“Well, my friends, readers, all of the audience, including you mice, this is what happens when you don’t let the dead rest in peace. Where will Annabel’s actions bring us? She now has a mechanical doll that holds Jasper’s soul. A recently deceased man, and he thought he had found peace. Now he suddenly finds himself in back in the land of the living again.”

“The worst part of his fate, which, as I mentioned earlier, it could also be chance, who is right? The Gambler or the Monk? Whatever the case, whatever you believe, here Jasper sits in a new mechanical body, inside a doll. His new body is made from cogs and wheels, but there is one thing that Annabel did not count on. Jasper can’t speak. Not only that, he can barely move his joints or walk.”

“A fun tidbit, this doll has one way to contact us, if I would give him a pat on his back, he will stream radio broadcasts. How would you feel if you were brought back in a mechanical doll, and one that cannot communicate? Why don’t we go see what Jasper is thinking?”

Where am I? What happened? I was in Elysium, and now, I am sitting in this lab. Who is what woman staring at me with that big grin on her face, she looks so familiar. Can someone please bring me back to Elysium?

“Ouch, it seems Jasper is not happy at all that he has been brought back, why don’t we see where this scene will take us?”

Annabel slowly walked forward and looked at Jasper, “Hey my dear, you don’t know how glad I am to see you, alive and well. Do you remember me?” She rustled her hand through her pocket and grabbed a pocket watch that she always had close. “Look, you gave me this.”

Jasper had trouble moving his mechanical joints as he tried to focus on what she tried to show him as memories flooded back to him and he thought back. About the woman he wanted to flee with, Annabel, the scientist. I met her right before my arranged wedding. The magical kiss we shared.

Annabel nodded, “Yes, I can see it on your face, your lovely porcelain face, it is me, the woman you wanted to flee with. I am so sorry, our meeting, I told you we would meet in the garden and flee together. I really tried to come, but, I got expelled that day for stealing cadavers, they did not let me into the garden, that day keeps haunting me, but here are you, with me, finally, we have a second chance.”

Jasper managed to creak his head to look at the cadaver next to him. I had heard rumors about the crazy scientist woman who was stealing cadavers. There was even a rumor she bought recently deceased people from the Mafia. She somehow transcended the barrier between life and death by combining magic and science.

Annabel took him by his mechanical hand, “Yes, I see your brain working in there, the smart man I met. I used that body to bring you back. Now, please, speak to me, I can see the gears,” she grinned softly, “Turning in your head. Why won’t you speak to me, my love?”

Jasper looked at her holding his hand, he wanted to speak, to say, he wanted to go back to Elysium. Where he was finally free, how she went too far, how you should not intervene with the dead. But just, maybe, before he goes back to Elysium, he can see his daughter for the last time, Fay.

Annabel tilted her head and smiled, “You must still be adjusting to being back alive, I am sure you will know to learn to speak tomorrow. Tomorrow, we are heading out, I usually never leave the house, or when I do, I skulk around, but now, I have you! Oh, Jasper, I love you and I always wanted to be with you.” She rushed off to her bedroom and jumped into bed without freshening up or even changing into other clothes.

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Jasper creaked as he moved his arms, but he could barely move his legs, not enough to walk away, or to destroy himself. All he could do, was to sit and look at the dead body rotting next to him. I have to admit, her lab is quite a sight to behold, books everywhere, strange machines that blend magic and science. What is she planning to do with me tomorrow? He hung his head and wanted to sigh, but all that came out of him was a creak, he waited for her to wake up.

After a good night’s rest, Annabel woke up with a big grin on her face, she went to her bathroom and put on a decent dress for once and left her lab coat hanging over a chair in her bedroom. She brushed her hair, she even made sure her goggles were spotless. After she was ready, she ran into her lab, “Jasper?”

He looked up, he had been looking down all night, unable to sleep in his new mechanical body, he had learned he was able to stream radio. He tilted his head and stared at her. What do you want to do? He wanted to say that to Annabel. But all he could do, is think about his words.

Annabel picked him up with gentle care and held him in her arms, “Do you love ice cream? I never asked you, but there is a carriage that comes by every morning, they sell ice cream.” She walked outside and looked at the sun, for a moment she thought it would hurt her, she focused on Jasper, “I am fine now, I have you.”

A dangling bell could be heard, more people came out of their homes. She smiled at Jasper. “Do you hear that? The ice cream carriage should be coming around the corner any moment.”

Jasper looked around him and saw the people staring at Annabel, she probably never comes out of her house. Why did she bring me here? To the street? To the land of the living?

She pointed, “There it is!” The carriage that slowly turned the corner into the street is adorned with intricate details that evoke a sense of nostalgia, reminiscent of a bygone era. Its wooden panels showcase masterfully crafted carvings, depicting scenes of mirth and joy. The wheels, though functional, are embellished with filigree patterns, adding a touch of elegance to the whimsical ensemble.

They patiently waited for the carriage to stop in front of her house, the scent of freshly made waffle cones wafts through the air. Leaving a trail of temptation in its wake as it came closer, eventually the carriage stopped in front of them.

The vendor, adorned in a neatly pressed uniform with a bowtie, skillfully operates the charming window that transforms into a serving counter. Behind the counter, an array of gleaming metal scoops awaits, ready to carve out perfect spheres of frozen delight. “Annabel, I have heard you liked ice cream, but you never bought ice cream.”

She glistened with joy, “I would like a cone with strawberry ice, please! This dolly keeps me company, now I am fine on the street, I am a great success.”

The vendor handed her a cone with strawberry ice cream, “And who is this doll?”

“Do you remember the man who died yesterday, Jasper? I brought him back to life, I have conquered both life and death.”

The vendor stared at the doll, “Jasper? Is that really you?”

His metal joints creaked as he looked up and tried to nod, but it barely worked. However, he got the message across. Annabel took the ice cone, “Thank you so much, there is a cabaret showing tonight, right?”

“Yes, that is right, are you seriously going to attend?”

Annabel nodded fiercely, “Oh yes, the two of us are going to attend, maybe Jasper wants to see Fay. But first, we will go to the park, would you like that Jasper?”

He started playing country music from the nearby radio station. He tried telling her, he wanted to go home, to Elysium.

Annabel smiled, “Country music? That probably means yes, we are going to stroll around the park, I will tell you about all the places and people I never got to see. I locked myself up in the lab.” She waved as a thank you to the vendor continued his way to sell more ice cream.

“Oh Jasper,” she hugged him, “We are such a great team, I wish you could eat some of this ice, but, sadly, you cannot eat with your mechanical body. You must be thrilled to be back in the land of the living.”

Jasper tried to sigh deeply but only a few creaks came out of his mechanical body. Please, Annabel, destroy me, I want to die. You have proven you can conquer death, now let me go, I am begging you.

Annabel nodded, “Those creaks have got to mean that you are excited, it would be easier if you speak, I am sure that will happen soon, now come on, to the park!”

Jasper could not reply that this was not what he wanted, Please, Annabel, I understand you are sad and wanted to be with me, but this just isn’t right, please, listen to me.