Interactive graphic novel for kids, set in an haunted academy where something mysterious and terrible happened long ago. A brother and sister must navigate the dangers and surprises of the school, meeting and helping the trapped ghosts of students along the way. There's a prize for readers locked in a strongbox; to unlock it, help the kids solve a series of eight puzzles and ciphers, each solution freeing a ghost, adding a helper, and providing a piece of the final code.

TONE REFERENCES

CHARACTER NOTES

SCRIPT

(Text in panel layout here. Text-only .pdf here. )

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CAPTION: MANY YEARS AGO, WHEN OLD PEOPLE NOW DEAD WERE LITTLE CHILDREN, EVERYBODY KNEW ABOUT THE BRIDWELL BRAIN FLOWER SCHOOL FOR CLEVER CHILDREN, TRAINING GROUND FOR YOUNG PUZZLERS, SOLVERS OF MAZES, CIPHERS, AND SECRET CODES.
THE SCHOOL WAS IN A BIG HOUSE ON A LITTLE ISLAND IN A BIG LAKE.
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CAPTION: THEN SOMETHING HAPPENED.
THE SCHOOL CLOSED, AND IN TIME PEOPLE FORGOT ABOUT IT.
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<kids out on water in a canoe>
CAPTION: THEN, ONE WEEK AGO, A BROTHER AND SISTER ON FAMILY VACATION SET OUT FOR A LITTLE PADDLE ON THE LAKE.
A SUMMER STORM RISES.
THEY CAN'T SEE THE SHORE ANYMORE.
THROUGH THE SIDEWAYS‐FLYING RAIN, THEY GLIMPSE THE OUTLINE OF THE ISLAND. THERE SEEMS LITTLE CHOICE.
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ADAM: <HACK, HACK, GAG> ... MADE IT...
MARTHA: NOT EXACTLY DRY LAND, BUT AT LEAST NOW WE WON'T DROWN.
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ADAM: I LIKE THE BEACH, BUT I THINK I'M DONE WITH THIS ONE. LET'S FIND SOMEPLACE DRY!
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<sees big, decrepit house in distance>
MARTHA: OKAY, WELL, SO... OKAY THEN. BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR, HUH?
ADAM: NO KIDDING. WHAT DO YOU THINK?
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MARTHA: I THINK IT'S GETTING DARK. AND I THINK I'D LIKE WATER TO STOP RUNNING DOWN MY NECK.
ADAM: SO, IT'S GETTING DARK AND YOU WANT TO GO TOWARDS THE HAUNTED HOUSE?
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<Martha's already walking away towards the house>
MARTHA: GOT SOMEPLACE BETTER TO GO?
ADAM: GOOD POINT.
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<Exterior of Brain Flower School>
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<The kids pass through a big gate, hanging crooked off its hinges, overgrown with ivy. School crest: ‘Bridwell Brain Flower School for Clever Children’ on or near it somewhere>
<speech caption, set over the image (ie; can't see the speaker)>
SPEECH CAPTION: THIS WAS A SCHOOL?
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<Inset closeup of the crest, worn, half‐covered with ivy, dripping water>
SPEECH CAPTION: ...WHAT KIND OF SCHOOL WOULD BE WAY OUT HERE?
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<POV changes so we see kids coming through the gate coming towards us. We are looking through a broken window, over the tops of two small heads, THE TWINS (OPEM and FRATER). They watch the soggy, huddled kids approach them in the house>
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<POV from inside entryway. Kids come in front door. Water is dripping in from a leaky roof. There's a grand stairway leading upstairs.>
MARTHA: WOW... CHECK THIS OUT.
ADAM: YEAH. IT MUST BE CRAZY OLD. <shouting> HELLO!? ‐‐
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MARTHA: NOBODY HOME. AT LEAST IT'S DRY...ISH. WONDER WHAT'S UPSTAIRS?
ADAM: GHOSTS.
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MARTHA: OOH. DON'T SAY THAT. ...YOU THINK?
ADAM: ACTUALLY, I DON'T WANT TO KNOW.
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MARTHA: COME ON ‐‐ LET'S FIND OUT.
ADAM: NO WAY. IT'S JUST AS DRY RIGHT HERE. BY THE DOOR.
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MARTHA: WELL I'M GOING TO CHECK IT OUT.
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<further up stairs, as Adam watches to see if she's bluffing>
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ADAM: OH MAN.
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MARTHA: <over shoulder> WATCH OUT, THE STAIRS ARE‐‐
ADAM: <foot breaking through a rotten stair> WHOA‐!
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ADAM: THANKS FOR THE HEADS UP. HEY ‐‐ WAIT UP!
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<POV: from behind TWINS again, this time from waist up, side by side. They are in a dorm room, looking at the door, which is framed symetrically between them>
SPEECH: <coming through the door, which is ajar> I WARNED YOU, DIDN'T I?
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<same frame, kids come through the door>
ADAM: <recoiling> COOL. THIS LOOKS LIKE ‐‐ YI!!
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MARTHA: <in shock, eyes wide>: OH BOY. OH BOY.
OPEM: SHHHHHHH! WE MUST BE VERY QUIET!
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MARTHA: <still in shock. Small, small voice> OKAY. ...OKAY.
ADAM: <rigid, looking at twins> HAUNTED HOUSE. HAUNTED HOUSE. HAUNTED HOUSE.
OPEM: I'M OPEM. THIS IS FRATER. HE CAN'T TALK MUCH ANYMORE. IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME. WE'RE THE ONLY ONES LEFT.
<FRATER is continuously looking around, fearfully. His arms are always crossed, like he's cold. He's even more transparent than OPEM>
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MARTHA: OKAY, WELL, THANKS, WE'LL LEAVE YOU ALONE NOW...
OPEM: SHHHHH!
MARTHA: SORRY. RIGHT. WHY ARE WE WHISPERING?
ADAM: <sotto voce> HAUNTED HOUSE. HAUNTED HOUSE...
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OPEM: I DON'T REMEMBER. BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. SOMETHING BAD WILL HAPPEN.
MARTHA: BAD?? OKAY, WE'VE GOTTA GET GOING ‐‐
ADAM: HAUNTED‐‐
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OPEM: NO! NO, PLEASE DON'T GO. PLEASE HELP US. HELP US, SO WE CAN GO HOME.
<pointing to box on desktop>
WE NEED TO OPEN OUR TOY BOX, THEN WE CAN GO HOME. HELP US OPEN IT, PLEASE? PLEASE?
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MARTHA: <curious> OPEN YOUR TOY BOX? WHY CAN'T YOU OPEN IT? WHAT'S INSIDE?
ADAM: <coming around> YOU‐‐ YOU'RE JUST KIDS. LIKE US. THEY'RE JUST KIDS!‐‐
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MARTHA and OPEM: SHHHHHH!
ADAM: <under breath> GLOWING, CREEPY KIDS...
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OPEM: THERE ARE SPECIAL THINGS INSIDE. YOU CAN HAVE THEM. BUT THE BOX IS PUZZLE‐LOCKED. TO GO HOME, WE JUST NEED TO SOLVE THE PUZZLE. BUT WE FORGOT HOW. WE'VE FORGOTTEN SO MANY THINGS... WE CAN ONLY REMEMBER PIECES. THEN WE NEED HELP.
WE WANT TO GO HOME. PLEASE HELP.
ADAM: UM...OKAY. OKAY. WE'LL HELP. RIGHT? WE'LL HELP, WHY NOT.
<under breath> LET'S HELP THE LITTLE GHOST KIDS.
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<view of toybox from above, showing detail>
SPEECH CAPTION: WHAT DO WE DO? FOUR NUMBERS. WE NEED FOUR NUMBERS.
SPEECH CAPTION: NO PROBLEM. HOW HARD CAN THAT BE?
SPEECH CAPTION: TOO HARD FOR US NOW. WE WERE BRAIN FLOWER PUZZLERS. BUT NOW...ONLY PIECES...PUZZLE PIECES...
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ADAM: OKAY, WELL, WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER? WHERE DO WE START?
OPEM: I REMEMBER...IT STARTS WITH WORDS. YES! ALWAYS WITH WORDS! WE FIND THE WORDS, THE WORDS MAKE THE PUZZLE, THE PUZZLE MAKES THE NUMBERS, THE NUMBERS OPEN THE BOX!
MARTHA: SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR A WORD. A PUZZLE, AND THE ANSWER IS A WORD.
<in background, FRATER has stopped looking around and seems to be remembering something>
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MARTHA: WHERE‐‐
<FRATER silently points to a folded sheet of paper elsewhere on the desk>
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MARTHA: <looking at FRATER as if a rock just spoke to her> OH. ...THANKS.
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<all gather around desk and look down at paper>
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* CREASE PUZZLE + HINT *
HINT = THIS IS CALLED A CREASE PUZZLE. THE FOLDS IN THE PAPER ARE IMPORTANT CLUES. WHY?
ANSWER = WHAT
SPEECH CAPTION: SO THERE'S A HIDDEN WORD HERE SOMEWHERE. HOW DO WE FIND IT?
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MARTHA: OKAY, SO NOW WE HAVE THE FIRST WORD IN THE PUZZLE. ALL WE NEED ARE THE REST, AND WE CAN SOLVE IT AND ALL GET OUT OF HERE.
ADAM: CAN YOU REMEMBER WHERE THE NEXT PUZZLE IS?
OPEM: <who, with FRATER, have become subtly less transparent. we can see a little more eyes rather than just sunken pits> NO. WAIT ‐‐ YES! I CAN REMEMBER NOW!
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OPEM: COME ON ‐‐ LET'S GET A WIGGLE ON.
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<walk through some rooms, into hallway/gallery>
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ADAM: WOW...WHAT HAPPENED HERE? IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING TORE THIS PLACE APART.
OPEM: <suddenly very afraid, big eyes> YES...SOMETHING. SOMETHING BAD. I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT. IT'S WHY WE HAVE TO BE QUIET.
MARTHA: YOU WON'T ANY ARGUMENT FROM ME...
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<FRATER points at the wall, with urgency>
ADAM: WHAT'S HE TRYING TO TELL US?
OPEM: THIS IS THE NEXT PUZZLE. THE HOLES IN THE WALL, THE LETTERS ‐‐ THEY HOLD THE KEY.
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* DOT CODE PUZZLE + HINT + KEEPING TRACK OF PREVIOUS ANSWER *
HINT = DO THE HOLES IN THE WALL ALIGN WITH ANY LETTERS? IS THIS IMPORTANT?
ANSWER = MONTH
SPEECH CAPTION: HOW CAN WE FIND THE SECRET WORD FROM HOLES IN A WALL?
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<OPEM and FRATER slightly less opaque>
FRATER: COLD...SO COLD...
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<ADAM/MARTHA double takes>
BOTH: YOU CAN TALK!
FRATER: YES, NOW I CAN. I'M BRIGHTENING. YOU'RE SWELL ‐‐ THANK YOU!
OPEM: WE'RE BRIGHTENING.
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FRATER: LIVING CHILDREN, WARM CHILDREN, SOLVING PUZZLES ‐‐
OPEM: ‐‐WE'RE WARMING ‐‐
FRATER: ‐‐AND REMEMBERING.
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<suddenly look at each other>
OPEM: OH NO ‐‐ PIGPEN!
FRATER: PIGPEN! I REMEMBER. HE'S STUCK. I KNOW WHERE HE IS!
ADAM: UH, GUYS? WHAT'S GOING ON?
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FRATER: <running out> I KNOW WHERE HE IS!
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<run through several rooms, end up in classroom. PIGPEN is sitting at desk alone facing chalkboard>
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PIGPEN: YOU'RE HERE! I'VE BEEN VERY STILL. I'VE BEEN VERY QUIET. I PROMISE.... BUT SO COLD. SO COLD...
OPEM: WE HAVE HELP. THEY'RE WARM CHILDREN, GOOD PUZZLERS. THEY'RE GOING TO HELP US GET HOME.
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* PIGPEN PUZZLE + HINT + KEEPING TRACK OF PREVIOUS ANSWER *
HINT = <visual hint for key>
ANSWER = AND
SPEECH CAPTION: WHOA. THOSE AREN'T EVEN REAL LETTERS. HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO FIND THE SECRET WORD FROM THOSE?
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PIGPEN: I'M UNSTUCK! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
OPEM: YOU SEE? I TOLD YOU ‐‐ THEY'RE GOOD PUZZLERS. THE BEE'S KNEES!
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PIGPEN: <loudly> I'M UNSTUCK! I'M WARMING! HIP HIP‐‐
<everyone else cringes; someone holds finger to lips>
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<freezes, suddenly afraid>
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PIGPEN: OH NO. <very very quiet> I REMEMBER NOW. I REMEMBER. WHY SO QUIET. BECAUSE THEY'LL HEAR YOU, THEY'LL COME ‐‐
TWINS: THEY?...
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OPEM:: <understanding> OH NO ‐‐
FRATER: ‐‐ NOT THEM. OH NO, NO, NO...
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MARTHA: WHO? WHAT? WHAT'S GOING ON?
TWINS: THE ERASERS. THE ERASERS WILL HEAR US.
ADAM: ERASERS? W‐WHAT'S AND ERASER?
PIGPEN: <covering eyes in despair> THEY COME WHEN THEY HEAR YOU. THEY CAN'T SEE, BUT THEY CAN HEAR YOU. AND IF THEY GET YOU....IT HURTS.
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ADAM: OH MAN. UH, MARTHA? I'D LIKE TO GO NOW. CAN WE GO NOW? I REALLY DON'T MIND GETTING WET. RAIN'S NOT SOUNDING SO BAD ANYMORE.
TWINS: OH PLEASE DON'T GO! PLEASE!
MARTHA: WE CAN'T JUST LEAVE THESE KIDS. WE PROMISED WE'D HELP.
PIGPEN: PLEASE STAY! ALBERTI NEEDS US!
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FRATER: ALBERTI?! ALBERTI IS STILL HERE?
PIGPEN: JUST BARELY, I THINK. I REMEMBER WHERE HE IS NOW‐‐
OPEM: YES! I DO TOO! ALBERTI IS STUCK ON THE NEXT PART OF THE PUZZLE!
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MARTHA: ADAM? ARE YOU WITH US?
ADAM: ERASERS. TIPTOEING AROUND A HAUNTED HOUSE WITH A GANG OF SPOOKY KIDS... HEY, SURE, WHO WOULDN'T BE. LET'S GO FIND YOUR FRIEND.
OPEM: SWELL! COME ON!
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<through some more rooms. in one frame, ADAM puts his foot through a rotten floorboard again, prompting a SHHHH! from the others and a muffled expletive from ADAM. final panel: enter conservatory>
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PIGPEN: <ecstatic look on face. we can see his eyes> > WE'VE FOUND HIM. I CAN GO HOME NOW. I CAN GO HOME‐‐
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<rises up off the floor and melts>
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MARTHA: <in awe> WHERE'D HE GO?
TWINS: HOME.
ADAM: <also in awe> SURE, BUT‐‐
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<change in POV so we are facing ALBERTI, who stands looking anxious and with his arms crossed like he's cold, with ADAM and the kids behind him>
ADAM: <change in demeanor> YOU KNOW WHAT? NEVER MIND ‐‐
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* CIPHER WHEEL PUZZLE + HINT + KEEPING TRACK OF PREVIOUS ANSWER *
HINT = ALIGN THE TWO ARROWS ON EACH WHEEL. THE INNER WHEEL IS FOR CODE LETTERS; THE OUTER WHEEL FOR THE SECRET WORD.
ANSWER = DAY
SPEECH CAPTION: ‐‐ LET'S SOLVE THIS PUZZLE SO I CAN GO HOME TOO.
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ALBERTI: I'M UNSTUCK! BUT SO COLD...
ADAM: OKAY, WHAT DOES HE MEAN 'UNSTUCK'? HOW IS HE STUCK?
OPEM: WE'RE PUZZLERS. WE CAN'T LEAVE A PUZZLE UNSOLVED. EVEN THOUGH OUR WARM BODIES LEFT A LONG TIME AGO, WE LINGER WITH THE PUZZLES UNSOLVED. ONLY THE MORE WE LINGER, THE MORE WE FORGET. AND SO WE GET STUCK.
FRATER: BUT NOW, YOU'VE COME. YOU'RE WARM. YOU CAN HELP. WE BRIGHTEN, AND WE REMEMBER.
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OPEM: AND WHEN THE LAST PUZZLE IS SOLVED, WHEN THE TOY BOX IS OPENED, WE CAN GO HOME TOO.
ALBERTI: HOME. I WANT TO GO HOME. I'M SO COLD. HOME IS ‐‐ WAIT ‐‐ WE ‐‐ WE AREN'T THE ONLY ONES.
MARTHA: THERE ARE MORE KIDS? HOW MANY MORE? WHERE ARE THEY?
ALBERTI: I CAN'T REMEMBER‐‐
ADAM: OH BROTHER.
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OPEM: ALBERTI, CAN YOU REMEMBER JUST ONE? ANYONE?
ALBERTI: <looking at MARTHA> I'M SO COLD... COULD I ‐‐ COULD I GET JUST A LITTLE MORE WARM‐‐?
MARTHA: WHAT DO YOU MEAN? FROM ME? YOU'RE KIND OF FREAKING ME OUT ‐‐
ALBERTI: JUST A LITTLE. PLEASE? I'LL BE GOOD. JUST A LITTLE.
ADAM: UH, MARTHA, I DON'T KNOW...
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ALBERTI: <edging closer> I'LL BE GOOD...
MARTHA: <alarmed> HEY, THAT'S COLD. I'M GETTING COLD. THAT'S ENOUGH. THAT'S CLOSE ENOUGH ‐‐
OPEM: ALBERTI, BE GOOD.
FRATER: ALBERTI ‐‐
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ALBERTI: <steps back, as if breaking a trance> YES. YES. I REMEMBER NOW. THANK YOU FOR HELPING.
I REMEMBER. I REMEMBER GRAHAM. THERE ARE MORE, BUT I REMEMBER GRAHAM.
OPEM: GRAHAM! SO SMALL...
FRATER: TAKE US TO HIM
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<travel to other room. in one frame, a bannister breaks or some other piece of the building off in ADAM'S hand, prompting a SHHHH! from the others and a muffled expletive from ADAM. final panel: hallway with phone.>
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ALBERTI: <ecstatic look on face. we can see his eyes> HE'S HERE! AND I CAN GO‐‐
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<rises up and melts>
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* PHONE CODE PUZZLE + HINT + KEEPING TRACK OF PREVIOUS ANSWER *
HINT = <visual hint for key>
ANSWER = DO
SPEECH CAPTION: WHY DON'T WE JUST PHONE HOME?
ADAM!
OKAY, OKAY.
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GRAHAM: <suddenly hugging stuffed toy, crying> CAN I GO HOME NOW?
OPEM: YES...
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<melts>
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<all silent and contemplative in a ring around the phone where GRAHAM used to be>
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<phone rings loudly! everyone looks in shock and terror>
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ADAM: WAIT ‐‐ WHAT? WHAT? HOW?
<MARTHA tries to silence bells>
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<MARTHA finally rips phone off the wall and throws it floor>
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<it's quiet. everyone stands a moment, looking at it on the floor>
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<closeup: eyes looking around expectantly>
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<sounds coming from off panel>
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OPEM: <eyes wide> ERASERS! ERASERS ARE COMING! RUN! RUN!
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<running through rooms; sounds behind them, but get quieter as they progress. final panel: close door behind them and rest with backs against it, listening>
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FRATER: I THINK WE GOT AWAY. THEY'RE SLOW NOW. THEY'RE COLD. BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO STOP. THEY'RE LISTENING NOW. WE HAVE TO BE VERY, VERY QUIET.
OPEM: <looking off frame> GOOD.
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ADAM: <whirling around> HOW COULD THAT BE GOOD?!
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OPEM: WE'VE FOUND THE NEXT PUZZLE. AND SARAH B.
SARAH B, IT'S ALMOST TIME TO GO HOME.
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* BRAIN PUZZLE + HINT + KEEPING TRACK OF PREVIOUS ANSWER *
HINT = FOLLOW THE ARROW IN, AND CONNECT A LINE TO THE ARROW OUT. THERE'S ONLY ONE CLEAR PATH.
ANSWER = WE
SPEECH CAPTION: IT LOOKS LIKE ‐‐ I THINK IT LOOKS LIKE A MAZE.
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SARAH B: OH THANK YOU, THANK YOU, WARM....
MARTHA: HOW MANY MORE PUZZLES ARE THERE? CAN YOU REMEMBER?
OPEM: YES, I CAN. JUST TWO MORE. DO YOU REMEMBER WHERE ‐‐
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SARAH B: YES, THIS WAY‐‐
<sounds at the door behind them>
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FRATER: HURRY! THEY'VE FOUND US!
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<run through rooms and doorways into a hallway. final frame: floor gives out under ADAM, which takes the whole hall floor down and they all fall through>
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<kids all tangled in debris; ghosts mysteriously unruffled and standing beside it>
OPEM: SHH! BE STILL.
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<listen. nothing>
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MARTHA: I DON'T HEAR ANYTHING, DO Y‐‐ OMIGOSH! ADAM! YOUR FACE! ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?
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<ADAM'S face is dripping red. he looks at his hand. also dripping red>
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ADAM: AAAAHH! THEY GOT ME! I'M GOING TO‐‐ THEY GOT ME!
<everyone cringes at the volume>
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<looks at other hand. it's bright green>
ADAM: AAAAHH‐‐UH. HEY. WAITAMINUTE.
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<looks around him in debris. lifts up a squashed tube>
ADAM: <so relieved, he's loopy> IT'S PAINT. I LANDED IN PAINT. THIS MUST BE THE ART ROOM. HA! HAHAHAHA!
ALL: SHHHHH!
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ADAM: HA‐ OOH. HM.
SARAH B: IT IS THE STUDIO. WE'VE FOUND HANNAH. AND THE NEXT PUZZLE.
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<larger frame that shows studio with HANNAH and where all kids are in it. ADAM is wiping his face with his shirt>
SARAH B: AND I CAN GO ‐‐
<melts>
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* TRANSPOSITION/MIRROR PUZZLE + HINT + KEEPING TRACK OF PREVIOUS ANSWER *
HINT = WHAT'S THE OPPOSITE OF FRONT‐TO‐BACK?
ANSWER = CELEBRATE
SPEECH CAPTION: WE SHOULD BE GETTING PRETTY GOOD AT THESE BY NOW. SO WHAT'S THE SECRET WORD IN ALL THIS MESS?
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HANNAH: THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I HAVE THE GRILLE, DO YOU REMEMBER? TAKE IT...
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HANNAH: BRIGHTER, BRIGHTER, WARMER, WARMER...
<melts>
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<closeup of hand with openable envelope. grille can be slipped out>
SPEECH CAPTION: THE GRILLE! I REMEMBER.
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OPEM: <holding up grille> THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOOL. VERY USEFUL.
<sounds of erasers off panel>
MARTHA: AGAIN!? QUICK, WHICH WAY??
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OPEM: <calm> I REMEMBER NOW. WE CAN REMOVE THE ERASERS. IF WE'RE BRAVE.
FRATER: THE GRILLE. IT'S NEVER BEEN DONE. JUST IN BOOKS. IT'S VERY DANGEROUS ‐‐
OPEM: YES. BUT WE CAN'T KEEP RUNNING. THEY WILL GET US IN THE END. THEY ALWAYS DO.
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OPEM: ADAM, WE CAN'T DO THIS OURSELVES. WE'RE NOT BRIGHT ENOUGH. WE NEED YOUR HELP.
ADAM: I DON'T LIKE THE SOUND OF THIS.
MARTHA: WE'LL DO IT. WHATEVER IT IS, LET'S JUST GET IT DONE.
ADAM: EASY FOR YOU TO SAY. WHY DON'T YOU DO IT?
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FRATER: IT HAS TO BE THE BIGGEST, AND THE LOUDEST.
ADAM: HEY, WAIT A MINUTE ‐‐
<sounds louder, closer>
MARTHA: THEY'RE COMING! WHAT DO WE DO??
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OPEM: STAND FAST. BE VERY STILL. AND BE BRAVE. CLOSE YOUR EYES IF NEED TO. AND SCREAM.
ADAM: SCREAM? JUST LIKE THAT? HOW DO YOU EXPECT ‐‐?
FRATER: DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE ERASERS WILL DO TO YOU IF THEY GET YOU?
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<FRATER whispers in ADAM'S ear. ADAM'S eyes are huge>
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ADAM: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!
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<long panoramic panel. ERASERS burst into room; OPEM holds grille in front of ADAM'S MOUTH about a foot; ERASERS are following sound of scream directly to his mouth; hitting the grille, they fragement, diffused through holes of the grille on the other side like through a sieve>
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<moment of stillness and silence. nothing further happens>
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ADAM: <small voice> OH, NASTY.
MARTHA: <plugging her nose> OH. OH GROSS. OH THAT'S SO GROSS. IT SMELLS LIKE DOG POOP.
ADAM: I SMELL LIKE DOG POOP. DOG POOP AND...POPCORN? NASTY NASTY NASTY!
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OPEM: THEY'RE GONE. FOR NOW. THERE'S JUST ONE MORE PUZZLE. WE HAVE TIME. BUT WE HAVE TO HURRY.
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<transit back to TWINS dorm room>
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* GRILLE PUZZLE + HINT + KEEPING TRACK OF PREVIOUS ANSWER *
HINT = THERE ARE TWO SIDES TO THE GRILLE, AND FOUR WAYS TO ROTATE IT ON EACH SIDE. ONLY ONE WAY WILL REVEAL THE SECRET WORD.
ANSWER = HALLOWEEN
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MARTHA: THAT'S IT! WE SOLVED THE LAST PUZZLE!
_______________________________________________________________________
MARTHA: ‐‐OH. WAIT. THE PUZZLES ARE SUPPOSED TO WORK TOGETHER. I FORGOT THE OTHER WORDS? WHAT WERE THEY?
ADAM: <shrugs>
MARTHA: <to TWINS> DO YOU REMEMBER?
_______________________________________________________________________
HINT = LOOK ON THE BORDERS OF PAGE FOR THE FULL CLUE TO THE TOYBOX PUZZLE.
HINT = USE THE NUMBER FOR THE MONTH, AND THE NUMBER FOR THE DAY ‐‐ YOU SHOULD HAVE FOUR NUMBERS.
_______________________________________________________________________
ADAM: THE FOUR NUMBERS. WE DID IT.
<through the window of the dorm room, we see the sun is rising and the blue of the lake in the distance over the trees. some colored light is filtering through the glass. pale color wash to everything in room now>
TWINS: <now very much less transparent. we can see their eyes very well. they even have a little cheek color to them> WE DID IT.
_______________________________________________________________________
OPEM: WHAT'S IN THE BOX IS YOURS TO KEEP
FRATER: YOU EARNED IT. THANK YOU.
OPEM: THANK YOU.
_______________________________________________________________________
<twins look at each other and hold hands>
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<melt>
_______________________________________________________________________
<room is now full color. sun fully risen in window. no rain, blue sky. blue lake water sparkling. ADAM and MARTHA stand silently looking at spot TWINS used to be in>
_______________________________________________________________________
ADAM: HOW ABOUT WE TAKE THE MORE SCENIC ROUTE HOME?

MARTHA: YEAH.
_______________________________________________________________________
<kids now very small as seen walking away outside through the same windowframe. very small speech bubble>:
MARTHA: YOU STILL SMELL LIKE DOG POOP.
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END.