the spotless bicycle, chapter 4: a sobering misadventure

by rhoda penmarq

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after sipping her coffee and scowling at the zombies for another couple of hours, mrs crunch stood up and motioned for iphelia and her friends to follow her. they moved up the stairs and past the colonel's bedroom up another flight of stairs to the linen cupboard where mrs crunch set them to inspecting sheets for moths and refolding them meanwhile downstairs the zombies were drawing closer to the verandah suddenly they rushed upon mister moseby and dragged him away protesting ineffectually beauregard observed the proceedings from the upstairs window and enquired about the prospects for mister moseby's rescue the housekeeper answered dismissively and they continued with the sheets and linen the day wore on until iphelia offered to help prepare lunch and mrs crunch grudgingly accepted outside the zombies came upon the urglaut sleeping under a magnolia tree he had left the bicycle leaning carelessly against a moss covered boulder the zombies were entranced by its brightness and ignored mister moseby as he staggered away by the time he stumbled back through the swamp night had fallen and dinner was being served - a spartan repast consisting of a single roast pig, and some cold ham, chicken, turkey and venison but his ordeal had spoiled mister moseby's appetite and he soon retired intimating he would not be taking iphelia and her friends anywhere any time soon