When You Were Young

Aunt Veronica took Joey into a room with shelves packed with food. She unlocked a set of doors leading into the basement, and then carried Joey down. "You can wait here until I get back. If this doesn't work, I'm going to gut you."

"Can we come out now?" a little girl asked.

"Please," another said.

"No girls. Not yet," Aunt Veronica said. She shoved Joey forward. "This is Joey, your new roommate. Joey, this is Helena and Phyllis. They're a couple of naughty little girls. You kids play nice."

Aunt Veronica stomped up the stairs, slamming the door behind her. As soon as the door closed, the little blonde girl introduced as Helena came forward to pinch Joey on the cheek. "You're such a darling little baby. We'll have lots of fun with you." The girls snickered and then grabbed both his arms. While they tore at his clothes, he prayed what he'd told Aunt Veronica worked.