“But…” Ava stammered “Didn’t he...attack you?”

The woman practically purred. “He did. Wasn’t it delicious?” She held up the knife, now gleaming, and gazed at it fondly. “Poor you,” she said, turning to Ava. “I’m sorry, dove, but, well, witnesses.” She shrugged as if she was talking about emptying the dishwasher.

But then she moved quickly, more quickly than Ava was ready for--she grabbed Ava’s wrist and pulled hard.

Ava screamed and dropped her phone, but its low light still lit their faces from below. “Wait, please!” she cried. Lisette held Ava close to her face and hesitated.

"Wait?” she asked. The shadows cast on her face truly did have a ‘fantome’ effect now, and she looked terrifying. “For what?” She pressed the edge of the knife, still warm from its last kill, against her prey’s pulsing neck.

Ava swallowed nervously. “I know you have to kill me,” she said, adopting a humble tone, “but first--first will you just tell me how? How did you trick that man? How did you manage to...actually kill him?”

Now Lisette actually laughed out loud. “He? He was simple!”

"But I bet the others weren’t all simple,” said Ava, glancing down at the woman’s skirt. “You must be quite talented.”