Discussion prompts: "The Thing in the Walls Wants your Small Change", by Virginia M Mohlere
http://lunastationquarterly.com/story/the-thing-in-the-walls-wants-your-small-change/
For 11 April 2019 at the CVL Campfire
by Wordsmith Jarvinen

The story was nominated for the Hugo Award for the 2019 best short-story. While it seems to be more fantasy than science, that nomination gives it the chops to be considered as Sci-Fi.

ELEMENTS:

  • A young woman, "Hired from across the dang country to write cybersecurity algorithms."
  • An apartment in "ridiculous neighborhood that was like something out of a romantic comedy".
  • A developing friendship with an older resident of the apartments.
  • A habit of putting a good-luck penny on the threshold.
  • A mystery of those pennies disappearing.
  • A scratchy sound behind the wall in the back hallway
  • A kind and caring grandmother back home.
  • An alcoholic, abusive mother best to be well-away from. 

Mix well and see what results.

How the author catches your curiosity in the first line: "The penny was gone again."