**Title: \"Alabaster Cities\"**

**Author: A. David Lewis**

**Artists: Dan Cooney, Jason Narvaez, Evan Quiring**

**Draft: 5**

**Pages: 13**

**PAGE ONE**

Nine panels

Panel one. David on belly and in underwear, asleep in bed. Bedside alarm
clock reads 9:50 AM.

Panel two. Same as panel one.

Panel three. Same as panel two, except phone on dresser begins to ring.

1.  SFX: RING!

2.  SFX: RING!

3.  SFX: RING!

Panel four. Same as panel two, except alarm clock now reads 9:51 AM.

Panel five. Same as panel four, except alarm clock skips to 10:02 and
shadows have changed slightly.

Panel six. Same as panel five, except phone has begun to ring again and
David reaches for it with one arm, otherwise motionless.

4.  SFX: RING!

5.  SFX: RING!

6.  David: NNG...

Panel seven. David, bleary-eyed, shuffles body towards dresser as he
answers phone.

7.  David: MMM-HELLO...?

8.  Voice (in static): HONEY?

9.  David: ...HI, RIMA...G\'MORNING...

10. Rima: YOU\'RE NOT UP YET?

Panel eight. Close-up on sleepy, but smiling Dave.

11. David: MMM...NO, NOT YET...DIDJA LEAVE SOMETHING OR...?

12. Rima: DAVE \--

Panel nine. Same as panel eight, except for David\'s face, now shocked
awake.

13. Rima: PLANES HAVE HIT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER.

14. Rima: THE PENTAGON\'S BEEN HIT, TOO.

**PAGE TWO**

Four panels

Panel one. Close-up of David\'s hand reaching for bathrobe in closet.

1.  Caption: September eleventh, two-thousand one.

Panel two. David, in bathrobe, turns corner into living room to scoop
remote control.

2.  Caption: I\'m in Washington, DC \-- the corner of 37^th^ and Tunlaw.

Panel three. David stands, one hand on robe belt and the other on
remote, in front of TV.

3.  Caption: I\'m in the Georgetown University English Master\'s
    program.

4.  Caption: I\'m in a 5-mile radius from the Pentagon \-- 3 miles from
    the White House.

Panel four. Massive panel looking from behind David at the image of a
newsanchor with text running at the bottom of the screen, stating that
\"America Under Attack.\"

5.  Caption: I\'m in horror.

**PAGE THREE**

Four panels

Panel one. Profile of David\'s face, looking at television. His brows
are knitted, jaw squared.

1.  Caption: Katie Couric, Tom Brokaw, and Matt Lauer fill my ears.

2.  Voice (in static): \-- REPORTING THAT TWO PLANES HAVE STRUCK THE
    WORLD TRADE CENTER BUILDINGS IN NEW YORK \--

Panel two. Pan to a three-quarter shot of David\'s face. Brows start to
loosen.

3.  Voice (in static): \-- THE PENTAGON, STRUCK BY WHAT SEEMS TO BE A
    PLANE AS WELL \--

4.  Caption: When I was living in Fenway, I used to watch the *Today*
    show every morning.

5.  Voice (in static): \-- ENTIRE FINANCIAL DISTRICT. TRADING HAS BEEN
    SUSPENDED \--

6.  Caption: I somehow doubt I\'ll be seeing Al Roker this morning.

Panel three. Pan to three-quarter shot on opposite side of face. Mouth
has slackened, and David begins to look upset.

7.  Voice (in static): \-- THE MOST HORRIBLE STRIKE ON AMERICAN SOIL,
    OUTSIDE OF PEARL HARBOR, SINCE THE WAR OF 1812 \--

8.  Caption: It\'s like...something out of a movie.

9.  Voice (in static): \-- OKLAHOMA CITY OR WORLD TRADE CENTER BOMBING
    \--

10. Caption: Something I would watch at the theaters back in Framingham
    or at the Copley.

11. Voice (in static): \-- MAY ALSO BE HIJACKED FLIGHTS \--

Panel four. Pan to profile shot of David, now fully on opposite side.
His face has totally dropped.

12. Voice (in static): \-- AMERICAN FLIGHT TO L.A. ORIGINATING FROM
    BOSTON \--

13. Caption: *Home.*

**PAGE FOUR**

Five panels

Panel one. Close-up on David\'s mouth, speaking into telephone.

1.  Caption: I call Rima, asking her to come over. We moved her out of
    Crystal City just two weeks ago \-- now she\'s down the street from
    me.

2.  Caption: Thank God.

Panel two. Pull back slightly to show David\'s full face, talking on
phone.

3.  Caption: I couldn\'t get through to Dad on his cell. He flew to
    Alabama yesterday for a presentation...but I still worry. I call Mom
    at work \-- she says everything\'s fine, but parents from all over
    are calling the school to check on their kids.

4.  Caption: I ask if we knew anyone on the flight.

Panel three. Pull back more to reveal Rima on couch beside David. She
stares at television.

5.  Caption: I call work to ask if the University\'s been closed. Karin
    says that the Admissions Office is still running like normal.

6.  Caption: Then, like an ungodly domino, the second tower of the World
    Trade Center collapsed \--

Panel four. Same shot, except David has put down phone. The two fixated
on the television.

7.  Caption: \-- 10:28 AM, September 11^th^, 2001.

Panel five. Pull back a bit more to show full room. David has returned
to the phone.

8.  Caption: We *watched* it...*live.* Fiendishly ironic, really, since
    the destruction had everything to do with the *loss* of life.

9.  Caption: I have been to New York four times in my life. Did
    Broadway, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty...I never got to see
    the Twin Towers.

10. Caption: Karin calls to say that the University is shutting down in
    an hour.

**PAGE FIVE**

Six panels

Panel one. David shouts up the stairwell.

1.  David: LOUIS?

2.  Caption: My landlord works for CBC Radio-Canada.

Panel two. David at top of stairs, talking to Louis who is on phone and
craning neck over shoulder.

3.  David: LOUIS, DID YOU HEAR THE NEWS...?

4.  Louis: YES. YES, DAVID. I AM IMPRESSED BY DAN RATHER. AVOIDING
    SENSATIONALISM \--

5.  Louis: EXCUSE ME.

Panel three. Louis swivels back to talk into phone as David stands by
stairwell looking on.

6.  Louis: OUI, JE SUIS ICI.

7.  Caption: He\'s being called in. It\'s an international incident.

Panel four. David walks down stairwell to Rima, still on couch and
trying her cell phone.

8.  Caption: The World Bank Summit was going to happen in three weeks.
    The International Comic Arts Festival was going to happen on
    Thursday.

9.  Rima: THE CAR BOMB REPORT AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT WAS BOGUS.

10. Rima: \*#%& \-- I STILL CAN\'T GET THROUGH.

11. Caption: Now all bets are off.

Panel five. David sits next to Rima once again.

12. Rima: SORRY. I\'M JUST WORRIED ABOUT MY FRIENDS IN NEW YORK. THEY
    *WORK* IN THE FINANCIAL DISTRICT.

13. Caption: I reassure her that they\'re probably fine. The television
    doesn\'t offer us much support, though.

Panel six. David looks at Rima, who has not averted her eyes from the
television screen.

14. Caption: We\'ve been hijacked into a new world. A world under siege.

15. Caption: Rima was raised in Saudi Arabia. She lived there during the
    Gulf War. I ask her if this is what it felt like.

16. Rima: ...NO. YOUR WINDOWS AREN\'T RATTLING. THERE AREN\'T MISSILES
    FLYING OVERHEAD.

17. Rima: WAR IS WORSE.

**PAGE SIX**

Six panels

Panel one. Large shot of the television screen, showing a map of
Pennsylvania.

1.  Caption: Things continue to get crazy. The networks lose connection
    after connection to their on-the-scene reporters. Bush is diverted
    away from D.C., sent to Louisiana. Museums, monuments, and schools
    are all closed throughout the District.

2.  Caption: It\'s chaos. Even the \"law of threes\" is broken \--

3.  Caption: A fourth hijacked plane crashlands in Somerset County,
    Pennsylvania.

Panel two. Mat, pacing around his room in Arlington and grim-faced,
answers phone.

4.  Mat: HELLO?

5.  Voice (in static): MAT? IT\'S DAVE.

6.  Mat: DAVE. HI. YOU\'VE \-- YOU\'VE HEARD, YEAH?

Panel three. Shot of David standing over desk in DC.

7.  David: YEAH...YEAH...

8.  David: ARE YOU GUYS, Y\'KNOW, OKAY?

9.  Voice (in static): YEAH, MAN...I WAS FIVE MINUTES FROM CALLING YOU.
    I SPOKE WITH JOSH. THEY\'RE SENDING HIM HOME FROM WORK. I TRIED
    REACHING SOME PEOPLE IN NEW YORK. CELLS ARE NO GOOD, BUT I GOT TO
    ERIC WHO\'S UPTOWN. HE SAYS THEY\'RE PRETTY UNAFFECTED.

Panel four. Close-up of Mat, pained look on his face and gripping his
whiffleball bat.

10. Mat: THIS, THOUGH...AMERICA\'S GOING TO GO NUTS. TO GET HIT LIKE
    THIS \-- AT HOME, IN TWO PLACES. EVERYONE\'S GOING TO WANT TO GO
    AFTER THESE GUYS.

11. Voice (in static): DO YOU WANT TO COME OUT HERE OR...?

12. Mat: NAH. DON\'T THINK I COULD GET THERE EVEN IF I WANTED. STREETS
    ARE JAMMED. I\'M MAKING A FEW MORE CALLS AND...I DUNNO, GRABBING MY
    CELL AND HEADING FOR CENTRAL VIRGINIA.

Panel five. David, still talking into phone, but packing bag.

13. Voice (in static): WHAT\'RE YOU GOING TO DO?

14. David: RIMA AND I ARE STICKING TOGETHER. SHE\'S ALREADY HEADED BACK
    TO HER PLACE \-- WANTED TO BE THERE IN CASE A.U. SENDS HER ROOMMATE
    HOME EARLY. I\'M FOLLOWING IN A COUPLE OF MINUTES BY BIKE.

15. David: OUR PLACES ARE PRETTY HIGH UP. I THINK WE\'LL BE FINE.

16. Caption: I\'m lying, but I don\'t want to sound panicky. But all I
    can think is:

17. Caption: \"I live in Washington, D.C. This is where they\'ll
    strike.\"

Panel six. David stares out window, looking at sky, as he holds phone.

18. David: JUST...TELL EVERYONE WE\'RE FINE. AND STAY IN TOUCH, OKAY?

19. Voice (in static): YOU BET, MAN. I\'LL TALK TO YOU SOON.

20. David: YEAH, OKAY.

21. David: BYE.

22. Caption: \"This is where they\'ll strike.\"

**PAGE SEVEN**

Four panels

Panel one. Above the waist shot of David in shower.

1.  Caption: I\'m 23. And thanks to a gastro-intestinal condition, I\'ll
    never serve in the military. My G.I. will keep me from being drafted
    as a G.I.

2.  Caption: But that\'s where my thoughts go:

3.  Caption: To a draft. To a war.

Panel two. David, in room, buttoning shirt hastily.

4.  Caption: More data rolls in.

5.  Caption: They found suspicious packages at National Airport. Links
    to Muslim terrorist Osama Bin Laden are reported. All four planes
    were confirmed as hijacked.

6.  Caption: Two from Boston, from home.

Panel three. David puts on shoes as he continues to watch television
screen.

7.  Caption: For a while, there were a couple of planes still
    unaccounted for by the airlines. People worried that another strike
    was imminent, and F-16s were scrambled in the airspace over D.C.

8.  Caption: Only later would the airlines finally report all stray
    planes landed. And it would come out why all chosen flights were,
    curiously, cross-coastal from the Eastern seaboard to Los Angeles.

9.  Caption: The gas tanks were all totally fueled.

Panel four. Over David\'s shoulder, the television screen shows Tim
Russert of *Meet the Press,* angry-faced.

10. Caption: Bigger explosion.

11. Voice (in static): THEY KNEW \-- THE BASTARDS *KNEW*.

**PAGE EIGHT**

Two panels

Panel one. With bike helmet and bag piled near bicycle, David sits on
opposite side of room at computer.

1.  Caption: I get quick word to my friends and family that I am okay.

2.  Caption: It\'s the Internet Age \-- even my grandparents are wired.

Panel two. Large panel of the computer screen, upon which the message
appears as follows (with the TO: List just being cut off by the top of
the monitor screen):

Subject From DC

Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2001 11:56:18

From: \"A. David Lewis\" \<adl6@georgetown.edu\>

> Folks,
>
> I just wanted to write a very quick e-mail to assure you all that I am
> fine. I\'m sure you have all been watching the news \-- it\'s
> shocking. For certain, it\'s war\...just as soon as we figure out who
> the enemy is. DC has gone a little crazy, with almost everything shut
> down, from Metro to airlines to schools, etc. The roads are packed and
> the phones are erratic. So, the best way may be to contact me by
> e-mail if you need to. Rima and I are sticking together, either at her
> house or at mine \-- thank god we moved out of Arlington, right near
> the Pentagon. I hope all your friends and family in the two areas are
> all fine \-- I\'m told that most sections of NYC are relatively
> unaffected, so don\'t panic. Dad, I hope you get this, stuck as you
> may be in Alabama.
>
> Everybody, please know that I love you and I\'m keeping safe. Check in
> when you each have the opportunity, ok?
>
> From DC to DMZ,
>
> ADL

**PAGE NINE**

Six panels

Panel one. David on bicycle heads uphill with bag slung across his body.
Cars line the street.

1.  Caption: The national Financial Center and Seat of Government. Both,
    effectively, crippled.

2.  Caption: For the first time ever, the FAA suspended *all* air
    traffic across America. The Metro is halted and train service is
    interrupted. The streets are grid-locked with cars \-- one way going
    to help, the other way trying to escape.

3.  Caption: My bike is the fastest thing on the road.

Panel two. Shot of Bank ATM at side of road.

4.  Caption: All of the local banks have been closed. Most stores, too.
    So I wonder if this is my last chance to get money for a while.

Panel three. David enters ATM as old lady converses with middle-aged
black lady.

5.  Caption: I got something else entirely \-- something a bit more
    precious.

6.  Old Lady: AN\' I WAS A SECRETARY THERE FOR, WHOO, WHAT? TEN YEARS?

7.  Middle-Aged Lady: UH HUH.

8.  Old Lady: BUT, YEAH, I JUS\' WANTED TO COME QUICK CASH A CHECK, BUT
    UH-UH. NO CAN DO.

Panel four. David removes helmet and speaks to old lady.

9.  David: DO YOU MEAN THE ATMs AREN\'T WORKING?

10. Old Lady: NO, THEY\'RE FINE, BUT I NEEDED TO GO INSIDE, GET IT
    CASHED TODAY.

11. David: OH...GOTCHA.

12. Caption: We don\'t say anything more, but we look at each
    other...with kindness in our eyes. She just gives a little smile and
    a nod. Then leaves.

Panel five. Middle-aged lady finishes with machine, conversing with
David.

13. Caption: I suppose if this had been any other day, I might have
    found talking with strangers awkward. Or actually been bothered and
    annoyed by her chatter.

14. Caption: But not today. In fact, today I welcome it, and even take
    part in it.

15. David: HEY.

16. M-A Lady: HEY THERE.

17. David: HOW\'RE YOU DOING?

18. M-A Lady: OH, YOU KNOW...*THROWN.* YOU?

19. David: YEAH. PRETTY SURREAL. EVERYBODY OKAY?

20. M-A Lady: THINK SO.

Panel six. Middle-aged lady leaves and David smirks.

21. M-A Lady: YOURS?

22. David: I THINK THEY\'RE OKAY.

23. M-A Lady: GOOD. GOOD.

24. David: YEAH...STAY SAFE, OKAY?

25. M-A Lady: YOU TOO.

26. Caption: And that was my conversation with a woman I never knew.
    Talking about this unnamed ordeal like old comrades.

**PAGE TEN**

Three panels

Panel one. At crossroads of Wisconsin and Calvert, David observes people
from every strata of life talking and walking home amongst the cars.

1.  Caption: Everybody not in their car is out on the street. All
    dismissed from work or school, slowly walking their ways home. Maybe
    they\'re doing the same in New York, trudging home through the
    avenues.

2.  Caption: Except their streets are covered in at least two inches of
    surreal, debris-snow.

3.  Caption: ...Actually, it\'s probably *not* the same...

Panel two. David bikes by more walking, conversing citizens.

4.  Caption: I don\'t understand how this can happen. The Pentagon
    attacked. The World Trade Center destroyed. The world so quickly
    changed. I\'m a child of *peacetime*. With the exception of Desert
    Storm \-- a remote skirmish, in a televised land \-- I\'ve never
    known war.

5.  Caption: Maybe that\'s why I\'m so surprised by my fellow citizens.
    Whether they\'re Americans or allies \-- They don\'t sulk or plod.
    They walk with energy. They talk with compassion. They smile just to
    be alive.

Panel three. Close-up on David\'s face. Either the wind against his face
or the sentiment causes his eyes to water.

6.  Caption: In New York City, a child drags a struggling man into a
    church and washes his eyes with holy water. On the Capital steps,
    Republicans and Democrats join together in unison to sing \"God
    Bless America.\" Across the world, former enemies come out in
    support of America to condemn the \"cowardly attack\" and this
    \"darkest hour of terrorist atrocity.\"

7.  Caption: Something horrible has united us.

**PAGE ELEVEN**

Five panels

Panel one. Inside Rima\'s apartment, where she watches television.
Outside the window, David pulls up. A Starbucks can be seen across the
street.

1.  Caption: That comforting revelation doesn\'t last long.

2.  Voice (in static): \-- TURNED THE HIJACKED PLANE INTO A LIVING
    CRUISE MISSILE \--

Panel two. Outside apartment, David knocks on door as he looks behind
him, across the street.

3.  SFX: knock-knock-knock

4.  David: HEH.

Panel three. Inside doorway, Rima lets David in. He thumbs at the
Starbucks across the street.

5.  David: HEY.

6.  Rima: HEY. HEAR FROM YOUR DAD?

7.  David: NOT YET \-- I\'M SURE HE\'S FINE, THOUGH. WHAT ABOUT YOUR
    FRIENDS?

8.  Rima: CAROLE\'S CALLING HOME. NABEEL IS OKAY. CAN\'T REACH ASH OR
    OMAR YET.

9.  Rima: HMMP. WHEN DO YOU THINK THEY\'RE GOING TO START COLLECTING US
    \"JAPS,\" HUH?

10. Rima: ...WHAT WERE YOU LOOKING AT OUT THERE?

11. David: THE STARBUCKS.

Panel four. Inside apartment, David puts down his bag and Rima returns
to the couch, holding out her hand.

12. David: I WAS JUST THINKING \-- SOME PEOPLE HAVE CALLED STARBUCKS
    \"THE PRETENTIOUS END OF THE WORLD.\" A NATIONAL FRANCHISE-BLIGHT,
    JUST POPPING UP EVERYWHERE.

13. David: BUT I COULDN\'T HELP FEELING JUST THE OPPOSITE OUT THERE.
    SEEING PEOPLE DRINKING THEIR COFFE, BUYING THEIR LATTES \-- MAKES ME
    FEEL ALMOST LIKE...LIFE GOES ON.

Panel five. Close-up on Rima and David\'s interlaced hands as they watch
the television.

14. Voice (in static): \-- FREEDOM WILL BE DEFENDED \--

**PAGE TWELVE**

Four panels

Panel one. David and Rima sit on couch, watching television, mesmerized.

1.  Voice (in static): \-- CALLING FROM CELL PHONES INSIDE THE DEBRIS
    \--

2.  Voice (in static): \-- LOCAL HOTELS, POLICE ARE FINDING SUSPICIOUS
    PACKAGES \--

3.  Voice (in static): \-- TERRORIST CELL BOTH OVERSEAS AND HERE IN
    AMERICA \--

4.  Voice (in static): \-- UNKNOWN NUMBER OF BODIES, ER, PEOPLE STILL
    BENEATH THE RUBBLE \--

Panel two. Same as panel one.

5.  Voice (in static): \-- SUSPENDED START OF PGA\'S WORLD GOLF
    CHAMPIONSHIP \--

6.  Voice (in static): \-- POSTONE THIS WEEKEND\'S EMMY AWARDS \--

7.  Voice (in static): \-- ALL MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL GAMES, THE AMERICAN
    PASTIME \--

Panel three. Same as panel two, except Carole has entered from hallway.
She stands across room, looking out the window.

8.  Voice (in static): \-- BODIES FALLING FROM THE SKY \--

9.  Voice (in static): \-- INTENDED FOR CAMP DAVID \--

10. Voice (in static): \-- DISNEYLAND AND DISNEYWORLD CLOSED \--

11. Voice (in static): \-- WHEELCHAIRS UNABLE TO ESCAPE VIA THE
    STAIRWELLS \--

12. Carole: HEY \--

Panel four. Same as panel three, except David and Rima look at each
other.

13. Carole: \-- THEY\'RE CLOSING STARBUCKS.

14. Caption: Civilization comes to a screeching halt.

**PAGE THIRTEEN**

Seven panels

Panel one. David sits on his couch in his apartment, portable phone on
the coffee table and laptop on his outstretched legs.

1.  Caption: The following hours are a blur of frightening pictures and
    hazy information.

Panel two. Close-up of David\'s bookshelf, with *Kingdom Come*,
*Watchmen*, *Maus,* and *Planetary* all right against each other.

2.  Caption: More evidence has arisen from Boston, tying the hijackers
    to Middle East origins \-- which has Rima quietly freaked. Hate mail
    is already flooding many hapless Muslim groups.

3.  Caption: Building #7 of the World Trade Center also fell. After the
    Towers, it was almost an afterthought.

4.  Caption: Initial numbers have started to come in. Over 100 dead at
    the Pentagon. And over 6% of all public servants in New York City
    have been lost. President Bush estimates casualties in the
    thousands.

Panel three. Pull back to reveal television set next to bookcase. Images
of wreckage appear and dust-covered victims appears.

5.  Caption: But, there\'s some hope \-- Rima found all her friends.
    There have been no further strikes. Multi-faith prayer vigils are
    assembled on campus. The words \"Say a Prayer\" are written in huge,
    chalk letters on the courtyard bricks.

6.  Caption: Yeah, *some* hope...But not nearly enough.

Panel four. David leans back and pinches the bridge of his nose. A
portable phone sits besides him on the couch. A clock hangs above his
left shoulder.

7.  Caption: Almost simultaneously, Neil, Danny, and I write to each
    other, talking about disaster relief. We agree to contact some
    friends \-- explore what comics can do to help.

8.  Caption: I exhaust my address book. And my mind \-- The best thing I
    can think to do now is sleep.

9.  SFX: RING!

Panel five. Same shot as panel four, except David\'s free hand has
raised the phone to his ear.

10. Caption: Can\'t imagine the kind of dreams I\'ll have...

11. David: HELLO?

Panel six. Same shot as panel five.

12. David: ...

Panel seven. Same shot at panel six, except his hand now rests over his
eyes instead of pinching his nose. A small tear runs under his hand and
down his face. The clock hands point to just minutes past 10 pm.

13. David: OH, GOD...I AM SO GLAD TO HEAR IT\'S YOU, DAD...

14. Caption: But who knows? It could be a new world *again* tomorrow.

15. Caption: God willing.

Epitaphs: \"THIS IS THE FIRST GREAT TEST OF THIS NEW CENTURY\" --- Tom
Brokaw

\"THINE ALABASTER CITIES GLEAM, UNDIMMED BY HUMAN TEARS\" --- *America
the Beautiful*