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Prologue: One day, when it is time for our sun to die, it will take in one final dying gasp, expanding into a RED GIANT.
Panel: A view of a dim motel room, from slightly above looking down. The room is in considerable disrepair: the mattress is stained and stripped of its linens, the wallpaper was mold, the carpet is threadbare and stained as well, there is only one nightstand which is coming apart at the seams, miscellaneous items of trash are strewn here and there around the room. A boy and a girl—both in their teens—lie sleeping on the bare mattress, uncovered, both in underpants and an undershirt, their backs toward each other. The boy lays on the right side of the mattress, the girl on the left. The reader is not yet aware that these are our protagonists Jonah and Jessie, siblings. There is a thin line of bluish-white light falling from an unseen source shining across Jonah’s chest and angled toward his chin.
Panel: A view of Jonah’s sleeping face, the sliver of light now falling across his lips and nose.
Panel: A view of Jonah’s closed eye, the sliver of light now cast onto his eyelid.
Panel: Exact same view as above. Jonah’s eye squints tighter against the light.
Panel: Exact same view as above. Jonah’s eye open.
Panel: A view from the mattress looking toward the window wall. In the foreground is the silhouetted shape of the Jonah’s sleeping body, and in the background we can see that the window of the room has been boarded up with two panels of plywood. Through the slim crack between the two plywood panels, a sliver of bright white light shines into the room.
Series of panels: Jonah rises to a seated position, his back toward his sister and his legs over the side of the mattress. A pair of boots and a small pile of clothing can bee seen near his feet. He rubs his face a bit, stretches, checks a small wind-up alarm clock sitting on the nightstand, and then looks over his shoulder at Jessie.
Panel: A view of Jessie’s back, lying on her side, her back to the reader. We can hear her breathing.
Series of panels: Jonah half turns his torso to gently shake Jessie by the shoulder.
Jonah
Wake up. Hey, wake up. It’s nearly six-thirty already.
Jessie begins to stir, her face grimacing, her body curling up in a ball of protest.
Panel: Jonah is now standing, half bent, putting on his jeans.
Jonah
Come on! There are a couple of places I want to check out before we get back on the road.
Panel: Jessie is seen from the front as she begins to rise from the bed, holding herself up with her right hand and brushing away stray hair with her left. In the background Jonah can be seen fastening his belt.
Jonah
It would be nice to do that while it’s still relatively cool.
Panel: Jonah stands in the foreground pulling a t-shirt over his head. In the background Jessie can be seen sitting upright now, her knees bent toward her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs.
Panel: Jessie looks in Jonah’s direction, a slight morning grimace still on her face.
Jessie
Alright, fine. I’m up. What is it you want to check out?
Series of panels: Over the course of the following conversation, Jonah continues to dress: sitting down in the worn to chair to pull on a pair of socks and slip into his boots and standing again to put on a lightweight button-down shirt which he leaves open. Jessie remains seated on the mattress, shifting her position occasionally.
Jonah
I want to swing by that “Candle Barn” around the corner. We need more candles.
Jessie
There’s a “Candle Barn” around the corner?
Jonah
Yeah, just as we came off the interstate.
Jessie looks down toward her feet.
Jonah
Oh, come on! It was right there on our left! The “Candle Barn”…the one right next to the “Taco Bell”.
Jessie
There was a “Taco Bell”?
Jonah looks exacerbated.
Jonah
Yes! Yes, there was a “Taco Bell”! You got to be kidding me, Jessie! How many times have I told you that you got to be observant? Always on the lookout.
Jessie
I’m trying!
Jonah
You never notice anything! I can’t be the only one who’s on the lookout! We’ll die like that!
Jessie
That’s not fair, Jonah! You know it’s not! I’m the one who noticed the sign for this motel! Didn’t I? I was the one who pointed it out!
Panel: Jonah stands completely dressed next to the mattress. Jessie still sits on the bed in her underclothes. The two look at each other without dialogue.
Series of panels: Head and torso of Jonah, Jessie’s point of view.
Jonah
Alright. Yeah, you got me there. And I got to admit these are the best accommodations we’ve had in quite a while. Good find. It’s just that you never seem to be on the lookout for food or fire. We always need both, so we can’t overlook that stuff.
Series of panels: Jessie seated on the bed, seen in profile facing left. Her legs are bent and her arms rest on her knees while she speaks.
Jessie
Ok! Fine! I get it! But that’s not all we need. It’s a lot easier to hide when we have good shelter. And I have been on the lookout for water! We’re really low. One of us has to keep an eye open for water. That is, unless you think we can just walk into that bathroom, turn on the faucet, and have running water for the first time in years.
Panel: Jonah, standing with his back against the plywood window, arms folded, smiling as he speaks.
Jonah
Heh heh. Nah, you’re right. And you can tell this was a dump of a motel even back before the sun went red. I bet even when the water did work here it probably wasn’t fit to drink or even take a bath…
Panel: Jonah pushes himself off of the plywood, his eyes focusing down toward his backpack, not seen in the panel.
Jonah
Wait a minute! That reminds me…
Panel: Side view of the bed. Jonah is crouched on the floor, rifling through his backpack. Jessie remains on the bed, peering over the edge in curiosity.
Jonah
It’s in here somewhere…
Panel: Jonah stands holding a heavily creased sheet of paper.
Jonah
Ah, here we go…
Panel: Jonah closely examines the paper, searching it with an index finger.
Jonah
Yep, that’s what I thought.
Panel: View of the mattress from the foot of the bed. Jonah stands on the right looking toward Jessie, still seated on the bed.
Jonah
Do you know what day it is?
Jessie
I’m never sure anymore.
Series of panels: As each character speaks, there is a new panel showing only the speaker.
Jonah
It’s October seventeenth!
Jessie
October seventeenth…
Jonah
Jessie! It’s your birthday! Your fourteenth birthday!
Jessie
Oh yeah! So it is. I had almost forgot. Just another day.
Series of panels: Jonah crouches again, searching inside his backpack.
Jonah
Oh my God! No it’s not! Don’t talk like that. You know if mom and dad where still here, they’d make a big deal out of every one of your birthdays. Now, I’m not mom and dad, but I managed to find a little something for you to at least try to make this day as special as possible.
Panel: Jessie on the bed. Jonah’s dialogue comes from off-panel.
Jessie
Jonah, no way.
Jonah
No arguments.
Panel: Jonah stands with both hands behind his back, obviously hiding something.
Jonah
I thought, on your birthday, you might want to have…well something resembling a bath. I thought you might like to clean up some and feel special.
Panel: Close-up of two bottles of rubbing alcohol as Jonah’s hands place them on the mattress.
Jonah
So I found these two bottles of rubbing alcohol…
Panel: Jonah holds up a tiny perfume bottle, holding it up and examining it.
Jonah
…and this little bottle of…well, some sort of perfume. The label is long gone.
Panel: Jessie on the bed, smiling as she speaks. Jonah standing, also smiling.
Jessie
Are you trying to tell me I stink?
Jonah
Hell, don’t we both? Heh heh.
Panel: Jonah stares down at the gifts he has placed on the bed.
Idunno…I just tried to think what you might like. And I figured you might enjoy feeling clean for a change, even if the effects go away as soon as we’re outside.
Panel: Jonah’s eyes return to his sister.
Happy Birthday.
Series of panels: As each character speaks, there is a new panel showing only the speaker. Jessie picks up the gifts, but remains on the bed. Jonah returns to sit in the chair.
Jessie
Where’d you get this stuff?
Jonah
The pharmacy we raided the other day. When we were looking for antibiotics.
Jessie
Jonah…that was, what, almost three weeks ago? You were thinking about my birthday already?
Jonah
You only turn fourteen once.
Jessie
That sounds like dad.
Jonah
Do you want them or not?
Jessie
Yes. Yes, of course. That was very sweet. Thank you.
Jonah
How fortunate is it that you found us a place where the towels are a little dusty, but still look relatively clean? Better than anything we have. So…what I can do, then, is stop rushing you to get moving and let you clean up. How’s that?
Jessie
Ok.
Fade to black then fade back up again on:
Panel: Inside the motel bathroom, a low angle view of the bathtub. The wall tile is yellowed and stained, and the floor tiles are broken in places. There is a curtain rod with a few curtain hooks, but no shower curtain. Jessie sits in the tub, her back toward us. A candle in a glass jar sits on a corner of the tub, casting light on the walls of the tub and revealing Jessie’s form in silhouette only. The sounds of alcohol being poured can be heard.
Series of panels: Jessie washing, her body still viewed from the back and still in silhouette. Alcohol being poured into her hand. Hands scrubbing through her hair.
Panel: Jonah sitting the chair, which he has turned now so that his back is toward the bathroom.
Series of panels: During the following conversation, the scene moves back and forth between Jonah in the bedroom and Jessie in the bathroom. Jonah wraps in arms in long strips of fabric as the two speak.
Jonah
You know what? You’re right. I don’t think enough about water. That’s actually quite ridiculous, huh? So, how about this: after we search the “Candle Barn” and the “Taco Bell” we can head up to that Super Store on the hill.
Jessie
There’s a Super Store?
Jonah
*sigh* Yes…up on the hill. Anyway, there might be some bottled water that no one’s raided somewhere in the back of the warehouse. We’ll go check it out. Maybe we’ll get lucky.
Jessie
Ok.
Jonah
And whether we find water or not, we can have lunch inside…if there’s no one sleeping in there.
Jessie
Sounds good.
Jonah
Then, since it’s your birthday, and since you’re the one who found this place, we can then come back here to stay another night in creature comforts. We’ll just continue north tomorrow.
Jessie
What? You tell me this now?
Jonah
You don’t like that idea?
Jessie
I love that idea. But, I was washing now because I didn’t think I’d get another chance for God knows how long! If we’re coming back tonight, then I’ll save the second bottle for tonight. Give me a little warning next time you decide to suddenly change you mind, ok?
Fade to white, then fade up on:
Panel: Jonah and Jessie inside the motel room, standing at the door, which has a small dresser pressed against it. Both siblings are dressed similarly: thin-fabric hoodies with the hoods pulled over their heads; the sleeves of the hoodies torn away, arms and hands completely wrapped in strips of cloth, with only fingers exposed; sunglasses; long jeans over boots. Each has a large pack on his or her back. Jonah has a machete in a sheath strapped to his hip. He stands nearest to the door, looking back toward Jessie.
Jonah
Alright, let’s be careful stepping out. This place seemed pretty quiet last night. But now that the sun is up, there may be others squatting here.
Series of panels: Jonah pushes the dresser out of the way and opens the door, allowing a flood of nearly blinding white light into the room.
Panel: Exterior of the motel. A two-story motel with the room doors on the outside. A large sign above the building reads “MOTEL” with an arrow pointing down toward the structure. All of the windows are boarded. It is very obviously abandoned and in disrepair. No plant life can be seen. In the foreground there is an empty pool with a large pile of wind-blown accumulated sand on and around the steps leading down into the interior of the pool. Jessie and Jonah can be seen on the balcony of the upper floor vacating their room.
Jonah
Ok. Let’s go.
Fade to white, then fade up on:
Panel: Exterior. Extremely brightly lit. Jonah and Jessie stand on a sidewalk overlooking a parking lot with a strip mall slightly in the distance. Parking lot is empty, in disrepair, and one of the street lamps has fallen over. The colors of the strip mall have faded considerably. One of the stores still has its sign intact. This is the “Candle Barn”.
Jonah
Like I told you. Let’s just hope nobody raided it before us.
Panel: Jonah and Jessie running across the parking lot, crouched low.
Panel: The siblings crouch behind a concrete barrier, studying the exterior of the strip mall.
Jonah
Keep your eyes open. If anyone is sleeping in one of these stores, I want them to stay that way.
Panel: The siblings approach the “Candle Barn” store, their backs pressed to the wall. Jonah has the machete unsheathed and is in the lead.
Series of panels: Jonah reaches the storefront window and puts a hand up to signal that Jesse stop moving. He crouches low to move under the window, then eases his head up to peer into the window without exposing his entire head. After looking inside, he stands completely upright.
Panel: Jonah and Jessie stand side by side before the storefront.
Jonah
Would you look at that! The door is in one piece! The window, too. Looks like no one has ever looted this place! Un-friggin’-believable!
Panel: Jonah tests the door, which refuses to open.
Panel: Jonah shields his eyes while peering in through the door, his face close to the glass. Jessie stands behind him, looking back over her sholder.
Jessie
There’s a cinder block I saw a few yards back.
Jonah
Yeah. Yeah, go ahead. Be careful. Don’t get spotted.
Series of panels: Jessie drops her bag next to Jonah. Cautiously she makes her way back along the length of the strip mall and out into the parking lot, stopping at a large, broken cinder block sitting on the pavement. She hefts it and makes her way back to the storefront, where Jonah waits, hands outstretched to receive the block.
Jonah
Give it to me.
Series of panels: Jonah lifts the block, takes a couple of steps back and throws it hard at the door. The cinder block crashes, easily through the glass. We see this happen from the inside of the building.
Panel: Interior of the “Candle Barn,” obviously abandoned, but not in horrible disrepair. Dimly lit save for the areas where the light from the windows and door cast light. We see the backs of Jonah and Jessie standing amongst the broken glass as they take in the sight of the many shelves of candles that line the walls and display cases that take up floor space.
Jonah
Daaaaaaamn! Look at all of this! Completely untouched. When was the last time we got this lucky?
Jessie
Yeah.
Series of panels: During the following conversation, Jonah and Jessie are seen separately perusing the store, picking up candles and examining them, replacing them on the shelf, etc.
Jonah
Haven’t I told you a million times that you’re in the best hands with me? I am a genius. You know that right. Everyone’s always searching for stuff to burn for light and warmth. Always coming up short. It never occurs to any of them that sweet designer scented candles do the job just as well as anything else. That’s why I’m the genius I am. I think of stuff that no one else even considers! We’re in trouble the day that others start to figure out this secret.
Jessie
Got it. You’re a genius. Just don’t grab any of those pine scented ones again. I had a headache for days!
Jonah
Pick whatever you would like. It is your day, right?
Jessie
Oh my! A bath and scented candles all in one day? God, Jonah, you’re going to spoil me. In fact, I’m never walking all those hot miles with you ever again. I must be carried.
Jonah
Don’t I carry you already?
Series of panels: Jessie throws a candle in Jonah’s direction, which he narrowly dodges with a smile on his face.
Fade to white, then fade up on:
Panel: The exterior of the “Taco Bell.” Extremely brightly lit. The building is in extreme disrepair and the exterior paint is faded. Some of the windows are boarded up. The sign above the door is missing. Jessie and Jonah crouch nearby, examining the area. Jonah has the machete unsheathed.
Jonah
Have you seen any movement?
Panel: Front view of Jonah and Jessie, crouched.
Jessie
None yet.
Jonah
I think we’re good. There might be someone inside asleep, though. So let’s be as quiet as possible. If you see anyone, just run. Don’t say a word. I’ll know what’s up if I see you run away.
Jessie
Got it.
Series of panels: The siblings wordlessly approach the abandoned restaurant. Testing the door and finding it open, they silently enter. The interior of the dining area is dimly lit and shows signs of extreme wear, misuse, graffiti, mold, etc. After a quick scan of the dining area, they move into the kitchen, which is even darker. Wordlessly they search around corners and behind shelves, finding no one sleeping.
Jonah
Clear?
Jessie
Clear.
Series of panels: During the following conversation, the siblings search the shelves, looking for food and finding the shelves mostly bare, until Jonah locates a can on a lower shelf and removes it.
Jonah
Someone definitely beat us to this place.
Jessie
Nothing here at all really. A big box of salt…some moldy taco shells. This is a bust!
Jonah
Wait…no, there’s something here...
Series of panels: Jonah turns the can in his hands, reading the label. Then, apparently happy about what he has read, he shows the can to Jessie while speaking.
Jonah
Hell yeah! Check it out! Refried beans! I haven’t had refried beans in years!
Jessie
Refried beans? What’s that?
Jonah
Oh man! I guess you’re too young to remember… Dad used to take us out to eat Mexican when I was really little. You even came with us a few times as a baby back before things got really bad… Anyway, I just remember loving refried beans. It was served with pretty much anything you ordered.
Jessie
What do they taste like?
Jonah
Well…they’re kinda like regular beans only all mushy and…well, if I describe them, they’re gonna sound gross. But, they’re delicious, trust me. We’ll heat them up one night before bed and you’ll see! They are…um…you know what? I don’t want to oversell them. I loved them as a kid…but a 10-year-old can of refried beans might be another story altogether.
Jessie
No such thing as a fresh meal anymore.
Jonah
Yeah…still. I’ll just pack this away. Hopefully when the day comes we open this, it’ll actually be the treat that I hope it is.
