Sounds of disturbed birds flapping and chirping overlapped the yells of pain echoing throughout the dark forest.

If you were to follow the screams, it would lead you far into the forest to a lone burgundy two story house. The screams originated from the basement.

The cold grey basement harbored two people. One, a female who was the source for the screams, was laying on her back. Her legs were elevated, her knuckles white as she grabbed with all her might on the blood stained sheet beneath her.

The other figure, a male, stood in front of her, whispering empty words of encouragement as he readied himself for the baby soon to come.

"Almost there Anne." He whispered, tears heavily rolling down his cheeks.

The woman, Anne, only continued to cry out in pain. Her skin a deathly pale shade of white and the hollow of her cheeks so deep she resembled a skeleton. Her body was convulsing and shaking madly. The sounds of bones breaking joined her screams.

The male stared helplessly, balling his eyes out as the woman continued to wail in agony. He was shaking just as badly, but his pain wasn't physical.

No. Instead, he felt like his heart was being smashed into billions of tiny pieces. He couldn't take it. He knew this day would come. The day where he'd have to watch his sister be torn inside out because of her child. They both knew it, but months of knowing did nothing to prepare him for this day.

His tear filled eyes widened as he finally saw the baby's head.

"I see the baby Anne! Keep pushing, you're almost done!" He yelled frantically, carefully grabbing both sides of the baby's head to help in removing it.

Anne could barely hear her brother's words. Her body felt like it was on fire while simultaneously being crushed by a boulder. The pain was so thick she almost blacked out, but she willed herself to stay awake and to keep pushing. This baby needed her right now, and she'd be damned if she gave up.

Although, she could feel herself slipping and became very aware that she was dying. A new stream of tears rolled down her cheeks, but this time it wasn't from the pain. No, it was from the sadness that practically drowned her heart. She wouldn't be here to see her baby grow up.

"One more push Anne! Just one more, I know you can do it!" Her brother shouted.

Ah, her brother Jesse. At least he'll be here for her. And with that thought, she gave one final scream followed by one final push.

Jesse quickly grabbed the baby and ran upstairs to the bathroom, willing himself not to break down over how still his sister was when he left. He quickly washed the baby off, smacking it on its bottom to get it to cry.

'A girl.' He realized, while wrapping it in a blanket.

The baby remained quiet in his arms, and for a second he was terrified that it might be dead, just like his sister.

That is, until the baby opened her eyes and stared straight at him.

He was momentarily frozen as the baby met his eyes. Her eyes, he realized, were far too intelligent for a newborn.

"Hello….Madeline." He choked out, before breaking down and holding the baby close, rocking back and forth as he cried for the loss of a precious life and for the beginning of another.