an icepick through the keyhole

... and ever get a student giving me an English composition ending with the words, "It was all a dream," or words to that effect, I'm going to get them to write me another story, this time beginning with the words, "It was all a dream."

My bad, but I had a Creative Writing teacher once who did that very thing. So, I tries to write one anyway. Sigh. It turned out pretty OK, but she nailed me on the "I told you NOT to do that."

It is a sucky scam for sure.