“That would be me,” said a voice out of the darkness.
A glowing red ember slowly radiated outwards, attached to a cigar being smoked by a tall man in a top hat.
His face was painted a deathly white on top of his dark skin, an effect made even more morbid by a set of rib-bones that were tattooed on his torso, which was partially covered by a tattered tuxedo.
This formal attire was complimented by a large walking stick, which hissed at Slub Glub and Willowmina, as it was actually a snake.
The tails of his coat were adorned with feathers and a number of crosses and hearts scrawled in chalk.
A conga drum was at his side. Evidently it was he that had provided the ghostly rhythms that they heard earlier.
The Baron came up close to the willow tree and the little blue mutant.
“But I don’t know who you are,” he said with a large smile, revealing a few teeth made of gold and a few that were missing.
He stubbed out his cigar and put his head close to Willowmina’s trunk.
“But let me guess.” He breathed deeply, then stared deep into the willow tree’s foliage. “You, my dear girl, are a young sapling, of the powerful and wise weeping willow variety, who has recently encountered some friends of mine who have lost their way.”
Despite his jovial tone, Willowmina was scared of this unusual gentleman.
He then squatted down and inspected Slub Glub.
“And you, my little blue friend, are a thing that should not be; a creature born of chemical wastes and strange breeding.”
He took one of Slub Glub’s tentacles in his large hand, each finger of which was adorned with a ring, some of diamonds, some of tin.
“I am pleased to know you.”
His breath smelled of cemetery dust and fish, which Slub Glub found pleasant.
“Now tell me,” the Baron said, rising to his feet and addressing them both, “exactly what was it that you were saying to my men?”
To be continued.
Table of Contents: “Slub Glub in the Weird World of the Weeping Willows”
Get the graphic novel from Eraserhead Press.
Illustration & text copyright (c) Andrew Goldfarb