CHAPTER 1: PAGE 1
PANEL 1
Imagine you are watching a movie. The lights go down, and as your eyes become accustomed to the darkness, the face of a jack-of-hearts playing card emerges from the shadows, filling the screen in front of you. There are no titles, but from the grainy color and the crackly sound-track you can tell that this is either an old movie, a foreign movie, or perhaps both.
SFX
SLOSH…SLAP!
PANEL 2
The camera pulls back, and you can now see that the jack is floating on water.
SFX
SLOSH!
PANEL 3
Back a little further, and now you can see that the card is on a wave, and a few feet behind it is the five of clubs.
SFX
SLAP!
PANEL 4
Further still and you can see that this is the ocean, and a line of cards stretches back, disappearing into a fog.
SFX
SLOSH!
PANEL 5
As if to confirm that this is the ocean, the blast of a moaning minnie (a fog horn) slithers across the wave tops, muffled by the thick air.
SFX
HONNNNNNNK…Onk…onk!
CHAPTER 1: PAGE 2
PANEL 1
The camera tilts upwards, and through a gap in the miasma you can just make out a figure perched on the edge of a tall dock or pier. He is speaking English, but in an unfamiliar accent. If you listen carefully you can make out what he is really saying. His voice reminds you of the actor, Michael Caine, but of course, much, much younger.
BRAM
…to be…or…
PANEL 2
In a heartbeat you are now close enough to see that the figure is too old to be considered a child, but not quite old enough to be an adult. The boy, whose name is Bram, leans against the guard rail. In fact he looks very reminiscent of the actor Michael Caine, and you wonder if this might be one of his early movies before he got famous. He wears a perplexed look on his face as if perplexity is a comfortable and familiar piece of clothing. His actual clothes, of course, are old-fashioned, but people still wear this kind of clothing, especially if they’re a little artsy or pretentious. They are appropriate for a foggy afternoon, or indeed any type of foul weather. With one hand he holds the diminishing deck, he selects the cards one by one, and flips them into the ocean. He studies each card before he throws it as if he is looking for something, but you do not know what.
BRAM
…not to be…to be…
PANEL 3
A young woman appears behind Bram. He doesn’t see her right away.
SCHRODINGER
…
CHAPTER 1: PAGE 3
PANEL 1
Bram twists around a the sound of her voice, and almost falls off his perch. The young woman, Schrodinger, is pretty in a conventional sense, and in spite of the weather, she’s wearing a thin gown, that has something of the look of a night-dress, and something of a shroud. By some slight trick of the camera––perhaps a shimmer, or a slight transparency––we get the sense that she is not really there. Is she a ghost? Is she a figment of Bram’s imagination? Perhaps it doesn’t matter, after all she is real to him.
BRAM
Whoa! You startled me. I didn’t see you come up.
SCHRODINGER
…
PANEL 2
The camera pulls back to reveal the young woman leaning on the rail, and Bram attending to the business of flicking cards away. Bram does a double take as he recognizes Schrodinger.
BRAM
Wait. It’s you isn’t it? Schrodinger.
SCHRODINGER
…
PANEL 3
BRAM
Man! I am so pleased to see you’re okay. I was pretty worried.
SCHRODINGER
…
PANEL 4
Bram turns completely to face her.
BRAM
Is this just a weird coincidence? Or did you come down here specially to meet me.
SCHRODINGER
…
PANEL 5
Bram goes back to tossing the cards into the sea. For the first time you get a good look at Schrodinger’s face.
BRAM
Were you standing there for a…
SCHRODINGER
…
PANEL 6
BRAM
while?
SCHRODINGER
…
PANEL 7
Bram turns his attention back to the ocean.
BRAM
Once I get rid of the last card I take a dip.
SCHRODINGER
…
PANEL 8
Close up on Bram’s hand as he flicks the eight of diamonds.
BRAM (VO)
I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking that this is one of the strongest currents along the coast, and I’d better be a strong swimmer.
SCHRODINGER
…
PANEL 9
The camera follows the eight of diamonds as it whirls through the fog.
BRAM (VO)
Actually I’m a pretty useless swimmer, so the next time you see me, my hair will be the color of seaweed, and my face the color of the choppy ocean before a squall.
SCHRODINGER
…
PANEL 10
The eight hits a wave, sinking slightly.
BRAM (VO)
You don’t say a lot do you? I thought of you as loud and funny. That was what I liked about you.
SCHRODINGER
…
CHAPTER 1: PAGE 4
PANEL 1
Shot of the the pier. Bram has frozen with his hand cocked back to throw a card, and is studying Schrodinger with what we are getting to know as his his usual perplexed look.
BRAM
Maybe it’s just me you don’t want to talk to. I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t want to talk to me if I was you.
SCHRODINGER
…
PANEL 2
Bram scratches his chin with the card.
BRAM
Aren’t you cold? You’ve hardly got anything on!
PANEL 3
Schrodinger looks down at her clothes.
SCHRODINGER
…
PANEL 4
Bram turns back to face the ocean, but continues to look, sidelong, at Schrodinger.
BRAM
So you can hear me, even if you don’t want to speak to me.
SCHRODINGER
…
Ed Asher Briant 