Ah, Pat only now noticed that I had not come alone, but there was a huge strange guy coming, and he immediately turned his attention to Keith.

"Is this your new friend Lu? I've never met her."

I shook my head to answer, and my voice was stiff and "parasitic".

I didn't understand, but before I could explain what a parasite was, Keith blurted it out.

"I can smell the Onysis from you."

A smile flashed across the wrinkled face, and in a few seconds it flashed. The slender eyes widened in horror, and I had to put noodles in my mouth with my hands and take another look at...