Marcus: What are you doing?!
Lily: Stay away from my mommy!
Marcus thundered down the hallway, his face contorted in a mask of pure rage. Lily reached the digital security panel, her small fingers flying across the glowing touchscreen as the keypads beeped rapidly.
Marcus: Step away from that wall, you little brat!
Lily: Nine... four... seven...
Marcus reached out his massive hand, his fingers closing around the collar of her dress to drag her away from the alarm. But Lily didn't scream, and she didn't freeze. Instead, she spun around with lightning speed, pulling a small silver spray can out from her apron pocket.
Lily: Get away from us!
With a harsh hiss, she sprayed the blinding pepper gel directly into Marcus's open eyes.
Marcus: Argh! My eyes! You vicious little witch!
Marcus dropped the iron poker, his hands flying to his face as he stumbled backward, blinded and screaming in pain. But Lily wasn't finished. She executed a full three-hundred-and-sixty-degree roundhouse spin across the polished floor, driving her small boot with incredible force straight into Marcus's stomach.
The heavy impact thudded through the hallway. Marcus let out a agonizing groan as the air was knocked completely out of his lungs. His massive body flew backward, crashing heavily onto the light marble floor with a sound that shook the glass light fixtures above.
Marcus: Ugh... my ribs... you little monster...
Marcus lay sprawled on the floor, groaning in sheer agony, clutching his chest and wiping frantically at his burning eyes. Lily stood tall over him, the pepper spray can held firm in her right hand, her chest heaving as she glared down at the mountain of a man who had threatened her family.
Lily: Don't touch my mom!
Marcus: You... you broke my sternum...
Lily: You lie down and don't move!
I dragged myself along the floor, using the edge of the kitchen island to pull my upper body up. My side burned like fire, but the sight of my seven-year-old daughter standing like a warrior over a fallen giant made tears overflow my eyes.
Clara: Lily... baby...
Lily: I pressed the final code, Mommy. The police are coming.
A low, mechanical hum vibrated through the walls as heavy steel security shutters began sliding down over every window and door in the mansion, locking Marcus inside. Red emergency lights began to flash softly along the ceiling archways.
Marcus: No... no, lift the shutters! Let me out!
Lily: You're not going anywhere, Marcus. You're going to jail for what you did to my dad's company, and what you did to my mom.