"All Smiles"

First off, whoa… this story really did blow me away. The main character, Alec, is in desperate need for money and agrees to assist a man that a complete stranger named Matt told him he could trust. Matt’s smile is what wins Alec over. The encounter with the man is very unsettling; he is not only creepy and sketchy, but also vague about the details of the job Alec will be doing. Alec zones out and agrees to a deal he never even heard. I think this adds to the WHOA factor at the end of the story when the reader actually finds out what Alec will be doing for the man. The dialogue was superb; the reader could really understand the essence of the mystery man from what he says. The buildup is great; the speed is steady and I never got bored or wondered what the point of the story was. I felt as though all would be revealed in the end. I think my main problem with the story is the feeling I’m left with after the end. I kind of like it, but I also don’t at the same time. I left feeling a bit confused, like I just received a blow. I like that. However, I don’t know if the writer meant to be as vague about the ending as it is. Nothing is completely specified other than his explicit job, and it is not even explained how he is supposed to carry this job out. Perhaps the writer did this to mirror Alec’s confusion throughout the story. I love that the title is brought up throughout the story, as well as mirrored in the end- the mentioning of the smiles in this way ties the story together nicely.