“You really want to do this? It’s not exactly what I’d call a good life decision, son, and I’ll tell you why.” His voice echoed in the alleyway, bouncing off bricks that had been placed centuries before. "See, you’re so new to this that you don’t even know what ‘this’ is.

“You saw an old man down a blind alleyway, and you thought to yourself, ‘This is a good target. I will take his wallet, and maybe, if I’m feeling particularly angry tonight, I might take his life.’ You can be forgiven for your mistake, because not everybody knows what I’m going to tell you. Not everybody knows about the things that come through the cracks where the shadows are dark. Not everyone knows about the monster at the end of the book.

“But I do—and now you do too. The only difference is that I am hunting that monster right now, while you, I’m afraid…”

There’s a sudden blur as a shape erupts from the dark, followed by a gout of blood and a gurgling cry.

“Were only ever really fit for bait.” He smiles, and faces the creature.