1 – Tiffany and Brad (original
characters, both early thirties) sit across from each other at their
dinner table. Brad is noticeably overweight. He wears
business casual clothes, but they are dirty. Sweat stains are clear
under his armpits, his shirt is not tucked in, his tie is loosened,
and his topmost shirt buttons are undone. Unshaven, he looks like, while he
used to be an attractive man, he no longer takes pride in his
appearance. Tiffany is not much better
off. She looks permanently tired and worn, run down by the struggles
of life. While she is still made up, it's clear that she is also not
as attractive as she once was. Brad eats some food – his plate is
almost completely empty. Flushed, Brad leans back, hand on his full stomach.
He wears a satisfied grin on his face, but it's not terribly warm.
Tiffany doesn't have a plate or any tableware in front of her. She
sits with a bored, unhappy expression on her face. There's a serving plate between the two that is virtually empty, all the food having been eaten. A doorway to the front hall is visible in the background, along with an end table in said hall.
BRAD (1): Ooh, I'm stuffed.
BRAD (2): Are you sure you don't want any?
I feel bad having so many helpings of your dinner when you're not even eating.
TIFFANY: I'm fine.
2 – Tiffany's neutral expression
remains. She looks directly at Brad. Brad is stunned by her words. His flush increases, as does
his sweating.
TIFFANY: I don't love you,
Brad.
BRAD: W-what?
TIFFANY: It's been a while now. I thought maybe we could work things out.
3 – Tiffany's expression is
unchanged. She looks down towards Brad's plate. Brad moves a hand to his throat, having difficulty
breathing.
TIFFANY (1): It's a shame that the meat was off.
TIFFANY (2): I understand that botulism isn't a
pretty way to go.
4 – Tiffany is up and walking towards
the front door. Brad tries to follow her down the front hall. His
eyes are bugging out and his grip on his throat is tightening. He
stumbles into that end table seen in panel 1, which has some pictures on it. The misstep knocks it and him over.
TIFFANY: It's also too bad that I was
away on business this weekend. If I'd been around, maybe this
tragedy could have been avoided.
5 - Brad lies face down on the carpet.
The table is overturned, the pictures scattered all over the floor.
One lies next to him. Face up, it is a picture of Brad and Tiffany
on their wedding day. The room is dark and the frame's glass is broken, but it's still clear that in the picture Brad
and Tiffany look much healthier than they do presently. Brad has an athletic body and Tiffany is positively radiant. The biggest difference, however, is that both of them smile happily.
NO COPY
Simply stunning Grant. You have layers of narrative weaved into a single page. The break down of a marriage, a woman pushed over the edge, the set up of a fake alibi all such strong beats to build a tense and dark story.
ReplyDeleteTiffany's last line in panel four followed by the great visual storytelling in the final silent panel is one of the best beats and moments I have read on the site to date. Top marks from me mate.
I think this weeks pick is going to reveal just how twisted we all are. You sick puppy, you.
ReplyDeleteThis is another great one pager with an excellent last panel. You also left that last panel silent. It didn't need dialogue or captions and it's all the better for it.