I had emerged into the heart of a remote forest, bathed in moonlight, yet under the menacing gaze of the unhealed rift in the night sky.
I pushed myself up, my body heavy and disoriented, as I scanned the quiet, eerie expanse.
The moon overhead was a silent sentinel, its light revealing the ominous scar that marred its face.
âIvy, where are we?â I asked, my brows furrowing with confusion.
This forest bore a resemblance to the one where the tragedy had occurred, yet it felt far more secluded, shrouded in an air of mystery.
Ivy shook her head, her eyes wide with uncertainty.
âI donât know.
This place doesnât ring any bells.
Weâve never been here before.
â
My heart sank.
A chill ran down my spine.
I recalled being in a forest before being sucked into the rift, but this was nothing like it.
Hadnât I been unconscious? How did we end up in this strange, secluded place?
Before I could wrap my head around what was happening, a sharp pain jolted through my stomach, twisting like a knife.
My lower body grew cold, and my dress soaked through with a chilling wetness.
Something was definitely wrong.
My heart squeezed with fear, and I immediately looked down.
The sight before me blurred my vision-my lower body soaked in blood, the metallic scent overwhelming my senses.
Panic seized me.
This couldnât be happening.
Before I could even attempt to cover it with my hand, another wave of agony shot through my abdomen, as though something was trying to claw its way out.
The pain was relentless, each wave a cruel assault on my senses.
This strange, yet oddly familiar sensationâ¦
Flustered, Ivy exclaimed, âHoney, are you going into labor?â
Her words snapped me into realization.
It wasnât my due date, so the thought hadnât crossed my mind initially.
But now, it seemed I was about to deliver early.
A contraction ripped through me, a sharp ache that tore a cry from my lips.
âAh! It hurts!â
I couldnât bear it.
Collapsing to the ground, I couldnât tell if the moisture on my face was tears or sweat.
My hair on both sides was wet and stuck tightly to my forehead and cheeks.
âHang in there, honey!â Ivyâs voice was urgent, her attempts at comfort ringing through the chaos.
âWeâve been through this before.
Youâre not alone.
Just follow what weâve done before.
We can do this, even without a doctor!â
The pain was blinding, rendering me speechless.
Gasping for air, I could only whimper, âAh, it hurts.
Ivy, I canât.
I think Iâm dyingâ¦â
My nails dug into the ground, caked with mud beneath my fingertips.
Ivyâs voice cut through the haze of pain.
âTake off your clothes and bite down on them! Itâll help you control your cries.
To retain strength for birth.
â
Following her advice, I stripped off my clothes and clenched them between my teeth.