The Community, Issue 4: Part 4.2

Page 72

Panel 1: The next day, a doctor is in the bedroom, checking up on Ms. Borah through the same type of top to bottom covering PPE we saw from the doctors in Sikkim earlier. You can see in this doctor's eyes the same worried/saddened look Neha had at the end of the previous page.

Caption

(Cont., Jesminder narrating)

"All in all, it bought me...an extra week or two. I dreaded the cheesy political obituary about me from people who were probably uncorking a bottle Chaang upon the news."

Caption

(Cont., Jesminder narrating)

"Neha came up with the idea of the two-part self-obituary."

Panel 2: Action shot of her afterward speaking into her phone with as much strength as she can put together.

Caption

(Cont., Jesminder narrating)

"The words you're reading right now, pieced together by roughly a dozen voice memo messages on my phone. And the video part...you're about to watch right now."

Panel 3: Cut to a shot days later from the perspective of a phone, pointed toward Jesminder's bed. You can see her placed in a seated position; her face now pale white at this point.

NEHA

(Off-Panel, to Jesminder; translated from Hindu)

You sure you feel up for it?

JESMINDER

(weakly, with determination; to Neha, translated from Hindu)

Yeah, I do. And I want to do it in English.

NEHA

(Off-Panel, Bubble 2)

Why's that?

JESMINDER

(Bubble 2)

I really want to make sure it has...the biggest impact globally. Also...I hadn't done it...in awhile.

NEHA

(Off-Panel, Bubble 3)

Fair enough. Am I gonna need to put an expletive warning?

JESMINDER

(Bubble 3)

Probably. I mean...you've known me...long enough. Would...it surprise you?

NEHA

(Bubble 4)

Hahaha...no, it really wouldn't. Nor would it my mother. She referred to you as a "feral bull in high heels."

Panel 4: Same setting/layout as the previous panel. Jes chuckles lightly, flashing a little smile at the statement; her head shifting a little to the left as she speaks.

JESMINDER

Really? Didn't know...that. That would be a...perfect...grave stone....for me.

NEHA

(Off-Panel, with broken voice)

We'll talk about it later.

JESMINDER

(Bubble 2)

Okay...

Panel 5: Action shot of the camera view zooming in closer to the veteran MP's face; the smile settling to a stoic meh. You can see Neha's thumb and forefinger in the panel, orchestrating the aforementioned action.

JESMINDER

(Cont.)

...Ready?

Panel 6: Same setting/layout as the previous panel; her fingers now gone from view. The action freezes a moment later, settled on a perfect framing of her face that we saw at the end of the previous issue. As they speak, a single "BEEP!" pops up from the bottom of the panel view.

NEHA

(Off-Panel)

I'm ready. Love you, Jewel.

JESMINDER

(loving)

Love you too, Rock.

Page 73

Panel 1: Same setting/layout as the last panel of the previous page. With the red "Record" icon visible on top, Jesminder starts up with a little jolt of life closer to who she was beforehand.

JESMINDER

(to the audience)

Hello- congratulations for reaching the end of my self-obituary. You might be expecting great wisdom from me to the next generation. Which is difficult for me on many levels, but chiefly for the simple reason that it's you- the youth of this nation- that inspire me.

Panel 2: Same setting/layout as the previous panel. You can see the righteous anger seep into the later bubbles underneath her initial show of genuine love and honor.

JESMINDER

(Cont.)

Your kindness, your ingenuity, your spirit- they've fueled me since my first day in the Lo Sabkha, and the 20 years that have followed.

(Cont., Bubble 2)

I see all the good you've achieved- both the giant and not-so-giant among them- and I'm saddened I won't be able to fight alongside you.

(Cont., Bubble 3)

If I can impart any type of wisdom to you, it's something my mentor told me just as I was coming out of high school: be hopeful and creative, no matter what's in front of you...there's nothing in this world you can't achieve.

(Cont., Bubble 4)

Protect both with your life because this world- especially this government- will do everything in its power to beat it out of you. Speaking of them...

Panel 3: A beat later, we see the anger on a steady rise as she continues the rest of her video. You can see Neha's fingers rising back in from the bottom right of the panel view.

JESMINDER

(Cont.)

Their response to this pandemic has been consistently slow from the very beginning. The lives that would've been saved in this country if they acted weeks earlier than they did...it's repugnant on the level that made me fucking ashamed to call India my home...for the first time in my life!

NEHA

(Off-Panel)

What in the name of...?

Panel 4: A two-part set of panels that quickly pulls back to a wider shot of the bed as the veteran MP (starting to dip energy wise at this point, but still strong) continues speaking. In the left corner of the screen/panel view, you can see a golden orb enter and make its way to Jesminder.

JESMINDER

(Cont.)

What infuriates me even more than that is how some of my colleagues have now resorted to using bullshit science to help "excuse" themselves from these mistakes. A science that has, sadly, seeped into our society from the nationalist in the Prime Minister's Office to the woman selling bags in Paharganj.

(Cont., Bubble 2)

I know we're not the only country to have to deal with this dilemma. We are the people of Rajaji, of Mahatma Gandhi, of Indira Gandhi, of Sucheta Kriplani...we are far FUCKING...BETTER...THAN THAT!

In the second part, the pan out stops to show a mystery energy enter Ms. Borah's body right at her diaphragm. You can see the energy continue to dip here as she speaks compared to Panel 4.

JESMINDER

(Cont.)

My great hope now is that in the next election they will be pushed aside by the heart and energy...of that next generation. I'll be watching from the next life...and rooting you on.

Panel 6: Same setting/layout as the previous panel. A moment after the energy settles in her body, you can see a little yellow-y aura form around the top half of her body as it moves toward slumber.

JESMINDER

(Cont.)

One last note to the people I mentioned earlier cheering my demise, know this: whatever the next life has in store for me...I will find a way to make your life a living fucking hell!