Ghost behind the window glass: Issue 1
Written and Created by Vember Judgement
Cover Idea 1: A shadowed view of Petrel looking through her window.
Pg1
Splash Page. A far shot of the very fancy-looking Cypress Manor in the middle of a suburb. The mansion is surrounded by high hedges and in front is a large and fancy iron gate.
Caption
Cypress Manor, in the small town of Hollow Point, Upstate NY. Year: 1928
Pg2
Panel 1: A 3/4 view from behind the gate. Children can be seen walking by the gate, looking up at the mansion. Some point and laugh, others look on astonished.
Panel 2: A shot of one of the upper floor windows. A silhouette of Petrel can be seen in it.
Petrel
Look at all the children, Ubertine...Guess they never saw a girl like me before.
Panel 3: A close-up of Petrel sitting teary-eyed in her window seat, staring down at the children. A very detailed view of her. She is wearing her Floral Dress. She has in her hands her favorite hamster, Ubertine.
Petrel
Maybe mother might allow us to go outside today...
Pg3
Panel 1: A grand, near full-page shot of Petrel's huge bedroom, with its white marble floors and two middle-floor pillars. Between the pillars is a beautiful king-sized bed draped with lace.
A figure can be seen in the large doorway at the other end of the room.
Mrs. Pietra
Must you spend every waking hour in tears?
Panel 2: A full bodied shot of Mrs. Pietra standing in the doorway, wearing a very expensive black and green gown. Around the woman's neck are many different kinds of diamond and pearl necklaces. Her hair is done up in a vain French braided bun.
Mrs. Pietra
To think my own daughter acting as if she were the poorest of orphans...
Pg4
Panel 1: A profile shot of Mrs. Pietra just a few feet away from Petrel, her arms crossed in anger.
Petrel
Mother, I would like to go outside and play...
Mrs. Pietra
My angel, I value your persistence, but I again must say no.
Panel 2: Close up of Mrs. Pietra with her nose high in the air, an arrogant look on her face.
Mrs. Pietra
Why would you want to associate yourself with those dirty neighborhood children anyway?
Panel 3: Profile shot of Petrel with her head lowered, holding her knees into her chest. The hamster is next to her, wanting to be picked up.
Petrel
Why do you say such things...Can't I just go out and talk to them?
Mrs. Pietra (off panel)
No, you cannot, and that is final!
Panel 4: A behind the back shot of Mrs. Pietra heading for the door.
Mrs. Pietra
I'm going to my sowing room now. I don't want to hear any more of your complaints today.
Petrel (off panel)
But mother...Please!
Pg5
Panel 1: Close-up of Mrs. Pietra looking over her shoulder. She has an angry look on her face.
Mrs. Pietra
Oh why do I bother!? If you are so insistent on going out, you may spend some time in the courtyard! Do not go past the gate, and do not speak to anyone!
Panel 2: A shot of Petrel sitting up in the window seat. She has a happy look on her face.
Petrel
Really!?
Panel 3: A shot of Petrel running past her mother. The mother watches her daughter run past with a "Not so fast" expression.---
Petrel: Thank you mother, thank you THANK YOU!
Panel 5: A frontal shot of Petrel descending down the impressing steps of the mansion.
Panel 6: A shot of Petrel walking out of the huge fancy-looking front door.
Pg6
Panel 1: A great shot of Petrel standing in front of the gate. Her back is faced against the foreground, while The JJs look right back at her.
Petrel: Hi...I saw you all watching me from my window. My name is Petrel Pietra.
Panel 2: Close-up of Amy, her chin high and confident.
Amy: We don't care what your name is. We just wanna ask you something...
Petrel (Off Panel): A question?
Panel 3: A side-shot of the all the kids, the gate standing between them. Johnny is pointing at her, while Jainy covers her mouth to prevent a giggle from escaping. Amy just stands there.
Johnny: Yeah, what are you anyway? You a ghost or someth'n?
Jainy: Hee hee...Ghost girl...
Petrel: I'm an albino...I was born this way...
Amy: Albino?
Panel 4: Half-body shot of Petrel's upper body. She has a fist up to her mouth in shyness.
Petrel: Yes. Born as white as the virgin snow of December. That's what my father likes to say...
Panel 5: Close-up side shot of Amy's face leaning close to the gate, a sinister smirk on her face.
Amy: So, um...did yer momma squeeze out any more sideshow geeks?
Petrel (Off Panel): What?
Pg7
Panel 1: Upper-body shot of the JJ's. Amy is stroking her chin, while Jainy laughs out loud and Johnny sticks out his tongue.
Amy: Does the freak show end with you? I gotta know...
Jainy: You tell that tart, Amy...Hahahaha!
Panel 2: A shot from the ground, looking up at Petrel and Amy. The gate is splitting the panel up the middle.
Petrel: Why are you being so mean!?
Amy: 'Cause I can!
Panel 3: Action-shot of Amy reaching forward through the gate.
Panel 4: Action shot of Amy grabs Petrel's hair. Petrel has a horrified expression on her face.
Panel 5: Action shot of Petrel's face banging against one of the bars of gate.
Panel 6: Overhead-shot of Petrel falling to the ground, holding the right-side of her face.
Amy (Off Panel): That'll put some color in your cheeks, you ghost faced tart...
Pg8
Panel 1: A shot of the JJ's walking away from the gate, as Petrel lays on the ground behind it.
Amy: We better not ever see you walking out of your cage, ghost girl...
Johnny: If you do, Amy's gonna bruise you worse!
Jainy: Don't ever cross the JJ's!
Panel 2: Overhead shot of Mrs. Pietra running out of the mansion. Petrel remains on the ground, holding her face.
Mrs. Pietra: Petrel!!!
Panel 3: Ground-shot of Petrel revealing her bruised face. Tears stream down her face. The legs of a blue-jeaned boy is seen behind the gate.
Petrel: Mother...They...were so mean...to me...
Mrs. Pietra: Well of course they were! Did you think those dirty children would accept someone so different from them!? I warned you about this sort of thing!
Panel 4: A shot of Mrs. Pietra pulling Petrel unceremoniously off of the ground by her left arm. Watching from behind the gate is Billy Jones, looking on sadly.
Panel 5: A behind the back shot of Billy holding onto the gate, watching Petrel be dragged by her mother.
Pg9
Panel 1: A shot of Petrel sitting up in her bed, clutching her bruised cheek. Mrs. Pietra is in the extreme foreground, shaking an angry fist.
Mrs. Pietra: Damn them! I knew it was a mistake to move to this backwater town!
Petrel: Mother, don't be angry...It's was my fault for-
Panel 2: An action shot of Mrs. Petrel smacking her daughter across the bruised side of her face.
Mrs. Pietra: Yes, it is your fault! Yu disobeyed me by going to the gate!
Panel 3: A shot of Mrs. Pietra walking away from the bed, as Petrel watches her walk off, holding her face in pain.
Mrs. Pietra: You are stay in this room for the rest of the month as punishment. You will only leave here to eat in the dining room, bathe and be schooled in the library.
Petrel: Mother!
Panel 4: A shot of Petrel's door slamming shut.
Panel 5: A shot of Petrel getting out of her bed, crying and still clutching the side of her face.
Petrel: Mother, I didn't do anything! I didn't! It isn't fair!
Pg10
Panel 1: A shot of the hamster sniffing at her feet.
Panel 2: A shot of Petrel's left hand scooping up the hamster from the ground.
Panel 3: A shot of Petrel clutching the hamster to her chest, the bruise on her face more noticeable now.
Petrel: It isn't fair...Why do I have to be a prisoner because of the way I look? Why does mother insist that I have to live this way?
Ubertine: ...
Petrel: You're my only friend, Ubertine, the only one who knows the way I feel...Do you love me like I love you?
Ubertine: ...
Panel 4: A quick shot of the hamster in Petrel's hand, looking up innocently.
Pane 5: A sudden shot of Petrel squeezing the hamster in her hand.
Petrel: You never talk to me!
Pg11
Panel 1: An action shot of Petrel throwing Ubertine as hard as she could.
Panel 2: Horrific shot of Ubertine hitting violently against the wall, his head splitting open and his brains going in every direction.
Panel 3: A shot of Petrel holding her hand over her mouth in horror.
Petrel: Ubertine!
Panel 4: A full bodied shot of Petrel kneeling on the floor, holding Ubertine's bloody corpse in her hands. Very sad, yet horrific scene.
Petrel: Not again...
Pg12
Panel 1: A cinematic shot of Petrel sleeping in her bed, a nearby nightlight spreading tiny hearts along the walls.
Panel 2: A shot of a wrapped up bloody rag in the wastebasket by her bed, Ubertine's corpse obviously inside of it.
Panel 3: A shot of Billy Jones standing behind the outside gates. He has a determined look on his face.
Panel 4: A shot of Billy sliding in between the bars of the gate.
Panel 5: A shot of Billy climbing on the rose awnings beneath Petrel's window.
Panel 6: A side shot of Petrel rubbing the sleep from her eyes, noticing the sound of tapping on her window.
Petrel: Hmm?
Pg13
Panel 1: A side upper bodied shot of Petrel facing her window, as Billy looks right back at her from the other side. Billy stands on the awnings 'hands free', waving at Petrel. She holds her sheet to her chest in fear.
Petrel: What are you doing there!? Pervert!
Billy: Shhh, don't talk so loud. Let me in, I'm a friend.
Panel 2: A shot of Billy sitting on the seat, wiping sweat from his brow. Petrel stands a few feet away from him.
Billy: Man, been a while since I climbed up that! Almost fell down, too.
Petrel: Who are you, and why do you want to be here?
Panel 3: A shot of Billy standing in front of Petrel, bowing in respect. Petrel holds the left side of her cheek and blushes.
Billy: I'm sorry for being so rude to one as beautiful as you. I'm Billy Jones.
Petrel: Beautiful? Me? But-
Panel 4: A shot of Billy pointing a stern finger at Petrel.
Billy: Now, now. You shouldn't talk like that. If your family is as rich as you are beautiful, you're practically a princess!
Panel 5: A shot of Petrel turning away from Billy, blushing even more, though angry.
Petrel: Enough with the flattery! You haven't answered me on why you've come to my room!
Panel 6: A shot of Billy grabbing Petrel's hand.
Billy: Ever since I saw you when you moved in here a few days ago, I wanted to know everything about you. I want us to be friends.
Petrel: Friends?
Pg14
Panel 1: A shot of Petrel peering out of her door, looking down the long hallway at her mother's bedroom.
Panel 2: A shot of Petrel and Billy's feet walking along the marble floor. Petrel's feet are bare.
Panel 3: A shot of them walking into another room, the door having a sign saying 'Library' in fancy letters.
Panel 4: A shot of Billy looking around the room, as Petrel locks the door.
Billy: Wow, you guys turned this into a library? When my old friend Melissa Jackson lived here, this was a brandy room!
Panel 5: A shot of Petrel looking over at Billy, puzzled.
Petrel: You used to know the people who lived here?
Billy: Yup. Me and Melissa were really good friends, until everybody in town made her folks leave...
Petrel: Why?
Billy: People around here hate colored folk and anyone else not white. Bunch of idiots they are...
Pg15
Panel 1: A shot of Billy taking a book from one of the shelves.
Billy: I used to sneak around here all the time because Melissa was always scared of being hassled. Especially from Amy J. Gardings, that cow!
Panel 2: A shot of Petrel leaning against the library door.
Petrel: She was the one who hurt me today...
Billy: Yeah, I saw that!
Panel 3: A shot of Billy putting the book back, looking over at Petrel, off panel.
Billy: Amy and her two friends call themselves the JJs, because they all have all the letter J in their name. They wanted me to join up with 'em years ago, but when I said no! They've been bully'n all the other kids for years, and I hate them so much!
Panel 4: A full bodied shot of Billy standing in front of Petrel, who sighs.
Billy: Enough of all that. Let's talk about each other. I told you my name, what's yours?
Petrel: (Sigh) My name's Petrel Pietra. As you can see, I'm albino.
Billy: Never met one before. So what's your story anyway? Tell me about yourself.
Pg16
Panel 1: A shot of Petrel turning away from Billy, twiddling her thumbs.
Petrel: Um...Well, my father is a wealthy land owner, and he has land all over America and Europe. I haven't seen him in almost two years though, because he's so busy finding land to buy. My mother makes fancy garments for wealthy French dignitaries, and she almost makes as much money as father does.
Panel 2: A side shot of Petrel looking down.
Petrel: My mother doesn't let me go out much. She tried to put me in a school down south where we used to live, but the kids there made so much fun of me. Now I'm going to get all my schooling at home...
Panel 3: A shot of Billy sitting down at a nearby desk.
Billy: Wow, that's pretty rough...Hav'n you all caged up like a canary. I know exactly what you need!
Panel 4: A shot of the two looking out of one of the room's windows, Billy pointing in one direction.
Billy: There's a southern-style juke joint out in the forest that my pa built it for the colored folk. A present for them since they keep his grocery store in business. All the colored in town hang out there and dance all night to that Jazz music of theirs. You wanna go?
Petrel: I don't know if I can go with you...I might get in a lot of trouble.
Pg17
Panel 1: A shot of Billy holding up Petrel's left hand like he wants to dance.
Billy: Do you really want to stay cooped up in here? Let's go hoof'n!
Petrel: Oh..okay...Do we go tonight?
Panel 2: A shot of Billy walking towards the library door, pulling Petrel along.
Billy: Place is only open on weekends, so we'll go tomorrow.
Petrel: What time should I be ready?
Billy: Just before midnight. Hope you got dance'n shoes.
Panel 3: An overhead shot of the two sneaking back into Petrel's room.
Panel 4: A shot of Billy climbing out of Petrels' window, while she stands nearby watching.
Billy: It'll be fun, I promise! You'll have the best time ever!
Petrel: Really?
Pg18
Panel 1: A frontal shot of Billy outside of the window.
Billy: You seem like a really nice girl. It's kind of lousy you get treated the way you do. But I promise that no matter what, I'll be your friend from now on.
Panel 2: A shot of Petrel peering out of her window, watching Billy climb down.
Billy: See you tomorrow!
Petrel: Fare thee well.
Panel 3: A frontal shot of Petrel leaning against the window seat, her back to the open window. She holds her hands over her heart.
Petrel: My heart is beating so fast! I can't believe this is all happening!
Panel 4: A frontal shot of Petrel spinning away from the window in glee.
Petrel: I finally have a real friend! Oh Ubertine, can you believe this is happening to me?
Pg19
Splash Page. Cinematic full page shot of Petrel looking at the wastebasket with her hamster's corpse in it. She stands in the background, holding her left hand over her mouth in realization. The wastebasket is in the extreme right foreground. Very eerie 'tunnel vision' look to this scene.
Petrel: Oh yes...I forgot.
Pg20
Panel 1: A shot of Billy walking along the street, unaware that he is being watched by the JJ's. They are hiding behind some trees across the street. Amy and Johnny look on in anger, while Jainy cover's her mouth to hide her giggling.
Panel 2: A side shot of the JJ's watching Billy off panel.
Amy: That nigger love'n Billy...He was over at that ghost girl’s house!
Jainy: Hee hee...Nigger lover Billy...
Johnny: Wanna go rough 'im up?
Amy: Naw..I think I know why he was over there.
Panel 3: A behind the back shot of Amy watching Billy walk further down the street.
Amy: He's gonna sneak that ghost girl over to that jazz place in the woods tomorrow. He used to do that with that rich n****r girl who lived there before, remember?
Panel 4: A shot of Johnny looking excited, while Jainy hangs off of him happily.
Johnny: Yeah, I remember! So what do ya wanna do?
Jainy: Hee hee...Nigger Girl...
Pg21
Panel 1: An upper bodied shot of Amy looking happy in anticipation, cracking her knuckles.
Amy: What else...Have fun like we always do...
Panel 2: A dreamy cinematic shot of Petrel sleeping innocently in her bed. The wastebasket has been swept underneath her bed.
End of Issue 1