"Um gostinho de morte"
Esse conto de Patricia Windsor apareceu em 13: 13 Contos de Terror por 13 Mestres do Terror .
O personagem principal é uma garota chamada Louey. Ela realmente vê um anúncio em um jornal:
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.
Todos que comeram o pirulito estão morrendo:
"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."
No final, ela não tem que morrer (ao contrário dos outros), porque ela não comeu o pirulito inteiro. Como no título da história, ela tinha apenas "um gostinho da morte".
"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."