“REVERIES” A fan fiction script for a graphic novel based on Stephen King’s stories “The Mist” and “The Jaunt.” By Jeremiah Gordon March INTRODUCTION: This script forms the basis of an upcoming graphic novel in which I tried (hopefully successfully) to bring together my two favorite Stephen King novellas: The first of these is his 1980 work, “The Mist” – a horror story supposedly about monsters but which seemed to me to focus more on deeper things: Mob mentality, despair, and other bad human behavior. The second is his 1981 story, “The Jaunt,” supposedly a science-fiction story about teleportation but which was (again, in my opinion) was really about the long-term effects of loneliness and sensory deprivation, of too much time spent listening to one’s own thoughts. “The Mist” was given an excellent film adaptation by Frank Darabont in 2007; we are still waiting for a film adaptation of “The Jaunt.” My script “stars” one of the most interesting minor characters in “The Mist”: The young mother who loved her children but was too irresponsible and self-absorbed to care for them properly (and who was wonderfully portrayed by Melissa Suzanne McBride in Darabont’s screen adaptation). It puts her in the awful situation described by King in “The Jaunt.” I’ve also included a theme of my own: The effects of too much brooding over one’s mistakes, however serious they may have been. (Despite that old saying, it is possible to mourn forever.) “Reveries” will eventually be illustrated, someday soon, by a good friend of mine who is a talented sci-fi and fantasy artist. This script, like the upcoming graphic novel, is fan fiction, protected by the First Amendment and the Fair Use Doctrine. It has not been approved by Stephen King or anyone connected with any of his works or any film adaptations thereof. It has not been written or posted for profit. NOTE: This script provides three kinds of information for each panel of the graphic novel: (1) “Artwork,” (2) “Narration,” and (3) “Dialogue.” (1) Artwork. I’ve tried to describe, in as much detail as possible, the way each panel should appear – that is, which characters are depicted in the panel, what they are doing, what clothes they are wearing, their facial expressions, etc. The script refers to these descriptions as “artwork.” (2) Narration. Most of the text in this graphic novel is being “thought” by the main character, Mattie Lee Allen. It is not spoken aloud, so it should not appear in speech balloons. Rather, it should appear in rectangular boxes within the various panels, like the narration in a comic book or graphic novel. In this script, I refer to these ‘thoughts’ as “narration.” Except where otherwise specified, the rectangles containing the “narration” for a panel will appear on the left-hand side of the panel (beginning in the upper-left-hand corner of the panel and going down from there). (3) Dialogue. Where Mattie or any of the other characters says something aloud, the script refers to it as “dialogue.”Dialogue should appear in speech balloons coming from the mouths of the character who is speaking. Preface. The first page consists only of the following quote, in italic text: Ah, must I leave thee here In endless night to dream, Where joy is dark and drear, And sorrow all supreme? -Gilbert and Sullivan, “The Pirates of Penzance,” Act II. Panel 1. This panel takes up the top 1/3 of the first page of the graphic novel. Artwork. The viewer is looking down, from a height of ten feet or so, at three figures facing the viewer: A young woman prisoner, flanked by two uniformed MPs. The woman in the center is our main character and narrator, Mattie Lee Allen. Mattie, a simple woman from the rural South, is scrawny, pretty-plain, androgynous (though NOT “butch”); somehow asexual. She is no older than twenty-five, but she looks somehow old before her time: There are lines at the corners of her mouth and eyes. Her expression is sad, weary and defeated; her posture slightly stooped. Her hair, reddish-brown on top but prematurely gray on the sides, is cut extremely short, in a “high and tight” haircut – only about an inch long on top and shaved nearly bald on the sides and back. It is a man’s haircut, a military/convict haircut. Her complexion is very light; her pale white Irish skin is set off by freckles on her cheeks; and her eyes are a bright green. Mattie is wearing a bright orange prison coverall with short sleeves, white canvas slip-on shoes, no jewelry or make-up. She is shackled in handcuffs and leg-irons. Except for her luminous green eyes and the bracelets of roses tattooed around both of her wrists, her overall appearance is drab. The police/guards are nondescript white men about Mattie’s age. They wear long-sleeved black shirts tucked into black pants; and black combat boots. Each is holding an M-16 rifle (hand on trigger; ready to use) and also has a sidearm in a holster attacked to their belt. They wear dark glasses and their expressions are nearly blank; it’s impossible for us to tell what they are thinking, with respect to Mattie, with respect to what’s about to happen to her, or anything else. Narration. [NOTE: Mattie gives us a lot of narration in this panel. However, the narration is not all inside one single caption rectangle. Each sentence, set forth below, is set forth in a separate caption rectangle – to indicate that she is “thinking” one sentence; then pausing; then “thinking” the second sentence; pausing again and then thinking the third sentence; and so forth. The first caption rectangle appears at the top left-hand corner of the panel. The second caption rectangle appears underneath the first; and so forth.] Those scientists warned me that this could kill me. But I want to die. I can’t live with the memories anymore… Dialogue. [There is no dialogue in the first panel.] Panel 2. This panel takes up the bottom 2/3 of the first page of the graphic novel. Artwork. The viewer is looking down, from a vantage point of about ten feet above the floor and ten feet behind Mattie and the guards. We see that they are standing near the corner of a large, low-ceilinged room or laboratory. In the foreground, we see Mattie, still flanked by her two guards. They are all facing a black, doorframe or portal-like object (“Portal One”) about five feet away from them. Portal One is basically the same size and shape as a metal detector in a courthouse or airport (“Portal One”). Portal One is about seven feet tall, three feet wide, and about one foot deep: In other words, just big enough for a normal-sized person to comfortably step through. On top of Portal One is a square white sign with the Roman numeral “I” printed on it in boldface text. Across the room, about twenty feet beyond Portal One, is another doorframe- or portal-like object (“Portal Two.”) Portal Two is an exact duplicate of Portal One – same height, width, etc., except that the square white sign on top bears the Roman numeral “II” in boldface text. It faces Portal One at a ninety-degree angle. Portal Two is flanked by two different groups of people. To the left of Portal Two stand a dozen or so people - scientists in white coats, project administrators in business suits, and a stern-looking, middle-aged General in a green Army dress uniform. To the right of Portal Two stand a doctor (recognizable by the caduceus over the breast pocket of his white lab coat); and two paramedics in white short-sleeve uniforms. Between the paramedics is the mother of all first-aid kits – a two-foot-high, heavy- looking blue box with handles and a red cross on top. All but one of these people look at Mattie and the guards as she approaches Portal One. The scientists, administrators and officers look like a group of witnesses to an official execution: All of them seem intensely interested. Some look eager, but others look concerned or grim. One or two are looking at Mattie with dread. One of the witnesses, an older woman scientist in a white coat, is looking away from Mattie in shame. And no one, anywhere in the room, is smiling,. And overlaying the bottom of Panel 2, in huge, irregular capital letters, is the word: REVERIE Underneath, in small, “normal” lettering, are the words: “Fan fiction by Jeremiah Gordon March” “Illustrated by Kevin Karstens” “Based upon the novellas ‘The Jaunt’ And ‘The Mist’ By Stephen King” Narration. [NOTE: The narration for Panel #2 consists of three sentence fragments. Each of these fragments appears in a separate rectangle. The first sentence fragment appears in a rectangle at the top- left-hand corner of Panel #2; the second fragment appears in a rectangle just a short distance above the lower-left-hand corner of Panel #2; the final fragment appears just below the second fragment (i.e., even closer to the lower-left-hand corner of Panel #2)]. …The dreams that come every night. Reminding me… …of what I did. Dialogue. There is no dialogue for Panel 2. Panel 3. Panel 3 is fairly small, taking up one-ninth of a page (It is the first panel of Page 2, and it appears in the upper-left-hand corner of Page 2). Artwork. A tilted illustration of Mattie sitting on a metal cot in a women’s prison, head down, miserable and alone. We see an expression of sadness and guilt on her face. Her arms are folded over her small breasts. Her hanging head and crossed arms are a little reminiscent of Aaron Shikler’s official portrait of President Kennedy, painted after his death, showing the president with downcast eyes and crossed arms. Behind Mattie is a gray cinderblock wall. Taped to the wall – to the left of her head, are several small pictures. Some of these pictures are hidden behind her; but two of them, which are slightly above her and to her left, are visible. One of these – to the immediate left of Mattie’s head - is a photograph of her late son Victor, a beautiful five-year-old boy. He has Mattie’s pale skin, bright green eyes, and reddish-brown hair and freckles. The photo contains some clues, however, that something was wrong in the boy’s life: His facial expression is sweet and loving, but also solemn; he does not smile and he almost seems to be holding back tears. He also looks slightly malnourished and his hair is very unkempt, almost tangled in a few places. The second photo, to the left of the first, is a portrait of Mattie sitting on a tree-stump somewhere with little Victor on her lap. Mattie looks slightly younger in the photo than she looks in her cell, but other than that she seems basically the same: Very thin, “high-and-tight” haircut, luminous green eyes, etc. And there are signs in this photo, too, that something was wrong in little Victor’s life. Both mother and son are looking on each other with great love, but it’s mixed with sadness and melancholy – as if they somehow knew they won’t be together much longer. Also, both Mattie and Victor are, as far as we can see in the picture, dressed entirely in black (Mattie in a tight tank top, tight jeans, and big Doc Martens boots; Victor in a somewhat more normal T-shirt and pants). This color choice might not be so troubling if both of Mattie’s bare arms didn’t have so many tattoos on them (black and red roses on both of her shoulders; Celtic knotwork bands over both triceps); and if there were not lengthwise scars on her wrists (not quite covered by the bracelets of roses). Narration. The narration appears inside a rectangle that begins at the upper left corner of Panel #3. As in Panel #1, discussed above, e narration is not all inside one single caption rectangle. The first caption rectangle appears at the top left-hand corner of the panel. The second caption rectangle appears underneath the first; and so forth.] “My name is Mattie Lee Allen. I’m a convicted killer. Sent to prison for life, for letting my baby Victor die.” Dialogue. [NOTE: Panel #3 has no dialogue.] Panel #4. This panel is about two-ninths of a page big. It covers the rest of the top third of the second page (as discussed above, Panel #3 covers the first ninth of the second page; that is, it covers the first 1/3 of the second 1/3 of the second page. Well, Panel #4 covers the remaining 2/3 of the top third of the second page). Artwork. Panel #4 shows the cluttered living room of a small, run- down trailer. Mattie, facing the viewer and in the center of the panel, sits on an old couch watching TV. In front of her is a coffee table with several bottles of pills – the names “OxyContin,” “Vicodin” and “Tramadol” can be seen on their labels – and also a few cans of beer. She wears a white tank top, old blue jeans, and flip-flops. She has a content, if somewhat glassy, expression on her face as she nestles comfortably in the couch, alone in her own little world -- oblivious to her little boy choking to death a few feet away from her. Narration. Three sentences, in two different rectangles. The first rectangle is at the top-left-hand corner of the panel: “I didn’t know my baby was in danger until it was too late. He called out for his mama as he started to choke.” The second rectangle is at the bottom-left-hand corner of the panel: “I heard his voice…his words…but not the meaning.” Dialogue. From somewhere to Mattie’s right (i.e., the viewer’s left) – from a part of the room not visible in the panel – comes a speech balloon saying, “Mama…(cough)…Mama..’] Panel 5. Not sure how big this panel should be. It’s on Page 2. Maybe about two-ninths of a page. Artwork. Panel 5 shows Mattie, a look of dawning horror on her face, standing over a playpen in one corner of the living room. Victor – who is about five years old – lies on the floor of the playpen, one hand around his throat; his other hand reaching upward and outward out for his mother. He is calling out to her more feebly this time. And his face is indeed a shade of blue. Narration. Several sentences of narration in Panel 5. All of these sentences except the last one appear in a rectangle starting at the upper-left-hand corner of the panel: “And then…I saw. I saw him turning blue. Saw him start to shake. But I hadn’t come for him in time.” The final sentence appears in a rectangle near the lower-left-hand corner of the panel: “I was too stoned.” Panel 6. This should be a normal-sized , maybe 1/9 of a page (1/3 of the top 1/3 of a page(). Artwork: The bottom half of this panel shows Mattie, in a white tank top and boxer shorts, lying on top of her bunk bed. Tears stream down her face and her hands reach out above her as she calls for Victor. The top half of the picture (above Mattie) is a dream cloud, showing a tight close-up shot of Victor’s face as he lays dying on the floor, calling her name one last time. A reflection of Mattie appears in his eye – a reference to the old superstition that a victim’s eyes retain the image of their killer. Dialogue. Both Mattie and Victor have dialogue in this panel, as follows: Mattie (lying on the bunk): Victor…Victor…Please come back to me… Victor (in the dream): (Cough) mama… Narration. This panel has narration rectangles at both the top and the bottom: The following narration is in one rectangle, at the upper-left- hand corner of the panel: “And every night since then, I’ve dreamed of my little boy, calling for his mama, begging me to save him. But I never, ever hear him ‘til it’s too late. And by the time I get to his crib…” The narration in the second rectangle, at the bottom of the page, simply says, “…he’s dead.” Panel 7. This panel should also be 1/9 of a page, the same size and shape as Panel 6, but it has irregular borders, like those of a cloud. It depicts no images or action from the real world, only images and action from Mattie’s dream. Artwork: This panel shows Mattie, crying silently, as she cradles Victor’s lifeless body against her own. His face – he looks like he’s sleeping – is pressed against the side of her face. Dialogue. There is no dialogue in this panel. Narration. This panel has narration rectangles at both the top and the bottom. The narration in the top rectangle says: “I’m always left with a dead child in my arms; a child who died loving his mother.” The narration in the bottom rectangle says: “A child who died waiting for help that never came.” Panel 8. This should be a larger panel, maybe 2/9 of a page. Artwork: This panel shows Mattie awakening her cellmates by crying out in her nightmare. Mattie, crying, is bolting upright in her bed. Her two cellmates stir wearily, angrily. They’re used to her doing this by now – and they’re sick of it. On one bunk is Rebecca Carmody, a heavy, matronly-looking middle-aged woman in her early fifties with shoulder length red hair. She is wearing her orange coveralls, even in sleep. A necklace with a small cross attached can be seen around her beck. On the other bunk is a buxom, well-built woman in her late thirties, Amanda Dumfries (“Amanda”). Her platinum blonde hair is mowed into a military crewcut, almost as short as Mattie’s. Her arms are covered with crude, white supremacy / Aryan Nation-style tattoos. A large Iron Cross, made of some silvery metal, dangles from her neck. She wears a black tank top and boxer, identical to Mattie’s except for the color. Both Mrs. Carmody and Amanda look half-asleep and annoyed that Mattie has disturbed their rest. Amanda wears a contemptuous half-smile. Mrs. Carmody has a look of righteous indignation. Dialogue. Mattie is crying out the word, “VICTOR!” Amanda is muttering, “Ohforgodsakes…” Narration. This panel has a narration rectangle only at the top. It says, “And then I wake up screaming…and crying.” Panel 9. This panel is small, only 1/9 of a page. Artwork. It shows Amanda lying on her bunk, propped up on her elbows, a contemptuous smile on her face, her head turned toward Mattie (who is out of the frame) as she speaks. She would almost look sexy if it weren’t for the Nazi tattoos and regalia. Narration. The narration rectangle at the top of the panel says, “And some of the other women here laugh at me…” Dialogue. Amanda: “You’re the baby in here, Mattie Lee. You’ve been here four years – but you never stop crying, do you?” Panel 10 is the same size as Panel 9, 1/9 of a page. Artwork. It shows Mrs. Carmody standing over Mattie, who is sitting on the edge her bunk, elbows on her knees, her face buried in her hands, scolding her. Mrs. Carmody has placed her face very close to Mattie’s, invading Mattie’s “comfort zone.” Narration. The narration rectangle at the top of the panel says, “…and others curse me.” Dialogue. Mrs. Carmody: “Shut your trap, young lady! It didn’t bother you none when you your little boy was a-cryin’ out for you as he lay a-dyin! You was too busy poppin’ those pills to tend to him – so why should we come a-running to help you in your hour of need? Panel 11 is 2/9 of a page. Artwork. It shows Mattie lying in bed, curled up on her side above the covers, almost in a fetal position, facing the wall of her cell, away from her cellmates. Tears are streaming down her face. She has clapped one hand over her mouth, however, so the women will not hear her crying. Narration. The panel has narration rectangles on top and on bottom, reading as follows: Top rectangle: “I cry myself back to sleep…” Bottom rectangle: “And before long, the dreams begin again.” Panel 12 is 2/9 of a page. Artwork. It shows Mattie sitting, alone, at the edge of a picnic-like table in a corner of the prison cafeteria. No one else is at her table. A metal tray with what looks like meat and potatoes is in front of her, as is a metal cup. She picks at the food with a fork. Her expression is gloomy, lost in thought. Behind her, looking over her shoulder, is a large, ghostly image of Victor’s face, his expression loving, sad, innocent. Narration. The panel has narration rectangles on top and on bottom, reading as follows: Top rectangle: “Daytime isn’t much different. All I do is think of him. His first steps, his first word, how much I loved him-“ Bottom rectangle: “-How he died.” Panel 13 is 1/3 of a page. Artwork. It shows Mattie returning to her cell after spending some time in the infirmary. Her inner right arm is bandaged from wrist to elbow. She is crying quietly and hanging her head in shame. Her two cellmates, Amanda and Mrs. Carmody, each sitting on their bunks and watching her as she enters the cell, are “welcoming” her back with ridicule and contempt. On the walls above their bunks, we can see newspaper clippings that give some clue as to their respective crimes. Above Mrs. Carmody’s bunk, we see a clipping with the headline “Family Planning Center Bombed”; above Amanda’s is a clipping with the heading, “2 Die in Attack on Synagogue.” Narration. Panel 13 has narration rectangles on the top and on the bottom. The top rectangle reads as follows: “Since coming here, I’ve tried seven times to kill myself – just to put an end to the nightmares, the memories. But I could never go all the way.” The bottom rectangle reads: “But then one day, someone offered to do it for me.” Dialogue. Amanda and Mrs. Carmody are both speaking to Mattie at the same time. Amanda: “Welcome back, Little Miss Dixie! Next time, don’t do it with my razor blade; you ruined the edge!” Mrs. Carmody: “You foolish, selfish child! Your body is not your own – it’s a temple of the Holy Spirit you have received from God yourself!” Panel 14 is 1/3 of a page. Artwork. The panel features a long, rectangular table, about six feet long, in a laboratory. The top of the table is bare except for two black metal objects, each about one foot high, six inches wide, and two or three inches thick. One of these objects has been placed about six inches from the left end of the table and the other about six inches from the right end of the table. Each of these objects resembles a miniature version of the black, doorframe-like objects we saw in Panel Two: In other words, they look like foot-high scale models of the metal detectors we would expect to find in the entrances to courthouses or airports. A white label with the Roman numeral “I” has been attached to the side of the object on the left (which I will now call “Portal One”). A white label with the Roman numeral “II” has been attacked to the side of the object on the right (hereafter, “Portal Two”) Underneath the labels, two or three black cables run from the sides of Portal One and Portal Two, down the table, to something (probably computers and/or power sources) outside of the frame. Flanking the table, on the left end and the right end, are two white-coated scientists. The scientist on the left is a middle-aged man with short, receding hair and thick black glasses. The scientist on the right, a genius in his late twenties or early thirties, has long brown hair pulled back and tied in a ponytail; a busy beard; and John Lennon-style round metal glasses. In the center-background of this panel, standing several feet away from the table, are a group of seven or eight people – five scientists (three men, two women, identifiable by their white coats), two project administrators (wearing conservative suits), and a Brigadier General (wearing a green dress Army uniform) are watching the table with great interest. The General is the same one that we saw in Panel 2; and several of the scientists and administrators were also visible in Panel 2 as well. The scientists and administrators all looked awed by what they are seeing. Most of them are smiling, but one or two simply look astounded, as though they can’t believe what they are seeing. The General also looks intrigued; but he is scowling (perhaps so that he will not show any “normal” human emotion like joy or wonder). The scientists and administrators are applauding; the General’s hands are clasped sternly behind his back. And standing just to the right of the group of observers is a technician holding a video camera, recording the event for posterity. The middle-aged scientist to the left of the table smiles with excitement and satisfaction is he sticks his right hand and wrist through Portal One. We cannot see any part of his hand to the immediate right of Portal One; it’s as though the hand and wrist have been neatly amputated. However, the younger scientist to the right of the table is grinning – as he sees the hand and wrist emerge from Portal Two! The emerging hand is making a triumphant, “thumbs-up” gesture. Narration. This panel has rectangular captions on both the top and the bottom. The top caption reads as follows: “They told me it’s an experiment in ‘teleportation.’ I think they mean zapping things from one place over to another without having to move them. The scientist who talked to me sometimes called it ‘jaunting’ – I guess that’s like a nickname.” The bottom caption reads as follows: “They told me it was the biggest discovery since the wheel. It’ll mean no more driving or flying from place to place, no more shipping goods by truck or train or boat, and no more having to drive anywhere. And they say that’ll mean no more crazy gas prices, no more smog, no more drunk drivers like the one that killed Victor’s daddy.” Dialogue. There is no dialogue for this panel. Panel 15 is 1/3 of a page. It has a jagged line, slightly diagonal, like a lightning bolt, going down the center from top to bottom. Artwork. The left-hand side of the panel (i.e., the part to the left of the “lightning bolt” divider) shows a table (about four feet high, four feet long, and two feet wide) in a laboratory in Los Angeles. Perched on the table is another of the black, doorway-like objects. It looks identical to the ones shown in Panel 14, except that this one is bigger – about two feet high, one foot wide, and three or four inches thick. A white sticker with the Roman numeral “I” is taped to the side. Two cables run down the side, beneath the sticker, down the side of the table. To the left of the table and the object (“Portal One”) is a middle-aged woman scientist with short black hair and glasses. In the background, on the wall behind her, is a clock (with hands, not digital) above the words “Los Angeles.” The big hand is at 12 and the little hand is at 11. The woman is bending over the table and carefully pushing a tray covered with various delicate electronic devices (a small laptop computer; a digital alarm clock; a cordless phone attached to its base; a microscope; and a couple of other devices we can’t identify) through Portal One. The tray and its objects cease to exist behind the right-hand edge of Portal One. The only things we can see to the right of Portal One are two other scientists (in white coats) and one project administrator (in a blue suit) looking on from a distance. The right-hand side of the panel (i.e., the part to the right of the “lightning bolt” divider) shows another small table or desk, this one in a laboratory three thousand miles away in New York. Perched on top of this table is yet another of the black objects, also three feet high, one foot wide, and three to four inches thick, two cables running down the side, etc.. A white sticker with the Roman numeral “II” is taped to the side of this one (this one is “Portal Two”). Another scientist (this time, a young man) is gently pulling the other half of the tray out of Portal Two. There are several small electronic objects visible on “his” half of the tray (i.e., the half that made it through Portal Two and is now in New York – a calculator; a small radio-controlled toy car; and a remote-control box for the car. In the background, on the wall behind him, is a clock with the little hand one the “3” and the big hand on the “12.” Underneath the clock are the words “New York.” In the background is one other scientist (in white coats) and two project administrators (in suits). Everyone, on both sides of the panel, seems excited and (self-) satisfied. Narration. Panel 15 only has a rectangular caption on top. It reads as follows: “And they say they’ve almost got it working. They can ‘jaunt’ anything that ain’t alive- food, books, machines – anything – anywhere they want just by pushing it into one ‘portal.’ They set up another ‘portal’ at the place they want it to go – a foot, ten feet, two miles, a thousand miles away. It comes out just fine, just like it was before.” Dialogue. There is no dialogue in this panel. Panel 16 is 2/9 of a page. Artwork. We are in a large visiting room in the prison – NOT the kind with the prisoner and the visitors seated in little booths and talking to one another over telephone receivers – a larger kind reserved for more extensive visits, say, between an inmate and several members of his or her family. There are several round tables, each with three or four chairs. The room is empty, however, except for a guard (a “butch”-looking woman in a light blue uniform) stationed by the door; and Mattie and her visitors, who are seated at a table in the left-hand corner of the room. Mattie, clad in her orange prison jumpsuit, sits on the left-hand side of the table, near the door and the guard. Two of the scientists (again, in the white coats) and one of the project administrators (again, in a suit), seated at the other chairs, lean in toward her. They are telling her about the “jaunting” process. She is so astounded by what they are saying that – at least for the moment – her usual sad look has been replaced by one of surprise and curiosity. Narration. There is a rectangular caption along the top of this panel, reading as follows: “But they’ve never tried jaunting a person. They said it didn’t always work when they tried it on animals. It only worked when the animals went through asleep.” Dialogue. There is no dialogue in this panel. Panel 17 is 2/9 of a page. Artwork. This panel shows a montage of five events occurring over the space of a few minutes. From left to right (i.e., beginning at the left- hand side of the panel and then moving towards the right-hand side), these events are as follows: A. We see a small white mouse being held still by a large gloved hand as another gloved hand sticks the tip of a syringe into the mouse’s neck. B. A gloved hand pushes the sleeping mouse – its eyes closed, its body limp, through a foot-high Portal One. C. The mouse, still sleeping, emerges through Portal Two. A small bit of food has been left for it next to Portal Two. D. The mouse, now lying to the right of Portal Two, begins to awaken and notice the food. E. The mouse, now fully awake, its eyes wide open, eats the food. Narration. There is a rectangular caption along the top of this panel, reading as follows: “They knocked ‘em out, put ‘em through the first ‘portal,’ they came out the other ‘portal’ – and they were fine once they woke up. Dialogue. There is no dialogue in this panel. Panel 18 is 1/9 of a page. Artwork. The panel shows a close-up of a gloved hand pushing another white mouse – one that is fully awake – through a foot-high Portal One. The mouse is resisting, balling up its hind quarters, trying somehow to roll to one side of the hand so it can escape, etc. Narration. The rectangular caption along the top of this panel says: “But of the animals that they sent through awake-“ Dialogue. There is no dialogue in this panel. Panel 19 is 1/9 of a page. Artwork. The panel shows a close-up of the white mouse – the same one that was pushed through Portal One awake and against its will – after emerging from Portal Two. It lies curled up on its side, its eyes half- closed, its tail limp, either dead or dying. Narration. The rectangular caption along the top of the panel says: “- Most were dead when they arrived.” Panel 20 is 2/9 of a page. Artwork. This panel shows a montage of three different events, unrelated in time but related by subject, as follows: A.In the upper-left portion of this panel, we see a brown field mouse standing next to Portal Two, just having gone through the jaunting process. It is standing on all four feet, staggering forward – but all the same something is terribly wrong here. The mouse’s eyes are wide open and bulging; its mouth has dropped open and it is gaping at the viewer; its pink tongue is hanging out slightly to the left, leaving a small trail of saliva; and its tail is limp. B. In the upper-right corner, we see a gerbil emerging from Portal Two. It wears the same shocked, vacant expression as the field mouse. C. The bottom half of the panel shows three dismayed and surprised scientists struggling to restrain a small, white-haired rhesus monkey which has just come through Portal Two awake. Its eyes are expressionless, bloodshot, and bulging from their sockets; and its mouth is wide open and its jaws bared in an expression of some unimaginable hysteria, rage or fear. Two of them are holding onto its front arms; its paws, hooked into claws, are poised just above its face, as if it was about to start clawing itself. Narration. There are rectangular captions along the top and the bottom of the panel, reading as follows: Top caption: “They told me three others were alive - but they weren’t never all right again.” Bottom caption: “Nobody knows why. Their bodies were just the same as before. Even their brains. But their minds…Nobody knows what happened. What they might’ve saw. Or heard. Or touched.” Dialogue. There is no dialogue in this panel. Panel 21 is 2/9 of a page. Artwork. We are back in the visiting room. The scientists and the administrators are crowding around Mattie. She is holding a sheaf of papers they have given her. One of the men in suits, standing behind her, is pointing to something on one of the papers. She looks nervous, frightened, but she seems to be nodding, agreeing with them. Narration. There are two rectangular captions, one at the top of this panel and one at the bottom. Top caption: “That’s where I come in.” Bottom caption: “The scientists, these men from the FBI, and this guy from the Governor’s Office offered me a deal: They want me to jaunt wide awake. If I come through alive, I tell ‘em what it felt like, and I get a full pardon. But if I come through dead, or crazy…well, then ain’t that just too fuckin’ bad?” Panel 22 is 1/9 of a page. Artwork. This panel shows a close-up of Mattie’s left hand, holding a pen, signing one of the documents. She is holding the pen somewhat clumsily; and we can see the stitch marks on two of her fingers, which have been reattached. The word “WAIVER” is visible towards the center of the top of the page she signs. Narration. There are rectangular captions at the top and at the bottom of the panel. The top caption reads: “I said ‘yes’ right away.” The bottom caption says, “They must have thought I actually wanted their pardon.” Dialogue. There is no dialogue in this panel. Panel 23 is 1/9 of a page. Artwork. This panel shows Mattie being escorted towards an olive-colored armored vehicle by four MPs. She is wearing her orange prison jumpsuit and a fearsome set of chains – handcuffs attached to a chain which hangs down the length of her chest and her legs and is attached to a pair of leg irons around her ankles. One of the MPs, carrying an M-16 rifle, is walking ahead of her. Mattie is flanked by two other MPs with sidearms resting in holsters on their belts. Behind her is a fourth MP, who carries an M-16. The MPs are wearing dark green dress uniforms and berets; on each of their right arms is a white band with the letters “MP” in block letters. The vehicle looks like a Brink’s truck, with two double doors in the rear that are now swung open. It is parked in the prison exercise yard, near one of the gates to the outside. Narration. There are two rectangular captions, one at the top of the panel and one at the bottom of the panel. The top caption reads, “But how can I be pardoned for letting my baby die?” The bottom caption reads, “I really agreed to it because I know it will kill me.” Dialogue. There is no dialogue in this panel. Panel 24 is 1/9 of a panel. Artwork. The panel shows Mattie seated on a bench inside the rear of the armored car, between two of the MPs. The other two MPs are seated on a bench a few feet away, directly facing them. Mattie seems lost in thought. Narration. There are two rectangular captions, one at the top of the panel and one at the bottom of the panel. The top caption reads, “I can’t seem to do that myself - too much of a coward; can’t stand the pain.” The bottom caption reads, “But I must die to get away from the dreams, the memories of little Victor dying.” Dialogue. There is no dialogue in this panel. Panel 25 is 1/9 of a page. Artwork. This panel shows Mattie, seated in a chair inside a small airplane. We see an oval window in the wall of the aircraft behind them; sun and clouds and sky are visible beyond, She is still flanked by the two MPs. And once again, the other two MPs are seated just a few feet away, facing them. She is beginning to look a little bit scared. Narration. There is only one rectangular caption, at the top of the panel: “The top caption reads, “All I have to do is walk through a door…and the nightmares will end….” Dialogue. There is no dialogue in this panel. Panel 26 is 1/3 of a page Artwork. This panel shows (from behind) Mattie (again in handcuffs, shackles and leg irons) being escorted into a large, temporary building resembling an aircraft hanger. This is, in fact, the exterior of the building that we saw in the first few panels. Two armed MPs stand on either side of the entrance, a large sliding door which is now open just wide enough to admit her and her guards. Above the entrance, we see the bottom of a sign – which runs the length of the entrance – reading “NO ADMITTANCE” in bold block letters. To the side of each of the MPs are smaller signs with other, more ominous warnings. The sign above the MP on the left reads, “GUARDS HAVE ORDERS TO SHOOT” and the sign above the MP on the right reads, “EXTREME DANGER.” Narration. There is only one rectangular caption, at the top of the panel. It reads: “…And I’ll be with my baby again, in the only way I can.” Dialogue. There is no dialogue in this panel. Panel 27 is 1/3 of a page. Artwork. It shows roughly the same scene as Panel 1, but from a different angle. Mattie, towards the middle of the panel, is in profile, facing the gateway labeled “Portal One.” Her escort , still at her side, is in the process of unshackling her. “Portal Two” is not visible. One of the scientists – in fact, the older one who we last saw playfully sticking his hand through the miniature Portal One in Panel 14 – stands in the foreground of the panel, facing Mattie, slightly behind her. He holds a small microphone-like device in his hand, to amplify his voice and Mattie’s and perhaps also to record what it said. Narration. There is a rectangular caption at the top of the panel, reading as follows: “And here I am. Almost out of my misery – I hope.” Dialogue. Older Scientist : All right, Miss Allen; are you ready?” Mattie: Yes. Older Scientist: Have you anything to say? Panel 28 is 1/3 of a page. Artwork. This panel is a ¾ close-up of Mattie’s face. She looks sad, weary…and also a bit afraid. She’s remembering what they told her about the animals they sent through awake. In a matter of moments, she will likely see whatever it is that they saw, hear what they heard, touch what they touched. But something else on her mind outweighs her fear. Narration. There is no narration in this panel. Dialogue. Mattie: “Just to my baby. Victor, your mama failed you, honey. She-she failed you real bad. But she loves you. I…oh, God, I love you so much, baby, and now I won’t never, ever leave you again.” (A pause, then a new, smaller speech balloon) Mattie: “I’m sorry, sit. That’s all I wanted to say.” Panel 29 is 1/4 of a page. Artwork. We see Mattie from behind, as she faces Portal One. On the other side of Portal One are the assembled scientists and the General. We can also see Portal Two, off to the left. The older scientist is still at her side. We see him in profile, facing her at a 45-degree angle. Narration. A rectangular caption at the bottom of the panel reads: “I am afraid. I want this to be over…at last.” Dialogue. The older scientist gives Mattie her final instructions: Older Scientist. No apology necessary, Miss Allen. All you have to do is step through the gateway in front of you. If you can’t get all the way through on the first step, feel free to take a second step. As I explained to you yesterday, you’ll find yourself coming out of that doorway on the other side of the room. Do you understand these instructions? Mattie. Yes, sir. Panel 30 is ¼ of a page. Artwork. Now we see Mattie and Portal One in profile; and the scientist (still standing right next to her) from behind. Narration. Two rectangular captions, one at the top of this panel and one at the bottom. The top caption reads, “I only hope this is the end. And I only hope…it doesn’t hurt too much.” The bottom caption reads, “And please put my ashes next to Victor’s.” Dialogue. Older Scientist: Then please step through the door. Mattie: Victor, let’s go home together. Panel 31 takes up an entire page. It is one of the most important panels in the whole story. Artwork. On the left-hand side of the page, we see Mattie, in profile, stepping through Portal One, moments after she begins to disappear into the portal. Her face, her forehead, the front of her prison coverall, and her right foot and the lower part of her right leg are no longer visible Her posture is important for this panel. She takes a big step forward with her right foot, but with her arms down at her sides, like someone stepping over a big puddle. On the right-hand side of the page, we see the scientists, most of who are gathered around the right-hand side of Portal Two. The Older Scientist, seen from behind, still stands roughly where he had been in the last few panels, near Portal One, but he is now facing Portal Two as well. The scientists gathered around Portal Two are standing back (and to the right) sufficiently so that we (and the Older Scientist) can see all of Portal Two. And, in the center of Portal Two, we see a silhouette of the figure beginning to emerge, beginning to cast a shadow across the floor… …and two of the scientists – the younger one with the long hair and the beard and one of the women – are reacting to something with dismay. The young one has his hand raised to the side of his face – as if he is about to cover his eyes. The woman scientist is turning away, towards the medics in the far-right-hand corner of the room. Other scientists are beginning to change their posture; a couple are beginning to raise their hands, as if reaching towards Mattie; and three others are beginning to back away from Portal Two. Narration. There is no narration in this panel. Dialogue. Young Scientist with Long Hair: Oh, no. Oh, no… Woman Scientist (to the medics): She-she…please come here now. NOW! Panel 32 also takes up an entire page - ideally, it should be the page facing Panel 31. This is the most important panel of the entire book. Artwork. This panel shows Mattie Lee – or more accurately, what is left of Mattie Lee – shuffling out of Portal Two. Except for her hair – which has turned snow white – she has not changed in any physical way. However, something about her has changed terribly, a change which makes her look incredibly old and almost no longer human – an ancient-young woman thing. She has also clearly suffered (or perhaps is now suffering) some sort of very great mental shock, perhaps even some kind of minor seizure or stroke: Her eyes are unfocused; her hands (still at her sides) are twitching uncontrollably; saliva is running out of her mouth. The muscles on the left-hand side of her face are drooping slightly; and her left knee is buckled slightly as well. She is crying; tears run freely down her face and mix with the saliva, which is beginning to coat her chin. Her skin is deathly pale; blue veins – and the tattoos on her wrists and the pink scars on her arms) stand out in stark relief. [NOTE: One possible way to get the “ancient-young” look would be to draw a picture of Mattie as a very old woman and then eliminate the age lines, wrinkles, spots, etc.] Narration. There is no narration in this panel. Dialogue. Around the edges of the panel are six or seven speech balloons, each with questions and comments like: “My God!” “She’s dying!” “Medic…get the hell over here!” “Miss Allen!?” “Mattie…Mattie Lee…?” Panel 33 is ¼ of a page. Artwork. On the left side of the panel, we see the ancient-young Mattie. She has come the barest bit out of her trance, has turned slightly towards the scientists, as if beginning for the first time to realize that they are there. She stares at them, bewildered, like an Alzheimer’s patient trying to remember who or what they are and why they’re here. On the right side of the panel, we see the scientists, most of who have also overcome their initial shock, and realize that they may have only moments to learn from the dying girl what went wrong. Narration. There is a rectangular caption at the top of the panel. [NOTE: Mattie’s narration is set forth in legible, but strangely-written capital letters that look vaguely like runes. These are not normal thoughts]: “I…Those…are…people? Other…people?...The…people…from…sooooo…far… back – when…I…was…a…child?” Dialogue. Two of the scientists are shouting at Mattie: Older Scientist: Please tell us—what did you see, what did you feel, what—“ [The Young Scientist with Long Hair cuts off this long-winded question with a far simpler one:] Younger Scientist: WHAT HAPPENED!? Panel 34 is ¼ of a page. Artwork. We see Mattie, again in ¾ profile. She has fallen to her knees, although her head is still erect. Her right arm – still shaking, not quite functioning normally, tries to grab the upper left side of her chest as she suffers a massive, fatal heart attack. She knows she is dying; the dull horror on her face is beginning to be replaced by relief. The two medics stand on either side of her. Their first-aid kit, to Mattie’s right, is open; the medic nearest the case is holding a silver oxygen tank with a translucent plastic hose and strap-on mouthpiece. On the floor next to the medic on Mattie’s the left is a defibrillator kit. The medic on Mattie’s left is gently touching her shoulder. Narration. There are two rectangular captions; one at the top of the panel and one at the bottom of the panel. Both are in the jumbled typeface described above. Top caption: “So…long--all…alone…with…my…thoughts…of…The….Dying…Boy- All…there…was…from…the…beginning…of…time…to…the…end…of…time…was…The… Dying......Boy…and…The…Woman…Who….Killed…The…Boy---I…saw…him…die…“ Bottom caption: Again…and again…and again….until…there…was…nothing…else. Dialogue. Mattie struggles to get out her final words. The left-hand side of her mouth doesn’t quite cooperate with her; she talks more out of the right side. Mattie [in the same crooked typeface as the narration]: It’s…eternity…in…there… Panel 35 take up half a page. Artwork. It shows Mattie, still on her knees, head and torso tilted back in death, arms out by her sides. Her eyes, sightless at last, are fixed on the ceiling. The scientists gathered around her look sadly and guiltily at the lifeless figure on the floor in front of them. Narration. There is no narration in this panel. Dialogue. There is no dialogue in this panel. Panel 36 takes up 1/9 of a page. It begins at the left-hand side of the page. Artwork. This panel shows Mattie’s corpse, as seen from a couple of feet above. Her face, and her sightless eyes, stare up at us. She is still kneeling and her arms are at her sides. She seems to be pleading. And we can see something in the irises of her eyes; some kind of image. But we are too far away to see just what it is… Narration. There is no narration in this panel. Dialogue. There is no dialogue in this panel. Paragraph 37 takes up 1/9 of a page. It extends across the center of the page. Artwork. This panel is essentially a close-up or detail of Panel 36. It is another view of Mattie from above, this one just about a foot above her. It shows Mattie’s face, head and neck. Once again, we see the image in her eyes; it is that of a face. Narration. There is no narration in this panel. Dialogue. There is no dialogue in this panel. Paragraph 38 takes up 1/9 of a page. It extends across the right-hand third of the page. Artwork. This panel is a close-up or detail of Panel 37. It shows Mattie’s eyes, and her face from the bridge of her nose to her white eyebrows up to her white hairline. And now we see that the image in her eyes is of her beloved Victor. A last tear rolls out of the corners of each of her eyes. And in the bottom right-hand corner of this panel is a white square and the boldface words, “THE END.”