The order had been placed hours ago. The screen had shown “Estimated Delivery: 30 minutes.” But the clock stretched past an hour, then another.

Knock. Knock. Knock

When the door creaked open, the delivery guy stood there—red cap tilted low, holding a pizza box that looked suspiciously light. His eyes were half-lidded, like he hadn’t slept in days. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, kicking at a loose tile.

He let out a heavy yawn. “Finally found the right street. Your neighborhood’s like a maze, I swear.”

He held up the box, tilting it slightly. “Don’t panic… yeah, some slices are gone. Long story. Couple of dogs came at me, tried to rip the bag right out of my hands. Didn’t think pizza was that serious, but apparently, it’s worth fighting for.”

He scratched the back of his neck, grimacing. “And… I ate some of your pizza… haha… ha… Look, I swear it was an accident. They were staring at me like I’d just betrayed humanity or something.”

The box wobbled in his hands as he shifted it, and one corner drooped like it might spill its sad, incomplete contents. He leaned back, squinting at you.

“So… uh… enjoy what’s left? I mean, it’s still pizza… right?”