Loansharks
Lily awoke with a start to a loud banging on the door. She sat bolt upright in her bed, terrified. Oh God, please don't let it be them again.
On a sponge mattress laid out on the floor of the dingy single room Lily rented above a disused car park, lay her two five-year old daughters, side by side; sound asleep. Lily shook them gently, waking them from their slumber.
"Phoebe, Ursula, you need to wake up now, remember what mummy told you to do when you hear banging on the door and shouting?" Lily whispered urgently into their ears.
The two girls stared in horror at the door, as the banging became louder and more insistent. They quaked with terror as the relentless shouting began, "You fucking bitch! We know you're in there, open up! Your ex-husband owes us, and you know it!"
"Is the bad man is here again?" Ursula asked in a small voice.
Lily nodded vigorously, pulling the girls to their feet, and pushing them towards the cupboard. "Go now, hurry, don't come out until I fetch you, understand?"
The two little girls hurried into the cupboard, shutting the door behind them. They cowered at the back of the cupboard, hiding behind the curtain of clothing, peering nervously through the cupboard slats.
The loanshark began kicking furiously at the flimsy door. The little girls watched helplessly as their mother stood pale and terrified, a kitchen knife poised protectively in front of herself. Very soon, the door gave way, collapsing at its hinges. A burly red-faced man forced his way into the flat, closing in on Lily.
Lily swung her kitchen knife around wildly. "Don't come any closer!" she choked out. The loanshark chuckled, drawing out a gun, and brandishing it playfully at Lily.
The twins had to clap their hands over their mouths to keep from screaming. Blinded with tears, both girls shook like leaves in the wind. The loanshark stepped towards Lily, pressing the gun against her temple. He grasped her wrist roughly, prising the knife out of her hand. The knife fell to the floor with a clink.
"No more games. Now, call your husband," he whispered menacingly.
He shoved the house phone into Lily's hands, keeping the gun against her temple, "Dial." With violently shaking hands, Lily dialled Frank's number.
Frank picked up, "Hello? Lil', is that you?" Frank's blood ran cold at the terrified weeping on the other end of the line, "Lil? What's going on? What's happening? Is he at your flat again? Harassing you? Pass me the phone, I'll talk to him," Frank instructed urgently.
Lily passed the phone to the loanshark. "I've got a gun to your ex-wife's head, so either cough the money up, or I'll paint the walls with her brains!" the loanshark ordered aggressively.
Cowering in the cupboard, Phoebe smothered her face in her mother's clothes to absorb the uncontrollable sobs pouring out of her tiny frame.
"When we're done with your ex-wife, we'll move onto your daughters," the loanshark hissed into the phone.
Frank swayed unsteadily on his feet… My little girls, please not them, anyone but them… "I-I promise, I'll g-get the money to you, just please, d-don't hurt them," Frank stuttered hysterically.
Patrons stared in confusion, as a teary and delirious man, with a phone pressed against his ear, stumbled out of the casino.