The Community, Issue 3: Part 2.1

Page 58

Panel 1: After the day's session has come to an end, Anika and Jesminder are standing side-by-side heading back to the office.

ANIKA

(sympathetically, to Jesminder)

Tough break, boss. We might get lucky and the state government finds a way to keep the virus in check.

JESMINDER

(nod and a sigh, to Anika)

Maybe...are you a religious woman, Anika?

ANIKA

(Bubble 2)

Yes, ma'am.

JESMINDER

(Bubble 2)

Some kind words up there couldn't hurt. I'll definitely do my part once I...

Panel 2: Same setting/layout as the previous panel. Jes' phone rings a beat later; her eyes looking over in the direction of her purse.

Panel 3: Slight close-up on MP Borah moments later, looking at the notification. You can see a smattering of the hallway behind her in the background.

JESMINDER

(saddened, to herself)

Called it...!

ANIKA

(Off-Panel)

What?

JESMINDER

(Bubble 2)

Tweet from the Times of India- the first case from Delhi's just been confirmed.

ANIKA

(Bubble 2)

Oh god. We could use the news to hit the press, pressure the government to increase testing. Or possibly--

Panel 4: Cut to a shot of Anika a few beats later, glancing over at her boss with a quizzical and cautious look on her face. You can see part of her side of the hallway in the background.

ANIKA

(Cont.)

I know that look. Tell me it isn't something that'll put either me or you into mortal danger.

Panel 5: Back to Jesminder, chuckling at her employee's reluctant tone from the previous panel; a smile coming over part of her face as she speaks.

JESMINDER

We'll be fine. Don't worry, this isn't my first foray into grassroots activism.

Caption

(Jesminder, narrating)

"The first protest I attended was when I was just turned 17. It was an apartheid rally back home..."

Page 59

Panel 1: Cut to a shot of 17-year-old Jesminder at an anti-apartheid rally outside her state governor's office, holding a sign calling for the House of Delegates in South Africa to more actively call for the end of Apartheid.

Caption

(Cont., Jesminder narrating)

"I was hopeful, like everyone there, we could get the government to put some pressure on President Botha through the House of Delegates to end Apartheid."

Panel 2: We jump about a month later, and she's less hopeful and energetic than we saw in the previous panel. She glances to the left of the panel view, spotting something that catches her eye.

Caption

(Cont., Jesminder narrating)

"After a month of stubborn inaction on both sides, I realized we needed to increase the pressure to get to our hopeful goal."

Panel 3: Cut to teen Jes a short time later, photo bombing a local news report about a business closing in the area; her sign focused prominently in the upper right corner of the panel view as she yells something to the audience.

Caption

(Cont., Jesminder narrating)

"In hindsight, it probably wasn't the best idea I've ever had."

Panel 4: We move to a shot of her father at work, watching the report as it went live on TV with a look of disappointment and anger on his face.

Caption

(Cont., Jesminder narrating)

"My father didn't speak to me for two months after bailing me out."

Panel 5: We move to a two-part set of panels that shifts to an argument between her and her father in the living room.

Caption

(Cont., Jesminder narrating)

"Technically, it started two weeks before when I told him over dinner that I never wanted to have kids."

Panel 6: In the second part, we see her storm off in anger moments after the argument ends. You can see her eyes reddened with tears and partially rage as well as her father looking off in the background.

Caption

(Cont., Jesminder narrating)

"The point is, that was my first dip into guerrilla theatre-ish action. And as some of you are well aware, it was not my last."