Murdermouth: Zombie Bits
Page 7
There is a running backstory of when Murdermouth was Lt. John Sorenson, a biological expert in the U.S. Army. The flashback effect will need a shimmering transition and some sort of visual effect to let the reader know we are in the past. (We can use a blue effect or a gray wash to make the difference clear). The flashbacks start with the most recent events and move backward in time as Murdermouth begins to remember more of his past. The flashbacks can also be in a slightly different art style. The longer he is a zombie, the more he remembers his human life and also the terrible things he did before he started becoming human again.
LETTERER NOTE: All CAPTIONS indicate description boxes. All TEXT is in the voice of Murdermouth, who is narrating the story. When Murdermoutyh speaks (later in the series, his dialogue is in jagged balloons.
TECH NOTE: Soldier weaponry is roughly modern—circa 2009. Since the Big War, there is little gasoline, no manufacturing, no electrical grid, no organized infrastructure. Horses are the main mode of transportation, except for the officers, who have cars or jeeps.
ZOMBIE RULES: Zombies are immune to bullets, except for the traditional method of killing zombies in which they “die” when their brains are destroyed. They are generally vacant-eyed and slack-mouthed, often with splotchy skin and ragged clothes. These are traditional Romero zombies, slow-moving—except they are intelligent and still have feelings, though they need flesh to suvive. They’ll eat the people they love. They have no real sense of right or wrong. Well, they know eating people is wrong, but they’re going to do it anyway. They’ll eat any flesh, dead or alive. Murdermouth doesn’t know it yet, but he’s different. He is a zombie with morality. He will only eat the unworthy. He becomes more intelligent when he eats, but the longer he goes without eating, the more he becomes monstrous and without a soul.
PAGE 1
Full splash of a carnival. There are several ragged, torn tents, and a horse-drawn coach like an old Snake Oil Salesman wagon. The wagon is covered with exotic symbols. In the background is a rusty ferris wheel—it hasn’t turned in years. Farther back, on the horizon, is a broken city skyline, a couple of plumes of smoke rising from it. This is a dying world, after the Big War, where the cruel make the rules and the weak just try to survive.
In the foreground walks a midget, smoking a cigar and carrying a machine gun. SERENA, 27 year-old woman with stringy hair and ragged clothes, hurries between the tents, dragging her little girl MELODY, 7, by the hand. The child dangles a rag doll whose stuffing is leaking out. A scrawny horse is tied to a dead tree. A monkey sits in the tree, staring down on the scene. In the foreground, two chickens fight over the ragged scrap of a chicken head.
TWO SOLDIERS with machine guns slung over their shoulders are flirting with a FAT LADY, who is laughing and holding a bottle of whiskey. One of the soldiers wears an EYE PATCH. An old-fashioned CARNIVAL BARKER in a top hat stands outside one of the tents, waving a wooden walking cane. Above the opening of the tent is a crude sign that says “Murdermouth.”
TEXT BOX: It’s 2017. Maybe 2018. Nobody cares which.
CARNIVAL BARKER: Come right in, ladies and gentlemen, see a marvel of the Twenty-First Century…in the flesh. Step right up, see the last of a dying breed…Right here, only eighty dollars American.”
TEXT BOX (bottom): Especially me.
PAGE 2
PANEL 1: View from inside the tent, looking out—the barker is visible from the back.
CARNIVAL BARKER: Come see Murdermouth. The only one for twenty miles.
TEXT BOX: Murdermouth. I used to be John. Maybe I still am.
PANEL 2: Same view, from deeper back, Murdermouth’s Point of View (POV)—we see the tent opening, only smaller. Now we see the bars of a cage, and two hands gripping the bars. The hands are nicked and scabbed, the fingernails ragged and dark—two fingers are missing on the left hand. There’s a flickering torch off to one side, the only light in the tent.
TEXT BOX: Maybe, like with the year, it don’t matter no more.
PANEL 3: Outside. The Carnival Barker, framed against the darkness of the tent opening.
CARNIVAL BARKER: Hey. Soldiers. I know you got money.
PANEL 4: The soldiers have moved closer to the Fat Lady. Eye Patch has his arm around her—at least, he’s trying, but she’s too big for him to get it all the way around. Her breasts are huge. Soldier #2 is taking the whiskey bottle from her.
ONE-EYED SOLDIER: I seen plenty of freaks for free.
PANEL 5: Soldier # 2 drinks, head tilted back, whiskey dribbling down his chin.
EYE PATCH SOLDIER (to Fat Lady): Hey, babe, how about a little fun?
TEXT: I taste the smoke, the sweat, the horses.
PANEL 6: Close-up of the Fat Lady.
FAT LADY: I’m a ton of fun, honey.
TEXT: She’ll do it cheap. She’s as starved for love as I am.
PAGE 3
PANEL 1: The barker yells at Serena, who is digging in a rusty, dented trash can. Her little girl plays with the doll.
CARNIVAL BARKER: You. Woman. Wanna peek?
PANEL 2: Serena pulls a rotten apple from the garbage can. Melody looks at it hungrily.
SERENA: I don’t have any money.
BARKER (leering): Maybe we can work a trade, sweetie. The kid looks hungry.
TEXT BOX: Kid? I had a kid once. Maybe several. Hard to remember. They all the taste the same.
PANEL 3: Medium Close-Up of Eye Patch.
EYE PATCH: Let the kid see.
PANEL 4: Eye Patch, Fat Lady, and Soldier #2, who is holding the bottle. Eye Patch points his rifle at the Carnival Barker, who is angry but scared.
EYE PATCH: Admission is free today.
PANEL 5: Serena protectively wraps her arms around the little girl, who protectively wraps her arms around the doll.
TEXT BOX: I love her already.
PANEL 6: Eye Patch, Fat Lady, and Soldier #2—the Fat Lady is giggling.
FAT LADY: This could be fun.
EYE PATCH: A ton of fun.
PANEL 7: Soldier # 2 tosses the bottle away.
SOLDIER #2: Let the kid see the freak. Or we’ll put on our own show.
PANEL 8: The barker stands aside as Serena and the little girl enter the tent, Eye Patch right behind them, his rifle pointed at their backs.
CARNIVAL BARKER: Careful. He gets cranky when he ain’t had dinner.
EYE PATCH: We’ll see about that.
TEXT BOX: I love them all.
PAGE 4
PANEL 1 (half splash): Inside the tent—Scene light by torches. Murdermouth in the cage, gripping the bars. His skin is mottled but not too rotten. He is missing the two fingers but otherwise is intact except a deep scar across his cheek. His eyes are intelligent but dark, like they’re troubled. He is a classic zombie, but not too far gone. His mouth is open just a little. He wears the rags of a soldier’s uniform. There are a few bones scattered on the straw-covered floor of the cage, but they don’t look human.
TEXT BOX: But you don’t love me. And I don’t blame you.
PANEL 2: The soldiers push the scared Melody toward the cage.
MELODY: Mommy!
EYE PATCH: Give ‘im a kiss.
PANEL 3: Serena tries to grab Melody, but the Fat Lady holds her back.
FAT LADY: No, you don’t, skin-and-bones. That’s my man.
TEXT: I love the big one.
PANEL 4: Eye Patch is dragging the girl toward the cage. Soldier #2 helps hold Serena, who is struggling to break free. Murdermouth is reaching through the bars with his good hand. The barker watches in the background.
SERENA: Leave her alone!
PAGE 5
PANEL 1: Eye Patch pushes Melody to the bars—but Eye Patch has lost his balance.
EYE PATCH: Goddammit.
PANEL 2: Murdermouth swipes his arm out, it passes over Melody’s head and scratches Eye Patch’s cheek. A few drops of blood spatter out.
EYE PATCH: Yowww.
PANEL 3: Eye Patch staggering back in pain, holding his cheek. Melody is frozen for a mo
ment, within reach, eyes wide in fright.
PANEL 4: MEDIUM SHOT of Murdermouth, reaching for her. His face is fierce, eyes glittering with hunger.
PANEL 5: Wide view. Serena struggling, Eye Patch hunched in pain and holding his cheek, Soldier #2 and the Fat Lady grinning, the Barker
SERENA: Run…please, god…
PANEL 5: (these next panels focus on the interaction between the little girl and Murdermouth—she is vulnerable, easy prey, yet something changes in Murdermouth’s eyes, from hunger to confusion. Switch back and forth between their faces to show the change): Melody drops the doll.
TEXT: God.
PANEL 6: Murdermouth’s hand is open, scabbed, about to close on her face.
TEXT: Is great. God is good.
PANEL 8: Melody is frozen, pupils reflecting the torchlight.
TEXT: Let us thank him for…
PANEL 9: The fingers of the clutching hand relax a little.
TEXT: …for what?
PAGE 6
PANEL 1: Serena finally breaks free, Soldier #2 is mad but the Fat Lady is laughing. Eye Patch is lost in his own pain.
SOLDIER #2 (at Serena): Hey!
EYE PATCH (small letters trailing off): He got me…
PANEL 2: Murdermouth looks at his hand.
TEXT: For what?
PANEL 3: Serena yanks Melody away as Soldier#2 is getting his rifle in position to shoot. The barker is moving toward the soldier.
PANEL 4: As Soldier #2 fires, the barker shoves him.
BARKER: Don’t damage the merchandise.
SFX: KER-CHAWW (bleeds across next two panels)
PANEL 5: The bullet skrees past Serena and Melody’s heads…
SFX: …WWZZZZZ
PANEL 6: …and takes a small chunk of Murdermouth’s shoulder as it passes through.
SFX: …ZZZZIPPPP
PANEL 7: Soldier #2 raises his rifle as if he’s going to beat the barker.
SOLDIER #2: I’ll grind you to friggin’ sausage.
PANEL 8: The Fat Lady puts her hand on the soldier’s arm to stop him. The barker’s face shows relief.
FAT LADY: Hey, hon, be a lover, not a fighter.
PAGE 7
PANEL 1: Serena, kneeling, hugs Melody, who is sobbing.
MELODY: My dolly…
PANEL 2: The doll on the ground near Murdermouth’s ragged feet.
TEXT: Dolly.
PANEL 3: Soldier #2 is helping Eye Patch.
SOLDIER #2: He got ya, all right.
EYE PATCH: Christ, am I gonna get the freak disease?
PANEL 4: The Barker and Fat Lady gather around Eye Patch.
BARKER: Nah, he didn’t bite ya.
FAT LADY: Lucky for you.
PANEL 7: Eye Patch’s face, close up, his one eye is squinting in anger.
EYE PATCH: I’m gonna kill that son of a whore.
PANEL 8: Fat Lady smiles at him.
FAT LADY: Once I get my mouth on you, you’ll forget all about him.
PANEL 6: Serena is pulling Melody toward the tent entrance, but Melody is looking back at the cage. She is no longer crying but there are tears on her cheeks.
SERENA: Come on.
MELODY: I can’t leave Dolly.
PANEL 7: Murdermouth hunches down and reaches for the doll.
TEXT: Dolly.
PANEL 8: He grabs the doll and brings it to his mouth.
TEXT: I love Dolly.
PAGE 8
PANEL 1 (This page is a flashback so use an effect to show the transition—jagged borders or a different style of shading): Flashback scene—jagged borders of panel—Murdermouth in his human life as Lt. John Sorensen, giving his six-year-old daughter DOLORES a doll. John is in an officer’s uniform. His wife JULIE and oldest daughter MEGAN wait in the background. They are on the porch of a suburban house.
TEXT: John. Yeah, that was him. Me, I mean.
JOHN: You be good for your mommy, okay?
PANEL 2: Dolores hugs the doll to her cheek.
DOLORES: ‘kay, Daddy.
TEXT: Dolores. We called her “Dolly.”
PANEL 3: Dolores joins Julie and Megan.
JULIE: What’s happening, John?
JOHN: War. Like always. Now get in the car.
TEXT: Julie. Megan. I love them all.
PANEL 4: Julie by the open driver’s door of their car, John close by.
JULIE: How will you find us?
JOHN: I just will. Now go.
PANEL 5: Julie and John share a deep, frantic kiss.
TEXT: She tastes so damn good.
PANEL 5: John slams the door with Julie behind the wheel, Megan in the seat behind her.
JULIE: John, I--
JOHN: Drive north. They won’t get you there. And don’t look back.
PANEL 6: Panoramic view—street is packed with cars from other houses in the neighborhood, everyone’s leaving. There’s chaos, televisions on the sidewalk, backpacks, boxes of food, things people couldn’t fit in the car. John is waving goodbye, Dolly is visible through the back window of the car, face small and scared. A soldier is dodging between the cars, rifle held high. The horizon is smoky.
JOHN (small): Don’t look back.
TEXT: Sometimes I can remember. Sometimes I’m glad I can’t.
PAGE 9
PANEL 1: Back to the present—Murdermouth is holding the dolly close to his lips.
TEXT: It tastes like soap and bubble gum.
PANEL 2: CLOSE-UP of Murdermouth’s cracked lips against the doll’s hair.
TEXT: Like the kid.
PANEL 3: CLOSE-UP. Mouth opens, rough, stained teeth set in diseased gums.
TEXT: Like Dolly.
PANEL 4: MEDIUM CLOSE-UP. The doll is yanked away as the teeth clack together.
SFX (teeth): Klakk
PANEL 5: The Fat Lady is holding the doll. A couple of strands of yarn doll hair dangle from Murdermouth’s mouth.
FAT LADY: Hey, hon, that’s no way to treat a lady.
PANEL 5: Murdermouth grips the bars. The Fat Lady is close enough to grab but he just stands there. The Barker is behind the Fat Lady, but out of reach.
BARKER: Better get back. He’s hungry.
FAT LADY: He’s always hungry.
PANEL 6: The Fat Lady gives the doll to Melody.
FAT LADY: You folks better scram before the clowns come out.
PANEL 7: Soldier #2 blocks their way to the tent entrance, tongue lewdly protruding from his leering face.
SOLDIER #2: Not so fast. I want some of that.
TEXT: Love. We all want love.
PANEL 8: Fat Lady smiles, in triumph, jealousy, perversion.
FAT LADY: I’m all the woman you two boys need.
TEXT: But some want it more than others.
PAGE 10
PANEL 1: Night. There’s only one torch burning inside the tent, near the cage Murdermouth is sitting on the floor, hunched over. He’s “asleep” or what passes for sleep to a zombie.
TEXT: The dark tastes good. My ears don’t hurt now.
PANEL 2: A mouse skitters across the spilled straw of the cage.
PANEL 3: The mouse stops and sniffs at Murdermouth’s toe, which is sticking through the rags wrapped around his feet. The toe is cracked and the skin is split in places.
SFX: Snfff
PANEL 4: As the mouse nibbles at the toe, Murdermouth’s hand descends to it.
PANEL 5: CLOSE-UP of Murdermouth, most of his face is lost in shadow but he’s chewing the mouse. A couple of drops of blood leak out between his lips and the mouse tail dangles.
TEXT: Dark tastes better now. But I smell him.
PANEL 6: A cigarette lights up behind Murdermouth. It is JUGGLES, a carnival performer who has no arms, only stumps. He is sitting on a bale of straw, smoking with the cigarette between two toes. He is skinny, wrinkled but not too old, with sharp, angular features. A few wooden bowling pins are scattered on the ground beside him.
JUGGLES: So, Meat Head, what’s cookin’ tonight?
; PANEL 7: Murdermouth slurps down the mouse tail like a spaghetti strand.
SFX: Slurrrp
PANEL 8: Juggles, the cigarette in his mouth, leans back, gripping one of the bowling pins with his toes and tossing it up in the air.
JUGGLES: Don’t talk with your mouth full, huh? Good manners.