As the afternoon sun bled down above the horizon, Joshua’s peaceful moment pondering the thesis resting on his knees was interrupted by the scream that ripped through the rusted shack and sent him toppling out of his chair.
“Joshua!”
The back door of the shack flew open and Joshua practically tripped onto the porch. He stared at Liz’s clammy face, then at her stomach, and then at the puddle of water leaking through the hammock onto the deck. If it were possible, Joshua’s face would have paled more so.
“Oh God,” he whispered. “Holy mother of-”
“Get me to a friggin’ hospital!” Liz shrieked.
A split second of panic later, Joshua sprang into action. He helped Liz out of the hammock, thanking God he’d pre-packed the baby bag when she’d asked him to a week ago, and snatched it from the hat-rack in the doorway. Then Joshua helped Liz hobble to the jeep parked on the road.
“How much does it hurt?” he asked, throwing the bag in the back. “Should I call a chopper? It’s a half-hour drive, will you make it?”
“Yes,” she breathed, bending over and clutching her knees by the passenger door. “I’ll be fine. Please just hurry!”
“Hey.” He clutched Liz’s shaking hand and brushed her cherry-red curls away from her eyes. “It’ll be okay. This baby is gonna be beautiful.”
Forcing a smile, Liz nodded and climbed awkwardly into the jeep. Joshua slipped on the gravel as he hurried to the driver’s side. The engine sprang to life and they began the bumpy hike through the jungle terrain to the local hospital in town.
Liz held onto the child in her stomach and began the breathing exercises they’d practiced. Joshua tried as best he could to navigate an easy road through the mountains, but every bump and break in the path was like a punch to Liz’s stomach. Once they reached the main road, Joshua drove like a maniac on crack to the hospital. Several times they were hooted at as he clipped the curb.
Liz gripped the dashboard while another contraction surged through her.
“I'm sorry Lizzie.” Joshua made a sharp left turn. “We’re nearly there. Hey move it, asshole!” He cast her a quick sideways glance. “How does it feel?”
“It feels like there’s a goddamn alligator trying to chew its way out of my uterus!”
Joshua felt queasy at the thought. “Ouch.”
“Yeah. Ouch.”
They screeched into the emergency parking lot of the hospital three minutes later and were immediately crowded by paramedics. Joshua followed them into the lobby as they carried Liz on a stretcher. She was screaming in pain.
The bright white lights of the hospital flashed over them as he ran to catch up. All the doctors and nurses were crowding him and asking questions. All the while something was building up inside him, something cold and frightening. He clung to her hand as best he could as Liz was lifted onto an upright bed. There was already blood dripping from under her dress.
“The baby is ready right now, Mr. Harrison,” said the doctor they’d been seeing through the pregnancy. “We need to be careful – precipitate labors are rare.”
He nodded, not knowing what the doctor was talking about. “Just make sure she isn’t hurt, okay?”
Liz reached out in the space around her for Joshua’s hand and gripped it tight. The unpleasant heat of her grip made him instantly nauseous. The bed was wheeled into a private room where people shouted in Spanish all around them. Liz’s eyes were wide with terror. He wondered what his face looked like.
YOU ARE READING
Rouge
Science Fiction*AVAILABLE ON AMAZON* The first in the ROUGE series ... Hunter Harrison is no superhero. She doesn't wear a cape, or a lycra suit, or prance around dark alleyways looking for punk-ass kids to torment. But Hunter has a power; the power to control f...
