Day 55: Red Clogs and Sea Gods

Red Clogs and Sea Gods
by
Matt Zurbo

Ruby’s family didn’t have much money.
(Ruby, with big, shaggy hair, standing as Mum sews a patch on her dress)

Her Mum worked hard, and brought Ruby a pair of red clogs for her birthday.

Ruby was SO PROUD! She went down to the beach where she could show off, walking along the jetty BOTH FEET FIRST!
(Ruby strutting along foreshore wearing red clogs, Mum behind with two dogs)

But the jetty was old and rickety. One of her clogs fell!
(Close-up of clog falling. above it we can see underside of jetty and hole. Ruby can be seen through hole looking stressed.)

All Ruby and he Mum could do was watch, as her beautiful red clog drifted out with the tide!

That night, Ruby cried and cried.

The next day, Ruby went all the way back to the jetty, where she (looked to the ocean), and preyed, and wished, and sent all her little girl hope out to sea.

Every day she went back,

and hoped…

But her red clog never returned.
(Series of images starting from behind Ruby as she holding onto railing, looking out to sea, panning out to vastness of ocean)

Meanwhile…
(Clog floating on water, being swallowed by a big fish.)

(Fish about to b eaten by a GIANT octopus.)

(Octopus being caught in net by merman)

(Mermaids and mermen, each with net full of fish over shoulders -closest to viewer has octopus in net- all swimming towards basic stone hut underwater city, lit by lanterns of fluorescent squid.)

(Huge banquet in underwater hall, mermen and mermaids along huge table full of seafood. At head of table is ENORMOUS Neptune, bearded, king of the sea, with trident resting on barnacle and crab throne behind him. In front of Neptune, the centre of his main dish is the octopus)

(Knife cutting into octopus – Clunk?)

(Close up of Neptune’s face, full of cracks and corrosion –God/living statue-like- as, eyes close, he sniffs tiny, tiny red clog sitting in palm of mighty hand)

(Neptune raising clenched fingers into air, shouting, mermen and mermaids swirling around him, others approaching to his call. One of the mermaids behind him has the clog)

(Close-up of chest and jawline of Neptune as he swims at great speed, other mermen flanking him. Neptune’s arm is nestling mermaid who is carrying red clog)

(Double page spread of Neptune breaking surface of ocean in middle of giant wave in mighty sea storm, rain and lightening everywhere. Trident in one hand, he is using the other to throw mermaid with clog into the sky, towards low-lying storm clouds)

(Mermaid face determined, clog in arms, looking into storm cloud just before she breaches it)

Then, one night… Tap, tap, tap…

(Close-up of Ruby sleeping, rain-covered window behind her, a crab shadow in it seems to be knocking)

(Red clog, a few barnacles and some seaweed on it, a tiny shell crab scurrying out, sits in had rain on window ledge. Top half of Ruby’s face, on other side of waterlogged window, peering up at ledge, looking startled/overjoyed!)

“Mum!” Ruby cried. “Mum, look!”
(Simple image of Ruby, white background, looking extra excited/happy/proud, a tear in her eye as she is looking down at/wearing her clogs, one of them still covered in sea stuff.)

(Final page white, but for open drain, grid removed to side, water flowing in, tail fins of mermaid heading down)

 

The End