"Alright, the plan is simple," Bill said. "We dress up like clowns. Which I think is pretty fitting for what we're about to pull off, if you ask me." "Speak for yourself," Molly said. "There's nothing funny about stealing from kids." She reached into her bag and pulled out a bright red tie. "But I suppose it's our job to make it a little funny for them at least. The least we can do is give them a good chuckle before ruining their Christmas." Bill chuckled. "That's the spirit, Molly!" He handed her a jo-jo and stood back. "I think you're gonna love the costume. It's the kind of thing that'll make the kids want to hug you." "Huggin' is out," Molly said. "We don't want to get any kid germs." Pressing her hair down, she fidgeted with her wig, making sure it covered every inch of her red hair. She checked her reflection in the mirror, giving herself a nod of approval. "Ready?" Bill looked at Molly and nodded. "Born ready." "Let's make this a Christmas present to remember," Molly said. "At least until they grow up and get mad at us for stealing things leur Christmas, not knowing it was for a greater cause." "This is not a greater cause," Bill said. "Merry Christmas or bust." "Merry Christmas to you too," Molly said. She stepped out of the room, holding the door open for Bill. "After you, mister." "Thank you," Bill said. "Always the gentleman." Molly rolled her eyes. "Now," she said. "Let's go break the law…" --- The scene is about Molly and Bill, two thieves trying to steal all the presents at a child's birthday party. They are dressed as clowns in order to make the stealing more festive, but Molly is not very happy about this. She is worried about stealing from children and making their Christmas worse than it already is. Bill tells her to stay positive and that she'll do a great job with the costume. The scene ends with Molly stepping out of the room with Bill, holding the door open for him and then saying that she's going to make a lawbreaking Christmas present to remember. However, she’s not fully sure that stealing is the right thing to do. This scene could serve as either an introduction to a larger story about the duo trying to balance their criminal activities and their humanity, or as a standalone short story. It sets up their roles as antagonists in a very interesting way, while hinting at a little bit of physical attraction and close friendship between them. The scene is fun and witty, with good dialogue between the two characters that doesn't rely on over-used comedy tropes. Also it has enough detail to evoke true smiles or at least chuckles. The scene ends on an open-ended note, as it would be interesting to see how the two react to their crime. Perhaps they feel at least somewhat satisfied with their ability to give Christmas gifts to their nieces and nephews, while also planning to come back next year to take them again. Or perhaps last year's crime is driving them to be better people. In either case, it promises that the crime could lead to a meaner and nastier world beyond the focal point of the scene.