(Strip Number 7218, Original Publication Date, 25 May 1986)
Panel 1: It's 8:01 at the Pattermanse and Elly hears a sound that chills her to the bone: the sound of happy children giggling when they're supposed to be cowered in their beds afraid of her righteous rages.
Panel 2: She then asks Mike and Lizzie if they're still trying to destroy civilization by not being in bed.
Panel 3: In order to save mankind from chaos, anarchy and the dreadful possibility of her admitting that she sucked the magic she craves by taking herself too God-damned seriously, she does the only thing she knows how to do: go all rage-faced and declare that they'd better be in bed by the count of three or something unpleasant will happen.
Panel 4: Lizzie asks what that horrible thing might be.
Panel 5: They face a minor horror when rage-faced Elly starts walking down the hall and bellowing ONE.
Panel 6: They get somewhat more nervous when she gets to TWO.
Panel 7: She gets to the door and hollers THREE.
Panel 8: A moment of tension arises when they wait to see what she'll do.
Panel 9: Since she had no idea either of what she was going to do, she stands there looking stupid. Worse still, the kids smile because they realize she's got nothing in the tank.
Panel 10: In order to save face, she surprises them when she resumes yelling ONE.
Summary: What kills me about her need to rule by fear is that she dares to whine to Connie about why her children never come to her with her problems! It's clear that they were supposed to be so terrified of her irrational, disproportionate rages, they'd do what she told them without question. How do you come to a figure you fear and can never please with a problem?!