Rock The Vouhhhnn!, Chapter 7: Part 3.2
Page 167 (Chapter 7, Page 15)
Panel 1: We move to a shot of Madison and Zoe watching the interview from a laptop in a coffee shop a short time later. Madison has a thoroughly frustrated look on her face watching the interview take place. Ms. Olson, meanwhile, is far less shocked and much more annoyed by what she’s seeing.
INTERVIEWER
(from the laptop screen)
“What do you say to those out there who, over the past few weeks, have been enticed by Hen--er Carl talking about bringing in a fresh, innovative voice to Congress?”
DARLENE
(from the laptop screen)
“I tell them to not be entwined by empty promises that do more harm than good. Even now in his...undead state, I still see the same pathetic little shell of a man he was alive. The only difference is that he has a cold, defective young woman speaking for him. Which seems kinda perfect, in a way...”
MADISON
(angered) Defective?! How dare she say that about me?! She’s never even met--
Panel 2: Cut to a shot of the person at the booth watching the interview on their laptop. They look back at the two women standing behind them with an equal amount of anger on their face as they speak.
COFFEE DRINKER
(to Madison and Zoe)
You two mind?
Panel 3: We move to a shot of Zoe a moment later, flashing an acquiescing grin toward the coffee drinker; her hand reaching out to touch her friend’s shoulder as she speaks.
ZOE
Apologies. Just...we’re really passionate about politics.
Panel 4: Cut to an action shot of the two friends walking away from the scene toward the front area for more of a private chat. You can see a little more of the dining area of the coffee shop in the background as well as a few customers moving from left to right in their own conversations.
ZOE
(to Madison)
I know it’s a crap thing to hear. But you had to know they’d go to this level to draw blood.
MADISON
(trying to calm down)
Yeah, yeah…
ZOE
We just gotta stick to the plan. Not get sidetracked into tabloid hell.
Panel 5: Slight close-up on Ms. Mitchell a moment later, lifting her head up from glancing at the floor toward Zoe with a touch of apprehension in her eyes.
MADISON
You mean the big expose press conference?
Panel 6: Back to Ms. Olson alongside her, flashing a confident and cocky smile back coupled with a subtle nod. She stops walking at this point, having reached the end of the line for the coffee shop.
ZOE
I know you’ve got your doubts on it. But hey- he was able to gain inspiration from The West Wing. Why can’t we…!
Page 168 (Chapter 7, Page 16)
Panel 1: The following day, we see Henry/Carl at the lectern beginning the aforementioned press conference. The zombie politico’s gray eyes glance over to the right of the panel view during the response.
REPORTER
(Off-Panel)
Do you apologize to the Syms family for your actions in the last few years of your life?
HENRY
Indeed I do. I was beholden to the same type of anxieties and self-destructive behavior that any other man has faced. I’m not saying this as an excuse for my behavior, just to try to explain…
Panel 2: Cut to a shot of another reporter in the middle of the crowd, standing up with a small camera strapped to their chest. She has a less than accepting look on her face regarding Mr. Skelton’s response.
REPORTER #2
(interjecting, to Henry)
It sounds like you’re making excuses. That you’re somehow more pure and innocent now than you were back then.
Panel 3: Back to Henry in the same setting/layout as Panel 1. His gaze has shifted slightly to the left compared to that time; his robotic voice flashing a touch of defensiveness in the words coming out.
HENRY
That’s not what I said at all. All I meant was that who I was then was a single chapter of my life, separate from
Panel 4: We move to a shot right next to the reporter from Panel 2 of another colleague- shorter and slightly older than she was. He has the same level of offense to what he heard, nodding in agreement to her sentiment as he speaks.
REPORTER #3
Is that what you believe, or is that just Ms. Mitchell wants us to believe?
Panel 5: Cut to a shot of Henry back at the lectern listening to the rest of the reporter’s question; his eyes and face tilted in the same position and direction from Panel 3.
REPORTER #3
(Cont., Off-Panel)
What proof can you give us that this apology is genuinely yours, that they were thoughts you would have had if you were a “normal” thinking human being?
Panel 6: Same setting/layout as the previous panel. After a couple of moments of silence in inquisitive thought, the zombie politico tilts his head slightly up toward the reporter to respond.
HENRY
(to Reporter #3)
None. It’d be impossible for me to give any proof that would be sufficient, outside of a time machine. All I can do is engage in a set of actions to do better now than I did then.