Paula sat at the kitchen table, head in her hands, surrounded by letters.

The letters were all bills, late payments and final demands.

They were four months behind with the rent, which meant they were going to lose the flat soon if something wasn’t done immediately…

Angie, her daughter, came into the kitchen and could tell something was really wrong…

“That bad, mum…?”, she said, holding her mother’s hand.

“Worse…”, her mother said. “Ever since my accident, I’ve not been able to work, and the bills have carried on mounting up…”

Angie hugged her as she cried. Angie would do anything to help her mother; that was about to be tested to the limit, and beyond…

Paula made tea for both of them; she also slipped something into Angie’s drink…

They sat at the kitchen, drinking tea, Angie became more and more tired and fell asleep at the table.

She awoke to a nightmare.

She was chained up in a set of prisoner transport chains, with a collar, made of stainless steel. They were firmly locked on, tight against her skin, as she was naked. She was also muzzled.

She looked at her mother sitting across from her. Her mother had tears in her eyes…

Slowly, her mother unbuttoned the top of her blouse. Now Angie could see why she always wore high neck clothing…

The steel collar glinted in the light.

“I couldn’t work for them after my accident”, she said, “so they stopped paying. However, they did leave me with a ‘souvenir’, my slave collar. They will have a nice one for you, too…”

Angie shook her head, mmmphing into her muzzle.

“Sorry, kid, it’s already been agreed”, she said. They’ve paid off the mortgage, in return for you…”

Angie’s eyes went wide, pleading with her mother to release her, holding her chained wrists out.

“I can’t release you, now, even if I wanted to”, said Paula. “I don’t have the keys. Besides, they are already here…”

Two black suited women walked into the room.

“Good, the package is ready for transit”, one said.

“Be careful with her”, Paula said. “She’s been good to me.”

“Don’t worry”, the woman said. “We’ll treat her just like you.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of…”, Paula said, quietly.

As they turned to go, one of the women left a roll of bills and a packet of tablets on the table.

“That’s your bonus, for thinking of us”, she said. “It should cover the bills on the table, as well as give you a bit of a boost.”

Angie glared at her mother. Her eyes were now filled of hate.

“Hang on to that hatred, love”, Paula said, quietly. “You’re going to need it…”

Angie, still naked and chained, was marched out of the flat, down the stairs, and into the waiting van. Her wrists were clipped to a hook in the van’s roof, and she was thoroughly inspected. One woman got in the back with her, to start getting her ‘ready’, while the other sat in the drivers seat. Paula just watched out of the upstairs window as the van drove away, crying quietly.

“Maybe one day you will forgive me…”, she said, as she turned away…