Footsteps were behind us River and I were running down the halls.
"You know her?" I said to River.
"An old enemy of mine," said River.
All the exits were locked. Very soon, it became clear we were trapped.
Then I began to feel...weird.
"I need to sit down," I said.
"We don't have time," said River. She was opening a vent above us.
Then I felt a wetness on my clothes. A REALLY big wetness.
"My water broke!" I said.
The guards were getting closer.
"Come on!" River said.
I was feeling weak. I saw the Midwives up ahead, and realized what I had to do.
"Go on without me!" I said.
"Oh, don't be stupid!" snapped River. "You sound like my fiancee!"
"Go!" I demanded.
River climbed up the vent, and called out "I'll be back for you. I PROMISE!" Then she closed the vent. And Madame Kovarian and the Wards were in front of me.
Madame Kovarian watched over me while I was sitting on the floor of the Ward. "Get her up."
The Midwives dutifully got me, who's water had just broke, off the floor. My slightly soiled medical garb whooshed across the floor as I was dragged in front of Kovarian, and I nearly fell over due to my belly.
The eye-patched woman looked at me with what almost looked like concern, andshe said "Her body will soon be going into contractions. We will need the operation here."
I had been recovering from the shock of my water suddenly breaking, but became alert at that .
"Stay away from me!" I snarled.
Kovarian, only mildly annoyed, placed a finger on the my lips and said "Now, now, dear. Think it through. River's nowhere to be found, and probably abandoned you. You are in the only ward around for miles. If you leave, you'll start labor before you can reach the exit." Madame Kovarian cupped my head in her gloved hands. "Face it. You may hate us, but we are the best chance for helping your child be born safely."
I reflected on what the odious woman was saying. I was certain that she would take my baby to become a soldier as soon as my conception was done. But she was right. My baby's best chance of survival lay with them. Almost as if on cue, I felt a shocking tremble in my body.
My contractions had begun.
"Alright, I'll do it," I said.
'Are you sure?" she said with a sickening smile of someone who's known she's won, and wants to savor the victory.
"YES, I'm sure!" I cried out. My contractions were getting stronger.
The Midwives took my dress off of me, then pulled the shirt I was wearing off of my head. It took some time, because of my belly, but eventually they got everything off. I felt cold in the air conditioned ward, and more than a little weirded out with Kovarian looking at my nude body. Eventually,a few Midwives came with folded garments in hand. I slipped on the gown—left hand through, then right hand- by myself, being careful not to restrict my stomach too much while tying it.
"Wait, don't tie it just yet," said Kovarian. "Midwives, examine the mother."
The Midwives dutifully looked at my stomach. They measured it, and then they scanned it with wha looked like some advanced ultrasound device.
"It's a girl," said a Midwife happily to Kovarian.
"Good," said Kovarian. After another Midwife whispered I Kovarian's ear, the eye-patched woman said "Looks like you'll need a C-section."
"Wait a second. You can't just give me a C-Section! That could be dangerous!" I said.
"Some people are so emotional," the Madame muttered. "Listen, we've scanned your vital signs. Your body isn't ready for a normal pregnancy. There would be too much blood loss and stress on your body. In order for the best pregnancy for your young girl, as well as the best chance of survival for you, we need to doa C-Section. And quickly."
This was getting worse by the second. I really didn't want to do it, but I had to. "Alright, I'll do it."
"As you wish. Midwives, get her onto the table," said Madame Kovarian. "Oh, and tie her up. I don't want her to try to escape after the conception. Not too tight, though; I don't want us to hurt the future soldier she's birthing."
As I was tied up spread-eagle, I thought "I hope I'm doing the right thing by you, little baby."
As the Midwives washed and inspected my stomach, Kovarian began talking. Weirdly enough, she didn't seem to be talking to me, but to my baby.
"Hello, my soldier," she said to my belly. Stroking my stomach, she began to go into almost a cooing voice. "After you're born, I'm going to raise you. You'll be given the proper training, of course, and eventually you'll be modified genetically into one of the universe's best warriors. Oh, don't worry—I'll keep you safe." She continued to rub my stomach, ignoring me completely.
"And what will you do with me?" I asked.
She jerked her face up to look at me, apparently annoyed I had interrupted her "maternal" bonding with my unborn child. "Oh, right. Well, I suppose you'll do well as a Midwife, if you're nice."
"What if I'm not nice?" I asked.
She gave me a malicious grin. "I'd tell you, but I heard high stress levels in the mother is bad for babies. I'm sure you can use your imagination. Now, night-night." I felt a dart in my neck, and everything went black.
I woke up to find myself in an unfamiliar room. Then, out the side of my eye, I noticed a camera in the corner of the room. My blood froze as I saw the familiar eye-patched face smiling down at me.
The nightmare wasn't over.
