Tormented Silence

Before...

PART ONE:

Early, Year, 1993

****

  Jordan heard the anguished cries of pain from his wife, Celeste. He ran to her; hoping for the best. Celeste's face was pale and sweaty, her dark brown hair limp around her upturned face and those sparkling green eyes, now dull, were closed. She was shaking with pain; her petite frame quivering with the powerful spasms.

He had known that childbirth would be hard on her, but she had persisted. It didn't help that Celeste was already battling a harsh sickness, which, in turn, had started not long after they had found out she was pregnant.

  Now, Jordan leaned over her, and whispering words of comfort, fought the tears back. No matter what he said she still howled with pain. Blood was beginning to pool on the cold ground, where she had fallen with the first of the spasms, under Celeste. There wasn't any time to get her anywhere for help or anything. Jordan didn't dare leave her there.

  Hours seemed to pass, but really was only minutes. Celeste's grip on Jordan's hand lessened a little bit once the wrenching spasms began to subside. Her breathing slowed some as well.

  "Jordan ..." Celeste whispered, almost inaudible.

He opened his eyes to peer into hers. Celeste smiled that smile Jordan had seen the first time he met her. A smile full of happiness and love.

"Jordan, " she said again. "Take care of her." He nodded and shifted over to kneel at her feet. There, at Celeste's feet, was a long limbed baby covered on blood. But the tiny baby wasn't moving or making any type of noise. The half-smile vanished from his face.

Opening his mouth to say the bad news, and turning back to Celeste, he stared, frozen.

  She was dead. Gone.

  And so was his newborn daughter.

  Cylendra would have been her name.

  Carefully, he shrugged off his coat, and picked up the still newborn. Removing the blood from her body, Jordan held little Cylendra to his chest. The tears would've been for joy, yet they turned to sorrow. He sat there, holding her shaking with silent sobs.

  Rain started to fall, and the drops seemed to lightly fall on them. Jordan didn't move inside. He only looked up to the stars, and let the rain mingle with his tears.

  In the shadows, behind Jordan, were unseen eyes, watching.