Elena walked slowly into the bright nursery wearing a heavy orange silk gown.
She picked up the small swaddled baby roughly from his wooden crib.
Little Leo opened his tiny blue eyes and began to cry loudly.
He felt the cold, hard touch of his mother's sharp diamond rings.
Elena did not try to comfort or soothe the small weeping child.
Instead, her face twisted into a harsh and mean look of pure disgust.
Elena: Cry all you want, you little mistake!
She held the crying infant high up in the cold air callously.
The poor child shivered and wailed at the top of his little lungs.
Sarah gasped loudly from her hiding spot near the wide open doorway.
Her heart beat wild and fast inside her trembling chest like a drum.
She could not believe a mother could speak so terribly to her child.
Elena: Let us see if you can fly!
Elena suddenly threw the tiny baby upward into the high open ceiling space.
The cruel woman laughed loudly as the helpless infant fell back down quickly.
Sarah did not hesitate for even a single short second in that moment.
She lunged forward across the slick polished hardwood floor with all her strength.
She slid down on her knees and reached her arms out wide open.
Sarah: No, I have got you!
She caught the falling baby securely against her soft cotton maid uniform.
The heavy impact knocked the quick breath completely out of her lungs.
She held the trembling child tight against her warm chest and wept softly.
Sarah: My sweet angel... I have got you.
Little Leo snuggled close against Sarah's neck, gasping for his small breath.
Elena stood over them with a cold, mocking sneer on her face.
She tapped her long red nails against her golden silk dress sash.
Elena: You are just a foolish maid who needs to mind her business.
Sarah: You could have killed this helpless child today, ma'am!
Elena: Nobody will ever believe a poor servant like you over me.
Sarah held the crying child tighter, her warm tears wetting his blanket.
She knew she had to protect this innocent child no matter the cost.