I am hoping someone can help me with the name of a short story I read years ago. I don't remember too many of the details. I think a girl sees an ad in the newspaper or something and she feels compelled to answer it. It leads her to a meeting where it turns out that everyone there was given a lollipop or something by this man when they were little and now each person that ate the lollipop is dying. The only thing that saves the main character is that her mom or whoever didn't let her eat the lollipop. Some of the details may be a little skewed, but that is the general gist of the story. Thanks for your help!
1 Answer
"A Little Taste of Death"
This short story by Patricia Windsor appeared in Thirteen: 13 Tales of Horror by 13 Masters of Horror.
The main character is a girl named Louey. She does indeed see an advertisement in a newspaper:
Remember the lollipop? Louey read this morning. The man in a white hat? Louey sat up straighter and squinted at the fine print. Those who remembered were asked to call a local number immediately. It could save your life.
Everyone who ate the lollipop is dying:
"It could make a difference," the voice said, overriding Louey's attempt at more questions. "Really, it's in your best interest. Maybe you haven't noticed any changes yet, but you will. When you ate that lollipop, you ate death."
In the end, she doesn't have to die (unlike the others), becase she didn't eat the whole lollipop. As in the title of the story, she had only "a little taste of death."
"Got 'em all, except you," he said genially. "Time to go now."
"I'm not going," Louey said.
She could almost hear him saying it: Oh, yes you are.
"See, it's this way," Louey began in a conversational tone. "I just remembered. When I took that lollipop outside? When all my relatives were busy talking? I unwrapped the pretty red paper. I put that lollipop to my lips. And I gave it one good lick. But Mama came out then and saw what I was doing. She grabbed me and gave me the whipping of my life."
"You hated her for that," he said, leering.
"Sure I did. That's why I forgot. But see, I never ate the lollipop. Mama threw it away."
It unsettled him, made him look angry but helpless at the same time.
"So I don't have to go with you now," Louey said, slowly closing the door on him, " 'cause I only had a little taste of death."
