Author's Note: Okay… so here's the trailer for my new story, which might be a while in coming. The idea kept bugging me and bugging me, until I wrote this last night. I am going to keep slugging away on BTLOTM, 'cause I don't want to abandon that idea… as I'm sure you'll agree. Anyway, if you check out my new site (the link for which you can find on my Clez Corner page) you will find a piece of teaser art for this piece, once again by Leigh S. Durron. I'm spoiled, I really am. Now… this teaser can be read whilst listening to anything dramatic… me, I wrote it whilst playing my Absolution album by Muse. If you don't know who they are, shame on you…however, when I read it back to myself, I was listening to TATU's 'Clowns (Can You See Me Now?)'.

(VO) means voice over, as in you don't see the speaker, but hear them over that scene. The words in bold – and intended central – appear in smoky lettering on a black screen interrupting the action.

Without any further adieu…


We see the lazy bank of the Mississippi, three children running down it, laughing as the sun shines down on them in their adventure. We get the impression this is a memory or a dream. The first child has intelligent green eyes and unruly blonde hair, while he is clearly the leader: Tom Sawyer. The second child has bright blue eyes and curly black hair: Joe Harper. The final child follows at a slight distance, as if hesitant, with chocolate eyes and mahogany hair: Huckleberry Finn. We hover on his face.

Suddenly the face is some ten years older, and the mischievous smile is gone. We pull back from his handsome face and find the sunshine and the lazy river are gone as well. It is a building, dark and ominous. We see the figure at his side: a grown up Tom Sawyer. They are both agents for the American Secret Service now.

And they are not alone.

We spin around Tom and Huck, and fly between them, seeing a familiar masked face.

The Phantom.

There is a deafening bang as his gun is fired, and the screen goes black.

There is silence.

And suddenly, we see Huck lying on the floor, a bleeding hole in his chest. Tom is kneeling beside him, giving in to his grief.

The screen fades to white, and we hear an anguished cry of pain, before we are brought back into focus. Dorian Gray is dying, and although the images are black and white, it is clear he is disintegrating. Within moments, he is nothing but a decayed skeleton.

A picture in an ornate frame drops in slow motion to the floor, and the screen fades to white, and slowly to black.

We hear the scratching of a pen, and fade in to see Mina Harker's cabin aboard the Nautilus. We watch her work for a moment, before turning to see the portrait of Dorian Gray on the wall.

Mina's eyes look to it for a moment, and we follow her gaze into the perfectly depicted features of Dorian.

Even as we are fixed on him, the frame and background melt away, and we become aware that we are looking at a living Dorian… he is not dead, though he is clearly in distress, pulling his own sword from his chest.

We cut to a Morse message being tapped out quickly, and then to Tom Sawyer's face as he reads it, clearly confused.

Obviously docked, the ramp to the mighty Nautilus opens, and the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen walk down in a line.

Captain Nemo; Dr. Henry Jekyll; Tom Sawyer; Mina Harker; Rodney Skinner.

We revolve around them to see two figures standing before a covered horse-drawn carriage. From the looks of it, we are back in Missouri.

The person on the left is female, with sparkling blue eyes and gorgeous waves of blonde hair.

Becky Thatcher.

The figure on the right has loosely curled black hair, and blue eyes we recognise. He smiles knowingly.

Joe Harper.

Then from within the carriage steps a third figure, wearing a hooded cloak. Slowly, they pull the hood back to reveal youthful brown eyes, tousled mahogany hair, and a cheeky crooked grin.

Huckleberry Finn.

Tom (VO): You died.

Huck (VO): No…

As the words are spoken, we see Tom and Huck embracing, an emotional moment, surrounded by their friends as they are reunited.

We cut to see Tom and Huck sitting across from each other at a low table, the obvious scene of their speech. The lighting is low, as if from candles. Huck reaches up, and pulls down the fabric of his shirt to reveal a wicked scar on his chest.

Huck: … I almost died.

We switch to the sombre face of Dorian, who drops a photo of Mina from his grasp, staring at it blankly.

He wants what is his

Two figures are thrown through the air, one slamming into the wall, and the other colliding with a table. Tom and Huck have run into some trouble.

… And he will do anything to reclaim it.

Becky is crying, as someone strokes her face. It is Dorian, wearing a wicked, seductive smile.

We see Dorian's portrait, and someone's hand as it is torn from its place on the wall.

Tom, Huck and Joe are ducked behind some cover, bullets exploding all around in various surfaces.

Together: One, two… three!

They leap from their shelter, guns blazing.

Mina and Dorian stand face to face, though the former seems less than thrilled.

Mina: … You speak of love.

Dorian: I speak of destiny…

Betrayal

Joe is seen ambushed from all sides, and he tries desperately to defend himself.

Becky is seen bound and gagged, sitting on the floor, clearly distraught.

Love

Tom and Becky stand inches apart, Sawyer with his head bowed. They lean in to kiss.

Dorian throws Mina viciously onto a bed.

Death

Skinner holds Becky back as she screams desperately, tears streaming from her eyes.

Dorian draws his sword, and lunges maliciously with a snarl.

Mina is huddled in the corner of a dark room, shivering.

The League is gathered around a table, sans Mina, with Joe, Huck and Becky.

Tom: We can't abandon her.

We cut to Joe and Tom staring each other in the face, the atmosphere heavy.

Joe: This is madness. You're blinded by love.

Tom: Not by love… by duty.

He must fight for what he loves

We see flashes of dramatic images with loud, fast paced music, the pictures as if driven by a racing heart.

Tom punches a man in the face.

Huck dives behind a table, dragging it over with him.

Joe freezes in a doorway, shocked.

Skinner throws a glass, smashing it against the wall with an angry shout.

Hyde roars, as if in pain.

Two figures are locked in a combat, blades clashing, and the action almost like a strobe so their identities are unclear. There are flashes of a black coat, a thin sword.

Jekyll hovers over a bed, the patient unclear.

Mina's eyes flash a demonic red, and with a snarl she lunges at the camera.

Darkness. Deep breathing is heard.

Dorian (VO): You fool… I am impervious to harm.

We fade in dramatically to see Dorian from behind, whipping his sword from the cane. He is facing Tom, who stands, seemingly unarmed before him.

… Or die trying.

Tom pulls a short sword from a scabbard on his back, face serious and dangerous. Dorian raises an eyebrow.

After a long, unbearable moment of staring at each other, they charge. They swing their swords, and as the blades clash deafeningly with a ringing of steel, the screen explodes in white, fading to black.

Emerging in eerie, smoky lettering are the words:

Ghosts of Old

Coming Soon