Chapter 4: Ro-Bart

"What did you do, Homer?" called Marge from downstairs.

"Um… nothing!" shouted Homer.

"Then why did you yell, 'I can't believe what I just did'?" Marge wondered.

"Well… what I meant was that I can't believe I fell for Bart's prank," Homer said.

"Whatever," shrugged Marge. "And Bart, play no more tricks!"

"Bart won't be playing tricks anymore," Homer said to himself. "Oh my gosh, what am I going to do with him? I can't let Marge, Lisa, or Maggie know that Bart's dead. There's got to be some way I can make them think that Bart's still alive," Homer said. "Hmm," he thought with a dazed look in his eyes.

20 Minutes Later…

Homer knocked on the door of Professor Frink's laboratory. "Frink, you home?" called Homer.

Then, Professor Frink answered the door. "Yes, I'm home. Please do not knock on my door so loudly," Frink said. "What is it that you want?"

"Build me a robot," Homer said flatly.

"Okay, what kind of robot do you want? One for residential use, commercial use, industrial use…" he started.

"Cut the mumbo-jumbo and let me draw for you and tell you what I want," Homer said.

Professor Frink opened the door wider and let Homer into his large laboratory. Then, he and Homer gathered around a wooden table that had some paper and a pencil. Homer then drew the robot that he wanted. It looked just like Bart. He explained to him that he wanted it to act and sound like Bart. Frink nodded as he understood what he wanted.

"Okay, Mr. Simpson. I can have it ready in… 5 days," Frink said.

"Five days?" cried Homer. "My family will wonder what happened to him…" Homer stopped when he saw that Frink was getting suspicious. "I mean… uh… what happened to the clone he talks about having all the time." Homer laughed nervously and grinned sheepishly.

"Well, if it is that urgent, I suppose I can make one overnight. However, I must warn you that it would not be very convincing," Frink said.

"Who cares, just make something!" Homer said, grabbing Frink by the jacket.

"Okay, okay!" Frink surrendered. "Come back at 5 in the morning." Homer then thanked Professor Frink for his help, and then he went back home, feeling better that he could face Marge, Lisa, and Maggie.

When he went back home, he noticed that the family was in the family room watching TV. This was his perfect opportunity to sneak by with Bart's body. He went upstairs and grabbed Bart and sneaked downstairs. He rushed through the hall and crept outside. Then, he went into the garage and got a shovel, a hammer, two plywood boards, and a nail.

Homer then went over to Ned Flanders' house. Quickly and efficiently, Homer dug a deep hole, and when he was finished, he tossed Bart's body carelessly inside. "I'll sure miss you, Bart," Homer said with a sigh. Then, he covered the hole up with the dirt. Then, he stabbed one of the wooden boards into the ground and then nailed the other board up high on the other one. When Homer was through, he'd made a very crude cross. Homer took his equipment with him and put the things in the garage. He then quietly went inside and up to his room.