The Giving Thief

“WHERE'S MICHAEL?”

What begins as a Christmas gathering slowly unravels into something deeply unsettling. Beneath the warmth of shared memories and holiday traditions lingers the quiet absence of Michael, a friend whose name carries an uncomfortable weight. As conversation drifts toward his fixation on artificial intelligence, Tim’s composure begins to crack. Strange, deeply personal gifts surface throughout the night, objects that feel less like gestures of friendship and more like intended reminders, turning the celebration into something tense and uneasy. As suspicion and discomfort quietly take hold, sirens cut through the night and Tim vanishes without explanation, leaving the group and the evening itself changed.