"I once encountered a particular sort of Abnormal with my protege that could put a person in a state of suspended animation. It would lure the victim into an incredibly realistic hallucination while devouring it whole," Helen explained.

"So then it would never know it was being eaten and, since the digestive process took quite a while, it prevented the victim from actually seeking escape. In the abstract, it was wonderful to study but I could do without the personal experience. It seems I've had it again."

She paused for a moment, thinking. "Your explanation has more weight. We don't seem injured the way we would if we'd encountered that particular species."