brian's story--"down in the dump" part 1

okay...

here, as promised, is part one of the full script written by our own brian mulcahy a month or so ago. it was inspired by a blog in which i posted a strange story about a weird creature a woman in oregon viewed in a backwoods dump. after saying that i wasn't certain how i could weave this crytpo-phenomenon into an upcoming perhapanauts story, brian ran with it and turned this script in OVERNIGHT (still can't believe that!)!
i'll be posting the rest of the story on wednesday and friday.
enjoy!
todd

Perhapanauts #TBA

Twenty-Two Page Story

PAGE ONE

Splash

The setting is a large run of the mill town dump. Arisa, MG, Big, Molly and Choopie are there to discard everything that got broken in the climatic fight scene from their latest adventure. Choopie is in the foreground. In one hand he holds one of his Red Cross juice boxes with protruding straw while with the other hand he is dragging a broken chair. Choopie looks less than thrilled. In the background Arisa, MG and Big are unloading various pieces of debris from the back of a Bedlam SUV. Behind them can be seen high-tension power wires spanning over the dump.

Title: Todd and Craig’s The Perhapanauts in “Down In the Dump”

Credits: brian –– words TBA –– pictures TBA –– colors

Choopie: Oh sure, they make it look soooo glamorous in the movies. James Bond saves the world and he ends up on a tropical beach with the beautiful leading lady. Me, I end up with a broken chair and an all expenses paid trip to the town dump to dispose of the half ton of ruble which is all that’s left of the latest sure fire can’t miss crackpot scheme for world domination. Man, I need a vacation . . . and some pie.


PAGE TWO

Choopie is taking a sip out of his Red Cross juice box while looking around for a good place to dump his broken chair when he catches something out of the corner of his eye.

Choopie: Huh?

As Choopie looks around he spots several small holes in the ground and then a small area of dirt starting to push upward. As Choopie stares, the dirt begins to fall away revealing a tan object about 12 inches in diameter shaped like the tip of a finger and perfectly smooth.

Choopie: What on earth . . .

As Choopie continues to watch, the creature begins to sway to the left, then to the right, as if looking for something, and then it stops. Suddenly, two beautiful crystal blue eyes surrounded by brilliant white snap open. Choopie’s expression changes from perplexed to delighted. He puts down the broken chair and starts to approach the creature.

Choopie: Don’t worry little fella, I’m not gonna hurt you.

Choopie walks out of the panel so that all we see is the broken chair lying on the ground. Then from off panel we hear

Choopie: Hey, hey . . . . Ahhhhhhhh . . . .

Choopie’s Red Cross juice box flies in from off panel and lands beside the broken chair.




PAGE THREE

Arisa, Big, MG and Molly are finishing taking the last pieces of debris off of the Bedlam SUV.

Arisa: I think that’s the last of it team, good job.

Molly: I’m afraid I wasn’t much help what with my condition and all.

MG: Don’t worry about it Molly. Plus you were a bigger help than Choopie.

Big: Speaking of whom, has anyone seen . . . .

Choopie’s scream is heard coming from off panel. Arisa, visibly chilled by the tone of the scream is the first to react.

Arisa: Blue Team, I want a four-grid point to perimeter hard target search of this dump for Choopie and I want it fast. Keep your com lines open and stay frosty, no telling who or what we’re dealing with here.

Big and MG take off simultaneously in separate directions. Molly delays, a look of trepidation on her face. She looks over at Arisa who, sensing Molly’s need for reassurance, gives her a slight smile and nod.

Arisa: Don’t worry Mol, I’m sure Choopie just ran into a rat and got startled.

A slight smile spreads across Molly’s face.

Molly: Yeah, I’m sure that’s it ‘Ris.

Somewhat reassured, Molly floats off in search of Choopie.

Arisa waits for Molly to leave, then reaches into the Bedlam SUV and pulls out Choopie’s blaster.

Arisa: Of course, if that were the case, it would have been the rat we heard screaming.

PAGE FOUR

Separate panels of MG, Big and Arisa searching the dump. Cut to a panel of Molly floating with her eyes and mouth wide open excitedly yelling.

Molly: Quick, over here, over here! I’ve found something.

MG, Big and Arisa converge on the area over which Molly is floating. As they arrive, Molly lowers herself to the ground. The four now are standing around looking at the broken chair and the Red Cross juice box, straw still in place, lying on the ground.

MG picks up the juice box.

Big: This thing is still half full. I KNOW he didn’t give this up voluntarily.

MG then gives the box a squeeze causing a stream of blood to shoot out of the box. Arisa, MG, Molly and Big all turn their heads watching the arc of blood as it flies through the air and then falls onto a slight depression in the ground about six feet away from them and almost instantly drains into the earth.

Big: Hello? What do we have here?

Big picks up the broken chair and places it on top of the depression. The ground underneath the chair quickly gives way causing the chair to fall through revealing a surprising large hole in the ground.

Big: Well I’ll be a monkey’s uncle (quickly turning to MG) don’t even think it.

PAGE FIVE

Cut to shot of Arisa, MG, Molly and Big looking down into the hole from the point of view of the hole.

Molly: Boy, it’s awfully dark down there. How deep do you think it is?

MG: I’m not sure, but I definitely think we’re going to need a bigger boat.

Arisa: Very funny. Ok, what we are going to need is lights and lots of them.

Big: I’m on it.

Big heads back to the SUV to grab their flashlights.

MG: (speaking in a joking manner) Why Miss. Arisa, I didn’t know you were afraid of the dark.

Arisa: I’m not, wise guy, like any sane person, I’m afraid of what’s in the dark.

Cut to shot of the team, Arisa, MG and Big all holding flashlight, standing around the hole getting ready to start their descent.

Arisa: Molly, you can travel the quickest so you’re on point. Scout ahead and let us know of any trouble spots.

Molly: (a touch of anxiety showing on her face) Will do ‘Ris.

Molly heads down first. Arisa then turns to MG handing him Choopie’s
blaster.

Arisa: You go next MG and take this. It’s our only weapon and you’re by far our best shot.

MG pauses, looking at her as if he wants to say something, something personal,
but the moment passes. He then nods to Arisa and slips into the hole.




PAGE SIX

Arisa: (whispering so MG’s back so cannot hear her) be safe (then turning to Big) I’ll go next and you take the rear. Do you think you can make it?

Big: No worse than flying coach. But if it gets any narrower on the way down, I might have to back out, literally.

Arisa: Ok then, let’s do this. (said with a little more courage then she’s actually feeling)

Arisa enters the hole followed by Big who passes with only inches to spare.

Cut to shot of MG, Arisa and Big crawling through a pitch-black tunnel.

Arisa: (to MG) Can you see anything?

MG: Other than the hand in front of my face?

Arisa: Yes.

MG: Then, no.

Arisa: (turning her head back to Big) How you doing back there Big?

Big: Kind of wishing I’d watched something other than the Original Alien movie last night, but other than that . . .

Arisa: (to MG) Any sign of Molly?

MG: Nothing Ye . . . (Molly materializes right in front of MG) . . . ahhh, don’t do that.

Molly: Sorry, but I bring good news, just twenty yards further down this tunnel opens up into a cavern.

Tight shot of MG, Arisa and then Big emerging from the tunnel.