The Day I Kissed An Older Man

The voice frightened Joey, who turned to see who it was. He saw a man sitting next to the firewood, staring at him with a weird smile that unnerved him.

It took Joey a couple of minutes to shake himself out of his shock. Finally, he remembered who the man was. "You... You're the balloon seller!"

Joey recognized the man as he was quite distinguishable-a shaggy-looking man in his forties, with an unshaven beard and slovenly clothes. He also remembered that he had talked to him several times at the backdoor of their garden.

"Oh, you remember me? Clever boy! Too bad I don't have any balloons to give you now," said the man.

Joey felt his danger senses tingling. He huddled in a corner of the dog cage and asked, "Why... Why did you bring me here? What do you want?"

The man was amused by Joey's frightened look. He chuckled and said, "Don't be scared! I'm not going to hurt you. Your mother asked me to bring you here. She misses you so much!"

lying!" Joey frowned with disbelief. "If she misses me, she'll find me at home, not at a scary place like this!

mysteriously. "I tell you no lies, boy. You'll know

He thought, 'Maybe Mommy really did ask him to bring me here? But why? This place is scary. No one would want to come here! And why lock me in a dog cage? Is

his head, he

at the entrance, hoping to see Corinne. However, when the grass at the entrance was

can't be! What is she doing here?!' Joey

walked in, the man quickly held her arm, but the woman slapped his hands away in

you think you're doing? Buzz off.

and cooed, "Miss Anya, I brought the kid as promised. You know, I almost got caught trying to abduct him for you! So don't forget the money you promised me." Anya glanced at him and said, "Don't worry, you'll get what's