“They eat your face,” I said. “Everyone knows that.”
“They’re just little creatures, with wings ‘n such. They won’t hurt me.” I threw my arm in front of the doorway, blocking him from leaving.
“No. Don’t go out there. They’ll kill you, gnaw the flesh on your face to the bone. And they keep you alive, you feel it until they eat your brain.” He frowned at me, twirling his shiny gun as he sat back down on his bar stool.

“How do you know?” he asked.
“Know what?”
“How do you know they make you feel it all?”
“I’ve seen it, stupid! I’ve heard the screams. They look all pretty and nice, flying about with their childish faces. They go for your eyes last, just so you can see everything as it happens. You don’t go outside at night.” I paused, frowning even deeper.
“And?” he prompted, and began unloading his gun. The bullets clinked as he set them on the table.
“You only ever hear them say one thing.”
“Which is?” His grey eyes flicked to me from his gun, curiosity on his face.

“So darling, I have to eat them.”