It had been nine hours since Trudie's waters had broken. I sat next to her, trying to ease her tormented body by stroking her forehead. She had begun to scream when the strongest of contractions had hit her. Not having any pain relief was proving to be hell as I watched her poor body contort in agony.
At present, she lay on the bed. Her body was drenched in sweat. Each scream showed how severe the pain was, as her face reddened and her swollen belly heaved. I watched her and couldn't help but worry how this would turn out.
I could tell how distraught and crazy she was getting, as the labour pains became more frequent. I knew it was time for her to give birth, as I watched Trudie try to get comfortable on the bed. Her mother, Jenny, helped her to keep calm as she spoke soothingly to her daughter. It was nearly time to deliver the baby and I dreaded the outcome of it.
"Lydia... can you hold her hand and keep comforting her... it's time... the baby is coming." Jenny said.
"Now? She's going to have the baby now?" I asked feeling scared.
"Yes... the baby's coming now...but we have a problem." Jenny said pausing for a second. "The baby is breech." Jenny said, as she checked between Trudie's legs.
I looked at her. I didn't know what that meant. Jenny straightened and stared at me. Ellie and Janice were in the room with us. I could see their serious, contorted expressions as they all looked at one another. What did that mean? I didn't understand what was going on.
"Oh... sorry... what does that mean?" I asked feeling a panic as my body shivered with dreaded thoughts of what would happen next.
I watched as Jenny stood there in silence. It appeared she was thinking, but she frowned as her eyes closed. She rubbed her cheeks with both hands as she stood there. We all waited for her to speak.
"It means... the baby is coming out either legs first or bottom first... I'm not sure what to do though... we could do a caesarean, but she is ready to push... and... well.... I'm not sure a caesarean is the safest option, because the baby wants to come out now... if she can take giving birth to a breech baby, then we should do it now. It has been done before... but... but doing that here without nothing to help us is going to be hard." Jenny said with a worrying tone. I could hear the nervous tremor in her voice. She was doubting herself I thought.
"You are the doctor Jenny. I'm sure you will make the right decision and... you can do this." I said trying to give her the encouragement that she needed.
"Yes." She answered pausing for a minute. "Right... Trudie... when the contractions start you will do as I say... understand? When I say push... you push as hard as possible... do you hear me?" Jenny said.
"Okay mum... will the baby be okay though?" I could hear the worry in Trudie's voice. I felt my heart heave at the sound of her panic.
"Yes... everything will be fine... just do as I say... okay." Jenny said.
"Yes mum."
I held Trudie's hand as she started to cry. I could see the pain take over her again. Tears ran down her face as she began to put all her energy into pushing.
"Push... push Trudie... push hard.... come on you can do it." Jenny shouted eagerly.
I could feel Trudie squeezing my hand. I felt a stinging sharpness tighten the bones in my knuckle. I didn't care though. I just wanted the baby to be born healthy.
Trudie's screams pierced like an echo in the small room as she used all her strength to push the baby out. Her entire body was soaked. I saw her give up as she sagged down onto the bed. The pains had stopped.
"Good Trudie... you're doing great... I can see the baby's bottom... now this time you have to push even harder... okay." Jenny said.
I looked at Trudie's red, dripping face. Her hair was soaked and her body laid limply on the bed.
"Mum... I feel so tired..." I felt so sad at the sound of her words. Her weak, forlorn, stressful body had yielded.
"Trudie... you mustn't give up.... that baby of yours cannot wait to meet you... he or she needs your love now... okay." I said trying to help her to be more determined with her situation.
"Okay." She answered as the next set of contractions started all over again.
"Push Trudie... push..." I heard Jenny shout and we all waited in anticipation as Trudie pushed and screamed.
"What's happening?" I asked as I saw Jenny's face redden with strain.
"I can see the baby's bottom much more now... the baby looks small... but we need the baby out now... we need to get it out now or it will be too late!" She screamed urgently as she waved her bloodied gloved hands in the air.
Trudie's contractions started again and she pushed harder.
"Come on Trudie... push the baby out now... come on... push... push." Jenny shouted loudly.
I watched Trudie's face strain as she seemed to push even harder this time. Her scrunched up face was redder and she was drenched in more sweat than before. Suddenly, she fainted. I tried to pat her cheeks, but she was completely out of it. Her feeble body was still and her face had suddenly turned pale. I was frightened for her. The bed was drenched in blood. It seeped out of her like nothing I had ever seen. It had started to make me feel sick.
"Jenny... she's fainted..." I shouted feeling my heartbeat quicken at the sight of Trudie's weakened body sprawled out on the bed.
I looked over at Jenny as she pulled the baby out and held it up, cutting the cord away. She then rocked the baby up and down. She tried to get the baby to cry, but no sound came from it's small mouth.
"Well... it's a girl... but she's not crying or opening her eyes." She said in a croaky, sad voice.
She placed the baby on the edge of the bed and tried to check for a pulse. I could see her check it over and over again. The silence was unbearable I thought, as we waited.
"Give her to me." Janice said as she took the small baby and rocked her up and down. To me, the baby looked no more than six pounds in weight. She was tiny with skinny legs and arms, but beautiful and delicate.
I watched as Janice did everything. She tickled the baby's feet, rocked her up and down and then, she patted her bottom. Nothing came. No cries were coming.
I feared the worst. I wanted the baby to make it as I stared at Trudie's poor body who I felt may not have succeeded. I saw Janice wipe the baby's face and it's mouth and then a loud shrilling cry echoed outwards. I smiled and sighed breathlessly with relief. In fact, we were all relieved.
The only thing now was to watch over Trudie. I hoped she would be fine. I looked at the small baby's face with a wisp of dark hair on it's head and I thought how beautiful and innocent she looked. It was such a shame that she had been born into today's terrible world.
25. Lydia Brown - The Countryside
We were asked to stay a bit longer with Trudie's family at the farm. Two weeks had gone by and we were still here. Tim thought it was safer for us to stay and he had stated that we needed to rest before embarking on another long journey. Although, Wales wasn't that far from here, it was still more than an hour away. We were all getting on so well that we just got comfy and didn't want to leave. Days went into a couple of weeks and it became a way of life on the farm. Even the kids were happy to be here.
We had said we wanted to stay longer, because Christmas was nearly upon us. We didn't want to be travelling during that time and find ourselves on the road fighting our way just to get to Wales. In my opinion, we had found the countryside. John had told us that their farm was called Grimsby Farm and it had once been opened to the public where children had come to see the chickens, sheep, goats, cows, horses and more. It was situated near other farms, but they were no longer running and no one lived there anymore. Most of the animals here had since been long gone except for the horses and cows. John, Aiden and Tim had raided the other farms where they had found more livestock and food to keep us all going.
We wanted to spend Christmas here and Jenny and John were glad of the company, so I told Tim and the others that we should stay. Everyone was pleased including the kids. Rebecca, Molly and Sean felt like they had more fre
edom again. It was still dangerous for them to wander off, but at least they could wander outside sometimes with John's son, Danny, who was now quite friendly with them.
Tim and Aiden had helped John to put up some fences to keep us all safe. It had turned out to be a great idea, because we hadn't seen a single dead person get past it since they had been put up. Well... not yet anyway I thought.
Of course, nothing lasted. The biters always found a way to find us. Sometimes, we wouldn't see them for days and then suddenly, they were coming from the trees towards the house. We were always on a look out for them, even at night, but the fence was keeping them outside and away from us these days. Whoever kept watch would always make sure they killed them with a bow and arrow machine that Aiden had found sitting in the barn. In fact, Aiden had found two of them and now he had adopted one of them as his own. We had long since realised that killing them quietly was the key to keeping the ugly creatures away.
After Trudie had given birth on that first day of December, I had watched over her as she slowly started to recover. She had just been so tired that a long sleep was all she had needed. I had sat next to her until she had awoke. I was so happy that she had made it. She was now capable of taking care of her beautiful baby girl who was presently being changed by Trudie's mother.
I remembered that day so clearly. I had watched Trudie as she had laid there. Her pale white expression and those hazel eyes stared up at me. I could see a small smile on her delicate skin.
"Do you want some water?" I asked her. "How are you feeling?"
Trudie nodded as I poured some water into a glass from a jug.
"Tired... really tired."
She took the water from me and sipped at it slowly until she'd had enough.
"Well... you did have a rough time of it."
"I know... thanks for helping me and giving me the encouragement that I needed. If you hadn't been there... well... I don't know if I could have done it.... So thanks." Trudie said.
"Your welcome Trudie."
"Can I see my baby? Is the baby okay? And what did I have?" Trudie asked as she stared at a crib that was placed next to her bed.
The crib had once been Trudie's and Danny's in the past and it had been retrieved from the loft to be cleaned up and ready for her birth.
"A girl. I'll go and get your mum in a few minutes and she will bring her in... I think she wanted to let you rest for a while, because we didn't know if you were... well... you know." I said awkwardly as I saw Trudie nod in recognition, understanding what I had meant.
After an hour, I remembered, how her mother had come in with her new baby girl. Trudie had been delighted to meet her.
Now, things on the farm were working out as well as we had hoped. I felt at ease here. Myself and Tim were becoming a couple and everyone knew it. We had time to get to know one another. Christmas was a week away and I wanted to give him a gift of some kind. I didn't know what or where I would find it, but I was going to try.
I smiled to myself as I thought how good he had become lately. He had slowly cut down the alcohol drinking. Now, he only had a couple of red glasses of wine with dinner from John's huge collection that he had stocked up on in the past. Tim was sensible these days. Sometimes he had a whisky before going to bed, but he had slowly calmed down and I was relieved that he had made the effort to do so.
I went outside. I wanted to look in the barn to see what I could find. There was so much junk in there that I was sure that I would find something.
I wanted to make something for him too. I used to be good at fashion designs when I was at University. I remembered making dresses for myself and my friends. I had enjoyed it. In fact, I had wanted to be a fashion designer at first, before I had gone into Television Journalism.
As I wandered around, I found something in the corner that shined and glowed in the dim lit barn. I walked over to it and saw that it was a set of sharpening tools. I picked it up and took it to John. I wanted to ask him if I could give it to Tim. He was always trying to sharpen his sticks, although, he now had his new shiny sword, but the sticks had become a way of life for him.
As I left the barn, I heard muffled voices behind the fence. I was curious, so I moved closer and listened.
"No... I think we should climb over and raid them... come on." A guy whispered in a rough deep voice.
"Okay let's do it." I heard. I thought the second person sounded like a female voice, but I couldn't be sure. All I could hear was a low growl.
I put the tool sharpening set back inside the barn and quickly ran inside the house to find Tim and the others.
"Tim... Tim... someone is outside the fence! I heard them whisper... they are planning on climbing over to raid us!"
Everyone stared at me in silence. Their expressions had turned from being happy to a sudden, shocking one. Then there was a mad rush.
"Everyone... get your weapons and meet me outside. Ellie, Janice, Jenny and Trudie and the kids stay safe inside... Nick... stay inside and look after everyone... we can beat this..." I heard Tim say in a strong, powerful voice. In fact, we were all determined to keep what we had here safe.
Everyone gathered their weapons together. I went outside with Tim. We spread out and hid as the sunset deepened into the clouds. I knew darkness would soon be upon us. So we waited as the cold icy wind ripped at my cheeks as I lowered myself behind the well. At least I had found a hat, scarf and gloves to wear.
I, anxiously, waited for the imminent attack that I now dreaded. Would we ever have a peaceful Christmas again? I now knew that no place would ever be that safe.
26. Tim Sparks - The Intruders
We waited like hunters for its prey. I could hear their movements and a scrambling of legs trying to get over the fence.
They must be stupid if they think they can get away with this, I thought to myself.
My head whirled with thoughts about how these people seemed so unprofessional. They had no clue about what they were doing.
I moved closer to the fence and waited for the first one to climb over. Night had fallen now and darkness was upon us. I could see a hefty male figure as his legs came over and he fell harshly onto the wet grass. I stuck my sword into the back of his neck and I saw him flinch. I pulled him up to one side. I grabbed him by the neck with my arm and whispered to him.
"Tell her to come over... don't warn her or I'll shove this sword through you." I saw him nod slightly.
"Climb over now Shirley." The guy whispered shakily.
"Okay... I'm coming." She said as I heard her struggle.
It took her about ten minutes to climb up. When I saw her body, I knew why. Shirley was a huge girl who looked about fifteen stone or so. She seemed quite antsy. She shivered and made rumbly noises with her breath as she desperately struggled to climb. She turned with her back to us and then she toppled, heavily onto the grass.
"Owch." She whispered as I saw her short, huge body.
She was laying flat on her stomach. I could see a mop of blonde curls in the freezing darkness. She wore muddy, dirty jeans and a shabby duffel coat that looked too tight on her. These two fatties look like they can't even handle themselves. I just knew they were going to be harmless, but I still would not take any chances.
I watched Shirley struggle to get up. She hadn't noticed myself and the others who had started to come out from their hiding places. She saw my sword and she immediately tried to scramble away.
"Hey!" I shouted. "Where do you think you're going? There's no where you can go lady." By now Lydia was by my side, so I made a gesture for her to go get Shirley off the ground.
"Get up." I heard Lydia's voice. She sounded angry.
"Okay... I'm getting up." Shirley answered in a shaky voice.
"Let's bring these two idiots over here. Aiden... help Shirley over there... looks like she can't get up." I said trying not to laugh, but I wouldn't let on that fact as I wanted to appear violent and angry to these two idiots.
"Sure," replied Aiden as he
walked over and helped Lydia pull Shirley up.
I could see Shirley's enormous figure now. She seemed out of breath and unable to stand. Her face was dirty. I could smell a sweaty stench coming from her.
"What's wrong with her?" I asked Charlie.
"Umm... she's just not used to this kind of thing and... and her weight is a problem. She used to be in a wheelchair, so she's still getting used to walking around." The guy said as he stood there trembling for his life.
He was wide and enormous too, but short and stocky.
"How comes she hasn't got her wheelchair now?" I asked.
"Well... when we ran out of food she didn't eat hardly anything, so the weight just fell away from her and suddenly she just got up." I thought it was a fair story and somehow, I knew I believed him.
"So, what's your name?" I asked him.
"Charlie... Charlie Diggle and that's Shirley Diggle... she's my wife." I nodded feeling a little at ease about them.
"So, did you think you could raid us Charlie?" I asked feeling a laugh coming on.
"Ummm.... well... Shirley thought so and since she's lost a bit of weight she is more eager to live than she's ever been in her life, so I wanted to go along with what she said because... well... I was proud of how much she'd changed... especially with all that's happening around us." I nodded feeling like I could probably like them more now. I slowly, withdrew my sword away from him and released my hold around his neck.
"Okay Charlie... come with us. Hey... Lydia, Aiden... bring Shirley to the barn."
I saw Charlie and Shirley look at one another as their expressions turned to fright. I could see their eyes well up with tears and it got to me. I didn't want to frighten them, but I knew I had to for the sake of them doing something stupid again.
We walked into the barn and Lydia lit up a lantern to give us some light. Aiden, Joe, Lydia, John and myself held our weapons in tow and I knew that Charlie and Shirley thought we were going to do something awful to them. Of course, it wasn't my intention to do anything, but talk to them.
"So where are you from Charlie?" I asked gently.
The Biters (Book 1): Time to Run Page 10