CHAPTER 13 — TO BE ALONE PART III FINAL

Page 1

CAPTION (centered):

FAINT — PART III FINAL

CHAPTER 13 — TO BE ALONE

⸻

Page 2

Panel 1 — Ceiling-down, hospital bench.

Young Daley cries. Dr. Theo crouches beside him.

Dr. Theo:

“I’m sorry. We tried everything.”

Panel 2 — Close, Daley’s face buried in his arm.

face buried, trembling.

Young Daley (gasping):

“Uu… ugh…”

“…no… gr-grandma…”

Page 3

Panel 1 — Side two-shot.

Daley trembles. Nurses linger in the background behind Theo.

Young Daley (muttering):

“…I know they hurt you…”

Panel 2 — Mini bleed, Theo snaps his head toward Daley.

Dr. Theo (sharply):

“What did you say?”

Panel 3 — over shoulder Dr Theo — Daley’s eyes. Panic. Breath stuck.

(SFX: sniffle… sniffle…)

Dr. Theo (tense, lower voice):

“Someone did this?”

Panel 4 — Full-body. Daley launches up, running. Clumsy, terrified.

Dr. Theo (shouting):

“Wait!”

(SFX: metal bench KICK / CLANG)

Page 4

BLACK PAGE.

CENTER TEXT:

TWO YEARS LATER

PAGE 5

Panel 1 — High night shot, F-Class street.

Trash fire barrel. Barking dogs. People slumped around the heat. Debris everywhere.

SFX (dogs, off): Grrr… rrrf… rrrr…

Panel 2 — Sidewalk, wide.

Another civilian tugs at a starving dog’s leash, too tired to fight it.

Bystander (annoyed):

“Shut up already….!”

SFX: Woof Woof—!

Panel 3 — Vertical, from in front of Daley.

Skinny 12-year-old Daley on the ground, back to the wall, bubble-wrap blanket pulled tight over his ears.

Young Daley (small breath):

“…haa…”

PAGE 6 —

[Next morning…]

Panel 1 — Overhead.

Daley passed out, sprawled, blanket like armor.

Panel 2 — Same angle.

A bucket of water crashes over him.

SFX: SPLASH—!

Panel 3 — Wider. A drone hovers over them it’s arms spraying water like a hose. Others wake up soaked and angry.

WUG DRONE (flat):

“Unauthorized sleepers detected.

Classification: F-Class civilian.

Removal authorized.

Reason: Public obstruction.”

Soaked Civilian (furious):

“What the hell is wrong with you—?!”

“No warning?!”

Panel 4 — Closer.

Daley on hands and knees, blanket drenched, chest tightening.

Young Daley (shaky breath):

“…hff…”

PAGE 7

[Later that day…]

Panel 1 — Inside the shop.

Old photo frame on the fridge.

FRAME TEXT:

IN MEMORY — DAD

Woman (off-screen):

“Careful, it’s fresh. Still hot.”

Panel 2 — From behind Daley.

He devours the porridge; she watches, uneasy.

Woman (soft worry):

“It’s been a while…”

“I thought maybe you hated my cooking.”

Panel 3 — Behind the woman. Her concern deepens.

Daley doesn’t answer.

Woman:

“You’ve lost weight…”

Panel 4 — Close on her face. Hesitant.

Woman (low):

“You’re not still…looking for them?”

Panel 5 — Extreme close, Daley’s mouth.

Porridge smudge. Lips parted just slightly open.

PAGE 8

Panel 1 — Side shot.

Daley keeps eating. The woman stiffens.

Woman (quiet fear):

“You’ll get yourself arrested Daley… or even killed.”

Panel 2 — Tight.

Daley finishes, bowl pressed to his face. Eyes dead calm.

Panel 2.5 — Mini bleed, straight-on.

His stare pins her.

RED TEXT (whisper):

“Look.

Up.”

Panel 3 — Overhead, store interior.

He sets the bowl down and points upward. She follows the gesture, confused.

Woman:

“…what…?”

Panel 4 — Sky, burning sun. Heat distortion. Heavy silence.

YELLOW TEXT ACROSS:

"The sun falls west. That's not coincidence."

PAGE 9

Panel 1 — Medium over-the-shoulder.

Daley scrapes the rim of the bowl with his finger.

Young Daley (low):

“They shut her case.”

“Called her a wandering woman.”

“Like that erased what they did.”

Panel 2 — Tight corner shot.

Daley holds himself together.

Young Daley:

“Everyone saw her. Not one helped.”

Panel 3 — Side close.

Daley slides the bowl forward. Not forceful — final. The woman lowers her eyes.

Young Daley:

“We’re all to blame.”

Panel 4 — Medium, front.

Daley lifts a trash bag over his shoulder, back turned. She looks down at the counter.

Young Daley (head low):

“…thanks. For the free meal.”

Panel 5 — Counter-up shot.

The cracked bowl sits center frame; she sees it.

Porridge Shop Owner’s Daughter (shocked):

“…”

PAGE 10 — Splash

SPLASH PAGE

His grandmother’s glasses on the nightstand.

A fresh apple beside them.

A burnt lamp behind it

PAGE 11

[Later that evening…]

Panel 1 — Feet shot.

One foot drags the other along the dirt path, kicking debris. Grass sways. Blood drips as he moves.

Panel 2 — Upper body.

Daley stumbles forward. One eye swollen shut, cheek bruised and split. Shirt torn at the ribs. He clutches his broken arm, breath shaky, half-conscious.

Panel 3 — Wide, front, over the graves.

Daley stands before the stones—bloody, trembling. His fist drips red, gripping an untouched apple.

Daley (gasping, breath catching):

“…hff… khh… haa—”

⸻

PAGE 12 — FULL PAGE

Panel 1 — Side, upper face.

Daley smacks his forehead with the bloody apple, teeth clenched.

Young Daley (crying):

“…ttk…k..ss…”

⸻

PAGE 13

Panel 1 — Wide, from behind.

Daley lowers his head, clutching the apple.

Two graves ahead.

Gravestone Left:

Marin Lauer Daley II — A family man who stood for his own beliefs.

Dirt patch on the right, wooden plank:

Shellney Mae Daley — I miss you grandma.

Panel 2 — Lower face.

Daley’s teeth clench. His face hardens.

Young Daley(agitated):

“…everyone forgot…”

“…but I remembered...”

Panel — Mini bleed — Flashback, corner shot.

6-year-old Daley on his grandpa’s lap. Breathing hard. Jaw tight. Eyes locked on the door.

Panel 3 — Present — Extreme close, bloody apple hand.

TEXT ACROSS VERTICAL:

“This government doesn’t need us.”

Panel 4 — Extreme cheek shot.

Close on the bruised eye. Tense. Refusing to break.

PAGE 14 — POLISHED

Panel 1 — Corner shot.

Weak but determined Daley raises the apple and takes a bite. Juice sprays.

Panel 2 — Mouth shot.

He scrunches into the apple.

[Mini bleed panel: his red teeth grinding into the apple]

PAGE 15

Panel 1 — Upper face.

Daley’s eyes falter shut. Hair moves with the wind.

Young Daley (sleepy):

“…grnd…m…”

Panel 2 — Back, low wide.

Grandma’s grave in view; part of grandpa’s beside it.

Daley collapses, reaching toward the dirt. The plank tilts.

The apple core falls onto the grave.

Panel 3 — High above, wide.

Daley lies unconscious in the graveyard.

The sun sets. It keeps falling west.

CAPTION:

TO BE CONTINUED…

⸻

PAGE 16 — END SPLASH

Back, wide shot.

5-year-old Daley lies on a B class neighborhood rooftop at night, pointing at the stars.

His father beside him laughs softly.

Caption:

“A Life The Boy Once Lived.”