Folly & Agendas & Talulah

(STC) Chapter 31: [The Indomitable Wendigo]

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This Chapter will be subject to future changes!

I apologize to those who have made it thus far,

but I plan to rewrite this chapter in the future

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Thus came forth the shield.

From a land not so faraway.

Bearing the symbol of hope.

In the most outlandish way...

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Myriads of eyes peeked everywhere. Gossip rang throughout everyone's ears, while the wind howled above. Both the ordinary Infected and the soldiers have their eyes trained on me with curious glances. I had a sudden growth occur, and it seemed to have been killing me.

I'm currently five months pregnant, and my body was on the brink of death. My prenatal development was already behind; my worsening health only exacerbated the problem. 

 I've been trying to cover up my pregnancy for ages now. I've tried everything to make myself look less conspicuous, but it only produced the opposite. Dr. Krume urged me to stop and let my womb grow naturally; I initially refused, but after I've almost fainted multiple times, I complied.

Now my womb is visible, and I only feel more vulnerable by the day...

Every night my eyes dart around, my fingers tremble, my ears turn cold...

Sleep turned into a formidable enemy...

When will it end?

When will all the pain end?

"Take it easy Talulah, you know you're not well, so stop pushing yourself." Haley said as she gave me a pat on my back.

"So it seems - Gurk!" 

I gave a horrific cough that was tearing my throat apart. A searing pain erupted, burning my lungs. A thick lump of blood was expelled from my mouth staining the ground a repulsive red. 

My body felt like it was being pulled by an otherworldly being. My organs seemed to be ripping themselves apart, being eviscerated by a vile disease. 

"Can we get a doctor over here?!" Haley yelled.

"No need." I croaked as my cough slowly subsided. 

"What?"

"I'm fine." 

My voice turned weak and raspy as a result of my raging cough.

"Now go. Everybody leave!" I ordered.

Haley ushered everyone out and left me alone waiting for Patriot and Yelena to arrive. 

I put a hand on my newly grown womb. It just felt like a giant lump sprouting from my abdomen, but inside, I felt some subtle movements. My legs had to carry more weight, and it was no easy task. Taking a seat became incredibly cumbersome as I situated myself on a frozen log near a burning campfire.

In the distance stood an abandoned city where everyone wanted to move into. Me and Yelena managed to move one half of our groups into the city and kept the other half in camp. When everyone got settled down, I led a joint attack on two army garrisons surrounding two villages. We've liberated the villagers and drove out the soldiers with the help of the Guerrillas; it was a victory, but a small one.