START
19 years ago...
"Are you going to sleep?" The husband asked his wife when he saw her staring blankly outside the closed window again. There was nothing to see but only the full moon and the swaying of the trees. However, the husband knew what she was staring at outside.
The wife blinked and stares at her husband, surprised. He had caught her staring again. "Yeah... are you joining me in bed? You look tired" She replied and gave her husband a soft smile and tapped the side of the bed. She gave one last look outside to see the person already gone. She sighed and turned her attention back to her husband who was now standing in front of her.
"You go sleep first," He said and placed a soft kiss on her forehead before gently lifting her chin to stare at her beautiful brown eyes. "I still need to check if everything's closed" He continued a while after before stealing a glance at her huge belly. She's about to give birth...
The wife sighed but still forced out a smile on her lips before nodding her head and murmured a quiet good night to her husband. The husband smiled back and tucked her in under their blanket before proceeding to the door and headed downstairs.
A couple of minutes later, the husband was having himself a glass of water when he heard a noise and her wife screaming his name in pain. He quickly rushed upstairs and pushed the door open to see her wife in a weak state in the bed. He hurriedly went there and saw the mess on the bedsheet.
"W-what happened?" He asked, worried lines were visible on his forehead. The wife grabbed his hand and gave it a tight squeeze before mumbling that her child wanted to come out now. The husband was confused for a few seconds before he realized her words. He cursed quietly and rushed to the bathroom to prepare the clean towels and other stuff needed for her to give birth. He wasn't a professional nor could he risk finding a doctor because of the situation they were in, so he had no choice but to do it himself...
"Is she alive- I mean, is she okay?" The husband asked after he came out of the bathroom wearing fresh clothes. The baby was a girl. She had her mother's eyes and nose. And also her lips. The only difference was their hair. The baby's hair was in soft curls while her mother was in straight. The wife's chuckle brought him back from his daze making him smile and leans down to kiss her on the forehead before caressing the baby's closed fist.
"Of course she is. You did a good job Vladiricio" The wife chuckled and adjusted the baby in her arms.
"Thank you." She whispered and leaned on his shoulder when he sat down.
It has been a couple of hours since she had given birth to a healthy baby girl. Although the process was painful, it was all worth it the moment he saw how his husband's eyes widen as he held the baby in his arms. However, she could not help but feel guilty...
It was, after all, not his.
"You're crying," She heard him say before gently picking up the sleeping baby in her arms to place it on the cot next to her. "Is something wrong? Tell me. If you're worried about them, don't be. I'll keep you both safe, okay?" The husband spoke in the softest tone that she could not help but cry even more. The guilt was killing her but she knew she would be more guilty if she chose to listen to them instead of him.
Instead of answering, she only allowed herself to sob quietly on his shoulders until she fell asleep.
Two weeks later, it was raining lightly outside. Her husband had gone out because of his job but would return in the next three hours. The wife was tempted to go out, especially when she heard the giggles and the splashes of the rain outside, but she knew better not to. It was for her safety. It was for their safety. She gave the window one last glance but froze when she saw the same man that has been coming every night standing behind the tree a couple of feet away.
The wife could only tear her gaze away from him before joining her sleeping child on the sofa. The wife gently placed the baby in her arms before humming a lullaby that her mom used to sing to her every night.
The sound of the back door being forced open jolt her awake that she realized that she had fallen asleep. She quickly adjusted her baby in her arms before looking up at her husband's panicking eyes. Traces of rain was evident on his clothes but he seems not to mind the moment he saw her staring.
"What's wrong Vladiricio?" She asked as her husband took a peek outside before he walked back in front of her and grabbed her free hand to pull her up. The baby moved but didn't wake up.
"They know." He mumbled while pulling her towards the back door. "You two have to leave. I'll distract them while you two escape-" He stopped when he heard footsteps nearing their doorstep. "Leave, now!" He hissed quietly and pushed her out of the door. The wife almost tripped when she missed her foot but quickly balanced herself because of her baby.
"What about you, Vladiricio? They'd kill you! Come with me, please? We'll run away together. I don't want to go alone" She said as he continued to push her out until her bare feet landed on the wet ground. The rain slowly started to get heavy that she had to hide the baby under her chin.
The sound of the back door being forced open jolt her awake that she realized that she had fallen asleep. She quickly adjusted her baby in her arms before looking up at her husband's panicking eyes. Traces of rain was evident on his clothes but he seems not to mind the moment he saw her staring.
"What's wrong Vladiricio?" She asked as her husband took a peek outside before he walked back in front of her and grabbed her free hand to pull her up. The baby moved but didn't wake up.
"They know." He mumbled while pulling her towards the back door. "You two have to leave. I'll distract them while you two escape-" He stopped when he heard footsteps nearing their doorstep. "Leave, now!" He hissed quietly and pushed her out of the door. The wife almost tripped when she missed her foot but quickly balanced herself because of her baby.
"What about you, Vladiricio? They'd kill you! Come with me, please? We'll run away together. I don't want to go alone" She said as he continued to push her out until her bare feet landed on the wet ground. The rain slowly started to get heavy that she had to hide the baby under her chin.
"Vladiricio..." She called his name when he was about to enter the house. The husband stopped and turned his head slightly to look at her from the back.
"You're not alone, Vi. You're with your child. You'll be fine" He said and grabbed the doorknob ready to open it when her wife spoke again. This time, in a much more pained voice.
"Be safe Vladiricio. See you soon" and with that, she turned around and run straight to the forest.
The wife continued to run straight; not minding the rain running down her face. All she had in mind was to keep her baby safe at the same time was worried if her husband would still be alive or not after this.
"You're not alone, Vi. You're with your child. You'll be fine" He said and grabbed the doorknob ready to open it when her wife spoke again. This time, in a much more pained voice.
"Be safe Vladiricio. See you soon" and with that, she turned around and run straight to the forest.
The wife continued to run straight; not minding the rain running down her face. All she had in mind was to keep her baby safe at the same time was worried if her husband would still be alive or not after this.
What if they'd kill him? And them kill me and my child after?
She asked herself but pushed the questions away as she saw she was nearing the forest borders.
Just a little bit further...
"Over there!" Someone screamed making her gulp and held the baby tighter in her chest. She jumped over the fence and into the trees and continued to run from there. She didn't care about the stones she was stepping and the sharp branches she was passing as adrenaline rushed through her veins. All she could think of was to escape.
"Over there!" Someone screamed making her gulp and held the baby tighter in her chest. She jumped over the fence and into the trees and continued to run from there. She didn't care about the stones she was stepping and the sharp branches she was passing as adrenaline rushed through her veins. All she could think of was to escape.
The rain was now pouring hard making it difficult to see what was in front.
After what felt like hours of running, she stopped and checked her surroundings if she has been followed. And when she made sure that no one was around, she gathered herself and the baby on the large root from an old tree she was very familiar with. It was the same tree where that night happened. She sighed and settled herself underneath the tree; resting her back on the rough surface.
After what felt like hours of running, she stopped and checked her surroundings if she has been followed. And when she made sure that no one was around, she gathered herself and the baby on the large root from an old tree she was very familiar with. It was the same tree where that night happened. She sighed and settled herself underneath the tree; resting her back on the rough surface.
The baby in her arms was still sleeping soundly- oblivious to what was happening. The wife could only smile and kissed her baby's forehead.
"Don't worry my little flower. I'll keep you safe and away from the bad guys. Mama's here" She whispered and hugged her baby close to her chest as the rain pounded on the ground even more. The thunder growled loudly in the sky at the same time her tears started to flow down her cheeks. She felt weak and dizzy from all the running but she has to remain strong for her baby.
"Don't worry my little flower. I'll keep you safe and away from the bad guys. Mama's here" She whispered and hugged her baby close to her chest as the rain pounded on the ground even more. The thunder growled loudly in the sky at the same time her tears started to flow down her cheeks. She felt weak and dizzy from all the running but she has to remain strong for her baby.
She needed to stay awake for her baby.
Wiping her wet cheeks, she cleared her throat and began to sing her favorite lullaby...
"Lala-"
"Where are they?!" The voice, not so far away, growled. The wife stilled and held her breath praying that they wouldn't be found. "Fuck-"
The baby cried.
She quickly covered her baby's mouth and buried her even more in her chest. "Please don't let them find us. Please don't let them find us" She quietly pleaded with her eyes closed. The footsteps neared their place slowly by slowly until it stopped a couple of inches away. There was a long silence before she heard another voice screaming for them to come over. After a while, the wife carefully peeked behind the tree and saw that no one was there. She sighed in relief and leaned back to the tree closing her eyes once more.
The forest was in silence after the voices left. The only sound was the rain and the thunder. However, her mind was in a mess. She tried not to think but her mind ignored her command. The baby's quiet cry made her open her eyes as she again hushed her baby down again.
"Don't cry. Stop crying, hmm? Do you want me to continue singing?" She asked and as if her baby understood her, she stopped crying and stared at her mother curiously. The wife smiled and started singing...
"Sun goes down... and we are here... together" The baby giggled as soon as she started singing. She smiled and caressed her baby's cheek. "...Fireflies... glow like a thousand charms" She paused and stared up at the raining clouds. This time, she just wants to rest. She closed her eyes and continued singing, "Stay with... me... and we can dream forever..." The baby grabbed her hair making her look down and put on a slight smile. "Right here... in my arms..." She stopped when her ears started to ring.
She was slowly losing consciousness.
She tightly closed her eyes and held her baby tighter. "Every... thing... that I could... ever need... is" I'm sorry little flower "...Right here in my arms..." I have to go, "...Tonight."
Wiping her wet cheeks, she cleared her throat and began to sing her favorite lullaby...
"Lala-"
"Where are they?!" The voice, not so far away, growled. The wife stilled and held her breath praying that they wouldn't be found. "Fuck-"
The baby cried.
She quickly covered her baby's mouth and buried her even more in her chest. "Please don't let them find us. Please don't let them find us" She quietly pleaded with her eyes closed. The footsteps neared their place slowly by slowly until it stopped a couple of inches away. There was a long silence before she heard another voice screaming for them to come over. After a while, the wife carefully peeked behind the tree and saw that no one was there. She sighed in relief and leaned back to the tree closing her eyes once more.
The forest was in silence after the voices left. The only sound was the rain and the thunder. However, her mind was in a mess. She tried not to think but her mind ignored her command. The baby's quiet cry made her open her eyes as she again hushed her baby down again.
"Don't cry. Stop crying, hmm? Do you want me to continue singing?" She asked and as if her baby understood her, she stopped crying and stared at her mother curiously. The wife smiled and started singing...
"Sun goes down... and we are here... together" The baby giggled as soon as she started singing. She smiled and caressed her baby's cheek. "...Fireflies... glow like a thousand charms" She paused and stared up at the raining clouds. This time, she just wants to rest. She closed her eyes and continued singing, "Stay with... me... and we can dream forever..." The baby grabbed her hair making her look down and put on a slight smile. "Right here... in my arms..." She stopped when her ears started to ring.
She was slowly losing consciousness.
She tightly closed her eyes and held her baby tighter. "Every... thing... that I could... ever need... is" I'm sorry little flower "...Right here in my arms..." I have to go, "...Tonight."
But before darkness consumed her tired body, she saw the man approaching her and her baby...
Song: Right here in my arms
