“I love you very much!” said Kim, “I’m so glad you found me.”

“You can come home and stay with me,” said Judith, “I’d love to have you.”

Kim enjoyed being taken care of by Judith. It was so nice to be with her all the time. He didn’t have to wait for the next holiday visit to his grandma’s. He turned six and enjoyed a number of birthday kisses from her big lips.

“I’ve given up searching for little folk,” said Judith one day, “I’m sure now, that there can’t be any more left. However, I have gone looking for more shrunken boys from your school in that forest, but I just can’t find any. Aside from that, I think you’re the sweetest of them all. I’m still your friend, and I still love you, Kim, but after thinking about this for a while, I am going to eat you for lunch tomorrow. I’ll always remember you fondly, Kim. Will you still love me in the time you have left?”

“Oh yes, Judith. I will love you more now.”

“More?” she asked, “Why?”

“When you were making the salad in Swain Gardens, I went in the bowl. Soon I knew you were going to eat me. I still loved you then. When you licked your lips, I loved you a bit more. When I saw your tongue coming out for the salad, I felt like I would love you eating me up so much. Then your tongue was just near me, and then you saw my face and didn’t eat me. I didn’t know you would still do it. I’m going to love you so much more than ever when you’re eating me all up for your lunch tomorrow, Judith.”

“You’re full of surprises, Kim. First you turn out not to be one of the little folk. Only now I find out that you want to be eaten. Why didn’t you say something about it before?”

“I like being your friend here with you too, but I like being eaten most of all.”

“Thank you for being such a sweet little boy, Kim. I liked eating the other three boys too, but you’re the only one I love.”

They enjoyed each other’s company until lunch time the next day. Then Judith prepared Kim in the kitchen and took him out to her lounge room again, the room where they had first cuddled, and then out to another part of the garden, not near his grandmother’s border. Yet, he thought, it was interesting to have come so close to his grandmother’s place from this side of the border.

Judith sat at the outdoor table on the patio and lifted Kim to her mouth, and put out her tongue and placed him on it. Kim felt the moist tongue under his entire body and loved the sensation immensely. She drew it part of the way into her mouth and then slid Kim off it.

“Did it feel as good as you imagined?” she asked.