Their bellies were full and their spirits were high, so they cranked up the radio and sang along as they drove. They were about halfway home and belting out an oldie…
...when the car suddenly died. Completely and utterly. It looked like its soul was escaping through the grille.
They pushed it onto the shoulder. Those who knew anything about mechanics popped the hood and had a look. Others milled about or stretched or groomed. Meanwhile, Andy’s attention was captured by a strange mist that had started to encroach.
Through the mist, he thought he saw a distant light, so he wandered into the woods to find the source and perhaps get help. Soon he came upon a house. Well… it was actually more like a mansion.
He found the door ajar, and cautiously looked in. There didn’t seem to be anyone there.
He wandered through room after room calling out a greeting, but nobody responded. He was about to give up, when he turned into a hallway and saw another cat.
The cat was silvery, like Mimi, so he thought perhaps she’d followed him there. But when he called out to her, she coolly stared back at him as if sizing him up. Then she suddenly took off running, and the chase was on!
They ran all over the strange, cavernous mansion...
...until finally they came to a staircase that dead-ended into the ceiling – Whaaaa? Anyway, he thought he had her cornered at last.
Until she walked right through the wall !!!
Well didn’t that beat all? He wandered away in confusion, eventually coming to a large paneled room.
There was an organ on one wall, so he sat down on the bench and pondered the strange events of the evening, wondering what it all meant.
But not being much of a philosopher, he abandoned the effort in favor of noodling around on the organ…
He wheeled around to see a stately-looking lady who didn’t seem quite solid. “You must be the lost traveler,” she said. “The spirits of this house are full of silly pranks and have waylaid you and your friends. No matter, we’ll fix it. My name is Mrs. Sarah Winchester.”
She extended her hand, and Andy had to consult his inner Sir Andrew for advice about the proper etiquette.
“It was very kind of you to play with my cat,” she said. “Though how you knew that her name was Mimi is a mystery to me. Oh, well… all very appropriate for the Winchester Mystery House! Now let me escort you back to your companions.”
They traveled the short distance in style, and Andy was set down near the car.