The Evolution of Man. Chapter 3. In the belly of the beast.
The last few steps before the entrance were always the hardest. The Ministry of Love squatted on a corner lot like a giant toad. Brown mold draped down the sides in long splashes. The front of the building was still kept up for appearances. A cheery banner draped across the door, read “Artificial Reproductive Therapy.” Beneath, a smiling picture of a baby holding a rattle faded into sepia.
Ava couldn’t bring herself to look at the picture. Something about the smile was fake. Maybe it was photoshopped. Or programmed. She could clearly see the telltale crescent scar above the child’s right ear. She walked past the banner quickly; the automatic door opened without a sound.
Two weeks Ava reminded herself. Two more and I’ll never have to see this place again.
The doctor stood inside the door, waiting.
‘Hello Ava.’
Ava refused to acknowledge her. She continued walking toward the examination room.
‘You don’t have to ignore me, I’m trying to help.’
‘I don’t need any more help from you Doctor.
‘How is the baby?’ The old woman walked quickly behind, keeping up. Ava turned on her.
‘I just want it out of me ok. Don’t ask me about the baby or the weather or my weight. Just take this goddamned thing out of me.’
‘Calm down Ava.’ The doctor tried to sound reasonable.
‘No doctor, I’m not calming fucking down. The last time I calmed down you tied me up, and an elf and a fat man shoved a probe up my cooch. I’m not calming the fuck down around you ever again.’ Ava marched toward the examination room. The memory of the implantation lingered. She bled for a week.
The older woman hung her head. ‘I had orders.’ she said, following.
Ava slammed the door open. ‘I don't give a rat's ass about your orders, get this thing out of me before I get a knife and cut it out myself.’
And then the child in her womb woke up.
Ava felt it first. An awareness. She heard the thump thump of her heart, louder than she’d ever heard it. It filled her ears, surrounded her in an envelope of sound. Her skin suddenly felt warm.
‘Ava?’ the doctor said.
Lub dub, lub dub
Her heartbeat.
Haze.
Darkness.
Sound of wind filling her head, the room. Then blowing out, away. Lub dub, lub dub.
Was she dreaming?
‘Ava!’ The doctor’s voice held an edge of panic. Ava felt strong hands wrap around her shoulders. ‘Get her on the table stat!’
Movement, she saw the bed coming closer. Everything seemed to slow down. Behind the sight of the bed, behind her vision, she sensed her child reach out into her mind. He was frightened.
Two more nurses scurried into the room. Their narrow faces pinched and serious. The old doctor’s face was serious. ‘Get the director on the comm, something’s happening to the mother.’
She almost lifted Ava onto the examination table.
One of the nurses wheeled a trolley next to the bed. As if from a distance, Ava heard kidney dishes rattle. Scissors and scalpels clinked on the green cloth.
The old doctor slipped on blue nitrile gloves as one of the nurses tied a face mask across her mouth and nose
The child’s fear filled Ava. She felt her heart twin with his. Birdlike, too fast. Too sudden.
‘She’s fibrillating doctor.’ The words boomed into her head like a thunder clap.
‘Get the AED.’
Someone fumbled with the latches on a cupboard next to the bed.
Lub dub LUB DUB
Tsunamis of sound crashed inside her. Ava could barely open her eyes. The child’s arms and legs thrashed. She felt her belly press and dimple as he struggled inside her. His fear was too big. Too much for him to contain.
‘Doctor, look.’ The nurse pointed to Ava’s stomach. Bumps pushed out in different directions simultaneously. the entire gravid mass quivered. Sloshing sounds filled the air.
‘We don’t know what to do doctor.’ One of the younger nurses took two slow steps backward.
‘We can’t do anything until the director arrives.’ The doctor said.
‘The baby will come before she does. We have to get ready.’
The other nurse stepped back. ‘For what?’
The old doctor gave her a baleful look. ‘We’ve trained for this. This is it, all our work comes down to this moment. Right here. Right now.’
The young nurse straightened up.
‘You!’ The doctor pointed at her. ‘Get the incubator ready, we will have to take it right now.’
Darkness.
Hearts beating together.
Fear.
Ava felt her mind shutting down. Her eyelids fluttered. Her breathing grew shallow. She felt the baby's anxiety. It twisted along her nerves like wildfire, shaking her limbs, her heart, even her grasp on reality.
A breathing mask swam into her view. Someone placed it over her mouth and nose.
Anesthetic.
The gas smelt strange. Thin and volatile like acetone.
One breath. Then two. Three. The room spun just a little. Then blackness swallowed her whole.
When she awoke, the room was empty. Her legs were sticky and wet. Her stomach no longer bloated. Sharp pains radiated up from her belly into her head. Her teeth ached.
She lifted herself up on her elbows. A thick white bandage draped across her stomach, stained blackly red where they had cut her.
They took him.
Somehow the thought filled her with sadness. She didn't imagine she could feel like this. Empty. Inside and out.
She never even saw his face.
Chapter 3. Phew. So many directions our story can go.
Just wanted to say thank you gentle reader for coming on this little side trip out of reality. I'm enjoying telling you this ol' yarn. I hope you're enjoying the journey.
As always, I need your encouragement. Writing is fun but it's dreadfully lonely work. Please upvote, follow and resteem. Every vote tells me someone has enjoyed my time filling the blank page.
I'm open to suggestions as well. The story evolves. Share your ideas, comments, thoughts about our little story. I do appreciate the time. You can influence the tale if you want to.
As always,
Hugs.
Links to all chapters below
Chapter 1
https://steemit.com/writing/@jhagi.bhai/the-descent-of-man
Chapter 2
https://steemit.com/writing/@jhagi.bhai/the-evolution-of-man-chapter-2-ava-s-story-continues
Chapter 3
https://steemit.com/writing/@jhagi.bhai/the-evolution-of-man-chapter-3-in-the-belly-of-the-beast
Chapter 4
https://steemit.com/writing/@jhagi.bhai/the-evolution-of-man-chapter-4-explosions
Chapter 5
https://steemit.com/writing/@jhagi.bhai/the-evolution-of-man-chapter-5-escape
J.