Sexy_Thing_33 approached Reggie and Charlie The Screw. She had a sad, almost grieving, look on her face. Leaning over she tugged at the panda suit until Reggie slipped free. He slumped onto the pavement, then jerked to his feet.
Reggie Stickwithers looked at Sexy_Thing_33 in deep shame. “Melinda… I’m sorry, so very sorry…”
And he could say no more. Tearfully Reggie Stickwithers slunk away, a defeated man.
Melinda watched Reggie shuffle down the street and around the corner. Then she turned to Charlie, who was still incapacitated by his madness. Kneeling she put her lips almost on Charlie’s upturned right ear.
She whispered: “Sexy_Thing_33” consists of 11 characters. The third letter in SEXY is “X”, and the third letter in THING is “I”. XI is 11 in Roman numerals. There are also two underline marks in this name. They can be turned on their side to create an 11."
Charlie The Screw moaned loudly, but Melinda continued.
“Three 11’s equal to 33.”
Reaching into her pocketbook Melinda produced a copy of Melville’s Moby Dick.
“This will come in handy during those long nights in the Jackson Heights Home for the Insane.” she whispered unkindly. “I suggest you read page 33 first.”
Melinda dropped the book at Charlie’s feet. She then rose to follow Reggie.
“Buggermonkey!” cried out Charlie The Screw. He curled into a fetal position and whimpered softly. Dizziness overcame this wretched man as he watched Melinda disappear around the corner. Then, with a final muffled squeal, he shut his eyes in a comatose sleep.
With Charlie and Melinda gone, and the helpless C.T.S lying eyes-closed in a pool of sticky drool, there was no one to see the shadowy figure quietly creep over and snatch up the panda suit. There was no one to see the gleeful demented smile on this figure’s face…nor the long knife it held in its other hand…