Bad Queen Comic Script

Bad Queen Draft 2      By Harriet Holman Penney

PAGE 1 (5 Panels)

Panel 1
We are in a small room, it is dark, there is one very small window some light spills into the room (it is daytime outside). The rough walls are white washed and a cross hangs above the bed. An old Nun sits beside a it on a rickety chair, she looks as if she is about to doze off. We cannot clearly see that Bad Queen is in the bed, since she is mainly under the covers and lies on her face. Her long hair is also loose, so her face is almost completely covered.

Panel 2
Bad Queen's hand emerges from under the blanket, it is covered with red welts. It clutches at the sheet the sheet with force, it becomes creased. The hand makes it clear Bad Queen is in pain and very ill.

BAD QUEEN (OP whisper)
Sister? I burn.

Panel 3
The nun looks at her with slight alarm and concern.

NUN (drowsy/concerned)
This is the work of the fever child.

Panel 4
The Nun looks down gravely and reflectively. She considers Bad Queen's question heavily.

BAD QUEEN (OP)
I will die? Tell me.

Panel 5
We are close up to Bad Queen's face, what little we can see is shadowed. Her face is covered with spots, there are dark circles under her eyes. She is now facing the Nun.

NUN (OP)
I...It is more than likely. You wound was too far gone when we found you, even taking off your arm wouldn't stop it.

SFX (Bad Queen)
Sigh


PAGE 2 (7 panels)


Panel 1
The Nun looks away from Bad Queen not wanting to meet her eyes. The Nun looks completely awake and feeling a gnawing guilt.

BAD QUEEN
How much longer do I have to live?

NUN
Maybe a week, but probably less.

Panel 2
Death stands in the doorway, his scythe is resting on his shoulder, there is an omega pin holding his black, rugged, cloak in place.

Panel 3
Bad Queen has turned her face slightly so she is looking towards death. She smiles crookedly, her eyes seem unfocused.

BAD QUEEN
You've come.

Panel 4
The Nun looks over at Bad Queen, there is a look of worry on her face.

Panel 5
Bad Queen laughs very loudly, she looks as if she has heard a hilarious joke

SFX (Bad Queen)
HAH HA HA HA

Panel 6
We have a close up of deaths empty eye sockets and his skeletal grin.

Panel 7
Bad Queen begins to cough up blood from her exertion. Her whole body seems to contract with the effort, she is clearly in a lot of pain.

SFX (Bad Queen)
COUGH HACK


PAGE 3 (6 panels)


Panel 1
Bad Queen looks over to the Nun. There is some blood around her mouth.

BAD QUEEN
You know this was a knife wound.

NUN
You're not the first I've seen.

BAD QUEEN (raucous/joking)
Its not the first I've had.

Panel 2
Bad Queen begins to laugh again.

SFX (Bad Queen)
HAHAHA

Panel 3
Bad Queen starts coughing again and rolls away from the Nun slightly.

SFX (Bad Queen)
COUGH COUGH

Panel 4
The Nun has a slightly guilty look on her face

Panel 5
Bad Queen looks over to the Nun, her eyes burning with intensity, there is blood around her mouth from where she’s been coughing it up.

BAD QUEEN
I hate it here, this is a cage. I...I want the sky, the stars, the wind to blow away the reek of death that clings to me, to cool the burning in my bones.

Panel 6
The Nun is staring intently at the floor.

BAD QUEEN (OP)
Let me leave.

NUN
It is my duty to take care of you.

BAD QUEEN (OP-mocking)
So I don't die?


PAGE  4 (5 panels)


Panel 1
Bad Queen gestures her hand to herself in a coy manner. Both Nun and Bad Queen are in the frame.

BAD QUEEN (mocking)
You are trapped here as much as me, at least let one of us go free. I am surprised you managed to drag me over the threshold, sinner that I am, getting your old hands dirty.

NUN
God will forgive you your follies sister, many women have been reduced to such things to survive. These are hard times

BAD QUEEN (indignation)
I am not one of your beaten, bow legged, whores who you only see fit to scrape from the streets when they are already half dead.

Panel 2
We see Bad Queen's arm injury bandaged in rough cloth. There are black lines running up and down her arm from it.

BAD QUEEN (sombre)
What I did...it made me a monster. Do you know any whores who own swords and know how to use them.

Panel 3
We see the Nun's earnest face.

NUN
Sister...

Panel 4
Close up on Bad Queen's smirk

BAD QUEEN
You are a fool.

Panel 5
The Nun replies in a practised calm manor, Bad Queen smiles tauntingly.

NUN
Even a fool can do a little good.

BAD QUEEN
By nursing the dead? By staying locked up, hidden from the world? You are too terrified to ever really anyone.

NUN
Be grateful child.


PAGE 5 (5 panels)


Panel 1
The Nun looks at her hands resting on the bowl. Bad Queen looks over at her.

BAD QUEEN (bitterly)
Let me die under the stars sister, I shall be grateful of that.

Panel 2
Bad Queen looks as if she has tasted something bitter.

BAD QUEEN (sharply)
I do not believe in your God, let someone more deserving take my place here.

NUN
We are all God's children.

Panel 3
Bad Queen's eyebrow twitches with thought for a second.

Panel 4
Close up to Bad Queen's mouth

BAD QUEEN (sombre)
Maybe you wonder how I got this wound, its not through the worship of your lord. It's through my misdoings, I suppose as a sort of vengeance or even justice.

Panel 5
This is completely black

BAD QUEEN (OP)
It starts...

PAGE 6 (5 panels)

Panel 1
We are in a vast landscape, it is flat marsh, we can see some mountains in the far distance. It seems swampily warm from the saturated, orange, blue, landscape (this is much more colourful than the room). We see Bad Queen, she sits on a giant toad, it swims in the water. Her face is empty of expression, she seems only like a still spectre.
Her toad is saddled and carries a couple of bags as well as a sleeping roll. It has no reigns, you can tell it is an intelligent creature that is more of a travelling companion than a pet.

Panel 2
We zoom a bit closer. We can see Bad Queen's face it is sad and empty, as if she is reflecting on something lost. But it is with out the spots or darkness under her eyes from when she was being nursed.

Panel 3
We see death some way off from the banks of the river which her toad is swimming down. His cloak billows in the wind. Close up.

Panel 4
Bad Queen sees death, both are with in the frame. The atmosphere feels very tense, almost like a western shot out.

Panel 5
We close up on Bad Queen's face there is alarm and fright in her eyes.

SFX (Bad Queen's hair piece's in the wind)
JINGLE JINGLE


PAGE 7 (7 panels)


Panel 1
The great Toad's nose twitches slightly. It lifts its head from the water slightly.

SFX (Toad's nose)
SNIFF SNIFF

Panel 2
The toad suddenly takes a great leap from the water.

SFX (Toad jumping)
SPLASH

Panel 3
The Toad lands on the bank.

SFX (Toad Landing)
THUD

Panel 4-6

The toad takes several more great leaps, Bad queen holds tight to the saddle. We see them travelling. Her cloak billows out impresssively.

Panel 7
The toad is still travelling. There is a distant scream.

SFX (Man screaming)
ARRGGGHHHH


PAGE 8 (5 Panels)


Panel 1

We can see a girl in the distance, her hair is long and black and straight. She looks trapped like a wild animal, she is disorderly and only wears a sheet which is wrapped around her, there is some blood on it, in her hand she holds a fairly short sword this also has blood on it. There are three men dressed as samurais around her, one also lies dead on the floor there is still blood gushing from his slit throat it runs into the swamp water turning it red. All the men have long katanas, but they are at their belts rather than in their hands, they circle around her carefully. They seem to be trying to catch a wild beast more than kill it. Their horses are some distance off.

Panel 2
We have a front view of Bad Queen riding her Toad towards the men, she seems to be loosening the decorative braid around her cloak.

Panel 3
The horses catch sight of the toad,  they look very frightened.

Panel 4
We have a close up of the Toad's face.

SFX (Toad)
CROAK

Panel 5
The horses scatter, one runs towards the men.


PAGE 9 (6 Panels)


Panel 1
The horse than ran towards the men goes into a sinking patch. It whinnies loudly as it is sucked in.

SFX (Sinking Horse)
WHINNEH NEYAH NAY

Panel 2
The two men turn to see the sound and see Bad Queen. Then the horses, they looked panicked but keep an eye on the girl.

MAN
Damn!

Panel 3
Bad Queen stands, unsteadily, holding the braid from her cloak (which is now completely unattached from it) in her hand.

Panel 4
Bad Queen swirls this in the air.

SFX (cloak braid in air)
SWOOSH SWOOSH

Panel 5
Bad Queen lets go of the braid with one hand and it flys towards one of the men.

SFX (for knife going though air)
VREEE

Panel 6
One of the men falls to the ground with a terrible gurgle, he clutches blindly at the knife, at the end of the braid, that is in his throat.

SFX (Man dieing)
GGGURGLLEE


PAGE 10 (8 Panels)


Panel 1
We see Bad Queen's and the Girl's eyes meet

Panel 2
Bad Queen's expression is no longer mad, it is serious and grave. Close up.

Panel 3
The girl looks up at her for a moment, her face is delicate and beautiful but filled with anger and sorrow. She is covered in dirt (her face is clean in places where tears have run down), her feet look raw from walking.

Panel 4
This includes Bad Queen and the Girl. Bad Queen flinches slightly when their eyes meet.

SFX (Bad Queen flinching)
FLINCH

Panel 5
We have a close up on the blood on the sheet the girl wears, it is from a wound on her stomach.

Panel 6
Bad Queen sees this there is an expression of shock and understanding on her face.

Panel 7
One of the remaining two samurai draws his sword. We have a close up of it we can see Bad Queen and the girl in the distance.

SFX (Sword being drawn from sheath)
SHING

Panel 8
The man begins and running towards Bad Queen and her toad, sword drawn.


PAGE 11 (6 Panels)


Panel 1
The other man tries to approach (with his back to us) the Girl, she touches her stomach, her face is consumed with anger and sorrow.

Panel 2
Her grip on her knife tightens.

SFX (grip tighening)
GRIP

Panel 3
She runs towards him with the knife (she holds it uncomfortably we can tell she hasn't used it before), he looks utterly unnerved.

SFX (Girl screaming)
AAEEEEE

Panel 4
The toad flicks out his tongue towards the other man (the one approaching the toad and Bad Queen)

SFX (Toad flicking out tongue)
SHWIP

Panel 5
It wraps around the man's neck. The man struggles for a moment.

SFX (Man struggling)
ARGH AH

Panel 6
We see both men in this panel. We hear the man's neck snap, he seems limp. The other man freezes for a moment with terror. Then shouts out in disbelief.

SFX (Man's neck breaking)
SNAP

MAN
No!


PAGE 12 (6 Panels)


Panel 1
The man's face is filled with terror, his hands shake a little as they draw his sword.

SFX (Man's hands shaking)
SHAKE SHAKE

SFX (Man drawing sword form sheath)
SHING

Panel 2
We can see Bad Queen and the toad, they look monstrous, we see his back and he is holding the sword. The girl is keeping her distance now.

Panel 3
The Man drops his sword on the boggy ground.

SFX (Sword dropping on ground.
DROP

Panel 4
The man kneels on the boggy ground acceptingly, his neck bared to be cut off. We can see the knife in the Girl's hand.

Panel 5
We can see his knees on the ground.

SFX (Man kneeling)
KNEEL

Panel 6
Bad Queen has a look of alarm on her face as she jumps off her toad and runs towards the man, her cloak billows behind her.

BAD QUEEN (urgent)
Stop!


PAGE 13 (8 Panels)


Panel 1
The girl stands next to the man she holds the knife, she looks over to Bad Queen. Tears are beginning to stream down her face. Bad Queen has made eye contact with the girl.

GIRL (The Girl sounds very upset)
They would take me back...I do not want to go back.

Panel 2
The Girl looks down in misery, she is now fully crying.

GIRL
They have taken everything.

Panel 3
We have a zoom on the Girl's bloody sword.

Panel 4
We has a close up on the Girl's face, it seems now full of rage and indignation and anger.

GIRL (Angrily)
I will kill them all!

Panel 5 and 6
Bad Queen carefully walks towards the girl keeping eye contact. The girl holds her hand to her stomach protectively and in the other hand the knife.

Panel 7
Bad Queen is now just in front of the Girl, the Girl's eye seem wild and full of rage, Bad Queen's face is kind.

Panel 8
We are close up to Bad Queen's face, it suddenly seems very tense but keeps eye contact with the girl.

SFX (Knife going into Bad Queen)

SCHUK


PAGE 14 (10 Panels)


Panel 1
We see the blade of the short sword quite deep in Bad Queen's arm, blood runs down it onto the Girl's hands.

SFX (Blood trickling)
TRICKLE

Panel 2
The girls face is full of shock, the anger seems to have gone.

SFX (Girl's hands shaking)
SHAKE SHAKE

Panel 3
The girl steeps back from Bad Queen, the sword is still in her. The girl is looking at the blood on her hands in slight horror and seems afraid of herself and Bad Queen. The Girl's hands are shaking. The kneeling man behind her remains still.

SFX (Girl stepping back wards)
STEP

Panel 4
Bad Queen pulls the knife from out her arm.

SFX (Knife being pulled out)
SHUCK

Panel 5
The Girl looks very afraid, she thinks Bad Queen might hurt her.

Panel 6
Bad Queen drops the knife.

Panel 7
We see the short sword drop to the marshy ground. There is blood up about two inches of its length, the blood from it mingles with the water.

Panel 8
Bad Queen tears a long strip of cloth off her red cloak to use as a bandage. The Girl is now sitting on the ground examining her hands.

SFX (Cloth tearing)
RRRIIP

Panel 9
Bad Queen tightens the make shift bandage, we can see a slightly darker red stain where the wound is bleeding.

SFX (Bandage being tightened)
TIGHTEN

Panel 10
We see the finished bandage.


PAGE 15 (6 Panels)


Panel 1
Bad Queen goes past the girl to to the kneeling man.

Panel 2
Both man and Bad Queen are in the frame. She looks and him hard, there is disgust and humour in her face.

MAN (pitiful/ pleading)
Please...kill me.

BAD QUEEN (sharply)
You are afraid?

Panel 3
The man bows his head again, his face is full of dread ans slight acceptance.

MAN
There are worse things.

Panel 4
Bad Queen pulls her sword form her sheath. The Girl looks at Bad Queen in alarm and confusion as she draws her sword.

SFX ( Bad Queen sword drawn)
SHING

Panel 5
We are close to the Girl's face.

GIRL (confused/ questioning)
You saved him?

Panel 6
Bad Queen looks over to the Girl, her sword is ready to strike off the man's head. She seems like the task she will do will weigh on her conscience.

BAD QUEEN (coldly)
You need no more blood on your hands. I will not take him with me, and the horses are gone, this land is hungry it will devour him sooner or later. He would die a slow death, I give him a painless one.


PAGE 16 (5 Panels)


Panel 1
Bad Queen raises her sword.

Panel 2-3
When she brings it down to cut off the man's head we only see the cloth trial, indicating it going down.

Panel 4
We see his blood mingle with the water, turning it from green/blue to red. We see his shoulder but not his, kneck or head.

Panel 5
The girl cannot see her face, but Bad Queen's eyes burn with intensity.  The girl looks slightly sick and shocked.

Panel 6
Bad Queen looks down at the man, the girl approaches cautiously.

GIRL
Th..Thank you.

Panel 7
Bad Queen turns to the Girl, her eyes have dulled and seem weighted by her actions. Blood is spattered on her clothing. We can see the blood from her wound staining her bandage. The man's headless body is behind her. The girl looks at her, but doesn't meet Bad Queen's eyes, she is ashamed.


PAGE 17 (7 Panels)


Panel 1
We are back in the room where the dying Bad Queen lies. The Nun is on the edge of her seat. The view from the window seems to be a little darker as if it was sunset.

NUN
So it was the girl who did this. I do not understand how this makes the devil spawn you claim to be.

BAD QUEEN
My motives for rescuing the Girl weren't as pure as they would seem to be.

Panel 2
We see Bad Queen's face she is looking up.

BAD QUEEN
The men were not bandits, their armour and steel was new and matching. And not one tried to harm the girl.

Panel 3
The Nun looks a bit surprised.

NUN
They were protecting her...

Panel 4
Bad Queen face zoom.

NUN
...or trying to capture her?

BAD QUEEN
Yes, exactly.

Panel 5
The Nun looks confused and worried.

NUN
But you stopped them.

Panel 6
We see Bad Queen's grin close up.

Panel 7
The Nun suddenly realises, we have a close up of her face. Her eyes are wide.

NUN
Y...You.


PAGE 18 (7 Panels)

Panel 1
Bad Queen and the Girl sit on the toad. The Girl is asleep, her hands are around Bad Queen's shoulders so she does not slip off, a blanket is also wrapped around her shoulders. Death is still some way off but he is closer now than he was before. Bad Queen has a bored empty look in her face .

Panel 2
We are close up to Bad Queen and the Girl. Bad Queen turns her head to look at the girl, she looks curious.

BAD QUEEN
Who were those men after you?

Panel 3
The Girl looks a little more awake. And looks up at Bad Queen groggily.

BAD QUEEN
Or whose were those men?

Panel 4
The Girl's eyes are now open she looks up at Bad Queen. We focus more on the Girl's face which seems reflective and confused.

GIRL
I...I don't know, sorry.

Panel 5
We see death.

BAD QUEEN (OP)
Do you know where you escaped from?

GIRL (OP)
It was dark, I only thought to run, after a while it hurt too much so I had to walk. But I don't know how many days it has been.

BAD QUEEN
What happened to you?

Panel 6

The Girl looks down. There is a grim look of terror on her face. It is clear she doesn't want to say.

GIRL
Please...don't ask.
S...sorry, I am not being very sociable.

Panel 7
Bad Queen smiles encouragingly at her, it has a sad feel to it.

BAD QUEEN
Don't worry I'm not a very sociable person anyway.


PAGE 19 (6 Panels)


Panel 1
Death face zoom.

GIRL
What is your name?

BAD QUEEN
Alma is the name my parents gave me, but the name I'm most well known by is Bad Queen.

Panel 2
The Girl looks a little alarmed.

GIRL
That's an odd name. Isn't there a bandit by that name.

Panel 2
Bad Queen laughs very load her face is full of humour, the girl looks rather frightened.

SFX (Bad Queen's laughter)
HA HA HA HA

Panel 3
Bad Queen looks over to the girl still smiling.

BAD QUEEN
Sorry that was a bit cruel, I was just joking, just call me Alma.

Panel 4
The Girl looks weary but a little relieved.

GIRL
Where are you going Alma?

BAD QUEEN
To the nearest fort, I need some more supplies.

Panel 5

The Girl looks a frightened.

GIRL
No, you can't go. They will find me.

BAD QUEEN
Our stead doesn't run on air and neither do I or you. You can wear a cloak or something, unless you give them good reason no one will pry to see the face behind it.

Panel 6
Bad Queen looks back at the Girl wearily.

BAD QUEEN
Rest awhile, you look as if you need it.


PAGE  20 (6 panels)

Panel 1
We see the sun rising, it is dawn and the sky is red.

Panel 2
We see the stump of a tree, it has been recently cut down.

Panel 3
The Girl is still asleep. In front of them is a fort made of chopped trees, it is on a hill which is risen out of the marsh you can see tree stumps on it where there once used to be a forest.

Panel 2
The gate is lifted to let them through,

SFX (Gate opening)
GGRRHH

Panel 3
The Girl wakes at the loud noise. She looks shocked and panicked.

Panel 5
Girl looks over to Bad Queen desperately, looking into her face. Bad Queen's face is empty and cold she ignores the girl.

Panel 6
We are very close to Bad Queen's empty face, the girl shakes her a little. Bad Queen's hair ornaments jingle.

SFX (Bad Queen's hair ornaments)
JINGLE JINGLE


PAGE 21 (4 Panels)


Panel 1
Both Bad Queen and the Nun are in view. In the room where Bad Queen is dying. The Nun's face has shock and rage on it. Bad Queen has a crooked smile as she watches the Nun. Outside the window is black, it is night now. A candle is almost burned to nothing in its holder.

NUN (shocked)
You captured her.

BAD QUEEN
Yes, exactly.

Panel 3
The Nun has a pained expression, she looks as if she has eaten something very bitter.

Panel 3
We see death standing  in the doorway.

NUN (OP)
Leave.

Panel 3
The Nun turns from Bad Queen to leave the room. We see death is closer to Bad Queen now.

Panel 4
Bad Queen walks out in to the night, we can see the convent in the distance. Death rides besides her on his horse.
She is dressed in a wrap around sheet, her sword is on her belt but she has no other weapons. Her hair has been pulled back up messily. She seems a place shadow of herself in the story.