Elmeara discovers two teens vandalizing her home and confronts them with feigned sweetness. As they explore her kitchen, she attempts to manipulate them into a trap. However, her plan backfires when she loses consciousness during an unexpected encounter. Meanwhile, the teens, unaware of their danger, decide to leave and activate her oven's clean cycle.
short story
The Birthday
Eight-year-old Paul stared out the car window as the glowing lights of Joe's Pizza flashed against the gloom of a cold December gray sky. He wiped the frost off the window and looked around the parking lot. "Where's Dad?" "Spending time with his girlfriend," Mom groused, then shut off the 1972 Dodge Dart and pulled … Continue reading The Birthday