The Quarter Moon (Afterlife saga) (3 page)

I didn’t care.

I leapt up the steps with the last power surge and came to a halting stop when I first took in the scene.

“Libby
!” I shouted and her crying eyes whipped round to me. Her skin was almost the colour of her hair and she was sat sprawled up the stairs with her legs open and panting.

“Oh
, thank you God! The baby! The baby is coming, oh shit…oh shit, here it comes again…oh…ARRRRHH!” She screamed through what I could only assume was a contraction.

The baby was coming and there was no time, the guy in the woods had been right about that. Only when I looked away from Libby, I saw that wasn’t the only thing he had been right about, for there in the corner stood…

Death.

Chapter 3

Not a Great Time for a
Reunion

“Carrick!” I shouted at the very man responsible for my kidnapping and one scary mother at that!

“One and the very same my dear.” He responded with a respectful head nod.

“GET OUT!” I screamed making both him and my panting sister jump.

“Kaz, who the Hell are you talking to?” Libby asked me with rising panic. I nodded over to the corner, but from where she was positioned she couldn’t see…well, that or he had shielded himself from her.

“Now that is hardly a greeting
.” He said actually having the audacity to look hurt.

“Well
, that’s the only one you are gonna get ‘cause if you think you are going anywhere near those I love, then you will have to take me along as well, kicking, screaming and trying to rip you to pieces!” I said feeling the rage build and build until the pressure of it was starting to pound inside me like a pneumatic drill.

“Then you will be pleased to know that I think you made it in time
.” He reached into his suit jacket, which was once again beige and pulled out a little book the size of his palm. As he flipped it open I saw in disgust that the book’s binding was made from sewn human skin held together like a crude jigsaw by thick black cord. He ran his finger down a few lines and then made a humming noise like he was looking for something.

“Jesus
, Keira who are you talking too? Don’t just stand there for God….Oh Ahh, here comes another one….AHHHHH..AHH!” Libby started screaming again and I rushed to the bottom of the stairs she was leaning against and did the only thing I knew to do.

“Just breath
e through it, just breathe…come on Libs…that’s it breathe….deep breaths.” I repeated over and over trying to get her twisted face of pain to co-operate.

“I am BREATHING!” She screamed just as the pain hit harder. Meanwhile Carrick
was still checking his book, as though there wasn’t a screaming woman in the room trying to push a person out! Finally his humming stopped and he snapped the book closed.

“Exactly as I thought, the names are back in the assessment stage
, but they are not out of the dark yet, so I will wait and see I think.” He said calmly, about to take a seat.

“The
Hell you will, get your bony ass over here!” I shouted at him and he scoffed at my insult.

“NOW!” I screamed this time making him change his mind. He came over to us both and raised an eyebrow at the scene in front of him.

“Have you lost it? You gotta be kidding me Kaz, at a time like this for fuc…”

“Libby
, calm down, I can explain.” I said interrupting her.

“I doubt that
,” Carrick said under his breath making, me snap my cutting gaze to his.

“Get down here and help! Oh and while you’re at it make her see you!” I demanded and was utterly amazed to see him do as I ordered. He folded himself gracefully to the floor by my side and he touched Libby’s knee gently. I was about to stop him from touching her but it was too late and soon Libby was freaked.

“AH! Who… the Hell…are you?!” She shouted between puffs.

“Calm down Libby…this is…umm…the doctor
.” I said weakly shooting a look of disbelief to Carrick and receiving the same one back.

“Oh
Hell no”
He whispered sideways to me.

“OH
, thank God!” Libby said visibly relaxing a little after her contraction.

“Oh
, now that’s fitting,” Carrick responded drily.

“Just roll with it and help me through this!” I snapped
through gritted teeth.

“Fine! But you do realise this is kind of the opposite to what I do, don’t you
?” I looked sideways and said,

“Yeah, thanks, I got the memo. Now help me with t
his. What do I do?” I was close to grabbing him by his suit lapels and shaking the shit out of him. I was sure with my bubbling rage that I would hear bones rattle with little effort.

He let out a big and exaggerated sigh before turning to face Libby.

“Right my dear, as you no doubt know your baby is coming and your contractions are too close together  to get you to the hospital, we are going to have to deliver the baby here but don’t fret, you are in good hands.” I snorted at this and he gave me a look as if to say ‘do you mind?’

“We need to get her lower half bare” He said
, taking off his jacket and folding it neatly over the banister. I looked down at the soaked jeans my sister was still wearing in a daze and jolted when fingers snapped in front of me.

“Do you fancy catching the baby through her
pant leg? No, I didn’t think so. Keira, you are going to have to focus now, first undress her, then go and fetch as many towels, sheets or clothes to soak up the blood and dry the baby. GO!” He shouted and I jumped before I got to work.

I yanked down her jeans and knickers off together throwing them over my shoulder and running to the hamper my sister had left situated by the door to the basement. I grabbed the towels and washing I had brought down with me this mor
ning. As I was running back to the bottom of the stairs, I noticed a pair of my dirty knickers stuck to the pile so threw them over my shoulder, slipped to the side as I rounded the corner with an armful of material going flying.

“Shitty, shit
shit!” I cursed as I scrabbled along the floor, arms wide open scooping back up everything I’d dropped. 

“Will this be enough?
” I asked breathless from panic as I made it back to them on another skid.

“That will be fine
.” He responded so calmly it made me thankful I wasn’t doing this alone. Well, that was until I asked him my next question,

“You have done this before…right?” I whispered through Libby’s screaming.

“I have seen it done once….” Then he looked thoughtful for a moment and continued,

“….b
ut the cow died.” Then he started to lift Libby down until she was sat up against the last step with a cushion he placed behind her head. 

“A COW!” I shouted and he shot me a look, one eyebrow raised.

“I’m sorry, would you prefer to see my résumé before I aid you in saving your sister and her child’s life or would you just like to crack on?” He nodded back to the point where my sister was clearly pushing out her baby.

“Oh shit! Ok, yeah you
’re right, sorry… Come on Libby! You’re doing great!” I said moving up to her and taking her hand in mine, which she was soon trying break. Thankfully I’d given her the one that wasn’t already broken.

“AHHHH!” She screamed once more and then started breathing in great puffs and blows. She was bright red and I pushed her wet hair back from her sweat covered face.

“Oh God! The baby, it’s coming, I need…I need…AHHHH!” She took a deep breath and pushed her chin to her chest to push down.

“That’s it Libs, you’re doing great, you’re doing it!” I felt the tears running down my cheeks and I looked to Carrick
, whose face was serious and frowning.

“What is it?” I asked and his answer chilled my blood.

“The baby’s heart rate is dropping.”

“NO!” I shouted and then moved to closer to Carrick.

“Do something!” He frowned at me and then turned back to Libby.

“You need to push harder!” He said sternly to Libby but she just let out a strangled sob and kept shaking her head.

“I can’t, I can’t…I…” My heart broke at seeing my sister in so much pain.

“You must or your baby will die
.” He said and I hit him on the arm.

“Don’t tell her that!” I said seeing my sister burst in to body shaking, harder sobs that weren’t helping her in pushing.

“What can I do, tell me! I need to help her!” I demanded grabbing him by his rolled up sleeves.

“You need to help her push, I suggest trying anger
.”

“WHAT?
” 

“Anger will help, in this case trust me, make your sister angry, in fact
, make that
very
angry.” I frowned at him and was about to tell him I needed a more practical answer, when Libby screamed as another contraction hit.

“Right, Olivia, you need to push and push hard!” I said as sternly as I could muster with what I was seeing.

“I can’t! AHHHH!”

“Yes you can, you must! If you don’t
, I will tell mum!” I said thinking that always did it in the past, but then again she wasn’t trying to fit something the size of a melon from a place that…well you get the picture!

“I CAN’T!!!” She screamed and I could see her trying to find the energy to push harder but it just wasn’t enough.

“Try harder.” Carrick said opening her legs wider.

“She is trying
.” I said in Libby’s defence, but he shook his head in small motions.

“Not her, you! Anger her Keira, I am sure you have it in you for pissing people off
.” He shot me a look that told me I could indeed.  

“Right Libby, listen up, if you don’t push and I mean push like your life depends on it
, then I will tell Frank about the time you kissed those two brothers in college and then got drunk and played strip poker!” I shouted at her, feeling like the worst sister in the world. She gave me a utter look of disbelief and then scowled,

“You wouldn’t!”

“Oh yes I would, NOW PUSH GODDAMN IT!”

“I am going to…..AAHHHHHH…kill you!” She screamed at me but I just held her hand and screamed with her,

“AHHHHH, YES, THAT’S IT!” We then both took deep breaths together.

“COME ON! PUSH!” I shouted at her again.

“I am PUSHING FOR CHRIST’S SAKE!” She said, half in rage half in pain but Carrick was right, it was working.

“I see the head, now one big push and the baby will be here
.” Carrick said just as calmly as if he was ordering a Big Mac from the drive thru!

Just then Frank burst through the open door
, out of breath and in a mad panic.

“LIBBY!” He shouted and then took in the scene quickly.

“Oh SHIT!” He added.

“Oh thank you, thank you
.” Libby said looking up to the Heavens and I blinked back the onslaught of tears.

“Frank, the baby…the baby, it
s coming, its coming!” He rushed over to take my place, skidded landing on his thigh and Carrick grabbed my hand to drag me to where the baby would come.

“Oh baby, you’re ok, you’re ok sweetheart
,” Frank said holding on to her.

“The baby isn’t coming,
the baby is here! Now push!” Carrick ordered her and I looked down to see the baby’s head emerge. It was by far the most beautiful, yet at the same time the most nauseating thing I had ever witnessed in my life.

“I see the head
, Libs! I see it!” I said looking up at Libby gripping on to her husband with force enough to rip his shirt. Then Carrick grabbed my hands.

“You must see the baby into thi
s world, I cannot bring new life forth into this plane, but you can.” Carrick positioned my hands ready.

“Now Libby, you are doing really well
, but this last contraction I want you to push gently and the baby will slip out nicely… are you ready?” He said soothingly and I was touched at the knowledge that even Death himself could be so sweet.

Libby nodded quickly and Frank held her tighter.

“This is it babe, you’re doing so good, oh baby I love you.” He said making the tears come even harder than before.

“Oh…now, now! Coming now!” She said and then took one last breath before pushing her baby into the beautiful world we live in.

“Yes Libby, you’re doing it…I can see, Oh my God, I can see!” I said and then a baby literally slipped out and into my waiting hands.

We all cried out and I t
ried to control my shaking as I held the tiny person in my hands. Carrick handed me a towel and told me to clean the blood off her.

“Her
?” I asked and then looked down over the slightly blue baby who was getting a pink colour rising up through her little limbs.

“Yes Keira, congratulations, it is a little girl
.” He said beaming at me and I turned to Libby and held up her baby.

“Libby! It’s a girl!” I shouted and she lifted her green eyes from her husband’s chest and the look of pure love touched her daughter for the first time, mother to baby.

I picked the first thing I could from the pile on the floor and wrapped my niece up in it.

“Rub her back Keira
, to get her crying.” Carrick said and then nodded. I did as I was told and before long she let out the best sound in the world.

The sound of new life.

I looked down at her once more and was grinning like a fool when I saw what I had wrapped her in was my dad’s old college sweater. I couldn’t think of anything more fitting at that moment and I quietly told her I loved her before handing the baby to her mum and dad. The afterbirth came shortly after that and even with the cord still attached it wasn’t a problem as they took their daughter in their arms for the very first time.