Horrorwood Issue 4

HORRORWOOD ISSUE 4: CURTAIN CALL FINAL VERSION Written by: Brandon Terrell Illustrated by: Brent Schoonover

Brandon Terrell [email protected] 651.341.6556

HORRORWOOD ISSUE 4: CURTAIN CALL PAGE 1, SPLASH PAGE: Pierce, standing in shock as he looks down the aisle at the stage, where Sophia stands next to The Father, wearing a cloak. Everyone is staring at Pierce. PIERCE What has he done to you, Sophia?! PAGE 2, PANEL 1: A long, horizontal panel. On stage, The Father looks out and sees the man in the aisle. He has his hand out, motioning to a nearby Sophia. THE FATHER Who is that man? PANEL 2: Sophia looks out and scrutinizes Pierce, but cannot tell who he is because of the mask. SOPHIA I do not know, Father. PANEL 3: Bruno stands behind the small crowd, trying to see what's going on. BRUNO Aww crap, Pierce. PANEL 4: An over the shoulder as Pierce has become the center of attention. The cultists nearby, including Square Jaw, have turned to look at him. PANEL 5: Pierce, stunned, cannot move. He drops his duffel bag. PANEL 6: Close up as the bag hits the floor and a small sphere (the object Sophia examined in issue 1) rolls out. SFX: Tink! Tink! PAGE 3, PANEL 1: The Father addresses Pierce. THE FATHER Who are you? PANEL 2: Pierce in close up. We can see the sweat has begun to affect his mask significantly. Pieces of it have begun to peel from his face. PIERCE I...I am...

2. PANEL 3: The Father is furious. THE FATHER I asked you a question! You are not one of my children! PANEL 4: Pierce begins to hyperventilate. Behind him, Square Jaw, among others, have closed in on him. PANEL 5: Square Jaw clocks Pierce on the back of the head, knocking him forward. SFX: Thunk! PANEL 6: A black frame, or almost black, as Pierce slides into unconsciousness. THE FATHER (V.O.) Bring him to me... PAGE 4, PANEL 1: Pierce coming to. He pulls himself off the boards of the theater floor, part of his mask sticking to the wood. PIERCE Ugghh... PANEL 2: The Father and Michael hover over Pierce, Sophia standing behind them. THE FATHER How dare you enter into my domain and disrupt my family? Speak -- who do you think you are? PANEL 3: Michael pulls Pierce to his feet, holds him in front of The Father and Sophia. PIERCE Anthony...please... THE FATHER What did you call me? PANEL 4: The Father moves in closer. THE FATHER That name means nothing to me. How does a worthless piece of filth such as you even know that wretched name?

3. PIERCE Please...my daughter...I just want-PANEL 5: The Father reaches out, snatches a piece of the drooping mask in his hand. THE FATHER What is this? What are you made of, abnormal? PANEL 6: He peels a long strip of wax from Pierce's face. THE FATHER A disguise. You cunning, foul creature. PAGE 5, PANEL 1: Both hands on Pierce's face, The Father digs his claws into the wax. PIERCE No. No! Please! PANEL 2: The Father's hands pull away from Pierce's face, and it looks as if Pierce's entire face goes with him. THE FATHER It...it cannot be. PANEL 3: Pierce's real face is revealed, clumps of wax still stuck in places, around the chin and cheeks. PIERCE Anthony...I just...I just want my daughter. PANEL 4: The Father steps back, grins, and throws his hands up in triumph. THE FATHER The one and only Pierce Jackson, on my stage! Come to rescue your beloved Patricia from the belly of the beast, haven't you? How noble. PANEL 5: The Father turns and indicates Sophia. THE FATHER As you can see, she clearly does not need your help. Am I correct, Sophia?

4. PANEL 6: Sophia smiles as she nods her head. SOPHIA Yes, Father. PANEL 7: Pierce's face is deflated. PIERCE (barely audible) Sophia...what has he done to you? PAGE 6, PANEL 1: Bruno stands back from the crowd of cultist onlookers. There are others behind him, as well. BRUNO All right, this has gotta stop. PANEL 2: He reaches under his robe, grabbing the item he and Pierce discussed earlier. BRUNO It may not be time, but it's close enough. CULTIST (O.S.) What's going on up there? I must see. PANEL 3: The cultist clamoring to see on stage bumps into Bruno, causing Bruno to lurch forward. The item clatters to the ground. It is what appears to be a timer, a rectangular contraption with a red button on top. SFX: Clink! Clank! BRUNO Oof! Hey! CULTIST Apologies...so sorry. PANEL 4: Bruno squats down and sees the timer on the ground. It is in the foreground, large. CULTIST (O.S.) Let's get closer. Come. PANEL 5: Same panel, but now Bruno is reaching for the timer. Only someone has kicked the timer away from his hand, toward the seats.

5. SFX: Thunk! BRUNO Son of a bitch. PANEL 6: Bruno tries to push through the crowd of cultists, shouldering them aside. BRUNO Excuse me. Watch out. Coming through. PANEL 7: A close-up of Bruno. His mask has started to melt, as he is now sweating. He looks up at the stage. BRUNO Hold on, Pierce. Hold on. PAGE 7, PANEL 1: Back on stage, Square Jaw clocks Pierce across the face. SFX: Crack! PIERCE Uuhhh... PANEL 2: The Father stands next to Square Jaw. THE FATHER That is sufficient. We wish him to be conscious when we string him up next to O'Malley. PANEL 3: Michael holds Pierce by the arms, hoisting him up. He holds him in front of The Father. THE You've waited man took away life. He made today.

FATHER enough, Michael. The your career, your you the...man you are

Do the honors. PANEL 4: Michael carries Pierce toward O'Malley body, where cultists have prepared another noose. THE FATHER Soon, when Sophia's transformation is complete, she will forget all of this. She will lead a better life, under my care.

6. PANEL 5: A close up of The Father. THE FATHER Do you wish to say goodbye, Sophia? PANEL 6: Sophia walks to The Father's side. He has produced his knife from under his robe. SOPHIA I said goodbye long ago. Pierce has always treated me as an afterthought. PANEL 7: Sophia in close up. SOPHIA He killed my mother, and I was just a reminder of his stupidity. PAGE 8 PANEL 1: The Father hands Sophia the knife. Between their hands, as they exchange the weapon, Pierce struggles. PIERCE Sophia! No! Please, Anthony, don't do this to her! PANEL 2: Pierce turns his head back to The Father. PIERCE This has...nothing to do with her! PANEL 3: The Father laughs at this. THE FATHER Sophia, it is time. Excise him from your life forever. PANEL 4: Pierce's head droops in the noose. The Father follows Sophia to stand by his side. PIERCE I'm...sorry... THE FATHER I have no pity for you, old friend. You killed your wife, burned my child beyond recognition, and turned your own daughter against you. PANEL 5: Pierce is sobbing.

7. PIERCE Helen...so sorry... PANEL 6: The Father clutches Pierce's hair, pulls his head up. THE FATHER Watch. Don't turn your eyes. CULTIST #1 (O.S.) Father? PAGE 9, PANEL 1: The Father turns as two cultists stand to the side. One holds Pierce's duffel bag out, offering it. CULTIST #1 We discovered his things amongst the aisles. PANEL 2: The second cultist steps forward, opens his palm. CULTIST #2 We were unsure what this was. PANEL 3: A close up of his palm. In it is the sphere from issue one. CULTIST #2 It does not appear valuable, Father. PANEL 4: Bruno sees the cultist holding out his palm. He rushes into a row of seats. BRUNO Come on, Bruno. You got this. PANEL 5: He dives to the ground, squashed between the seats and the garbage cluttered on the floor. Amidst the debris is the timer. PANEL 6: A close-up of Bruno's hand, as he grabs the timer. BRUNO It's time to yell fire in a crowded theater. PANEL 7: His thumb presses the button on the timer. SFX: CLICK!

8. PAGES 10 & 11 SPLASH PAGE: The stage, from a low angle. On the left, the two cultists are rocked back as the sphere blasts open, releasing a plume of smoke and flash of light. The robe of the cultist holding the device has burst into flame. The Father shields himself from the blast. Sophia is rocked backward, the knife flying from her hand. Pierce remains strung up. SFX: CULTIST #2 AHHHHH!! PAGE 12, PANEL 1: Smoke fills the stage, the theater. The cultist on fire is engulfed in flames now. He waves around frantically. CULTIST #2 Help me! Help me! Someone! Father! PANEL 2: Sophia hits the ground, her head collided against the wood. SFX: Crack! SOPHIA Oof! PANEL 3: The Father lifts his collar over his mouth. THE FATHER Fools! I must finish the job! PANEL 4: The Father cuts the rope. PANEL 5: Pierce's noose tightens, his fingers clawing at his neck. PIERCE Hur--! Akk--! PANEL 6: A wider shot of Pierce struggling against the rope. PANEL 7: A dagger slices through the rope, severing the noose. PANEL 8: Pierce hits the ground, hard. PIERCE Ooff! PAGE 13, PANEL 1: Pierce looks up, and through the smoke sees Manos.

9. MANOS Seems I arrived at the appropriate time. PANEL 2: Cultists swarm Bruno as he stands up, his mask peeling off his face. One of them points at him. CULTIST Another interloper! He must be stopped! PANEL 3: The group rushes Bruno, who peels off the wax mask in preparation. BRUNO Oh, this is gonna be fun. PANEL 4: Bruno begins swinging fast and furious, parts of the mask still clinging to his cheeks and hair. PANEL 5: Pierce stands, pulling the noose off his neck. PIERCE Kaff! Kaff! PANEL 6: Square Jaw, out of no where, knocks Pierce back, off his feet. PANEL 7: Square Jaw hovers over Pierce, fists clenched. SQUARE JAW How dare you attack our Father! Do you know nothing?! PAGE 14, PANEL 1: A close up of Pierce. PIERCE I suppose I know one thing. PANEL 2: He stands suddenly, his shoulder connecting with Square Jaw's chin. Foam shoots out of the cultist's mouth. PIERCE I am quite aware of the effects of cyanide. PANEL 3: Pierce rushes to Manos, as Square Jaw's face hits the wooden floor in the foreground, eyes wide, cyanide foam spilling from his mouth. MANOS Find Valmont! We cannot let him escape into this mist!

10. PANEL 4: A two shot of Manos and Pierce. They look into the crowd, and through the haze see Bruno being attacked from all sides. BRUNO You haven't beaten me yet! RANDOM CULTIST Kill him! For The Father! MANOS Attend to your daughter. I'll assist Bruno and manage these misguided souls. PANEL 5: Bruno is surrounded by cultists. He is swinging away at them, but there are many, and they claw at him. Behind him, Manos can be seen leaping from the stage. BRUNO Come on! That all you got?! This is for Getrude! And Junior! And this one's for Gill! PANEL 6: Manos is at Bruno's side, his hands and fingers outstretched, four or five flashes pop in front of the crowd, holding them at bay. SFX: POP! POP! POP! POP! MANOS Stand back, you fools! PANEL 7: Bruno wipes blood and tattered pieces of wax off his face. BRUNO Thanks. PANEL 8: Pierce rushes toward Sophia, as she pushes herself up with one hand. The other is rubbing her head. She is dazed. PIERCE Sophia! I'm coming, dear! SOPHIA Pierce...? PAGE 15, PANEL 1: A large hand swipes across Pierce, knocking him across the stage.

11. PANEL 2: Michael towers over Pierce, The Father standing in his shadow. THE FATHER Yes, Michael! Take your revenge! Finish him! PANEL 3: Overhead, a close up of a sprinkler head. Water begins to spray from it. SFX: Fssshhhhh! PANEL 4: Water rains down on everyone as Michael lifts Pierce off the floor. PANEL 5: Michael punches Pierce, who flies into the curtain. Pierce crumples to the floor as The Father watches. THE FATHER He ruined your father's life, Michael. He ruined your life. I want him dead! PANEL 6: Michael kicks Pierce in the midsection, knocking him back to the floor. PIERCE Ooof! THE FATHER You should have stayed under your rock, Pierce. PANEL 7: A close up of Pierce as blood sprays from his mouth as Michael delivers yet another punch. THE FATHER (O.S.) You see what happens when you reach out and try to connect with a world that has moved on without you? PAGE 16, PANEL 1: Another punch. THE FATHER Pain! PANEL 2: Another punch. THE FATHER Fear! PANEL 3: Yet another brutal punch.

12. THE FATHER Death! PANEL 4: The crowd has begun to thin. Manos continues a barrage of flash illusions, pushing them back. Bruno is clocking one with his cast. Many unconscious cultists lay around them. MANOS Bruno! They're fleeing! Now let's hurry and leave this wet place! BRUNO I'll get the truck! PANEL 5: Michael holds Pierce up, eye level, so Pierce can stare into the eyes of the behemoth. THE FATHER Show him! Show him what he turned you into! Let it be the last thing he sees! PANEL 6: Michael pulls back his hood, and we see the horrible visage of a burned man with tufts of hair and skin melted and grafted along his cheeks and forehead. We have seen hints of it, but not all of it in all its glory. He is hideous! MICHAEL You....did....this.... PANEL 7: A metal pipe clanks across the back of Michael's head. SFX: Clang! SOPHIA (O.S.) Hey! Mikey! PAGE 17, PANEL 1: A big panel. Sophia stands amongst the wreckage of the tank, the water. We see her and Michael, who has turned, still holding a battered Pierce. She is holding a long metal pipe, and looks small against the hulking cultist. SOPHIA Why don't you pick on someone your own size? PANEL 2: She cracks him across the cheek with the pipe. Stunned, he lets go of Pierce. PANEL 3: She wails on him again, this time driving him to his knees. The Father stands watching in horror.

13. THE FATHER Noo! What are you doing? PAGE 18, PANEL 1: The front of the theater. The doors burst open and cultists, smoke, and Bruno come rushing out. PANEL 2: Bruno runs headlong for the truck. BRUNO Hang in there. I'm coming. PANEL 3: His foot slams on the gas. PANEL 4: The truck shoots out of the alley, narrowly missing a couple of panicked cultists. PANEL 5: He screeches the truck into a tight turn, so the bed of the truck swings around and is facing the doors from which the cultists flee. SFX: Sccrreeeeeeecchhh! PANEL 6: Bruno sticks his head out of the window, looking back at the doors to the theater. BRUNO Sorry about this, Soph. PAGE 19, PANEL 1: The lobby of the theater, as the back of the truck smashes through the door, backing into the lobby. One of the cultists is knocked down by the crash, others thrown out of the way. PANEL 2: Sophia up on stage, swinging the weapon and knocking Michael across the face hard enough to loosen teeth. SOPHIA Let this be the lesson to you. PANEL 3: She strikes him in the side. SOPHIA Never-PANEL 4: Another blow. SOPHIA --mess with-PANEL 5: The last hit sends him back, onto the floor. SOPHIA --my father!

14. PANEL 6: Pierce, bloody, stumbles to his feet. He is near the ropes and sandbags. PAGE 20, PANEL 1: The Father is outraged. THE FATHER What have you done to my Michael?! My dear son!? You'll pay for this, harlot! PANEL 2: He brandishes his knife, lunging in Sophia's direction. THE FATHER My life, my work! Ruined! Die! PANEL 3: Pierce's fingers fumble with a set of tied ropes. They are loose. PIERCE Sophia! Move! PANEL 4: Sandbags sail into the air. PANEL 5: The corpse of Seamus O'Malley falls from its hanging position, falling atop The Father, knocking him to the ground. Sophia falls out of the way. SFX: THUD! THE FATHER Nooo!!! PAGE 21, PANEL 1: Sophia holds Pierce up, as water sprays them and smoke surrounds them. BRUNO (O.S.) Sophia!? Pierce!? SOPHIA Bruno?! We're over here! PANEL 2: Cultists attack Bruno and he knocks them back. They still have fight in them, but Bruno handles them easily. BRUNO Hurry up! Let's get outta here! PANEL 3: Sophia and Pierce break through the smoke.

15. SOPHIA Bruno! Help us! PANEL 4: Sophia climbs into the bed of the truck as Bruno hefts Pierce next to her. PIERCE Where's...Manos...? SOPHIA Manos? PIERCE He was...helping...he's... SOPHIA I don't see him, Dad. He must of gotten out. Lay back. PANEL 5: Bruno jumps behind the wheel of the truck. BRUNO Hold on, guys! PANEL 6: The truck barrels away from the theater. Smoke rushes out, as do more cultists. Bruno drives them off into the night. PAGE 22, PANEL 1: A close up of Pierce's eye. BRUNO (O.S.) This is gonna sting. PANEL 2: Pull back to see Bruno dabbing iodine on a large cut below Pierce's left eye. He is sitting on the alien autopsy table in Pierce's warehouse. BRUNO You took one helluva beating there, Pierce. You sure you're okay? PIERCE Yes. Yes. I suppose I deserved Michael's rage. BRUNO Bull. We're lucky we all got out of there alive. PANEL 3: Sophia steps up, oversees the process. SOPHIA He gonna be all right, Bruno?

16. BRUNO Right as rain. He'll be lumpy for a while, but that may actually be an improvement. Gotta get more iodine. PANEL 4: It's just Sophia and Pierce, an over the shoulder of Pierce. Sophia is fidgety. SOPHIA Um, well...It took a lot of courage to do what you did, Pops. PIERCE As long as you're all right, it was worth it. SOPHIA I'm sorry, you know. PANEL 5: A close up of Pierce. PIERCE You have nothing to apologize for. It was Valmont's doing. PANEL 6: The two shot again. SOPHIA It's a little hazy, but I'm pretty sure I said some horrible things. They weren't true. PIERCE It's okay, Sophia. It opened my eyes, showed me what's really important. PANEL 7: Another angle of the two shot. SOPHIA The thing with Mom...we could have found a way past it, instead of acting like strangers all these years. PIERCE Yes, well... Sophia? I...I'm sorry about Roger. I'm sorry for what you went through.

17. SOPHIA Thanks, Pops. Means a lot. PANEL 8: Bruno is back, holding a bottle of iodine. BRUNO You think the cops found Valmont? MANOS (O.S.) I'm afraid that's not very likely. PAGE 23, PANEL 1: Manos stands before them. BRUNO Holy jeez! Scared the daylights outta me. MANOS I do have a tendency to do that. I must apologize for involving you all in tonight's excitement. Sophia, I had no knowledge of your estranged love, and I had no intention of placing anyone's life in danger. PANEL 2: A shot of the four of them. MANOS I returned to the theater to find Valmont gone. Michael as well. But I do not believe he is dead. We must also not forget about his 'children'. PANEL 3: A city street, where a number of people bustle by, on their way to wherever, not a care in the world. MANOS (O.S.) They could be anywhere, anyone. And they are out there. Waiting for him to return. PANEL 4: The inside of the theater. A number of cops search the place. One large burly cop stands on stage, amidst the ruins of the water tank and fight. The only body there is Seamus Jr.'s. A young cop calls from back stage. YOUNG COP Ain't no one here, Chief! Place is cleaned out!

18. MANOS (O.S.) He is weakened, but I fear that will not stop him. Eventually, he will have the nerve to once again overstep the bounds of justice with his brutal vendetta. PANEL 5: Back to Pierce's warehouse. A shot of all four of them. SOPHIA And what do we do when that time comes? PAGE 24, SPLASH PAGE: A sweet ass shot of all four of them, the three main characters in the foreground, but still in Pierce's warehouse. Behind them is Manos and his glorious cape. PIERCE Then we go out and find him! THE END!!