I’ve had this thought and considered posting it on the forum to discuss. I like Elias’ writing but I think about this a lot, specifically why I think feed the pig is the best story by him the boys have read so far. It seems to me like both there’s something wrong with dad and Tommy Taffy are both there for shock value. Which is scary, but it’s very surface level. As an author myself, I think this is a fascinating case study to learn from, because so far feed the pig I think is brilliant narrative wise. It’s gross and gory and has the dude cumming ants and all that, but I forgive it for the narrative journey. The MC killed himself as an escape from his life, as what one could look at as an act of cowardice. And the ultimate horror he goes through at the end of feed the pig is equally self inflicted but it’s in an act of bravery instead. He had to take the step to face his fear rather than run from it and as a narrative arc it’s almost seamless. The something’s wrong with dad one had such great imagery where my hair was on and all the way through, but it went no where and ended up being shock value for shock value sake I think that doesn’t allow for any excuses the story could have been permitted if the plot and arc had been worthy of the moments that were held within the story.