'Ripened Glow'
It broke his heart to hear her scream
his name as she was placed in the carriage. He channeled his pain into the fight.
“You piece of shi…”
Kries hit Dumitro's face, and pinned him down.
“Alexis! Itna! Help me! Grab an arm!”
When they had a hold of him,
Kries knocked him out first and then went in the house. He came out with a rifle and a sewing needle and thread. He blew a hole through Dumitro, destroying Dumitro’s heart. There wasn’t a drop of blood to be found.
'Soulless creature,' Kries thought to himself, 'doesn't even bleed.'
He then sewed Dumitro’s mouth and eyes shut.
“Where are we going to bury him?” Alexis asked.
“The cliffs, near the lighthouse,” Kries answered without hesitation.
“While I finish here, why don’t you get the carriage ready?” Kries asked Alexis.
Alexis nodded and Itna went with him
to bring the carriage around to the front where the body was. They placed the body in the carriage with Alexis next to it to make sure nothing happened. They threw in a couple shovels and they were off. Itna and Kries rode up front.
When they arrived they carried the body
up to the top of the nearest cliff. Alexis and Kries began digging while Itna said a prayer of peace and comfort to come. After burying the body, face down so as not to allow any sort of resurrection, as it was said they would dig themselves further down if they were buried face down, they felt lighter, as if everything would be easier from now on. Kries wanted to bring Clara back immediately, but Itna felt it better if she was in a safe place until they knew if there would be any rebound attack by either Ana or fellow Demons.
Kries felt devestated
as he entered their new home without her. It would be a long couple of days.
*“What do you mean she isn’t coming home until the baby is born?” Kries yelled at Itna.
“Her body is weak from the stress; it could cause her to lose the child if she were to try to move home now,” Itna said calmly.
“Then do I get to go there?” Kries retorted.
“On the night she is in labor. Not before then, as I still am not sure if the Demons are watching or not.”
Kries was angry, but mostly at the situation.
It had already been one month, and he missed her so much, and he still had two months or so to go. He kept having nightmares that he would never see her again. He would wake up in the middle of the night with sweat covering him. He decided to spend most of his time at Alexis’s house to preoccupy him, plus he shared in the pain of separation from the one he loved.
Clara spent most of her time in bed now,
though she would rather be outside. Her meals were brought to her, and they would sit and keep her company for hours at a time. She only got up to use the bathroom. She was big now, and cooed at her tummy often.
“Daddy will see you soon. I love you.”
I would curl up against the window
on my bed and daydream about the day I would see my beloved Kries again. I spent weeks at the window, waiting for him to come, and each day that he didn’t I would cry.
One night I woke from a dream clammy and afraid. I looked around for something that might have awoken me. The wind was blowing gently in through the window. There didn’t seem to be a reason when I had a contraction. Oh no, the baby was coming!
“Chloe!”
I screamed as I felt another contraction. I quickly informed Itna in my head, the baby is coming! Seconds later Chloe and Emery burst in the room.
“What?!” Chloe half screamed at me.
“The baby is coming!”
I gasped as another contraction hit.
I staid in labor forever or so it seemed. It was well into the next afternoon before Kries and Itna showed up. I still hadn’t had the baby.
“Baby?”
I couldn’t believe my eyes. As I saw Kries walk in through the door, he looked as amazing as he always had. He smiled at me and went to my bed. He leaned in and kissed me.
“I missed you baby,”
he whispered, a tear falling down his cheek.
“I missed you more.”
I started crying as another contraction hit. A couple of hours later the baby came.
“Oh my god!” I screamed.
“Push!” Chloe yelled.
I pushed as hard as I could
over and over again, until I was sure I couldn’t push again. And then I heard it. The baby was crying. It was out and healthy and crying. It broke my heart to hear that sound. I looked down at my baby boy. A tan, beautiful mini Kries. Suddenly I felt another contraction. Could it be?
“Sweetie you’re not done yet, keep pushing,” Chloe told me.
I pushed again and again and out came another beautiful baby. A white, baby girl. I had had twins. I held my babies and cried. I was so happy.
“What shall we name them my love?” Kries cooed picking up the baby boy and sitting down next to me.
“What do you like?" I asked softly.
“Jalea for our girl…”
“And Sidtka for our boy…”
“Perfect," we said in unison.
After feeding them, Chloe and Alexis took the twins and put them in their crib to sleep while I rested. I kissed Kries and fell asleep. I didn’t wake up.
“She isn’t breathing!” Kries yelled as he approached me on the bed an hour after I had lied down.