1In Absence
By: WolfOfBloodMoon
I felt a heartbeat. Slowly. Sensually. Yet all the more rhythmically. I felt a hand touch my stomach. Gently. His hand. Paired with his undeniable grin that naturally reveals his well-taken care of teeth. His skin was soft and…
The heart beat again. One rapid movement, then it returned to the calmness of before. The believe he was here. By miracle, he appeared in me. By fate. By destiny. By God.
The softness of his skin brushed me once more.
"No regrets?" He asked in his silky, sensuous voice.
"No regrets," replied I. My eyes looked down once more.
"Our little miracle," he sighed.
Miracle? Is this baby a miracle? This mixture of human filth and greed and lust? A miracle.
A steady rhythm. Maybe it'll stop. Maybe this Satan image will cease inside me right now. A quick beat. The baby kicked. Painful. Powerful. My hand rested over the baby. Another kick. Another beat.
"Want something to drink, Mari?" Josef asked, standing in rustic blue jeans and a torn white shirt.
"No, I'm fine, thank you, Josef." He walked into the kitchen and returned with a glass of vodka.
"Mind if the guys come over? We were going to play poker," Josef asked, his hand running along my hair. Roughly. Rapidly.
"Go ahead. Don't smoke. I don't want Hell to consume my baby before he's born." Josef laughed. He kissed my cheek and I stood and walked to the bedroom.
The baby. A whisper in my ear. No shock. No fear. I held my stomach and the baby kicked. The demon kicked. I sat on my knees on the floor. My fingers clasped together. God heard me. He had to.
"Oh God…" I began. The demon kicked vehemently. I gasped. Once. Twice. Thrice. "Protect my baby from…" the baby thrashed. I gagged. Coughed. Spat. My gaze shifted down. "Is this my precious babe?"
One beat.
"My miracle?"
No beat.
"My suffering and my plight?"
One beat.
"God's gift to me?"
The baby thrashed. Then calmed. My hand rubbed my aching stomach. Josef came in.
"Mari, are you alright?" He crouched next to me and slowly helped me up. I nodded. Josef's hand rested on the small of my back and his other over the baby. "The guys are here…want to play some poker?"
"No, I think I'm going to rest." He smiled. Softly. He left. I went down on my bed. Rest. My eyes closed.
One beat.
The baby. No, this was our baby. Given to us by God. A kick. So severe. This parasite was draining me. Every drop of my life was going into him. My very being consumed by him. Satan's child.
The baby. Laughter. Oh God.
One beat. Please God.
Kick.
The baby. No! This is my baby! A miracle from God!
A violent kick.
No!
The baby. Please, oh God, spare my child! He is yet to be born…he is not of evil! Save him from the unknown forces of evil!
Soft laughter.
One beat.
Light breath. No! This child is mine and only I can claim him!
The baby.
No!
I ran. No one stopped me. There was no one to stop me.
Pain. Deep, awful pain.
There was no baby. No Josef. No poker. Nor God of Satan.
There was only me. The tile. Blood. Bright, burning, bathing blood.