Monday, April 4, 2016

American Dreams Issue 2

  Kids are savages, I've always told you that.  Their brains all run a thousand miles per hour and they want a car twice as fast.  I understand the amount of characters can be overwhelming.  All I can tell you is to watch for Ed, Bill, and that Brendan Carllyl kid.  And that Man In Black?  That's no government official.  I hope to see you on the other side of Main Street, if you don't crash that coupe.  Roll the window down, pay attention to the signs, and the yellow lights mean "full speed ahead."

* * *

PAGE 1

PANEL:
From the back, we see BRENDAN CARLLYL's head hung low as his FATHER points a finger at his son and gives him a stern talking-to. BRENDAN stands, his FATHER sits at the breakfast table in their small kitchen, his young SISTERS playing in the doorway into the hallway.

VO BOX
Lemme lay somethin' on ya:

It sure does suck coming home to a dad that rags on you about the dangers of baseball...

PANEL:
BILL PRITCHARD's hands are up in the air in an exaggerated manner, yelling at BRENDAN in much the same manner as his father. This time, they're located in the Wolf Den.

VO BOX
...Only to have Mr. Father Figure rag on you about the dangers of straying from the pack.

PANEL:
BRENDAN CARLLYL stands a bit sullen, his head tilted down with a bruised lip on his left side, the blood scabbed on his bottom lip. We see him up close, from a bit above. BILL PRITCHARD speaks from off-panel. JON ALLEN, JR is almost out of view, since this is from BILL's perspective and he's not focused on JON.

BILL
[OFF-PANEL]
I told you before, Brendan! I told all of you! We hit them in their yards, they can hit us in ours!

JON
Oh come on, man. Last night was 'specially brutal. Even for them.

BRENDAN
Look, Bill, you made your point. No man treads alone. Got it. But what I'm proposing is gonna change things. Every time it's the same damn thing. They hit us, we hit them back, someone hits harder. It's cyclical.

But this can put us one step above them.

PANEL:
From a different angle, BRENDAN speaks to BILL, who's still focused on BRENDAN. RICK GRANT and STUMPS are against the wall in the background. RICK looks to STUMPS inquiringly. STUMPS answers back with a finger twirling in the air. JON stands close behind BRENDAN.

BILL
And what's that, Hot-Head? You want to start packing? Are we gonna be Army men now?

RICK
Cyclical?”

STUMPS
A circle.

PAGE 2

PANEL:
BRENDAN explains to BILL his proposal, ED ST. JOHN leans against the wall next to the front door in the darkness, his arms crossed, his bat leaning against the wall beside him. OLIVER and TODD are near him, listening.

BRENDAN
It's already dangerous enough knowing The Hellhounds have a gun with Mickey on their side. We start waving around a piece, the Hellhounds are just gonna get five more. No, I'm talking about playing it smart, not tough.

BILL
Like what, Smart Alec?

PANEL:
BRENDAN speaks with THE ALLEN KIDS and TODD behind him, all smiling at his proposition.

BRENDAN
We follow one of 'em back to their hangout.

JON
Tch.

PRESTON
Yeah right!

TODD
Won't be able to stop myself from kicking one of their asses before I--

PANEL:
BRENDAN whips around, a hand out to the stooges behind him, showing them off as an example.

BRENDAN
Y'see?! We never play it smart! As soon as we catch a stare from one of their guys we throw fists like a bunch of apes!

PANEL:
TODD smiles and punches the palm of his hand. PRESTON smiles, too. JON doesn't.

TODD
Exactly! Feels good to get loose on one of them fags!

JON
Shit, they start smackin' us around when they get a chance, too!

PANEL:
BRENDAN speaks to THE WOLVES as a whole.

BRENDAN
That's exactly why they won't see this coming! For once we'll be thinkin' ahead!

We could find all their hide-outs... Shit, where they live.

PAGE 3

PANEL:
BILL has his arms crossed, talking down to BRENDAN. BRENDAN turns his attention to BILL.

BILL
One problem, Brendan. They adapt just like we do. What makes you think they won't do the same?

BRENDAN
No more gathering at one place. Say one guy walks out--

PANEL:
Using a diagram, show what BRENDAN explains.

--Meets guy #2

Guy #2 is gonna be watching them come for half-a-mile before they meet up.

They'd be able to spot any tail the first guy didn't catch.

We basically snowball our gang until we're all together, then we can hit them at any time.

PANEL:
TODD and THE ALLEN KIDS stand in a line, showing unhopeful expressions. BRENDAN tries to coerce them to see his ways.

JON
Sounds complicated.

PRESTON
Sheesh.

BRENDAN
I think with a li'l time, we--

PANEL:
BILL stands over BRENDAN in much the same way as he did before, looking unhappy that a sheep has decided to shepherd his flock.

BILL
No. I say we bop back.

PAGE 4

PANEL:
From the back of the Den, ED speaks.

ED
Doesn't it need to be put to a vote first...?

Bill?

PANEL:
BRENDAN looks surprised.

VO BOX
Holy shit. Ed is on my side?

PANEL:
BILL still looks down at BRENDAN, but with one arm raised.

BILL
Fine. We do anything, we do it as a vote. Right, Brendan?

VO BOX
This shit again. His say goes, but anytime he doesn't like something, we vote on it.

He still gets his way, but it's a good way to embarrass us into submission.

PANEL:
BILL looks over the Den at THE WOLVES in attendance, his hand still raised.

BILL
I say we hit them hard and make 'em learn. Show of hands for my way.

PANEL:
THE ALLEN KIDS and OLIVER raise their hands with BILL.

VO BOX
Except maybe...

PANEL:
BILL motions his open palm to BRENDAN while looking around the room.

BILL
And Brendan's bright idea of playing “Follow the Faggot”?

PANEL:
STUMPS, RICK, ED, TODD, and BRENDAN raise their hands on the other side of the room.

PANEL:
From above, we see everybody. BILL has his hands in his pockets.

BILL
*Sigh* Fuck. Alright, who knows where these guys usually hang?

PANEL:
TODD steps from behind BILL and pats him on the shoulder while looking at the rest of the group ahead. BILL looks behind his shoulder to him.

TODD
Hey. Everyone call up the rest. Make sure their homework's done so we get no 'rents bothering us...

PAGE 5

PANEL:
We see an up-close shot of a hand coming out of the driver's side window of a car at night. It's MICKY MOORE's hand, handing a handlebar of a package to HANK PHILLIPS, who leans against MICKY's car.

VO BOX
"We're going to the movies tonight."

PANEL:
MICKY smiles like the scum he is at the movie screen as he sits in the driver's seat. DONALD CLIFTON sits in the passenger side, holding the bottom of his jaw with his right hand as his arm leans against the door. He's watching the screen. HANK still leans against the window, smiling.

MICKY
You don't need reminding, do you, Hanky-Baby?

HANK
Yeah, yeah, Mick. Ain't never heard of ya.

MICKY
Yeah, well just be careful with that shit, huh? Deadly stuff.

HANK
So they tell me.

PANEL:
Through the passenger window, DON turns to MICKY. HANK is walking away, as we can see through the driver's side window.

DON
Man... I don't know about this, Micky.

MICKY
Know about what? You just gotta give it a try.

DON
I'm just not comfortable with the stuff, y'know?

MICKY
I'm not asking you to eat it, Don. The quicker you sell it, the quicker it's out of your hands.

PANEL:
Through the front window of the car, DON talks to MICKY off-panel.

DON
Aren't you ever worried, though?

MICKY
[OFF-PANEL]
What do I have to worry about?

DON
Your dad's the damn Sheriff!

PANEL:
Up close to MICKY's frowning face as he looks straight ahead, at the viewer.

MICKY
You trying to bring my dad into this, now?

DON
[OFF-PANEL]
That's not what I--

MICKY
What are you trying to say, Don? You insulting my business?

PANEL:
DON is getting out of his side of the car, turning to speak to MICKY as he does so.

DON
Shit, man. Tomorrow's a school day. Almost forgot. Got some homework for Johnson's class I gotta do.

MICKY
Yeah, sure. Do what you gotta do.

PAGE 6

PANEL:
The car is silhouetted against the big screen, other cars here and there. DON's silhouette jogs away.

MICKY
I guess dealing's not for everybody.

PANEL:
The panel zooms out from the previous one. We can now see JAMES BRENNAN's car a lane away from MICKY's.

JAMES
[OFF-PANEL]
So what now?

BILL
[OFF-PANEL]
We're going after Don Clifton. That punk's the one that hit Brendan, he's the one we're going to hit back.

PANEL:
Inside JAMES' car, JAMES sits in the driver's seat. BILL sits in the passenger seat. In-between is BRENDAN. Sitting in the backseat, from left-to-right, is TODD, HUNTER, and RICK.

JAMES
What about the others?

BILL
Hank's going back to his car. Keep an eye on him.

JAMES
Where's Ed?

BILL
He's at the concession. We think we saw Alex West earlier. Ed's keepin' an eye on him.

TODD
Well what about Micky?

BILL
Glad you asked, Todd.

PANEL:
TODD stands center. BRENDAN, HUNTER, BILL, and RICK walk off to the left. JAMES' car drives off to the right.

TODD
Great. Guess I'm psycho-sitting.

PAGE 7

PANEL:
THE MAN IN BLACK from the previous issue smirks as he sits on the trunk of his black car, staring at the viewer.

PANEL:
ED stares back to the viewer, a look of concern on his face.

PANEL:
BILL walks towards the concessions stand looking at OLIVER, who's leaning against the counter, looking back at BILL as he brings BRENDAN, HUNTER, and RICK in tow towards the reader. JON ALLEN, JR and PRESTON ALLEN sit at the counter eating a basket of fries, their back to the rest of the group. STUMPS is trying to open a candy bar wrapper with his teeth and his one good arm, intently looking down. ED is the closest to us, leaning against the side of the concession stand, arms crossed, his bat leaning against the wall beside him, as he darts his gaze away from THE MAN IN BLACK and out towards the movie screen.

BILL
Alright, Wolves. Let's hunt.

PANEL:
BRENDAN looks behind himself.

OLIVER
[OFF-PANEL]
Where'd Don Clifton go to?

PAGE 8

PANEL:
THE MAN IN BLACK still stares at the group with a smile.

PANEL:
BRENDAN focuses his gaze behind him as BILL speaks.

VO BOX
That guy from yesterday...

PANEL:
ED still looks forward towards the big screen, looking noticeably shaken from the presence of THE MAN IN BLACK.

VO BOX
Is Ed...

...Scared?

BILL
[OFF-PANEL]
Off towards Main. Looks like he's going home.

PANEL:
BRENDAN speaks over BILL's shoulder, who's intently looking ahead with a smirk. They walk past ED, who doesn't move a muscle.

BRENDAN
Or meeting with more Hounds.

BILL
That's why we brought more Wolves.

Keep it up, Ed. We'll be back by the end of the first feature.

ED
Don't bother. Seen it. The busty blonde done it.

PAGE 9

PANEL:
THE WOLVES that stalk DONALD CLIFTON are silhouetted against the lights of Main Street. They cross the street at a red light, some Wolves appearing to joke with others by the way they motion around. Hands on heads, fists being readied. They keep far enough away that DON CLIFTON won't notice.

VO BOX
The Wolves were on the hunt, sniffing the blood carried by the wind.

PANEL:
BRENDAN is among his friends in the pack, smiling viciously with a scabbed lip and ready for revenge.

VO BOX
And I, for one, plan on payback.

PANEL:
Cut to JAMES BRENNAN, who hangs one arm out of his car window, his sunglasses tucked into his shirt collar.

JAMES
Shit, man. I hope at the very least Brendan gets a little payback.

PANEL:
JAMES lights a cigarette.

JAMES
Owes that dickhead Don what-for.

PANEL:
JAMES' car idles softly down a street, keeping a close eye on a car 50 ft ahead of him looking to take a right onto Main St.

JAMES
And as for you, Hanky-Baby, let's find out where you're waltzin' off to.

PAGE 10

PANEL:
Cut back to DON as he turns around in shock and looks as if he's about to run off into a trot.

VO BOX
Sometimes, a wolf gets too proud in its hunt, and the prey notices too soon.

BILL
[OFF-PANEL]
Hey, Don!

PANEL:
BILL shouts with a smile out towards DON, while BRENDAN looks at his friend half-angrily, wondering why he's deviating from the plan.

BILL
We're comin' for you, motherfucker!

PANEL:
Across a long panel, DON runs down the street, past all the shops and parked cars, past all the pedestrians moving out of the way. THE WOLVES run close behind.

VO BOX
The problem is, even when you corner your prey...

PANEL:
DON runs down a residential neighborhood, no one in sight. The lights in most of the homes are off. THE WOLVES trail close.

VO BOX
Sometimes you learn the prey can be just as dangerous as the hunter.

HUNTER
We're comin' for ya, Don!

JON
Nowhere to run to, you punk!

PRESTON
Yeah!

PANEL:
BRENDAN runs by a smirking figure in a leather jacket, whose top of their head we don't see yet but it's CLIFF JOHNSON either way. His large wooden stick is about to make the connect from behind BRENDAN's unsuspecting head as he passes the corner of the last shop into the residentials.

VO BOX
And to think: My next thought was, "This isn't Don Clifton's street."

PAGE 11

PANEL:
CLIFF's arms are making the last of their swinging motion as BRENDAN falls to the ground, one arm in front of him trying to catch his fall. CLIFF just stands smiling a full grin.

CLIFF
Ooh! Down for the count!

PANEL:
THE REST OF THE WOLVES turn around to look towards the viewer as they stop giving chase. Meanwhile, LEONARD "LEO" THOMPSON, SAMMY HERNANDEZ (who holds a chain), SULLIVAN CARR (who holds a pipe), RYAN HILL, CHARLIE CARSON, TIM BROWN (another pipe), CLAYTON LEWIS, and GEORGE REUBEN step from behind cars parked on the street, most smirking at the work they're about to get done.

PANEL:
BILL whips around towards the reader, looking in shock.

BILL
Shit.

PANEL:
CONNOR is front-and-center, holding a pipe, smiling like a prick.

VO BOX
Two things are never good news when it comes to the Hellhounds: When Micky pulls a gun, and when Connor O'Brian, leader of the Hellhounds, rears his ugly head.

CONNOR
Hello, little doggy. Been a while.

PAGE 12

PANEL:
Cut to the front wheel of JAMES' car as it moves into frame with HANK's car sitting on the deserted end of Main Street leading out of the city. A few buildings hang around the line in the sand that separates the lights of Ellisville with the darkness of the looming hills that hang on the horizon of the Earth.

PANEL:
JAMES looks inquiringly out the windshield of his car, leaning over the dashboard, trying to figure out what's going on.

JAMES
The fuck is he--

PANEL:
JAMES looks down in a “Aw, dammit” kind of way.

PANEL:
JAMES leans back into his seat, smiling.

JAMES
Heh. Alright, man. I getcha.

PANEL:
JAMES' wheels move up towards HANK's, lining them up nicely.

PANEL:
JAMES looks over into HANK's car. HANK has a smile on his face to match JAMES' own.

JAMES
When did ya figure it out?

PANEL:
HANK still looks straight ahead at the horizon, his tired eyes never resting from the view.

HANK
You think you fuckin' sneaky like James Cagney with how loud that engine is?

PAGE 13

PANEL:
JAMES has a hand on the stick shift, still looking to HANK.

JAMES
You ain't makin' fun of Lorraine here, are you? You best apologize if you knows what's good.

PANEL:
HANK looks to JAMES with an incredulous look on his face.

HANK
What, that hunk of shit? Couldn't outrun Carmen even if it was working properly. Surprised your family hasn't eaten the leather off the seats, living out on the skids like they are.

PANEL:
Looking straight at both boys in their driver seats, we see JAMES smiling and HANK frowning.

JAMES
Yeah well at least I didn't name my car after a Beaner.

PANEL:
HANK grabs the stick shift with a smile.

HANK
You wanna see this Beaner-car kill what's left of your pride in that piece of shit?

PANEL:
JAMES grabs his shifter just the same.

JAMES
Whattaya say to the three-mile marker?

PANEL:
Both cars shoot off into the darkness outside Ellisville and towards their goal.

PAGE 14

PANEL:
CONNOR bends down next to BILL as the others are getting beat down. SAMMY HERNANDEZ holds BILL down.

CONNOR
You and your boys ever want to run this town, you'll have to join The Hellhounds, 'cause you know we're gonna run Ellisville one of these days anyhow, dontcha? You gonna end up like those Timber rejects out in the hills if you don't! Just come on down to Mercer Street with your application, and we'll see what job we can get ya, dig?

PANEL:
BRENDAN gets beat on by SULLIVAN CARR and CHARLIE CARSON, with CONNOR speaking to BILL in the background nearby.

CONNOR
Maybe we can get you a job as a shoe-shiner or an ass-wiper! Hahaha!

PANEL:
BRENDAN dives to the side near where BILL is.

PANEL:
BRENDAN shoulder checks CONNOR away from BILL, kicking SAMMY in the head along the way.

CONNOR
What--?!

PANEL:
A close-up of BILL's beaten face, he yells angrily over his shoulder with a string of bloodied spit spraying from his mouth.

BILL
Wolves! Shag ass! Let's get out of here!

PAGE 15

PANEL:
JAMES has one hand on the throttle, grinning from under his brow and over the steering wheel.

PANEL:
HANK grips his steering wheel, gritting his teeth.

PANEL:
The headlights of the two cars as they race neck-and-neck pass by the one-mile marker.

PANEL:
ED, in the foreground, his back to us, he gets up and walks to THE WOLVES that got jumped. Each bloodied and bruised. BILL walks to him, slightly hunched, blood dripping from his nose down his chin. BRENDAN walks second in line.

ED
What happened?

BILL
Brendan's stupid fucking plan didn't work!

PANEL:
BRENDAN looks to BILL with an angry and beaten look on his face.

ED
[OFF-PANEL]
What's our next move? We going back to the Den?

BILL
The Den? Hell no. We act. Tonight. Right now.

PAGE 16

PANEL:
OLIVER, RICK, HUNTER, and THE ALLEN KIDS all look to each other with serious and confused expressions.

ED
[OFF-PANEL]
Don't we have to vote on this?

PANEL:
BILL points his finger on ED's chest, ED just stares down at BILL with a stern look while the rest of THE WOLVES look on.

BILL
Fuck that!

We should've done my plan from the start! We're gonna bop back!

ED
We don't even know where they hang.

PANEL:
BILL speaks with a bloodied smile.

BILL
We do now. Connor talks.

PANEL:
BILL speaks from off-panel proudly, as BRENDAN stares angrily.

BILL
[OFF-PANEL]
He told us something we didn't know before. They're on Mercer Street.

VO BOX
We would've found that out if you hadn't fucked-up the plan.

PAGE 17

PANEL:
JAMES' hand shifts gears again.

PANEL:
HANK looks angrier than before as he looks to the right towards JAMES' car.

HANK
Fuck!

PANEL:
They pass the two-mile marker.

PANEL:
The door to a garage is kicked open by OLIVER.

VO BOX
If there's one thing Bill was right about, it's that Connor talks. Way too often. He mentioned Mercer street. And from what we know, Alex West's dad owns a car tuning shop up there.

When we found the lights were on, we all had the same thought. I know we did.

PANEL:
THE HOUNDS drink and smoke, looking to the door in surprise. The only members missing are HANK, ALEX, and MICKY.

VO BOX
Bingo.”

PANEL:
THE WOLVES rush into the garage in an above shot to show how they flow into the room, as THE HELLHOUNDS collectively try to back away. None of THE HOUNDS have any weapons. LEO and DON have bottles of beer. As for THE WOLVES: ED carries his bat, BRENDAN a stick, BILL and HUNTER both don pipes, STUMPS has a wrench, and OLIVER, PRESTON, JON, and RICK need nothing but their mitts.

VO BOX
I think the last time we counted up Connor O'Brian and his recruits, we counted fourteen. Here they have eleven. In all, The Wolves have eleven members. We have nine accounted for.

PANEL:
ED is mid-swing to connect with CONNOR.

VO BOX
With Ed on our side, they're ridiculously outnumbered.

PAGE 18

PANEL:
HANK is cussing uncontrollably as he grips the steering wheel.

HANK
Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck!

PANEL:
JAMES' car passes the three-mile marker a car-length ahead of HANK. A trail of “FUUUCK!” follows HANK's car.

PANEL:
JAMES smiles and lights another cigarette as HANK's car idles up slowly next to his.

PANEL:
JAMES blows a puff of smoke as HANK stares ahead out towards the road.

HANK
Don't say anything, you mother--

PANEL:
HANK hits his head on his steering wheel as JAMES smiles.

JAMES
You ready to apologize to Lorraine now?

HANK
Fuck you, you chimp.

PAGE 19

PANEL:
JAMES takes a drag from his cigarette.

PANEL:
He blows smoke while scratching his eyebrow with his thumbnail.

JAMES
Hey. You know, I gotta tell ya...

PANEL:
A look at the heroin sitting next to HANK in his passenger seat.

JAMES
[OFF-PANEL]
You gotta cut down on that shit.

It's gonna kill you one of these days, y'know?

PANEL:
HANK doesn't smile. He just looks at the road in front of him.

PANEL:
HANK turns to the reader (JAMES) with a smirk.

HANK
Yeah...

That's what they tell me.

PANEL:
HANK's car turns back towards town in a U-turn.

HANK
See you in Mrs. Miranda's class tomorrow, queer.

JAMES
Heh.

PAGE 20

PANEL:
A sweeping scene of the garage as it lays smashed. A couple of the cars have dents in them from where the blows of bodies were landed. THE HELLHOUNDS aren't unconscious, but definitely bleeding and hurting. THE ALLEN BROTHERS continue to kick GEORGE REUBEN on the ground. ED smokes a cigarette as he holds SAMMY HERNANDEZ down on the ground with his bat on his chest. STUMPS and BRENDAN lean up against a shelf looking at their job well done. BILL is centered, walking from left-to-right towards CONNOR, who's up against a car on the far right, looking straight at BILL.

VO BOX
It lasted maybe a few minutes, but the good feelings of the work we'd done would last a lifetime.

VO BOX
Not only that, but Alex West's dad owned the shop. Unless he and his buddies could clean up by tomorrow morning, there would be hell to pay. We hit them where it hurt the most.

VO BOX
Right in the parents.

PANEL:
BILL's leg and pipe stand in the corner of the panel in the foreground. CONNOR is up against the car, face bloody, looking up at BILL.

BILL
You learn your lesson yet, little doggie?

CONNOR
Fu... Fuck... you...

PAGE 21

PANEL:
From CONNOR's perspective, the pipe pointing at him, BILL stands in front of one of the lights hanging from the ceiling.

BILL
I want you to listen good, Connor.

PANEL:
Still from CONNOR's perspective, JON and PRESTON look to each other as they say something, smiling, popping their heads up above the bottom of the panel.

BILL:
It sounds to me like you want to step up your game, you violent creep.

PANEL:
Still from CONNOR's perspective, THE ALLEN BOYS look to CONNOR as they smile, RICK and OLIVER walking up now, bruised, and not smiling.

BILL:
Well we'll give it to you. If it's a rumble you want, a rumble you'll get.

PANEL:
HUNTER and ED step up now. STUMPS and BRENDAN coming up from behind.

BILL:
One week. This Sunday. The park. But before you get your troops, remember one thing:

PANEL:
All THE WOLVES stand in front of CONNOR now. Some smirk, others do not.

BILL
You fuck with one Wolf, the pack will hunt you down.

PANEL:
THE WOLVES walk out the broken door of the garage. Seeing no problem, no need to hurry out of there. They won the night anyway.

VO BOX
It looks like votes were becoming increasingly unpopular to Bill. He was starting to make decisions that would shape the safety of the whole gang. But I have a feeling the vote would've been unanimous anyway.

VO BOX
In one week, we rumble.


TO BE CONTINUED...

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