The Duck Webcomics

Almost exactly a year ago i posted a script in this forum that resulted in several artists drawing various scripts of mine. That original script is still being finished up (but the art looks great so far) and thanks to Genejoke a whole bunch of other projects have been drawn, or are in the works …
… but since it's a new year, and since I was just community spotlighted, I thought I'd post another script here and see what happens.
If you're interested in drawing it, send me a PQ (and don't forget to check that PQ inbox, sicne there are no flags for it anymore).
——-
Burying Sarah
written by David Tulloch
This is a ten-page story about two boys and a dead hedgehog. One of the boys, Conrad, is coming to grips with just what death is, for reasons that are explained near the end. Most of the drawing is of the two boys and the dead hedgehog in a gutter. Text is minimal, and only in speech bubbles. The layout is only a suggestion, feel free to play about with it, change the number of pages, etc.
Page ONE
Titles somewhere on this page
Burying Sarah, etc
Panel One and Two: repeated (or close to) panel of a boy staring down at something. The viewpoint is from the gutter looking up at the boy. The boy, Conrad, is staring intently at the gutter (down at the reader). He is dressed plainly, boring haircut, etc.
Panel Three: A second boy, Roger, standing by the first, also looking down. This second boy is bigger, as he is 9 months older but also a beefy lad. He is wearing brand clothes, with logos, etc., showing himself to be ‘cooler’ and from a more affluent background.
Panel Four: similar to Three, but closer to their faces. Roger has turned his face to look a Conrad. Conrad is still looking down.
Roger: “It's just a dead hedgehog, stupid.”
Panel Five: The dead hedgehog lying in the gutter. Maybe the boys shoes visible as well for reference. Conrad's cheap, plain shoes, Roger's brand name sneakers.
Conrad: 'I know."
Page TWO
Panel One: Roger messing with Conrad, bullying him a bit. Conrad looks unmoved, still staring at the gutter.
Roger: “Come on, little Conny …
Panel Two: Similar stuff, nothing too vicious, just light bullying.
Roger ”… or baby will be late for school again.“
Panel Three: back to being just Conrad staring down. From off-panel comes Roger's voice.
Roger: (off-panel) ”You'll be late, Conrad … late, late, late …"
Panel Four: same as Three, but no words.
Panel Five: Conrad finally begins to move away.
Page THREE
Full page School-day montage, to show the passing of the day. Anything you like really, but Conrad should look slightly vacant, or if you prefer, detached, from everything that goes on around him. Sitting in class, playing on the quad, being bullied (half-heartedly) by Roger. Sitting in another class. Eating lunch, etc. You could use an electric bell or a clock at the end to signify the end of the school day.
Page FOUR
Panel One: After school, Conrad is walking home in the rain. He doesn't have a raincoat, and is looking wet and bedraggled.
Panel Two: Conrad has reached the part of the road with dead hedgehog still in the gutter, so he stops.
Panel Three: A large shot of the dead hedgehog again, but this time with flowing water, a leaf or two in the current, and bits of leaves, sticks and rubbish that have built up at one end of the dead hedgehog in the gutter. There's a voice bubble.
Roger: (unseen) “Probably got hit by a car.”
Panel Four: Roger and Conrad standing in the rain looking down at the gutter again. Roger is in a raincoat, hood up.
Conrad: “Yeah.”
Panel Five: similar to four.
Roger“ You forget your raincoat again, dummy?”
Conrad: “Yeah.”
Page FIVE
Panel One: Conrad up close.
Conrad: “They wash dead people when they die.”
Panel Two: The hedgehog in the gutter with the flowing water again.
Roger: (off-panel) “It's just a dumb hedgehog, not a person.”
Panel Three: The two boys again. The rain begins to ease over the net few panels.
Conrad: “I'm going to bury it.”
Roger: “Why?”
Panel Four: Conrad bending down at the knees so he is closer to the gutter, and getting reading to pick up the body. At least some of Roger still visible in the frame.
Conrad: “It's what you do when someone dies. Help me carry it.”
Roger: “No way!”
Panel Five: Conrad picks up the dead hedgehog himself. Roger looks on in disgust. The rain easing up still. Roger has taken off his hood now the rain is light.
Roger: “They carry diseases you know.”
Panel Six: Conrad carrying the dead hedgehog in his arms, trying not to hold it too close to his body, yet not drop it.
Page SIX
Panel One: Similar to the previous panel, except it is obvious the hedgehog has ‘leaked“ over Conrad’s trousers and shoes. You can be as graphic as you like, maggots and all in close up if you wish as a separate panel. Now the rain is just a light shower rather than a heavy downpour.
Roger: ”Eww, it's slimed you!“
Panel Two: Conrad continues to carry the hedgehog…
Panel Three: … until he is near a playground, a children's slide visible in the background.
Conrad: ”Here'll do.“
Panel Four: Conrad places the hedgehog carefully on the ground …
Panel Five: Conrad starts clawing at the ground, digging a grave for the hedgehog with his bare hands. Because the ground is wet it isn't as difficult as it might have been. Roger looks on, a bemused look on his face.
Panel Six: Roger looking on. Conrad digging in the light rain.
Roger: ”You got a thing about hedgehogs?“
Conrad: ”No.“
Panel Seven: similar to the previous.
Roger: ”Then why bury the stupid thing?"
Page SEVEN
Panel One: The rain getting heavy again. Conrad still digging deep. Roger putting his hood back on.
Roger: “Hurry up! It's starting to rain again.”
Panel Two: Conrad: “You have to dig deep … six feet.”
Roger: “Whose feet?”
Panel Three: Conrad: “What?”
Roger pontificating.
Roger: “Well, six of my feet? Six of your small, smelly ones? Or six of the hedgehogs?”
Panel Four :Conrad looks over at the hedgehog.
Conrad: “It does have small feet. Okay, that'll do.”
Panel Five: Conrad carefully places the hedgehog in the grave.
Panel Six: Roger starts to kick dirt from the pile Conrad has created. Conrad tries to stop him.
Conrad: “Stop that!!”
Page EIGHT
Panel One: Roger having pushed Conrad down, but also having stopped kicking the dirt/mud.
Roger: “I was only helping.”
Conrad: You have to wait …“
Panel Two: Conrad picking himself up off the ground.
Conrad: ”You have to wait until a few words are spoken.“
Roger: ”You're crazy.“
Panel Three: Conrad standing next to the grave in silence. Roger close, but not side-by-side.
Panel Four: Roger having moved next to Conrad.
Roger” Go on then, say something.“
Panel Five: The ‘grave’ with the hedgehog, starting to fill up with water from the rain.
Panel Six: A silent and sad looking Conrad, and an annoyed looking Roger.
Roger: ”Hurry up.“
Panel Seven: Conrad finally speaks, solemnly.
”Goodbye Sarah".
Page NINE
Panel One: Roger almost laughing. Conrad beginning to push the dirt/mud over the body.
Roger: “You gave the hedgehog a name? You really are a freak.”
Panel Two: Silently Conrad finishes piling the dirt over the body.
Panel Three: He stands up, rubbing his muddy hands together.
Conrad“ ”We can go now.“
Panel Four: The boys walking off together.
Roger: ”Sarah. That was your sisters name wasn't it?“
Conrad: ”Yeah.“
Panel Five: walking together in the rain.
Roger: ”Sorry about what happened to her.“
Conrad: ”Everyone is.“
Panel Six: still walking in the rain.
Roger: ”It was a bad accident, huh?“
Conrad: ”Yeah."
Page TEN
Panel One: still walking along, focus on Roger.
Roger “You were in hospital for ages.”
Conrad: “Yeah.”
Panel Two: still walking, focus on Conrad.
Conrad: “They wouldn't let me out. Not for anything.”
Panel Three: Conrad stops walking.
Panel Four: The two boys stopped. Roger slightly ahead of Conrad.
Conrad: “Not even for her funeral.”
Panel Five: The two boys looking at each other in silence.
Panel Six: Roger preparing to run.
Roger: “Come on, race you to my house … ”
Panel Seven: Conrad chasing after Roger.
Roger (from ahead): “Come on, you speedy little runt, show me what you can do.”
##END##

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