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I'm looking for a short story where the narrator has to travel a long way, probably for work, and has to stop overnight in a village he doesn't know. He is stopped by the police for a trivial reason, and detained at the station overnight. He notes several intriguing details, including the shape of the teeth of everyone he meets, which are sharp. The next morning he was treated to a good meal, and taken from his cell to appear before the judge. He is taken to a strange, empty room with bare walls. The door closes behind him, he doesn't understand, and notices that the walls are starting to heat up. It's an oven, the inhabitants are cooking it to eat him. He remembers in his head the teeth of the inhabitants, the banner in the street "big barbecue tomorrow", and screams.

Like I said, I've read it in an "Alfred Hitchcock's Tales...", but I am unable to find it, even after a long search. If you have an idea of its name or author...

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  • I've read that story. Wish I could remember the author or title or where I read it. I'll let you know if it comes back to me.
    – user14111
    Jul 20 at 8:07
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    You call the victim "the narrator" but I don't think you mean to imply that he lived to tell the tale? Isn't the story told in the third person?
    – user14111
    Jul 20 at 8:10
  • @Ayshe found it ! I was sure it was first-person narrated, but now I am less sure. Now I have the reference I am going to check it !
    – cyril
    Jul 20 at 10:28
  • @user14111 you are right, the story is told in the third person.
    – cyril
    Jul 20 at 10:46

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The Children of Noah by Richard Matheson

Here's a list of anthologies containing it: https://isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?96559

Description from goodreads.com:

In a nearly deserted historical town, a stranger is arrested for exceeding the 15 mile per hour speed limit.

A review there mentions the protagonist becoming the main course.

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  • Thank you so so much ! I can't tell you how grateful I am !
    – cyril
    Jul 20 at 10:27

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