Sniffling, I turned to look at him. “You’re not coming back, are you?” Joey just stared at me, eyes filled with tears. “I can’t,” he whispered as a tear rolled down his cheek. “If I go back inside that house, I’ll kill them both.” I watched his face, registered the truth he was telling me, and then I unfastened my seat belt and opened the door. “Goodbye, Joey,” I whispered numbly, and then I climbed out and walked inside.