"They looked like corpses. Women with solid black eyes and flesh rotting off. They chased us like a pack of wolves."

Aster keeps his voice low, so anybody else enjoying their afternoon can't hear and disregard him - or report him to the cops.

"I think they might be coming into town at night. That must be the reason for the curfew." He toys with his cup. "You heard of the maulings that have been happening, these last few years?"

He lets Paul draw his conclusions.