What Was Yours Is Now Mine

The sun shone brightly over the midday sky. The weather was perfect. Life was going great for little Lily as she frolicked about her grandfather's garden in the front yard. At least, as far as she knew, life was going great.

"Please, just give me more time," begs the old man as he scattered about the room, frantically looking for more collateral to give. "My senior citizen check will come in within the week. All of it is yours once I get it."

Sitting on the couch watching, a tall man with more than enough muscles for his size glares down mercilessly. "You have already given us the deed to this house, access to your bank account, and control over your life. In spite of that, my boss has been kind enough to let you stay in this house, enough money to survive, and freedom solely because of your granddaughter because you cherish her so much. And yet, you think you can push him over and not repay the debt you owe because of the kindness he has shown?"

"No! Not at all!" the old man claims as he rushes over to the collector's feet. "It's just that time has been hard lately, especially with Lily going to kindergarten now, so I have to ask for more money in order to have enough to give her for allowance."

The debt collector was about to say something, but the sound of the front door swinging open silenced his thoughts. With a little girl in his grasp, a beast of a man walked into the house, only stopping short of where his men were standing.

"You have a week," the beast declares. "I will take your child as your final collateral. If you do not manage to come up with at least half of my money in a week, you will never see your granddaughter again. You will be kicked out of your home, and I will decide what to do with your life when the time comes."

Struggling to free herself, the little girl tries to wiggle her way out of the man's grasp but couldn't even manage a slight budge. "Grandpa! Save me, Grandpa! Tell the monster to put me down!" the little girl shrieks, crying endless tears.

"Please," the old man begs again. "Please don't take my granddaughter. She's all I have. Please…"

"Maybe you should have thought about her first before asking for gambling money," the beast snides as he turns to make his way back outside. "You're too old to not be able to see the consequences of your actions."

"Grandpa! Grandpa! Help me!" The little girl's screams slowly faded the further she away she was taken from her grandfather.

"I'm so sorry, Lilith. I'm so so sorry" was all that the grandfather could say as he listened to his last remaining family member disappear.

Throwing the child into the SUV, the beastly man slides in before one of his men shuts the door. "Take me home," he orders his driver. The man glances down at the little girl who is huddling as far as she could from him and attempting to stifle her tears. "What's your name?" he asks while staring at her with his sharp eyes. The little girl refuses to answer and buries her face into her knees. "Hey, I'm talking to you. Look at me when I'm talking." The man reaches over to grab her arm, but the little girl starts loudly screaming and kicking at the man's hand.

"You have to be gentle to children, Boss," the tall man from before advises. "Especially since you just ripped her away from her grandfather. She's not gonna want you to be near her."

The man grunts as he retracts his hand. "Children are pointless anyways. All they do is scream and cry. I don't see any reason to have a kid unless you just want to add another burden on your shoulders for all your life."

"You were a child at one point in time, Boss," the man retorts after turning around from the front passenger seat.

"I didn't scream or cry ceaselessly."

The tall man looks over at the little girl who still isn't lifting her head from between her knees. "Children only scream and cry when they don't have their needs met. You grew up as an only child who was fated to take over the family, so you had all of your needs met which means you never had a reason to cry." The tall man reaches his hand out to the little girl but stops short from her. Just close enough for her to reach it. "Hey, little girl, my name is Billy. I'm this scary man's number one helper. What's your name?"

It takes a few seconds, but the child eventually raises her head just enough for her eyes to peek out. She notices the man's hand then looks up at him. "Lily," she mutters, staring at the man's hand again.

"It's nice to meet you, Lily," Billy gently responds with a soft voice unlike his harsh tone from earlier. "I'm sorry about this scary man. You see, your grandpa borrowed money from him many years ago when you still needed to be carried around."

"Like when I was a little baby?" Lily interrupts, lifting her head up a little more out of curiosity.

Billy smiles and nods his head. "Yep, back when you were a little baby. The scary man next to you is trying to get it back because it's only right to give back things that you borrow."

"Like when I let the boy next door play with my sand shovel, and he wouldn't give it back?" Lily interjects again, now gradually relaxing in the seat.

Once again, Billy nods and chuckles a little. "The scary man took you because your grandpa and him made a deal. If your grandpa borrows money, then the scary man can borrow you, but once your grandpa gives back the money, then the scary man will give you back to your grandpa. Isn't that fair?"

Lily glances over at the beastly man next to her then back at Billy who still has his hand stretched out. She ponders over the explanation for a minute then stretches her hand out to grab Billy's pinky. The vast size difference makes Billy laugh a bit. "You pinky promise to give me back to grandpa when he gives the scary man back his money?"

"I pinky promise to have the scary man give you back to your grandpa when your grandpa gives the scary man his money back."

"I don't appreciate how you keep referring to me as the 'scary man'," Billy's boss remarks as he crosses his arms.

"Well that's because you didn't introduce yourself to the little girl, so I'm not going to say your name until you do. It's only right to introduce yourself to her first before asking her for her name."

The boss shakes his head annoyed before slapping Billy's head. "Turn around and sit properly. You'll be the first one to die if we get into an accident since you're in the front."

"I'll be the first one to die regardless of the situation because I'm in the front seat," Billy quietly barks as he rubs the back of his head. He quickly gives a small wink to Lily before settling back into his seat.

Lily tenses back up slightly now that the car has gone silent, but she isn't as scared anymore since Billy explained everything to her. Every once in a while, she sneaks glances at the beastly man who either looks out the window or checks his phone. It was a long car ride, but the car eventually comes to a stop, and the door opens for the beastly man shortly after.

"Let's go," he says as he gets out of the car.

Small enough to stand up in the car, Lily walks along the seats to get to the door where Billy is waiting for her. "That scary man doesn't understand that you are still small," Billy scorns before holding his hands out. "Is it okay if I carry you into the house?"

Trusting Billy since he was the first person to be nice to her after being taken from her grandfather, she lifts her arms so that Billy can pick her up to carry her. Once he gets her situated, Billy turns around, and Lily sees a line of finely dressed men in suits staring at her and subconsciously tightens her grip around Billy's neck.

"Don't be scared," Billy whispers as he walks down the path to the front door. "They won't hurt you."

"Welcome to Buenavista Manor, young lady," the men greet as they lower their heads to the child.