The cold marble floor of the grand foyer felt icy against Arthur Sterling as he lay completely unable to move or speak. His lungs burned like fire and his vision kept fading in and out while heavy footsteps echoed near the tall front entrance doors.
Arthur had spent thirty years building his family business into a multi million dollar company, but now he was helpless on his own polished floor. His chest hit a tight wall of pain that made every single breath feel like swallowing crushed glass in the dark night.
Suddenly a tiny shadow appeared right beside him on the shiny floor, moving softly through the dim light of the huge entrance hall. A small girl wearing a bright red dress dropped down onto her knees next to his frozen chest, her face wet with tears.
Lily: Please do not die mister!
Arthur tried to raise his arm to push her away toward safety, but his hand felt like heavy concrete stuck firmly against the floor. He could hear his own heartbeat drumming wildly inside his ears as the little girl pulled a small portable oxygen mask out of her red backpack.
Her little hands shook as she placed the soft plastic cover right over his nose and mouth, pressing it down firmly with all her strength. She pressed a small yellow button on the side of the silver tank, and cool fresh air rushed directly into his gasping chest.
Lily: Keep breathing deep, you are going to be okay!
The sharp cold oxygen flooded his lungs and cleared the dark fog from his eyes within a few short seconds of desperate gasping air. Arthur stared up into the huge high ceiling of his luxury mansion home, realizing that a complete stranger had just saved his life from dying alone.
Before he could ask the child her name, heavy black leather boots slammed loudly against the marble steps leading down from the main floor hallway. A tall man wearing an expensive custom black suit stepped into the foyer holding a heavy blue steel gun down at his side.
Kent: Where did that child come from right now?!
Kent Sterling, Arthur's younger cousin and senior executive at the firm, glared down at the floor with absolute rage burning inside his dark eyes. Two large security guards moved up behind Kent, blocking the main double doors so no one could leave the large room without permission.
Kent: She was not supposed to be inside this house tonight!
Arthur pulled the mask down slightly from his face, his voice raspy and weak as he tried to lift his head off the cold marble floor. He stared directly into Kent's cold eyes, feeling a deep dark fear start to take hold of his heart as he saw the weapon.
Arthur: What did you do to my drink, Kent?
Kent: You were supposed to sleep quietly until the morning hours.
The room grew completely silent except for the soft hum of the small oxygen tank sitting on the floor beside the crying little child. Arthur looked at his cousin and realized that the trust he built over decades had been broken in a single terrifying evening inside his estate.
Kent took two steps forward, raising his gun until the black barrel pointed straight at the little girl who was still trembling in red. Arthur felt a fresh wave of energy surge through his limbs as he realized the innocent child was in extreme danger because of his mistakes.
Lily: Mister, please do not let him hurt my mom!
Arthur: Stay behind me right now, little girl.
The small girl reached deep inside her small red dress pocket and pulled out a small piece of dark paper with curled black edges. She held it out with trembling fingers, placing the scorched photograph directly into Arthur's cold hand while keeping her eyes fixed on the armed man.