Liquor soup steam wafted from under the door. I wolfed down a plate of beef brisket, spicy and flavorful, my tired face brightening. It was rare for me to slow down like this. Usually, I'd gulp down instant noodles and rush home.

"Hey, have you noticed something strange lately?" A familiar voice broke into my thoughts. It was an old lady hawking lucky charms down the street. She always had an eyetooth jutting out from under her false teeth.

I blinked. "What, old lady? Is it that your lucky charms aren't selling?"

She puffed up her chest. "That's not what I'm talking about. I'm saying the world's gone off-kilter. Everyone acts all weird, and weird things keep popping up out of nowhere."

I shrugged, trying to keep my expression nonchalant. "You're getting old, old lady. Watch too many late-night shows."

She ignored my jab. "I'm not talking about TV shows. I'm talking about real life. This place, it's been feeling off ever since that commotion a month ago. You know, when that weird van parked in the square and they took the guy in?"