps. The only one of them that could genuinely call itself a blade of grass was the little blade of grass, which was so small it hadn’t been touched. And as the long blades of grass wept over their misfortune, the small blade of grass could think of only one thing to say--

Panel 5. Close in on the small blade of grass surrounded by the mangled blades of grass around it.

CAPTION:
Told you so.

ONE WORD - WEEK 5 - GLANCE

So this is my twentieth post of the new year. Woo! I think twenty posts in less than a month and a half is about as productive as you're going to see me be with this blog. I'm hoping I'll be able to keep it up. Didn't get around to doing a DWPFF Journey entry this week, or this would have been my twenty-first post, but I promise to have that done early next week.

The word for my fifth week doing this exercise was glance. I think I mentioned in a previous post that I had two immediate ideas about this one. The first was a Spider-Man story. I'd planned to take a long look at how Spidey survives taking all those harrowing punches from superhuman menaces. The idea was that basically he turns them all into glancing blows. The reason that idea came to mind is that while I'm striving to be a comic book writer, I haven't written any scripts to this point featuring comic book-style heroes. Not to say that I need to do that, or that that's what comic books are all about, because I don't believe that for a second. But it was just something that came to mind while I was considering the word I'd received. My second idea is the one I ultimately wrote about, and is directly below for your reading pleasure. I tried something a little different with this one, as there's no dialogue at all. I've told the story entirely within the confines of the panel descriptions. Did it work? I have no clue. But this was the easiest one word installment to date, so I'm either getting better at this or I just need to start cutting the dialogue from ALL my stories.


PAGE ONE

Panel 1. A teenage boy is sitting at the end of a long table in a crowded lunchroom. He has a tray of food in front of him with an apple, a pint of milk and an open bag of chips with a few spilling out. He’s holding a sandwich in his hands and eyeing it hungrily. There’s a lot of traffic in the lunchroom as other teenagers march to other tables holding their own trays of food, eat and chat amongst themselves and cause other types of lunchroom ruckus. The teenage boy holding the sandwich is at the center of it all, and there are only a few people sitting at his table. Nobody is sitting very close to him.

Panel 2. The teenage boy takes a large, glorious bite out of his sandwich.

Panel 3. The teenage boy has his mouth packed with food, with crumbs of it dropping from his lips and chin, and is looking over in the direction of a girl that is walking past his table. We are looking at the boy as he does this, so we should only be able to see the portion of the girl that is level with the boy’s head – basically the area of her torso and hips. She’s holding her own tray of food and making her way past the boy to some other table.

Panel 4. The girl is glancing back at the boy with a slightly flirty smile on her face as he looks up at her. His mouth has parted somewhat in astonishment that this attractive girl is paying him any notice at all.

PAGE TWO

Panel 1. We see the girl preparing to sit down at her own table one or two tables beyond the table the boy is sitting at. He is staring at her from his spot in the background, his mouth still partially agape. There are a number of girls sitting at the table the girl has chosen, and she seems pleased to see them.

Panel 2. The boy has his hand on his chin now and has a slightly slumped posture. His face has a dreamy expression, and his sandwich has been completely forgotten as he stares into space and begins to daydream.

Panel 3. The boy is sitting in a classroom at his high school. The girl is sitting beside him in the classroom and is passing him a very obvious love note (frilly paper folded into a heart or something like that). She is passing it to him with an underhand motion, in the standard high school technique. Other students are oblivious to what the couple is doing, and the teacher is writing something on the blackboard or going over a lesson and not paying a lick of attention. We are in the boy’s daydream now, so perhaps there’s a foggy quality to this panel and the others to follow.

Panel 4. The boy and the girl are walking home from school, and they’re holding hands kind of awkwardly. This is an entirely different period of time, not necessarily the same day as the passing of the notes, so giving them a different set of clothes or something of that nature would be fine. We’re basically just establishing the development of their relationship as it continues to be processed in the boy’s imagination.

Panel 5. The boy is in the living room of the girl’s house. She’s sitting next to him on the couch as the boy meets her parents for the first time. The girl seems very happy to be showing her boyfriend off to her parents. The father of the girl is sitting in a comfortable recliner glaring somewhat menacingly at the boy. The boy is extremely uncomfortable, and his expression should emphasize that. He might even be squirming a bit or pulling at the collar of his shirt or something like that. The mother of the girl is entering the living room with some snacks and seems very chipper.

PAGE THREE

Panel 1. The boy and the girl are dressed in formal attire at their final dance of high school (prom). They are gazing lovingly at one another as they dance together. Other couples are dancing around them, but they’re the primary focus of the scene. The theme of the dance can be anything that suits your fancy, but there should be some sort of banner explaining that this is prom. A band is playing music on a stage near the dance floor, and a few teachers are observing the action so it doesn’t get too hot or heavy.

Panel 2. The boy is nervously placing money on the desk of an employee in the lobby of a hotel. He has one hand placing bills on the counter, and the other is in his pocket. There should be some kind of sign on the desk or other indications (like people entering an elevator with baggage, a bellhop carrying luggage, something like that) that this is a hotel. The employee behind the desk is looking at the boy with narrowed eyes and a bit of a sneer. The boy is grinning sheepishly, obviously embarrassed. The girl is standing a bit away from the desk looking around absently at the scenery of the lobby of the hotel, obviously trying to avoid any eye contact whatsoever with the employee behind the desk.

Panel 3. The boy is standing by an idling car parked next to the curb near the girl’s house. The car is loaded with luggage. The boy is wearing a hooded sweatshirt with the large initials SCU (some college university) on the front. The father of the girl and the boy are shaking hands, and the father seems to have warmed up to the boy somewhat. The girl and her mother are hugging one another furiously as they say their goodbyes. The car has a sign on it that reads Good Luck or Off To College or something like that.

Panel 4. The boy and the girl are at some sort of sports game. They’re sitting together cheering their hearts out. The boy is shirtless, but his face and chest are painted with the school colors and SCU. The girl is wearing the hooded sweatshirt the boy had on in the previous panel and is also wearing gloves, a wooly hat and other articles of clothing to battle the cold. Both of them are breathing visible vapors as they cheer into the cold air.

Panel 5. College has ended, and we’re looking at a moving truck parked in the street outside of an apartment complex. The boy is moving a couch out of the truck and into the apartment complex with the help of one of his buddies. They’re both straining mightily with it. The girl and one of her own friends are holding small boxes and bringing up the rear. They’re chatting with one another happily as the guys struggle.

PAGE FOUR

Panel 1. The boy and the girl are in a beautiful, dimly lit restaurant. The girl is sitting at the table, but the boy is bent down on one knee in the traditional “marriage proposal” pose. He’s looking up at the girl as he opens a small box with an engagement ring inside. The girl is reacting with surprise and happiness at the sudden proposal. If there’s room for it, there might be a couple or two observing the action from their own tables, or perhaps a band or a violinist nearby complimenting the moment with a song.

Panel 2. The boy and the girl are getting married. They’re standing in the foreground with the guests attending the wedding stretching out behind them in the background. It is an outdoor wedding on a bright, sunlit day. The parents of the boy and the girl are sitting in the front row. All of them are watching happily, as are the rest of the guests, but the father of the girl (who was initially a hardcase) is holding a hanky and weeping a bit.

Panel 3. The boy is about to leave home for another day of work. He’s dressed in a suit and holding a briefcase. The girl, his wife, is standing near the door and giving him a kiss on the cheek as he prepares to depart. The girl is visibly pregnant, and holding a thermos of coffee for the boy to take before he leaves.

Panel 4. The boy and the girl are in the midst of childbirth in a hospital room. The girl is on the bed, soaked with sweat and straining mightily as a doctor barks orders at her from his position. The boy and the girl are holding hands, and the boy is bent down close to his wife trying his best to support and reassure her with his words.

PAGE FIVE

Panel 1. The boy and the girl are sitting in the front row of an auditorium watching their young daughter play the violin. We are looking up at the young child from directly behind the boy and the girl, who are now certainly a man and a woman, as they watch their child perform. The boy and the girl are shoulder to shoulder, and they are leaning their heads toward one another.

Panel 2. The boy, even older now, is standing outside near a stage as the girl hugs her daughter. The child is a teenager now, and is dressed in the cap and gown of a high school graduate. She’s clutching a diploma in her hand. The boy is holding a bouquet of flowers to give to his daughter.

Panel 3. The girl, now an even older woman, is smiling warmly and standing amongst a throng of people all shouting happily in the direction of the boy, now a much older man, as he enters the large living room they’re all gathered in. A banner that reads “Happy Retirement” is strung over the heads of the people gathered in the room. The boy’s daughter, now a grown woman herself, is standing next to her mother and yelling along with everybody else. The boy running a hand through his hair, blown away by the warm reception he’s receiving.

Panel 4. The boy and the girl are sitting up together in bed with their legs under the covers. They are even older now – an old man and woman in the twilight years of their life together. There is a bit of knitted fabric and knitting needles on the bed draped over the girl’s legs. The boy is holding a book, but he’s not reading it. The boy and the girl are looking warmly at one another and chatting about pleasant memories.

PAGE SIX

Panel 1. The boy, back in the lunchroom and sitting at his table, is jarred out of his daydream as he is bumped into by an arm, elbow or hip (whatever) attached to a person we cannot completely see. It is another young girl though, so whatever we can see of her clothing should be somewhat feminine.

Panel 2. Another attractive teenage girl is sitting down at the lunch table the boy is sitting at. She has decided to sit a little ways down the table from him, and she accidentally bumped into him as she was getting situated with her own tray of food. She is smiling sheepishly at the boy in an apologetic manner. The boy is looking at the girl with a dumbfounded expression.

Panel 3. The boy is grinning openly at the girl as she has turned to her food and is taking a bite of her own sandwich. She seems oblivious to his newfound affection for her.

Panel 4. The boy has his hand on his chin again and his eyes have the same dreamy quality they had when he started daydreaming previously. He’s succumbed to the power of the glance, and he’s looking at the new girl as he starts to daydream about their life together.

ONE WORD - WEEK 4 - SNAP

Yes indeed, my word for week 4 of this exercise was "SNAP". This word gave me some trouble as I tried to figure out what to write about. I started thinking about things that could potentially snap, such as a neck, a temper, a towel, a football, etc. Once I had a fairly significant list of things to snap, I decided I didn't really want to write about any of them exclusively. So I decided to try and write about them all. My goal with this script was to put a reference to snapping of some sort in each and every panel. I managed to do that, but I'm not sure how well it all flows together. This is my shortest script, coming in at 4 pages. After 4 weeks of this, I'm averaging 5 pages per script, which was my goal from the beginning.

PAGE ONE

Panel 1. A football is being snapped into the hands of a quarterback by the center of a football team.

QUARTERBACK:
Hike!

Panel 2. Three guys are sitting around in a sparsely-furnished apartment. Each of the guys is in their very early twenties. Joe is tall and athletic white male with blond hair. Matt is a shorter white male, and is a little bit overweight. He has brown hair and a light beard. Rob is a black male somewhere in between Joe and Matt as far as size is concerned. Rob has thick glasses perched on his face. Joe is jumping up from the couch as he watches the quarterback who took the snap throw an interception on the large television screen. Matt and Rob are playing a card game on the table behind the couch. There are a few bowls of food on the table, including a large bowl of carrot sticks.

JOE:
Not an interception! God--I hate our quarterback! He’s such an idiot!

ROB:
That’s kind of a snap judgment, don’t you think?

Panel 3. Joe has turned to face Rob and Matt now, his expression one of annoyance. Rob and Matt are still intently playing their card game.

JOE:
No, Rob--I don’t think that’s a snap judgment. And neither would you, if you were watching the game. What the hell are you guys doing, anyway?

ROB:
Uh--we’re playing cards. Obviously.

MATT:
Yeah, you ever play Snap?

Panel 4. Joe is holding a clenched fist over his head, with his head hanging limply to the side, as if he is mock hanging himself. Rob and Matt are still playing their game, but Rob is smirking as he speaks.

JOE:
No. And I don’t want to play snap. I’d rather hang myself.

ROB:
Most likely resulting in a snapped neck, which would be apt.

PAGE TWO

Panel 1. Joe is snapping one of the carrot sticks from the bowl on the table in two.

JOE:
Yeah, very funny. And dude, what is up with these snacks? I mean--carrot sticks? What kind of football food is that?

SFX (CARROT STICK):
SNAP!

Panel 2. Rob is looking at Joe as if he’s just come to a startling realization. He’s also snapping his fingers to punctuate his statement. Joe is grousing, and Matt is amused by the whole situation.

ROB:
Hey, I’ve got an idea! If you don’t like it, why don’t you bring your own food next time, you bum?

SFX:
SNAP!

MATT:
Ha ha!

Panel 3. Joe is looking around the room, as if hoping to come across some other food item by chance. Rob and Matt are back to playing their game of Snap.

JOE:
Seriously, you don’t have anything else in here?

ROB:
I might have some rice krispies in a cabinet somewhere.

MATT:
Chock full of vitamins snap, crackle and pop.

Panel 4. Joe has plopped back down onto the couch with exasperation. Matt and Rob have finally stopped playing their card game and are instead mocking Joe openly now.

JOE:
I truly hate you guys.

MATT:
Oh, snap! What a comeback!

ROB:
Yeah. You’re in rare form today, Joe.

PAGE THREE

Panel 1. Joe is using the remote on the television, a sour look on his face. Rob is holding his phone, which is blasting out a ring tone. Matt is eyeing Rob with bemusement.

JOE:
Whatever. I’m changing the channel. This game sucks.

SFX (PHONE):
I’ve got the power!

MATT:
Dude, is that seriously your ring tone?

ROB:
What? It’s a classic.

Panel 2. Matt is leaning over the couch Joe is sitting on, watching and gesturing towards the screen as one professional wrestler performs a snap suplex maneuver on another wrestler.

MATT:
Ah--nice, Joe. You finally put on something good.

JOE:
I can’t believe you think wrestling is better than football. It’s not even real.

MATT:
C’mon, dude--I know it’s scripted, but they’re doing some seriously physical stuff. You can’t fake a snap suplex like that. It takes real athleticism.

Panel 3. Joe lightly swats Matt on the arm to get his attention.

JOE:
We still playing hockey tomorrow?

MATT:
Yeah, definitely. I really need to work on my shooting though. I’m pretty rank.

JOE:
You’ve got a pretty decent snapshot though.

Panel 4. Joe is cocking a thumb behind himself in the direction of Rob, who is still talking on the phone. Both Joe and Matt are amused now as they talk about Rob.

JOE:
This guy might not even go if his lady has her say.

MATT:
I know--she’s got him on a pretty short leash.

JOE:
Yeah! Snapping that whip!

PAGE FOUR

Panel 1. Joe and Matt are reacting with surprise as Rob takes a picture of the two of them using a camera with a very bright flash from his spot behind the couch.

SFX:
SNAP!

MATT:
Hey!

JOE:
What the--?

Panel 2. Rob is holding up the camera he took the picture with, mocking Joe and Matt. The camera has a strap that is around Rob’s neck. Joe has snapped, and is yelling into the air from his spot on the couch. Matt is looking at Joe as if he’s crazy.

ROB:
Just wanted to get some evidence of you two actually watching sweaty men grapple.

JOE:
That’s it!

Panel 3. Joe has come out from around the couch and is snatching the strap of Rob’s camera from around his neck. The strap around Rob’s neck is snapping as Joe tugs on it, while Rob protectively cradles his camera.

JOE:
Gimme that camera!

SFX:
SNAP!

ROB:
Dude! You broke the strap!

Panel 4. Joe is snapping Rob’s hindquarters with the broken camera strap. Rob is still protectively holding onto his camera like a newborn baby while he scampers away. Matt is observing the entire scene, with his hand pressed to his forehead in amazement.

JOE:
So I’ll buy you a new one, ya big baby. Quit your crying.

SFX:
SNAP!

ROB:
Agh! Quit it!

MATT:
And these are my friends...

ONE WORD - WEEK 3 - YOGA

Yeah, so my word for week 3 was yoga. Not the easiest word in the world to write about, but I did have a slightly larger frame of reference for this one because my sister practices yoga techniques, and she took me to one of her classes. It is not easy, and I didn't think it would be going in, but I thought it might be funny to write about a first-timer that thought it'd be cake. I also thought it might be nice to do a script with a bit of humor after my first couple attempts. I've also attached a couple of images with this post (you'll find them at the bottom), primarily because there are a couple of terms in here that would be a mystery to somebody that doesn't do yoga (like me!).

PAGE ONE

Panel 1. A married couple (Jim and Inga) in their mid-twenties are lying in bed together. Inga is reading a paperback book, and Jim is flipping through a sports magazine.

Panel 2. Jim has dropped the magazine from in front of his face and is reacting with surprise and mild disgust as he looks in the direction of Inga’s feet. Inga is peering up from her book with slight interest.

JIM:
Ugh! What the hell is that?

INGA:
Mmmm?

Panel 3. Both of Inga’s feet have socks on that are spreading her toes beyond the reaches of normalcy. The socks are shaped to enclose each toe in fabric, and there is an insert of fabric between each toe spreading Inga’s toes.

INGA:
Those are just my yoga toe socks. They feel a little weird, but they really help.

Panel 4. Jim is looking disgustedly at Inga’s feet. Inga is swatting him with her book.

JIM:
It looks absolutely horrifying.

INGA:
Oh, shut up. Like your feet are roses in bloom.

PAGE TWO

Panel 1. Inga has her book in her lap and is looking at Jim thoughtfully now. Jim is trying to focus on his magazine, but his eyes are peering up and over in the direction of Inga’s feet.

INGA:
You should come with me.

JIM:
To what--yoga? I don’t think so.

Panel 2. Inga is grabbing Jim’s arm and leaning towards him. Jim is making a show of trying to pull away from her grasp.

INGA:
Why not? It’d be fun! You’re always saying how you want to get more exercise.

JIM:
Yeah, but I’m talking about playing hoops or running or something like that. Not yoga. All you do is sit around and stretch. That’s not exercise.

Panel 3. Inga has turned away from Jim and has folded her arms across her chest. She’s pouting a bit. Jim is interested now that the challenge has been presented.

INGA:
You’re such an ass. It’s not just stretching, okay? There’s more to it than that. I’m honestly not even sure you could do it.

JIM:
Hold on now--are you serious? It’s just yoga. It’s not like mountain climbing or something. I’m pretty sure I can handle it.

Panel 4. Inga is looking back at Jim with a sly expression on her face. Jim is pointing a finger at her with a taunting expression on his face.

INGA:
Uh huh. Sounds like you’re scared to me.

JIM:
Oh, for crying out--

JIM:
Okay, you know what? I’m going to go. I’m going to go do some of your hardcore yoga. How do you like them apples?

Panel 5. Inga has a satisfied expression on her face as she continues reading her book. Jim has a smug expression on his face as he continues to read his magazine.

INGA:
I like them just fine.

JIM:
You should. They’re pretty tasty apples.

INGA:
They are.

JIM:
I know.

PAGE THREE

Panel 1. Jim and Inga are standing in the yoga studio. It’s basically a spacious room with wood floors, shelves to hold shoes and other items of clothing, and large windows to let in plenty of light. There is also a shelf with blankets, and a pyramid of wooden blocks (each about half the size of a loaf of bread) somewhere in the room. The room is also filled with students in various stages of preparedness for class. There are only eight to ten people in the class, and all are female except for Jim. Some are unrolling their mats, other are stretching near their mats, etc. Jim and Inga have their mats unrolled, and are standing beside them. They’re near the back of the class. Jim is standing with a reluctant posture, his shoulders partially slumped.

JIM:
I don’t want to do this. Can I go home?

INGA:
What? No, Jim. You said you’d give it a try.

Panel 2. Jim is gesturing at the other students in the room. Inga is rolling her eyes at him.

JIM:
Yeah, but there’s nothing but chicks in here. And you’ve got a chick instructor. And I’m pretty sure I saw somebody I know walk by a minute ago and take a picture with their phone. If this goes out on the internet I’ll never live it down.

INGA:
Oh, shut up.

Panel 3. The yoga instructor, Petal, has approached Jim and Inga. She is a slightly older woman with a wiry frame. She is wearing an extremely tight leotard and has her hair tied up in an extremely tight bun. Her hands are folded in front of her, and she has bare feet. Inga has her hand on Jim’s shoulder and is smiling at the instructor.

PETAL:
Hello. Inga, is this a friend of yours?

INGA:
This is my husband Jim, Petal. He’s a first-timer.

Panel 4. Petal and Jim are shaking hands. Jim is shrugging his shoulders slightly, and looking confidently, almost arrogantly, around. Petal seems bemused by him.

PETAL:
It’s a pleasure to meet you, Jim. I always like to greet any new students before we begin. This is a fairly intensive class. Have you ever done yoga before?

JIM:
Nope. Can’t say that I have. I’m not too worried though. I play a lot of sports, so I’m in pretty good shape.

Panel 5. Petal is slightly offended by Jim’s posturing, but Jim seems oblivious to it. He’s cocking an index finger and thumb at Petal as if it were a gun as he acknowledges her advice.

PETAL:
Mmm. I see. Well--if there’s anything you’re not comfortable doing, please feel free to sit in the lotus position on your mat. There’s no need to strain yourself.

JIM:
Sure thing.

Panel 6. Jim is whispering at Inga as Petal walks away. Inga is annoyed again.

JIM:
Petal?

INGA:
Oh, shut up.

PAGE FOUR

Panel 1. Inga is handing Jim a pair of large blankets. Jim is accepting them reluctantly.

INGA:
Okay, so here’s your blankets.

JIM:
Uh… okay.

Panel 2. Inga is now handing Jim one of the blocks of wood from the pyramid. Jim seems genuinely baffled by her offering.

INGA:
And here’s the block of wood.

JIM:
What the hell? Do they break one of your limbs if you mess up or something?

INGA:
Just take it and pay attention. Class is about to start.

Panel 3. Petal is standing in front of the class in the opening form of the sun salutation. She is standing upright with her feet together and her hands placed in front of her diaphragm with her palms pressed together as if she was praying. Jim, Inga and the other students are doing it as well, and Jim is groaning. Inga is hissing at him.

PETAL:
Let us start with a sun salutation. Remember to breathe, and think of the sun and her warm and loving embrace.

JIM:
Oh, god.

INGA:
Shhhhhh.

Panel 2. Petal and the other students are doing the downward facing dog position, the seventh image in the sun salutation.

CAPTION:
Twenty minutes later.

PETAL:
Descend into downward facing dog. You can feel the vitality and strength entering your body as your abdominal muscles stretch. Breathe and hold.

Panel 3. Petal and her students are doing the eighth image of the sun salutation now.

CAPTION:
Another twenty minutes later.

PETAL:
Raise your hips as high as you can, remembering to keep your abdomen tight and firm. Continue to breathe, and hold this position.

Panel 4. Petal and her students are in the wheel pose. It’s a lot like the pose in panel 3, with their hands and feet on the floor, with their limbs at straight as possible, and their waist and hips as high as possible. Only now they’re bent over backwards.

CAPTION:
Twenty minutes after that.

PETAL:
The wheel pose strengthens us by mimicking man’s first, greatest invention. You should be able to feel your abdomen and pelvis stretching as you breathe and hold. But try not to roll away.

Panel 5. Petal is now in firefly pose. Petal is balancing on her hands, holding her entire body up with her arms. Her arms are bent, as if she is doing a push-up, but instead of having her legs stretched out, she is bent at the waist and her legs are draped over her arms.

CAPTION:
And yet another twenty minutes later.

PETAL:
This will be our final form of the day. This is the firefly pose. Imagine you are a firefly, nestled between the fronds of a giant fern. Enjoy the leaves brushing gently against you as you hold this position.

PAGE FIVE

Panel 1. Inga is sitting in the lotus position on her mat, watching Jim as he performs the variation of the crane pose. Jim is in the form, but he’s sweating prolifically, and trembling slightly. Some of the students are the couple are doing the traditional crane position. Some of them are doing the variation, and some are just sitting in the lotus position on their mat like Inga.

INGA:
I’m so proud of you, honey. Even I can’t do that one. Are you okay like that?

JIM:
You kidding? If anything, this is too easy. I’m barely working up a sweat.

Panel 2. Inga has gotten up from her mat, and is looking down at Jim with an annoyed expression. The other students that were in the crane pose are getting out of theirs now. Some are already looking back in the direction of the argument.

INGA:
Ugh! You’re unbelievable!

JIM:
What can I say? Some of us are just athletically inclined.

Panel 3. Inga is storming out of the studio. Jim is calling after her, but the position he’s in makes it impossible for him to look anywhere but at the ground.

JIM:
I could hold this pose all day! In fact--I think I will!

INGA:
Jerk!

Panel 4. Petal is standing in front of Jim, looking down at him with a thin smile. All the other students are watching Jim and Petal openly as they speak to one another.

PETAL:
I must say, Jim--that is an extraordinary display for a beginner. I have never seen a newcomer hold the crane pose for quite so long.

JIM:
Well--thanks, Petal. I have to admit, this yoga stuff is tougher than I thought.

Panel 5. Petal has crouched down so that her head is closer to Jim’s. She’s balancing on her feet, with her arms wrapped around her knees. She’s smiling openly now. Jim is still looking at the ground, but he’s visibly distressed and ashamed.

PETAL:
Mmm, yes. You’re stuck, aren’t you?

JIM:
Yes. Yes, I am.