THE WRITING CHALLENGE
Danny Nolan
Two violent prisoners think they
have escaped punishment when they sign up for an educational program only to
find themselves victims of an evil experiment.
ART by Ken Best
Published FutureQuake (UK) December 2020
PAGE ONE:
6 panels on this page
Panel 1:
Establishing shot. This panel
takes up the full width of the page. Exterior view of a penitentiary: a large
imposing cement structure, blocky in appearance, with high walls, many security
cameras and barbed wire to complete the picture. A sign is prominent.
HAXENDALE HIGH-SECURITY PRISON COMPLEX
Underneath
KEEPING OUR COMMUNITIES SAFER.
Underneath that:
A DIVISION OF KHEMLANI ENTERPRISES.
Panels 2 – 4 equal size running underneath the first panel
Panel 2:
The exterior of one of the prison wings. Once again a large
block-shaped slab of cement with few windows and many cameras. Another sign is
visible on the wall near the entrance. The sign has the prison’s logo and the
words: REHABILITATION AND DEVELOPMENT.
Panel 3:
Looking down a corridor at a heavily fortified door. A
loosely attached sign says: TRAINING ROOM.
Panel 4
Same shot but the sign falls to the floor to reveal a more
permanent sign saying :
ISOLATION
CHAMBER. OBSERVE ALL WARNING SIGNALS AND SIGNS.
Panel 5:
A black and white photograph, a
thumb is visible indicating it is held by someone. The picture shows a moonlit
night. There is a silhouetted figure standing on a bridge shrouded in mist. Any
real detail is vague.
NICK: (off)
WHAT ARE WE
SUPPOSED TO DO AGAIN?
Panel 6:
Two in their men mid-twenties are seated opposite each other
at a table in a bare room. Each has a blank piece of paper and a pencil in
front of them.
Nick, who is holding the
picture, is broad-shouldered with a large face and has a nose that looks like
it has been broken many times. Mark, the other inmate, has a scar under one eye
that runs down his cheek; he could be considered handsome to Nick’s roughness.
Both have crew cuts and a few days stubble. Both look physically fit and
strong.
For future reference: Both are wearing boiler suits
with the letters ‘HP’ and the Khemlani logo embroidered on the back.
Both are staring at the photo in confusion.
MARK
:
WW HAVE TO WRITE A
STORY ABOUT THIS STUPID PICTURE.
PAGE TWO
6 panels on this page
Panel 1:
Both men seated and facing each other. Nick is now absent-mindedly
scratching his ear with the blunt end of a pencil.
NICK:
HUH?
MARK:
YEAH, I KNOW. IT’S
SUPPOSED TO BE SOME LEARNING CHALLENGE THING. IT’S WHAT GOT US OUT OF DOING
SOLITARY.
Panel 2:
CU - Nick holds the picture up to have a closer look. There
is writing on the back of it - at this stage it is legible but faded, Mark has
leant forward and is reading off the back of the picture
NICK:
A PERSON ON A
BRIDGE, WHOOPEE.
MARK
(reading):
WRITE A STORY
ABOUT ANYTHING USING THE PICTURE AS INSPIRATION.
Panel 3:
Nick smiles because he thinks he’s made a funny comment. He
is now holding the pencil between his thumb and forefinger. He has
absentmindedly snaps off the lead point and it falls to the table. Mark has now
taken hold of the picture .
NICK:
HOW ABOUT USING
THE PHOTO TO WIPE MY ARSE (BUTT),
‘CAUSE THIS IS ALREADY GIVING ME THE SHITS. (RUNS)
Panel 4:
Mark turns the picture towards Nick if he’s discovered
something. Nick looks, forgetting that his funny line has gone unnoticed.
MARK
:
HEY MAN, LOOK,
DOES THE PERSON IN THE PHOTO LOOK FAMILIAR?
NICK:
WHO?
MARK:
LOOK CLOSER.
Panel 5:
As Nick lowers his face to about six inches from the photo,
Mark grabs the back of Nick’s head and slams it into the table.
SFX: SLAM!
NICK:
OOOFFFF!
Panel 6:
Nick rebounds off the table and is now on his feet, his nose
hopelessly broken and bleeding profusely. His eyes are watering as he tries to focus
on Mark who looks rather innocent.
NICK (yelling):
WHAT
WAS THAT FOR?
MARK:
YOU
BROKE MY PENCIL.
PAGE THREE:
7 panels on this page to highlight speed and confusion.
Panel 1:
Nick circles the table to get to Mark who keeps moving to
counter his strides. Mark is taunting him.
MARK:
NYAH ,NYAH,
CAN’T GET ME.
Panel 2:
Nick is faster than Mark and
has a longer reach. He lunges for the pencil on the table.
No dialogue
Panel 3:
Mark moves to stop him but Nick scoops up the pencil and
drives it through Mark’s hand.
SFX:
SPLUURT!
Panel 4:
Mark rears up holding his hand in pain. Nick moves around.
Mark:
AGGHHH!
Panel 5:
Nick picks up
the second pencil and drives it into Mark’s right eye.
No dialogue.
Panel 6:
Mark let out an ear piercing scream. He rears up and hits
the wall behind him.
MARK
SFK::
AGGGHHHH!
Panel 7:
Nick assesses his damaged nose.
PAGE FOUR
6 panels on this page.
Panel 1:
A wider shot as Nick doesn’t see Mark as he desperately slams
into him.
No dialogue
Panel 2:
Mark slams Nick’s head into the wall, causing his skull to
crack with the impact. Blood flies everywhere. Mark pushes the pencil further
into his brain when tackles Nick.
Panel 3:
Both of the convicts slide to the floor dead; Nick with a
crushed skull, Mark with the small piece of pencil poking out of his eye.
Panel 4:
Pull out to reveal the room is a mess, even with so little
furniture. Blood is sprayed everywhere from the men’s injuries. The two men lie
sprawled out where they fell. Above on the ceiling two exhaust fans can be
seen.
Panel 5:
Pull in closer to highlight the exhaust fans.
Panel 6:
Close up of the fans starting up at full bore.
SFX: WHIRRR!
PAGE FIVE
5 panels on this page.
Panel 1:
Wide shot, just to left of the carnage caused by the two
inmates.
A line appears in one of the
walls to reveal a hidden room.
SFX:
High pressure hissing noise and sliding sounds.
Panel 2:
The rear wall opens to reveal a console room and a row of
theatre-style chairs occupied by top military brass. The room that Nick and
Mark had just battled to death in was actually a test room that was fully
isolated and vacuum sealed.
VOICE SFX OFF:
AREA CLEAR OF TOXINS
Panel 3:
PHILLIPS a skinny middle-aged man with dark hair and dressed
in a white lab coat. He stands to address the assembled military men as they
look around the room. The military brass all nod and agree with mumbles and
sighs as they get up to leave except for one who goes over to the table to
inspect the photo.
PHILLIPS:
WELL, GENTLEMEN. I
THINK THAT SHOULD BE PROOF POSITIVE OF THE ACTIVE KILLING AGENT IN PRODUCT NG011.
LINK
THE
ENEMY WILL NEVER GET TO ENGAGE WITH OUR TROOPS AS THEY WILL BE TOO BUSY KILLING
EACH OTHER.
Panel 4:
The general holds up the photo
to one of his peers and makes an off-the-cuff comment as if he were at the
office water cooler.
GENERAL:
JUST LIKE MY KIDS,
Link
DO ANYTHING TO GET
OUT OF HOMEWORK.
PAGE FIVE (CONT.)
Panel 5:
The group of military men are walking away, nodding in
agreement.
No dialogue
FIN
ART SAMPLE
