The Giving Thief

WHERE'S MICHAEL?

Overview

Tim attends a Christmas party with friends, sharing dinner and catching up. When Alex asks how Tim is doing, the conversation turns to computer science and then to Michael the friend who never arrived. Alex mentions Michael’s fascination with AI, and Tim reacts angrily, leaving the room in tense silence. They move on to gifts. Connor receives a knife that looks like one Michael owned, making Tim uneasy. Sabrina gives Tim running shoes, puzzled since he never runs. Tim then hands out his own gifts: gloves for Sabrina, a crowbar for Hank, and a rare M&M watch for Alex that looks just like Michael’s. Tim excuses himself to the bathroom. As the group quietly questions the strange gifts, Connor opens his last present a gun he had only discussed with Michael. Sirens sound outside. When they rush to the bathroom, Tim is gone. He has escaped through a bedroom window, leaving behind an unsettling truth about Michael.