by Penelope Wrightly

The door was once again jammed, despite the fact that all the other problems in the house had been fixed over last three years. The man in his dark suit pushed against the door firmly, only to find that after much great effort it only creaked slowly open at the last moment. He stepped into his house, accidently setting off a trip wire at the entrance of the door.

The only clue he got before lifting his eyes was a soft whirl and slight squeaking, like metal sliding past metal.

"Please not again." He looked up again to see his whole living room made into a living invention. He let out an exasperated sigh, putting a hand to his forehead; rubbing out the wrinkles that had gathered there after a hard day at work. He cautiously set his briefcase between the checkered floor of strings tied here and there along every crevasse. He looked around nervously straightening his tie and taking a deep breath before venturing into the unknown. It was going to be a piece of cake, he was afraid at first that there would be something unsuspected, but it was all the same like the year before. He thought this with a sigh of relief as viewed the cogs and wheels on the walls working at a slow pace and the fan above his head that he could see concealed feathery down. Nothing different at all; how wrong he was.

He was in the center of the room when he realized that something was different, the cogs on the walls had stopped moving but the noise he'd heard when he came in was still there. It grew louder; a slight shaking encompassed the room and the sound sounded like a large engine truck revving up.

"What in the world?" Then the lights went out, he stood frozen waiting for them to turn back on but they didn't. A faint glow, though, started to surround him. On closer inspection they looked like little fireflies. They moved around him and then came to a rest all over him, nearly covering every part of him. He became a neon yellow blob, and he was being tickled. The tiny little metal legs of the robots vibrated against him, he started to squirm while still trying to have the presence of mind to not move from his spot. It wasn't working very well, but still it seemed the fireflies gave up and the light around him was soon gone.

Another rainbow of lights rolled toward him, it was a big ball and it was coming right at him. With a thump he fell onto his backside in a very undignified manner, and set off a whole bunch of trip wires once again. The invention was now in full swing. The cogs moved, the generator roared up and the fan began to spin just as he was bathed in chocolate. The chocolate he tasted on his lips, gagging slightly. He was now tarredrather chocolated and feathered. He stepped forward not caring what might happen to him next, pillows on all sides of him sandwiched him and then let him drop right into a basin of neon paint. His backside now flashing orange and every inch of him covered in chocolate, he let out a frustrated yell.

"Marian!" All at once the cogs stopped, the fan froze in mid-spin, and the strings crossing across the floor collapsed. There was a slight, soft creaking as a door opened spilling light into the darkened room. A figure stood in the way of the light; it was shapely figure; but wore an odd get-up. An evening gown swept from her shoulders to the floor in glittering silver, a tool belt was slung over the waist and the feet were bare; hair swung up in a cascading hair do with a pencil sticking out.

"You are home at last." She came forward swaying her hips ever so slightly. "I've been waiting for you." She smiled at him, with a small quirk of her lips. As she neared him she raised her hands, he flinched slightly, and adjusted his tie that had gone awry. "There, now you look perfect." She smiled. "Good heavens what did you think I was going to do to you?" Her teeth now gleamed.

He remained silent, just staring at her, telling himself that she could not help it and that he should not get mad.

She placed a hand on his chest and leaned up and gave him a sweet kiss. "My you taste good." She mumbled, and then placed her head on his shoulder. With a sigh she turned around, but not before poking him in the stomach and grinning. "Happy anniversary, my love." She left him standing there with a shocked look on his face.

But what could he do? And so he followed after her.