The Box.

Well I was invited to collaborate in a horror anthology for a nice friend in USA and besides my comic and illustration art, I just decided that would a nice opportunity to get those stiffy fingers out of the box again and write a horror story I wanted to tell since some time ago. I guess another artist will be in the chores of this story. I will keep you guys updated on that.
I still need to edit some parts just in terms of the number of pages for the Comic but I liked the result. Wondy read it some hours ago and liked it!
The story dedicated to The Strange Corners guys, June et Wondy!

The Box©2006 Jesús Antonio Hernández Rodríguez
Page One
Panel One. At the distance We have inside a bar the bartender and owner of the place talking to one of his clients.
Owner: Ha! Yeah! Last time I heard the same I just couldn´t stop laughing…!
Panel Two: We have in the perspective of the bartender and bar how a man enters from the front door two packages.
Owner: Pascual…! Great to see you here… it has been ages since last time you were here..
Pascual waves his hand saying hello to the Owner and shaking a bit worried.
Pascual: Hello …! Please give me a straight shot of Tequila…please..!
Panel Three: Now Pascual is sitting on the bar and is putting his packages at his own right aside the other guy that the Owner was talking in panel One.
Owner: Pascual I was talking about you to this guy (Alberto) and I was telling him how great you are at telling stories…
Pascual: Me? Which stories..? Not because I owned a bookstore means I am a storyteller..
Owner: C´mon you always have something funny to say..!
Panel four:Pascual is starting to sweat that kind of cold sweat while ordering a new shot of Tequila.
Pascual: Please just give me another shot of Tequila..
Pascual literally drinks that shot at one shallow.
Owner: You are not celebrating anything right? What is wrong with you? Do you still have those economical problems you once told..?
Pascual: Just shut up! and give me another shot of Tequila!
Panel five:Pascual drinks his third shot of Tequila.
Pascual: Can you promise to tell in the story I will tell you know?
Owner: Do you mean NOT to say a word?
Pascual: No!!! I want you to spread the word!!
Guy aside Pascual: Why?
Owner: C´mon that is not you, the one who is talking..
Panel Six:Pascual takes his packages and starts opening them.
Pascual: Say to everybody the story I will tell now… warn everyone..
Panel Seven: Pascual opens one of the two packages and We can see a Jack in the Box.
Pascual: This is the reason of all my fears!.

Page Two
Panel One: We have a kind of Flashback telling the story of Pascual.The penciler has to draw what it is explained on every panel.
Pascual: Well some months I was broke after the problem my wife had with her health too much money spent on her recovery and just for nothing, I beg God for her recovery and never happened. My daughter and my son couldn´t help but just seeing her Mother dying in hard screams of pain. It was a relief When She was gone!!
Panel Two:
Pascual: With all the debts I had I just had to sell my bookstore and now the bank was asking for their money back and the only way to pay was the house, I didn´t want to do it because it was my inheritance to my two children, but I had to do it the bank just took my money and my house…
Panel Three: The only thing left was an old book that nobody saw me take while the eviction guys were at my house.
Panel Four: I was so frustrated and I just took the book to an antique store and sold it for quite a small amount of money, enough to deal for some months..
Panel Five: But I saw this Jack in the box on that antique store and I asked for the price, maybe you are thinking I was crazy for asking for the price of something when I had other priorities but I just wanted to please myself as a prize for all the nightmare my life became since months ago.

Page Three.
Panel Six: I just thought my strike of bad luck was over because the owner said I could take it for free because nobody has ever liked him and for him was to get rid of something He was not really happy with to have…!
Panel Seven:
I arrived to the hotel where We were staying now and I was showing off my prize and the money I received for that old book.
Panle Eight:
I wanted to see if the mechanism of that Jack in the box still worked and I tried to put it in function when suddenly the manivel started to move by itself.
Panel Nine:
The Jack in box had a melody and the Jack lips started moving and a gritty funny voice came from it.
Jack in the Box: Just three wishes, just three wishes, give a nickel and I will grant them. Beware to what you wish. Just three wishes and a life time to thank.
Panel Ten:
My daughter and my son were really laughing at the toy and We didn´t even get scared or something like that and my daughter hold my arm and told me to give him the nickel.
Panel Eleven:
I still do not know why but I just wanted to keep the prank and put a nickel in one slot the box had.
The Jack in the box started the melody again and that gritty voice said.
Jack in the Box: Three wishes, three wishes, no sorrow, no fear you will get what You deserve here!. What is your first wish?
Panel Twelve:
I started laughing and asked my children for the appropriated wish and only one thing crossed our mind.
All:MONEY!! We want to be rich!! Just MONEY!!
The Jack in the box moved again saying: Granted!

Page Four
Panel One: Next morning the curse started, I opened the door of the room where my son was to say goodbye, and the only thing I saw it was my son dead with his eyes wide opened in complete fear.
Panel Two: My daughter just screaming while seeing the scene. Of course We got rich, I just could not remember the insurance I paid some months ago in case my son died..I was in complete sorrow and regret... the insurance company was about to give me all that money at the expense of the life of my son!!! I just couldn´t believe it!!
Panel Three: I just returned from the funeral with my daughter in just pain and only one idea on my head: to destroy that Jack in the box!.
Panel Four: I found the jack in the box in the room where my son died and again suddenly the Jack started that horrible melody and that gritty voice again.
Jack in the box: Two wishes, two wishes, no sorrow no fear You are getting what you deserve here. Which is your second wish?
Panel Five: I didn´t expect that horrible toy to say that, And crying out loud I only screamed out:
Pascual: I want my son back!! I want my son back!
Jack in the box : Granted!!
Panel Six:
Now I listen the scream of my daughter next room and I thought the worst, I just came as fast as I could when I saw her coming toward my arms.
Daugther (screaming in total fear): What have you done!!? What have you done!!?
Panel Seven:
From the door it was my son back..He was back but I just could not expected how….
Panel Eight:
My son trying to enter to the room in total decomposition and screaming:
Son:You!! Why did you make me return!!? Whhhy????
Panel Nine:
Hitting the wall trying to enter while my daughther was trying to stop his entrance.
Every hit was becoming harder and harder…
Panel Ten:
I just entered in panic when I saw in the bed of that room again that Jack in the box and again for the last time I heard that melody and that gritty voice.
Jack in the voice: One wish, One wish, no sorrow no fear You get what you deserve here…which is just last wish?
Panel Eleven: Oh My God!! I just want him TO LEAVE!!
Panel Twelve:
My daughter was all in tears and a blunt silence surrounded the place, no more knocks or hits on that door…no more…He was gone!!

Page Five:
Panel One:We returned to the present scene and the owner of the Bar and the guy aside were mute they just could not believed what they had listened while Pascual asked for another shot of Tequila.
Panel Two:After drinking his shot of Tequila
Pascual: I am so sorry but... can you give me a moment?… I am so sorry!!
Owner: No…No problem!!
Panel Three: Pascual taking his two packages the two guys still with no words to say.
Pascual: Let me put myself together…I need to go to the restroom.
Owner: Please go!!
Panel Four:
Pascual is heading to the Restroom and The owner is really dubious to what He just listened
Owner: Do you really believed to what….?
BLAM!!!
Panel Five:The sound of a gunshot is listened over the bar and it was coming from the restroom.
The owner and the guy at the bar ran fast to see what it happened there.
Panel Six: Close up at The owner and the guy at the bar.
Both: Holy Crap!
Panel Seven: we see a down shot to the hand of Pascual full in blood and one nickel and next to him The Jack in the Box.

End.

Have a Great Day!!

JESUS ANTONIO