Asunder Chapter 39

Chapter 8.3 (39)

The Woman

Parturition

“I wish Elijah were here to feel the baby's first kick today. The baby seems to so active lately. I can feel its heels dig into my ribs. It is such a rewarding pain. To know I can grow a living, breathing, thinking human being.” - Journal of Jane Rose - Entry 811

- Present Day -

- The Year 2296 -

The pains became more substantial and lasted longer. With each contraction, the small group needed to pause their travels. Jane faded in and out of reality as Enzo carried her—her mind entering a state of hypnosis with each contraction. It took all of her focus to make it through the pain. It felt like something twisted, burned, smashed, and ripped her insides all at the same time. At some moments, she thought she would even pass out. As her mind entered a higher state of fixation, she suddenly caught glimpses of things beyond the realm of this world. Or at least it was what it seemed. In these schisms, a girl appeared to be standing over her, smiling. The girl’s ebony skin glimmered in the sunlight beyond this world. Jane felt as though the girl’s voice echoed through the eternities.

”You can do this mommy. I’m here. We are all here…”

With this, an image of a red building appeared, and suddenly, the vision flew fast-forward, showing the inside of the building. Stained glass windows cast dancing streams of color along the dirty wood floor. The voice returned.

”The time has come. I am coming…”

After the voice faded, Jane snapped back to reality. They were running down the street in a panic, trying to find a place of refuge. Jane bobbed up and down as Enzo still carried her. Each step of the machine sent a jolt up her spine. Old, broken-down, and rusted vehicles lined the streets. Most homes appeared burnt to the ground, now overgrown with large spruce trees. Dusk cast an eerie gray about them, and she could hear the Judge’s voice arguing with Enzo about something.

“How am I suppose to know you lug of bolts!” The Judge fumed. “Maybe your little flying friend can find us a hospital or somethin’!”

“I do not appreciate the way you are speaking to us, Jeremiah. We are only trying to help.” HERAa’s voice came from somewhere in the distance.

Jane’s mind still wandered, and she struggled to focus on her surroundings. Suddenly, as though by a divine hand, a break in the trees seemed to open up, revealing a large red building. It appeared to glow like someone had pointed it out to her through some supernatural spotlight. It was the same building from her vision. Though delirious in her pains, Jane pointed to the church. The sun sat directly on the horizon, and as they hurriedly approached the building, the orange glow from the rays set the front steps aflame.

“This ain’t no hospital, Janey!” The Judge blurted, worry crossing his face.

“In there,” she said weakly, still pointing.

She could see Enzo scanning and calculating.

“But Jane, though I do not detect any Scouts, it is a massive building and not as discrete.” The machine spoke questioningly. “We may be able to make it to the train yard. It is only a little more than two miles.”

The light of the sunset seemed to erupt further, and the building pulsated with its glow.

She urged more adamantly, “Enzo, take me into that building.”

“Well, by golly, I suppose she’s the one about to push this baby out. I reckon we go where she wants.” The Judge agreed, reaching over to her and putting his palm on her head. “Janey, let me see that mouse of yours.”

“What are you doing, Jeremiah?” HERAa erupted.

“Sending this feller in to make sure it’s safe!” He rebutted.

Jane weakly called to Patrick, who climbed from her backpack. “Patrick, if you go with the Judge and see if the building is clear, I’ll give you a treat.”

“But I haven’t fully checked the area for Scouts or…” HERAa began to argue, but Enzo immediately cut her off.

“That is not relevant now. Jane is going to have the baby any minute. I need you to clear this building with Patrick!”

The mouse scurried over to the Judge’s hand, and the Judge quickly set him on the ground next to the front door. Within seconds, the mouse disappeared around the building. HERAa entered through a broken window while the Judge and Enzo, carrying Jane, waited on the doorstep. The wind picked up and sent a cold chill down Jane’s spine. Even in her state of delirium and pain, she shivered between the contractions. Within minutes, the mouse returned, confirming the building was clear of triggers and Scouts. HERAa returned soon after, corroborating Patrick’s assessment.

“They must’ve figured no one was stupid enough to hide out in a big ol’ building.” The Judge quipped.

“Church.” Jane corrected, gasping between another contraction, her vision fading in and out of images of her ethereal world daughter’s and the Judge’s face.

The Judge rolled his eyes and quickly pried open the large wooden doors, ushering them in. Behind the group, he promptly closed the doors, locking them by jamming a large candlestick through the handles. The orange sun rays penetrated the large windows rising over the wooden porticoes, causing the vestibule area to glow. The lighting created an altered sense of warmth in the cold, dark building. Enzo rushed into the main high-ceilinged room, attempting to find a place to set Jane.

At the far end of the vast room stood an enormous crucifix overlooking them. The pews, once facing the crucifix, instead lay strewn about—most torn apart for what appeared to be firewood. This was evident by the charred black patches spotting the ground where apparent ancient fires once burned. Intricately beautiful stained-glass windows flanked the walls of the chamber. Portrayals of the Mother Mary adorned most of the windows on the left side of the room, and Jesus, in his various stages of life, illuminated the other. Her father would have loved to see a building like this. He had spoken of churches garnished with the figures from his scriptures and how he wished to see a building like this one day. Jane wished he were here now.

Enzo walked over to the room's far corner, the furthest away from the church's entry. Someone, long ago, had arranged a set of pews in an alcove around the stage beneath the crucifix. The carpet rotted away within the ancient, decrepit flooring of the stage. The Judge quickly dusted off one of the benches and threw his coat down for Jane to sit on. After setting Jane down to rest, Enzo rushed over to the stage and, using his compressor, expelled air from his palm, blowing all the dust away.

Patrick scurried over and began chirping at Jane, but she could barely make out his words in her present state.

“What is that rodent yippin’ on about?” The Judge nearly smashed the mouse as he knelt next to Jane.

Jane’s head swirled. She tried to focus, but her mind continued to slip in and out of reality.

HERAa suddenly spoke up, “He says there are blankets folded up in the room behind the altar.”

“By Job, that’s actually helpful!” The Judge resounded as he jumped up to find the blankets.

The mouse continued to chirp, but all Jane could make out were words like “breathe” and “push,” which were correct terms for the situation, but the timing didn’t seem right.

“Quit telling her to push Patrick!” HERAa scolded as she floated above Jane, appearing to scan her entire body, “It is not time.”

The Judge returned with armfuls of blankets and towels and quickly laid them out over the stage before the altar, creating a bedding area for Jane. Enzo approached Jane and carefully lifted her from the bench. After gently setting her down on the stage, another contraction immediately kicked in. The pain became unbearable. It felt as though her insides were twisting into a knot. She had never experienced pain like it before. Even breaking her ankle as a child did not compare to the intensity at which her abdomen squeezed during the contractions.

Enzo’s blue lights emitted a peaceful glow as he stood over her. The machine bent down, comforting Jane with a calm and reassuring voice.

“Jane, you are about to have this baby. You are strong and capable. I want you to take nice, deep breaths. In through your nose, good… just like that, and out through pursed lips… good, you are doing great.”

When the contraction ended, Jane looked at the machine with intense eyes.

“Thank you, Enzo,” she whispered.

“My pleasure, Jane.”

“What do we do now?” The Judge asked, pacing up and down the floor.

“We wait. We comfort Jane when she needs it. She will also need nutrients through this process. Can you provide her with water and bites of food, Jeremiah? I am used to doing this through a medicated means for the patient, but since this is not an option, I will have HERAa access the database on natural childbirth.”

Upon registering the request, the floating machine lit up with flashing lights and warbles. After just moments, HERAa turned to them. “There is little information here, Enzo. After the purge, we must have destroyed all resources on this topic.”

“Well, we will just figure it out then,” Enzo assuredly said.

Though initially, the contractions eased up in between, they now proceeded at a steady, continuous tightening. Jane felt her insides opening up further.

Enzo bent down to her again and spoke calmly, “Jane, I am going to perform a scan to assess the baby’s station, your dilation, and the child’s heartbeat with your next contraction. Is that okay with you?”

His voice sounded reassuring. Jane nodded in agreement, trying not to focus on the unremitting pain. Enzo’s hands spread forth over her lower abdomen as before. Suddenly, a fast pulsing sound emitted from the sensors glowing on Enzo’s arm. It thumped at a quick and steady rate.

“This is the child’s heartbeat: 143 beats per minute. This is a perfect number, Jane.” Enzo reassured.

Jane painfully laughed at the comment. It was real. It was really happening. Another powerful contraction started, taking her breath away.

“Breathe, Jane, nice deep breaths. Purse your lips. There you go.”

The baby’s heart rate slowed during the contraction, and Jane panicked.

“Is… everything…” she grunted a deep and painful moan, “…okay?” She managed to expel the words during a robust contraction.

“Everything is perfect, 132 beats per minute. This is all very, very normal, Jane.”

The contraction ended, and her body collapsed.

“Judge, I need water for her,” Enzo requested.

Almost in a trance, the Judge suddenly snapped back into reality and began frantically looking for his canteen. He pulled it from his bag and shoved it toward Enzo.

“Here, here it is.”

“Thank you,” Enzo replied, taking the canteen, dabbling a few drops onto one of the hand towels Patrick had found, and gently wiping Jane’s brow. Then, lifting her chin, Enzo slowly poured water into her mouth.

“Drink. It will help.”

“Is there anything else I should be doing?” The Judge nervously asked.

“Our main priority presently is to make Jane as comfortable as possible.”

“Sing to me, Judge,” she whispered between focused breaths.

The Judge stood wide-eyed. “Sing?” He asked exasperated. Then, realizing it was requested by Jane and not the machine, he let down his guard, “Right… sing… I can do that. Like when you were little.”

“Yes, music is comforting and may help take Jane’s mind from the pain,” Enzo replied plainly.

The Judge sat beside Jane and slowly brushed her hair with his fingers. Her mind flashed to the days when they sat around the fire in the cave and the Judge sang old hymns. His whispery voice echoed like an Angel.

“I've been thinking today,

As my thoughts began to stray,

Of a memory to me worth more than gold.

As you ride across the plain,

'Mid the sunshine and the rain,

You'll be rounded up in glory by and by.

You'll be rounded up in glory by and by.

You'll be rounded up in glory by and by.

When the milling time is o'er,

You'll stampede no more,

When he rounds us up within the master's fold.”

The soft, deep tone of the Judge’s voice calmed her body and helped take her mind from the pain.

§

After only an hour, but what seemed like an eternity to Jane, Enzo performed another scan of her abdomen.

“The baby’s head is at the plus-three station. We are very close, Jane. You are doing remarkable.” Enzo’s voice echoed through the chapel.

The reassuring words helped soothe her body and mind. How a machine could be the one to alleviate her worries and her pains at this moment baffled her. The machines had been the sole source of her suffering and anguish for all of these years. They had taken nearly everyone she had loved, and now this machine was the one who would help bring the next person she would love into the world. She looked up at the crucifix hanging on the wall above her. It was like the man nailed up in it looked down on her—his eyes all-knowing and comforting. She had not prayed since childhood, but she felt as though she needed the extra strength to endure the pain taking hold of her body. It was not that she wasn’t a believer. She just struggled with her faith. Having lost so many loved ones taken in the blink of an eye, she remained conflicted in her belief in a God who would allow such pain and anguish.

Closing her eyes, she recalled the words from childhood, and she prayed. She prayed for the strength to continue. The strength to be a good mother. The strength to protect her child at all costs. The strength to forgive. The strength to remember the dead. The strength to carry on. And suddenly, she felt an overwhelming calm. She opened her eyes and took a deep breath. The moonlight flowed through the stained-glass window sitting above her. The Holy Mother looked down on her with a serene smile as though Mary were taking in a similar circumstance to her first birth experience. The image of the woman and memory of the stories of her birth imbued Jane with a strength she did not know she had.

The child suddenly shifted inside of her. Even though the pain was nearly unbearable, she took a deep breath. She could now hear the voice of Enzo, who had been speaking to her the whole time. Upon his urging, she pushed with all of her might.

“Push! Push! There you go!” The machine's voice encouraged.

The Judge was now on his hands and knees, helping deliver the child.

“Its head is almost out!” He said excitedly.

A few more moments passed, and then the contraction kicked in again, and Jane found herself pushing with all of her might. She felt like her eyes would explode out of her head. The contraction stopped, and Jane collapsed down. Breathing rapidly, Jane felt as though she were dying. She opened her eyes, but the room began to fade to black. At this moment, her mind immediately transferred to another place.

She appeared mid-pace while walking up a grass-covered hill. Aged deciduous trees lined the clearing where the mound stood, their leaves changing into the burnt orange and warm yellows of an Autumn day. Looking around at the beautiful scenery, she pressed forward, feeling the wind blowing her hair. Though her legs cramped from climbing the hill, her abdomen oddly enough ached even more. Suddenly, out of nowhere, she became overcome with exhaustion, and her entire body experienced an urge to collapse to the ground. Her abdomen felt like it would burst. Confused by the sudden onset of pain, blurry-eyed and desperate for help, she looked around herself. Jane gripped the grass, feeling like her body was being split in two from the inside out. Then, as abruptly as the pain started, it immediately let down. Her breath taken away, she wearily rose to her feet again. 

What was going on? Where was she? Why was she feeling like she was dying? Why was she climbing this forsaken hill? Glancing up toward the top of the incline to assess her destination, she suddenly realized a multitude of people stood atop it, looking down at her expectantly. They weren’t just any gathering of random persons but individuals familiar to her—the people she loved most dearly. 

Her husband Elijah stood in the middle, cradling something in his arms. He was surrounded by her father and mother, looking over his shoulder. Nivi, Tulu, Ishmael, Sarah, and Anja all stood around them, taking in whatever Elijah held. Then, suddenly feeling like she would collapse again, they quickly turned their attention toward Jane. Ishmael jogged down the hillside to greet Jane and assist her, followed by her father. As they reached Jane’s side, they gripped under each of her arms and lifted her. 

“It’s okay, Janey. We got you,” her Father whispered into her ear. Wearily, she looked at them both as they carried her. They were strong and smiling, their faces aglow.

Confused by the setting and the presence of her family, Jane weakly spoke, “What is going on?”

“It’s happening!” Her father said enthusiastically. 

She looked to Ishmael, who smiled and nodded.

“What is happening?” Jane asked again, feeling extremely fatigued.

“She’s coming!” He grunted from the exertion of carrying Jane uphill but also with excitement in his voice.

“Who’s coming?” Jane asked, exasperated by the vagueness of the answers. She wished her father had just told her already.

Her father?

He was dead.

She looked over at Ishmael.

So was Ishmael.

She looked ahead at the crowd of people surrounding Elijah.

They all were as well.

What is going on?

Then it struck her. 

She was in a dream. 

Her daughter was making her dream again.

With the sudden realization of what was taking place in reality, anxiety whelmed within Jane, “I have to get back! She’s coming. I’m in the middle of labor!”

“Calm yourself, Janey. We are here to help you.” Her father reassured her.

Jane looked at him bewildered.

“Everyone has been waiting for years, even centuries, for this moment… for her.” He smiled.

“Years?” Jane questioned. “What do you mean?”

“Oh Janey, this child is extraordinary. You have known of her since you were young.” He spoke softly.

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t you remember the scriptures I read you each night? Don’t you remember the prophecies foretold?” He spoke with expectation.

“Oh, Papa, that was so long ago,” she was too tired to try to remember his scriptures.

“My dear, you have so much to learn. Those writings were foretold as well.” 

In her father’s usual fashion, he quoted the scripture he often read to her as a child: “And this third set of sacred records will thus complete a triad of truth.” He shifted to help him withstand her weight as they walked up the hill. “Elijah read the same book as well. He told me he read you the same verses each night. You cannot tell me you don’t know them. You do, but you must believe them. You have to believe them.”

She felt a stirring within her chest.

“And it shall come to pass that the mountains will shake, the light of the sun will be torn asunder, and the sea will speak anew. She sits idle in her peace. Unraveled by the cold of blood and hardened of skin. Enlightened by the rock of life.” Jane silently recited the verse with her Father as he spoke. She did know the words—by heart.

“See! You do remember! Do you know who it speaks of?” He asked excitedly.

“Some Savior?” She responded.

“In a way.” He grunted as he now appeared weary from the journey up the hill. Ishmael stayed steady in his course, unspeaking, only smiling. 

Her father continued, “These scriptures speak of a prophetess, the Luminare Salvatorem. Someone who will help rid the earth of the evil creations we have allowed to overtake us and propel us toward the final day.” He quoted another verse, “She will slay the wicked who embrace eagerness to rid her of her kind. She will rescue the tarnished and humble.”

“So, what are you saying? Are you saying this prophetess is my child?” Jane asked confusedly.

“This is exactly what I am saying.” He spoke seriously.

Was she ready to take on the responsibility of raising such a child? How could she even ensure the infant’s safety? She was on the run from the machines. It was daunting enough when she only considered the child an ordinary child… but a savior?

“I know this is a lot to take in, my love.” Silence gripped the air as his voice echoed in her head.

As they finally reached the hill’s apex, they gently set her down. Jane carefully steadied herself, afraid the pain would come on again suddenly.

“Thanks, Papa, thanks Ishmael.” She still held onto their shoulders.

“We all love you, Janey. This is it, good luck.” He motioned for her to go to Elijah. She glanced back and forth between the two, and they nodded again.

Jane looked to her husband, who remained fixated on what he cradled in his arms. Glancing up at Jane, Elijah smiled and motioned for her to come and see. As she approached her husband, she could see what he held in his arms—a newborn baby. The child was the most beautiful thing Jane had ever seen. Her chocolate skin glowed beneath her sparse and curly black hair. The baby reached toward Elijah’s face, and he lifted the child and motioned for Jane to hold her. 

Looking around, Jane could see everyone’s faces glowing with excitement. The purity of love permeated her heart, and it was whole.

As she reached for the baby, the world around her suddenly shattered into trillions of mirror-like fragments, reflecting thousands of faces smiling at her and the child. The fragments swirled around each other and abruptly coalesced into one face with a long white beard and slicked-back white hair.

It was the Judge.

Jane blinked and realized the Judge held a crying baby before her. She was out of the dream and back in the real world. As she was still working to grasp her reality, she glanced over and saw Enzo holding a cut umbilical cord.

The dreams were over. Jane’s daughter was finally there.

The Judge leaned forward and set the crying baby onto her chest. As soon as the infant touched her skin, she quieted down and whimpered. Jane looked at the child. She was beautiful. She looked just like Elijah, except she had Jane’s chin and cheeks. The child opened her eyes, and bright green filled them. Staring deeply into her child’s eyes, Jane felt like she had known those eyes for millennia. Their souls intertwined as one. The thousands of generations before them had led up to this moment. She could feel the eyes of her ancestors and of Elijah’s ancestors weighing down on this juncture in time. A connection with the greater universe seemed to open as if a direct line of communication between the firmament and this world freely flowed.

Enzo and the Judge stood quietly, watching the interaction between mother and child.

“I never thought I’d see this day.” The Judge mumbled to himself, wiping sweat from his brow with his forearm.

Enzo looked at the Judge and nodded.

“You have been waiting quite a long time, haven’t you?”

The Judged glanced at Enzo suspiciously.

“Even centuries?” Enzo spoke with a quirk in his voice.

The Judge’s eyes widened. He suddenly rose from kneeling and stepped toward the machine, grabbing Enzo’s collar ring, pulling him close, and whispering fiercely. Jane glanced up, but being enthralled with the child, she barely noticed the unsettling of the Judge. She latched the baby, and after a few moments, she felt another deep and sharp pain in her abdomen. Enzo quickly took notice, pushed the Judge out of the way, and knelt below Jane.

“You must deliver the placenta now, Jane,” Enzo spoke calmly.

As it was all new to Jane, and no one had taught her the steps or what to do during childbirth, she followed Enzo’s words closely. In time, she had delivered the placenta, which Enzo quickly disposed of, and found herself wrapped in a warm blanket, cuddling and feeding her new baby. It was remarkable how her body and mind immediately knew what to do. As if it were deep within her genome, the responses, and the cues.

Enzo spent the next hour cleaning the afterbirth, starting a fire for warmth, and preparing tea and dinner. Jane felt an overwhelming thirst and hunger. As she did so, Enzo immediately provided food and water.

Though perturbed by the prior altercation with the machine, the Judge quickly followed suit and performed whatever duties Enzo had asked him. Jane looked up and saw the Judge staring at the child as though mesmerized by her beauty.

“You delivered her, Judge,” Jane said serenely, leaning back on the pillow. “How did it feel? Seeing her come into the world?”

The Judge stood speechless. Slowly walking over, he sat beside Jane and leaned in, “It was… otherworldly.” Brushing back the child’s hair, he rubbed his thumb across her forehead.

“Would you like to hold her again?”

The Judge’s eyes lit up, but he shook his head, “Nah, she should stay with her momma.” He waved his hand dismissively.

“Oh, come now, Judge.” Jane pressed.

Jane shifted and raised the child into the man’s arms. The older man innately and immediately started bouncing and rocking his body to keep the baby at peace. The infant remained asleep, weary from pushing herself into the world.

“You know, there was a time when I had a baby girl just like this.”

Jane looked up, surprised, “What? Seriously? You never told me you had a kid.”

“Yeah, well, it was a long time ago. Her name was Eleanor…” he trailed off.

“Was?” Jane hadn’t wanted to press too hard, but curiosity overtook her.

“She died years ago.”

“Oh, Judge, I’m sorry to hear that,” Jane responded apologetically.

“Well, it’s the way of this life, I suppose.” He shifted the baby and smiled. “Helping raise you and Ishmael was the closest thing I ever came to that feeling again.”

“What did she pass away from?” Jane hesitantly asked.

“Ha, well, natural causes, I suppose. It was peaceful.”

“So you were married before as well?” Jane prodded further.

“Oh yeah. Sweet Barbara. She’s long gone as well. The best woman I ever knew. Love of my life.” He spoke while reminiscing.

Jane sat silently, watching the Judge hold her child, and then spoke again.

“Judge, how did you really find me out there in the middle of nowhere?”

“Luck, I suppose.” He dismissively whispered as though he spoke to the infant.

“There is no way it was by accident, Judge.”

Jane broke the Judge from his reverie. He grinned. “Yeah, well, that’s true, I suppose. Not much in this world is by accident.”

He continued to look at the baby.

“Judge, really… how?” Jane remained persistent.

This question piqued Enzo’s attention, and the machine stopped gathering wet blankets and listened.

“I’d rather not say, in light of you know who.” He nodded his head over to Enzo.

The machine sunk his head and then continued cleaning.

Jane nodded.

The Judge held the baby for a little longer, humming his song, and then carefully handed her back to Jane. Closing her eyes, she continued listening to the judge’s humming.

As she sat, nearly falling asleep, Jane heard the Judge approach Enzo, “Here, buddy, let me help you with that.”

With this, the sound of her child’s breathing lulled her into a deep, peaceful slumber. It was the first relaxed sleep she had experienced in years. There were no dreams, no sudden awakenings, just sleep.