Dark Fall

Chapter 9 - New Life

Tevin's panicked expression spread to Will, and they both snapped their heads around to glare at Terra. She leaped out and followed Tevin to his truck, leaving Will frozen in his seat, pale faced and wide-eyed.

Terra swung open the truck door and addressed Jen, who had slumped down in the seat, breathing quick and shallow. "What is happening?"

Jen responded with a cry and grimace, putting hands to her belly.

"I see. How far apart are the contractions?"

"They just came on all of a sudden," Jen said with a breathless voice. "One after the other. Ow!"

"I have medical training. Let me take a look." Terra leaned Jen back across the seat. "Tevin, let her lay her head on your lap and hold her hand. She will need your support." Terra reached under Jen's dress and pulled off her panties. The flashlight function of Terra's viewer provided illumination. "You appear to be fully dilated. Jen, it looks like you are going to get your wish."

"I didn't mean so soon! Oh, Owww!"

Terra grasped Jen's hand. "We are all here to help you. You can do this, Jen." Terra turned her head and yelled. "Will!"

Will appeared beside Terra, his face still pale. She said in a firm voice, "Will, bring a blanket, a couple of t-shirts out of my bag, some clean water, some thread or fine twine, and do you have a medical kit?" He nodded. "Bring it first."

Will returned with the requested items. Terra opened the kit to examine the contents as she pulled out a set of sterile gloves.

Tevin stroked his wife's hair. "Remember the breathing exercises, Jen?" She nodded. "Let's do them. Our son is impatient, isn't he?"

The fear in Jen's face eased, replaced with a weak expression of nervous joy. Terra winked in approval at Tevin.

The contractions continued, the time between them shortening and intensity increasing, but there seemed little progress toward birth. Terra moved into the aura and with her psi-surgery skills, examining the baby within the womb. Her heart dropped.

Terra spoke as calm a voice as she could muster. "Jen, your baby is breech and the umbilical cord is wrapped around his neck. You won't be able to give birth with him like this." Color drained from both Jen's and Tevin's faces. "But I think I can fix it. I am skilled in psi-surgery. With your permission, I will rotate your baby and move the umbilical cord while still in the womb. I will be as gentle as I can, but it is going to hurt. And I also need you to avoid pushing as best you can. Use your breathing techniques. Do you understand?"

Jen nodded and steeled her expression. "Do it."

Terra raised her eyes to Tevin, and he nodded his agreement.

Turning to Will, who stood behind her, she said. "Will, I need you to stand back so you don't interfere with the aura."

Terra placed her hands on Jen's belly, her facial expression becoming blank as she concentrated. Focusing within the aura, baby and mother appeared as if glowing vivid 3-D images. Long minutes passed as Terra shifted the view, looking from many angles while considering how best to safely accomplish the task.

"Okay, here we go," Terra whispered.

Gleaming tendrils of force caressed the little baby, gently tugging, twisting, pulling. As the baby turned, Jen screamed out in agony, and her breaths became short and shallow. Tevin stroked her hair and whispered words of encouragement, trying to provide what comfort he could. Another movement brought another scream. And another.

Terra blew out a deep breath. "There. We did it. You can push again."

Within ten minutes, new life came forth into the world. Terra suctioned out residual fluids from his mouth and nose using her own mouth, then turned to spit it out. High-pitched wails filled the truck cab. Tears of joy streamed from both Jen and Tevin. Terra cuddled the newborn boy as she cleaned him off with one of her t-shirts and then bundled him within another.

"Welcome, little one," Terra whispered, then placed him in his mother's arms. At once, the baby quieted.

Terra tied the umbilical cord in two places. She pulled out a pair of surgical scissors from the medical kit and passed them to Tevin. "The honor of cutting the umbilical goes to the father."

Once he completed the task, he looked up at Terra with tears still in his eyes. "Thank you."

The joy that filled the cab also embraced Terra, lifting her heart. She basked in it, and for a moment, all the world's problems faded away.

The placenta delivered without issue. Jen cooed to her new son as Terra helped position her for the journey to Freehold. Terra rode with them while Will followed closely behind in his truck.

Jen grasped Terra's hand and tears appeared in her eyes again. "It was surely God's grace that you and Will came along when you did. Thank you so much."

"I am so happy that I could help. You two will have quite the story to tell your son one day." Terra pulled out her viewer from a pocket. "Does your mom have a phone we could call? She is in for a surprise." Terra dialed the number Jen provided and held out her viewer in speaker mode.

"Hello?" a female voice from the phone said.

"Mom? It's me."

"Jen, I expected you earlier. Are you on your way?"

Jen could not wait to share the news. "You are a grandmother now!"

"Oh my!" the flustered voice replied. "When? Is everyone all right? What happened?"

"We are all fine now. Our truck broke down on the road and then your grandson decided it was time. Things would have been much worse if not for two angels who stopped to help us."

The baby boy stirred and whimpered. Jen placed him to her breast.

"Is that him? Oh, thank God!"

"Yes," Jen replied. "Not yet an hour old. We should be in Freehold in a few hours. Meet us at the hospital and I will tell you all about it."

"Okay. I love you all."

"I love you too, Mom."

They both mentioned God. Are people around here religious?

Later, well after dark, they pulled up to the hospital. A nurse, a medic, and an excited grandmother met them. They placed Jen and the baby on a gurney, her husband and mother alongside, and wheeled inside.

A surge of bliss engulfed Terra's heart, lifting her spirit to heights long forgotten. This is what I am meant to do.

Once the group disappeared inside, Will pulled her into a warm embrace. Terra nuzzled her head into the crook of his neck. He whispered, "You were amazing, Terra Lorr."