Christmas shopping.  I’m casually humming along to Mariah Carey holiday stuff (yep they’re my dirty little secret), and walking through the mall, pleasantly surprised by how empty it is.  I pick out the latest trendy gifts:  Game consoles, stuffed toys…suddenly, I feel/hear the earth rumbling.  The coffee in my hand starts doing that Jurassic Park thing where the liquid is plopping and shaking.  I turn to look behind me and narrow my eyes.  “What the—” My eyes widen:  A sea of shopping carts is charging towards me, each one manned by a rage-infested yuppie.  Open my eReader to Echo.  Magic flash.  A horde of yuppie bait drops into their midst—organic quinoa, assorted gear for a Mud Run, gift cards for Panera, Starbucks, timeshare ads—and the horde collapses inward, tearing at each others’ flesh and stabbing at each others’ eyes with their SUV keys.  I make a hasty escape.

For those times when you can’t call for artillery, naval gunfire, or close air support.  Get Echo Vol. 1 on Kindle here:  Vol. 1 on Kindle.  Vol. 2 on Kindle here:  Vol.2 on Kindle.