Be They Fat or Be They Lean by Kristin Lennox

Johnny and Pearl stood before the “Gingerbread Funhouse.” The amusement park was even sketchier at night, but Pearl had promised her brother they’d go.

A sign by the entrance read: Help Yourself. So they did—liquorice whips clutched in sticky hands as they pushed into the dark.

The rooms were cheesy, with glow-in-the-dark gumdrops and cheap mirrors. They laughed at their bloated reflections until their clothes strained, bellies bulging for real.

“Where’s the exit?” Pearl slurred.

Beneath the blinking neon arrow, the massive oven door squealed open—a blast of heat singed their eyebrows as, still chewing, they crawled in.