Surprise Visit

Leo was sitting on the balcony in the warm afternoon of a beautiful Saturday, playing with his little namesake. Mara had temporarily expelled them from the house since their play had been too noisy and distracting for her. But they had happily come out to continue from where they stopped.

Little Leo had learned to walk by now and his feet were quite strong on the ground; strong enough run after the football he and Leo were playing. To say he was enjoying the game was certainly an understatement. He was running back and forth tirelessly, with a happy grin on his face as he retrieved each and every ball that went past him. But all of a sudden, out of nowhere, a shadowy figure rushed into the scene.

Leo was startled for a split second, but there was no need to be alarmed since the figure had rushed up to him and not the child. He was taken aback though when the individual went down on his knees before. It was a man, there was no doubt about that. But when Leo looked down at the upturned