Run: 2026-02-16-01KHK9QMZYM7EA0JK78RBEYCK7

Molly checked the invitation she’d pinched from a stroller and squinted at the glittery unicorn. The address led them to a bungalow already vibrating with shrieks and bubble-machine hiss. Bill wore a borrowed party hat; it sat on his head like a guilty thought. He carried an empty gift bag the size of a sleeping child. "Bill, we nab all gifts post-cake." "Molly, dodge clowns, grab robots, ponies, and juice-boxes." "Quietly, then vanish before piñata time." They slid along the hedge, timing their breathing to the chorus of “Happy Birthday,” which acted like a siren for every neighbor within three blocks. Through the window, a magician produced scarves, and the parents applauded with the exhausted gratitude of people who’d paid for silence and got fabric instead. Molly spotted the present table: a mountain of wrapping paper, bows, and suspiciously heavy boxes labeled EDUCATIONAL. Bill mouthed the word “jackpot” and nearly inhaled his hat elastic. When the candles flared, Molly flicked on her tiny flashlight, and they crawled toward the back door, ready to steal joy in bulk. Behind them, a toddler dropped a tambourine, and the crash sounded like police brass; Bill froze, then bowed as if hired entertainment today.