This was a really enchanting short story! It had a lot of differing flavors going on that melded seamlessly together to create something better than had each element been done on its own.

This story had the heartwarming and playful banter of young love, a bit of mystery, and a surprise twist of paranormal horror at the end. It's a rollercoaster that's perfectly set up. You ride high on the character's love for one another, reach the peak and get the anxiety of mystery before the drop, and then plunge into the unknown world of the paranormal. It's fun and exhilarating and you want to ride again!

The first thing I want to talk about is the love between the two newlyweds. Their actions and quips back and forth with another are realistic and consistent with what I'd expect from two recently-married people . They're still in their honeymoon phase.

I especially liked the line I don’t care if it’s rarer than rocking horse poop. Such a good line! It inserts humor while revealing the dynamic between Abigail and John. It also speaks to the depths of their love because even though they're newlyweds, it's not hard to imagine an 80-year-old woman who's been married for 60 years saying the exact same thing to her husband That's true love.

I also enjoyed the journey of John discovering his waffles were disappearing not because of a fault in the actual waffle maker or the batter, but because of the spirit haunting the waffle maker.

It was comedy gold the way you ended the short story with the wailing waffle maker groaning while watching John and Abigail eat bacon. I was shaking my head like, "Yeah, man. I totally get it. I'd be upset, too. Go ahead and cry. Completely understandable." And then a part of me was overprotective of the waffle maker and wanted to look at John very disappointed and tell him he better give some bacon to that waffle iron.

As advice to the newlyweds, I'd suggest keeping the groaning waffle maker out of their bedroom And when they have children, be weary of them emptying their peas into the waffle maker Who needs a dog to secretly eat your vegetables when you've got a hungry haunted appliance?

I think it'd add to the hilarity if John hears the waffle maker "making weird noises" when he uses it the second time. He may think nothing of it, maybe that's just how waffle makers sound nowadays? Then when he goes to the store he can bring the waffle maker and the batter. The issue has to be one or the other, right? Without a recent, the store can't accept opened food items. And worse yet, since the waffle maker was a wedding gift there's no way to return it or know if it's even from that same store.

You could have John try to explain the situation to the manager and have a funny back and forth.


Something like:

"So you want to return your wedding gift?"

"Yes." John said.

"Marriage over already?"

"Nope. Marriage is going great. But the waffle maker isn't working out."

"What's wrong with it?" The manager asked, picking up the small appliance.

"It makes noises?"

"Probably just hearing the batter sizzling. Everything looks fine." The manager said, opening the plates and looking at them.

"No. It . . ." John leans in. "I know it sounds crazy, but it . . . groans."

"Your waffle iron groans?"

John nodded, looking around, timid.

"Sounds like a fault in the actual appliance. You'll have to reach out to the manufacturer and see if it's still covered under their warranty. Nothing I can do for you without the receipt."


I think an exchange like that could add to the hilarity of the scene. And then you can cut to John walking up and down the small appliance aisle leaning in to the waffle makers on display trying to hear if they groan, too!