Verbatim: Part Two [h.s]

Twenty-Six

// Trigger Warning: It's upsetting and discussions of miscarriage. \\

It's cold. So very cold. So cold my skin is covered in goosebumps, my body convulsing with shivers. Why am I so cold? My eyes couldn't open. I willed them to but they couldn't. they wouldn't. I flexed my fingers, they were stiff but I managed to get the joints to move. My hands were on the ground, the cold ground. I stroked my finger along the floor, tiredness consuming my being with each breath I take. It feels like cement. The texture is rough.

I willed my eyes to open, the panic now settling in of my unknown surroundings as my mind comes to. Somehow, I feel my eyelids slowly open, fluttering with stiff movements until I'm greeted with darkness. At first, I thought I had failed to do the simple task of opening my eyes but no, it's just pitch black in here. My neck hurts from the position I have been led it, but I turn my head to one side and notice a shadow on the other side of the room.

My heart rate picks up, sweat now covering my forehead as my chest heaves with each breath I take. The shadow isn't moving and I can't make out what it is, but I can see it. it's definitely there.

Then I hear it.

The small cry.

It's a whimper at first then it's a tearful baby cry.

My eyes are wide, staring at what sounds like a baby over in the shadowed area. I open my mouth but my throat is dry. Too dry to voice anything. Using the little strength I have, I lift my hand and go to reach over to shadow but my arm is restricted by the clanging of metal. Frowning, I look down slowly at my arm to see chains around each of my wrists. Instantly, I follow the chain until I see it tied to the wall. What the fuck? With some strength from somewhere, I manage to lift my neck to see my ankles are also chained up. With my heart rate skyrocketing again, I think to myself, the only place I have ever been chained up was-

"No." My pained whisper leaves my lips. The adrenaline fills my body and I somehow manage to lift my body and shuffle back against the wall. As I look at the chains holding me down, the cry of the baby grows louder and my frantic eyes flicker between my chains and the baby. "No." I begin shaking my head. This can't be happening. I can't be back here, this must be a dream. it has to be a dr-

"Shut that baby up before I kill it myself." A voice dooms from directly opposite me. it immediately stilled my body, before I began to shake worst than before and the babies cry grew louder and more chaotic. I needed to get to that baby. I don't know who is there but I need to get to that baby.

Moving to my hands and knees, I try crawling in the direction of the shadow where the cries are coming from. Away from where the deep, dark voice came from. But the chains held me back. I pulled and pulled, but it gave no way. I cried out in pain and frustration now. I can't get to the child. I cant. Hanging my head low, the tears fall freely as I realise there's just nothing I can do.

The cries continue though.

"5." The voice booms and my head shoots up, eyes wild as I look at the darkened side of the room where the voice came from. "4" I frantically looked between that and the shadow of the baby. "3"

"Fuck fuck." I tried crawling again, turning to tug on the chains, trying to break the chain and snap it off the wall but it doesn't budge. Turning again, I try to stretch as far I can on my stomach but I'm too far away.

"3"

"NO!" I shout, tears flooding down my cheeks, my heart pounding. My body feels like it's on fire, the cold no longer seeping in, or I've grown that cold I'm warm. "NO, NO, NO!" I slam my hands into the cement floor, wincing at the shooting pain in my fist and up my arm. "You can't touch her, don't fucking touch her!" I scream out, my voice rasping at the pain.