“Sounds good,” she said. “Denny’s?”“I’m good with that. So yes, Denny’s it is.”The ride to the diner was quiet—at first. Then it w...s pregnant with meaning.“We’re about to have a serious conversation. That about right,” said Rina.“Yes,” I said, “very serious.”“Boy oh boy, she really stung you didn’t she,” said Rina, it was not a question.“Not so much her as her mother. Her mother is the one who put her up to it. It’s her mother that is cutting me out of her life, and would cut me out of all of. He continued before any of us could call him a moron out loud: "I havethe almanac of monsters memorized. I know that the ghouls have reallybad eyesight. We just have to disguise ourselves. It's easy to foolthem. I think I have a spell that might help with that. The realchallenge is to trick the sense of smell of those creatures. They arereally keen at picking up anything that doesn't stink. So you'll haveto either rub some sticking green ooze over yourself or stick reallyclose to me, as I have. Who will give me fifty? No? Twenty-five? Come on, people ... there's plenty of wear left in this one, and if she isn't bought she'll have to be put down. Twenty?"I was horrified to be confronted by the reality of something I knew intellectually ... the elimination of a human being because no-one wanted her. The Auctioneer had dropped to five pounds before my hand, holding the bidding-card, rose almost of its own volition.Relief, I thought, in the Auctioneer's voice. "Five pounds I am bid. Any. It just wasn't fair, John thought. Why should Joan get all the breaks in life, while her twin brother was just another outcast of society? Joan even had two beautiful kids, for crying out loud. John hadn't even undergone the ritual necessary to have children. He slipped into the nearest back alley and cried."Don't worry, John. 'Tis the season to be jolly, after all," a voice told him.John looked up from his tear-stained face. He saw a short, chubby gentleman. The stranger wore a red cap,.