Arthur stood inside the tall glass entrance of his suburban mansion and took a deep breath.
The morning light flooded through the high white windows and washed over the polished marble floors.
Everything in the grand house looked perfect on the surface to anyone visiting for the first time.
Yet Arthur felt a cold heavy feeling inside his chest every time he returned home from work.
His young wife Victoria managed the large household with strict rules and silent cold authority.
Arthur looked down the long hallway toward the dining room looking for his young family.
He noticed his three year old daughter Lily crouching down low near the baseboard wall grate.
The small toddler was dressed in a soft blue dress and held tiny pieces of white bread.
She was whispering gentle soft words into the dark metal slots of the low wall vent.
Arthur smiled softly at first because he thought his little girl was simply playing a fun game.
He walked slowly down the marble corridor without making any loud sound on the thick rugs.
As he drew closer he heard Lily talking in a very earnest and caring tone of voice.
Lily: Eat this slowly so you do not hurt your belly.
Arthur stopped in his tracks when he heard a faint rustling sound behind the dark iron metal.
He saw a tiny frail hand reach out from the shadows inside the vent wall opening.
The tiny fingers reached through the narrow slots to grasp the soft pieces of white bread crust.
Arthur felt his breath catch sharply inside his throat as he watched the unbelievable sight unfold.
Before he could call out to his daughter heavy high heels clicked loudly on the marble floor.
Victoria marched into the hallway with her arms crossed tightly over her maroon satin dress.
Her face was twisted with cold anger as she glared down at the crouched little toddler.
Victoria: How many times must I tell you to stay away from there!
Victoria reached down instantly and snatched the remaining bread directly out of Lily's tiny hands.
She tossed the soft bread onto the cold floor and stomped her sharp heel down hard upon it.
The bread was instantly crushed into fine crumbs against the clean bright marble tiles below.
Lily: Mommy please stop! She needs to eat!
Lily burst into loud tears and folded her small hands together in desperate pleading prayers.
Arthur stepped forward quickly from around the corner into full view of his furious wife.
Arthur: Victoria what in the world are you doing to our daughter?
Victoria gasped softly and quickly smoothed down the front of her expensive maroon dress.
She forced a bright sweet smile onto her face that did not reach her cold sharp eyes.
Victoria: Darling you are home so early from the corporate office today.
Arthur: Answer my question right now Victoria.
Victoria: The child is just playing make believe games with imaginary friends down on the floor.
Arthur looked down at the crushed crumbs lying beside the dark metal vent cover on the wall.
He looked at his crying toddler daughter who was shaking with genuine fear and sadness.
He knew in his heart that this was not a simple harmless game of childish imagination.