Aug 13, 2023

Gwendy's Button Box by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar (2017) Cemetery Dance

Gwendy is about to go into high-school and she's tired of being teased about her weight.  So, she runs up the Suicide Stairs every day, trying to change her looks and her life.  A Mr. Farris, in an out-of-date grey suit and a bowler hat, chooses to help her by giving her a button box.  It's not full of buttons, it has buttons on top.  Different colored buttons that correspond to the continents, plus a red button and a black button.  The red button will do whatever she asks.  And we don't have to be told what the black button could do.  It also has two levers; one will occasionally dispense a mint condition 1891 Silver Dollar.  The other dispenses very small, extra fancy, highly detailed chocolates in the shape of animals.  She consumes one chocolate a day.  She hides the button box to keep anyone else from finding it and hitting the buttons.  But she's still just a teenager and is frightened of the responsibility the box represents.

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