Down the Hole

Down the Hole
Written by Eddie Jamal

PAGE ONE (six panels)

Panel 1. ALISON, a bald, eleven-year-old girl, sleeps in a post anesthesiacare unit room. Sitting next to her in contemplation is JOHN DEAN, early 40s,William Fichtner-like in appearance. A Polaroid photo is in his hand.

CAP: Fifteen people are dead.

CAP: I found a suspect. He had a gun… pointed straight at me.

Panel 2. Alison sleeps in the foreground. John turns and looks at her in thebackground.

CAP: I shot him. Killed him.

CAP: All thirteen rounds. I… buried all thirteen bullets in him. Mademe so… so damn happy.

Panel 3. John looks down at the photo.

CAP: I found a girl with him.

Panel 4. Photo of a much healthier Alison.

CAP: Barely old enough… barely alive.

CAP: His… test subject. Not the first, but at least this one'salive.

Panel 5. John puts the photo in his coat pocket and walks to the door.

CAP: Alison.

(more)

PAGE ONE (continued)

Panel 6. Shot of a building.

CAP: I took her to a hospital.

VOICE (within building): Donald Leroy Mitchell. I remember him, umm, notonly as, one of the finest pediatric neurosurgeons of our time…

PAGE TWO (six panels)

Panel 1. Shot of DONALD MITCHELL in a photograph, dressed in scrubs, smilingat us. There are other doctors around him, but our focus is on him.

TITLE (w/ credits): Down the Hole.

CAP: Comatose.

VOICE (within building): But as a real good friend too.

Panel 2. Same angle as panel 1, but we're further away now. We're looking ata framed photograph of the neurological department staff at some hospital. Thephoto's hanging on the wall.

CAP: I had to wait for several days till I could talk to her.

VOICE (o.p.): Hehh… wow… I remember it all like it'syesterday. He was a good guy. You'd, never expect anything so… sobizarre from a guy like him.

Panel 3. John Reed looks at the photograph.

CAP: But, then I realized that… something was wrong.

JOHN: You're, not supposed to take anything for granted, doctor. I had tolearn that the real hard way.

VOICE (o.p.): Hehh… yeah, of course. And, uh, please, call meRonald.

(more)

PAGE TWO (continued)

Panel 3. Aerial shot of a cozy office in a clinic. RONALD JACOBS, 51, standsagainst his desk. John is still over at the wall.

JOHN: So you said he… uhm… disappeared in… April '09,right?

RONALD: Yeah. Now I've known him to be quite the rational type. But what hesaid back then was just… blatantly farfetched.

Panel 4. John walks back to the desk, taking a sip from a cup of coffee.

RONALD: About… revolutionizing neuroscience using umm, ESP and uh,telepathy, materialization, time travel… and all that, mumbo-jumbo,y'know?

JOHN: What about Alison?

Panel 5. John puts his empty cup on the desk, Ronald turns to him.

RONALD (softly): My God…

JOHN: What do you know about her?

Panel 6. John and Ronald talking. Different angle.

RONALD: She, uh… ahh-hem, used to be a patient of mine. Shewas… uh… diagnosed with an oligodendroglioma… a type ofbrain tumor.

RONALD: Problem was… it was too late for stereotactic surgery, so wehad to go for… uhm… aggressive chemotherapy.

PAGE THREE (six panels)

Panel 1. Ronald takes a sip from his cup.

RONALD: Tumor already affected her personality. Add fear and pain to theequation and… hfffff… the girl developed psychosis.

RONALD: And that's when… Mitchell decided to… uh…resurface.

JOHN: When was that?

Panel 2. Ronald puts his cup on the table. John contemplates.

RONALD: I think it was in… uhh… October. October 2010.

JOHN: Same time Alison was kidnapped. Did you meet him then?

RONALD: Yeah. Pretty bad shape. Had a lot of scars on him.

Panel 3. John, taking out a cigarette from a pack, turns to a laughingRonald.

JOHN: Scars?

RONALD: Yeah. Hehh-heh… he said they were the, uh, product ofunstable time-travel experimentations. Hehehe…

RONALD: And you know what's also funny? He actually looked younger. I barelyrecognized him myself. Hehehehe-hhhhhhhhh-hehh

Panel 4. John is about to light the cigarette.

RONALD (o.p.): Barely-hhh… recognized him… hhhh-myself.

(more)

PAGE THREE (continued)

Panel 5. John turns to Ronald who falls to the ground now.

JOHN: Whoa! R-Ronald!

Panel 6. John checks for a pulse.

JOHN: Shit!

CAP: People were still dying.

PAGE FOUR (seven panels)

Panel 1. Shot of a hospital.

CAP: I had to see Alison again.

Panel 2. John hurries through a hallway.

CAP: I had to know what really happened. Why I--

Panel 3. John opens the door to a hospital room.

JOHN: Susan.

JOHN: How is she?

Panel 4. Alison lies coiled up in bed. SUSAN, Alison's mother, wipes her owntears as she sits next to her daughter. John walks over to the bed.

SUSAN: Sh-she's awake… hfffpp-ehhh.

JOHN: Susan. I-hhh… I know it's not easy. But I need to know whathappened back then.

SUSAN: O-oh, God…

Panel 5. Close shot of Alison's face.

JOHN (o.p.): It's crucial for the investigation.

SUSAN (o.p.): What investigation?! He's dead, isn't he?!

(more)

PAGE FOUR (continued)

Panel 6. Susan turns to John.

JOHN: We found… uhh… other children just like Alison. They'reall dead though. There could be someone else out there.

JOHN: It really hurts me to say this Susan, but… but we still don'tknow why Alison was kept alive.

Panel 7. Susan turns to Alison with her hand over her mouth.

SUSAN (softly): Hh-oh my God!

PAGE FIVE (six panels)

Panel 1. Susan is sobbing. John puts his hand on her shoulder.

JOHN: Susan, please. Let me talk to her.

JOHN: Help me. Help me put an end to this.

Panel 2. Susan wipes her tears.

JOHN (o.p.): Please.

Panel 3. Susan puts her hand on Alison's shoulder.

SUSAN: Uh, Alison, baby? Alis--

ALISON: Get out… get out. Y-you don't understand.

Panel 4. John stands, cross-armed.

JOHN: Wh-what don't we understand, Alison?

ALISON: That it's here… already. Now get out.

Panel 5. Close shot of Alison's face.

ALISON: You can't do anything now. Y-you-you-you're out of time.

(more)

PAGE FIVE (continued)

Panel 6. Close shot of John, frowning.

ALISON: You're-hhh… out of… time.

CAP: Time… that's what I thought.

PAGE SIX (six panels)

Panel 1. Silhouetted figure of JOHN DOE.

CAP: Time was always a factor. But not anymore.

DOE: Guess what, Alison.

DOE: Someone who loves you very, very much is coming to visit.

Panel 2. Alison sits hypnotically in a modified bench. Countless wires areattached to various parts of her head.

CAP: I forgot what time it was, even though I checked my watch a couple ofminutes ago.

DOE (o.p.): Can you guess who it is?

Panel 3. Silhouetted figure of Doe sitting on a chair in front of Alison.

CAP: What watch? I remember myself saying. I was… beginning to losetrack of everything… everywhere.

DOE: Alison? Who is coming to visit?

DOE: Okay… I'll give you a hint. But first I want you to…heeeehh-huuuuuhh

Panel 4. Doe gestures with his hand and Alison throws her head back inpain.

CAP: But Alison showed me everything.

DOE (o.p.): Breathe…

(more)

PAGE SIX (continued)

Panel 5. Close shot of Alison's eyes.

DOE (o.p.): Breathe, Alison. Breathe your words out…

CAP: Till I couldn't feel anything anymore.

Panel 6. Close shot of Doe's silhouetted face.

DOE: Breathe… like God.

CAP: Till Alison and I… were one… and the same.

PAGE SEVEN (six panels)

Panel 1. Back to the hospital. Close shot of Alison's eyes, wide open inshock.

ALISON: Hhhuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhh!!!

Panel 2. Alison jolts up in bed, terrified.

ALISON (screaming): Noooooo!!!!!

Panel 3. Alison holds her head in pain. John and Susan rush to her side.

SUSAN: Alison? Alison, honey, what's wrong?!

ALISON (sobbing): I… I d-didn't… kill anybody!Ahhuhh-h-hh-huuh!

JOHN: Alison, there's nothing to be afraid of.

ALISON (sobbing): H-h-h-h-h-huhhh-aahhhuuuhh-h-h-uhh

Panel 4. Alison looks at John, horrified.

JOHN: No one is going to hurt you.

ALISON (sobbing): Ahhu-uhh-I-I'm sc-scared-hu-hu-hu-hu-hhh!

Panel 5. Alison lies down again. Susan puts her hand on her mouth.

ALISON: G-get out… y-you're-you'll b-be just like-like them.Ahhh-hhhh-uugggh--

Panel 6. Alison slips into convulsions.

SUSAN (screaming -- o.p.): My God! Alison! Alison!

PAGE EIGHT (six panels)

Panel 1. A DOCTOR and two NURSES come rushing into the room. John is turningAlison to the recovery position; Susan is standing over her, sobbing. Sheclutches John.

DOCTORS: What happened?

SUSAN: Ahhhhuhh-hhuuuh-Alison! Hu-hu-hu-huuh-ahhuh…

JOHN: I-I was talking to her… she--

Panel 2. Susan slaps John.

SUSAN: Y-you bastard! Why'd you come here?! Wh-why'd you come here?!

NURSE #1 (o.p.): Ma'am, please!

Panel 3. Susan is being calmed by a NURSE. John turns back to Alison.

SUSAN (sobbing): W-hy?! Leave her alone! Hhuuuhh! Sh-she's in pain!Hh-le-he-he-heave her alone! Ple-he-he-ase!

Panel 4. Alison regurgitates.

CAP: Time… there was no… time anymore.

Panel 5. Close shot of John's eyes. They are locked down on Alison. But hismind is elsewhere. Beads of sweat appear on his face.

CAP: Alison was in my mind again. No more… no more time.

(more)

PAGE EIGHT (continued)

Panel 6. Same angle as panel 5. This time, John's irises are turning upward.He isn't feeling well. The sweating increases.

CAP: Alison… was-hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

PAGE NINE (six panels)

Panel 1. Close shot of Alison's eyes. They're opening.

CAP: Alison was a… a conduit. Sh-she wasn't there… anymore.

Panel 2. Alison, still on the bench, with wires in her head, inhales.

CAP: She was something else. Beyond ti-time… space.

ALISON (softly): Heeeeeeehh…

Panel 3. An exhausted John hurries into the hospital bathroom.

CAP: She called me.

Panel 4. Alison exhales.

CAP: Like it was… umm… instinct… like hunger…thirst.

ALISON (softly): Hoooohhh…

DOE: Very good, Alison. Now… who is coming to visit?

Panel 5. John stares at the mirror in the hospital bathroom, panting.

CAP: There was no way to avoid it.

Panel 6. Alison closes her eyes.

PAGE TEN (six panels)

Panel 1. John is still staring at himself in the mirror. His Glock 21 is inhis hand.

CAP: I… I had no choice.

Panel 2. Silhouetted profile image of Doe.

DOE: Alison?

Panel 3. John puts the gun in his mouth.

Panel 4. Alice opens her eyes.

ALICE: John…

Panel 5. Close shot of John's finger, heavy on the trigger.

CAP: But… but to go down…

Panel 6. Alice sits on the modified bench. We can see what's behind her now: a huge and sophisticated computer with countless monitors, displaying images of countless men and women. John Dean, Ronald Jacobs, Donald Mitchell, Susan, the doctor, the nurse, they're all included.

ALICE: Dean.

CAP: Down the hole.

BOTTOM CAP: The end

<a href="http://guide.comicgenesis.com/newshack.php">Newsbox</a>		Down the Hole Written by Eddie Jamal PAGE ONE (six panels) Panel 1. ALISON, a bald, eleven-year-old girl, sleeps in a post anesthesiacare unit room. Sitting next to her in contemplation is JOHN DEAN, early 40s,William Fichtner-like in appearance. A Polaroid photo is in his hand. CAP: Fifteen people are dead. CAP: I found a suspect. He had a gun… pointed straight at me. Panel 2. Alison sleeps in the foreground. John turns and looks at her in thebackground. CAP: I shot him. Killed him. CAP: All thirteen rounds. I… buried all thirteen bullets in him. Mademe so… so damn happy. Panel 3. John looks down at the photo. CAP: I found a girl with him. Panel 4. Photo of a much healthier Alison. CAP: Barely old enough… barely alive. CAP: His… test subject. Not the first, but at least this one'salive. Panel 5. John puts the photo in his coat pocket and walks to the door. CAP: Alison. (more) PAGE ONE (continued) Panel 6. Shot of a building. CAP: I took her to a hospital. VOICE (within building): Donald Leroy Mitchell. I remember him, umm, notonly as, one of the finest pediatric neurosurgeons of our time… PAGE TWO (six panels) Panel 1. Shot of DONALD MITCHELL in a photograph, dressed in scrubs, smilingat us. There are other doctors around him, but our focus is on him. TITLE (w/ credits): Down the Hole. CAP: Comatose. VOICE (within building): But as a real good friend too. Panel 2. Same angle as panel 1, but we're further away now. We're looking ata framed photograph of the neurological department staff at some hospital. Thephoto's hanging on the wall. CAP: I had to wait for several days till I could talk to her. VOICE (o.p.): Hehh… wow… I remember it all like it'syesterday. He was a good guy. You'd, never expect anything so… sobizarre from a guy like him. Panel 3. John Reed looks at the photograph. CAP: But, then I realized that… something was wrong. JOHN: You're, not supposed to take anything for granted, doctor. I had tolearn that the real hard way. VOICE (o.p.): Hehh… yeah, of course. And, uh, please, call meRonald. (more) PAGE TWO (continued) Panel 3. Aerial shot of a cozy office in a clinic. RONALD JACOBS, 51, standsagainst his desk. John is still over at the wall. JOHN: So you said he… uhm… disappeared in… April '09,right? RONALD: Yeah. Now I've known him to be quite the rational type. But what hesaid back then was just… blatantly farfetched. Panel 4. John walks back to the desk, taking a sip from a cup of coffee. RONALD: About… revolutionizing neuroscience using umm, ESP and uh,telepathy, materialization, time travel… and all that, mumbo-jumbo,y'know? JOHN: What about Alison? Panel 5. John puts his empty cup on the desk, Ronald turns to him. RONALD (softly): My God… JOHN: What do you know about her? Panel 6. John and Ronald talking. Different angle. RONALD: She, uh… ahh-hem, used to be a patient of mine. Shewas… uh… diagnosed with an oligodendroglioma… a type ofbrain tumor. RONALD: Problem was… it was too late for stereotactic surgery, so wehad to go for… uhm… aggressive chemotherapy. PAGE THREE (six panels) Panel 1. Ronald takes a sip from his cup. RONALD: Tumor already affected her personality. Add fear and pain to theequation and… hfffff… the girl developed psychosis. RONALD: And that's when… Mitchell decided to… uh…resurface. JOHN: When was that? Panel 2. Ronald puts his cup on the table. John contemplates. RONALD: I think it was in… uhh… October. October 2010. JOHN: Same time Alison was kidnapped. Did you meet him then? RONALD: Yeah. Pretty bad shape. Had a lot of scars on him. Panel 3. John, taking out a cigarette from a pack, turns to a laughingRonald. JOHN: Scars? RONALD: Yeah. Hehh-heh… he said they were the, uh, product ofunstable time-travel experimentations. Hehehe… RONALD: And you know what's also funny? He actually looked younger. I barelyrecognized him myself. Hehehehe-hhhhhhhhh-hehh Panel 4. John is about to light the cigarette. RONALD (o.p.): Barely-hhh… recognized him… hhhh-myself. (more) PAGE THREE (continued) Panel 5. John turns to Ronald who falls to the ground now. JOHN: Whoa! R-Ronald! Panel 6. John checks for a pulse. JOHN: Shit! CAP: People were still dying. PAGE FOUR (seven panels) Panel 1. Shot of a hospital. CAP: I had to see Alison again. Panel 2. John hurries through a hallway. CAP: I had to know what really happened. Why I-- Panel 3. John opens the door to a hospital room. JOHN: Susan. JOHN: How is she? Panel 4. Alison lies coiled up in bed. SUSAN, Alison's mother, wipes her owntears as she sits next to her daughter. John walks over to the bed. SUSAN: Sh-she's awake… hfffpp-ehhh. JOHN: Susan. I-hhh… I know it's not easy. But I need to know whathappened back then. SUSAN: O-oh, God… Panel 5. Close shot of Alison's face. JOHN (o.p.): It's crucial for the investigation. SUSAN (o.p.): What investigation?! He's dead, isn't he?! (more) PAGE FOUR (continued) Panel 6. Susan turns to John. JOHN: We found… uhh… other children just like Alison. They'reall dead though. There could be someone else out there. JOHN: It really hurts me to say this Susan, but… but we still don'tknow why Alison was kept alive. Panel 7. Susan turns to Alison with her hand over her mouth. SUSAN (softly): Hh-oh my God! PAGE FIVE (six panels) Panel 1. Susan is sobbing. John puts his hand on her shoulder. JOHN: Susan, please. Let me talk to her. JOHN: Help me. Help me put an end to this. Panel 2. Susan wipes her tears. JOHN (o.p.): Please. Panel 3. Susan puts her hand on Alison's shoulder. SUSAN: Uh, Alison, baby? Alis-- ALISON: Get out… get out. Y-you don't understand. Panel 4. John stands, cross-armed. JOHN: Wh-what don't we understand, Alison? ALISON: That it's here… already. Now get out. Panel 5. Close shot of Alison's face. ALISON: You can't do anything now. Y-you-you-you're out of time. (more) PAGE FIVE (continued) Panel 6. Close shot of John, frowning. ALISON: You're-hhh… out of… time. CAP: Time… that's what I thought. PAGE SIX (six panels) Panel 1. Silhouetted figure of JOHN DOE. CAP: Time was always a factor. But not anymore. DOE: Guess what, Alison. DOE: Someone who loves you very, very much is coming to visit. Panel 2. Alison sits hypnotically in a modified bench. Countless wires areattached to various parts of her head. CAP: I forgot what time it was, even though I checked my watch a couple ofminutes ago. DOE (o.p.): Can you guess who it is? Panel 3. Silhouetted figure of Doe sitting on a chair in front of Alison. CAP: What watch? I remember myself saying. I was… beginning to losetrack of everything… everywhere. DOE: Alison? Who is coming to visit? DOE: Okay… I'll give you a hint. But first I want you to…heeeehh-huuuuuhh Panel 4. Doe gestures with his hand and Alison throws her head back inpain. CAP: But Alison showed me everything. DOE (o.p.): Breathe… (more) PAGE SIX (continued) Panel 5. Close shot of Alison's eyes. DOE (o.p.): Breathe, Alison. Breathe your words out… CAP: Till I couldn't feel anything anymore. Panel 6. Close shot of Doe's silhouetted face. DOE: Breathe… like God. CAP: Till Alison and I… were one… and the same. PAGE SEVEN (six panels) Panel 1. Back to the hospital. Close shot of Alison's eyes, wide open inshock. ALISON: Hhhuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhh!!! Panel 2. Alison jolts up in bed, terrified. ALISON (screaming): Noooooo!!!!! Panel 3. Alison holds her head in pain. John and Susan rush to her side. SUSAN: Alison? Alison, honey, what's wrong?! ALISON (sobbing): I… I d-didn't… kill anybody!Ahhuhh-h-hh-huuh! JOHN: Alison, there's nothing to be afraid of. ALISON (sobbing): H-h-h-h-h-huhhh-aahhhuuuhh-h-h-uhh Panel 4. Alison looks at John, horrified. JOHN: No one is going to hurt you. ALISON (sobbing): Ahhu-uhh-I-I'm sc-scared-hu-hu-hu-hu-hhh! Panel 5. Alison lies down again. Susan puts her hand on her mouth. ALISON: G-get out… y-you're-you'll b-be just like-like them.Ahhh-hhhh-uugggh-- Panel 6. Alison slips into convulsions. SUSAN (screaming -- o.p.): My God! Alison! Alison! PAGE EIGHT (six panels) Panel 1. A DOCTOR and two NURSES come rushing into the room. John is turningAlison to the recovery position; Susan is standing over her, sobbing. Sheclutches John. DOCTORS: What happened? SUSAN: Ahhhhuhh-hhuuuh-Alison! Hu-hu-hu-huuh-ahhuh… JOHN: I-I was talking to her… she-- Panel 2. Susan slaps John. SUSAN: Y-you bastard! Why'd you come here?! Wh-why'd you come here?! NURSE #1 (o.p.): Ma'am, please! Panel 3. Susan is being calmed by a NURSE. John turns back to Alison. SUSAN (sobbing): W-hy?! Leave her alone! Hhuuuhh! Sh-she's in pain!Hh-le-he-he-heave her alone! Ple-he-he-ase! Panel 4. Alison regurgitates. CAP: Time… there was no… time anymore. Panel 5. Close shot of John's eyes. They are locked down on Alison. But hismind is elsewhere. Beads of sweat appear on his face. CAP: Alison was in my mind again. No more… no more time. (more) PAGE EIGHT (continued) Panel 6. Same angle as panel 5. This time, John's irises are turning upward.He isn't feeling well. The sweating increases. CAP: Alison… was-hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh PAGE NINE (six panels) Panel 1. Close shot of Alison's eyes. They're opening. CAP: Alison was a… a conduit. Sh-she wasn't there… anymore. Panel 2. Alison, still on the bench, with wires in her head, inhales. CAP: She was something else. Beyond ti-time… space. ALISON (softly): Heeeeeeehh… Panel 3. An exhausted John hurries into the hospital bathroom. CAP: She called me. Panel 4. Alison exhales. CAP: Like it was… umm… instinct… like hunger…thirst. ALISON (softly): Hoooohhh… DOE: Very good, Alison. Now… who is coming to visit? Panel 5. John stares at the mirror in the hospital bathroom, panting. CAP: There was no way to avoid it. Panel 6. Alison closes her eyes. PAGE TEN (six panels) Panel 1. John is still staring at himself in the mirror. His Glock 21 is inhis hand. CAP: I… I had no choice. Panel 2. Silhouetted profile image of Doe. DOE: Alison? Panel 3. John puts the gun in his mouth. Panel 4. Alice opens her eyes. ALICE: John… Panel 5. Close shot of John's finger, heavy on the trigger. CAP: But… but to go down… Panel 6. Alice sits on the modified bench. We can see what's behind her now: a huge and sophisticated computer with countless monitors, displaying images of countless men and women. John Dean, Ronald Jacobs, Donald Mitchell, Susan, the doctor, the nurse, they're all included. ALICE: Dean. CAP: Down the hole. BOTTOM CAP: The end
Site graphics made by Andy Astruc © Red Slime 2012. All the stories and characters here are © their respective creators. Red Slime is hosted on ComicGenesis, a free webhosting and site automation service for webcomics.