Page 112 of Broken Souls

“You can do it. I'll be by your side the whole time,” Axe encourages with a smile.

In the next few hours, it gets more intense so Axe helps me out of bed so we can go to the infirmary. Once we're at the infirmary, I settle into the bed, Dr Cindy checks me over and then we wait. The door opens wide and Carson rushes in with a big smile.

“Elora, how are you?” She leans down and gives me a hug.

“Okay,” I mumble.

“Don't worry, before you know it, your baby will be in your arms.”

“Where's Timothy?” I ask.

“He stayed to look after the baby.”

The door opens and Dash stands aside and lets Lizzy walk through. I introduce her and Carson and they smile and shake hands. Dash leaves because he doesn't want the room to be too crowded. Axe stands by my bed and Lizzy sits in the chair in the corner.

“Ahh,” I groan, feeling another contraction.

Axe grabs my hand and rubs circles on it with his thumb. Carson and Lizzy say comforting words. Time goes by slowly. There's a knock on the door and Mandy and Manson come in. Manson's eyes go straight to Lizzy, obviously sensing she's a rogue. He frowns and looks at Axe. Axe looks back at him. I think they're mind linking.

“How are you feeling?” Mandy offers a smile.

“Okay for now,” I say, knowing the contractions will be more painful soon.

“We just thought we would visit. We'll give you some time alone and come back to see the baby later,” Mandy says.

“Yeah, Mum, I'll wait in the waiting room with you and get some food when she's giving birth,” Carson says.

I've decided it'll just be Axe and Lizzy in the room. Carson stays with me for a few hours but goes to spend some time with her parents. Dr Cindy comes in and checks how far along I am. After my water breaks, the contractions get more intense.

“Axe,” I whisper when the next contraction hits. “It's really starting to hurt.”

“You're okay, honey. Just breathe in and out with me.” Axe and I do some breathing to calm me.

“You're strong, Elora,” Lizzy encourages.

The contractions get so close together that my whimpering doesn't stop. Dr Cindy comes in to check again and smiles.

“It's time.”

A nurse comes in the room to assist Dr Cindy. She instructs me to push but it's the most frustrating thing I've ever done because it feels like nothing is happening. It gets more painful as the minutes pass.

“Axe,” I cry. He clutches my hand.

“Push, Elora.”

I do what she says but it hurts. I'm sweating. I can't control my breathing. I'm overwhelmed with pain.

“It seems to be taking too long,” Axe directs at Dr Cindy.

“It's a large baby. Elora, I need you to push even more.”

I push and push but this is by far the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Axe keeps telling me it's okay, but I'm getting tired. After some time, the baby comes out but at that point, it's all a blur. I hear crying but I feel light headed. Everything is just hazy.

“Do you want to hold him, Elora?” Dr Cindy asks.

“Him? I feel weak,” I mutter, my eyes drifting closed.

I think I hear Axe question why there's so much blood. I don't even realise what's happening. I can hear voices but I can't come into focus.