Found

PANEL:
AN ALIEN CHILD sits on the floor cross-legged.  He's hominid, just slightly off from familiar.  He holds what appears to be a small radio, or something like it.  The antenna sticks up proudly.  An unknown language comes from the speaker.  THE CHILD looks to HIS FATHER from off the panel curiously.

CHILD

Dad?  What's this one?

RADIO

(If you're out there, we're listening.)

PANEL:
THE CHILD looks back to his radio.  THE CHILD'S FATHER sits at his desk, drafting something on paper, focused on his work.  One hand props his head.

FATHER

Oh.  That's an old radio station from decades ago.

CHILD

Well what is it?  It sounds weird.

RADIO

(Please reach out to us.  We come in peace.)

PANEL:
THE FATHER focuses more on his child.  Doing what any father does when he's eager to teach his son.  The radio continues to blare.

FATHER

They're space sounds I think.  Frequencies from somewhere unknown.  They only come on this radio wave.  No one really knows why.

RADIO

(Drake equation)

PANEL:
THE FATHER slouches from his chair, reaching one arm down to the floor.  THE CHILD continues his focus on the radio, transfixed.

CHILD

What's making that noise?

FATHER

Some say it's just an underground station, making weird music.

CHILD

Music?

RADIO

(Where are you?)

PANEL:
THE CHILD looks down to the radio.

FATHER

[OFF-PANEL]

Well it's kind of rhythmic, isn't it?

CHILD

Huh.  Yeah I guess so.

RADIO

(We want to talk with you.)

PANEL:
THE CHILD does his schoolwork at a desk of his own.  The radio sits on a shelf nearby.

RADIO

(Non tibi sunt?)

PANEL:
THE CHILD plays with friends, running around on something close to a playground structure.  They frolic in the background, while the radio plays from a step it's settled on.

RADIO

(Ich suche Gott.)

PANEL:
THE CHILD rests in bed, headphones plugged into the radio, which sits on his bedside table.  The soft glow from the radio face lights up the shadows in the room.

RADIO

(Things are going wrong all over.)

PANEL:
THE CHILD looks up at HIS FATHER, mid-chew, while sitting at the dinner table.  HIS FATHER leans over to him, tired, with the radio on the other side of THE CHILD.

RADIO

(Daremoga shini-sodesu.)

FATHER

Turn that off while we're eating, will ya?

PANEL:
An upclose shot of the radio face, lit.  It turns off with a *CLICK*.

PANEL:
the same shot, the radio is silent.

PANEL:
Again from the same perspective, the radio turns on again with a *CLICK*, lighting up the face once more.

PANEL:
THE CHILD does homework at his desk, focused on his paper.  The radio is on, though the panel is silent.

PANEL:
THE CHILD notices the absence, and looks sideways at the radio.

PANEL:
THE CHILD picks up the radio for a closer inspection, his brows furrowed.

CHILD

The heck?

PANEL:
The radio rests in a set of hands, it's face glaring brilliantly.

FATHER

[OFF-PANEL]

Looks like it's still working, kid.

RADIO

♪♫♪

PANEL:
THE FATHER is crouched in a doorway holding the radio while THE CHILD stands over his shoulder.  They are framed by the opening.

CHILD

Well what's wrong with the other station?

RADIO

♪♪♪♫

PANEL:
The same shot of THE CHILD and THE FATHER together, both looking at the radio.  The panel seems a bit further down the darkened hallway, the frame still bordering the scene.

FATHER

I dunno.  Sounds like the music just kind of...

RADIO

♪♫♫♪♪

PANEL:
The last panel is completely black.

FATHER

Stopped.

♪.

THE END