Jones St., Chapter 8: Pages 5-6

Page 5, 6 Panels- Melanie's Apartment, Las Vegas NV

Panel 1: Cut to an action shot of Melanie slowly getting to her feet from the couch; the back of it visible in the bottom of the panel view. She yawns, glancing over to her friend with as much relief and gratefulness as one can muster while taking on a hangover. You can see the TV, turned off at this point, in the background.

MELANIE [nods, to Cassie]: Thanks...!

Panel 2: We move to a shot of Cassie in the kitchen, standing behind a counter and holding the coffee pot. She looks over toward her friend while pouring a cup of it into a dark brown coffee cup with the ship Serenity painted on the side. You can see a section of kitchen cabinets in the background as she speaks.

CASSIE [shrugs, to Melanie]: No worries, budette. I heard you're finally meeting up with Lil' T.

Panel 3: Same setting/layout as the previous panel, along with the same background. A few moments later, Cassie rests the pot on the counter next to the now full coffee cup, which she grabs firmly with her right hand.

CASSIE [Cont.]: You finally gonna cut the guy loose?

Panel 4: Cut to an action shot of Melanie a few moments later, walking around the side of the couch toward the kitchen area with a slow pace. You can see her face slowly start to come to life as she wakes back up again.

MELANIE [unsure]: Leaning toward it. But I wanna keep an open mind, and let him give whatever this explanation is that he talked about.

Panel 5: We move to a shot of Cassie in the same setting and layout as Panel 3. She's seen walking around the front of the kitchen counter, holding the cup of coffee in both hands this time, to meet her friend at the edge of the kitchen's tile floor.

CASSIE [leading into the question]: And if the explanation sucks? CASSIE [Bubble 2]: With me, of course?

Panel 6: Back to Melanie standing in front of her friend, who is now visible from the back of the shot with the aforementioned young woman seen over the left shoulder. She flashes a half-grin at the question, reaching out to grab the cup. You can see part of the other side of the TV in the background along with parts of the wall and the sides of a few things hung on the wall.

MELANIE: I'll let him down, end it then and there and...head back here to start packing for the Bay. MELANIE [Bubble 2]: Of course, Cass!

Page 6, 6 Panels- Melanie's Apartment/Parking Garage, Las Vegas NV

Panel 1: Cut back to Cassie looking over to the right of the panel view as her friend takes a few steps away with cup in hand. She slides her right hand into her pants pocket, calmly waiting for her bit of curiosity to get sated with her final question. You can see a bit of the kitchen behind her in the background.

CASSIE [to Melanie]: And if it goes well...what then? CASSIE [Bubble 2]: So, the move either way is a go? Doesn't that kind of make the decision with him easier than you're making it?

Panel 2: We move back to Melanie a handful of steps away, stopping just in front of the path leading to the hallway. She looks over, cup just away from her lips after taking a sip in the previous panel, with a playful grin on her face as she speaks.

MELANIE [to Cassie, vague]: Same thing, but happier. MELANIE [Bubble 2]: It is, yeah. But there are other parts that, I...

Panel 3: Cut to a short time later in the parking garage where we see Melanie, cleaned up and ready, heading over to her car; the lighting sparsely lit, save or the glare of sun coming from the higher levels. You can see the rows of cars that stretch out on both sides of the panel's view, with Ms. Haynes' car in the middle-left area where we see the opening harmonies arise from the hood of it.

MELANIE [Cont., Off-Panel]: I can't leave hanging, not unless I wanna lose my absolute mind.

Panel 4-6: A three-part set of panels that are stacked one on top of each other, focused on a strip of road a distance from Melanie's apartment building. In each one, you can see her car move from left to right; the top of each panel showing a free-flowing scene that highlights different markers in hers and Henry's past together from their first meeting to first kiss to proposal. All as "Modern Love" by David Bowie plays on.

DAVID BOWIE [below the images, Panel 4]: "I catch a paper boy But things don't really change" DAVID BOWIE [Cont. below the images connected to Panel 4, Panel 5]: "I'm standing in the wind But I never wave bye-bye DAVID BOWIE [Cont. below the images connected to Panels 4 and 5, Panel 6]: "But I try I try..."