"Snowfall" Progress

 



I have completed the first six chapters of my story "Snowfall" and I'm fitting my scenes into Comic Life. I'm working on concept art for the upcoming chapters and finalizing my ideas. Below I am posting the first scene of my story, as well as some character profiles.

SnowFall, Scene 1

"It is a frigid, snowy night in what appears to be a remote wooded area. There is a strange sound echoing through a clearing of the forest, in a small hill, we see a large house, with the appearance of a place well-loved, but worn with age. Through a first floor window, an elderly man cups his hands to the glass and peeks through.

“What on Earth do you suppose, Rigby?” Dr. Light said, addressing the goldfish that swam in a bowl by the table, as the howling wind whistled and the snow swirled. The sound outside was a terrible strangled cry.

The Doctor furrowed his brows. 

“Well, if something’s hurt…” The Doctor thought aloud, not finishing his sentence as he walked to the door, throwing on a heavy coat. From a table beside the door, he grabs a doctor’s bag and a lantern and heads out the door. The elderly man fights the heavy wind and journeys deeper into the forest, towards the wretched sound.

After walking a ways, he spots a light through the trees where the sound seems to be coming from. As he approaches, he sees a stunning sight. There is a gigantic circle of icy stalagmites, glowing and jutting up from the frozen ground like a crown, as a sort of barricade. In the center was a figure, doubled over, making the sound. It is bent down and it appears blood is gushing from between its legs. It is attempting to give birth. Dr. Light steps backwards, frightened and makes a sound. The creature turns and looks at him. It is a terrifying creature with a icy, crown-like head and frosty, blank eyes. It is at first fearsome, then pathetic. Dr. Light cautiously approaches it.

“Hello! I’m a doctor,” He called out, stepping forward. He held out his bag with the tools. “You see? Please allow me to help you!”

The monster seems to ignore him until he comes closer. Up close, the monster is even more terrifying. Towering over him, even when bent over slightly, she was well over six feet and would roar and thrash her head about. Finally she drops to the ground, trying to hold herself up.

“Let me help you.”

He cautiously puts a hand on her shoulder. She looks up at him through wincing and roars in his face, a burst of icy snowflakes on his face. He looked down and could see something emerging.

“It’s not going to come out that way, it needs to be turned!” He says, loudly. She tried to swipe at him with claw like hands but has become too weak. Dr. Light grabs the clawed hand and holds it.

“I’m not going to hurt you, I’m going to help so the pain’ll be over.”

The creature looks around wildly and then cries out in pain again. He directs her to turn onto her back as he grabs his bag. She starts to whine and groan as he spreads her legs and helps deliver the child.

From the creature, emerged not a baby, but a small, bloody child, who appeared as a human-looking girl of no more than two. The doctor had seen horrors this night, and this was not least among them. Never in all his born days, more than fifty years practicing as a physician all over the world, had he seen or heard of something like this. How could something have grown so old within the creature’s womb? The doctor removed his cloak and wrapped the child, whose eyes remained shut, but cried weakly, in his brown rag coat.

“Your…your child.” He said, attempting to hand the bloody bundle to the mother.

But the creature had already began to stand, the gush of blood between her legs slowing.

“I never want to see it again.”

Then with a rush of wild ice and snow, wind flared up around her, whipping around her icy-looking garments. Her power seemed to surge so powerfully, the protective crown of ice cracked and split. She took off, fast as can be, seeming to run a top the air, just above the ground.

Dr. Light was left standing there, holding the child that cried softly. He wondered if the child knew how unwanted it was because when she opened her bleary eyes, she looked in the direction her mother had fled and shut them again.

As Dr. Light fled the circle, back towards the house, a woodrat, who had witnessed everything, runs into the forest."

 

I have also been organizing little character profiles.

 

Snow

Snow is the protagonist of "Snowfall." She is a child born from the wild and dangerous "Snowfaller." Snow is adopted by the kindly Dr. Light and lives with him for many years. After the doctor's death, Snow finds herself thrown into a frightening world filled with magic, tragedy and wonder. With the help of her friends and a magical doctor's bag, Snow grows and learns to courageous and strong, think for herself and be kind to others.

The Snowfaller

The mysterious ice monster that gave birth to Snow. This ethereal, but dangerous creature seemed to come from nowhere, using her elemental powers to destroy anything in her path. Her fury has destroyed railways, villages and countless lives, making her the biggest natural disaster in the world's history. She flees after giving birth to Snow, who later begins to come to terms with just how dangerous her mother is.

Dr. Light

Dr. Xandrius Light is a wealthy, world-famous doctor, now retired and living on his own island. His world traveling days have come to an end and the Doctor has grown accustomed to a comfortable life in his house with his goldfish, Rigby. He delivers Snow and adopts her when she is abandoned by the Snowfaller. Even after he passes, the values that Dr. Light has instilled in Snow persist and influence her decision-making and what type of person she will become.

Chairman Rose

 

While Dr. Light is raising Snow, on the other side of the world, Chairman Icarius Rose is the most powerful man in the world's biggest city, Vizarro Grand. An extremely popular politician nearing the end of his first term in office, Chairman Rose is facing his biggest problem yet: dealing with the Snowfaller. The fallout of the creature's reign of terror has caused an economic depression and widespread panic. When Chairman Rose learns that the Snowfaller gave birth, he decides to have it destroyed. Chairman Rose is the antagonist of the book, but it is later revealed that there is an important element that ties Chairman Rose and Snow together in a way that neither would ever expect.

 

Mr. Squelge and Barker

The bumbling baddies of the story, Mr. Squelge, a man who can speak to rodents, and Barker, a half-man,, half-dog character, are charged with hunting down and bringing Snow to Chairman Rose. With a crew of frightening soldiers with masks for faces and Lucinda, a rat the size of a dog, they travel across the world to catch Snow and turn her in for a huge cash reward.

Rigby

Rigby is Dr. Light's goldfish, who is then turned into a man. Rigby becomes Snow's guardian after Dr. Light's death and her first "true friend." He is a tall, gangly man with wavy copper-colored hair and gigantic, circular glasses. He is highly intelligent, rather nervous and completely neurotic. When he and Snow become separated, it is her duty to find him again.

Bertie

Throughout her travels, Snow accidentally encounters a rare and beautiful creature, a Quetzle Bird named "Bertie." Bertie is an enthusiastic and proud (if not slightly boastful) young bird who allows Snow to stay in his nest home with him when she is injured. Bertie is Snow's second "true friend" and the friendship between them hints a romantic relationship. Bertie is small and light, graceful like a dancer and covered in brilliant blue and green feathers.

Strongheart

Another animal-turned-human friend, Strongheart is Snow's third "true friend" found throughout the course of the story. Strongheart saves Snow in a perilous situation and swears herself to Snow as a bodyguard and, eventually, a surrogate mother-figure. Strongheart, as a dog, is sleek and athletic. As a human, she is an Indian woman in a guard's uniform. She is six feet tall, with a extremely long, raven hair wrapped into a huge bun at the back of her head and two scimitars on her back. Strongheart provides Snow with a sense of peace and clarity and Strongheart is fulfilled with having someone to love and protect.