Hell's Treasure Chapter 1

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PAGE 1

Page 1 panel 1

Wide shot, full-page splash panel.  Exterior, a rooftop in the rain at night.  Shaw Serling, a 15-year-old girl with long red hair, stands on a ledge on the roof of a tall building in the pouring rain, ready to leap off.  We see her from behind, with the lights of New York City spread out before her.  The night sky is packed with clouds.  Shaw's fiery red hair blows in the wind.  She wears black, formal clothes--a long, black coat over a knee-length black dress and black hose.  Her clothes are soaked from the rain.  She has just come from a funeral.

Shaw (caption): The building tells me not to jump. 

Shaw (caption): I tell it to mind its own business.

PAGE 2 (3 panels)

Page 2 panel 1

Half-page panel to introduce Shaw properly.  Reverse angle from page 1 panel 1, medium shot on Shaw, showing her from a POV suspended in front of her, looking from the direction of the cityscape toward the roof of the building where she stands.  She is a pale, slender girl, sixteen years old, with freckles scattered over her nose and cheeks.  "Distraught" is too mild a word to describe her expression.  She's in a state of pure anguish, ready to end it all in a heartbeat.  Mascara runs down her face, washed away by rain and tears.  Her hair blows across her face, which is lit from below by the city lights.

Shaw (caption): Maybe I should use pills or carbon monoxide instead.

Shaw (caption): At least they wouldn't talk back to me.

Page 2 panel 2

First of two panels in the bottom tier, narrower than page 2 panel 3.  Closeup on Shaw's face.  Her eyes glisten with tears.  She stares off into space, remembering.

Shaw (caption): But I didn't want to take a chance this wouldn't work.

Shaw (caption): Not to mention, this is where it happened.

Page 2 panel 3

FLASHBACK.  Wider panel in the bottom tier.  Interior, a well-lit apartment.  Another closeup of Shaw's face, but with an angry, not anguished, expression.  We see her in daylight, dressed in brighter colors--shouting at someone off-panel.

Shaw (caption): This is where I ruined everything.

Shaw: This sucks!  I hate you!

PAGE 3 (5 panels)

Page 3 panel 1

Flashback continues.  Big panel, almost half the page.  Wide shot, interior living room of a well-appointed apartment...Shaw's home.  In the middle of the panel, she faces off with a middle-aged man, her father, Jack.  He's slim and balding, with brown hair around the sides and back of his head.  He wears wire-rimmed glasses, a white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and khaki trousers.  At far left, Shaw's sister, Emily, stands behind Shaw and watches, frowning, with arms stiff at her sides.  Emily's 13, two years younger than Shaw and somewhat awkward and gangly.  She has bright red hair and freckles, but her hair is shorter, collar-length.  She wears a goofy t-shirt and faded bluejeans.  She holds a cell phone and has iPod-style ear buds in her ears with dangling cords leading to the phone.  At far right, Shaw's mother, Maeve, stands behind Jack with arms folded over her chest.  Maeve is a beautiful woman in her late 30s with striking red hair.  (The girls take after her, obviously.)  She wears flowing, pretty clothes--a belted dress with a gypsy, bohemian look.  She's a little bit Stevie Nicks, willowy, ethereal...but with red hair and fashion-framed glasses.

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