They tried to figure out where it was coming from. They headed toward the living room, and suddenly, they saw a figure with its back to them...its back with a large silver key turning gently...the source of the ticking noise.
It was moving stiffly about the room.
"What the..." Danny started.
The figure turned. It was...Tom? Except it wasn't...not totally. He looked mostly human...except for the face, which had taken on a distinctly artificial feel to it...as if Tom had placed a clear plastic mask over his face and was applying pressure, obscuring his features.
"This has got to be some kind of joke," Chris said, backing away.
"I'm not laughing," Danny said, taking a few steps back. "Tom...what's wrong with you?"
Tom opened and closed his mouth, somewhat mechanically, but no sound came out. He then seemed to return to what he was doing...straightening up...as if Danny and Chris weren't there.
