Authors: Danielle Q. Lee
I’m sure a light bulb popped up over my head when the idea struck me. Giggling, I was excited to put my plan into action.
Glancing over at the mirror with a grin and one eyebrow raised, I couldn’t wait until tomorrow.
***
Shuffling through the searing sand, the tender flesh between my toes protested against the hot granules grinding in. Wiping the beads of sweat from my brow, I pushed my reluctant body forward through the arid desert.
Ripples of heat waves danced in front of me as though seducing me into the fire. A relentless sun glared down from a cloudless blue sky.
Trudging past a large, fleshy cactus, a speckled salamander skittered from the base, startled from his meager shade.
Water.
I would’ve sold my soul for even one drop. Even the most important things in life become second when faced with a scorching ocean of sand.
She needs water.
Caressing my swollen belly, I felt the tiny life inside of me cry for rehydration.
Thankfully, in dreams, time moves more swiftly than in reality.
Swallowed by a mountainous cliff in the distance, the sun released its tyrannical hold on the Sedona desert for the day. Oranges, yellows and reds settled into the horizon like a fiery rainbow.
My white nightgown, drenched with sweat from the heat of the day, betrayed me as it absorbed the cool night air. Shivering, I scanned the darkening landscape for shelter. As with every dream, I see a shimmer of light in the distance. Beckoning me with its seductive warmth, I am captive to the call like a moth to a flame.
Entering the mouth of the cave, I’m immediately drawn to the symbols adorning the walls.
II. Roman numeral two.
Come, rest by the fire.
A familiar voice urges me. My eyes dart around the secluded cave, searching for the owner.
She is coming.
It whispers like a distant prayer driven by the wind.
“Who?” My voice sounds hollow as it reverberates within the large cavern.
Instantaneously, as though my word was a trigger, a sharp pain tears through my belly. Lying down on the cave floor, I pant as I feel my child moving out of my womb.
Screaming, the dream ends, as it always has, in a blinding flash of white light.
Sitting straight up on the white cot, my breath came in short, uncontrolled spurts.
Coughing, I fought to regain rhythm. Pulling the thin, white sheet off of the cot and wrapping it around myself, I realized my teeth were chattering. My bones and muscles ached like I’d run ten miles the day before and my stomach churned with irritation. Nausea overwhelmed me, forcing me to run for the toilet a couple of feet away. Clinging to the sides of the bowl, I wretched violently.
Shaking and sweating, I waited to see if I was done. Since it was the first time in my life I’d ever thrown up, I was overwhelmed with the sensations of illness. My head spun and my body quaked with shivers as I crawled back to the cot.
Curling up on the tiny bed, I closed my eyes and sighed. My plan of escape was going to have to wait.
***
“I’m not sure, but it looks like she has an internal infection.” The medic stood over me, holding his stethoscope in his hand. “She’ll need an aggressive round of antibiotics.”
“Will it hurt the baby?” Agent Evans was gruff as he asked, his arms folded across his chest.
“No, it shouldn’t.” The medic sounded nonchalant as he packed up his stethoscope and other instruments into a silver suitcase. Lying on the cot, I felt myself nod off as the two men discussed my condition.
“Shouldn’t! We need to know for sure!” Agent Evans’ voice startled me from my brief nap. Opening my eyes to a mere sliver, I looked at his face and it was wrought with concern. I would have preferred he be worried for me, but instinct told me that his sights were set elsewhere.
“Sir.” The medic began, obviously shaken from the verbal outburst. “Even though she has human anatomy, we can’t know for certain what reactions she or the baby might have.”
Agent Evans paused for a moment, then replied. “Do it, do whatever you have to save the baby.”
Chapter 10
I was in and out of consciousness for at least two days. The only way I could tell time anymore was the kind of food being delivered to my cell. I had counted two breakfasts so far—both left uneaten.
The second day, I’d tried a bit of the chicken noodle soup they’d shoved through the little flap at the bottom of the door, but it came right back up. After that, I decided to test the old wives tale about ‘starving a fever’.
Even drinking water elicited heavy vomiting sessions but for the baby I forced myself to have at least two handfuls a day.
Three times a day the medic would come in to administer needles which I presumed contained antibiotics.
By the fourth day, I began to feel a little better. I could keep food down and that was the most important thing.
The little person inside me needed sustenance. Maybe it was the illness, but I was sure that I could feel her, sense her. It was like we had a connection, not only by blood, but with our minds as well.
I’d never been close to anyone who’d been pregnant before, so I wasn’t sure if this was a common occurrence. Some magazine articles I’d read alluded to the fact that mothers had a natural and deep bond with their unborn babies, but this felt like more than the average connection.
I
knew
her. I
felt
her being, her life force.
On the fifth day, Keanu came to visit.
“How are you feeling?” His voice was gentle as he sat beside me on the cot and rubbed my leg just above the knee.
“Better.” My voice had an obvious harsh tone as I glared at him. Why was this first time he’d come to see me since I’d been sick? Sighing, he sensed my disappointment in him. Leaning toward me, he whispered softly. “I wasn’t allowed to come before.”
Guilt immediately rippled through me and I felt my expression soften as I looked into his eyes and touched his hand. I guessed by his last statement that
they
had found out about our little discussion in the closet.
We sat in comfortable silence for several minutes, caressing one another’s hands. I examined his handsome face.
If all this hadn’t happened, we’d be planning a life together.
No sooner had I thought the words, I felt a gentle prodding from within my womb.
She
agreed with me.
“Keanu! The baby just kicked!” Pulling his hand and placing it on my stomach, I smiled as I waited for her to move again. Keanu’s eyes were bright and he wore a silly grin as he too, waited. After a few seconds, we both felt a soft tapping.
Elated, we laughed as we threw our arms around one another and hugged. Tears welled in my eyes as I bathed in the sensation of loving human contact. His large arms wrapped around me were so soothing, so warm. Nuzzling my cheek into his shoulder, I forgot for a moment where I was and how I’d gotten here. The memory of his kiss haunted me as I closed my eyes and inhaled the delicious scent that lingered in his shirt.
His body tensed suddenly and he glanced at the corner of my cell where the surveillance bug lie embedded. My instincts of mistrust took over and I tried to pull away. He continued to hold me even though I attempted to move.
I turned to look at him, still struggling to get away. Holding me tight with his right arm, he raised his left hand to my face. Caressing my cheek with the back of his fingers, his hand then trailed to the nape of my neck. The warmth of his skin on mine almost made me cry with happiness.
Gently pulling my face to his, he wet his lips as he brought my mouth to his. Running my hands through his black wavy curls, months of fear, anxiety and loneliness suddenly released from my body.
As a moan escaped me, Keanu quickly raised his pointer finger to his lips. Grinning, he laid me back onto the cot and reached for the zipper of my white jumpsuit. Beginning at the soft indent below my neck, he slowly pulled the cold metal zipper down the center of my body. Ending just below my navel, he held the material open and leaned in to kiss my body.
Pausing as though showing homage to the baby inside me, he placed a single tender kiss on the swelling contour of my lower abdomen.
Focusing his attention on me, he carefully pulled the jumpsuit down the length of my body, and then off completely. Peeling his own clothes from his body, my eyes drank in the sheer beauty of the man.
Climbing onto the cot and positioning over me, he continued to kiss my stomach. With his tongue trailing up my torso, he stopped and lightly kissed the birthmark between my breasts. Looking down at him, he gave me a teasing glance as he moved slightly to the right.
Licking and kissing every curve and contour of my body, he finally made his way back up to my lips. Passion and lust intermingled as we gave into our desires. Our bodies moved together, gently and lovingly.
Afterwards, holding one another and basking in the glow of blissful satisfaction, I could have sworn I
felt
the baby smile in approval.
***
Watching Keanu get dressed, I struggled to keep my eyes from welling with tears. Now that I’d had a taste of the outside world again, I felt like a little kid that had just dropped their ice cream cone in the dirt.
“Cassia, I have to go. They’ll already be suspicious.” His soft brown eyes pleaded with me as he tucked his shirt into his pants.
“I know. I’m sorry.” I averted my eyes to the floor.
Sighing, he moved to the cot where I was sitting and knelt on the floor beside me.
“Don’t be sorry for anything. You’ve done nothing wrong.” He rubbed my hand as he spoke. “All this…bullshit, you don’t deserve this.” Anger tinged his voice as he stood again.
Running his fingers through his hair, he paused for moment. Sighing, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. Walking briskly towards me, he took my hand and placed it firmly into my palm.
Lifting my chin and kissing me, he turned and moved to the door. Knocking for the guard to let him out, he gave me one last cryptic look.
After he’d gone, I looked down at the note in my hand. Fear swelled inside me as I unfolded it.
Was it a good-bye letter? Had he come to see me one last time? To say good-bye to the baby?
I couldn’t bear to read it.
The note crinkled as I unfolded it, holding my breath, I began reading.
Cassia, flush this as soon as you’re done reading it!
Follow this note to the letter…
Before I could read any further, my ears suddenly twitched as I heard the sound of voices just outside the door. I realized that someone was coming in. Unzipping my jumpsuit and stuffing the note down the front, I prayed it wasn’t Meyers.
He hadn’t bothered me since they had discovered I was pregnant, but I had a sneaky feeling that he wasn’t finished with me yet. The white door swung open just as I had zipped up the front of my jumpsuit.
“Agent Evans.” I said, relieved to see the older man.
“Miss Tiponi.” He eyed the cell suspiciously. “I need to take you down to the lab for more testing.”
A hard, cold sensation settled over me with the thought of more tests. I never knew what the hell they were going to do to me next.
“Um, what kind of tests?” I asked, trying to sound pleasant. He sighed as he appeared to contemplate whether or not to tell me.
“Ultrasound.” He finally surrendered, looking uncomfortable.
“Oh.” A streak of fear shot through me as I realized I’d have to remove my jumpsuit for that.
The note!
“Could I…have a moment before we go?” I stalled, my eyes darting around the small room as I tried to figure out where I was going to hide this thing stuffed between my breasts.
Wary, he frowned. “Why?”
Giving him a shy glance, I responded bluntly. “I…have to pee.” I almost giggled at the varying shades of pink he turned.
“Oh, um, yes, I’ll be back for you in minute or rather, knock when you’re ready.”
As soon as he stepped outside the door, I retrieved the letter from inside my suit and searched for a hiding place. Falling to my knees and running my hands behind the toilet, I realized it was too damp and would damage the note. The sink had the same issue. The cot was the only other thing in the room so I rushed over and felt underneath. Relief swept over me as I felt rows of metallic coils. After stuffing the note tightly between a coil and the guts of the mattress, I stood and walked to the door.
Knocking on the door, I looked back to the cot, praying that the note would still be there when I returned.
***
“You shouldn’t have let her urinate, Agent Evans, she needs to have a full bladder to perform the ultrasound properly.” The lab technician scolded the elder agent as he prepped me for the procedure.
I didn’t, dumbass.
I fought the urge to roll my eyes at the arrogant attendant.
“Sorry.” Agent Evans mumbled as he tossed an annoyed glare at the lab technician.
Letting out an exaggerated sigh, the lab technician pushed up my gown, and holding a little plastic bottle, squirted some cold, clear jelly onto my bare stomach.
When I arrived, they had me change out of my jumpsuit and into a hospital gown.
Thank god I hid the note!
I thought to myself earlier as I disrobed in the washroom outside of the lab. The very washroom where I’d wandered away and tried to escape a few weeks previous.