Chapter 6 - The Blizzard
Deep in the forest, Elena’s body was shutting down. The freezing cold had numbed
her limbs, and she could barely feel her feet. To make matters worse, a sharp,
agonizing pain suddenly ripped through her abdomen. Her water had broken.
"No, no, please, not now!" she cried out, collapsing into the snow. "Just give me a
little more time!"
Through the blinding snow, she saw a small, abandoned hunting cabin. Dragging
her frozen body across the ground, she pushed the broken door open and collapsed
onto the dusty floor. The wind whistled through the gaps in the wooden walls, but it was
out of the direct path of the falling snow.
Another massive contraction hit her, making her scream in agony. "You can do this,
Elena," she whispered to herself, clutching a dirty horse blanket she found in the
corner. "You have to save your baby."
For hours, Elena fought the most painful battle of her life, completely alone in the
dark, freezing cabin. With one final, exhausted push, a soft, fragile cry broke the silence
of the storm.
"You're here," Elena wept, pulling the tiny baby boy to her bare chest, wrapping
him in the rough blanket. "You're so beautiful. You have your father's eyes."
She kissed his tiny forehead, but her own vision was beginning to fade. Her
breathing slowed, and her eyelids grew heavy. "I love you so much, my sweet boy," she
May you like
whispered, her voice barely a breath as she began to lose consciousness from extreme
hypothermia.
