The candles were spread all over the place. Wax was dripping onto the carpet and all the while he ran around in this stupid raincoat. Don’t worry about the fact that it was my house or that I didn’t know this old man from Adam. He smelled like a wet dog, and I wasn’t entirely sure I was awake.
I watched from the hallway, more confused than angry. When he lifted the lid to the piano I came stomping in.
"What are you doing? It's three in the morning. I've got work tomorrow, I've got..."
"Shush, I'm almost there." He mumbled into his beard, crouched inches above the carpet, looking, looking. He seemed to be all wrinkles and white hair. Any semblance of a face had long since disappeared into old age.
He stuck his arm into the upright, grunting at the effort of reaching past strings and hammers. I had to move a candle to keep him from kicking it over as he stuck his head in the piano, searching. He brought it back out and seemed to be thinking.
"What are you looking for?"
"Shush, young lady. I'm afraid something followed me into the house, and I'm trying to find it. Now if you'll excuse me," his wet house shoes sqooshed in the hallway.
“But why are you here? And where did all these candles come from?” My questions came out as a weak protest. The truth is, curiosity was getting the best of me. Maybe it was sleep depravation, or maybe that five-year-old in my head just had to know.
Whatever the case, I quieted down and just watched him. I followed him into the study. He stiffened when he reached the old roll-top desk.
"There."
He grabbed a jar out of his coat and in one deft motion scooped up air. He held it tight, like it was trying to get away.
"What is it?"
"Shush."
I was about to protest. I'd been shushed for about the last time, but I saw something move in the jar.
It was a blur more than anything, something neon green. I looked hard, drug the old geezer over to the light and turned it. There it was. It didn't have a nose, eyes, face anything that would denote a living thing, yet it moved. And looked at me, I just knew it. Like an animated gel with fuzzy feet.
The old man snatched the jar back before I got a good look.
"Time to go, time to go." He scurried for the door. I grabbed onto his shirt sleeve for dear life.
"Wait! What is that?"
"None of your business, young lady. I've got to go take it back now."
He ran fast for an old man. I chased him about a block and barely made it to his house -- which I swore I had never seen -- before the door closed. He was still hurrying when I entered.
In one corner was an old mirror. He said a few words as he approached it and the thing burst inward to reveal a long passage. As the mirror started to reform, I was in a quandry. Chase after the old man, or stay where it's safe. Where mirrors didn't reveal passageways and nothing living looked like that green thing.
What the hell...
Down the rabbit hole I went.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Oliver: The Awakening
Writer: Jennifer Adkins
Artist: To be determined
Page one:
Panel 1: Full frontal shot of a beautiful farmhouse surrounded by all things pastoral. Very similar to the house on pet cemetery. An old buggy sits in the front, unhitched from the horses, and other things to show it was a long time ago.
DAUGHTER (O.P.): Paw, have you seen Oliver?
FATHER (O.P.): No. Go check the barn. Maybe he's in there."
Panel 2: The girl's hand against the barn door and the door open just a hair.
DAUGHTER: Oliver?
Panel 3: shows a worm's eye view of a little duckling laying on his back dead on the floor of the barn with the whole nine yards (holding a lily in his hand, eyes X'd out, etc.). DAUGHTER is in the background standing at the door, backlit.
DAUGHTER: Oliver? No!
Panel 4: Father and Daughter standing around Oliver's grave (reaaaallllly tiny grave). Both are dressed in American Gothic type clothing. Daughter is crying a whole lot.
DAUGHTER: Why'd he have to die, daddy?
FATHER: Plot device, honey.
Panel 5: Worm's eye view of the grave. Silhouettes of Father and Daughter walking away and a small wing in the foreground reaching up out of the grave.
DAUGHTER: What?
FATHER: Nothing darlin'. Let's go inside.
Page two:
Panel 1: CAPTION: "75 Years Later". Same farmhouse, only worn with time and poor upkeep. A van is in the foreground, parked lengthwise and a silhouette of a man, a woman and two children of about 12 and nine. JOHN MCCALLISTER is a tall, slender figure with light hair and big, round eyes that just scream naiveté; JOAN MCCALLISTER looks no more intelligent and is very bouncy and bubbly; BOBBY is a 12-year-old boy who looks pretty ornery, while SUE is the picture of a little princess of about nine, complete with blonde hair and big, blue eyes.
JOHN: Here we are, kids. Your new home.
Panel 2: Aerial view of the family from the house's p.o.v. Bobby and Sue have scattered in order to explore, and John and Joan are standing arm-in-arm, admiring the house.
JOAN: Oh, honey! Isn't it beautiful?
JOHN: Sure is, dear. Perfect scenery, perfect solitude, perfectly...What the hell is that?
Panel 3: Joan and John looking across the countryside. An Old Indian graveyard, resplendant in rock piles and Indian spirits floating above, is on top of a nearby hill.
JOAN: My God! It's horrible!
OLD MAN (O.P.): Don't worry about that, ma'am. Those injuns haunt the next farm over...
Panel 4: Joan and John have turned to see an old man highly reminiscent of the old man in Pet Semetary. He has a broad smile on his face.
JOHN: Who are you?
OLD MAN: Just your average, run of the mill old man. Glad to meet ya.
Now, if you have any problems with the undead, or need a cup of sugar or whatever, I'm right across the road, there. Well, bye now.
Panel 5: Worm's eye view of the Old Man walking away, leaving John and Joan standing in front of the house. Oliver is peeking around a wheel on the van (in the foreground), an evil smile on his face.
JOAN: Wait, did he just say...
JOHN: Yeah. Boy, it's a great neighbor that'll loan you some sugar. Hey, kids! Time to unpack!
Page three:
Panel 1: John carrying a bunch of boxes. Joan, Sue and Bobby are following behind with boxes.
JOHN: Zombies, Indian burial grounds, strange old men...I think we're gonna fit right in, honey.
JOAN (mumbling): I don't think so. We're still freakier...
Panel 2: The family surrounded by boxes, unpacking in the largish living room (fireplace a must). The windows, uncurtained, shows that the sun is pretty low.
OLIVER (O.P.): quuuuuaaaaaaacccckkkk
JOAN: Oh John, I just love old houses. Just listen to the settling.
SUE: Are you sure it's the house settling, momma?
JOAN: Of course I am! Just listen...
Panels 3 and 4: Busts of John and Joan, then Bobby and Sue, as a tirade of noises scrolls across the panels. John looks thoughtful, Joan looks blissfully ignorant and Bobby and Sue look scared.
SFX: Boom! Bam! Arf! Zot! Crinkle! Zoot! Splop!
OLIVER: QUAAAAACCCCCKKKK!
Panel 5: Same view of Oliver as in Panel 6 on the previous page. He's covered in sound effects stuff (boots, tin cans, all kinds of noisemakers) and looks discouraged.
JOAN (O.P.): See, just the house settling.
SUE (O.P.): But mom...
JOAN (O.P.): SETTLING, I SAY! Oh look, I found the vodka...
Page four:
Panel 1: CAPTION: "Later..." Family sitting on a couch in front of the fireplace. The entire room has been meticulously unpacked, and it looks like they've lived there for a year. Everybody's wearing pajamas, drinking hot cocoa.
JOHN: Honey, it amazes me how much you get done when you're drunk!
JOAN: Thanks, dear. I just funnel my anger and resentment into cleaning.
OLIVER (O.P.): QUAAAAACCCCKKKKK!
Panel 2: Same shot, just Bobby and Sue terrified and clutching to their parents.
JOHN: Now, don't worry kids. If it's some unholy creature trying to kill us all in a fit of evil, my little zombie alert system will let us know they're coming.
Panel 3: Joan, Bobby and Sue sitting straight up on the couch, terrified. John is running off the panel. Warning lights are flashing, and it looks kind of like an air raid.
SFX: WARNING, PERIMETER BREACH! WARNING, PERIMETER BREACH!
JOHN: Red alert! Red alert! Battle stations!
Panel 4: Joan, Bobby and Sue still sitting on the couch as John runs toward the other side of the panel. Joan looks annoyed and Bobby and Sue are wide-eyed.
BOBBY: Is dad gonna shoot us, momma?
JOAN: No honey, he's just watched too many Star Trek episodes.
JOHN: I need the away party now. Phasers to stun, men!
Page five:
Panel 1: View of the family's back in the narrow hallway outside the kitchen door. They are arraigned in every object that could be used as a weapon that they could find. John is turned back toward them, wearing a couple of pillows stuffed into his belt, a football helmet and a baseball bat.
JOHN: Okay, I'll go in first. If I start screaming like a girl, that's your signal to come in and assist me.
BOBBY, SUE, JOAN: Right!
Panel 2: Split panel, or maybe two small panels, showing John's head peeking out into the kitchen, then him looking kind of disappointed.
JOHN: It's safe.
Panel 3: The family in the kitchen, looking at Oliver, who is in a drop cage. He is absolutely seething with rage.
JOAN: Oh John! Isn't he adorable?
JOHN: I guess so. Still would've been nice to whack a zombie or two...
SUE: Can we keep him? We'd feed him and take him for walks and play dress up and stuff.
Panel 4: Full frontal of the family, and Sue holding Oliver, who is trying his best to escape.
JOAN: Sure, why not?
JOHN: Just give him a bath, will ya? He smells like he crawled out of the septic tank.
SUE: Okay! Then I'll introduce him to all my stuffed animals and we'll have a tea party.
OLIVER: Quuuaaaaaccccckkk!!!!!
Artist: To be determined
Page one:
Panel 1: Full frontal shot of a beautiful farmhouse surrounded by all things pastoral. Very similar to the house on pet cemetery. An old buggy sits in the front, unhitched from the horses, and other things to show it was a long time ago.
DAUGHTER (O.P.): Paw, have you seen Oliver?
FATHER (O.P.): No. Go check the barn. Maybe he's in there."
Panel 2: The girl's hand against the barn door and the door open just a hair.
DAUGHTER: Oliver?
Panel 3: shows a worm's eye view of a little duckling laying on his back dead on the floor of the barn with the whole nine yards (holding a lily in his hand, eyes X'd out, etc.). DAUGHTER is in the background standing at the door, backlit.
DAUGHTER: Oliver? No!
Panel 4: Father and Daughter standing around Oliver's grave (reaaaallllly tiny grave). Both are dressed in American Gothic type clothing. Daughter is crying a whole lot.
DAUGHTER: Why'd he have to die, daddy?
FATHER: Plot device, honey.
Panel 5: Worm's eye view of the grave. Silhouettes of Father and Daughter walking away and a small wing in the foreground reaching up out of the grave.
DAUGHTER: What?
FATHER: Nothing darlin'. Let's go inside.
Page two:
Panel 1: CAPTION: "75 Years Later". Same farmhouse, only worn with time and poor upkeep. A van is in the foreground, parked lengthwise and a silhouette of a man, a woman and two children of about 12 and nine. JOHN MCCALLISTER is a tall, slender figure with light hair and big, round eyes that just scream naiveté; JOAN MCCALLISTER looks no more intelligent and is very bouncy and bubbly; BOBBY is a 12-year-old boy who looks pretty ornery, while SUE is the picture of a little princess of about nine, complete with blonde hair and big, blue eyes.
JOHN: Here we are, kids. Your new home.
Panel 2: Aerial view of the family from the house's p.o.v. Bobby and Sue have scattered in order to explore, and John and Joan are standing arm-in-arm, admiring the house.
JOAN: Oh, honey! Isn't it beautiful?
JOHN: Sure is, dear. Perfect scenery, perfect solitude, perfectly...What the hell is that?
Panel 3: Joan and John looking across the countryside. An Old Indian graveyard, resplendant in rock piles and Indian spirits floating above, is on top of a nearby hill.
JOAN: My God! It's horrible!
OLD MAN (O.P.): Don't worry about that, ma'am. Those injuns haunt the next farm over...
Panel 4: Joan and John have turned to see an old man highly reminiscent of the old man in Pet Semetary. He has a broad smile on his face.
JOHN: Who are you?
OLD MAN: Just your average, run of the mill old man. Glad to meet ya.
Now, if you have any problems with the undead, or need a cup of sugar or whatever, I'm right across the road, there. Well, bye now.
Panel 5: Worm's eye view of the Old Man walking away, leaving John and Joan standing in front of the house. Oliver is peeking around a wheel on the van (in the foreground), an evil smile on his face.
JOAN: Wait, did he just say...
JOHN: Yeah. Boy, it's a great neighbor that'll loan you some sugar. Hey, kids! Time to unpack!
Page three:
Panel 1: John carrying a bunch of boxes. Joan, Sue and Bobby are following behind with boxes.
JOHN: Zombies, Indian burial grounds, strange old men...I think we're gonna fit right in, honey.
JOAN (mumbling): I don't think so. We're still freakier...
Panel 2: The family surrounded by boxes, unpacking in the largish living room (fireplace a must). The windows, uncurtained, shows that the sun is pretty low.
OLIVER (O.P.): quuuuuaaaaaaacccckkkk
JOAN: Oh John, I just love old houses. Just listen to the settling.
SUE: Are you sure it's the house settling, momma?
JOAN: Of course I am! Just listen...
Panels 3 and 4: Busts of John and Joan, then Bobby and Sue, as a tirade of noises scrolls across the panels. John looks thoughtful, Joan looks blissfully ignorant and Bobby and Sue look scared.
SFX: Boom! Bam! Arf! Zot! Crinkle! Zoot! Splop!
OLIVER: QUAAAAACCCCCKKKK!
Panel 5: Same view of Oliver as in Panel 6 on the previous page. He's covered in sound effects stuff (boots, tin cans, all kinds of noisemakers) and looks discouraged.
JOAN (O.P.): See, just the house settling.
SUE (O.P.): But mom...
JOAN (O.P.): SETTLING, I SAY! Oh look, I found the vodka...
Page four:
Panel 1: CAPTION: "Later..." Family sitting on a couch in front of the fireplace. The entire room has been meticulously unpacked, and it looks like they've lived there for a year. Everybody's wearing pajamas, drinking hot cocoa.
JOHN: Honey, it amazes me how much you get done when you're drunk!
JOAN: Thanks, dear. I just funnel my anger and resentment into cleaning.
OLIVER (O.P.): QUAAAAACCCCKKKKK!
Panel 2: Same shot, just Bobby and Sue terrified and clutching to their parents.
JOHN: Now, don't worry kids. If it's some unholy creature trying to kill us all in a fit of evil, my little zombie alert system will let us know they're coming.
Panel 3: Joan, Bobby and Sue sitting straight up on the couch, terrified. John is running off the panel. Warning lights are flashing, and it looks kind of like an air raid.
SFX: WARNING, PERIMETER BREACH! WARNING, PERIMETER BREACH!
JOHN: Red alert! Red alert! Battle stations!
Panel 4: Joan, Bobby and Sue still sitting on the couch as John runs toward the other side of the panel. Joan looks annoyed and Bobby and Sue are wide-eyed.
BOBBY: Is dad gonna shoot us, momma?
JOAN: No honey, he's just watched too many Star Trek episodes.
JOHN: I need the away party now. Phasers to stun, men!
Page five:
Panel 1: View of the family's back in the narrow hallway outside the kitchen door. They are arraigned in every object that could be used as a weapon that they could find. John is turned back toward them, wearing a couple of pillows stuffed into his belt, a football helmet and a baseball bat.
JOHN: Okay, I'll go in first. If I start screaming like a girl, that's your signal to come in and assist me.
BOBBY, SUE, JOAN: Right!
Panel 2: Split panel, or maybe two small panels, showing John's head peeking out into the kitchen, then him looking kind of disappointed.
JOHN: It's safe.
Panel 3: The family in the kitchen, looking at Oliver, who is in a drop cage. He is absolutely seething with rage.
JOAN: Oh John! Isn't he adorable?
JOHN: I guess so. Still would've been nice to whack a zombie or two...
SUE: Can we keep him? We'd feed him and take him for walks and play dress up and stuff.
Panel 4: Full frontal of the family, and Sue holding Oliver, who is trying his best to escape.
JOAN: Sure, why not?
JOHN: Just give him a bath, will ya? He smells like he crawled out of the septic tank.
SUE: Okay! Then I'll introduce him to all my stuffed animals and we'll have a tea party.
OLIVER: Quuuaaaaaccccckkk!!!!!
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