Mr. TLC and the Book Stealer     Part 1

As he scans the steeple roofed houses across the street, a long vehicle with a steam tank engine, dark windows, and copper green roof, pulls onto the curb in front of his house.  He peers closer as a man steps out the rear left door.  His shoulder muscles bunch up as the vehicle takes off.

The man’s black top hat has a spout that spews out steam.  As the man gets closer, Tobey leaps towards the stairs.  He dashes down to the landing so he can see through the lower windows of the front door.  The man has a gasmask on a brass face with bolts.  The top hat has a large clock, and the belt an hour glass that slowly trickles.  The collar of a brown overcoat hides most of the man’s face.  A little lower, a necklace made of thin coils holds a pressure gauge against the man’s white shirt.  The man keeps his hands in his pocket until he steps up to the door.

Tobey peers closer.  The man removes one of his hands from a deep pocket.  Tobey recoils.  The hand is a brass clamp with a metal swivel wrist.