What questions do you have after reading the first paragraph of “Steeled”? If you’re like most readers, you’ll wonder exactly what kind of story this is—and how seriously you should take the narrator’s assertion that his dad is in the habit of eating cars. It may help that you’ve already read one story by Jeff Martin, one that included some fantastical elements. You can assume that Martin tends to experiment with style and form, nudging readers off balance and making it difficult for them to predict where the story might go.

See if you’re able to make some accurate predictions about where “Steeled” is headed. Click the button below to read the entire story. As you read, notice your own reactions to the story’s events, including how your predictions about its ending change.

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