Run: 2026-07-25-01KYCQT44R8KB5KABFM76H18Q3

Molly unrolled the blueprint across the hood of the van. It was a paper placemat from Dino Pizza, but it had a maze on it, so she felt it counted. "Bouncy castle here," she said, stabbing a crayon at the corner. "Present table here. Cake, and therefore chaos, here." Bill squinted. "Why is there a triceratops?" "That's the clown. I ran out of blue." "And the presents are just sitting out? Unguarded?" "Guarded by grandmothers," Molly said grimly. "Six of them. Folding chairs, hard candy, eyes like hawks who've raised four sons." Bill swallowed. "So what's my job?" "You're the entertainment. Balloon animals, twenty minutes, hold their attention while I load the wagon." "I only know how to make a snake." "Then make forty snakes and call it a nature documentary." He tugged at his rented magician's collar, which smelled faintly of another man's despair. "Molly, these are children. Turning eight. Little Declan's whole year peaks today." "Bill." She gripped his shoulders. "Declan is getting nine gifts. Nine. Statistically, four are socks. We're editing his memories down to the good ones." "That's beautiful." "It's larceny." "Can't it be both?" Bill asked, and honked his nose experimentally.