Prologue

Our father who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name …

Screams of pain echoed across the angry, whitewashed walls of the hospital room. A young man of eighteen held the hand of the hysterical, sweat-soaked girl beside him as though it were a lifeline. His eyes illustrated the fear in his heart; he knew without being told that something had gone terribly wrong. The girl clenched her teeth against the pain coursing through her body and prayed for it to end.

…Thy kingdom come,

thy will be done,

on Earth as it is in heaven…

The young woman, barely seventeen years old, squeezed the man's hand with all her might. He bit his lip and tried to ignore the fact that his fingers were turning purple. One of the nurses made a weak attempt to smile at him. It might have been comforting if he hadn't known it was only for show.

…Give us this day, our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive those who trespass against us…

The man's other hand gently stroked the girl's damp hair as tears silently streamed down his cheeks. When he looked into her feverish eyes, he saw a look of fearful acceptance that twisted his heart painfully in his chest; she was not going to fight much monger. He kissed her white knuckles, trying to imprint the feeling of her skin on his lips. He never wanted to let go.

…Lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil…

Then there was a sudden burst of excitement around the hospital bed. The nurses in their frenzy ushered the man outside despite both his and the young woman's frantic protests. They shut the door in his face, leaving him alone to pace nervously up and down hallway. He listened intently to the sound of the doctor's voice as he barked orders to his assistants. The man's heart raced as the noise from the room peaked. Beside himself with every imaginable emotion, he sat down on the cold, hard floor and buried his head in his hands, praying with all his might that she would be all right. His lips ran desperately through the only prayer he knew. Meanwhile, the girl's soul slowly released its grip on her body.

… For thine is the kingdom

and the power, and the glory,

forever…

Then suddenly all was silent. The young man lifted his head and looked expectantly at the door. It opened slowly to show the blood-soaked doctor, a small bundle cradled in his arms. The man stood up and walked over to him.

"Mr. Andrews, I'd like you to meet your daughter," the doctor said quietly as he handed the child over to the distraught youth. The new father took the infant in his arms hesitantly, as though he feared his world would come crashing down if he touched her; but once she was in his arms, he fell in love with her.

"What about…" The man started, his eyes shinning with tears, "What about Isabelle?"

The doctor looked down at the floor, the message clear on his fatigued features. "I'm sorry…" the doctor whispered. With these words, the new father's heart constricted tightly in his chest, and a single tear slipped down his cheek to hit the floor. He stood in dumb shock, feeling everything and at the same time nothing; he was empty. For the first time in his life, he knew what a broken heart felt like, and he knew he would never be whole again. And as he held the infant close and wept into her little pink blanket, the young mother's spirit slipped away from the hospital building with its white washed walls and bleached sheets, and disappeared into the night.

… Amen.

Perched high on a rooftop overlooking the hospital, two hooded beings stood witness, their impassive, colorless eyes watching the newly freed soul's ascent into the Kingdom of Rest. A small wisp of light hung in the air like a feather on the wind, marking the passage of the would-be mother's spirit. Then all went dark. The spectators looked at each other, eyes shining.

"It is beginning."

a/n: This is not a christian story just so it's clear. Thank you for reading, please review.