smelling of mildew, w

unforgiving, st

a blur of green and brown. Trees, to

ght behind me, the rop

harp, clawed its

thin dress. My belly, round and heavy with our chil

om my d

e wa

here from our

s, "Ethan, shouldn't you be at the hospital with Sarah? W

My hu

isted on seeing this... 'performance art.' Sarah thinks I'm tied up in a board meeting. Bles

od ran

rmanc

broke?

n't be. This w

to see, trying t

glinting high in a

I need

o make myself visibl

t, was a ragged whisper,

an' s now, cold, devoid of any warmth, "She'

reply, "Oh, Ethan,

ock," Ethan comman

jolt, agonizing and fier

back arched, a screa

then black, then a s

between my legs, mo

waters of my womb, sta

eakers, "The bets are coming in hot, gentleme

hrough the haze of pain, "Ten million dollars says t

harder than the

n my life. Our

my hu

e man I built a lif

r locket around my neck. It cost less than a hundred dollars, engraved with a

re, under my dress, a col

said over the speaker, one of Ethan's 'friends'. "That cheap thing h

r spoiling. Sarah' s always been understand

rsta

ersto

the late nights, t

lo

or five years. Fi

like it was burn

iving thing, writhing inside me,

He was right

red journey, from his str

billi

mons