PAGE TWELVE (Four Panels)
PANEL 1
From behind the pick-up truck, Lee has exited the driver’s side of the truck, He is reaching into the rear portion of the pick-up.
NO DIALOGUE.
PANEL 2
Same POV as Panel One as Lee has retrieved a baseball bat form the bed of the pick-up and has begun making his way up to Jackson’s car in front of him, Samantha has stepped out of the passenger side door.
SAMANTHA: Lee?
PANEL 3
Following Lee as he moves closer to the car in front of his.
SAMANTHA (Off-Panel/Larger): Lee?
PANEL 4
Close on Lee’s free hand as it reaches for the door handle of Jackson’s car.
SAMANTHA (Off-Panel/Largest): LEE!!
PAGE THIRTEEN (Five Panels)
PANEL 1
Sitting on the hood of Jackson’s car. Looking through the front windshield at Jackson and Rachel. (This POV will remained locked for the entire page.) In the background, Lee is clearly seen, still the truck’s driver seat. We have moved slightly backwards in the story. Rachel is looking very warmly at Jackson as he tries to stifle a mug look of self-congratulation.
CAPTION: Thirty Seconds Earlier
PANEL 2
Same POV. Jackson and RACHEL have not moved in the slightest, but Lee has begun to exit his vehicle.
RACHEL: Did you just propose to me?
PANEL 3
Same POV. Jackson turns his attention to his beautiful girlfriend as Lee retrieves the bat from the back of his pickup.
JACKSON1: No, I wouldn’t do that here in line for gas.
JACKSON2: But maybe we should go look at rings and…
PANEL 4
Same POV. Lee has crossed half the distance between vehicles as Samantha makes her way of the truck, silently calling out to her man. Jackson continues to explain his intentions to his lady.
JACKSON: Well, I’m not getting on my knee here, but one day, one day I will.
PANEL 5
Same POV. Lee is in the “blind spot” of the auto, but Samantha is clearly seen screaming out to his implied location. Jackson is leaning into Rachel presumably for a kiss as Rachel slightly turns her head to the passenger-side window in response to Samantha’s yelling.
JACKSON: I want to spend the rest of my life with you.
PAGE FOURTEEN (Two Panels)
PANEL 1
From Rachel’s POV looking at an enraged Lee as he successfully swung the driver-side door open wide. Lee looks like an animal, ready to attack. The baseball bat sits menacingly in Lee’s right hand; almost vibrating in anticipation. Jackson’s gaze is in mid-swing as he turns to see what just opened his door.
NO DIALOGUE
PANEL 2
Reverse angle, from Lee’s POV as he looks at the utterly shocked couple. Lee’s left hand is in the foreground reaching out to grab the startled Jackson.
NO DIALOGUE
PAGE FIFTEEN (Six Panels)
Note to Artist: The first three panels are lined across the top tier. One static background shot runs continuously across the panels with Jackson’s car sitting on the far left next to ten-fifteen feet of dusty pavement. Thus, the action in the foreground can be shown in “one” continuous motion as Jackson appears in each panel.
PANEL 1
Lee has grabbed Jackson and is in the process of tossing him out of the car.
NO DIALOGUE
PANEL 2
Jackson in mid-roll/throw onto the dusty payment.
NO DIALOGUE
PANEL 3
Jackson’s body coming to the end of its displacement, face front on the payment.
NO DIALOGUE
PANEL 4
Close on Jackson’s face as shock registers on his face.
NO DIALOGUE.
PANEL 5
Same angle on Jackson’s face as his anger now begins to overcome any disorientation.
NO DIALOGUE
PANEL 6
Jackson’s angered scowl, as it is about to meet Lee’s boot.
NO DIALOGUE
PAGE SIXTEEN (Five Panels)
PANEL 1
A bird’s eye view of the scenario encompassing Lee standing over the battered form of Jackson, the two motor vehicles with all their doors open, and the two girlfriends standing on the far side of their respective vehicles.
LEE: You know what today is, nigger?
PANEL 2
Jackson’s POV looking up at the looming presence of Lee as he points bat directly at the reader’s perspective.
LEE: I said, do you know what today is?
JACKSON (Off-Panel/Small): No.
PANEL 3
Close on Jackson with blood and spit dripping from his swelling lip. The side of his face that was kicked (Page 15, Panel 6) is also beginning to swell. His eyes, lacking some of the prior anger, try to comprehend what exactly is happening.
LEE1 (Off-Panel): I’ll tell you what it is.
LEE2 (Off-Panel): It’s a lot of things.
PANEL 4
Over Lee’s shoulder as he jabs Jackson in the mid-section with the business end of the Louisville Slugger.
LEE1: It’s the day my unemployment runs out.
LEE2: It’s the day my rent is due.
LEE3: And it’s my day to get gas.
PANEL 5
As a look of utter rage and contempt appears on Lee’s face, he brings the bat back as if he’s about to club in Jackson’s skull.
LEE1: You hear me?
LEE2: It’s my day for gas!
LEE3: MY DAY!!
PAGE SEVENTEEN (Five Panels)
PANEL 1
From Lee’s right side as he begins to bring the bat down towards the prone Jackson.
NO DIALOGUE
PANEL 2
Same POV as Panel 1 with the diminutive Rachel dropping her shoulder and ramming into Lee from behind; taking him completely off-guard.
LEE: UGGH!
PANEL 3
Tight on Lee as the force of Rachel’s attack has sent him forward and down on one knee.
RACHEL: Get off my man, you--
PANEL 4
Rachel goes to leap onto Lee’s back to try to get him in a headlock.
RACHEL: --crazy son of a--
PANEL 5
Using Rachel’s own momentum, Lee flips her forward over his shoulder.
NO DIALOGUE
PAGE EIGHTEEN (Six Panels)
PANEL 1
High angle from over Lee’s shoulder looking down on Rachel down on top of Jackson.
LEE: You don’t touch me, bitch.
PANEL 2
Lee from the waist up, bringing the bat over his head.
LEE: YOU
PANEL 3
Repeat with the bat brought down on the currently unseen couple.
LEE: DON’T
PANEL 4
Lee brings the bat back up over his head, as his face shows more anger and rage.
LEE: TOUCH
PANEL 5
Lee brings the bat down again.
LEE: ME
PANEL 6
With the bat still in its down position, Lee is splashed from behind by a sizable amount of water. The source of which is currently unseen.
LEE: Wha-?
PAGE NINETEEN (Four Panels)
PANEL 1
Lee stands visibly taken aback by his current drenched state.
NO DIALOGUE
PANEL 2
Lee proceeds to turn around as another splash of water hits him squarely in the face. The source of the liquid attack is still off-panel.
NO DIALOGUE
PANEL 3
Reveal the source of Lee’s soaking – Samantha as she holds one of the gas cans form the back of the pick-up truck (Page 7, Panel 1).
NO DIALOGUE
PANEL 4
Tight on the can Samantha is holding, so the word “GASOLINE” is clearly displayed.
NO DIALOGUE
PAGE TWENTY (Five Panels)
PANEL 1
Pull back to show our quartet in their entirety. Jackson and Rachel are trying to prop themselves up into a sitting position. Lee has completely turned his attention towards Samantha as she drops the gas ganister to her side.
LEE: Sam—
PANEL 2
Samantha pulls a Zippo lighter from her dress pocket.
LEE (Off-Panel): What are you doing?
PANEL 3
Tight on Lee’s face as he registers how dire a situation he currently is in.
SAMANTHA1 (Off-Panel): I’m stopping you.
SAMANTHA2 (Off-Panel): It’s not your day.
PANEL 4
Repeat of Panel 2 with the Zippo lighter alit with a sizable flame.
SAMANTHA1: It’s their day.
SAMANTHA2: It’s an odd day.
PANEL 5
The lighter flying through the air, still emanating fire, as only the clear sky is seen behind it.
NO DIALOGUE
PAGE TWENTY-ONE (Three Wide Screen Panels)
PANEL 1
Close on Rachel’s eyes. The reflection of a burning Lee rests on her cornea.
NO DIALOGUE
PANEL 2
Same with Jackson.
NO DIALOGUE
PANEL 3
Same with Samantha.
SAMANTHA: It’s just a very odd day.
PAGE TWENTY-TWO (Splash Page)
PANEL 1
Redo of Page 2 with all the cars in the same location. People are now exiting their cars in shock and disbelief, focusing on the bonfire and smoke plume that was once Lee. Samantha, Jackson and Rachel also just stare at the burning man.
NO DIALOGUE
"Shortage" © 2004 Michael Wojciak
