Writing Sample
Gibson Dent: A Cold, White Death - Full Script - Pages 1-2
PAGE ONE
PANEL 1 – It’s early 1937, in a part of the Soviet Union known
as the Caucasus Mountains. There is a small group of five men at the top
of a ridge, looking down into a valley of unmistakable death. What the group
of men sees is a battlefield of mass destruction. Soviet soldiers, easily
over a hundred of them, lay dead. Their blood and fluids mix with the snow,
creating a reddish-brown mess.
CAPTION – THE CAUCASUS MOUNTAINS IN THE USSR, FORMERLY RUSSIA.
CAPTION – JANUARY, 1937.
DENT (CAPTION) – I HATE THE SOVIET UNION. IT’S TOO DAMN COLD.
DENT (CAPTION) – BUT HERE I AM, ANYWAY, KNEE-DEEP IN SOMEONE ELSE’S PROBLEM.
DENT (CAPTION) – AGAIN.
PANEL 2 – We pan in for a closer look on the group. There are five people there, two Soviets and three others. The Soviets are wearing the proper uniforms, bundled up for the cold. The first Soviet is COLONEL STANISLAV VLODIMIR, and his subordinate is CAPTAIN ANDREI SIVEKO.
The other three people in the group are quite familiar; GIBSON DENT, CHARLIE BEDLAM, and BEEF THOMPSON. They are also appropriately clothed for the hard, cold winter they are in. In fact, they all have their hoods up on their parkas, to keep out the cold, whereas the Russians are just wearing their hats. They most likely have packs and equipment as well. BEEF has a machine gun slung over his shoulder.
DENT (CAPTION) – AT LEAST I HAVE BEEF THOMPSON AND CHARLIE BEDLAM TO KEEP ME COMPANY THIS TIME.
DENT (CAPTION) – AFTER ALL, MISERY LOVES COMPANY, AND I’M DAMN MISERABLE RIGHT NOW.
PANEL 3 – We close in on DENT, as he lowers the hood of his parka.
DENT (CAPTION) – JACK PITT, MY LIAISON AT THE OSS, SENT ME PACKING TO THIS GOD-FORSAKEN WASTELAND AS A FAVOR TO HIS SOVIET COUNTERPART IN THE NKVD.
DENT (CAPTION) – IT SEEMS OUR PALS IN THE SOVIET MILITARY HAS BEEN RUNNING INTO SOME KIND OF PROBLEM OUT HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.
DENT (CAPTION) – THE KIND THAT ENDS UP WITH A LOT OF DEAD PEOPLE.
DENT – I’M GONNA TAKE A WILD GUESS, AND SAY THIS IS IT?
PANEL 4 – VLODIMIR points down into the valley and tells DENT and company that this is why they’re here. SIVEKO is next to VLODIMIR, nodding his head in stoic agreement.
VLODIMIR – AS YOU CAN SEE, COMRADE DENT, WE WERE NOT EXAGGERATING THE NATURE OF OUR EMERGENCY.
VLODIMIR – THIS IS THE THIRD SUCH INCIDENT, IN AS MANY WEEKS. OH, AND THIS ONE IS ALSO THE SMALLEST...
DENT (CAPTION) – THIS IS COLONEL STANISLOV VLODIMIR, WHOSE HEAD HONCHO IN THESE PARTS. NEXT TO HIM IS CAPTAIN ANDREI SIVEKO.
DENT (CAPTION) – THEY’RE PRETTY DECENT GUYS, FOR BEING COMMUNIST ASSHOLES.
PANEL 5 – DENT tells VLODIMIR that they need to take a closer look at the scene.
DENT (CAPTION) – THIS IS THEIR PARTY, BUT WE’RE THE GUESTS OF HONOR.
DENT – WELL, LET’S STOP WASTING TIME AND SEE IF WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT’S KILLING YOUR BOYS...
PAGE TWO
PANEL 1 – Some time later, all of them are all down in the battlefield,
looking about for evidence as to what did this. VLODIMIR is approaching
DENT, who is busy conferring with BEEF and BEDLAM. Following VLODIMIR like
a good little lackey is SIVEKO.
CAPTION – AN HOUR LATER…
DENT (CAPTION) – AFTER SPENDING THE LAST HOUR LOOKING OVER THIS NASTY MESS, BEEF AND I HAD COME UP WITH A SOLID HYPOTHESIS, BACKED UP BY BEDLAM’S UNCANNY KNOWLEDGE OF ALL THINGS CREEPY AND WEIRD.
DENT (CAPTION) – THIS WAS A GOOD THING, AS THE COLONEL WAS NOT A VERY PATIENT MAN...
VLODIMIR – COMRADE DENT... COMRADE DENT!
VLODIMIR – HAVE YOU FOUND ANYTHING YET!?! I EXPECT RESULTS, ESPECIALLY FROM A MAN OF YOUR REPUTATION!
PANEL 2 – DENT responds to VLODIMIR.
DENT – KEEP YOUR GALOSHES ON, STAN.
DENT – I THINK WE’VE GOT IT FIGURED OUT, BUT YOUR NOT GONNA LIKE IT...
DENT – BEEF?
PANEL 3 – BEEF steps up and explains what he’s discovered to VLODIMIR.
BEEF – FROM THE EVIDENCE WE’VE FOUND, WHATEVER DID THIS TO YOUR TROOPS MATCHES NO MAN OR ANIMAL THAT I’VE EVER SEEN BEFORE. IN FACT, SOME OF THE TRACKS AND WOUNDS SEEM TO BE PART MECHANICAL IN NATURE.
BEEF – NO REGULAR ANIMAL OR MAN DID THIS. SOMETHING ELSE IS RESPONSIBLE, SOMETHING REALLY TERRIBLE.
PANEL 4 – SIVEKO looks confused as hell, and speaks his mind, while VLODIMIR settles him down.
SIVEKO – ‘NO ANIMAL OR MAN’?
SIVEKO – WHAT IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN!?!
SIVEKO – I COULD HAVE SAID AS MUCH...
VLODIMIR – THAT’S ENOUGH, CAPTAIN!
VLODIMIR – PLEASE, CONTINUE... ENLIGHTEN US.
VLODIMIR – IF THIS WASN’T A MAN OR AN ANIMAL, JUST WHAT IS RESPONSIBLE?
PANEL 5 – Silent up until now, BEDLAM steps forward and speaks up.
BEDLAM – SOMETHING IN BETWEEN…
BEDLAM – THE ALMASTI.
PANEL 6 – VLODIMIR denies this, shaking his head in disbelief of BEDLAM’s revelation.
VLODIMIR – IMPOSSIBLE… THE ALMASTI ARE BUT MYTH, RUMORS. THEY DON’T EXIST...