Eight stories of terror, suspense, mystery, humor, and surprise: A United States senator and vice-presidential candidate is forced to choose who in his family will live and who will die; a newspaper reporter, journalism's answer to Inspector Clouseau, witnesses a murder, but police can find no evidence a crime has been committed; two elderly women share an afternoon of uncertainty and terror; a teenage boy dreams of becoming a star basketball player so he can win a girl's affection; a writer learns about truth, honor, greed, betrayal, and himself; a young man follow a famous uncle in time travel to find the beautiful grass-skirted women of 16th century Hawaii; the world faces environmental calamity after ignoring one man's plea to stop polluting the skies; and an old man fears dying along but learns it is not his worst nightmare.