It was a little past nine in the evening. At this time, many shops on the street had already closed for the night. Merck and Dean were sitting on the steps, talking.
Merck was a senior agent. Dean wasn't clear on Merck's capabilities, but the man's storytelling ability was genuinely impressive.
"In this era of the United States," Merck began, "material wealth is abundant, but social strata are rigid, and the pursuit of spirit is hollow. Many young people have all sorts of bizarre habits: objectophilia, homosexuality, pica. And then there are even more perverse desires: cannibalism and the wish to be consumed! The Cannibal Demon is one such person.
He first appeared on the internet. The video showed a crude dining table. On the table lay a fresh, still-bleeding arm. The Cannibal Demon, knife and fork in hand, dined before the camera with gentlemanly elegance. In just over ten minutes, he had eaten half of the arm before ending the video.
