The Copycat Killings of Pierre

In which an incongruitous event is examined, trespass is committed, blackmail is attempted, a story changes, fanservice is given and the plot thickens.

This is the third part in a series. Here are links to Part 1 and Part 2.

PAGE 1

PANEL 1

Establishing shot of Verendrye Monument, dawn.

PANEL 2

Elise and Konrad are having breakfast at Spring Creek Restaurant. Konrad with a full greasy breakfast, Elise with fruit.

ELISE

I think we should focus on Sarah Wilson. She didn’t have webbed feet, so why was she targeted?

KONRAD

Maybe she found out that George Chappell was the Pierre Piercer, so he had to kill her.

PANEL 3

Overhead shot of Elise and Konrad’s table, we just see their arms as they eat and talk.

ELISE

Perhaps. Then again, maybe George was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. The Piercer’s return calls into question William Ireland’s version of events.

KONRAD

What do we know about William?

PAGE 2

PANEL 1

Flashback to five years ago. William Ireland is walking his Rottweiler past George Chappell’s house at night.

CAPTION (Elise off-panel)

William Ireland’s story has always been the same. He was out walking his dog when he heard a woman’s scream coming from the Chappell’s house.

PANEL 2

William going up to the house, peering through the window. Inside Sarah Wilson is tied, naked to a chair, George is standing over her with a knife pointed at her chest. William is pulling a handgun (Diamondback .380 Auto) out of his jacket.

CAPTION (Elise off-panel)

He went up to the house to investigate and saw George about to murder Sarah.

PANEL 3

William bursting through the backdoor of the Chappell house, firing two rounds off at George as he stabs Sarah.

CAPTION (Elise off-panel)

William says he then forced entry into the house fired two shots, hitting George in the back as he was stabbing Sarah.

PANEL 4

A bloodied George rushes William with his knife raised.

CAPTION (Elise off-panel)

However, even being shot twice, George was able to rush at William with the knife. William has described it as a show of “mad, serial killer berserker strength.”

PAGE 3

PANEL 1

Close on George taking two shots to the forehead.

CAPTION (Elise off-panel)

Then William, and these are the words he always uses, “fired two precision shots into the braincase.”

PANEL 2

William crouched beside Sarah, whose nakedness he has covered with his jacket.

CAPTION (Elise off-panel)

Then he covered Sarah and held her hand, he said her last words were that he should tell her mother that she loved her. William says that while he might have saved countless other girls; I don’t know why he says girls since the Piercer killed boys as well; he’ll always regret not being fast enough to save Sarah.

PANEL 3

William at his news desk.

CAPTION (Elise off-panel)

After that William was a hero. He went from being a weekend field reporter to anchorman. He’s been offered jobs in bigger media markets but has turned them down.

PANEL 4

William at a podium with the NRA logo on it. He is holding up a bullet. Behind him is a projection of a PowerPoint slide reading “The magic healing power of a bullet.”

CAPTION (Elise off-panel)

The NRA hailed him as a “Second-Amendment Hero.” He gives speeches at their rallies about how guns save lives.

PAGE 4

PANEL 1

Back to the present, Elise and Konrad are exiting the dinner.

KONRAD

The police were never suspicious of William?

ELISE

They probably were, but the murders stopped after that. George Chappell wasn’t around to protest his innocence.

PANEL 2

Elise and Konrad walking away from the dinner. A poster on an adjacent building reads “Pierre SD, Home to the World’s Largest Menards!” Featuring a family in front of a Menards department store and overjoyed to be there.

KONRAD

I suppose we should talk to Mr. Ireland then.

ELISE

I’ll call to ask to meet.

PANEL 3

Elise and Konrad in his GTO. Elise is hanging up on her phone.

CAPTION

Shortly after that.

ELISE

William says he wants nothing to do with our ghoulish show.

KONRAD

Wasn’t he on the podcast before?

ELISE

Several times. He’s always been enthusiastic about telling his story.

KONRAD

Perhaps less so now his story is being examined.

So what now?

PANEL 4

The GTO is pulled up in front of the Chappell house. The past 5 years have not been kind to it, the yard is overgrown, windows are broken and “Home of the Pierre Piercer” is spray painted on it.

CAPION (Elise off-panel)

Let’s take a fresh look at the Chappell house.

PAGE 5

PANEL 1

Elise and Konrad getting out of the GTO.

ELISE

Life in Pierre quickly became unbearable for George’s parents. They had to leave town and no one would buy their home.

PANEL 2

Elise and Konrad opening the busted door to the house. Inside there are dozens of mice.

PANEL 3

Close on a mouse looking up at the intruders.

PANEL 4

Elise and Konrad in their chibi forms. Elise is delighted at the mice, Konrad is recoiling.

ELISE

Look at all the cute little mice! I want to hug them all!

Don’t run away!

KONRAD

Don’t touch them! They carry the plague!

PAGE 6

PANEL 1

Elise and Konrad in the dusty back room of the house, which is empty except for some cobwebs.

ELISE

I think this is where Sarah and George died.

KONRAD

The carpet would have been cleaned afterwards…

PANEL 2

Close on Konrad gripping the edge of the carpet.

KONRAD

...but if we remove the carpet...

PANEL 3

Close on Konrad ripping up the carpet.

SFX

Rip

PANEL 4

A large section of the carpet has been pulled off and tossed aside. There is a large dark stain where George would have bled out from head and chest wounds and a pattern of drips where blood would have dropped off Sarah, who was tied to a chair.

KONRAD

...then we can still see blood stains on the floor.

PANEL 5

From over the shoulder of a mouse we see Elise crouching over the blood stains.

ELISE

I’m guessing this is where George died, and over there Sarah.

There’s nothing inconsistent here with William Ireland’s version of events.

KONRAD

Let’s look around the rest of the house.

PAGE 7

PANEL 1

Elise and Konrad in a dark hallway, using their phones flashlight feature. Some graffiti on the walls reads “Long live the new flesh!” and “Death to Videodrome!”

PANEL 2

The light of a flashlight illuminates a door that has been padlocked.

KONRAD (off panel)

Somebody wanted to keep trespassers out of this room.

PANEL 3

From the other side of the door we see it being kicked open by Konrad.

SFX

Bam!

PANEL 4

A teenage boy’s bedroom, natural light. The walls are plastered with images of sexy anime girls, many of whom are brandishing knives or have a splattering of blood on them.

KONRAD

This must have been George’s bedroom.

ELISE

His fondness of yandere girls doesn’t exactly improve his image.

KONRAD

I don’t know what that means.

PANEL 5

Elise is looking at the bedside table, Konrad is at George’s dresser with his back to Elise when he calls out to her, we don’t see what he has.

KONRAD

I think I have something…

PAGE 8

PANEL 1

William Ireland at home. He has a blackhead strip on his nose and is reading The Bane of the Black Sword by Michael Moorcock. He glances sideways over his book at his ringing phone.

SFX

Ring Ring

PANEL 2

William unenthusiastically answering the phone.

WILLIAM

Yes?

KONRAD (off panel)

You killed Sarah Wilson.

PANEL 3

Konrad on the other end of the phone, alone in his car.

WILLIAM (off panel)

How dare you! I tried to save that girl! Who is this?

KONRAD

You can drop the act. I’ve got video.

PANEL 4

William looking angry and somewhat panicked.

WILLIAM

There’s no such video.

KONRAD (off panel)

I couldn’t believe it when I found it either.

I almost just gave it to the Pierced podcast, but I realized you’d probably pay a lot more for it.

WILLIAM

You’re bluffing.

KONRAD (off panel)

You know what, sorry to have bothered you, I’ll find another buyer.

PANEL 5

William rips off his blackhead strip and talks into the phone through gritted teeth.

SFX

Rip

WILLIAM

What do you want?

KONRAD (off panel)

I figure you ought to be able to get $10,000 together on short notice. I’ll contact you after your show tonight with further instructions.

PAGE 9

PANEL 1

William at his news desk next to his co-anchor Maria Monk.

WILLIAM

...and we leave you tonight with footage of preparation for the Oahe Days Arts Festival.

Maria

I know I can’t wait for it.

PANEL 2

William walking to his car in the KSFY studio parking lot, night. A fan calls out to William from a distance, William responds with a smile.

FAN

Ireland! You going to go catch the new Piercer?

WILLIAM

I’m going to get right on that!

PANEL 3

William sitting in his silver SUV, no longer smiling, getting out his phone.

WILLIAM

I hope the Piercer gets you next, you prick.

PANEL 4

Close on William’s phone, he has a text from an unknown number. The text simply reads “Oahe, now”

PANEL 5

William’s SUV driving past a sign while leaving town that says “Oahe Dam 7 miles”

PAGE 10

PANEL 1

An establishing shot of Oahe Dam.

PANEL 2

William’s phone, he has a new text reading “In front of the surge tanks”

PANEL 3

We see William walking in front of the dam’s surge tanks.

PANEL 4

William’s phone, another text that reads “Take out your gun. Remove the clip. Throw clip in water. Toss away gun.”

PANEL 5

Up close of William grimacing.

WILIAM

Oh, you think you’re pretty clever, don’t you?

PAGE 11

PANEL 1

William with a custom silver plated handgun, grudgingly removing his clip of bullets.

SFX

Slide

PANEL 2

William is stone faced as he tosses his clip in the water with one hand and tosses his gun with the other.

SFX

Plop

SFX

Clank

PANEL 3

A new text reading “Show money.”

PANEL 4

William pulling a thick envelope out of his suit jacket.

PANEL 5

Close on the open envelope, it’s a stack of 100 bills.

PAGE 12

PANEL 1

From over William’s shoulder we see that he is looking at one end of the surge tanks, a door is opening.

SFX

Creek

PANEL 2

From the same angle we can see Chief McAuley, Deputy Hoskins, Elise and Konrad have come out of that door.

PANEL 3

We see William from the front, he’s panicked, looking over his shoulder, three other police officers are now behind him.

PANEL 4

A furiously indignant William pointing at Konrad and Elise.

WILLIAM

Officer I want you to arrest these two, they were trying to extort me!

PANEL 5

Close on a sour looking Chief McAuley.

CHIEF MCAULEY

Give it up Will, that money is as good as a confession. I’m placing you under arrest for the murders of Sarah Wilson and George Chappell.

PAGE 13

PANEL 1

Close on William, face incredibly red, contorted in anger.

WILLIAM

Unacceptable!

PANEL 2

William lunges for his gun to the surprise of the others.

PANEL 3

William pointing his gun at the chief, who mostly seems annoyed. Hoskins has his gun drawn and pointed, Konrad is shielding Elise, who is undeterred.

CHIEF MCAULEY

Stop playing around. There are no bullets in that gun.

WILLIAM

One in the chamber!

PANEL 4

Close on Elise calling out.

ELISE

Just tell us what happened!

PANEL 5

Close on William, teary eyed, bashful, still pointing his gun.

PAGE 14

PANEL 1

Flashback to five years ago and we see what really happened to George and Sarah. Present day William gives an unreliable narration.

We see an aroused William excitedly peering into the Chappell home. There is no dog.

CAPTION (present day William)

What I’ve said is mostly true. I was out walking my dog, when I heard a scream and went to investigate.

PANEL 2

Through a window we see Sarah tied to a chair, fully dressed in jeans and a sweater. George is cutting the sweater off with a knife.

CAPTION (present day William)

And I saw them, George had her tied to a chair and was starting to go at her with a knife. I had to act.

PANEL 3

William bursting through the backdoor of the Chappell house, firing two rounds off at George as George is standing over Sarah with the knife at his side. Sarah’s clothes are slightly torn but she is still fully dressed.

CAPTION (present day William)

I let my dog go, I knew he would run home on his own. I forced entry into the house and fired two shots, hitting George in the back as he was about to stab Sarah.

PANEL 4

George is on the floor, barely sitting up, no knife, clutching his bleeding chest. Behind him is a horrified Sarah.

CAPTION (present day William)

And he really did rush me then with a show of mad berserker strength.

PAGE 15

PANEL 1

Silhouette of William standing right over George firing into his forehead.

CAPTION (present day William)

I had no choice but to fire two precision shots into the braincase.

PANEL 2

We see a crying, screaming Sarah, still tied up from over William’s shoulder.

CAPTION (present day William)

Then the girl starts screaming that I just killed her boyfriend. I tell her that her boyfriend was the Pierre Piercer. Get this, she tells me that they were doing a role play. That he was pretending to be the Piercer and she was going to seduce him to survive.

PANEL 3

William blankly looks around at the chaos around him, the dead boy at his feet, the screaming girl tied up in front of him.

CAPTION (present day William)

What kind of sick perverts role play a serial killer?

PANEL 4

Close on William’s hand reaching for George’s knife.

CAPTION (present day William)

I had no choice but to finish what George started.

PAGE 16

PANEL 1

Back to present stand-off at Oahe Dam. William still has his gun pointed at the others though he is not looking directly at them.

WILLIAM

Of course I guess you know that now that you have video.

PANEL 2

Close on somewhat shocked William looking up at them.

WILLIAM

…

Wait...

There is no video, is there?

PANEL 3

Flash back to earlier that day, with Elise and Konrad searching George’s room.

ELISE

What is it?

KONRAD

Well, it’s actually that I realized, it might be enough to just say we found something incriminating.

PANEL 4

Back to present stand-off at Oahe Dam. The chief, deputy, Konrad and Elise are all in mostly the same guarded positions.

CHIEF MCAULEY

Of course there’s no video. You really thought that video of the crime sat there for five years unnoticed?

PANEL 5

Close on William, completely dumbfounded.

PAGE 17

PANEL 1

Close on William cracking a reluctant smile.

WILLIAM

Ha ha

PANEL 2

William manically laughing, looking up at the sky, holding his gun up but not pointing it at anyone. Everyone else stays where they are, none of them think this is funny.

WILLIAM

HA HA HA HA HA!

What a scope!

PANEL 3

Close on William putting the gun in his mouth

PANEL 4

William pulling the trigger, blowing the back of his head out.

SFX

BANG

PAGE 18

PANEL 1

William’s lifeless body falls over the guard rails. The first 3 panels on this page should be presented in a serious, somber tone that makes a sharp contrast with the glib comments in the fourth panel.

PANEL 2

William’s body splashes into the water.

SFX

SPLASH

PANEL 3

Everyone gathered at the guard rail, watching William’s body float away.

PANEL 4

Closer on the chief (still annoyed) deputy (confused and offended) Elise (upset) and Konrad (typically serious) still at the guard rail.

CHIEF MCAULEY

What ridiculous last words.

DEPUTY HOSKINS

Did he just kink shame the people he murdered?

PAGE 19

PANEL 1

Elise and Konrad are walking into their room at the Hitching Horse Inn.

ELISE

Well, that was awful.

KONRAD

In retrospect he was never the go quietly type.

PANEL 2

Close on Elise trying to process what has happened.

ELISE

We solved a cold double murder case. And then we saw a man commit suicide. My blood is pumping so hard I don’t know what to do.

PANEL 3

Elise is biting her lip as she watches Konrad take a drink from a bottle of water.

PANEL 4

Elise pulling her top off.

PANEL 5

Konrad slightly surprised but pleased, still holding his water bottle, looks over at Elise, who is unhooking her bra.

KONRAD

I’ve been longing for you to do that for a while now.

ELISE

Then you’re going to love what happens next.

PAGE 20

PANEL 1

Splash page. Elise and Konrad naked, having shower sex.

PAGE 21

PANEL 1

A slender black panel only present to hold the caption.

CAPTION

Elsewhere in Pierre

PANEL 1

In a dank basement we see a dead 22 year old man, Nat Tate, killed by the Piercer. He’s tied up in a chair, naked, has scraps of clothing still under the ropes, a wound going from his chest to his stomach.

PANEL 2

We move closer in on his feet. Ankles are tied to the chair.

PANEL 3

We move closer in on his toes, we see that they are webbed. And not webbed like just a bit of extra skin, very alien looking.

PAGE 22

PANEL 1

This page will be a guide to the deaths so far, small profile picture for each person.

CAPTION

Pierre Piercer related deaths, in order of their occurrence

Iron Eyes Cody

Age: 17

Webbed toes: Yes

Death: stabbed by an unknown assailant

Fred Lorz

Age: 17

Webbed toes: Yes

Death: stabbed by an unknown assailant

Margaret Fox

Age: 17

Webbed toes: Yes

Death: stabbed by an unknown assailant

George Chappell

Age: 18

Webbed toes: No

Death: shot by William Ireland

Sarah Wilson

Age: 17

Webbed toes: No

Death: stabbed by William Ireland

Joseph Howard Jr

Age: 30

Webbed toes: No

Death: stabbed by an unknown assailant

William Ireland

Age: 40

Webbed toes: No

Death: suicide

Nat Tate

Age: 22

Webbed toes: Yes

Death: stabbed by an unknown assailant

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The final chapter coming soon.