The Virgin Jimmy Peck
Daryl Gregory, "The Virgin Jimmy Peck" in Screams From the Dark , ed. Ellen Datlow (Tor Publishing Group: 2022). When you suddenly have something to care for in the world, when that thing depends upon you for its very existence, aspects of your personality and character are revealed that are surprising. This is true even if that which you are caring for is a tentacled murderous spawn of an interdimensional elder god ripping itself free from your abdomen or you are caring for the young man who is undoubtedly ushering in the end of the world as we know it. We learn something important and endearing about both Jimmy and Mrs. Yogovich when they are put in such a circumstance, and we have a lot of laughs along the way.