46 & 2 Issue Six

Toxicity

46 & 2 Issue 6:

By

Zachary Smith

PAGE 1.  PANEL 1.

Abe, Steph, and Frankie are walking away from a place that is pretty much Jerry’s Pizza, so we will just call it that.  There are groups of people in the alley that runs between Chester and Eye.  Abe is in front of the pack, he wears baggy jeans, and a big shirt.  Steph has a pony tail, Dickies cut off shorts, and a tighter shirt, because he is kind of big, like a Jack Black size, his belly sticks out a little, but not hugely.  Frankie wears a hat, dickies pants, converse, and a black shirt.  He is bit stocky, but not really fat.

Abe:  “Can’t believe that shit that the Rev told us.”

Steph:  “Yea, I didn’t think that Chino would be so stupid to get that fucked up.”

Frankie:  “And Chi let him too.  Dumb asses.”

Abe:  “Yeah, and I’m supposed to be the fuck up.”

PAGE 1.  PANEL 2.

Take the same angle, but move out a little bit.  They are progressing through the alley.  A girl is fighting with her boyfriend in the distance, she’s getting hit.

Frankie:  “No worse a fuck up than that band.”

Steph:  “I’m glad we got out of there, that was some awful shit.  Dreamsequence, bleh.”

Abe:  “Hehe yea---Woh!  Did you see that shit.  That’s not right.”

Steph:  “What?”

Abe:  “That guy just hit that girl, fuck that.”

PAGE 1.  PANEL 3.

Abe is running over there, Frankie is close behind, Steph trails a little because of his size.

Side profile of them running down the alley.

Abe:  “I’m going to kick that fucker’s ass.”

Frankie:  “ABE!”

Steph:  “Fuck, slow down.”

PAGE 2.  PANEL 1.

Abe is pushing over the guy as they run up.  Frank is right behind Abe, backing him up.  Steph is still running in to catch up.

Abe:  “Back off, fuck face.”

Boyfriend:  “HEY!”

PAGE 2.  PANEL 2.

Is helping the girl up from the ground.  I’d love a side profile, Back to the Future shot of them, George McFly helping up Lorraine.

Abe:  “Are you okay?”

Girlfriend:  “Yeah, yeah.  Thanks.

Abe:  “No problem.”

Girlfriend:  “LOOK OUT!”

PAGE 2.  PANEL 3.

Abe hunches forward, he is being stabbed in the back by the boyfriend.

Frankie:  “Fuck.”

PAGE 2.  PANEL 4.

Frankie angles to catch Abe.  Steph is punching the boyfriend out.

Steph:  “Fucking coward.”

PAGE 2.  PANEL 5.

View from below as Steph is stomping on the boyfriend.

Frankie:  “STEPHAN!”

PAGE 2.  PANEL 6.

Stephan is looking at Frankie holding Abe.  The Girlfriend is crying, the boyfriend is out cold and bloody.

Steph:  “Shit.  What do we do?”

PAGE 3.  PANEL 1.

Mala, Chi, and Myung are talking in the car.  Chino is asleep in the back of the car.  Make sure anytime Chino’s right wrist is seen, you can see the bandages on it, to remind us that he hasn’t been able to heal himself.

Mala:  “I can’t believe that shit this morning.”

Chi:  “Yeah, scariest thing I’ve ever woken up to.”

Myung:  “I can’t believe Chino’s still asleep.”

Mala:  “He was the first one up when it happened.  I remember waking up to the sound, and he was already at the window.”

Myung:  “Weird…”

PAGE 3.  PANEL 2.

Myung brushes Chino’s face with her hand.

Myung:  “…this has been a bad weekend for him.”

Mala:  “Don’t feel sorry for him girl, he’s the dumb ass that thought acting like Ken Kesey was a good idea.”

Chi:  “Who’s that?”

Myung:  “One Flew Over the Koo Koo’s Nest.”

PAGE 3.  PANEL 3.

Mala is driving, Chi is looking at her, the background we can see Myung holding Chino’s hand.  Chi’s phone is ringing.

Mala:  “Use to drive around in a bus, drinking kool-aid laced with acid.  Eventually he burned out, never did anything great again.”

Myung:  “I think Chino learned his lesson though.”

Mala:  “He better have, if he can’t handle his shit, he shouldn’t have done it.”

Chi:  “Let me get that.”

PAGE 3.  PANEL 4.

Chi is answering his phone.

Chi:  “Whattup Steph?  Oh fuck, you’re kidding me.  When?  Yeah, I’ll have her drop me and Chino there.”

Myung:   “What happened?”

PAGE 3.  PANEL 5.

Chi is looking back at Myung.

Chi:  “Abe was stabbed last night.  He was breaking up a fight, and this asshole stabbed him from behind.  Mala, can you drop us off at the hospital?”

Mala:  “Yeah, yeah, no problem.  I hope he’s okay.”

Chi:  “It doesn’t sound good.”

PAGE 3.  PANEL 6.

A shot of Chino sleeping.

Chi:  “Sounds like we need a miracle.”

PAGE 4.  PANEL 1.

Chino is having a cigarette, Chi is waiting on him.

Chi:  “Hurry up man.”

Chino:  “I know, I know, I’m just really nervous, and tired, this is keeping me steady.”

Chi:  “Why are you so tired?”

Chino:  “Feels like I was awake all night, but I don’t remember staying up.”

PAGE 4.  PANEL 2.

Chi and Chino are going up the elevator.

Chi:  “I hate hospitals.”

Chino:  “Doesn’t everybody?  I just feel all this death around me right now, and it’s creeping me out.  I can actually hear them.”

Chi:  “Yeah?  What does it sound like?”

Chino:  “A big “PLEASE,” then fill in the blank:  kill me, let me out of here, make my family come see me.  I hate it.”

PAGE 4.  PANEL 3.

Chi and Chino are walking down the hall, nurses, doctors, medical beds with patients, pass them as they walk.

Chi:  “You never used to be this sensitive.”

Chino:  “Yeah, but after Coachella it’s all been weird.”

Chi:  “Like ripping a truck door off its hinges.”

Chino:  “For instance.  But that didn’t even feel like me.  I’m just hoping that I can help Abe.”

PAGE 4.  PANEL 4.

They stand outside Abe’s hospital room.

Chi:  “We all wish we can help.”

Chino:  “Yeah, but I might actually be able to do something.”

Chi:  “What do you mean?”

Chino:  “’For I will restore health unto thee and will heal thee of thy wounds.’”

Chi:  “Can you really do it?”

Chino:  “I’ve been able to heal some cuts over the last few weeks, so I think so.”

Chi:  “Get in there then.”

PAGE 5.  PANEL 1.

Abe is plugged in, everywhere, he is sleeping, but only because he has been sedated.  Frankie and Steph are by the bed, Chino and Chi are Giving them hugs.   I would like tiny panels showing close ups of the plugs and the tubes going into him.  His heart monitor as well.

Steph:  “Out of one hospital, and into another.”

Chino:  “I know.”

Frankie:  “Glad you were okay.”

Chi:  “He was just being a dumbass.”

PAGE 5.  PANEL 2.

The four of them stand around Abe’s bed.

Chino:  “What was he thinking?”

Frankie:  “You know him, damsel in distress.”

Steph:  “His dad really messed him up on that.”

Chi:  “That guy was a piece of shit, I was glad when he left.”

Chino:  “Indeed.”

PAGE 5.  PANEL 3.

Chi is looking at Frankie.

Chi: “ What did the doctors say?”

Frankie:  “Nothing different than when I talked to you: spinal damage, possible blood poisoning from piercing the small intestines.  They’re not saying he’s dying, but they’re not saying he’s okay either.”

Chino:  “The Rev. been by?”

Steph:  “Yeah, he took Abe’s mom to work to see if they’ll excuse her for the day, then he was going to drop her off and come back here.”

PAGE 5.  PANEL 4.

Chi is looking down at Abe.

Chi:  “He looks even more pale than usual.  Stupid white boy.”

Chino:  “Guys, there is something I need to tell you, so don’t freak out.”

Frankie:  “What?”

Steph:  “This sounds serious?”

Chino:  “It is so listen…”

PAGE 5.  PANEL 5.

Focus on Chino’s face.

Chino:  “…Lately I’ve been able to do certain…things.  Like what?  That’s what you’re thinking Steph, and that is one of them.  I’ve been able to read minds—don’t interrupt Frankie, save the thought for later—but in addition to that, I’ve noticed my strength has increased, and I’ve been able to heal some wounds…”

Steph(off panel):  “Fucking heal him.”

Chino:  “I will Steph, I just wanted to tell you guys first.  I’ve been keeping it in, I’ve only told Chi and the Rev.  I just barely told Myung a few days ago.  I’ve been freaked out, and I didn’t want you guys thinking I was some freak.”

PAGE 6.  PANEL 1.

Steph is smiling, Frank is looking at Steph.

Steph:  “What did I tell you about that tattoo.”

Chino:  “It started before that.  I’ve been able to do things since I was a little kid, but I’ve always hidden it, or thought that I was just crazy or something, like it wasn’t real.  I need you guys to be okay with me.”

Frankie:  “Of course.”

Steph:  “I don’t care if you have fucking antennas coming out of your ass, if you can help Abe, then do it.”

Chino:  “Okay.  You guys lift him up, have his back towards me.”

PAGE 6.  PANEL 2.

They have lifted Abe, he is angled on his side, his back is exposed, except where he is bandaged.  Chi is looking at one of the stab wounds.

Chino:  “Chi, look at his wound and let’s see how quickly I can get rid of them.”

Chi:  “It looks pretty bad.”

Chino:  “Figured.  Now, everyone quiet, so I can concentrate.”

PAGE 6.  PANEL 3.

Shot of Chino’s face, he is concentrating as hard he can.  Face is squinted, teeth clenched.

Caption:  “COME ON!”

PAGE 6.  PANEL 4.

Chino’s eyes are opened, he is looking to the side.

Chino:  “Did it work?”

PAGE 6.  PANEL 5.

Chi looks up at Chino, his head is shaking.

Chino:  “FUCK!  Hold on, let me try again.”

PAGE 6.  PANEL 6.

Chino’s hands are being placed again on Abe’s back.

Joshua (off panel):  “The fuck are you lads doing?”

PAGE 7.  PANEL 1.

The boys are putting Abe down on his bed, gently.

Chino:  “Shit!”

Steph:  “Nothing Rev., Chino just said he could help Abe.”

Joshua:  “Aye.  Didn’t work?”

PAGE 7.  PANEL 2.

They all look at each other.

Chino:  “…no.”

PAGE 7.  PANEL 3.

Chino hits the wall.

Chino:  “FUCK!  I just don’t know what’s been going on.”

PAGE 7.  PANEL 4.

Joshua puts his hand on Chino’s shoulder.

Joshua:  “It’s okay, son, it’s okay.  We all feel this way.”

Chino:  “Yeah, but you guys can’t heal people.  This is messing me up, these abilities should be worth something.  Right now they’re worth fuck all.”

Chi:  “Maybe that freak out at Coachella messed you up more than you thought.”

PAGE 7.  PANEL 5.

A shot of broken tail light and a hand.  This tail light belongs to the security guard’s car.

Chino:  “Something is…stopping me.”

PAGE 8.  PANEL 1.

Chino is walking back to the hotel room, he is looking at the empty bucket of ice.

Chino:  “Like I’m forgetting how to do it.”

Joshua:  “Take a break, and don’t let this weigh you down.”

PAGE 8.  PANEL 2.

Chino is watching the security guard’s car from the hotel window, it is the middle of the night, and everyone else is asleep.

Frankie (caption):  “What I want to know is, what are these things that you’ve been able to do.”

Chino (caption):  “Let’s go outside.”

PAGE 8.  PANEL 3.

Chino, Joshua, and Steph are smoking, Frankie and Chi are standing with them.

Chino:  “Frankie, to be honest with you and everyone else, I have no idea what these things are, or where they came from.  I’ve just been able to do them for a while.”

Steph:  “What things?”

Chino:  “I can read thoughts, I’m super strong, and recently I’ve been able to heal wounds.”

Frankie:  “What the fuck?  This is so weird, it’s like you’re an Xavier student.”

PAGE 8.  PANEL 4.

Joshua puts his hand on Frankie and Steph’s shoulders.

Joshua:  “Boys, I know it’s odd, but look at it as a gift.  And I think Chino’s smart enough to be able to handle it.”

Chi:  “If it ever comes back.  Have you tried your telepathy?”

Chino:  “Yea, it works.”

PAGE 8.  PANEL 5.

Everyone is standing around, we can see there thoughts.

Joshua (thought bubble):  “Poor kids.”

Chi (thought bubble):  “He’s been so weird since the O.D.”

Steph (thought bubble):  “Weird.  Is he normal?”

Frankie (thought bubble):  “I hope its real then he can save Abe.”

PAGE 9.  PANEL 1.

Chino is looking at his right wrist.

PAGE 9.  PANEL 2.

Chino has fallen to his knees, still looking at his wrist.

Chino:  “It was…”

PAGE 9.  PANEL 3.

Flashback to the white room.  A shot of Chino’s right wrist being grabbed by the burning man.

Chino (caption):  “…real?”

PAGE 9.  PANEL 4.

The burning man is in A warehouse in Chicago, loading a clip into a pistol.  The warehouse has nothing much in it, just a cot, a sink, a shower station, and racks and racks of weapons.  There are a couple different utility closets around.

Burning man:  “It’s almost here.  All out war.”

PAGE 9.  PANEL 5.

The burning man pulls a closet door, there is a man in there.  He is an older Hispanic gentleman.  The man is beaten and bloody.  He is bound and gagged. 

PAGE 9.  PANEL 6.

The burning man pulls the Hispanic man out of the closet.

The burning man:  “We need to talk.”

PAGE 10.  PANEL 1.

The burning man has put the Hispanic man into a chair.  The burning man is also brandishing a knife.

The burning man:  “I saw you dealing your shit on a corner.  First you’re going to tell me who the corner belongs to, then where I can find them.  And here’s to show you I’m not playing around…”

PAGE 10.  PANEL 2.

The burning man stands in front of the other man, so that we cannot see what is being done.

Hispanic man: (muffled scream)

PAGE 10.  PANEL 3.

The burning man holds an eye ball in his right hand.  Tight shot of this, so that is all we see.

The burning man:  “You will still be able to see with the other one, if you’re completely honest with me.”

PAGE 10.  PANEL 4.

The burning man is removing the man’s gag, the blade is in his right hand as he does this, it has some blood on it from when he cut the eye ball out.  The man’s left eye socket is bloody, and has blood leaking down that side of his face, some of it is on the gag because it would have spread by this point.

The burning man:  “Let us talk.”

PAGE 10.  PANEL 5.

The Hispanic man looks at the burning man.

Hispanic man:  “I’ll tell you…just…ahhhh…just tell me what you are.”

The burning man:  “Me?  I’m the good guy.”       

PAGE 11. PANEL 1.

Chino is sitting in the hospital room, it’s night time, the T.V. is on.  Chino looks at Abe, who is still hooked into all of the machines.

Joshau (off panel):  “What’s up?”

Chino:  “Huh?”

PAGE 11.  PANEL 2.

Joshua gives Chino a cup of coffee, he has one of his own.  In his hand that is carrying the coffee he also has a grocery bag that has sandwiches in it.

Joshua:  “A pick me up.”

Chino:  “Thanks.  Where is everybody?”

Joshua:  “After you walked up here without saying a word they all slowly trickled off, back into the real world:  Frankie and Steph went to work, and Chi is home sleeping.  How come you’re not knocking out?”

Chino:  “I want to, believe me.”

PAGE 11.  PANEL 3.

Joshua pulls a sandwich out of the bag he was carrying, he is offering it to Chino.

Chino:  “You’re the santa of the hospital.”

Joshua:   “It’s nothing.”

Joshua:  “What happened in Coachella?”

PAGE 11.  PANEL 4.

Chino looks at Joshua.

Chino: “…I don’t know.”

PAGE 11.  PANEL 5.

Chino looks down.

Chino:  “And even if I did, I couldn’t explain it.  I took a shitload of hallucinogens, then had some freak out.  That’s it.”

Joshua:  “You sure?  You’re abilities have been all wonky since then Chi said.  He also says you’ve been acting weird.  Like you don’t know where you’ve been the whole time.”

Chino:  “What a blabber mouth.”

Joshua:  “Don’t be mad at him, he’s just concerned.”

Chino:  “And he thinks I’m weird.  So does Steph.”

PAGE 12.  PANEL 1.

Joshua is pulling out his sandwich.

Joshua:  “Did you read that from their minds?”

Chino:  “Yeah.  It’s how I still know that the ability works.”

Joshua:  “But none of the other ones.”

Chino:  “Well…”

PAGE 12.  PANEL 2.

Chino looks at his bandaged wrist.

Chino:  “I haven’t been able to make this burn go away.  And to boot, I don’t even know how I got it.  But…”

Joshua:  “But what?”

Chino:  “I…ripped a truck door off its hinges the day after my episode.”

PAGE 12.  PANEL 3.

Joshua has a look of concern on his face.

Joshau:  “Chi didn’t tell me that.”

Chino:  “Yeah, he’s just trying to not get me in trouble.  I almost beat the shit out of some guys for calling us Chinks.”

Joshua:  “Though they probably deserved it, you know better.”

Chino:  “I know.  It’s just…”

Joshua:  “What?”

PAGE 12.  PANEL 4.

Chino is looking at Joshua.

Chino:  “I don’t really remember doing it.  It’s like I’m there, then blank, then I’m there again.  Like my memory are comic panels and those black outs are the gutters, the blank spots between.”

Joshau:  “You don’t remember it at all?”

Chino:  “Not really.  It feels more like a dreamed I just remembered from childhood.  Not all the way there, but familiar at the same time.”

Joshua:  “But nothing else?  No other abilities present, or working?”

PAGE 12.  PANEL 5.

Chino looks over at Abe.

Chino:  “No.  Nothing.”

PAGE 13.  PANEL 1.

Blicero looks out from an observation room, he looks upon rows and rows of hospital beds with people all about Chino’s age (18) and a little younger.  A man dressed in a lab coat has approached Blicero from behind.

Doctor:  “Sir, our suspicions have been confirmed.  It is great news.  Patient 1 has demonstrated extreme levels of telekinesis, and has been able to impose her will upon other test subjects.”

Blicero:  “This is great news.  Soon this Grettal will be ready to head back into the woods and find any of our missing children that need a new home.”

PAGE 13.  PANEL 2.

A white room with doctors walking around a young lady with red hair.  The young lady with red hair is Scarlettt.  One of them holds a gun that he is cocking.  The rest of the doctors stand around with clipboards waiting to see what is about to happen.

Doctor:  “Test for telekinesis and mind control complete.  Now test dexterity.  Based upon our observations, some of the patients can withstand a high amount of impact with little damage resulting to their frame.  Patient 1 has so far been the most promising, and now we are testing to see how much damage ballistic impact will have.”

PAGE 13.  PANEL 3.

The doctor fires the gun.  There is a flash from the shell being released.

PAGE 13.  PANEL 4.

Scarlettt’s face is wincing in pain.

PAGE 13.  PANEL 5.

A bullet sticks out of her left shoulder.  It has barely broken the skin, the impact was more like bebe pellet as opposed to a shell from a handgun.  There is a little blood, but not enough to indicate major harm.

Doctor (off panel):  “Gentlemen, I think we have our first efficient subject.  All abilities are accounted for, and with the maximum amount of ability possible.  We can now inform Minderbender, Wintergreen, and Blicero.”

PAGE 14.  PANEL 1.

Milo and Wintergreen are sitting a table having lunch.

Milo:  “I hear it’s almost all done.  Soon will have soldiers that we can sell to the highest bidder, and all of that will comeback to us in the Syndicate.”

Wintergreen:  “That sounds great.  How much are we going to sell them for?”

PAGE 14.  PANEL 2.

Milo has picked up a cup of coffee that he is about to drink from.

Milo:  “With the way the economy is headed they’re going to want reassurance that they are going to be well protected.  So I figure about twice the price for one of our Stealth Fighters.”

Wintergreen:  “We never got around to actually making those planes.”

Milo:  “That’s good, because now they won’t need them.  They will get the perfect soldiers, all for pittance of what they actually worth.  Besides, they got such a great deal on those planes.”

Wintergreen:  “That is a lot of money for something they never actually got.”

PAGE 14.  PANEL 3.

Milo puts his coffee cup down.

Milo:  “That’s capitalism for ya:  give the government a lot of money and then wait for them to give it back to you.”

Wintergreen:  “I don’t think that’s capitalism.”

Milo:  “Oh no, that’s capitalism.  The American way.”

PAGE 14.  PANEL 4.

A doctor has entered the lunch room.

Doctor:  “Sirs!  We have great news, the tests seem to be complete, and now patient 1 is fully operational.”

Milo:  “Everything is turning out great.  Now we just need to have the rest of the soldiers up and ready, but I think we can start selling them as it is.  They just have to wait a little bit to get the actual soldiers.”

Wintergreen:  “Who are we selling them too?”

Milo:  “Whoever wants to buy.”

PAGE 14.  PANEL 5.

Blicero has walked in behind the doctor.

Milo:  “Come to celebrate with us?”

PAGE 14.  PANEL 6.

Blicero shoots Milo and Wintergreen in the head, killing them.  The doctor is terrified.

Blicero:  “No longer need you around.”

PAGE 15.  PANEL 1.

Chino is outside smoking with Joshua, it is night time. 

Joshua:  “Visiting hours will be over soon.”

Chino:  “I know.  I just don’t feel like going home.  I’d rather sit next to Abe.”

Joshua:  “It’s not going to make him better.”

Chino:  “…”

PAGE 15.  PANEL 2.

Joshua blows out some smoke.

Joshua:  “I know you feel guilty about something, lord knows what, but it shouldn’t be this.  Abe made his choice, and under the circumstances it was the right choice.  Some arsehole shouldn’t be hitting his bird and Abe made sure of that.  The twat was a coward and stabbed a man when his back was turned.”

Chino:  “One of the bad ones.”

Joshua:  “He’s just not playing fair, yeh know?  I know you thought you could help, and I love you for trying, but you should not feel guilty about this.”

Chino:  “I know.  Maybe it’s something else, I don’t know.”

PAGE 15.  PANEL 3.

A car backfires in the distance, Chino is startled.

Joshua:  “What’s wrong?  It’s just a car.”

Chino:  “I don’t know, it’s like…”

PAGE 15.  PANEL 4.

The car exploding back at the hotel.

Chino:  “…a bad flashback.”

PAGE 15.  PANEL 5.

Joshua puts out his cigarette.

Joshua:  “I’m going to go say bye for the night.  You should do the same when you’re ready.”

Chino:  “Yeah.”

PAGE 16.  PANEL 1.

Joshua is leaving the hospital room as Chino comes in.

Joshua:  “Tell him bye and leave.  No good just beating yourself up over something you can’t fix.”

Chino:  “Let me think about it.”

Joshua:  “My own martyr.”

PAGE 16.  PANEL 2.

Chino is sitting in a chair next to Abe’s hospital bed, watching him.

PAGE 16.  PANEL 3.

Chino turns the T.V. on.

Chino:  “Cool, Goodfellas is on.”

Caption (Henry Hill quote from movie): “At 13 I was making more money than most of the grown-ups in the neighborhood.  I mean, I had more money than I could spend.  I had it all.

PAGE 16.  PANEL 4.

Chino is looking at Abe again, but his eyelids are closer to being closed.  He is almost ready to fall asleep.

Caption:  “tap, tap, tap, tap.”

PAGE 16.  PANEL 5.

Chino’s eyes are closed.

PAGE 16.  PANEL 6.

A finger is tapping on the brake light casing on the back of a car.

Caption:  “tap, tap, tap.”

PAGE 17.  PANEL 1.

Image of Henry Hill as a 13 year old boy running from the cars that are exploding.

Caption (Henry Hill quote from movie):  “One day…one day some of the kids from the neighborhood carried my mother’s groceries all the way home.  You know why?”

PAGE 17.  PANEL 2.

A hand is putting a brake light from the car into the gas tank, the tank has already been uncapped and is open.

PAGE 17.  PANEL 3.

Chino is walking away from the car, but he is in silohoutte. 

PAGE 17.  PANEL 4.

Chino looking from the hotel room at the Security Guard getting in the car.

Caption:  “It was outta respect.”

PAGE 17.  PANEL 5.

Car explodes, Chino is watching from the window.

PAGE 18.  PANEL 1.

Chino is startled awake.

Chino:  “AHHHHHH”

PAGE 18.  PANEL 2.

Chino looks at his hands, his wrist is still bandaged.

Chino:  “Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.”

PAGE 18.  PANEL 3.

He puts his head down into his hands.

Chino:  “Oh god.  I killed him.  OH GOD!”

PAGE 18.  PANEL 4.

Chino is crying, some of the tears go through the slits of his fingers.

PAGE 18.  PANEL 5.

Flashback to the guard talking to his wife on the phone.

The security guard is on his cell phone.

Security guard:  “I’ll be home at 6:30.  Okay?  Tell Brandon I’m sorry, I’ll watch the game with him tomorrow night.  I didn’t want to take the shift, but we needed the money.  Kay?  Okay.  Love you too.”

PAGE 18.  PANEL 6.

Chino is looking forward, rocking a little, holding his midsection.

Chino:  “He…he…wife…kid.  Fuck.”

PAGE 19.  PANEL 1.

Chino stands up, he is over Abe’s hospital bed.

Chino:  “I killed someone Abe.  FUCK!  I killed someone.”

PAGE 19.  PANEL 2.

Chino is running his hand along the hospital bed.

Chino:  “It should be me here, not you.  I deserve this, not you.”

PAGE 19.  PANEL 3.

Chino hits the wall above the hospital bed

Chino:  “Not right.  I deserve to die.  Not you.”

PAGE 19.  PANEL 4.

His hand is hurt, he cradles it.

Chino:  “I don’t want this.  I don’t want this.  I don’t want this.”

PAGE 19.  PANEL 5.

Chino puts his hurt hand on Abe’s chest.

Chino:  “I’m feeling everything, all of it.  The guilt, the shame, the hate.  I can’t stop it flooding in.”

PAGE 19.  PANEL 6.

Chino puts his other hand on Abe’s cheek.

Chino:  “Take it away.”

PAGE 20.  PANEL1.

Abe shoots up from the bed.

Abe:  “AHHHHHHHHHHHH.”

PAGE 20.  PANEL 2.

Chino looks at Abe stunned.

Chino:  “ABE!”

Abe:  “Why are we in the hospital?  Did I hurt myself?”

Chino:  “No, no.  You did something great.”

PAGE 20.  PANEL 3.

Chino is hugging Abe.

Chino:  “And now you’re awake.  How do you feel.”

Abe:  “Aside from a little creeped out by all this hugging, just fine.”

Chino:  “Let’s see under your bandages.

PAGE 20.  PANEL 4.

Abe has stood up, has pulled down the bandages on his back.

PAGE 20.  PANEL 5.

A shot of Abe’s back.  It is completely normal and heeled, regardless of the blood on the bandages.

Abe:  “Why am I all wrapped up?  I’m just fine.”

THE END