Trick or Treat, Pt 8.
By Jill Weber
Big Guy and Rusty characters owned by Sony and Darkhorse and are used without permission or intent to make a profit.
Rusty was getting depressed. He was surfing the net for inspiration for a costume, but nothing appealed.
"Knock, knock?" a familiar female voice said.
Rusty twisted around. "Oh, hi, Dr. Lester," he said. "Sorry, Dr. Slate isn't in right now. She'll be back in about an hour."
"Oh, guess that means she won't be joining me for lunch," Dr. Lester said. The older-than-Dr.-Slate woman roboticist brushed her sandy brown hair out of her eyes. "What are you up to, youngster?"
"Oh, I was trying to come up with an idea for a costume, but..." he gestured at the CRT. "I don't want something like those!"
Dr. Lester looked over her glasses. "Why no aliens? Oh, too much like work?"
Rusty nodded and added: "And if the Big Guy signal comes, I don't want Big Guy thinking I'm a BAD GUY!"
Dr. Lester nodded. "It'd be embarrassing if he shot at you," she said.
Rusty shuddered. "Yeah!"
Dr. Lester frowned and tapped her lower lip with a pencil. "How about a ghost?"
Rusty sighed. "Lots of kids go as ghosts," he complained.
"But how many of them can actually fly?" Dr. Lester responded. "I have an idea. We can rig up a jack-o-lantern head for you with wire and tissue paper..."
Rusty leaped up from his stool. "And with a sheet for the body, I'd look really cool!"
"Yes, indeed!" Dr. Lester said. "Why don't you come shopping with me?"
Rusty looked at her wide eyed. "I don't want to be a trouble!" he said.
"Nah, you won't be any trouble, Rusty," Dr. Lester said. "I hate eating alone, anyways. We can get some craft supplies and something for me to eat and fix up your costume in my lab."
"Wow! Thanks!"
"Don't mention it, I still owe you for that undersea rescue, remember?"