1 CHAPTER 7: A CHILD
Ryudo had been gone for two months. Ever since he left, Elena felt terribly sad all the time. Everynight, Elena would look up at the stars, and she would think of Ryudo. Every time she thought of him, she would cry, and her heart would be torn into pieces. She missed Ryudo terribly. She needed him. She worried about him all the time. She is afraid that he would not be safe or something bad will happen to him. She wished that Ryudo will come back soon, and that they would finally be together. She wondered what Ryudo had to do that seems so important, but yet he won't tell her. Everyday she waited for him. Sometimes when she finished all her chores, she would ran up to the highest hill and looked to see if Ryudo is coming. Elena did not feel very well these few days. She feel tired all the time, and she doesn't really feel like eating. Her face was pale and she could hardly eat one serving of food. Every time she ate something, she would feel sick and she would threw up whatever she ate. She became thinner and thinner, and Father and Mother Carius were worried about her. Her strange sickness had been going on for more than a week, and one day she kept throwing up, that she had nothing to throw up, because she threw up everything already, but she still feel like throwing up.
"Elena, this is enough, we got to call Dr.Morris." said Father Carius, with a worried-look on his face.
"No. I don't need a doctor. I will be alright." said Elena in a small voice. She could hardly speak, her throat hurts from throwing up.
"But you can't go on like this, Elena. We got to see what's wrong with you. You have been throwing up for more than a week, and you hardly eat anything. We are afraid that you could be affected by that sickness the villagers are talking about the other day. They said the first symptoms are throwing up, lost of appetite, and then continues with high fever." said Mother Carius.
"I will be fine. You don't have to worry about me. I will be all right. You'll see." said Elena
"Well... alright then, Elena. If this stills continue. We have to call Dr.Morris" said Father Carius. "It is getting late now. You should go to bed now Elena."
"Yes, Father Carius. Good night Father and Mother Carius." said Elena
"Good night, Elena" said Father Carius
"Good night, Elena, dear" said Mother Carius
Elena went to her room. She felt kinda worried. She doesn't know why she kept throwing up. She is scared. What if she really got that sickness the villagers are talking about? She don't want to be sick. Feeling sick is terrible. She remembered once she had a fever. It felt awful. Her head felt heavy, her throat hurts, her nose ran like a spring, and she felt her body is on fire. She had tons of questions swirling on her head. What if she did got the sickness? What if she died and never sees Ryudo again? She felt scared. Then she froze. She remembered something else. That night before Ryudo left. The night they had spent together, love falling over them. She was afraid now. She is not even married yet. There is no way that she could...get pregnant. Questions started to swirled around inside her head. "What if I am pregnant?" Elena thought. "I will be forever shamed. I will not able to face other people." Her anxiety was rising, and this time she felt terribly scared. She started to cry, and she felt so alone. She really needed Ryudo. "Oh, Ryudo, where are you?" , Elena thought sadly. She cried for a long time, and she felt extremely sick. She ran to the trashcan and she started to throw up again. Then she went back to her room quietly. She don't want to wake up Father and Mother Carius and make them worry. She lied back on her bed and she cried herself to sleep.
It was morning already. Elena woke up and she felt very tired. She pulled herself away from the bed and she putted on her pink chore dress and her apron. After that she started to fix her hair. She stopped, and she looked at the mirror while brushing her hair. She looked at herself. Her face is ghostly pale, her lips white, her eyes tired, and she looked weak. It scared her. She looked dead. She looked like a different person. Her cheeks weren't rosy pink and her lips weren't berry red, like it used to be. After she finished fixing her hair, she went downstairs, and Mother Carius was preparing breakfast.
"Good morning, Mother Carius" said Elena.
"Good morning. Oh dear, you looked so pale. Are you feeling any better?" said Mother Carius. She was worried.
"I am fine, Mother Carius. You don't need to worry" smiled Elena.
Mother Carius sighed. "Of course I am worried about you. You are like a daughter to me. I can't bear seeing you like that".
"Don't worry." said Elena, and she started eating her breakfast.
"Where is Father Carius?" asked Elena
"He went out early in the morning to see a friend" said Mother Carius.
She only ate a little portion of her food, and she hurried out to feed the chickens. After she fed the chickens, she sat down on the stone bench, on the back yard. She felt her energy is draining out of her. Her head ached terribly and her whole world is spinning like a cyclone inside her. She sat there for a while, and then she got up and started to go back to the church. As she got up, she started to feel very weird. Every thing she sees started to get blurry. She can barely open her eyes. She felt weaker than ever. Her feet could not support her weight. Then she started to fall down on the ground, and then everything she saw is total dark blackness.
Father Carius walked into the kitchen and he met his wife. Mother Carius was starting to prepare lunch. Father Carius sat down on a chair and pour himself a cup of coffee.
"How is Elena doing today?" asked Father Carius
"Still the same. She looked deadly pale. She scared the wits out of me when I saw her this morning" said Mother Carius
"I think we need to call Dr. Morris. She can't go on like this", said Father Carius.
"I am worried about her. I don't think she have the sickness. She didn't even have a fever. I think it is something else", said Mother Carius.
"Well, what could it be?" said Father Carius.
Mother Corius looked around to see if Elena was nearby. "Don't you see that Elena and Ryudo are sweet on each other?" she whispered.
"I can see that", said Father Carius. "What does this have to do with Elena's sickness?"
"I am afraid that they had done something foolish. I am afraid that Elena is now carrying a child.", said Mother Carius.
"I am sure that Elena won't do that. Elena is a smart and careful girl. She knows better. And I am sure of that" said Father Carius.
"I hope so. I just hope whatever I said before is wrong.", said Mother Carius. "Now where is Elena? She been out for more that an hour doing her chores outside." Mother Carius is starting to get worry.
"I am going outside to look for her" said Father Carius, and he left.
Father Carius was heading for the back of the church, and suddenly he said Elena lying on the ground, and he quickly ran to her.
"Elena! Elena! Are you alright darling?" said Father Carius. He was scared. "Elena! Elena! Wake up, child". He hit her pale face lightly, trying to wake her. Then Mother Carius came out and saw what had happened.
"Elena! Oh my God!" cried Mother Carius, and she ran toward Elena and Father Carius. "What happened to her?"
"I don't know. She was lying on the ground when I saw her" said Father Carius.
"Go get Dr. Morris, Carius! Oh, for God's sake hurry!" cried Mother Carius.
About half an hour later, Mother Carius got Elena into her bed, and Dr. Morris arrived. Dr. Morris examined Elena and there was a concerned look on his face, and soon he finished checking Elena, and he sighed
"Is there anything wrong with her, Dr. Morris?" asked Mother Carius.
"Well…there is nothing wrong with her." Said Dr. Morris
"Then how come she keeps throwing up after she eats?" asked Father Carius.
"That is nothing. It will go away soon. Throwing up is normal" said Dr. Morris
"What do you mean?" asked Mother Carius.
"Well…uh…I don't know how to say this?" said Dr. Morris
"Say what you need to say, Dr. Morris" said Father Carius.
"Miss Elena is carrying a child now. She is two months pregnant", said Dr. Morris.
Both Father and Mother Carius were shocked, and no words came out of their mouths.
"She should rest more, stay in the house more often, and she has to be very careful" said Dr. Morris
Mother Carius sighed. "Thank you Dr. Morris" said Mother Carius. "Carius, can you take Dr. Morris downstairs?".
"Sure. This way, Dr. Morris", said Father Carius.
"Thank you for your time, Dr. Morris. Good day" said Mother Carius.
"You too. Mrs. Carius. Good day" said Dr. Morris and he and Father Carius left the room.
The sun is setting down, and the night darkness was covering the sky. Elena woke up, confused, and she is dizzy. She found herself on her bed, and she wondered what happened. Mother Carius came in to her room, carrying a tray with a bowl of broth in it.
"Elena, dear. You've finally waked up. How are feeling now, dear?" said Mother Carius, setting down the tray.
"I am still a little dizzy. What happened?" asked Elena
"You fainted, dear. Dr. Morris came. He said you need more rest. He also said that you need to be more careful these few months", she paused, "after the child comes."
"A child?" asked Elena in surprise, she was stunned.
"Yes, Elena. Dr. Morris said you are going to have a child. That is the reason why you have been feeling sick these days. He said you are two months pregnant" said Mother Carius.
Elena didn't say anything. She was shocked. She felt scared. She is going to have Ryudo's child, and Ryudo didn't even know about this. What if he forgot about her, and left her alone with the child? Fears and worries are spinning inside her and she started to sob.
"Elena, dear. Don't cry. Everything is going to be alright" said Mother Carius, hugging Elena gently. Elena cried for a long time, until no tears come out. "Try to get some rest, dear" soothed Mother Carius. "Everything is going to be fine. Father Carius and I are going to take of you and the child, until Ryudo comes back, and I am sure he will come back, no matter what", and after a while Mother Carius left the room.
Elena remained silent for a long time. She felt lost and alone. "What am I going to do now" she thought. All she wanted now is for Ryudo to come back. She needed him now. "Ryudo, where are you? Please come back soon" she pleaded in a tiny whisper, and sparkling tears rolled down her cheeks.
Ryudo had been gone for two months. Ever since he left, Elena felt terribly sad all the time. Everynight, Elena would look up at the stars, and she would think of Ryudo. Every time she thought of him, she would cry, and her heart would be torn into pieces. She missed Ryudo terribly. She needed him. She worried about him all the time. She is afraid that he would not be safe or something bad will happen to him. She wished that Ryudo will come back soon, and that they would finally be together. She wondered what Ryudo had to do that seems so important, but yet he won't tell her. Everyday she waited for him. Sometimes when she finished all her chores, she would ran up to the highest hill and looked to see if Ryudo is coming. Elena did not feel very well these few days. She feel tired all the time, and she doesn't really feel like eating. Her face was pale and she could hardly eat one serving of food. Every time she ate something, she would feel sick and she would threw up whatever she ate. She became thinner and thinner, and Father and Mother Carius were worried about her. Her strange sickness had been going on for more than a week, and one day she kept throwing up, that she had nothing to throw up, because she threw up everything already, but she still feel like throwing up.
"Elena, this is enough, we got to call Dr.Morris." said Father Carius, with a worried-look on his face.
"No. I don't need a doctor. I will be alright." said Elena in a small voice. She could hardly speak, her throat hurts from throwing up.
"But you can't go on like this, Elena. We got to see what's wrong with you. You have been throwing up for more than a week, and you hardly eat anything. We are afraid that you could be affected by that sickness the villagers are talking about the other day. They said the first symptoms are throwing up, lost of appetite, and then continues with high fever." said Mother Carius.
"I will be fine. You don't have to worry about me. I will be all right. You'll see." said Elena
"Well... alright then, Elena. If this stills continue. We have to call Dr.Morris" said Father Carius. "It is getting late now. You should go to bed now Elena."
"Yes, Father Carius. Good night Father and Mother Carius." said Elena
"Good night, Elena" said Father Carius
"Good night, Elena, dear" said Mother Carius
Elena went to her room. She felt kinda worried. She doesn't know why she kept throwing up. She is scared. What if she really got that sickness the villagers are talking about? She don't want to be sick. Feeling sick is terrible. She remembered once she had a fever. It felt awful. Her head felt heavy, her throat hurts, her nose ran like a spring, and she felt her body is on fire. She had tons of questions swirling on her head. What if she did got the sickness? What if she died and never sees Ryudo again? She felt scared. Then she froze. She remembered something else. That night before Ryudo left. The night they had spent together, love falling over them. She was afraid now. She is not even married yet. There is no way that she could...get pregnant. Questions started to swirled around inside her head. "What if I am pregnant?" Elena thought. "I will be forever shamed. I will not able to face other people." Her anxiety was rising, and this time she felt terribly scared. She started to cry, and she felt so alone. She really needed Ryudo. "Oh, Ryudo, where are you?" , Elena thought sadly. She cried for a long time, and she felt extremely sick. She ran to the trashcan and she started to throw up again. Then she went back to her room quietly. She don't want to wake up Father and Mother Carius and make them worry. She lied back on her bed and she cried herself to sleep.
It was morning already. Elena woke up and she felt very tired. She pulled herself away from the bed and she putted on her pink chore dress and her apron. After that she started to fix her hair. She stopped, and she looked at the mirror while brushing her hair. She looked at herself. Her face is ghostly pale, her lips white, her eyes tired, and she looked weak. It scared her. She looked dead. She looked like a different person. Her cheeks weren't rosy pink and her lips weren't berry red, like it used to be. After she finished fixing her hair, she went downstairs, and Mother Carius was preparing breakfast.
"Good morning, Mother Carius" said Elena.
"Good morning. Oh dear, you looked so pale. Are you feeling any better?" said Mother Carius. She was worried.
"I am fine, Mother Carius. You don't need to worry" smiled Elena.
Mother Carius sighed. "Of course I am worried about you. You are like a daughter to me. I can't bear seeing you like that".
"Don't worry." said Elena, and she started eating her breakfast.
"Where is Father Carius?" asked Elena
"He went out early in the morning to see a friend" said Mother Carius.
She only ate a little portion of her food, and she hurried out to feed the chickens. After she fed the chickens, she sat down on the stone bench, on the back yard. She felt her energy is draining out of her. Her head ached terribly and her whole world is spinning like a cyclone inside her. She sat there for a while, and then she got up and started to go back to the church. As she got up, she started to feel very weird. Every thing she sees started to get blurry. She can barely open her eyes. She felt weaker than ever. Her feet could not support her weight. Then she started to fall down on the ground, and then everything she saw is total dark blackness.
Father Carius walked into the kitchen and he met his wife. Mother Carius was starting to prepare lunch. Father Carius sat down on a chair and pour himself a cup of coffee.
"How is Elena doing today?" asked Father Carius
"Still the same. She looked deadly pale. She scared the wits out of me when I saw her this morning" said Mother Carius
"I think we need to call Dr. Morris. She can't go on like this", said Father Carius.
"I am worried about her. I don't think she have the sickness. She didn't even have a fever. I think it is something else", said Mother Carius.
"Well, what could it be?" said Father Carius.
Mother Corius looked around to see if Elena was nearby. "Don't you see that Elena and Ryudo are sweet on each other?" she whispered.
"I can see that", said Father Carius. "What does this have to do with Elena's sickness?"
"I am afraid that they had done something foolish. I am afraid that Elena is now carrying a child.", said Mother Carius.
"I am sure that Elena won't do that. Elena is a smart and careful girl. She knows better. And I am sure of that" said Father Carius.
"I hope so. I just hope whatever I said before is wrong.", said Mother Carius. "Now where is Elena? She been out for more that an hour doing her chores outside." Mother Carius is starting to get worry.
"I am going outside to look for her" said Father Carius, and he left.
Father Carius was heading for the back of the church, and suddenly he said Elena lying on the ground, and he quickly ran to her.
"Elena! Elena! Are you alright darling?" said Father Carius. He was scared. "Elena! Elena! Wake up, child". He hit her pale face lightly, trying to wake her. Then Mother Carius came out and saw what had happened.
"Elena! Oh my God!" cried Mother Carius, and she ran toward Elena and Father Carius. "What happened to her?"
"I don't know. She was lying on the ground when I saw her" said Father Carius.
"Go get Dr. Morris, Carius! Oh, for God's sake hurry!" cried Mother Carius.
About half an hour later, Mother Carius got Elena into her bed, and Dr. Morris arrived. Dr. Morris examined Elena and there was a concerned look on his face, and soon he finished checking Elena, and he sighed
"Is there anything wrong with her, Dr. Morris?" asked Mother Carius.
"Well…there is nothing wrong with her." Said Dr. Morris
"Then how come she keeps throwing up after she eats?" asked Father Carius.
"That is nothing. It will go away soon. Throwing up is normal" said Dr. Morris
"What do you mean?" asked Mother Carius.
"Well…uh…I don't know how to say this?" said Dr. Morris
"Say what you need to say, Dr. Morris" said Father Carius.
"Miss Elena is carrying a child now. She is two months pregnant", said Dr. Morris.
Both Father and Mother Carius were shocked, and no words came out of their mouths.
"She should rest more, stay in the house more often, and she has to be very careful" said Dr. Morris
Mother Carius sighed. "Thank you Dr. Morris" said Mother Carius. "Carius, can you take Dr. Morris downstairs?".
"Sure. This way, Dr. Morris", said Father Carius.
"Thank you for your time, Dr. Morris. Good day" said Mother Carius.
"You too. Mrs. Carius. Good day" said Dr. Morris and he and Father Carius left the room.
The sun is setting down, and the night darkness was covering the sky. Elena woke up, confused, and she is dizzy. She found herself on her bed, and she wondered what happened. Mother Carius came in to her room, carrying a tray with a bowl of broth in it.
"Elena, dear. You've finally waked up. How are feeling now, dear?" said Mother Carius, setting down the tray.
"I am still a little dizzy. What happened?" asked Elena
"You fainted, dear. Dr. Morris came. He said you need more rest. He also said that you need to be more careful these few months", she paused, "after the child comes."
"A child?" asked Elena in surprise, she was stunned.
"Yes, Elena. Dr. Morris said you are going to have a child. That is the reason why you have been feeling sick these days. He said you are two months pregnant" said Mother Carius.
Elena didn't say anything. She was shocked. She felt scared. She is going to have Ryudo's child, and Ryudo didn't even know about this. What if he forgot about her, and left her alone with the child? Fears and worries are spinning inside her and she started to sob.
"Elena, dear. Don't cry. Everything is going to be alright" said Mother Carius, hugging Elena gently. Elena cried for a long time, until no tears come out. "Try to get some rest, dear" soothed Mother Carius. "Everything is going to be fine. Father Carius and I are going to take of you and the child, until Ryudo comes back, and I am sure he will come back, no matter what", and after a while Mother Carius left the room.
Elena remained silent for a long time. She felt lost and alone. "What am I going to do now" she thought. All she wanted now is for Ryudo to come back. She needed him now. "Ryudo, where are you? Please come back soon" she pleaded in a tiny whisper, and sparkling tears rolled down her cheeks.