MARKED 9
By Zachary Smith
PAGE 1. PANEL 1.
A NEWS WOMAN, MARIA SUZUKI, IS TALKING TO THE AUDIENCE. BEHIND HER WE SEE A PICTURE OF MARS. ON THE PICTURE OF MARS IS A CLICK HERE
ICON: CLICK HERE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT MARS
AND IT’S HISTORY.
MARIA: Wonderful
report from the terraforming on Mars.
Can you believe it’s been almost
three
hundred years since the first pioneers left to set up a new planet for us?
PAGE 1. PANEL 2.
MARIA CONTINUES TO TALK TO THE AUDIENCE. BEHIND HER IN THE VISUAL WINDOW IS A PICTURE
OF KALLISTE, FULLY TATTOOED. THERE IS
ALSO A CLICK HERE ICON: CLICK HERE TO
KNOW MORE ABOUT KALLISTE MCCARTHY AND/OR THE HISTORY OF TATTOOS.
MARIA: Speaking of
pioneers, we have a story about one of the pioneers in the newest fashion
trend,
nano-bite tattoos. Say hello to Kalliste
McCarthy.
KALLISTE: Hello to
all of you out there.
PAGE 1. PANEL 3.
WE MOVE INTO KALLISTE’S APARTMENT, WHICH IS VERY BASIC:
CHAIRS TO SIT, TABLE TO EAT AT. SCREENS THAT ARE A PART OF THE FURNITURE, IN
THE WALL ON THE WINDOW. A BOOK
SHELF. PAINTINGS, AND A DRAWING BOARD
WITH A CHAIR. A HOLOGRAM OF MARIA IS
WALKING THROUGH THE OFFICE.
MARIA: Beautiful
place you have here.
KALLISTE: Thank
you.
MARIA: One thing I
have to note: You have a full bookshelf.
I haven’t seen one of these
outside of characters in movies.
You don’t own a reader?
KALLISTE: Haha. I do, but I also like my old books. The smell replicators on the ereader just
aren’t
the same.
PAGE 1. PANEL 4.
KALLISTE WALKS MARIA’S HOLOGRAM OVER TO HER DESK. THERE ARE PICTURES OF TATTOO ART WORK ON HER
BOARD. ONE IS OF A SWALLOW.
MARIA: And you still
work with actual paper and pencils?
KALLISTE: A mixture
of the drawing pad and the drawing screen.
I like having both. I’ll
DIALOGUE CONT.
come up with a drawing on my art pad, then press it to screen to scan
it. From
there I’ll fine tune the illustration.
PAGE 1. PANEL 5.
KALLISTE IS SCANNING THE PICTURE OF THE SWALLOW BY JUST
PRESSING IT AGAINST HER DRAWING BOARD.
ON HER WINDOW AND WALL SCREEN WE SEE THE SWALLOW COME UP.
KALLISTE: And if we
look over here, the drawing comes up in larger detail.
MARIA:
Fascinating. Can we see the view
from your window?
KALLISTE: Oh yes, of
course. Screen down, window up.
PAGE 2. SPLASH PAGE.
WE SEE THE ISLAND THAT SHE
LIVES ON, FULL OF PEOPLE AND ACTIVITY.
THERE ARE HOUSES, MARKETS, A
TOWN SQUARE, AND IN THE DISTANCE IS A VOLCANOE.
MARIA: This is quite
the view.
KALLISTE: It’s my
life’s work, so I like to be able to have a complete view of it.
PAGE 3. PANEL 1.
MARIA’S HOLOGRAM AND KALLISTE WALK THROUGH THE TOWN. THE TOWN IS BUSY, THERE ARE MEN, WOMEN, AND
CHILDREN, DIFFERENT SIZES, AGES, AND ETHNICITIES ALL OVER THE PLACE. MOST OF THE MEN AND WOMEN HAVE TATTOOS.
MARIA: With the money
you made on pioneering nanotech to alter tattoos you decided to start
this
nation. You could have spent you money
in many different ways. Why use it to
help
people?
KALLISTE: When I was
young I grew up on a place like this. I
loved the ocean and freedom it
lent to you. It also made me feel
infinite, which might be a little hard to
understand.
PAGE 3. PANEL 2.
MARIA STOPS TO ADMIRE THE PHOENIX ON A
MAN’S ARM.
MARIA: Is it
mandatory to have a tattoo to live here?
KALLISTE: Not at all.
MARIA: Was this a
work done with your nanites?
KALLISTE: Jason, show
her.
PAGE 3. PANEL 3.
THE PHOENIX
COMES BURSTING OFF OF HIS ARM, FULL OF FLAME AND SCREACHING IT’S BIRTH. NO DIALOGUE.
PAGE 3. PANEL 4.
THE PHONIX IS NO MORE, NOW IT’S JUST JASON’S TATTOO GLOWING
RED.
KALLISTE: You can
program the nanite’s to have characteristics of the tattoo. The phoenix is
a symbol of rebirth and healing, as well as fire. So Jason’s immune system is
really fantastic because the nanite’s help to fight any viruses, as well
as keeping his
body temperature up.
JASON: I haven’t been
sick since I got the tattoo.
PAGE 3. PANEL 5.
MARIA AND KALLISTE CONTINUE TO WALK.
MARIA: Can you give
us a little background on how and why you came to be here?
KALLISTE: Trystero
Inc. heard about my idea and wanted to invest.
We copyrighted our
specific ink and began selling it to tattoo shops. From there other companies
DIALOGUE CONT.
wanted to modify the tech, but they had to purchase it from us. I agreed, and then
the money really began to roll in.
PAGE 4. PANEL 1.
MARIA AND KALLISTE ARE NEAR THE BEACH, AND WE CAN SEE THE
VOLCANOE FROM THERE.
MARIA: You opened
battered women’s shelters, as well as addiction treatment centers for both
men
and women. You adopted over one hundred
kids since you settled here. When
does the giving stop?
PAGE 4. PANEL 2.
KALLISTE IS LOOKING UP TO THE VOLCANOE.
KALLISTE: It
doesn’t. Not really. I’ve had a lot of good fortune in my life,
and want to share
it with people.
MARIA: It is well
known that you started most of this after you contemplated suicide. Could
you
elaborate on why that had such an impact on you?
PAGE 4. PANEL 3.
WE SEE KALLISTE STILL LOOKING UP, BUT NOW WE SEE INTO HER
THOUGHTS, THE VOLCANOE EXPLODING, AND HER FLYING OUT OF THERE.
KALLISTE: I had come
to a pointe where life seemed to be pointless.
I had caused so much
harm, and not a lot of good. I
thought: “Why not just pack it in?” But
this little
voice in the back of my head kept telling me something different.
PAGE 4. PANEL 4.
MARIA LOOKS CONCERNED.
MARIA: What did it
say?
KALLISTE: It told me
to think about the good times. The
things that made life worth living.
And that sometimes, to be honest, life is full of pain. It might seem like it won’t
ever get any better for a while, but eventually you realize, “I’m alive,
so live.”
PAGE 4. PANEL 5.
MARIA IS WIPING A TEAR AWAY FROM HER FACE.
MARIA: Is this why
you have so many shelters and clinics?
KALLISTE: I’m an
addict. I’ve been one my whole
life. What these represent to me is that
everyone deserves a second chance, and as long as they’re willing to
work on it
they should get that chance to succeed.
MARIA: One last
question for today’s segment. Does
everyone succeed?
PAGE 4. PANEL 6.
KALLISTE LOOKS DOWN, DISAPPOINTED.
KALLISTE: No. I wish I could say we had a full proof
program and method, but there is no
such thing. We lose people all
the time, and it’s sad. You just want so
badly for
them to succeed, but it doesn’t always work out that way. I wish them the best, and
they can come back any time they want.
PAGE 5. PANEL 1.
A YOUNG MAN, JESSE ALVIDREZ, HAS BEEN WATCHING THE NEWS CAST
FROM A PARK BENCH. IT WAS BEING
PROJECTED FROM HIS WATCH. MARIA IS BACK
IN THE NEWS OFFICE, THE SAME PICTURE OF KALLISTE IS IN THE BACKGROUND AGAIN.
MARIA: What an inspiring
message. And you heard her, even if
you’ve fallen off the wagon
again,
you’re still welcomed back with open arms.
Tune in tomorrow as we continue
our
profile of this magical island.
PAGE 5. PANEL 2.
KALLISTE IS FINISHING TATTOOING A HISPANIC WOMAN’S, LUPE,
BACK. ON THE BACK WE SEE A SERIES OF
WOLVES.
KALLISTE: Hope you’re
family likes it, Lupe.
LUPE: I hope so too.
KALLISTE: Five kids,
you’re a trooper. And you don’t look a
day over twenty five. You all
looks so much better now.
LUPE: Who?
PAGE 5. PANEL 3.
KALLISTE IS TAKING OFF HER GLOVES.
KALLISTE: People in
general. Can you believe there was a
time when forty was ancient?
When you were the toughest S.O.B. around if you lived that long.
LUPE: I can’t
imagine. My grandmother was still
kicking around at 115. My grandfather
was
110.
PAGE 5. PANEL 4.
KALLISTE SMILES AS SHE TAKES A PICTURE OF THE WORK ON HER
WRIST RESPONDER.
KALLISTE: It’s so
nice that we get more time with each other.
LUPE: I agree. I hated watching my grandparents go, but it’s
a reality, isn’t it?
KALLISTE: The
cruelest there is. That’s why this is my
next work.
PAGE 5. PANEL 5.
KALLISTE HAS PULLED UP AN IMAGE OF THE EUROBUROS ON HER
PROJECTED SCREEN ON HER WRIST RESPONDER.
DIALOGUE CONT.
LUPE: I thought that
meant infinity.
KALLISTE: In some
circles, but it also could be Jorgumund, the death of Thor, and the sign of
Ragnarok. We all die at some
point, just like it will eventually eat itself and be no
more.
PAGE 6. PANEL 1.
MARIA’S HOLOGRAM IS IN KALLISTE’S LAB AS
MACHINES ARE GIVING KALLISTE THE EUROBOROS TATTOO.
MARIA: I’m surprised
you’re letting a machine do this.
KALLISTE: Wanted to
see what it was like. Mainland talks
about it all the time. It’s definitely
not the worst one I’ve received.
PAGE 6. PANEL 2.
KALLISTE IS WALKING WITH MARIA THROUGH A CLASSROOM, EACH
CHILD HAS A WRIST RESPONDER, TOUCHSCREEN DESK, HOLOGRAMS PROJECTING FROM THE
DESK, AND THREE TEACHERS ARE IN THE ROOM.
THE TEACHER IS INSTRUCTING A GROUP OF YOUNG BOYS AND GIRLS.
MARIA: You have classrooms,
how wonderful.
KALLISTE: We’re
trying to get it through to boys, and especially girls, you can be whatever
you want, and no one should stand in your way. We also teach socialization.
PAGE 6. PANEL 3.
THE TEACHER HAS A PUPPY ON THE DESK, AND NEXT TO THAT PUPPY
IS A SUM OF MONEY WITH A KNIFE NEXT TO IT.
KALLISTE: Like it’s
wrong to take advantage of the weak, they are the ones who need
protection.
But it’s easy to say all that, what’s
hard is when you’re put to the test.
TEACHER: You can have
all this, all you have to do is hurt Max.
PAGE 6. PANEL 4.
THE CHILDREN LOOK UNCOMFORTABLE.
TEACHER: That same
feeling you have now? Don’t forget it. There might be another time in
your life where there is something you want, but if you have to hurt
someone to get
it, was it right?
PAGE 6. PANEL 5.
KALLISTE AND MARIA’S HOLOGRAM ARE WALKING AWAY.
MARIA: That seemed
rather harsh.
KALLISTE: What’s
harsh is the realization that you were taken advantage of the next
morning.
We don’t teach children not to rape or harm, we teach them how to avoid
it.
Shouldn’t it be the other way around?
PAGE 7. PANEL 1.
KALLISTE AND MARIA WATCH A SELF DEFENSE CLASS FOR CHILDREN.
MARIA: I thought you
said…
KALLISTE: Aversion is
our goal, but that’s not the reality for everyone. There is a point where
you’ll need to defend yourself, so we teach
you how.
PAGE 7. PANEL 2.
KIDS ARE RUNNING AROUND IN A V.R. ENVIROMENT, WITH GOGGLES
ON. IT LOOKS LIKE A STAR TREK HOLODECK
TO US ON THE OUTSIDE. IT HAS TWO
COMPARTMENTS, ONE WITH A BOY AND ONE WITH A GIRL.
MARIA: Here?
KALLISTE: Fun form of
exercise. You become your favorite video
game character, and you
have to move around like they do.
MARIA: Who are they
playing as?
PAGE 7. PANEL 3.
THE BOY IS STRIKING, AND MIRRORING THAT IMAGE IS KALLISTE’S
VIDEO GAME SPRITE, BUT WITH REALISTIC ARMOR, MIRROS THE STRIKE IN THE GAME.
KALLISTE (CAPTION):
No clue. They have a wide variety
of options.
PAGE 7. PANEL 4.
ART DEPARTMENT.
CHILDREN ARE DRAWING, BUILDING, CONSTRUCTING ON COMPUTERS AND HOLOGRAM TECH, NEW INVENTIVE
THINGS.
MARIA: You’re a big
supporter of the arts, obviously.
KALLISTE: I wear it
on me everyday.
PAGE 7. PANEL 5.
MARIA AND KALLISTE WALK THROUGH THE GARDENS ON THE ISLAND.
MARIA: These are
beautiful.
KALLISTE: I’ve
learned a few things over my many years, and one thing that I was always
proud of was a good garden. With
all the volcanic soil we get some nice crops.
PAGE 8. PANEL 1.
MARIA STANDS IN THE GARDEN, KALLISTE IS ON A BENCH.
MARIA: Can I ask a
personal question?
KALLISTE: Do I have
to answer it?
MARIA: Hah. I guess that is up to you.
KALLISTE: Go ‘head.
PAGE 8. PANEL 2.
LARGE PANEL. MARIA
WAVES WITH HER ARM, SHOWING THE MAJESTY OF THE ISLAND.
MARIA: Is there a
special someone you have to share all this with?
KALLISTE: …People come and go. I have a sex life, if that’s what you’re
asking. But nothing
romantic right now.
MARIA: No one
particular catches your fancy?
PAGE 8. PANEL 3.
THE SAME YOUNG MAN, JESSE ALVIDREZ, FROM THE PARK BENCH IS
NOW ON A SHIP, WATCHING THE BROADCAST AGAIN.
THERE IS A FOCUS ON KALLISTE’S FACE FROM HIS WRIST RESPONDER.
KALLISTE: Not in a
while, no.
PAGE 9. PANEL 1.
MARIA IN HER NEWS ROOM, SIMILAR TO PAGE 1, PANEL 1. KALLISTE IS THE PICTURE THAT IS IN THE
BACKGROUND.
MARIA: When asked
what she planned for the future, Kalliste had this to say:
PAGE 9. PANEL 2.
BACKGROUND OF MARIA’S NEWS MONITOR HAS EXPANDED TO SHOW
KALLISTE IN THE FOREGROUND.
KALLISTE: I don’t
like to plan ahead, it tends to be a bunch of things that don’t happen. But
this whole island started as a foolish plan, and I guess it worked. I don’t know.
Take it one day at a time.
PAGE 9. PANEL 3.
JESSE IS FLUSHING LIQUID
DOWN THE TOILET IN HIS ROOM.
NO DIALOGUE.
PAGE 9. PANEL 4.
JESSE SITS IN THE CHAIR IN HIS ROOM, IT IS DARK. NO DIALOGUE.
PAGE 9. PANEL 5.
THE SAME AS PANEL FOUR, BUT ONE BIT OF DIALOGUE.
JESSE: One more day.
PAGE 10. SPLASH PAGE.
A VIGNETTE OF KALLISTE TRAINING WITH HER KATANNA FROM ISSUE
3. SHE LOOKS LIKE SHE IS IN AWESOME FORM
AND SHAPE STILL.
ONI RYU (CAPTION):
These are the days I like best.
KALLISTE (CAPTION):
Me too.
PAGE 11. PANEL 1.
KALLISTE IS IN A JAPANESE STYLE SHOWER, SHE HAS EVEN MORE
TATTOOS, SHE IS BASICALLY COVERED NOW.
PAGE 11. PANEL 2.
ALL THE TATTOOS HAVE DISAPPEARED, EXCEPT FOR THE ONI RYU ON
HER BACK.
ONI RYU (CAPTION):
Smart aesthetic choice.
KALLISTE: It’s better
than just hiding all of them, or having them all on display, then you lose
a little something. ‘Sides, I’m
feeling a little Japanese today.
PAGE 11. PANEL 3.
KALLSITE HAS A BIG PLATE OF SASHIMI SHE’S EATING FROM. SHE’S IN A KIMONO, SITTING ON THE FLOOR IN A
JAPANESE STYLE ROOM. THERE IS A BOTTLE
OF SAKE NEXT TO HER, AND A CUP OF TEA.
HER ASSISTANT, ROGER, STANDS IN THE CORNER READING FROM HIS WRIST
RESPONDER.
ROGER: …Several requests to see for stays and vacations
here.
KALLISTE: Ignore them
Roger. The island is for recovery or
housing, not for some richer to
hang out on.
ROGER: I said that,
but in slightly nicer words.
KALLISTE: I love that
you are nice for me.
PAGE 11. PANEL 4.
ROGER CONTINUES TO TALK AS KALLISTE TAKES A DRINK OF SAKE.
ROGER: There were
several new recovery patients on the last ship.
We’ve got alcohol, slam,
heroin, saltzy, methadone, swag.
PAGE 11. PANEL 5.
KALLISTE APPEARS TO ALMOST CHOKE ON HER DRINK. ROGER RUNS OVER TO HER.
ROGER: Ma’am…
KALLISTE:
-hcckk- Fine…
PAGE 11. PANEL 6.
KALLISTE GAINS HER COMPOSURE.
KALLISTE:
The-cough-name, hrrmm, of the methadone-kk- patient.
DIALOGUE CONT.
ROGER: Jesse
Alvidrez.
PAGE 12. PANEL 1.
KALLISTE IS NOW DRESSED, ON A MISSION, ROGER FOLLOWS AS
QUICKLY AS HE CAN BEHIND HER.
ROGER: What is it
ma’—
KALLISTE: I swear to
Thor if you call me ma’am again I will smash.
ROGER: My-my goddess.
KALLISTE: I guess
that would be okay.
PAGE 12. PANEL 2.
KALLISTE SLAMS OPEN THE DOOR OF A PATIENT ROOM, JESSE LOOKS
UP STARTLED, THE NURSE IS ALSO IN SHOCK.
KALLISTE: Adrine,
please leave us for a moment.
ADRINE: Yes.
KALLISTE: Son of a
bitch.
PAGE 12. PANEL 3.
KALLISTE IS IN JESSE’S FACE.
KALLISTE: So you
finally decided to come back.
JESSE: You said all
were welcome.
KALLISTE: That’s if
they wanted to get better. I don’t have
time for a junkie.
JESSE: Then how do
you run a recovery clinic.
PAGE 12. PANEL 4.
KALLISTE’S FACIAL TATTOOS BEGIN TO EMERGE AS SHE IS TALKING.
KALLISTE: Because
these people want to get better, not pretend too.
JESSE: I tried.
KALLISTE: Not very
hard.
JESSE: Looks like you
need to.
PAGE 12. PANEL 5.
KALLISTE LOOKS AT HERSELF IN THE MIRROR, AND SEES HER FACIAL
TATTOOS.
KALLISTE: Hmmm…
PAGE 12. PANEL 6.
KALLISTE PLACES HER FINGER TO HER FOREHEAD, THE TATTOOS
BEGIN TO RECEDE.
JESSE: You have
gotten better. I’m not bleeding at all.
KALLISTE: You caught
me on a good day.
PAGE 13. PANEL 1.
MID MORNING. KALLISTE
AND JESSE ARE OUTSIDE IN THE GARDEN, ON THAT SAME BENCH FROM PAGE 8. THEY DON’T LOOK AT EACH OTHER. NO DIALOGUE.
PAGE 13. PANEL 2.
AFTERNOON. THEY
CONTINUE TO LOOK IN EVERY OTHER DIRECTION THAT IS NOT EACH OTHER’S FACES. NO DIALOGUE.
PAGE 13. PANEL 3.
EARLY EVENING, THEY ARE LOOKING AT THE GROUND.
JESSE: Look: I fucked
up. Let’s both agree. I let the pressure of trying to help others
overwhelm
me, and I fell back on bad habits.
KALLISTE: You gave
up. You became a coward.
JESSE: Yes. I deserve that.
PAGE 14. PANEL 1.
JESSE STANDS, KALLISTE LOOKS UP.
JESSE: And I don’t
know if I deserve forgiveness or a second chance. But to make life
bearable, I have to believe in both.
KALLISTE: …
PAGE 14. PANEL 2.
KALLISTE LOOKS AWAY FROM JESSE.
JESSE: I have to
believe that you might want me back, and that you will not freeze me out
forever. That the hate you feel,
will subside, and you can let me back in.
KALLISTE: And if I
don’t?
PAGE 14. PANEL 3.
JESSE LOOKS TOWARDS THE VOLCANOE.
JESSE: …I don’t
know. I would say life is short, but
that’s not the case for you.
KALLISTE: In the
context of things, my life is still brief.
JESSE: Not compared
to us.
PAGE 14. PANEL 4.
JESSE LIGHTS UP A CIGARETTE.
JESSE: I threw out
the rest of the methadone on the way here.
KALLISTE: And?
JESSE: I’ve been
clean for
KALLISTE: A day?
PAGE 14. PANEL 5.
JESSE PUTS HIS HAND OUT, IT’S SHAKING.
JESSE: One more day.
KALLISTE: Don’t you
say that to me.
JESSE: I need
to. Who knows when you might get pulled
away?
PAGE 15. PANEL 1.
FLASHBACK. KALLISTE
IS IN HER LAB, WORKING. JESSE IS
WATCHING HER.
JESSE (CAPTION):
Work was all that mattered and I came second. Do you know how that
feels?
PAGE 15. PANEL 2.
JESSE IS BLOWING OUT A CANDLE ON A SMALL, PERSONAL SIZE,
BIRTHDAY CAKE.
JESSE (CAPTION): I
spent my last birthday alone, while you were working. That kinda fucks
with
someone’s self worth, you know.
PAGE 15. PANEL 3.
KALLISTE LOOKS ANGRY.
JESSE HAS HIS HANDS UP, EXPRESSING THAT HE’S JUST SAYING WHAT’S ON HIS
MIND.
KALLISTE: Don’t
belittle my work with your pity party.
JESSE: I’m not. Your work is important. That’s why I still believe in it, and why I’m
here. I
know you
can help me to get better.
PAGE 15. PANEL 4.
JESSE SITS ON THE BENCH FACE IN HIS HANDS. KALLISTE LOOKS DOWN AT HIM.
JESSE: I need you
though. Can you do that? Could you be there for me? This problem can’t
be
punched away, and we both know that. I
need love and support. Specifically,
yours.
PAGE 15. PANEL 5.
KALLISTE LOOKS AWAY, JESSE STILL HAS HIS FACE IN HIS
HANDS. NO DIALOGUE.
PAGE 16. PANEL 1.
KALLISTE SITS BEHIND A DESK.
ROGER IS TAKING NOTES.
KALLISTE: Move the 3
o’clock meeting up to 12, I have
somewhere to be then.
ROGER: Anything else.
KALLISTE: Have the
sheets in the extra room changed.
PAGE 16. PANEL 2.
KALLISTE IS SITTING IN THE MEETING WITH JESSE.
JESSE: Thanks for
being here.
KALLISTE: You’re not
going to fall apart on me if I need to take a business call?
JESSE: Fuck you.
PAGE 16. PANEL 3.
KALLISTE LEANS BACK IN THE CHAIR, CONFIDENTLY.
KALLISTE: You wish.
PAGE 16. PANEL 4.
JESSE IS UP ON THE PODIUM.
JESSE:…in high school, when my mom died. It was an easy way to avoid dealing with the
pain. I went to medical school because I
knew I’d have easy access…
PAGE 16. PANEL 5.
KALLISTE IS GETTING A CALL ON HER WRIST RESPONDER, SHE LOOKS
AT IT.
JESSE: …to the methadone.
I finally woke up from the haze when I almost let a baby die because I
wasn’t paying attention to…
PAGE 16. PANEL 6.
KALLISTE DENIES THE CALL, AND CONTINUES TO LISTEN TO JESSE.
JESSE:…their dosage, I was too worried about where and when
my next fix was coming from.
PAGE 17. PANEL 1.
JESSE IS SHAKING IN BED, CRYING OUT IN HIS SLEEP.
JESSE: …stop…mom…
PAGE 17. PANEL 2.
KALLISTE HAS OPENED THE DOOR, AND SHE IS WATCHING HIM.
JESSE:
break…lights…blood…my face…
PAGE 17. PANEL 3.
KALLISTE HAS PULLED THE COVERS UP TO CLIMB IN WITH HIM,
REVEALING A BIG SCAR FROM A SEAT BELT.
JESSE: Ah!
KALLISTE: Shhh.
JESSE: What are you—
KALLISTE: Just shut
up.
PAGE 17. PANEL 4.
KALLISTE IS HOLDING JESSE.
NO DIALOGUE.
PAGE 17. PANEL 5.
THEIR FINGERS ENTWINE.
JESSE: Thank you.
PAGE 18. PANEL 1.
JESSE IS CHECKING THE VITALS ON A YOUNG GIRL, HE HAS A
SENSOR GLOVE ON.
JESSE: Everything
seems fine. Probably just some bad fish.
PAGE 18. PANEL 2.
THE YOUNG PATIENT EXITS, A CANDY IN HAND, JESSE IS THROWING
AWAY THE GLOVE. KALLISTE AVOIDS THE
PATIENT AS SHE LEAVES.
JESSE: Don’t tell
your mom I gave you that.
KALLISTE: Still
sneaking them candy.
PAGE 18. PANEL 3.
JESSE IS HITTING THE CLEANSE BUTTON ON THE BED, IT CLEANS
ITSELF AS THEY TALK.
JESSE: I don’t care
what medical breakthroughs have happened, a kid will always act better if
they get
candy at the end.
KALLISTE: Where’d you
learn that?
JESSE: My mom. Always said I’d get a candy bar after the
check up.
PAGE 18. PANEL 4.
KALLISTE LOOKS SAD, JESSE DOES TOO. NO DIALOGUE.
PAGE 18. PANEL 5.
KALLISTE TAKES HIS HAND.
KALLISTE: Let’s go!
PAGE 19. PANEL 1.
THE TWO OF THEM SIT ON THE BEACH.
JESSE: Hah. I didn’t think—
KALLISTE: I’d
remember? Are you kidding me? I had to save your ass from that big ass
wave.
PAGE 19. PANEL 2.
KALLISTE IS PULLING AN UNCONSCIOUS JESSE FROM THE WATER.
JESSE (CAPTION): I
bet I made a good first impression.
KALLISTE (CAPTION):
You had nice lips, so I didn’t mind giving you mouth to mouth.
PAGE 19. PANEL 3.
JESSE STANDS UP.
JESSE: I think I’m
ready.
KALLISTE: For?
JESSE: For that thing
you always wanted me to get?
KALLISTE: Serious?
PAGE 19. PANEL 4.
JESSE IS WALKING AWAY, KALLISTE IS BEHIND HIM.
JESSE: Better hurry
up before I change my mind?
KALLISTE: Do you know
what you want?
JESSE: I have
something in mind.
PAGE 20/21. DOUBEL PAGE SPREAD.
WE ARE IN KALLISTE’S TATTOO OFFICE, SHE HAS A TATTOO MACHINE
IN HAND. JESSE IS ON HIS BACK, THE
TATTOO IS BEING APPLIED TO HIS CHEST. IT
IS A SMALL PHOENIX.
KALLISTE: Do you like
it?
