The man beamed. He shook heartily and all Bertie could do was match him. The man closed his smiling lips over his teeth, gave a final nod, and returned with his friends toward their quarters. The three of them were suddenly, finally left alone. “They’re so nice,” Bertie muttered in disbelief. “I can’t believe they’re so nice. They’re like normal, everyday people.” Karl swallowed between his still-heavy breaths. “That’s what makes them so terrifying.”
