Issue 20, Page 30
Transcript
1: Julia and Rhoda, both in their adult forms, are now outside in a grassy field. They are underneath a wooden pavilion, a free-standing wooden structure with open sides, green grass beneath it. The grass stretches into the horizon, blurring into a pure white sky. Rhoda sits on the left, in a long white robe. Julia sits on the right, wearing mundane clothing. Behind the pavilion, stands a tall, flourishing tree covered in vines reminiscent of Tazim’s.
2: Rhoda relaxes casually on a bench as she talks. Julia seems to be wearing her early issue red shirt.
Julia: Rhoda…?
Rhoda: Ey girl. You busy?
Julia: I’m… in trouble.
Rhoda: I can see that.
3: Rhoda sits forward, looking concerned.
Rhoda: You’ve got to come back to us, Julia. You, as yourself.
4: Julia looks down, defeated.
Julia: …I can’t.
I just can’t do that.
5: The tree near Rhoda looks nearly strangled by thick, green vines producing pink flowers.
Julia (off-panel): It hurts, Rho… so much. It’s like… like being crushed by life itself.
No one depends on me, no one will die without me, but…
But life… daily life: the moves and struggles and obstacles to just being…
It’s too big to handle… I can’t do it anymore…
1. The trees are definitely part of the “cost”, in the “deal”. Future problems being foreshadowed, YEAH!!!
2. I get the vibe that, with Julia snatched before she could be properly added into TOWC, in mind/soul as well, “Sedjet”, is definitely going to try so much harder to get to a certain Cheetah lady.
3. There are a few options here. A, Julia has her astral brain “neuralized”, MIB style. B, she’s reminded of Mel, although I do feel like that would only be temporary help if at all, considering how corrupted her thoughts/memories are. C, Rhoda lets her go… Where all the other spirits go. A definitely doubt this one though, considering the determination she showed to get Julia back, and the fear she has for that fate.
Besides. Who better to help Julia out right now, than the person who saw what happens after death? Rhoda seemed pretty messed up after, so… Maybe.
“You girl stop yo sulking and come kick some interdimensional booty with me”
“I gave an extradimensional jerkass a blank check for a chance to save you. Now pull your head outta yo’ depressed butt; Imma need you to help make him my bitch instead.”
Oof, I know others have already said similar, but I definitely feel this. Uncomfortable memories of coming home and sleeping most of the day because I couldn’t make myself get out of bed, or playing WoW literally the entire weekend, only getting up to use the restroom (who needs food, right?). Hoping every night that the booze, the personal neglect, or the massive amount of coffee would kill me in my sleep.
Luckily, I wasn’t devoured by a large black monster before I got help. :p
Yup, that is exactly the vibe that I got from what Jules was saying. And I have been there SO many times.
I like her red outfit in panel 4.
Very sanguine isn’t it?
The . . key? . . . dangling from her necklace is tad more interesting though. . .
I think the key, may be the same key, or a dream-like copy, of a key from Julia’s family. I think it is a key that is a religious object, or an item that’s somehow connected to Julia’s religion. Who can say?
I think we see Julia’s key in Order of The Black Dog, in Issue 18, page 14.
Please look at that page. Cheers, TRA.
Can’t blame her for that one. Life can be absolute hell.
I know I made the joke about it before.
But I can *hear* these images. Some of them.
Panel 1, this time. That white noise woosh, coupled with wind through trees and grass.