46 & 2 Issue Two

Trust Fall

46 & 2 Issue 2:

By

Zachary Smith

PAGE 1.  SPLASH PAGE.

Chino sits in his boxer briefs playing chess in an all white environment.  Across from him is a man in a white suit, bald.  Behind the man in the suit in the distance is a pair of glowing red eyes.  Chino has a man in robes with a stick standing beside him.  The man is pale and has black hair.  This is Mythos.  On the other side of Mythos is a woman with red hair, and a walking stick as well.  This is Wiki.  The chess board has all the pieces on it, but they have not yet moved. 

Chino:  “Now, where was I?”

Mythos:  “Hang man.”

Man:  “You’ve been here before, you tell me.”

Wiki:  “He’s just playing with you, you’re always here, you’ve never left.”

Chino:  “Thanks, that really cleared things up.  Who’s that over there?”

Man:  “He’s got winner.  We’ve already beat him, he’s come all the way back from the end to the beginning, and is waiting on you.  Maybe you’ll give him a better game.”

Mythos:  “The Emperor.  The Heirophant.  You see both ways, upright and upside down, hang man.”

Wiki:  “He’s playing with you again.  There’s no beginning or end.”

PAGE 2.  PANEL 1.

Chino get’s up from the seat and walk’s past the man in white.  Mythos stays where he is standing.

Mythos:  “It is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you can win a hundred battles without a single loss.  If you only know yourself, but not your opponent, you may win or may lose.  If you know neither yourself nor your enemy, you will always endanger yourself.”

Man:  “You’re not ready yet.”

PAGE 2.  PANEL 2.

Chino is knocked back from going any further. 

Chino:  “Says you.”

Man:  “Says her.”

PAGE 2.  PANEL 3.

Chino looks out further and he sees Myung.

Chino:  “MYUNG!  What the fuck is going on?”

Mythos:  “Therefore one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the most skillful.  Seizing the enemy without fighting is the most skillful.”

Chino:  “Fuck your proverbs, let me through.”

Wiki:  “We can’t do that.”

Man:  “Don’t worry, it’s only a dream.”

Wiki:  “He’s playing with you again.  It’s all real.”

PAGE 2.  PANEL 4.

Chino bangs against an invisible wall.

Chino:  “MYUNG!”

Mythos:  “He’s not listening.”

Wiki:  “He never does.”

Mythos:  “Boy, wake up.”

PAGE 2.  PANEL 5.

Chino shoots up in bed

Chino:  “The fuck.”

PAGE 3.  PANEL 1.

Myung is sitting up on the bed.

Myung:  “Bad dream?”

PAGE 3.  PANEL 2.

Chino is hugging Myung.

Myung:  “You okay?”

PAGE 3.  PANEL 3.

Chino has let go.

Chino:  “Yeah, I just really missed you.”

Myung:  “Hah, I’m very flattered.  But let’s keep the big embraces for times when we’re apart for more than six hours.” 

PAGE 3.  PANEL 4.

Chino is holding his head.

Myung feels his forhead.

Myung:  “Are you sure…”

PAGE 3.  PANEL 5.

A flashback to the night before, Joshua is looking at Chino after Myung has entered.

Myung:  “Am I interrupting?”

Joshua (Thought bubble):  “TELL HER!”

Chino (Thought bubble):  “I’m going to!”

Joshua (Thought bubble):  “If you don’t, I will.”

PAGE 4.  PANEL 1.

Myung has gotten out of bed and is in the bathroom.

Chino:  “Just had too much to drink last night.”

Myung:  “Mmmm.  Hangover’s are...OW!”

Chino:  “What is it?”

PAGE 4.  PANEL 2.

Myung is holding up her hand, there is a cut on it.  Chino has run into the bathroom to see how she is doing.

Myung:  “Fuck.  I was reaching for my toothbrush and cut myself on some scissors.”

PAGE 4.  PANEL 3.

Chino has taken hold of her hand.

Chino:  “Let me see what I can do.”

Myung:  “What are talking about?  It’s not like you can…”

PAGE 4.  PANEL 4.

Chino is waving his hand over her hand.

Myung:  “…just wave your hand and poof it’ll be…”

PAGE 4.  PANEL 5.

Myung’s hand is entirely healed.

Myung:  “…gone.  The fuck?” 

PAGE 5.  PANEL 1.

Chino is getting dressed.  Myung is talking to him.

Myung:  “Are you going to tell me what that was all about?”

Chino:  “I swear I will, just not right now.”

Myung:  “Why?”

PAGE 5.  PANEL 2.

Myung sits with her arms crossed.  Looks at his watch.

Chino:  “I’m late for class.”

Myung:  “FEI FONG LEE, YOU WILL TELL ME WHAT’S GOING ON RIGHT NOW!”

Chino:  “I can’t, I’m really going to be late if I can’t go right now.  But I swear I will.”

PAGE 5.  PANEL 3.

Myung has uncrossed her arms, has walked over to him.

Chino:  “What?”

Myung:  “I’m mad.”

Chino:  “That’s not fair.”

PAGE 5.  PANEL 4.

Myung places her hand on his face.

Myung:  “Neither is pulling a miracle and walking away without explanation.”

Chino:  “Point taken.”

PAGE 5.  PANEL 5.

Drives him to his car.  Outside Abe’s and Frankie’s apartment.

Myung:  “Promise?”

Chino: “Promise!”

PAGE 5.  PANEL 6.

Myung leaves.

PAGE 6.  PANEL 1.

We’re inside a college classroom, there are about twenty students.  Chino and Abe are in class, it’s a comparative religions class, that can be noted on the board.  The teacher is lecturing on the topic of Gnosticism.  The term is written on the board and he is lecturing on it.  Chino doodles the Weltall symbol on his paper.

Professor:  “They believe that there is a true god and a false god.  The false god has trapped us in this world, and keeps us tied to materialistic things.  The true god is one of spiritualism and provides an escape to the demiurge, a.k.a. the false god…

PAGE 6.  PANEL 2.

Chino begins to hold his head.  Abe looks on from behind with concern.

Professor:  “…Ironically the demiurge is considered the creator god for the universe, so that is their explanation for the pain and suffering we experience in every day life.”

Abe(whisper):  “you okay?”

PAGE 6.  PANEL 3.

Chino has put his head on the desk.  Abe has put his arm on him from behind to let comfort him.

Professor: “Mr. Cunningham, can you take Mr. Lee to the restroom and see if he is alright.”

Abe:  “Yeah.  Come on man.”

Professor:  “Moving on, the other interesting aspect of Gnosticism is the presence of an equal female force, god’s wisdom, known as Sophia, she is a balancing force in the religion.”

PAGE 6.  PANEL 4.

Chino is throwing up into the bathroom toilet.

Abe (off panel):  “Too much partying man.  Told you not to go shot for shot with the Rev.”

PAGE 6.  PANEL 5.

Chino has wiped some of the vomit from his mouth and looks at it, it is like shiny mercury.  It’s talking to him.

Fluid:  “It’s coming.”

Chino:  “What?”

PAGE 6.  PANEL 6.

Abe has opened the door, Chino is looking back.

Abe:  “Too much whiskey.  Clean yourself up and lets get back to class.  I’m sure Troupe is none too happy with you right now, and I don’t want to be on his bad side as well.”

Chino:  “Thanks for the concern.”

Abe:  “That’s what friends are for.”

PAGE 6.  PANEL 7.

Chino looks back at the vomit, and it is just that, just vomit, no more shiny mercurial fluid.

PAGE 7.  PANEL 1.

Joshua and Chino are having coffee at the student coffee shop.

Joshua:  “It talked to you.”

Chino:  “Yeah, what the fuck.  And I had another dream about Myung, and that force I was talking about.”

Joshua:  “Did you tell her yet.”

Chino:  “Not yet.”

PAGE 7.  PANEL 2.

Joshua looks at his watch.

Joshua:  “I gotta go get stuff prepped for tomorrow night’s sermon.  You coming with your mom?”

Chino:  “Yeah, she’s meeting Myung and me there.”

Joshua:  “Stick around and I’ll introduce you to the lady.”

PAGE 7.  PANEL 3.

Abe is walking up.

Abe:  “Making house calls Rev?”

Joshua:  “Chino here was worried about you Abraham.  Said something about you not doing your homework for religion class.”

Abe:  “You’re such a snitch, I swear I’m going to turn that stuff in.

Joshua:  “Abraham?”

PAGE 7.  PANEL 4.

Joshua pats Abe on the shoulder.

Joshua:  “He didn’t say anything to me.  Do your fucking homework.”

Abe:  “Yessir.”

Chino:  “Bitch.”

Abe:  “Fuck you.”

PAGE 8.  PANEL 1.

Chino and Myung have pulled up to the church, and are already out of the car.  She wears a skirt and top, chino where’s a Long sleeve button up shirt, with jeans.  The long sleeves are rolled to the elbow.

Chino’s mother is walking up towards them.

Caption:  The Following Evening.

Myung:  “I’ve seen you wear long sleeves a lot, but not button up, why...”

Chino:  “Shhhh.”

Rosa:  “Hey guys.”

PAGE 8.  PANEL 2.

Chino hugs his mom.

Chino:  “Hey mom.”

Rosa:  “I didn’t see you leave?”

Chino:  “I was at Myung’s place.”

Myung:  “Hey Rosa.”

PAGE 8.  PANEL 3.

Rosa looks irritated, and continues looking at Chino.

Rosa:  “You should have told me, I wouldn’t have waited around for you.”

Chino:  “Well I usually come with Myung anyway, so why wait for me?”

Rosa:  “Never mind, let’s get inside.

PAGE 8.  PANEL 4.

Rosa walks ahead of them, Chino makes a choking motion with his hands.  Myung smiles.

Myung (whisper):  “I think she still hates me.”

PAGE 8.  PANEL 5.

Rosa has her phone out, Chino and Myung sit next to her, holding hands.

Chino:  “Mom, you should probably put your phone away.”

Rosa:  “You probably shouldn’t be holding hands in church.”

PAGE 8.  PANEL 6.

Chino does not let go of Myungs hand, and Rosa does not put her phone away.

Joshua (off panel through microphone):  “Good evening everyone.”

PAGE 9.  PANEL 1.

Joshua is preaching from the stand.

Joshua:  “I would like to thank my congregation for being here tonight.  I’m sure there are other places you could be, and other programs on television that you could watch…”

Crowd emits laughter.

Joshua:  “…but you chose to be here with your community and I appreciate that.  We do our best to help raise those children around us, and only as a strong community will we raise strong children.

PAGE 9.  PANEL 2.

Joshua looks to the side of the podium as he preaches, a blonde woman is reading “God Knows,” by Joseph Heller. 

Joshua:  “As Proverbs 13:24 says ‘those who love their children care enough discipline them.’  But we must also remember to be kind and tender with the disciplined child, or they will grow to resent us and hate us.  Yet, our nature is love.”

PAGE 9.  PANEL 3.

The woman is looking up and smiling and waving, only Joshua can see her from this angle.

Joshua:  “Love is the highest thing of all.  ‘Now these three things remain: faith, hope, and love.  But the greatest of these is love.’  1 Corinthians 13:13.

PAGE 9.  PANEL 4.

Chino is smiling at Myung.

Myung:  “Probably shouldn’t have such thoughts in church.”

Chino:  “We come here for forgiveness, so I think I’m okay.”

Myung:  “And one day I’ll let you act out those thoughts.

PAGE 9.  PANEL 5.

Myung pinches Chino on the arm.

PAGE 9.  PANEL 6.

Myung puts her head on his shoulder.

PAGE 10.  PANEL 1.

Everyone is leaving the church.  Chino and Myung stand next to his mom.

Chino:  “I need to talk to the reverend.  I’ll see you tomorrow, I’m going to drop by and pack to get ready to go to Coachella.”

Rosa:  “I guess it’s good that you come home at all.  Hope I see you then.”

PAGE 10.  PANEL 2.

Rosa has turned around to walk to her car.  Chino is flipping her off as she walks away.

Chino:  “Love you mom.”

Myung:  “Come on, you don’t hate her.”

Chino:  “No, but she sure pisses me off sometimes.  If you wonder why I’m at your place all the time…”

Myung:  “No, don’t forget, I’ve known her as long as I’ve known you, I know why.”

PAGE 10.  PANEL 3.

There is nobody left at the church.  Chino and Myung are standing outside having a cigarette.

Myung:  “So, something you wanted to tell me.”

Chino:  “Um…you’re hot?”

Myung:  “Try again smart ass because I am starting to get mad.”

Chino:  “You’re hair looks nice.”

Myung:  “That’s it, you’re going to need to get a ride from the Rev.”

PAGE 10.  PANEL 4.

Myung begins to walk away, Chino is going after her, Joshua and Daisy walk out of the church door.

Chino:  “Get back here, I’m going to tell, I swear.”

Joshua:  “Get back here you bonnie lassie.”

Myung:  “You’re just lucky I like his faux Irish.”

Joshua:  “Let’s go have a seat inside.”

PAGE 10.  PANEL 5.

Joshua hits himself on the head, Chino are walking into the church and greeting Daisy as Joshua introduces her.

Joshua:  “And before my lady begins to walk away for me displaying a lack of manners, Chino, Myung, this is Daisy O’Hare.”

Chino:  “Nice to meet you.”

Myung:  “Nice to meet you, you look lovely.”

Daisy:  “Nice to meet you two, I’ve heard a lot of good things.”

PAGE 11.  PANEL 1.

Chino and Myung walk into her apartment.

Chino:  “It’s nice to see the Rev so happy.”

Myung:  “And I love the fact that they met trying to find the last copy of ‘No Country for Old Men’ at Russo’s.”

Chino:  “Rather romantic.”

Myung:  “Yea.”

PAGE 11.  PANEL 2.

Chino is kissing Myung.

Myung:  “Mmmmm.”

PAGE 11.  PANEL 3.

Myung has pushed Chino away.

Myung:  “We’re still waiting.”

Chino:  “I know, I just wanted to kiss you.”

Myung:  “Okay, as long as you know that’s as far as it’s going.”

Chino:  “Fine with me.”

PAGE 11.  PANEL 4.

Chino goes in to kiss her again, but she puts an arm out to stop him.

Myung:  “Wait.”

Chino:  “I have breath mints.”

Myung:  “I believe you were supposed to tell me something.  I let you off the hook last night because I was tired, but now you have my undivided attention, and the longer it goes without you telling me the worse its going to be.”

PAGE 11.  PANEL 5.

Chino looks away.

Chino:  “Can we make a deal.”

Myung:  “What is it?”

Chino:  “Can I tell you on the way to Coachella.”

Myung:  “Why?”

Chino:  “I just… I just need to find out a little bit more, okay.  It’s still new to me as well.”

Myung:  “…I guess.”

PAGE 11.  PANEL 6.

Myung is hugging Chino.

Myung:  “Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere.”

Chino: “I hope not.”

PAGE 12.  PANEL 1.

The Man sits in a biker bar, he is drinking coffee.  There many other patrons around him.  Two big bikers sit right next to him.

Biker 1:  “The fuck is wrong with you?”

The Man:  “Iraq.”

Biker 2:  “That’s some fucked up shit.  Like Vietnam, and those napalmed kids.”

PAGE 12.  PANEL 2.

The two bikers continue to talk.

Biker 1: “I paid off Washington and Fitch, so they won’t be talking about that shit coming in.”

Biker 2:  “Nice.  I can’t wait for that pay load.  We load that shit off on the niggers and it’ll be a huge pay day.”

PAGE 12.  PANEL 3.

Biker 1 gets up from the bar. 

Biker 1:  “I gotta piss.”

Biker 2:  “Fuck, me too.”

PAGE 12.  PANEL 4.

Biker 1 is in a toilet stall, Biker 2 is at a urinal, there is a broken urinal next to Biker 2, and another workable toilet stall next to biker one.  The Man is walking in behind them.

PAGE 12.  PANEL 5.

The man is in the stall, he is putting a suppressor (silencer) on his pistol, the pistol is a Beretta 92 FS. 

PAGE 13.  PANEL 1.

While Biker 2 flushes his urinal, the Man is shooting Biker 1 in the head.

PAGE 13.  PANEL 2.

Biker 1 has fallen forward, and there is blood on the ground, as well as the wall that we can see above and below the toilet stall wall.

Biker 2 is washing his hands.  The man is approaching behind him.

PAGE 13.  PANEL 3.

Biker 2 looks up into the mirror and sees the man with a knife in his hand.

Biker 2:  “THE FUCK!”

PAGE 13.  PANEL 4.

The Man has spun him around and has the knife to his throat.

The Man:  “Sssshhhhhhh.”

Biker 2: “Money, man, if that’s what you want, I got a lot.  Just let me make this deal and…”

The Man:  “Don’t want money.”

PAGE 13.  PANEL 5.

The Man makes a big swipe with his arm and there is blood flying out of the throat of Biker 2.

The Man:  “That’s what I want.”

PAGE 13.  PANEL 6.

The Man has walked out of the restroom, and is heading towards the exit.

PAGE 13.  PANEL 7.

The Man gets on a motorcycle that belonged to Biker 1.

The Man:  “Got what I want.”

PAGE 14.  PANEL 1.

Chino is singing, Steph is playing guitar, Chi is playing bass, and Abe is playing drums.

Chino (singing):  “What of this mongrel architect a broken arm of sewers set past present and future tense clipside of the pinkeye fountain…”

PAGE 14.  PANEL 2.

Chino:  “Now I'm lost.  It's been said long time ago you'll be the first and last to know You'll never know.”

PAGE 14.  PANEL 3.

Steph and Chi have put down their respective guitars, Abe is standing up from his drum set.

Steph:  “That was some good shit.  I like when we cover other people’s shit, makes us sound like experienced musicians.”

Chino:  “When Frankie get’s his mixing shit together we’ll be all set.”

PAGE 14.  PANEL 4.

Chi and Chino are talking.

Chi:  “When do we head out?”

Chino:  “Tomorrow night at 5:30.”

Chi:  “Beat L.A. traffic if we leave that late, which is great.”

Chino:  “That’s what I was thinking.”

PAGE 14.  PANEL 5.

Chi whisper to Chino.

Chi:  “My sister keeps asking me what’s going on.  Are you going to tell her?”

Chino:  “Yeah, on the road, I swear.”

PAGE 14.  PANEL 6.

They give each other a fist bump.

Chi:  “Cool, not that I have a problem lying to her, it just gets annoying with the questioning.”

Chino:  “You’re such a good brother.”

Chi:  “So, you going to hook me up with Mala.”

Chino:  “My cousin will not date you’re ass.”

PAGE 14.  PANEL 7.

Chi looks unimpressed by this statement.

Chi:  “Good, cus’ it’s not my ass that’s interested.”

Steph (off panel):  “Come get your smoke on bitches, Frankie just showed up.”

PAGE 15.  PANEL 1.

Three shadowy men sit at a desk.  A doctor stands in front of them, under a spotlight, he is clearly beneath them, and he has too look up to them.

Blicero (the man in the middle):  “How goes the progress with our patients?”

Doctor:  “It’s all been very interesting so far.  Rapid healing rates for themselves and the ability to apply it to others, even those with out the supposed extra chromosomes.  Increased dexterity.  Subject 23 was stabbed and all it was able to do was create a nick no worse than shaving.”

Wintergreen (Man on the left):  “Impressive.  This is good news.  Any other oddities you’ve noticed?

PAGE 15.  PANEL 2.

The doctor looks over his chart.

Doctor:  “One of the patients recently got out of their restraints, and we wondered how this happened.  At first we thought it was the increased strength that they’ve shown, but now we’ve determined it was something else.”

Milo (the man on the right):  “What?”

PAGE 15.  PANEL 3.

The doctor is pointing at his head.

Doctor:  “We know they’re telepathic, and as we have long hoped since we began this project, they have the ability to influence the mind, not just read it.”

Wintergreen (the man on the left):  “So they are able to take control of the minds of others?”

Doctor:  “Yes, I suspect that if they weren’t so drugged up they would be controlling our every move.  But since we keep them constantly sedated, it is only strong desires that leak out.”

PAGE 15.  PANEL 4.

Doctor looks over his notes.

Blicero ( the man in the middle):  “What desires?”

Doctor:  “The doctor who let the patient out kept hearing constant pleas of “let me go,” over and over again, until he was lured over.”

Milo (the man on the right):  “Hmmmm….we can’t have weak willed individuals like that.  Blicero, will you please take care of that.”

Blicero (the man on the right):  “Mm.  You are dismissed.”

PAGE 15.  PANEL 5.

The doctor begins to walk away.

Milo (the man on the right):  “Everything will be under our control, everyone will finally profit, for what is good for me, is good for everyone.”

Wintergreen (the man on the left):  “Is that you’re foot I’m stepping on?”

Milo (the man on the right):  “Isn’t that your own foot?”

Wintergreen (the man on the left):  “Hmm, must be.”

PAGE 16.  PANEL 1.

Chino is at work, he is cleaning up tables.  His Chinese grandmother comes by to talk to him.

Grandma Lee: “Good job Fei.  When you leave?”

Chino:  “Tomorrow night, Grandma Lee.”

Grandma Lee:  “Oh, you have fun there.  You going with the Changs?”

Chino:  “Yeah, and my cousin Mala is coming.”

Grandma Lee:  “No drinking.”

Chino:  “No.”

Grandma Lee:  “Oh, look.”

PAGE 16.  PANEL 2.

Grandma Lee is pointing.  Only her arm is in the panel.

Grandma Lee:  “You’re other grandma is here, with auntie and cousin too.”

Chino:  “Hey guys.”

Grandma Lee:  “Hey, he be over as soon as he finish cleaning.  Take your break and go sit with them.”

Chino:  “You sure?”

Grandma Lee:  “Yeah.”

PAGE 16.  PANEL 3.

This is his Mexican Grandma and aunt.  Rosa Sr., grandma, and Lydia, aunt.  Lydia is Mala’s mom.  Mala is around 20, couple years older than Chino.  Pretty Mexican girl, with a Punk style.

Gradma:  “Well, when are you two leaving.”

Mala and Chino:  “Tomorrow night…JINX.”

PAGE 16.  PANEL 4.

Mala and Chino hit each other.

PAGE 16.  PANEL 5.

Mala and Chino are rubbing their arms where they got hit.

Lydia:  “Do you guys need any money.”

Mala:  “No, we’re okay.”

Chino:  “Yeah, we’re okay.”

PAGE 17.  PANEL 1.

Chino is eating with the rest of them.  His Rosa Sr. is hugging and kissing him.

Grandma:  “Mmmwwaa, my little boy.  He never comes to see me no more.  It’s his little girlfriend, keeping him busy.”

Lydia:  “Mom, leave him alone.”

Mala:  “What’s up with that coz?  She crackin’ the whip on you?”

PAGE 17.  PANEL 2.

Chino takes some of Mala’s food.

Chino:  “I can’t wait til we’re on the road.  Trapped in a car, with you, Myung, and Chi.”

Mala:  “Oh shit.  I MEAN SHOOT!”

Lydia:  “Miha.”

PAGE 17.  PANEL 3.

Mala takes some of Chino’s food.

Grandma:  “I miss little Chi.  He is so cute.”

Chino:  “That’s what he’s hopin’ Mala thinks.”

Mala:  “I’m not going out with him.  Just coz you’re dating his sister does not make this an exchange program.”

Chino:  “I already told him you would.”

PAGE 17.  PANEL 4.

Mala is throwing her food at Chino.  Grandma is counting money.

Mala:  “I hate you.”

Chino:  “Grandma, did you hear that.”

PAGE 17.  PANEL 5 & 6.

Grandma hands a stack to Mala and stack to Chino.

Grandma:  “Buy some t-shirts.”

Mala and Chino:  “GRANDMA!”

PAGE 17.  PANEL 7 & 8.

Grandma is kissing Mala and Chino on the head.

Grandma:  “Just take it.”

Mala and Chino:  “Thank you grandma.”

PAGE 18.  PANEL 1.

Chino is dreaming about The Man, but in this form he is on fire, his black coat is still on, but his skin that we would normally see is on fire.

Chino (Caption):  “Who are you?”

The Man:  “Cleansing fire, to destroy all that is unclean.”

Chino (Caption):  “But what is unclean?  Aren’t we all unclean?”

PAGE 18.  PANEL 2.

The Man has now completely enveloped in flame, but his coat is still intact, it does not melt or char from the fire.

The Man: “Yes, so we will all burn.  I will consume all those who have no purpose.”

PAGE 18.  PANEL 3.

The panel is nothing but fire.

Chino (Caption):  “I don’t want to feel this…”

PAGE 18.  PANEL 4 & 5.

Chino wakes up in a car driving at night next to Myung.   The panel next to it is the man waking up in a hotel room bed.

Chino:  “Consume…”

The Man:  “…all that is impure.”

PAGE 18.  PANEL 6.

Myung touches Chino’s hand.

Myung:  “You okay.”

Chino:  “All burn, including you.”

Myung:  “What?”

PAGE 19.  PANEL 1.

Chino is holding Myung’s hand that was cut.  He begins concentrating, and starts talking to her telepathically.

Chino (thought bubble):  “Can you hear me?”

Myung:  “Of course I…wait how are you--“

Chino (thought bubble):  “Not with your voice, in your mind.”

PAGE 19.  PANEL 2.

Myung looks at Chino and begins thinking back at him.

Myung (thought bubble):  “Are you reading my mind?”

Chino (thought bubble):  “Not really, we’re just talking using our minds instead of our mouths.”

Myung (thought bubble):  “How is this possible?”

PAGE 19.  PANEL 3.

Chino let’s go of her hand and holds himself.

Chino (thought bubble):  “I don’t know, it’s just something I’ve always kind of been able to do.”

Myung (thought bubble):  “Always?”

Chino (thought bubble):  “Yea.  My mom would tell me that I would tell what she was thinking.  That I almost knew her and my dad we’re getting divorced.  Maybe I knew that he was planning on leaving.”

Myung (thought bubble):  “Oh, I’m sorry.”

Chino (thought bubble):  “No, it’s okay.  It also helped me get up the courage to ask you out to dinner, because I kind of got the feeling you would say yes.”

PAGE 19.  PANEL 4.

Myung is looking at Chino, she has put her hand on his shoulder.

Myung (thought bubble):  “Always wondered what made you do it.”

Chino (thought bubble):  “Do you think I’m a freak?  Because I have no idea what’s causing me to be able to do this.  I know I said I would explain, and this is the best that I can do.  I have no idea why I can do this.”

PAGE 19.  PANEL 5.

Myung puts her head on his shoulder.

Myung (thought bubble):  “You’re not a freak.  This is actually really interesting.  But can you do me one favor?”

Chino (thought bubble):  “Of course.”

Myung (thought bubble):  “Don’t read my thoughts if you can help it.”

Chino (thought bubble):  “Of course, that would take some concentration, and I don’t want to betray your trust that way.”

PAGE 20.  PANEL 1.

The car drives on the landscape of the dessert at night.

Myung (thought bubble):  “Thanks for that.”

Chino (thought bubble):  “Don’t mention it.”

Myung (thought bubble):  “What am I thinking right now?”

Chino (thought bubble):  “That Coachella is going to kick fucking ass.”

PAGE 20.  PANEL 2.

Mala is driving in the front seat, Chi is looking out the window.

Mala:  “You two love birds awake?”

Chino:  “Yeah.”

Myung:  “Just talking.”

Mala:  “What?  I couldn’t hear a thing.”

PAGE 20.  PANEL 3.

Chino and Myung look at each other smiling.

THE END

NEXT: COACHELLA