Old Scars, Chapter 4: Part 2.2

Page 82

Panel 1: Mr. Allen looks at the creature as they take off to the office; his peripheral focus also pointed at Marek.

GREM

How big is this file of yours?

GREM

(Bubble 2; reacting to Panel 2, Bubble 1) Ha. Any hints what's inside it?

Panel 2: Marek turns his attention fully back to Grem for the response, leaning slightly towards him with his elbows on the table.

MAREK

Nothing one of your...youthful vigor couldn't handle with ease.

MAREK

(Bubble 2; reacting to Panel 1, Bubble 2) Everything you inquired about regarding the Sampo, along with much more that I imagine you likely don't know about.

Panel 3: Grem furrows his eyebrow, showing a degree of curiosity and intrigue about Marek's explanation.

GREM

That is a hell of a pitch for its contents, Marek. Hope you can back it up.

Panel 4: A two-part set of panels that moves back to Marek. In the first one, he clearly looks over at the Right-Blue Liner with another command.

MAREK

(to R-Blue Line) A couple of Long Drinks, and a basket of chips please.

Panel 5: In the second part, a beat later, he turns back to Grem to properly answer the question.

MAREK

(Cont., correcting boastfully) I can always "back it up," little Irishman...

Page 83

Panel 1: Cut to a shot of L-Blue Line a short time later, handing Marek a manila envelope packed fairly tightly with papers within.

MAREK

(appreciative, to L-Blue Line) Thank you, Keppo...!

Panel 2: Slight close-up on Marek a few moments later, looking squarely in Grem's direction; the folder opened up in the bottom of the panel view.

MAREK

(Cont., to Grem) Reports of Sampo- or "Magic Tree," to use your more cruder parlance- sightings stretch farther than fair Oulu, affecting two dozen countries since the early Elizabethan age.

Panel 3: Cut to a flashback of the tree appearing in an Italian field. You can see a man in regal looking clothes- ROBERTO RIDOLFI kneeling in front of a glowing ball that appears between him and the Sampo.

Caption

Italy, 1571

Caption

(Cont., Marek)

"One of the more consistent points in each sighting come in the form of someone- or someones- wishing for something on the base of the tree and getting it.

Caption

(Grem)

"What did the wishes look like?"

Caption

(Marek)

"It varied. Some were for purely political purposes...

Panel 4: We move to another recipient of the Sampo's "generosity": MATHIAS HAYDN, father of Joseph Haydn. He notices the tree appear, along with the same glowing ball as the previous panel.

Caption

(Cont., Marek)

"Others focused on personal means, striving for a better life and the like."

Panel 5: Cut to the last in the series, showing a pair of tribespeople in 19th century South Africa. In the background, you can see the Sampo tree calling out to them.

Caption

(Cont., Marek)

"There were even a few who used it for fairly noble means, like revenge for the departed. Regardless of the rationale though..."

Panel 6: Back to Marek at the final edge of his thought. In the background, you can see the negative end results of said wish: the Ridolfi Plot falling apart, the Battle of Aspern-Essling, and Italian forces invading Abyssinia.

MAREK

(Cont.) Each of them ended in less than happy circumstances for them, and for the section of the world they happened to occupy.