Starlight Vol 1 20

"Cadmus"
Information
Writer	BeholdtheVision
Artist	BeholdtheVision
Published	October 16, 2019
previous "Starlight #19"	next "Starlight #21"

Appearing in Cadmus

Featured Characters:

• Team Starlight
  • Cadmus Way(Flashback & Main Story)

Supporting Characters:

• Nala Highland
• Parker Hayes

Antagonists:

Synopsis for Cadmus

We begin with a black page.

Cadmus (Narration): Do you want to know how this really began?

We cut to a replica of the first page of Starlight #1. A hospital is shown, from the hallway. There are sounds of a woman crying out, and then somebody says "Its a boy!"

Cadmus: Not with a birth.

A small, midwestern town is shown, filled with farms.

Cadmus: Not with a town.

The panel is dark. Voices say "Cadmus?" and "Dude, you okay?" A circle of light appears, and a group of concerned boys looking down at the camera in football uniforms becomes visible.

Cadmus: Not with a team, either.

Boy: Coach, he's up.

Coach: Way? Way, you with me?

Cadmus: No, it began with me...

Cadmus opens his eyes, and smirks.

Cadmus: I'm fine, coach.

His gaze turns, sinister, to the viewer.

Cadmus: Just fine.

Narration: Before the Accident...

Cadmus: Taking what I was owed.

We cut to a black page which only says "Cadmus".

Cadmus: So here's what my life's like.

We cut to the Way household. Cadmus descends the stairs in his underwear, arriving in the kitchen and guzzling some milk straight from the carton.

His mother looks over from the kitchen table.

Mrs. Way: Good morning, sweetie.

Cadmus ignores her.

Cadmus: My parents are non-entities. Boring. Busy. You know, I used to live for football because sometimes my Dad would pay attention, but now?

Cadmus shoves past his mother and heads back upstairs.

Cadmus: I live for football because I'm damn good at it.

We cut to schooltime. Cadmus approaches the building with Parker beside him, prattling on.

Parker: And then I was like--

Cadmus: Parker here is my best friend on and off the field. He likes me because I listen to him when he has to whine about his perfect brother, or his pushy dad, or whatever drama he's come up with. I like him because he's loyal, he knows his place, and I know he'll never try to be better than me.

Cadmus: Uh huh.

Voice (Off-Panel): Am I interrupting?

Cadmus perks up.

Cadmus: No, never.

Nala steps on panel and embraces Cadmus. The two make out passionately.

Cadmus: Nala's my girlfriend. Pretty hot, huh?

The two separate.

Nala: You going to the party tonight?

Cadmus: You know it. I can't get enough of post-game celebrations.

Parker: Assuming it'll be a celebration.

Cadmus: It will be.

Nala: It better be.

Cadmus: Nala's the perfect girlfriend. Hot, uncomplicated, and only interested in getting with me. She has no interest in playing house or pretending like I care about anything besides her body. Which is A-Okay with me.

Cadmus: Come on, babe. We've got this.

Nala: If you say so.

Cadmus: I have the perfect best friend. The perfect girlfriend.

We cut ahead to the game, where we see Cadmus playing some.

Cadmus: The perfect game, and it's all so, so...

The buzzer goes off. The scoreboard declares Cadmus' team the winner.

Cadmus: ^&*(ing boring.

We cut ahead to the party, where Cadmus wades through the crowd, chugging beer.

Cadmus: At the party, I'm on autopilot. It's like I'm half asleep. Unbelievable. I'm living the dream, what more could I want?

A boy shoves past Cadmus.

Cadmus: Hey! Watch where you're--?

Scott: Screw you.

The boy flips Cadmus off and carries on. Cadmus turns, furious, to Parker.

Cadmus: Who the hell was that?

Parker: Um, Wesley King, I think?

Cadmus: Am I supposed to know who that is?

Parker: He goes to another school but he dates Abby--

Cadmus: Abby, like, my ex, Abby?

Parker: Is she really an ex if you only dated in middle school?

Cadmus: Yes.

He pauses.

Cadmus: Screw it. I'm going to give that dumbass a piece of my mind.

Cadmus marches off into the crowd.

Parker: Cad--

Cadmus: I think he went somewhere this way...

He comes upon a closet, ajar.

Cadmus: Ahah!

He tries the door. It's locked.

Cadmus: Locked. Like that's going to stop me.

Cadmus shoves against the door once, then twice. The third time it gives away and Cadmus stumbles into an empty corridor.

Cadmus: Creepy. Whose house is this anyway?

Cadmus pushes on, shaken.

Cadmus: They've gotta be somewhere around...

He sees a trail of blood.

Cadmus: Here...

Cadmus opens the door to reveal a room filled with scattered adults and kids, wearing ceremonial robes, and plunging a knife down upon a begging boy.

Boy: No, no please--

The knife plunges down just as the others notice Cadmus.

Cadmus: What. The. F--

Cultist #1: Intruder!

Cultist #2: Get him!

Cadmus turns and sprints away, but a boy grabs him and pins him to the wall. His hood falls away to reveal Wesley.

Cadmus: Get off me, you !@#$er.

Wesley: You stupid !@#hole. You never should've come here. Now, you die.

Cadmus jerks Wesley off of him but Wesley stabs his shoulder with the knife, Cadmus cries out and stumbles forward, and Wesley grabs him, drawing the dagger back... and a hand grabs his.

Abby: Wes, no!

Wesley: Abby? What?

Abby: I know him! Don't kill him!

She blinks.

Abby: Please!

Cadmus: Thank God I'm hot.

Wesley relaxes a bit, but doesn't look convinced.

Wesley: What the Hell am I supposed to do, Abby? We can't just let him walk out of here!

Voice: No.

The crazy man from Starlight's first arc steps forward, eyes sparkling.

Crazy Man: What have we here?

Cadmus: What do you mean? What do you have here? You killed that guy!

Crazy Man: Of course we didn't. Come closer.

Wesley shoves Cadmus back into the room. The Crazy Man indicates the boy, who has the Starlight symbol carved into his chest... but is breathing.

Crazy Man: He's family. We'd never hurt family.

Cadmus: You did hurt him.

Boy: No. NO, I was weak...

He grabs Cadmus's hand.

Boy: But now... I see the stars...

Cadmus: You're just looking at me.

Boy: Oh... the Grand Design... it's glorious.

Cadmus: You guys are psycho!

Wesley: We're just acolytes. Disciples of a higher power.

Abby: You can touch it too, Cadmus. You can see the stars.

Crazy Man: Wesley and Abby are right. All are welcome.

Cadmus hesitates.

Crazy Man: And if you don't?

He indicates the knife.

Cadmus: So that's how I joined a cult.

We cut forward to Cadmus' new daily routine: school, football, and then meetings with the cult.

Cadmus: Those people were crazy. But they weren't boring, and besides, they knew what an asset they'd found in me. They respected me. Almost worshipped me. I never knew why. I still don't.

We cut to the present: the campfire, where Team Starlight and Cad are being hauled away by Dr. Shropp. In the shadows, Cadmus watches, eyes narrowed.

Cadmus: But I'm going to find out exactly what we were worshipping. And then I'm going to take my life back.

Next: Search & Salvage!

Solicit Synopsis

The character vignettes conclude with the secret histories of Eliza... and Cad.