Can't Catch Me

There was a scraping sound coming from the kitchen. The little old woman trundled around the corner to check.

"Oho," she said. "You're a frisky one."

The gingerbread man did not spare her a glance, busy with his work. He'd gotten the drawer open and was slowly tugging the massive butcher's knife up onto the counter.

"Is that for me?" She clucked her tongue. "Defiant. Insubordinate. Just like your brothers." She reached down and slammed the drawer shut. The gingerbread man spun helplessly across the counter.

"But I've learned," she said. "That's why I don't make you with legs anymore."

A Temporary Solution

The last glimmer of sunset showed them their doom. The main horde had finally caught up, and the ancient mansion wouldn't last an hour against a determined zombie assault.

"Please," Trey said, holding out the shotgun, "I want a clean death."

"Wait!" Gertie pointed out the window.

In the twilight, a shadowy figure darted with blinding speed among the zombies. Heads exploded, limbs fell off, and in an impossibly short time, the undead assault was blunted.

"Thank you!" Gertie called to their rescuer.

He turned. "You may thank me properly. Later." He smiled, bone-pale, his fangs flashing in the darkness.

Inevitable

Huitzo sat down in front of the red pieces. "Coal before fire," he said.

His opponent gestured with an idle claw. "Blood before bile."

"Oh." Huitzo stared at the board. The twelve checkers were arrayed in neatly offset rows.

"They solved this game, you know," said the demon. "Checkers is a series of binary options, each decision leading to two further possibilities, until you reach the end and your only choice is to go back the way you came. Every one of those outcomes is completely mapped, now."

Huitzo pushed a piece forward.

"That's the wrong move," said the demon.