Читать книгу Ten Days - John Sheppard - Страница 16

Oh, the flowers are so beautiful, thought Sam. I don’t remember them. Why so many? Flowers filled the nightstand and wall behind her headboard. There were also flower arrangements in almost every possible spot in her hospital room. Sam tried to read some of the notes attached to the flowers, but couldn’t make out what they said. The same thing happened when she tried to read some of the cards on her nightstand.

Hospital room. Why am I in a hospital room? Could it be for the birth of my baby? Oh yes, the baby! No sooner had Sam thought of her baby than a nurse appeared at her bedside. Hm, I didn’t even hear her come in. With that thought, the nurse was presenting the baby to her. The baby was wrapped in a pink blanket. Sam kept trying to uncover the baby’s face, but couldn’t get the blanket off. Funny, I don’t remember the delivery. Where was Chad? Had he seen the baby? Why can’t I get the blanket off the baby’s face? Where did the nurse go? Could she help? Who can help me with the blanket?

“We’re here, honey!” Sam looked up to see her parents. How she had missed them. They looked great, but why was her mom in her wedding dress, and her dad in a tux? For a moment, they looked so much like the picture that had always hung over the fireplace mantel in the living room.

“Mom, can you help me get the blanket off the baby’s face?” inquired Sam. Her mother reached for the blanket, but also was unsuccessful. When her mom pulled her hand away, spots of blood appeared on the blanket. Sam also saw blood on her mom’s dress and her dad’s tux.

Before Sam could say anything, Chad was in the room. She couldn’t clearly see his face because he was in full military dress, including hat. Strange, thought Sam. Chad always removed his hat inside a building.

“Chad, what have we named the baby?” Sam couldn’t remember what name they had chosen. Chad picked up the baby, but didn’t reply. At that point, Sam noticed the newspaper on her bed. Something within her told her the paper contained very bad news. Again, as with the cards and notes on the flowers, she couldn’t tell what the newspaper said. It had something to do with Kirkmont. Sam knew that whatever the paper said, it would make her cry.

The room seemed to be getting dark. It scared Sam. Chad was heading out of the room with the baby in his arms; her parents were leaving with him.

“Where are you all going?” cried Sam.

Chad turned slightly to face her. “Sweetheart,” he replied, “you know we’re all dead.”

Sam knew it! She awoke, sitting straight up in bed, weeping deep, heart-wrenching sobs. Yes, Chad died defending Kirkmont. The Enemy surrounded the city and entered into what were supposed to be peace talks. After two or three weeks, they said they would let the civilians leave under a flag of truce. As the remaining civilians tried to leave Kirkmont, they were mercilessly slaughtered. Sam’s parents were among those killed. The small percentage who escaped alive reported what happened in horrific detail. Within days of hearing the news, Sam miscarried.

When Sam felt like she could cry no more, she walked out to the living room, sat on the couch, and curled into the fetal position.