The Scream of a Siren

Cursed.

Less then twenty minutes of hard pushing later and the pain was almost too much to bare, it tore through me like a plane trying to break the speed of sound. Like a bomb being set off in my stomach. I had heard people describe birth pain but their descriptions didn't even hint at the real level of the pain, it was excruciating, burning and stinging and aching. I screamed and tried to crush Chad's hand with mine. I was knelt on a spare mattress on the floor of my room, the heating had been turned on for when the baby was born and I was draped with blankets. My screaming had woken the rest of the orphanage long ago and it was the only thing that I could do right now. I looked down and with slight  alarm realised that my hands had gone purple from the strain. I released the hand that wasn't holding Chad, which was curled into a tight fist and felt the blood rush back into it suddenly. Hunter had arrived just five minutes ago and now stood b my legs helping the nurse.

" I can see its legs" he gasped.

"Legs?" Chad asked questioningly. Inside my mind something clicked, the head was supposed to come first but as long as it came out that was all that mattered. Suddenly I heard a literal pop and suddenly all the pressure and pain was gone and sweet sweet relief washed over me.

No one smiled, no one moved.

The nurse stood frozen on the spot staring at Hunters arms. Where lay a tiny baby girl.

Hunter suddenly seemed to snap out of it.

" Cut the cord" He said to the nurse.

She didn't move a muscle. Then she heaved a heavy breath and slowly back out the door shaking her head the whole way. Hunter grabbed the clippers and cut the cord, the he put the baby gently in my arms and went to sit on the bed, still in a trace like daze.

I jumped as if hit by an electric shock. 

I looked down at the child in my arms.

I almost dropped her.

Her eyes were wide open and her skin was like touching a flame but with cold. So cold she seemed hot. Her staring eyes were the colour of neon electric blue. She wasn't covered by the usual membranes etc that children had when they were born. She was clean as if she had just had a bath, her skin smooth and flawless, her mouth light pink, her eyes already framed by thick lashes were staring at my face.

" Caspian " I gasped under my breath.

" I don't know" He answered, I had forgotten about his hearing.

" What did you do?" Hunter snarled, looking through his fingers which were hiding his face.

" I don't know" He repeated.

" Answer me dammit " Hunter growled, slamming his fist against the bedside table. The baby whimpered softly in my arms.

" Hunter calm down." I said sternly. He gave me a look to make a lion back down.

" That thing," He pointed to Caspian " has mutated our child" He half yelled.

" I did nothing but save your child's life Hunter Olson, I actually  expected a bit of  gratitude from you" Caspian said tersely.

" Your child is alive, isn't that enough for you" Chad butted in.

" But what does this mean for her?" Hunter said, his voice was full of steel.

" I don't know" Caspian sighed, the he walked over to where I knelt and picked up the baby. He tensed at the touch and moved his fingers to her chest. Then he moved to the other side of her chest.

" She has two hearts, she's more Siren then Human Tylah" He said putting her into my arms again.

" Is she....Cursed"  I asked slowly hoping for a good answer.

' Yes" He replied.

" Cursed" Hunter echoed shallowly.

" Yes she must have two names on for good one for evil. By the time she is one year old she will become either good or evil, so she will keep the name that shows her peosnality an-"

Hunter was across the room and lunging at Caspian before another word could pass his lips. Caspian put up a hand and as if a massive invisible wall had been put up Hunter flew across the room and slammed face first into the opposite wall.

" Monster" Chad snarled getting up and walking towards Caspian fists clenched. Caspian turned to face him and began chanting, but this was unlike the songs he had sung to me before this told of storms and thunder, of anger and rage.

" Caspian enough" I ordered. Caspian stopped chanting and his eyes faded back to their normal colour, Chad was still advancing.

" Chad, Make sure Hunters ok" I told him. Chad looked indecisive for a moment before he jogged over to Hunter and began to check him.

Suddenly without warning, the pain returned like a tidal wave of electric shocks rippling through my body.

" Caspian, its not over" I said reaching for him.

he didn't; move.

" What have I done?" He asked. I was confused for a second before through the blur of tears I saw him looking at Hunters limp body against the wall. I also noticed with a sigh of relief that Hunters eyes were open slightly.

" He's fine" I replied, bracing against the second attack of pain.

" Twins" Caspian breathed quietly.

I wondered if the other would be part Siren too, what about the curse. What would happen to my children. Hunter lay slumped against the wall holing his arm at a funny angle, Chad knelt beside him but as soon as he knew Hunter was ok he came back over to me and offered me his hand. It was warm and comforting like Chad always had been and I squeezed tight. Not letting him go even when the pain subsided slightly. But soon it had started again ripping me apart form the inside out.

That's when I lost consciousness.