I'll Come Over Here to Explain Death to You, He Said.

He sat across from me and licked his lips. When he spoke, his voice sounded like the accidental hollowing of the wind. It's a fine evening, he said. Doesn't look much like rain. Hope you don't mind if I join you? Not a question or a request, but a joke. Wanna see something funny? He got up. His face was slack and not quite arranged right, like human but not. Neither Earl nor the thistleman paid their checks. No one looked, but it was... There are times I hate you more than any of them, Alice.