"Mako, you need to drink all your soup!"

The boy seethed, glowering down at the steaming bowl set before him. "It's icky, it's got garlic in it! I don't want any of it!"

His mother scowled, and waggled her spoon at him. "Young man, if you don't eat every last drop, the flaming beast will take you away and punish you!"

Startled, he looked up at her, mouth slightly open. "The—y-you mean, it's real?" He bit his lip. "They were talking about it at school, but Teacher said that it's just another one of Mr. Vega's animals."

Mako's mother sighed. "This is much scarier than the cyborgs here on the island. Its blaze cuts through the storm even in a blizzard, and it can be heard yelling in pain from the fire!" He curled her fingers and pressed her hands together to imitate teeth. "And it's got two nasty sets of teeth, one right behind the other, like a shark—perfect for eating naughty little boys."

Mako's eyes grew wider. "But—but I don't want to get eaten!"

"You haven't got anything to worry about, dear!" She brightened. "It won't go after you unless…" She paused, pressing a hand to her chest as she remembered. "Oh dear, that's right…" Mako shrank against the back of his chair as she cast him a regretful look. "The monster… it hates the taste of garlic, and won't touch anyone who eats it, but if you really hate the flavor that much… maybe it will just eat you whole, instead of roasting you over its flames first…"

There was a terrified gasp, and she smiled as her son grasped his spoon with a new resolve and dipped into the reviled dish.