As a part of the Relaunch Prelaunch we revisit a listener favorite for the “Director’s Cut: Teddy Bears and Tea Parties.”

This story was written by S. Boyd Taylor and was originally aired in 2010. It’s a heart-breaking horror story about little girls, stuffed animals, and hunger.

Excerpt:

Shadows move on the mantelpiece and the end tables. She freezes. The family pictures are moving. Brass frames buckling into bow-shaped mouths. They want to eat her. Don’t be scared, she says. Of course they’re hungry. Everything must eat. And there isn’t much food…

You can skip to around 29:10 for an interview with the author Sam Boyd Taylor. Sam and Norm talk about the duel hero journeys in this tale, sweet strawberry piss, and stillness versus action. Don’t forget, if you’re too still… you’re dead.

This is also Norm’s favorite opening to any short story ever: “You’ve got a little girl, her pinky’s missing, and it’s been bit off! That’s all you need!” So, if you want to submit a story to us here at the Drabblecast you might consider mashing a Pixar cartoon with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

So here it is, folks:

Director’s Cut: Teddy Bears and Tea Parties