CHAPTER 6: THE LIFE OF MICK SPECTACULAR

Saturday had arrived and Charlie Brown had a bunch of friends over for Monopoly. In addition to Frieda, Lucy, Schroeder, Linus, Eudora, Peppermint Patty, and Claudia were there. Marcie and Franklin were going to visit Mick at the senior living apartments he was staying at, and Skylar had a weekend doctor's appointment. As they were playing, they discussed the week's events.

"So I heard Broderick had finally turned over a new leaf," said Patty.

"He did, Patty," Charlie Brown replied. "Hopefully he stays with it."

"Ox is probably breathing a sigh of relief that he doesn't have to worry about a bunch of potatoes flying out of his locker now," said Schroeder.

"Yeah, but one person that won't be breathing a sigh of relief is Charlie Brown here," said Lucy with a smirk. "I got Park Place and Boardwalk. Get ready to be economically destroyed, Charlie Brown!"

"Lucille, it's always a competition with you," said Patty.

"I'm not worried, Patty," said Charlie Brown, confidently. "I have plenty of money saved up."

"That's my baby!" cooed Frieda, kissing him on the cheek for good luck. And Charlie Brown rolled a seven. He moved his piece to Marvin Gardens, barely missing the "Go To Jail" square.

"Well, Marvin Gardens is my own property, so I'll add a hotel," announced Charlie Brown. And after paying the banker (Linus) for a hotel, it was finally Lucy's turn.

"You're safe for now, Charlie Brown," she said, "but when it's your turn again, you will be completely destroyed." And she rolled the dice. "Ha! Got doubles. So I get to go twice." And she moved her piece to Pacific Avenue, which was loaded with hotels.

"Oh good grief, not again!" moaned Lucy.

But this time it wasn't Schroeder who had Pacific; it was her own brother Linus.

"Pay me 3500 dollars please," said Linus.

"Linus, you wouldn't bankrupt your own sister, would ya?" she pleaded.

"In real life, no," Linus replied. "In the world of Monopoly, all bets are off! Pay up, sis!"

"Turnabout is fair play, Lucy," said Eudora. Lucy just groaned. Patty's phone started ringing. It was Marcie calling.

"While you guys sort out this mess," she said, "I will be right back. Need to see what Marcie wants." And Patty left the room for a bit.

"Schroeder, baby, could you loan your Lucy some money?" Lucy asked her boyfriend.

"Sorry, love," Schroeder replied, "but the rules stipulate that no player can loan out money to another. Not even boyfriends to girlfriends."

"Who made up this stuff?!" wondered Lucy.

"You can th-thank Parker Brothers for that, Lucille," said Claudia. And everyone laughed, aside from Lucy, who just sulked. At that moment, Patty came back, but was looking like she was on the verge of tears.

"Patricia, is everything all right?" asked a concerned Lucy.

"No it's not, Lucille," said Patty, getting misty-eyed.

"What happened, hun?" asked Frieda.

"Mick, the guy who performed at the school," Patty said, now breaking up, "just p-passed away!"

"Good grief!" shuddered Charlie Brown.

One Week Later…

Peppermint Patty, Marcie, and Claudia were at the gravesite of Mick. The funeral had just ended and everyone had left for repass. They stayed behind to reflect on how they gave him one last hurrah before he died. He was full of energy just over a week ago, and now he was gone.

"At least he got one l-last performance in," lamented Claudia.

"That's true," agreed Patty. "Plus he lived a full life. At least we can say that. It's different from Penelope Hawkins, who really didn't live too long at all."

"You're right, sir," said Marcie. "Let's just be glad we were able to give him one last audience to hear his singing."

"Yeah," said Patty, starting to feel a little better. "At least he went out doing what he loved." And the girls started to leave and join the rest for the repass. Snoopy had given them a ride in his limo, so they were able to head to the place where it was being held. After they left, a mysterious figure appeared at the graveyard. This person made a beeline not towards Mick's grave, but to Python's, which was just a few spots down from Mick's. This person stood at Python's gravesite for a minute. They wrote a note and placed it on her headstone. Then the person left. The note read:

"Soon, all will know the real truth about what happened…"

MORE TO COME…

Next time, former Serpent Sister Anaconda makes her triumphant return to Sparkyville.