The Scream of a Siren

Something is very wrong

I woke up in the middle of the night three days later to an intense stabbing pain in my lower belly, I clutched at it in the dark, humming to distract from it. It was like period pain x infinity. What was happening to my child?

I gasped quickly as it suddenly released and was gone as soon as it had come. Then It occurred to me what it was, A contraction. I was going into labour, it was actually happening. Right now in the middle of the night, I pulled myself out of bed and waddled over to Gina's bed.

" Gee" I said urgently shaking her roughing, she squinted at me through the dark.

" Someone tell the nutter to get back into bed" She mumbled sleepily rolling herself away from me and gathering her blankets up to cove her face. She began breathing in a rhythm almost immediately. I huffed, Chad would be able to wake her, I only hoped I could get to Chad's room before another contraction hit. They were supposed to be few and far between at first so hopefully I had enough time. I set off at a brisk waddle down the stairs and down the hall to the boys dorms.

I got there without incident and slowly opened the creaky wooden door inset with iron. It slid open soundlessly, I was lucky this time. I tiptoed into the boys lounge with its soft looking red sofas  and Victorian style coffee table. Justin was sat on the sofa aiming a controller at the PlayStation as if it was a gun, I giggled and continued to walk. I knew Justin wouldn't rat on me. He looked up, raised his eyebrows, smiled and went back to his game, a first person shooter where he was taking down a tank.

I walked up the steps to where the steps turned off to go the separate rooms, I got to Chad's door and gingerly pushed It open. It sounded like a dog in pain and I instantly regretted opening it so fast, Chad stirred and  sat up blinking the sleep from his eyes.

" Baby?" He asked sleepily.

" Yes and it hurts like a bitch so come help me get Gina up " I muttered.

" She isn't awake, some friend she is " Chad grinned. He picked up the blanket from the end of his bed, a soft woolly purple blanket and he wrapped it around my shoulders and led me slowly back down the steps.

" I'm amazed that you managed to get here, how do you know its coming?" He asked.

" Woke up, thought I'd been stabbed or something" I replied, I know it might be an over exaggeration but it was seriously so painful it was unreal. I also knew that the contractions got worse, I gulped and focused on the feel of the blankets material.

We were walking through the girls lounge room which was silent and deserted when the next contraction hit. I gasped and doubled over grasping the blanket and squeezing it tight. Chad put his arm around my back and held me up, while I whimpered at the sudden pain.

" Here squeeze my hand" Chad said offering his hand to me. I grabbed it and squeezed it as tight as I could. Chad's eyebrows raised but he made no complaint. As quickly as it had come it was gone again and I released Chad's hand which immediately changed from the forced white to a tomato red.

" Sorry" I said sheepishly.

" Don't be ridiculous, I'll be around all night, best pain relief in Nelson bro" He grinned.   I pushed open the door to my room and waddled over to my bed where I sat down as Chad left me to go and shake Gina awake. She sat up drowsily and then made an attempt to lay back down but Chad picked her up and sat her on the floor.

" Gina, Baby's coming" He said, suddenly Gina was wide awake and let out a little squeal.

" Calm down, She needs quiet" Chad said.

" Do you need anything else?" Gina asked gathering herself and taking a deep breath.

" I'm goo-" I started but stopped as Gina leapt to her feet and run walked to the door.

" You need Hunter" She said quickly before she disappeared down the steps yelling over her shoulder.

" Don't give birth 'til I get back"

I chuckled and pulled the blanket closer.

" Do you want me to call the hospital?" Chad asked, reaching questioningly for his cell phone.

" Yeah thanks" I huffed quickly as the pain set in again. Chad ran over to me abandoning the phone for now and offered me his hand again. I took it and squeezed it as hard as I could again.

" Caspian" I gasped in between breaths, Chad huffed but since I was in labour he shut his mouth and didn't complain about me wanting to have Caspian present.

Before the contraction stopped Caspian was standing behind Chad face anxious yet calm at the same time. His eyes flitted to my hand locked into Chad's.

As soon as the contraction stopped I let go and stood up shakily to hug Caspian. He encircled me in his strong arms and pulled me close, but his embrace was gentler then usual.

" How far in?" He asked looking down at me with soft eyes and a loving smile.

" About an hour" I estimated.

Chad'd phone started making beeping sounds as he called up the hospital.

" Chad..." I said.

He looked up from his phone for a second.

" Yes?" he replied.
" Don't call the hospital, I'm having it here" I told him.

" But-but...." He said his face was as shocked as I felt to have heard myself make that decision. I knew we had a nurse who had at one point practiced as a midwife so I just needed her.

" Call the nurse" I told Chad, He could have just walked downstairs and got the nurse but I didn't want him to leave and I don't think he would have if I had begged him. He quickly dialled and held the earpiece to his ear. Caspian rested his right hand on my belly. It occurred to me that Hunter had never met Caspian, I had no idea how he would react but I hoped that they refrained from fight while I gave birth.

The pain began again, this time if was worse. It felt like someone had jammed a knife into my stomach and was twisting the point round and round. I gasped and bent over gagging on the shock of the pain. I grabbed Chad's hand and squeezed it as hard as possible.

" Tylah" Chad said when I recovered.

" What?" I asked teeth still gritted against the pain which was for some reason still there dull but still there.

" That was only two minutes after the last one..." He trailed off. I knew what that meant... That usually happened after many hours of lower pain contractions, it meant that I had to start pushing.

" What?, That usually takes  hours doesn't it?" Caspian said, looking up frantically to talk to Chad reasonably for the first time.

" Something's wrong" I said meeting Caspian's eyes for the first time since he arrived.

" You'll be fine Tylah, I know you can do this" Chad said squeezing my hand encouragingly.

" Something's very wrong" I replied.