Troy and Tory were twins who lived high in the mountains with their mother and grandmother.
Like many siblings, Troy and Tory often fought over toys, food, their grandmother's allowance, and their mother's affection. When their mother and grandmother insisted that they should share everything equally, the children were forced to make compromises, which led to subtle bouts of aggression.
One popular occasion for their subtle aggression occurred whenever their mother baked a cake. Troy and Tory's mother loved to bake. And once a week, every Tuesday, she would bake two cakes. The children, ecstatic for the homemade snack, would ravenously devour one of the cakes fresh from the oven. The second cake would last until the end of the week.
Like always, their mother had baked two nights before. The first cake they finished eating that same night; the second cake was pinched on Wednesday and Thursday. After breakfast on Friday, half a slice was all that remained. Neither of the children knew who had eaten the previous slice.
All day, Troy and Tory walked past the cake stand, monitoring the last slice. Both had thought to take the piece but knew the other would promptly blame them for it.
An hour before their bedtime, the children patrolled the kitchen, keeping an eye on the piece. Troy walked into the kitchen to find Tory standing near the cake. When their eyes connected, Tory walked away.
By 8:30, the piece had gone missing.
"Mom! Troy ate all the cake!" Tory screamed through the house.
"I didn't!" Troy's response came from the opposite side.
"You did! You ate the last piece!"
"No, I didn't!"
"Stop shouting through the house!" Their grandmother reprimanded them.
"But Gran—" Tory started.
"I'm the one who ate it."
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