Chapter 11 - The Boy’s Grandmother

CHAPTER 11 — THE BOY’S GRANDMOTHER

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PAGE 1 — Splash

CAPTION (centered):

FAINT — PART 3

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PAGE 2 — Flashback (Full Page)

[Flashback — 23 years ago…]

Wide aerial shot — F-Class District 2.

Snow. Garbage. Dogs barking. People gambling in the slush. Trash-fire barrels glowing.

Kids laughing in the snow like this is normal life.

Torn WUG propaganda peeling off walls.

BOTTOM TEXT: F-Class District 2.

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PAGE 3

Panel 1 — Over-the-shoulder, wide.

10-year-old Daley in a fuzzy coat, exhausted, staring at his cheerful, smiling grandma.

Grandma:

“What’s for breakfast?”

Daley:

“Grandma… you’ve already had breakfast…”

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Panel 2 — From the back, kitchen view.

Daley drags himself toward the living room.

Grandma:

“Oh I did..?”

Daley:

“Yeah… a lot too.”

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Panel 3 — Close, side view at the fireplace.

Daley picks up two stones, confused.

Daley:

“How did grandpa do this…?”

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Panel 4 — Wide, side.

Grandma steps beside him again, worried and lost.

Grandma:

“Are we having breakfast?”

Daley (sighing):

“…haa… grandma…”

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PAGE 4

Panel 1 — Side, wide.

Daley forces a smile; Grandma perks up again, surprised like it’s the first time.

Daley:

“How about we go for a walk?”

“…maybe to the town hall?”

Grandma (brightening):

“Oh— I would love a walk!”

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Panel 2 — Medium front shot.

Daley gently takes her hand; she startles slightly at the movement.

Grandma:

“Will they have breakfast there?”

Daley (soft laugh):

“Yeah, grandma.”

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Panel 3 — Wide aerial over the snowy road.

Daley runs, holding her hand tight as they pass run-down homes and burning trash barrels.

Daley:

“Hold… on!”

———

PAGE 5

Panel 1 — Over-the-back, wide.

Daley walks through the crowded town hall market, holding his grandma’s hand.

Merchants look cold, hungry, irritated.

Angry Shop Owner:

“.30 half credits—look at this weather!”

“I ain’t going any lower!”

Angry Customer:

“You’re doubling the price, bastard?!”

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Panel 2 — Wide, behind Daley.

Daley reaches the porridge stand, excited.

He hands over a .50 half-credit coin, gripping his grandma’s hand tight.

Daley:

“Two bowls please.”

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Panel 3 — Close, between the counter.

Steam rises from the bowls as the merchant hands them over.

Shop Owner:

“It’s hot, careful.”

Daley:

“…okay.”

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Panel 4 — Medium, behind Daley.

He turns, bowls in hand — freezes.

His grandma is gone.

Daley:

“Here, grandm—…a?”

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PAGE 6 — Full Page

Panel 1 — Full-page, low and wide.

Daley drops both bowls into the snow.

He sprints toward the four-way market split, snow spraying behind him.

The shop owner stares at the spilled porridge, annoyed.

Shop Owner:

“Damn kid!—almost broke my bowls!”

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PAGE 7

Panel 1 — Wide front shot.

Daley runs through the crowded path, panic rising.

People turn, confused by the shouting.

Daley (yelling):

“Grandma!”

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Panel 2 — Extreme close-up.

An old trembling hand holding a bitten apple —

A man’s rough grip clamps around her wrist.

SFX: SHHKKS (tight grip)

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Panel 3 — Wide.

One starving shop owner restrains Daley’s grandma.

Another forces her to spit out the apple pieces.

Angry Shop Owner:

“You thief!”

“What do you think you’re doing?!”

———

PAGE 8

Panel 1 — Close, medium.

Grandma trembles, eyes swelling with tears.

The shop owners freeze, confused by her reaction.

Shop Owner:

“What are you crying for?!”

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Panel 2 — Wide, behind the shop owners.

Daley bursts into frame, out of breath.

They turn toward him as he reaches for his grandma.

Daley:

“…wait—stop!”

“That’s my grandmother!”

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PAGE 9

Panel 1 — Wide, behind the shop owners.

They still hold her by the wrist.

Her eyes are watery; Daley approaches slowly, hands raised, trying not to escalate.

Shop Owner:

“She took one of our apples—”

“And started eating it!”

“I should call the authorities!”

Daley:

“…I’m sorry…!”

“L-let me pay, please…”

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Panel 2 — Close over Daley’s shoulder.

Daley digs into his pockets —

Only lint. No coins.

Daley (thought):

“Damn… that was my last.”

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Panel 3 — Wide crowd shot.

A small crowd forms, watching.

One shop owner notices the shifting attention and stiffens.

Daley:

“What if I work… for free…”

“As long as it takes…”

“J-just let us go.”

Shop Owner:

“I don’t want your free labor.”

“We haven’t sold a damn thing all week.”

“Do you even know how hard it is to—”

“—get imports here, kid?!”

Mini-panel — quick elbow tap (tight inset).

The shop owner jabs the other in the ribs —

Noticing the crowd’s watching.

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Panel 4 — Medium, from behind the crowd.

The crowd steps closer, pressure building.

A few people call out.

Crowd Member:

“Let her go! What did she do to you?!”

Shop Owner (snapping):

“We’re not giving food away!”

“She’s stole!”

“And we outta teach her a lesson!”

———

PAGE 10

Panel 1 — Medium, over-the-back.

Shop Owner 2 turns as the porridge shop owner steps in, flicking the same .50 half-credit coin Daley used earlier.

Porridge Shop Owner:

“Here.”

The coin hits the other shop owner’s chest.

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Panel 2 — Wide, tight.

One shop owner shoves Daley and his grandma into the snow.

The other snatches the coin with a twisted grin.

Shop Owner 2:

“…heh.”

Daley + Grandma (screech):

“Ehh!—”

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Panel 3 — Wide.

The crowd silently parts for Daley.

People glare at the shop owners.

Daley grabs his grandma’s hand, scrambling to his feet, pulling her away.

Shop Owner:

“Get out of here!”

Daley (shaken):

“Grandma—come on!”

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Panel 4 — Wide, front angle.

The apple shop owners huddle, almost drooling over the coin.

Behind them, the porridge shop owner watches in disgust as Daley disappears into the snow with his grandma.

Apple Shop Owners:

“We finally made something…!”

Porridge Shop Owner:

“…Pfft.”

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PAGE 11

Panel 1 — Close, wide.

Grandma sobs uncontrollably, breath broken and shaky.

Grandma:

“…ugh… uh… h…”

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Panel 2 — Medium, alleyway.

Daley wipes her tears… then his own.

Trying to be strong but breaking.

Daley:

“Grandma… please… don’t cry…”

“…you’ll make me cry…”

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Panel 3 — Wide alley shot.

Daley forces a smile, voice trembling as he tries to cheer her.

Daley:

“How about we go see grandpa?”

“He’ll know what to say…”

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PAGE 12 — Full Page

Full-page panel — Wide, over-the-back.

Daley and his grandmother stand before a lonely snowy grave.

Daley holds her hand tightly, fighting to keep his composure.

Gravestone:

Marin Luther Daley Jr — A family man who stood for his own beliefs.

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PAGE 13

Panel 1 — Medium front shot.

Daley turns slightly away, tears running.

Grandma is calmer now, eyes red but quiet.

Daley (shaken):

“Grandpa… you were right…

People are so mean…”

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Panel 2 — Corner medium shot.

Daley covers his face, crying.

Grandma stares ahead at the grave — empty, confused, still.

Daley (sobbing):

“They were mad at grandma…”

“…and didn’t even want to listen…”

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Panel 3 — Extreme close-up.

Grandma’s trembling hand gently reaches for Daley’s.

A soft, fragile gesture.

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Panel 4 — Wide front shot, graveyard.

She holds his hand.

Daley sniffles, forcing himself steady.

Snow falls around them.

Daley (still teary):

“Grandma… please don’t wander again…”

“Just… try to remember…”

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PAGE 14 — Full Page

Full-page — Side-angle, wide medium shot.

Grandma turns toward him, still holding his hand.

Her eyes are swollen… but she smiles warmly.

Daley jolts — eyes widening through tears.

Grandma (soft smile):

“…What’s for breakfast?”

Daley (choked):

“—kffk..!”

CAPTION:

To be continued…

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PAGE 15 — End Splash

Wide field shot — bright summer heat.

A 6-year-old Daley chases a ball across a dusty field.

Behind him stands his grandfather — uniform crisp, revolutionary insignia shining — laughing with pride.

Grandma stands beside him, joyful, alive, whole.

Grandpa (laughing):

“Haha—haha!”

CAPTION:

A boy who was taught his ideology.