I was cold…..so cold. My body shook and I screamed but no one heard me. Loud noises crashed around me, people were talking but no one noticed me. I cried louder but I felt tired and I wouldn't be able to cry forever. I was scared…..why wasn't anyone coming for me? My stomach was empty and aching, and pain and cold was all I could feel. I was alone and there was no one else.

Until her….I cried louder because I knew soon I wouldn't be able to anymore and I wanted someone to hear me. I felt her hands reach under me and pull me off of the ground and I was scared first at the unfamiliar hands. So many strange hands had been bad hands and I was afraid more pain was coming. But not her….

"Oh, you poor little thing!" she said and pulled me close to her. There was movement and a shuffle and then I felt the warmth of blanket being wrapped around me. "What a miracle you haven't frozen out here! Let's get you warmed up, sweetie"

Sweetie….I liked the sound of that, especially when she says it. But it's not my name; I forgot my name. It was lost to me when I came here and saw so many bad things. But maybe she'll know who I am. She tightens the blanket around me and holds me close to her, rubbing her hand along my back. Bliss…it's so warm and safe and protected; I'm sure she must be safe.

She pulls me close to her and I can feel her warmth and distantly hear her heartbeat. She puts her finger against my cheek and rubs softly and it makes me feel calm. "You are a little miracle, you know that? How are you even here? How did you survive?" she asks in disbelief.

I don't know how I got here…..I don't even know where here is. But now that she holds me closer I can see her better. Her face is bright and happy and I think I could look at it forever. I yawn and feel myself begin to get sleepy but I fight it; I don't want to go to sleep because if I do she might not be here when I wake up.

I can feel her walking, jostling me slightly as does. She begins to hum a tune I can barely hear above the loud sounds around me and I wish it they would all stop so that I could hear her. So that I could just feel warm and safe and forget that anything but she exists.

She stops and sits down and its quieter and stiller here. "Oh, what a beautiful boy you are" she whispers at me with a smile, rubbing my cheek again before letting her finger come close to my mouth. I suck on it softly and though the ache in my stomach seems to get worse I feel happy and at peace.

She whispers to me for a long time and though I get lost in what she's saying her voice is so nice I just focus on it until I'm almost asleep. When she gets up and begins to walk I begin to stir even though I want so badly to give in.

"Are you a doctor?" I hear her ask though she's not talking to me. She holds me up a little higher and I can see him coming closer to us. For a moment I'm afraid but his face is kind like hers and I think that must mean he's okay.

"This baby was just recovered at one of the camps. He appears to be in perfect health." She says. In a quick movement she moves me from her arms into his and my heart beats quick for a moment; I think I might cry for minuet but he holds me close and safe and smiles and I'm okay.

"Really? How is that possible?" he asks, looking down at me. I look into his eyes and he feels safe.

I can feel her soft, cool hand near mine and I reach out and grasp one of her fingers; maybe if I hold on tight she won't leave me. "Even in all of this terrible, horrible mess…..miracles still happen I suppose" she says, wrapping her hand around mine.

Maybe that's what I am; a miracle. I don't know what it is but it sounds nice.

…..

I wake up and its cold again and there's not much light. I look around the room but it's not familiar. I kick my legs and move my arms but I don't feel the blanket around me anymore, just air on my bare skin. I shiver and shake and I begin to cry.

She's gone…the woman who seemed like light and warmth is gone and I'm alone. I'm in a strange place and the table under me is cold and harsh. Maybe I'm back in the bad place; I start to scream because nothing is good if she is gone and I'm alone and back in the place where everything hurts.

"Shh….shh…..love….calm down"

But there it is! I hear her voice and my eyes start searching. A moment later I see her smiling face above me and my cries stop. Is she real? I don't think she is until she puts her arms around me and lifts me up off of the cold table. She bounces me as she walks.

"You're alright, you're fine. Calm down" she urges me and I begin to feel calm again. If she's telling me I'm alright, then I must be. I'm not alone after all…and I'm sure that nothing bad can happen to me with her.

She shifts me around and places me in a sink full of water. It's warm but I hate water and start to fuss. She puts her arm around my back and uses her other hand to rub a cloth over my skin. "Shh….I know this part is no fun but you are a mess" she tells me. "The doctor said you're completely healthy but you are dirty. You'll feel so much better once we get you cleaned up and in a nice dry nappy and some clothes."

Maybe she's right but I'm unconvinced. The cloth rubs against my skin followed by the feel of water running down my skin. I try to be quiet since she's says it's supposed to make me feel better but I hate every second of it. I'm happy when she lifts me out of the water and lays me down on a towel. She rubs the soft towel against my skin and soon I'm dry and it's nice.

"See…..told you. That wasn't so bad" she says happily as she wraps a dry towel around me and lifts me up.

I still think it was rather bad but she's holding me now and that makes me happy. She walks out of the room and down a hallway. People are rushing about, some screaming, some crying. A lot of people look like the man that looked in my ears and nose and mouth; I think maybe I'll see him but I don't. She said he was a doctor; he said I'm healthy which I think means I'm okay.

She carries me through another door into a room and the sound of crying changes. We're in a room with other babies; most of them are smaller than me but that's okay. Having them around makes me feel better.

"Alright, let's get you dressed" she says as she lays me down on a table, pulling back the towel. I feel cold again but only for a moment. She lifts me up and places a diaper under me, pulling it around me tightly. I kick my legs impatiently as she tries to put pins in the diaper.

"Stop…..I'm trying to be as fast as I can" she tells me, holding my legs still. I don't want to be still but I don't like her not smiling either.

I stay as still as I can while she finishes putting the diaper on me, then works a shirt over my head and over my arms. She's right; I do feel better now. It's even better when she wraps me in a blanket and picks me up. She walks over to another woman and begins talking to her. I'm so warm and tired that I just close my eyes and lean against her chest; I'll only listen if she's talking to me.

I was almost asleep when she sits down and begins to rock me back and forth. "Let's get you some dinner, sweetheart. I'm sure you're starving" she says and the next moment something soft and rubbery presses against my lips. Milk! It seems so long since I had any and I suck and pull at the bottle as quick as I can. My aching belly instantly feels better as the warm milk hits it and fills it up. It goes by way too fast; in what seems like no time, I suck but receive nothing but air.

"Wow…..you are a quick little thing, Abraham" she says, pulling the bottle out of my mouth and holding me close.

Abraham….she says it and now I can remember. That's my name…..the bad place and all I saw made me forget I had a name. But she knows it…..she cares.

Wrapped up tight, close enough to her chest that I can hear her heartbeat like I wanted to earlier, I feel completely at peace. She begins to rock me back and forth and sing a song makes my heart feel still and calm. It seems like it's been so long since anyone has held me like this, since anyone has touched me…all is well. I thought the darkness of that place would last forever but now all is well.

I'm almost asleep when I feel her put her lips to my forehead and give me a kiss. "I think I'm in trouble Abraham" she whispers quiet only to me. "I think I already love you dearly"

Love…is that the name for the feeling of something big and important I feel in my chest when I look at her? If it is, I am sure I love her too.

Thanks everyone for reading! Reviews are love, please let me know what you thought!