CONTENT: Steel House in the Prairie, comic script, full chapter
April's day-to-day life. (Not quite!)
WINTER STROLLING
INT. APRIL'S BEDROOM - DAY
Some cyborg kid sits in her bedroom, reading a comic book. School textbooks sit under the comic she's holding and a music player plays in the background.
SFX: ♫♫♫~
Her bedroom is a mess. Part of the mess includes a school uniform and bag, arnis sticks, history books scattered everywhere, and a collection of hats. Not to mention, a nice-looking black, leathery jacket, too.
MUM: (From another room) ...April! Can you please shop for groceries?
April continues her homework.
APRIL: ... Yeah--
MUM: (From another room) ...April?
April looks up from her work.
APRIL: Uh... I said yeah, I'm coming down, now!
April grabs her trapper hat, her jacket and her wallet, then heads out the door.
INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
In the living room, which is only just more tidy than April's bedroom, April's mum, covered in a blanket, writes on her computer. April, all dressed for outside, reaches the bottom of the stairs.
APRIL: 'K, I'm here now,
April's mum gives April a list of things to buy at the shops, as well as a few notes of cash.
MUM: Here. Be back home soon, okay?
APRIL: Yep,
April leaves the apartment room. Her mum watches from her desk.
MUM: Before you leave, thanks for all your help, lately. You know I've been so busy these days...
APRIL: Yeah, I know. Don't worry 'bout me. Bye Mum,
EXT. CITY - CONTINUOUS
April walks out of her apartment building and into Niatheia city. She strolls for a bit, at one point looking over a bridge to sees that it's still noon. She then sees a younger girl walking all by herself, also crossing the bridge. April recognises her face.
APRIL: What the... Ida? Hey, what's up?
IDA: (Cheerfully) Heya April. I'm just walking home. Nothing too interesting.
APRIL: Oh okay. I'm just getting some groceries for Mum. It's not much, either.
Ida (not-so subtly) takes a close look at April's jacket.
IDA: Mhm...
Her android eyes visibly change settings. April finds this is a bit weird.
APRIL: Uh... What's so interesting about--
IDA: It's a bit cold, isn't it?
APRIL: Not really, for me. What, you secretly asking for my jacket or something?
Ida immediately backs off a little.
IDA: Hm? Nope,
APRIL: Uh-huh, sure.
IDA: Okay... Then yeah, I was, haha... It is a pretty good jacket, though.
APRIL: Yeah, I guess, yeah. ...If you wanna, you can wear it and I walk you to your place. I've got time.
IDA: Really?
April takes off her jacket and lends it to Ida.
APRIL: Yeah. I don't think Mum would mind me being out a little longer than what we planned.
IDA: But isn't the whole planet a lot stricter with patrol and stuff now?
Ida takes April's jacket and puts it on.
APRIL: Oh yeah...! That... And now, everyone thinks any sorta android's come over from planet Stawdos, too. And that they've come destroy our planet or something or do all that weird spy stuff. Crazy, isn't it?
IDA: I'll bet it's because adroids can get easily taken advantage of by people. It's really scary.
APRIL: Mhm.
IDA: (Jokingly) I think you'd better be careful while you're out, too. It's gonna be hard to get away from suspicious stares with that look.
April glances at her right arm, which is so obviously robotic. Her legs are just as robotic, too.
APRIL: *Sigh* Yeah, I see what you mean... Alright, so I heard you didn't live too far from here. You can lead the way.
SFX: Beep-beep!
A notification sounds off from Ida's head. Ida puts her hand to her own ear.
IDA: Huh? ...Already? ... ... ...Mhm! Okay!
APRIL: ...
IDA: ...
APRIL: Hey uh, what was that?
IDA: ...
APRIL: ???
IDA: I'm sorry...
APRIL: Sorry...? Sorry about what?
IDA: I gotta go!
Suddenly, Ida runs away. And she's still wearing April's jacket!
APRIL: What the?! Hey! Ida, what are you doing?!
April chases after Ida.
EXT. STREETS & SLUMS - SAME DAY
It's been a while since April started chasing Ida. April's pretty much lost track of her at this point and she stops to catch her breath.
APRIL: Oh man... What's up with her?
April starts walking back the way she came from until she sees a tram stop and decides to head on there.
EXT. TRAM STOP - CONTINUOUS
April sits on the bench. She pulls out earphone pieces from (where) her collar bone (would be) and plugs them in to wear while she waits. Not long later, two tureries, which are six-limbed, bipedal creatures (also the original dominant species of Imest), who are also wearing trench coats sit next to April. There's a nasty-looking one and a somewhat friendly-looking one. The nasty one eyes April and gives her a disapproving look, and the friendlier one notices this and nudges the nasty one who then looks away.
Eventually, more people come to wait for the tram. And then even more people show up. This keeps on going. The tram stop's really crowded now, and April doesn't look too comfortable. Not to mention, the two tureries who seem like they're gonna be bad news. Despite everything, she and everyone else waits quietly.
The tram finally arrives. The crowd starts heading inside, and so does April, tailing them from behind. But the tureries in trench coats still stay put, likely to keep an eye on her. Noticing this, April squeezes into the crowd. She's pretty uncomfortable. April checks her pocket for her wallet. It's not there.
APRIL: (In her thoughts) Where is it...? ... ... You gotta be kidding me...! I left it in my jacket, didn't I?!
INT. TRAM - CONTINUOUS
It is crowded. About every single passenger seat in the tram is taken. April just stands near an exit. She sees the tureries in trench coats are in the tram too, now, and they're standing only a few seats away. The tram starts to move, now. They pass a couple stops and the ride goes on.
At this current stop however, a human ticket inspector enters the tram.
APRIL: (In here thoughts) Oh right... Robots don't show up that often anymore...
The inspector checks passengers' tickets and cards. Passenger by passenger, he gets closer to where April is.
APRIL: (Tensely) *Siighhhh*
April quickly scans her surroundings. The inspector's only about three or so passengers away. The nasty turerie notices April’s eyes darting quickly and begins to be suspicious of her. The friendlier one notices this, too.
SOMEWHAT-FRIENDLY TURERIE: (Whispering) Heyuh Duanaste, what's up with that kid there? I don't think anything's wrong with her?
The ticket inspector inspects another passenger.
DUANASTE: (Offscreen, whispering) The heck, Brandiel? You don't have eyes or somethin'? That ain't no ordinary kid. Bet that's an android we're aboutta deal with.
The tram begins to slow down. April impatiently looks out the window while the inspector checks on another passenger.
BRANDIEL: (Offscreen, whispering) But what if she's a prosthetist?
The inspector checks on another passenger.
BRANDIEL: (Offscreen, whispering) But seriously, can't you just relax for one second? I just see an ordinary kid. There's nothing wrong with her. Just lay off, man...
The inspector checks on the passenger next to April. April's getting tense, now.
DUANASTE: (Offscreen, whispering) Ya can't be too careful. Remember what happened the past few months? Can't let even a kid fool ya.
Eventually, the ticket inspector arrives at April.
APRIL: (In her thoughts) Crap.
INSPECTOR: Good afternoon. Ticket, please.
APRIL: I... Uh... I didn't use one.
Duanaste squints at April and the ticket inspector.
INSPECTOR: Then may I see your card, please?
APRIL: Um... Well, actually... about my wallet I... Uh... I left it at home.
April looks at the window. The tram finally comes to a stop.
INSPECTOR: Hm. So, we have ourselves a freeloader. Identification please. I'm sure your parents won't be happy to learn what their child's been up to, tonight.
Brandiel enthusiastically nudges Duanaste.
BRANDIEL: (Whispering) See? See? She's got parents. Not an android!
April glances at the door next to her.
APRIL: Whoa! It looks like this is my stop. I'll be getting off, now!
April presses a button to open the door and she clumsily falls out.
SFX: CLANG!
APRIL: Whoa!
INSPECTOR: Hey!!!
BRANDIEL: Yikes. Musta hurt.
DUANASTE: Did that sound like it hurt?! THAT AIN'T NO ORDINARY KID!
April runs away! Duanaste removes his coat, revealing he's a cop, gives it to Brandiel, and stomps up to the inspector.
DUANASTE: You bastard, what the hell ya doing?!
INSPECTOR: Excuse me? There are still people here that-
DUANASTE: Forget it! Brandiel! This way!
Duanaste runs to the door. It's just closed.
BRANDIEL: Come on, man! We were just entering into our café break! And the door's closed now so what can we do, anyway?!
EXT. TRAM STOP (2) - CONTINUOUS
April keeps on running. The tram moves along the track, behind her. But suddenly... Duanaste and Brandiel jump outside the tram!
APRIL: What the?! How'd they get to do that?!
DUANASTE: POLICE OFFICERS! Hey you! Get back here!
RUN AWAY!
EXT. TRAM STOP (2) - DAY
April runs as fast as she can and Duanaste and Brandiel chase right after her. Brandiel holds a communication device to his mouth. His speech is ambiguous until he says the following words...
BRANDIEL: ...She's a teenage girl! Well, sorta...? Short; about 150cm tall. Race? Humanoid robot! She's definitely one of ‘em! A, uh, she’s a hyper-realistic one with unfinished coating!
April pulls a really insulted face.
EXT. STREENS & SLUMS (2) - CONTINUOUS
April keeps running and reaches a nearby neighbourhood. But, Duanaste and Brandiel seem to be catching up with her. Luckily, she finds bikes being sold at a garage sale! She's happy for a second, but then realises the bike's come with a price.
SELLER 1: Damn it! Why isn't anyone buying these old things?!
SELLER 2: Might as well just put them up for free, then.
SELLER 1: Good idea. I'll go change the sign.
April grabs one of the bikes and starts riding her way away from the cops behind her. She boosts its power with the engine it has.
SELLER 2: What the?! That was totally uncalled for!
SELLER 1: Well, you did say it was going to be for free...
SELLER 2: Um, you ever heard of common courtesy?!
Duanaste grabs another bike and Brandiel takes the shotgun seat attached to it.
SELLER 2: Whoa!
April continues riding away with the cops chasing her close behind. She crosses a few minor obstacles every now and again.
EXT. CITY (2) - CONTINUOUS
Eventually, she rides into a major highway. She separates herself from the cops here when a bus comes right between them while April makes a turn. She enters into another highway. The cops soon miraculously reach her again!
April then rides along the city perimeter and then into another highway. She loses the cops again. After some long minutes of aimless riding, April finally reaches the border separating inside the dome and the grasslands.
EXT. CITY EXIT - CONTINUOUS
April looks back and sees that she's lost the cops again. She stops her bike and wonders how she'll get home.
APRIL: Maybe I really should really just get mum to pick me up... That was such a stupid idea.
April gets out her robotic arm and opens up a screen showing her call contacts.
APRIL: Oh boy, here we go... Not like I had much of a choice, anyway--
As April's about to call her mum, the cops finally catch up to where April is.
DUANASTE: HAHA! We found you!
APRIL: MAN, they don't give up, don't they?!
April rides away again. She exits the dome, going past the sleeping gatekeeper.
EXT. GRALSSLANDS OUTSIDE THE DOME - CONTINUOUS
Cycling on the road outside of the city dome, April is still being chased by the cops. The cops' motorbike is getting faster now nobody's around. April scans her surroundings, quickly. It's foggy and there's grass and trees all around. Finally, she closes her eyes and risks riding off the road, but before knowing it, she finds herself and her bike tumbling down a steep hill!
APRIL: Ack!
EXT. HILL BOTTOM - SAME DAY
April lies on the ground. Her mind gets hazy.
APRIL: Oh...
She notices her bike that's lying a metre and a bit next to her, and it's totally broken. She smells a pungent smell, supposedly coming from the bike. Quite shockingly, even to her, she takes this moment as an opportunity to doze off. But before her eyes could fully close, she faintly sees a being standing next to her bike, holding something that's producing fire. April eventually closes her eyes.
EXT. GRASSLANDS OUTSIDE THE DOME - CONTINUOUS
The cops drive along the road, a bit slower than they used to.
DUANASTE: Bah! We lost the kid! Stupid fog!
BRANDIEL: Um... I think she rode right a bit of a while ago.
DUANASTE: Well, is there a road to the right?!
BRANDIEL: No, but…
SFX: BOOM!
Something explodes behind them.
BRANDIEL: What n' the world was that?!
DUANASTE: Might as well check?
Duanaste stops the bike. He and Brandiel both get off and look over the steep hill.
BRANDIEL: This doesn't look good...
DUANASTE: Well, gozzuck! You don't think that was the kid, don'tcha?
BRANDIEL: Well I hope it wasn't?! You think she could've survived an explosion like that?
DUANASTE: Tch... Probably.
BRANDIEL: Think she'll make it in the grasslands?
DUANASTE: Well, there's absolutely no way she could survive out here alone, though.
BRANDIEL: Not even an android?
DUANASTE: Literally nothing survives this place, Brandiel.
BRANDIEL: Man, that's just tragic.
Duanaste walks to the bike. Eventually, so does Brandiel.
BRANDIEL: Heyuh, you think we can still stop at the café?
DUANASTE: Shut up. Actually… Yeah, let’s go.
LOST...
EXT. PRARIE - DAY
April wakes from her sleep.
APRIL: ...
She realises she's still in the grasslands but her location's different. It's much more plain than usual. The hill she fell off is gone. All the trees aren't anywhere to be seen, either. And just as she expected, her bike's nowhere near her, too.
APRIL: Huh...?
April stands up and looks around. All she sees is a large, open space full of grass, and flowers she's never seen before. From everything she's observed so far, she realises she's stuck right in the middle of a prairie.
APRIL: Oh crap... (Panicked) HOLY CRAP - Mum's really gonna kill me now! Oh God, I've gotta get back!
April takes a breath and tries to get out her map from her robotic arm. It doesn't connect.
APRIL: ...
April hurriedly begins her search back to the city. She soon gets exhausted of running and walks for a while. Luckily, she finds a climbable tree!
APRIL: Bingo!
April climbs the tree. She discovers that she is nowhere near the city.
APRIL: ...
April keeps walking through the prarie. After some time, it begins to get foggier and colder. April starts to get worried and tense, now.
APRIL: I'm never gonna get home... Am I...?
Suddenly, she notices a single rustle in the grass.
APRIL: ?!
She slowly walks in the direction of the sound.
SFX: Cling, cling, cling, cling...
APRIL: What the...?!
April realsised she's stepping on some unnatural surface on the ground.
EXT. METAL-FLOORED AREA - CONTINUOUS
April looks at the floor and looks forwards. It is still foggy, so she continues walking as long as she's on the floor. She sees a small parked car.
APRIL: *Gasp*
April runs towards the car and looks inside. It is empty. She looks around and then inside the car again. She looks around the second time. She discovers a large building not to far away from her.
APRIL: What the... How did I not see that?
EXT. BUILDING FRONT - CONTINUOUS
Immediately, April searches for any resemblance of a door, feeling around the walls. April finds one giant door. She bites her lip, then knocks rapidly.
APRIL: H... Hello? Is anyone in there?! I'm lost! And I need help getting back to the city! Hellooo?!
April stops knocking.
APRIL: (Embarrassedly) *Sigh*
She looks for other ways inside and then sees a pipe going upwards. April then uses that as a ladder and begins to climb up it.
EXT. BUILDING FRONT WALLS - SAME DAY
April takes a break on a small roof sticking out of the wall. She continues climbing. She gets exhausted again and takes another break on a small roof. After multiple breaks on small roofs and windowsills, April finally makes it to a balcony. But, before she can even rest, she spots someone there, holding her jacket. It is Ida!
APRIL: Oh my God – Ida! Man, am I glad to see you!
IDA: Uh...
APRIL: What are you even doing here? Was it you that saved me? And my jacket! Can-
IDA: I have to go...! I’ll see you later, maybe!
Ida rushes inside through a building window.
APRIL: Hey!
April enters inside through the same window Ida got in through and disappears into the dark.
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