Clockwork Angels: Comic Script (17 page)

CAPTION (OWEN)

At least I’m alive. I still choose to live.

PANEL 3

Head down, Owen trudges along a muddy rutted road with tufts of grass protruding in tall islands around him. Wisps of fog still surround him. It’s like he’s in a haunted moor.

OWEN

This place feels as empty as the Redrock Desert … but without any cities of gold.

PANEL 4

Owen bends down to pick up a scrap of paper caught in the grass next to a mud puddle.

OWEN

Lots of wheel tracks, trampled grasses. Something came through recently …

PANEL 5

Small panel, Close-up of the flier: it says MAGNUSSON CARNIVAL EXTRAVAGANZA! LAST SHOW OF THE SEASON! Drawn on the flier is Francesca with her metal-slatted angel wings extended as she walks a tightrope.

PANEL 6

Blue skies overhead now. Owen runs up a slope and reaches the top to look down on THE CARNIVAL!!! Tents erected, people around, lights lit. He can’t believe it!

PAGE 20

PANEL 1

Owen is surprised and delighted as Tomio suddenly appears from out of the trees, brandishing his sword.

TOMIO

Halt! Who goes there?

OWEN

Tomio! It’s me—

PANEL 2

Tomio drops his sword and grabs Owen in a big bear hug, much to Owen’s surprise.

TOMIO

Everyone! It’s Owen Hardy from Barrel Arbor! Returned to us from his own adventures.

PANEL 3

Big panel, like a family reunion. The carnival has set up a camp in a hollow surrounded by trees. We see all of our favorites (except Francesca) coming toward him: Louisa the bearded lady, Golson the strong man, the three clowns, and Cesar Magnusson still dressed in ringmaster uniform, red jacket, top hat … but something is odd. Magnusson does not have the distinctive handlebar mustache, and beneath the jacket is the obvious swell of breasts.

LOUISA

Owen Hardy! We missed you!

GOLSON

Look who’s back.

MAGNUSSON

Come to join us for winter camp? You’re welcome back among us.

PANEL 4

As the clowns clap Owen on the shoulder, welcoming him, he gawks at Magnusson, who laughs at his reaction. Francesca is not in the panel, but she speaks from the next panel.

OWEN

But Cesar Magnusson—what happened to your mustache? And you … your … chest—

MAGNUSSON

My real name is Cassandra, not Cesar. The carnival has to keep up appearances. The Watchmaker does not allow female owners of traveling circuses.

FRANCESCA (OUT OF PANEL)

It’s part of the show. My mother is good at her own illusions.

PANEL 5

Francesca stands there at the edge of the camp, all gorgeous and smiling. Owen’s jaw drops.

OWEN

F-Francesca!

FRANCESCA

About time you came back, Owen Hardy. How long did you expect me to wait for you? Besides, the carnival still needs a juggler.

PANEL 6

Francesca close-up. She holds up a withered dry rose in her fingertips, close to her face.

FRANCESCA

You dropped this when you left us.

PAGE 21

PANEL 1

The three clowns, Leke, Deke, and Peke, ham it up, clutching their hearts, swooning.

PANEL 2

Francesca takes Owen by the hand and leads him off into the trees. He follows her as if he’s mesmerized.

FRANCESCA

Come with me—we have a lot of things to talk about. You can tell me all your adventures.

FRANCESCA

In private.

PANEL 3

Owen and Francesca are sitting under an old, gnarled apple tree from an overgrown orchard, in an echo of the panel from issue 1 with Owen and Lavinia.

OWEN

You were waiting for me? But you laughed at me! You turned me down—

FRANCESCA

Oh, Owen. You have such an imagination and such a good soul. But you took me by surprise, didn’t give me a chance to talk …

OWEN

You broke my heart.

FRANCESCA

Well, then let’s see what we can do to fix it. Tell me where you’ve been, what you’ve done.

PANEL 4

More distant shot, showing both of them, maybe silhouetted under the tree.

OWEN

Poseidon City … Commodore Pangloss … and the Seven Cities of Gold …

OWEN

and … the bomb in the carnival in Chronos Square! I barely got away!

OWEN

And the Wreckers! The Anarchist! He was fighting the Watchmaker! A great battle out at sea! And —

PANEL 5

Close-up, two shot. Francesca looks at Owen.

FRANCESCA

The Watchmaker and the Anarchist will always fight. They cannot exist in the same place and time. You can’t resolve it. All that you can do is wish them well.

FRANCESCA

Live your own life. And stay with us …

PANEL 6

Final panel, Owen is sitting cross-legged in front of the gypsy fortune teller booth again. He reaches out to take the fortune card extended from the slot.

OWEN

I know what I want, Madam. But is it the right choice? Should I stay here?

FORTUNE TELLER

You already have the answer, Owen Hardy. But if you want my advice …

PAGE 22

As with the first pages of issue 1, these panels are sepia-toned on cream/parchment paper.

PANEL 1

Close-up: Owen’s hand, much older, holds the faded and curled fortune teller’s printed card. On it, we see the words: TEND YOUR GARDEN.

CAPTION (OWEN)

Tend my garden … A quiet, perfect life was never good enough for me, but when I left Barrel Arbor as a young man, I think I was looking for the wrong thing.

PANEL 2

Owen sits on a bench, writing in his journal. He is next to a sundial.

CAPTION (OWEN)

I have lived so much, and I wish that I could live it all again. I am writing these memoirs so all my grandchildren can read them … or ignore them, as they will.

CAPTION (OWEN)

A long time ago, I went back to Barrel Arbor, but it was no longer my home. I was pleased, though, to learn that my father spent many an evening in the Tick Tock Tavern telling others about my adventures!

PANEL 3

Old Owen is standing at the edge of his garden, next to a weathered statue of an angel.

CAPTION (OWEN)

I did stay with the carnival for years. I was their juggler … and Francesca’s husband … and that was just the start.

PANEL 4

Owen kneels down by a row of colorful gladiolas that are in full bloom, and he cuts one stalk.

CAPTION (OWEN)

The seasons pass. I get older. And the hours tick away.

CAPTION (OWEN)

I have a family, I found my treasures, and I earned a treasure worth more than all the Watchmaker’s gold.

PANEL 5

Carrying his flowers, Owen goes to the practice field where temporary carnival tents have been set up. Young performers are on the tightropes and trapeze; two of the grandchildren (from the first two pages of issue 1) are standing together, trying to juggle. And Francesca is there, older but still beautiful, watching the activity. He extends the flowers to her.

CAPTION (OWEN)

Love and respect. At the end of all the adventures, what matters more than that?

OWEN

Francesca, my love—these are for you. From my garden.

END

***

About the Authors

Kevin J. Anderson is a bestselling science fiction author of over 125 novels, including numerous books in the Dune, Star Wars, X-Files, Superman and Batman universes. His original work includes the Saga of Seven Suns series, the Dan Shamble, Zombie PI series, the Terra Incognita trilogy, the Hellhole trilogy (with Brian Herbert), and the Saga of Shadows. He has written comics for Marvel, DC, IDW, Dark Horse, BOOM! Studios, and others. His first novel,
Resurrection, Inc
., was inspired by the Rush album
Grace Under Pressure
.

Neil Peart is the drummer and lyricist for the rock group Rush and the author of
Far and Near, Ghost Rider, Roadshow, The Masked Rider, Traveling Music
, and
Far and Away
.

Anderson and Peart are working on a companion novel
Clockwork Lives
.

***