Sneak Preview: A Mother’s Love – Script

I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to tell you that an upcoming Split Lip story will be drawn by David Hitchcock, the brilliant UK horror artist best known for Whitechapel Freak and Springheeled Jack.

Given’s David’s historical interests, I had to give him a story set in the past – that’s what “A Mother’s Love” is. Expect to see this one on the site in the spring or summer of 2011.

Script excerpt after the jump.

Page 1

1/ It’s the mid-1820s in pastoral Massachusetts. Small clusters of people are making their way through the public commons, which is surrounded by small homes and features a few sheep and cows here and there, to a town meetinghouse. The meetinghouse is a plain building, with just a large door and a slightly peaked roof as its defining features. It’s early evening, but the sun is still faintly evident on the horizon.

2/ Inside the meetinghouse, the people of the town are taking their seats on benches. It’s a very plain building – plain walls, unadorned benches, etc. Straight up Puritan lack of gaudiness here. At the front of the room is a small lectern at which a man, MATTHEW, stands. Matthew is tall and thin, with a long, sharp nose, hawkish features, and brown hair.  He’s running the meeting.

3/ As a last few stragglers settle into their seats, MATTHEW holds up a hand to ask for quiet and attention.

MATTHEW: NEIGHBORS — FRIENDS — LET US BEGIN.

MATTHEW 2: WE HAVE GATHERED TONIGHT TO DISCUSS —

4/ Close on MATTHEW, who looks serious, troubled, as he speaks.

MATTHEW: — THE RECENT DEATHS MRS. MOORE AND MRS. STEWART, BOTH WITH CHILD.

MATTHEW 2: AS WE KNOW, THEY ARE NOT THE FIRST PREGNANT WOMEN TO DIE UNDER STRANGE CIRCUMSTANCE IN OUR VILLAGE. TONIGHT, WE —

SILAS (OP): GOD’S PUNISHMENT! THIS IS GOD’S PUNISHMENT FOR OUR WICKEDNESS!