“No rent again.” The deep, booming voice of the landlord seemed to fill the tiny apartment. “This is the third month in a row, Mr. Burnside.”

“I know.” Steve Burnside answered his voice small in the wake of such a huge man.

“Well then you should also know that you’ll be on the street by the end of the week.” There seemed to e in the large man’s eyes even though there was none in his voice. “I’ve given you and your wife more than enough chances to make things even.”

“Please, sir.” Steve said in a soft plea. “We’ve got a sick baby and my job is barely paying enough to cover all of her doctors’ visits.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Burnside.” The landlord didn’t seem sorry. Not at all.

“I’ll do anything, sir.”

“Anything?” The landlord’s tone of voice sent chills of regret and fear down Steve’s spine. “Maybe we can work something out after all.”

“Thank you, sir.” Relief rushed through out Steve’s body and a small, hopeful smile began to spread upon his lips.

“Don’t thank me just yet, Mr. Burnside.” The landlord chuckled. “I think we’ll be taking your rent out of your flesh.”

“What?” Confusion filled Steve’s mind. “You want me to work for you?”

“Sort of.” The grin on the landlord’s face seemingly grew cruel. “I’m a man of certain appetites, Mr. Burnside. My taste’s run deep and varied.”

“Ok?” Steve said looking for any sign of hope on the large man’s face. “What do I have to do?”

“Mr. Burnside, I have an itch that I haven’t scratched in quite sometime, and I’m hoping that you could scratch that itch for me.”

“You want me to scratch your back?” A chuckle passed the landlord’s lips.

“No.” He smiled his large mouth reminded Steve of a shark’s. “I want you to relieve me.”

“How?”

“Sexually, Mr. Burnside.” The man let loose a cruel chuckle. “I want your body in exchange for letting you stay in my apartment.”

“That is crazy.” Steve said, anger mixing into his voice. “That is a sin, and i*****l.” Steve felt his religious roots flaring up inside him. Years of Sunday school telling him that the very thought of such an act would surely doom him to Hell. The landlord seemed unfazed by Steve’s fears.

“It’s that or the streets, Mr. Burnside.” The landlord spoke these words softly, but the cruelty was still there. “And what of dear little Abigail? A sick baby won’t last on the streets, especially during a cold winter.”

“Sir, please.” Steve whimpered.

“Only one thing that I’ll take instead of cash. Your body.”

“Sir,” Steve started to say something but stopped well aware that his pleas would fall upon deaf ears. “I don’t know, sir.”

“Well, Mr. Burnside, you are going to have to make a decision.”

“I’ll do it.” Steve said with a sigh. He decided that maybe God could understand this act of sin if he knew it was to save his precious c***d.