Seemingly dark, but with a twist.

"Relaxed?" Mrs. Clark voice sounded almost bored as Miss Evers sat, holding a cup of tea in hands that were shakingly slightly, a smile on that twenty-seven year old face that was obviously nothing more than a way to hide how afraid she was.

"You're scared. Good."

Miss Evers watched as what used to be Mrs. Clark take a sip of tea, that look never going to mirth or anger, always at a polite but unmistakable malice.

"So, you know why you're here. I can see it plainly. That 'relax' line, well we both knew that was pure fiction."

Mrs. Clark's face smiled slightly and she stood up fully. Holding the tea cup level, the other hand smoothed out the skirt suit.

"It is more difficult, I find, to keep things looking nice. As a man it was easier. Maybe I was just more used to it? Well, we are not here for discussions the differences between men's and women's clothing are we?"

Miss Evers shook her head, taking a quick and nervous sip of her tea. The face in front of her smiled a little more warmly. That only made Miss Evers more nervous. What was she about to do?

"Don't worry, you're not going to suffer Mrs. Clark's fate, at least not today. That pretty head of yours will still have its original brain in it, unlike Mrs. Clark. I heard that Mr. Wilkins keeps her brain in a jar in a drawer of his desk. When he wants to look at failure he brings it out and gives it a gaze."

Miss Evers, hearing that, spilled her tea and almost broke down. The pressure was getting to her, and both of them knew it.

"Oh, I can pour you a new cup, do not worry. And, do not worry about the furniture, that chair has been here for ages! I should know, I've been here for ages. No, see, I meant it when I said you won't have her fate. See, I want you to go out there and spread around what happened. About what failure can do. It should be quite easy. Can you do that?"

Miss Evers nodded swiftly and Mrs. Clark walked over to the door and opened it, holding it open.

"Off you go."

Miss Evers could not conceal her emotions at leaving, quickly fleeing even as Mrs. Clark shut the door behind Miss Evers.

Charlie laughed. In truth, his body was failing and the pills Mrs. Clark was taking for her liver were toxic to her brain at the levels she had been taking. There was never a failure, and the fact that this worked was a miracle in and of itself with no prospect of doing it again in the near future, but hell, no one else needed to know these things!