The C.W.A. of Dr. Z. Smith: Episode 60: The Ghost of Smith Manor

Last Week As You Recall…
 Deep In the undercity of Legopolis…
  The french had our team of Legopolian border patrol officers trapped on all sides.

-=fig. 384: the undercity=-

    The under city {being a series of cellars and alleys that ran underneath the grand city of Legopolis} was the perfect target for this swarm of french rats.  They weren't actual rats, of course, but a team of highly trained french infantry soldiers.

The sound of wanton gunfire filled the air.
  As did the wanton gunfire.
"That's our last bullet captain." The worried man pulled back behind the makeshift barricade.
  They were trapped in what once may have been a garage but what was now the home of what looked to be an educated hobo.  It was closed in on two sides, but the other two sides were open, or, had been before the makeshift barricades.
  Capt. Brown was pensive.
  Capt. Brown smiled, wanly.

-=fig. 385: trapped like rats=-

"We've gotten out of worse than this, boys."
 No one mirrored his sentiment.

 -=-

Meanwhile back at No. 17 Ron Daveu Drive…

"Jeeves, all shields ahead full."
  "Aye Sir." 

Jeeves hurried away to complete his task.
    "Very nice house you have here." Said Teresa, recently rescued schoolteacher.
 "Yes." Said Dr. Smith, in a way which would suggest to the casual observer that he was scared out of his considerable wits by this woman.   It was not that she was particularly frightening, or even particularly beautiful, being an all-around average woman. The problem was more that Dr. Smith, a man of solitude, was being confronted by a situation for which he had no precedent.
 Teresa decided to take another stab at conversation.
  Being a schoolteacher she had experience with frightened children, and Dr. Smith was no different.  "My name's Teresa.  I'm a teacher. What's your name?"

"Dr. Smith. I'm a…" Dr. Smith frowned, he couldn't decide what he was.  He was definitely an inventor, but he was also a physician, and Doctor of science.
 The clock cukooed 2:00 P.M. breaking Dr. Smith out of his reverie of confusion.

-=fig. 386: cuckoo, cuckoo=-

Dr. smith watched the skeleton cuckoo, twice, and gave a little chuckle.
 "Teresa?"
   "Yes?"
     "Do you find skeletons…frightening?" 
      "No.  They're hilarious."

-=-

-=fig. 387: the skeleton room=-

Teresa laughed to herself.  "These are great!  Your house has a room for everything!"
  Dr. Smith nodded gleefully, this had been his observation as well.   He walked the row of skeletons, his boots crunching the snow.
  The room was freezing.
   He reached the final Skeleton in the line, but this one was different.
    HELLO DR. SMITH. 
     The words reached his brain directly, without bothering to go through his ears.   The final skeleton was dressed in a long black coat, a wide-brimmed black fedora, and was drinking tea from a yellow cup.
    A yellow cup with carefree daisies on it.
    The steam rose gently in the frigid air.
     DON'T PANIC.
 The words slid into place like the lid of a coffin, A giant, stone coffin, one as old as time.
  HELLO, MS. PHILLIPS.
Teresa had wandered down the line until she stood just to the right of Dr. Smith. 
  "Who are you then?"  She said.

-=fig. 388: DEATH=-

DEATH.  THE GRIM REAPER. THE FINAL SKELETON.  I HAVE MANY NAMES.
 "What are you doing here?" said Dr. Smith, finally regaining control of himself.
 AS YOU MAY KNOW, THIS IS MY BUSY SEASON–
 "Summer?"
  WAR.
  "Ah."
 AND I DECIDED TO STOP OFF HERE FOR REFRESHMENTS.  I AM SORRY TO SAY THAT I HAVE EATEN ALL OF YOUR BACON. I APOLOGIZE. THANK YOU FOR THE TEA.
He dropped the teacup, which vanished halfway to the ground.
  "But why me? Why stop here?" said Dr. Smith,
ALL QUESTIONS WILL BE ANSWERED, IN TIME.  THE CAPTAIN REQUIRES YOUR ASSISTANCE.
Death smiled, and vanished.

-=Best Regards=-

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Sir Jacob D. Fredrickson Esq.

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Chief Executive Officer of Early Bird Industries, Inc.

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