Land of All Sorts

Here is a little horror story. Hope you enjoy it.

The Land of All Sort

 

PAGE ONE

 

Panel One: A view of gates to a mansion with a winding road leading up to the mansion itself. It's a hug, dark, gothic structure. Behind it is the midnight sky with a crescent moon. At the edges of the panel and on the path leading up to the mansion are suitably spooky leafless trees.

Caption: Immaculate Heart of Mary Institute of the Psychologically Deranged

 

Panel Two: View down a stony hall way with doors on either side. Leaking Pipes run along the roof with a rat scurrying along them. A doctor and nurse are approaching the reader. The Doctor looks dishevelled. Balding he wears his glasses on the peak of his ravenous nose. His hands remain behind his back and he appears calm but disdainful. The nurse is lag slightly behind him. She is fat and has an uptight look about her. She is holding a clip board out in front of her.

Nurse: 42 has become even more paranoid, he refuses to eat now.

Doctor: He'll starve then

Nurse: 54 has regressed again. He stabbed Jenkins with a pen, in his eye.

Doctor: Should have seen it coming heh heh. Very well put him back on the medication. Any news about patient 36?

Nurse: 36, 36 ahh yes here we go. She's fine. Last time we checked she was out like a light.

 

Panel Three: view of the doctor looking back over his shoulder with his eyebrow cocked.

Doctor: Really? No sleep walking, no talking, nothing?

Nurse (off): Nothing.

 

Panel Four: Frontal of the doctor again with the nurse visible over his shoulder. He has a smug grin on his face.

Doctor: You know some times I surprise myself Nurse Hynes. Keep monitoring her over night and update me in the morning.

Nurse: Yes Doctor.

 

PAGE TWO

 

Panel One: View of the Doctor at his steering wheel. His craggy face is once again stoic.

Doctor: So Kathryn is better. My Kathryn. I healed her. The Land of All Sorts is gone.

 

Panel Two: Kathryn sat on a chair. She is about 12 years old. She has straight blonde hair that she is wearing down and is dressed in a very soft blue patient's uniform. She is the epitome of innocence but has a sad face. She is looking slightly, directly towards the reader.

Doctor (off): She was the only one who really deserved to be cured. So Innocent. So beautiful. I would cure her and she would be mine.

 

Panel Three: A large panel with the doctor sat down at one end of a massive table and Kathryn sat at the other. The doctor is leaning into the table intently staring at Kathryn with his forearms resting on the table as he takes notes. Kathryn at the other end is facing away from his gaze. Her feet don't reach the floor. In the middle of the table is some recording equipment.

Doctor: Patient name, Kathryn O'Donnell. Second interview. Patient suffers from acute schizophrenia, which presents itself in an unusual form of insomnia and somnambulism or sleep walking. Kathryn would you like to tell me more about "The Land of All-Sorts"?

Kathryn: Why? I've already told you?

 

Panel Four: Frontal of doctor, he has removed his glasses and is breathing on them.

Caption: She resisted me for the longest time, but that only exemplified her perfection.

Doctor: I know Kathryn but in order for me to help you , I need to know all I can, that way I can find out what's causing these little departures from the real world.

 

Panel Five: Frontal of Kathryn, she is looking straight at the reader, she looks frustrated.

Kathryn: It is the real world! I told you! And I told Mister Croak you didn't think he was real, and he didn't like it!

 

PAGE THREE

 

Panel One: Kathryn is facing the reader to the left of the panel, she is looking grumpy. Behind the wall to her left (readers right) is crumbling away. In its place we can see the Land Of All sorts. It's a picturesque fairy tale land with a shining white castle in the furthest background. In the foreground there is a Mr Croak on a reed. Mr Croak is a Frog in a jacket with tails and a top hat. He has a parasol in his free hand that he is resting over his shoulder. The parasol is translucent and alternates in black and white. Next to him is a teddy bear wearing an apron and tool belt. They both look happy and cheerful.

Kathryn: Mr Croak is real, and his umbrella taste like humbugs. And the Blacksmith is real. And he told me that everyone has a land of all sorts that they can go to, but old people forget. And when I go to sleep I get to go there!

 

Panel Two: Frontal of the Doctor again. His head is hung mournfully.

Doctor: I'm afraid you left me no choice.

 

Panel Three: View from above with Kathryn strapped into a gurney. Nurse Hyne is tightening the straps on one side whilst the Doctor is applying the diodes to Kathryn's temple. Kathryn looks panicked.

Caption: It was the only way. I had to bring her back to the real world. To society. To Me.

Doctor: it will all be over soon.

Kathryn: But I want to stay with Mr Croak and Blacksmith. There my friends.

 

Panel Four. Side View of Kathryn jerking on the gurney, writhing in agony. Behind her the Doctor is looking down at her lovingly with one hand resting on the battery dial of the machine.

Kathryn: NNNNNGGGG!!!

Caption. It pained me to do it. But I knew she'd thank me.

 

Panel Five: A view of a room, on the left hand side of the panel we see the Doctor half hidden behind the closing door. He has a sinister, suspicion look on his face. One of the hands rests on the edge of the door almost stroking it as he closes it. In the room we can see Kathryn lay on a bed. There are drawings stuck to the wall around the bed of The Lands of All Sort.

Kathryn: The process often left her weak and disorientated, but I found time to sneak away to take care of her personally.

 

PAGE FOUR

 

Panel One: the Doctors car parked up on the left and the Doctor walking up to his house. A brief case in one hand and his keys in the other.

Caption: Seems she's fine now. She'll be returning home shortly I imagine.

 

Panel Two: View from Above with the Doctor lying in bed. His eyes are closed. He looks peaceful.

Caption: Her real Home. Not the Land of...

 

Panel Three: The Doctor stood in a distressed dark forest in his uniform. The trees once again are suitably creepy and surround him. He looks shocked at his surroundings

Doctor: Where...?

Mr Croak (off): Hello doctor

Panel Four: A view from over the Doctor's right shoulder. He is on the left of the panel. We can see Black Smith with mister Croak sitting on his shoulder, except now Mr Croaks face is skeletal and his jacket and top hat are tattered. One of his hands rests on his knee and the other is drooped down in front of him hold a shard of glass but what is actually his shatter parasol. Blacksmith is no longer a teddy but a real, monstrous bear. Growling, blood and bits of flesh hang from his mouth.

Doctor: This can't be. It's a dream.

Mr Croak: Indeed Doctor but rippit excuse me. But you're about to see how real dreams can be. You hurt Kathryn. You nearly destroyed our Land. We had to leave her so you we could find you.

Blacksmith: Grrrr.

 

Panel Five: Frontal of Mr. Croak resting on Blacksmith's shoulder.

Mr Croak: Rippit. We never knew we only had to visit her Father's dreams though. Mr Smith. If you'd like start the proceedings?

 

PAGE FIVE

 

Panel One: Head shot of Mr Croak looking almost at the reader.

Doctor (off): No...No. Arrghk

Blacksmith (off): Roar!

 

Panel Two: Same shot of Mr Croak except he has blood splattered across his face.

Mr. Croak: Rippit

 

Panel three: Two Nurses stood outside a door, both overweight.

Nurse One: Yeah so they found him in bed. Coroner said its looks like he'd be stabbed and beaten to death expect there were no visible marks.

Nurse Two: Bloody Hell

Nurse One: On top of that 36 regresses. Doctor Doyle is in there now with her.

 

Panel Four: A Young, smart looking doctor, looking comfortingly at the reader.

Doyle: You didn't sleep properly last night. Do you want to tell me what happened Kathryn?

 

Panel Five: A frontal of Kathryn who is beaming at the reader.

Kathryn: I'm going to be safe; I don't have to worry again.

Doyle (off): Oh?

Kathryn: Yup, Mr Croak has come back