Chapter 12 — Remember

PAGE 1 — Splash

CAPTION (centered): FAINT — PART III

CHAPTER 2

PAGE 2

[Flashback — 27 years ago…]

Panel 1 — Medium back shot.

A small home in F-Class District 2.

A man in a trench coat and fedora knocks on the door, briefcase in hand.

Six-year-old Daley grips his hand, jittery with excitement.

SFX: knock knock

Panel 2 — Wide front shot.

Inside the home. The man removes his hat as he steps in.

Daley bolts past him, rushing toward his grandfather on the couch—arms already open, a newspaper folded proudly in his hand.

Young Daley (joyful):

“Grandpa!!”

Daley’s Grandpa (bright, surprised):

“Oh—! Come here, boy!”

Panel 3 — Small edge panel.

Daley leaps into his grandfather’s arms.

He holds him tight, smiling.

Daley’s Grandpa:

“You’ve grown into a soldier—look at you.”

PAGE 3

Panel 1 — Medium front shot.

The man is revealed—Daley’s father. He resembles Daley almost exactly, just a few years younger, no facial hair.

Marin Latner Daley III (soft smile):

“How’s Mom?”

Panel 2 — Close two-shot.

Daley plays with his grandfather’s hands.

Grandpa Daley (somber):

“Her memory’s worsened.”

“…we’ve tried everything.”

Panel 3 — Small front shot.

Daley’s father grows more serious.

Daley’s Father:

“But have you, Dad?”

“She’s here because you’re—”

“—fighting something you won’t let go of.”

Panel 4 — Extreme close-up.

Grandpa’s eyes lower. Controlled anger.

Daley’s Grandpa (low):

“Have you given up… like the rest?”

Panel 5 — Over-the-back shot.

Grandpa with Daley on his lap, facing Daley’s father.

The father lifts his hat slightly—irritated.

Daley’s Father (stern):

“We’re not doing this in front of the boy.”

PAGE 4

Panel 1 — Medium shot.

Daley’s father approaches the door, hand on the knob.

Daley’s Father (firm):

“When I return from Mariyet—”

“I’ll be taking Mom.”

Panel 2 — Extreme close side shot.

A vein tightens in Grandpa’s cheek. Sweat beads. Daley tugs at his coat, confused.

Panel 3 — Wide close front shot.

Grandpa looks furious—yet controlled.

Marin Luther Daley II:

“You’ve forgotten where you’re from, boy.”

“The government doesn’t need you.”

Panel 4 — Side panel.

The door slams shut.

SFX: SLAM

PAGE 5

[present… 23 years ago]

Panel 1 — White horizontal flashback return.

Panel 2 — Over-the-back, medium shot.

Ten-year-old Daley stares at a framed photo of his father.

Daley (soft):

“Dad…”

Panel 3 — Extreme close-up.

Daley sets the photo down beside others.

In the next frame: a family picture—baby Daley smiling. His father is the only one not.

PAGE 6

Panel 1 — Over-the-back, medium shot.

Daley drags himself down the hallway, hands in his jacket pockets.

Grandma’s room waits at the end, past the kitchen.

Panel 2 — Close, half-body shot.

Daley creaks the door open.

Young Daley:

“Grandma… it’s time for your medicine.”

Panel 3 — Extreme close-up.

Daley swallows hard.

Panel 4 — Wide front shot, from the corner of the room.

The room is empty. Windows still barricaded.

Bed neatly made.

Daley freezes in the doorway, medicine bottle in hand.

Young Daley:

“Grandma…?”

PAGE 7

Panel 1 Interior — Daley’s small bedroom.

Daley bursts the door open, scanning the room.

Young Daley (worried):

“Not again!”

Panel 2 Close front shot.

Daley stands frozen in the hallway, hands clutching his head.

Daley:

“She— she was just here!”

Panel 3 Wide shot — exterior.

Daley bursts out the door, nearly slipping on the snow.

People nearby turn, confused.

F-Class Bystander:

“What the hell—?”

Panel 4 — Horizontal skyline shot.

Daley runs through the snowy maze of District 2— small, frantic, swallowed by the streets.

Across the sky (Daley’s thoughts, fragmented):

“She forgot—!”

PAGE 8

[Meanwhile… District 3]

Panel 1 — Close upper front shot

A construction worker in a helmet glares down, irritated.

F-Class Bystander (agitated):

“I told you, I don’t know where your—”

“—husband is. Stop bothering me.”

Panel 2 — Over-the-front, wide shot

The man turns away, shoveling snow from the sidewalk.

Behind him, Daley’s grandma hesitates—lost, shrinking.

Daley’s Grandma (nervous):

“Why won’t you help me?”

“Could you at least tell me how to get home?”

Panel 3 — Close face shot

The man bends down, jaw tightening.

Panel 4 — Over-the-shoulder, medium shot

He snaps upright, shovel clenched.

Grandma flinches.

F-Class Bystander (snapping):

“Lady—stop.”

“I don’t know you.”

Panel 5 — Close front shot

Grandma clutches herself, startled.

Daley’s Grandma (soft, wounded):

“Oh…”

“You’re very rude, young man.”

Panel 6 — Front shot

She exhales once through her nose, turns, and walks away.

The man stands there, unsettled.

Page 9

Panel 1 — Medium-wide, street corner

A thin newsboy stands beside a rusted clock pole, papers tucked under his arm.

Newsboy (calling out):

“E-Extra! Extra!”

“Another continent liberated!”

BOTTOM TEXT:

F-Class District — Market Hall

Panel 2 — Medium back shot

Daley’s grandma appears beside the newsboy, anxious.

Her coat is dusted with snow.

She tugs gently at his sleeve.

Daley’s Grandma (soft, worried):

“Excuse me, dear…”

“Could you help me?”

Newsboy:

“Uh…?”

⸻

Panel 3 — Inside apple shop, wide

Two apple shop owners lean over the counter—tired, hollow-eyed.

One squints toward the street.

Apple Shop Owner #2 (low, irritated):

“Wait…”

“That’s the old woman who took an apple the other day.”

SFX: stomach growl

Panel 4 — Over-the-back, medium shot

Daley’s grandma cups the newsboy’s cheek gently.

The boy stiffens—confused, embarrassed, scared.

Newsboy (quiet, nervous):

“I—I can’t…”

“I’m not s’posed to leave…”

Daley’s Grandma (warm, sincere):

“That’s alright, sweetheart.”

“You’re very kind.”

Panel 5 — Vertical, front shot

Apple Shop Owner #1 stiffens, jaw tightening as recognition hits.

PAGE 10 — SPLASH

A one-year-old Daley sits on the floor, laughing softly, a pacifier in his mouth.

His grandmother sits nearby, reading to him.

The book in her hands shows a dizzy boy with rubber-like arms, wrapped tightly around himself.

BOOK TITLE:

A Boy and His Rubber Arms

PAGE 11 — FULL PAGE

Over-the-back, wide shot.

Inside the apple shop.

The two shop owners erupt in shock—

arms half-raised, faces frozen.

Shop Owner (overlapping, sharp):

“Hey—!”

In front of them, Daley’s grandma stands calmly. Reaching out an apple from the crate,

biting into it. Juice runs down her fingers.

Daley’s Grandma (bright, distant):

“…Delicious.

PAGE 12

Panel 1 — Medium front shot.

The two shop owners look at each other.

Shop Owner #1: jaw tight, eyes burning.

Shop Owner #2: pale, hesitant, afraid.

Panel 2 (mini-bleed into Panel 3)

Extreme close-up.

Shop Owner #1’s fist tightens.

Veins rise along the back of his rough, hairy hand.

Panel 3 — Full black panel.

Silence.

Page 13

Panel 1 — Close, torso-up shot.

Daley—frantic—turns in place, arms spread, searching.

Panel 2 — Vertical close-up.

Daley’s eyes dart.

Daley (thinking):

“She came back…?”

Panel 3 — Far wide back shot.

Daley sprints toward the Town Market Hall, swallowed by the snow.

Above him, the gate sign looms:

F-CLASS DISTRICT 2

TOWN MARKET HALL ↑

Daley (shouting):

“Grandma—!”

PAGE 14 — FULL PAGE (POLISHED)

Full Page — Ground-level, wide front shot

Daley’s grandma lies unconscious on the snow-slick pavement,

bruised fingers loosening around a bitten apple.

The crowd stares.

Among them, the two apple shop owners—

one agitated, almost satisfied;

the other uneasy, pale.

Nearby, the porridge shop owner stands frozen, disbelieving.

Crowd (overlapping):

“What happened?”

“Anyone know who she is?”

PAGE 15

Panel 1 — Wide, top-down shot from behind the crowd.

The crowd parts slightly as young Daley pushes through.

The porridge shop owner turns, noticing him.

Young Daley:

“Excuse me—!”

Panel 2 — Upper-body wide shot.

Daley stands frozen. Behind him, to the left—

the porridge shop owner, wordless.

To his right—

the apple shop owners.

Shop Owner #1’s mouth tightens.

Young Daley (small, broken):

“Grandma…?”

BOTTOM CAPTION:

TO BE CONTINUED…

PAGE 16 — END PAGE

Inside the empty porridge shop—

clean, unattended.

Steam rises from two untouched bowls on the counter.