Little Red

by Trista Jaszczak

  Ian is faster.

  He hunches his body into a squat, catches Jeb, and sends him flying over the loft banister

  “Ian,” I whimper

  His eyes turn to me.

  “You’re safe.

  I’ve got you, Red.

  I’m not leaving you.”

  I can tell one of the men is helping Jeb, and it sounds as though he’s in bad shape.

  Anyone would be after hitting the hardwood floor from that height.

  The third man comes running for the stairs and Ian is poised at the top, ready to make his move.

  I will myself off the ground and to the couch.

  I pull myself up and into the corner where I lean back.

  That’s when the other set of feet come rushing in.

  I cup my hand over my mouth, begging myself not to scream.

  If more are coming, where is Ethan? I can barely look as the steps grow near.

  I let out a drawn out breath, surprised to see the other set of loud feet are Aaron’s.

  He grabs the third man, tossing him off Ian and down the steps.

  I begin to hear the men bound for the door.

  Aaron and Ian are quick and begin to follow

  “No!” I yell.

  “I won’t let you! You will not kill again!” I scream.

  “Not because of me!”

  They both stop dead in their tracks as I pull myself off the couch.

  I can feel my breaths are becoming rapid as I pant.

  “Where’s Ethan?”

  Aaron looks at Ian and back to me

  “Where is Ethan?” I ask again

  “I left them,” Aaron says, “in the woods.

  I saw they were down by three.

  I knew Ian would need help.”

  Before I can make it to them, another hard pain hits.

  This time, I give in and cry out.

  Balancing myself the best I can as my water breaks and splashes against the hardwood floor

  “What did you just do?” Aaron cries

  I look at Aaron, unable to speak

  “It’s okay if you were scared,” Ian says.

  “You don’t have to be embarrassed.”

  Aaron elbows Ian hard as I try to catch my breath.

  “Fuck; son-of-a-bitch, Ian! She’s in labor!”

  They both exchange a quick glance as I fight to steady myself and breathe through the pain.

  They rush to me, one on each side, and balance me as I let out a soft whimper.

  “I told him.” I weep.

  “Not tonight.” I look at Ian.

  “I told him,” I repeat

  “Red, you have to tell us what to do.” I hear Ian

  “Call Maggie,” I tell them as I finally feel as though I’ve caught my breath

  “Should I get you on the couch?” Aaron asks

  I shake my head.

  “The floor.

  Just grab some pillows.”

  “Shouldn’t we take you to the hospital?” Ian asks, jamming the screen of his phone

  I shake my head.

  “Not without Ethan!” I scream

  Aaron looks at Ian.

  “Maggie is her doctor; she’ll tell us what else to do.” Aaron’s eyes meet mine.

  “Hold on, Red, just hold on.

  At least ‘till we get Ethan here.”

  I feel the tightening in my belly return, and the sharp pain courses to my back.

  I squeeze hard onto Aaron as he begins supporting my weight.

  “Aaron,” I cry out, gritting my teeth.

  “Please, someone get Ethan.” I weep

  “First, let’s get you on the floor,” I hear Ian say as he begins piling the pillows from the couch in the most open space

  Aaron guides me into the pillows and gets behind me as I never lose grip on his hand.

  I reach for Ian and pull him toward me.

  My eyes lock with his.

  “Please, don’t leave me.”

  “I promise; I won’t leave you,” he reassures me.

  “I’ve got you, Red.

  Ethan will be here.

  I called Maggie, she’s on her way.”

  I nod and grab his hand as well as the blinding pain runs through me.

  It seems as though the twins don’t want to wait.

  I’ll be lucky if Ethan does make it.

  I lean back into the pillows and close my eyes as I breathe and work through the pain the way Maggie had instructed me to

  Eli is beginning to struggle.

  The other pack has nearly diminished, leaving only Beau and Jax, who are both laughing.

  Funny reactions from two people who just got their pack member’s asses whooped.

  It’s the laughter that’s driving me mad.

  Jax’s words.

  How he wants Red.

  I feel Eli yank me back further.

  He’s beginning to lose control himself

  “Alright!” I hear James yell.

  “Enough is enough! The girl is ours.

  You leave here now, and we call it even.”

  Beau suddenly silences, as he must realize he’s out numbered.

  We all feel his shift.

  He’s tired, weak, and battered.

  He seems to be in more pain than the others, more than likely because of his age.

  He finally gives a reluctant nod.

  “Fine, it’s over.”

  I feel Eli’s grip loosen on me as James, Colt, and Trent begin backing up slowly

  Jax’s eyes meet mine.

  “I will fuck her.”

  Before Eli can grab me, the rage takes over.

  I fly forward, grabbing Jax by his throat, and slam him against the tree.

  The tree…Our tree

  A deep growl releases from somewhere inside.

  “You will not touch her.” His color begins to change as I feel someone yanking me away.

  Another set of hands joins in and pulls me back

  “You keep your fucking rabid dog away from us.

  We won’t pull him back next time!” I hear James yell.

  Colt and Eli begin dragging me forward, toward my house.

  Rage has completely taken over.

  Colt, Eli, Trent, and James are all fighting it.

  I’m feeding from them.

  I feel the other pack running into the woods.

  They’re all battered, bloody, and beaten badly.

  A sick sense of pleasure washes over me, knowing that they’re in pain.

  I fight myself to return to normal

  Now, I feel that Eli has a tight hold of the back of my shirt.

  He’s not letting go this time, and for good reason, too

  “Guys,” I hear Trent, who is just a ways ahead of us say.

  “I think we need to hurry.” He turns to look at Eli.

  “Might need to call Maggie.

  I hope they knew to call her.”

  The rage is stronger than me.

  I can’t feel their reason for hurry.

  Eli drags me along as we quicken our pace

  “You’ve got to run with us, Ethan.”

  I give James a nod, unsure if I understand myself, but I pick up my pace and begin to run with them

  As we approach my house, the front door is swung wide open.

  Eli grabs onto me and we all head for the stairs.

  I see Aaron and Ian are on the floor, looking more helpless than I have ever seen them.

  Then I see Red lying back in a pile of pillows.

  They’re behind her, one on each side; she’s bearing down onto their hands as she winces.

  My eyes grow wide.

  It can’t be.

  Not tonight…not now…not right now! That’s what she meant
by “not tonight.” She was trying to tell me.

  Red is in labor

  Aaron looks up at Eli, who practically flings me to Red.

  “He’s still in rage,” Eli says.

  “We’ve got to help him fight it.”

  Aaron nods.

  “We called Maggie.”

  My head is in a thick haze as I kneel at Red’s feet.

  She’s in pain.

  She bites down hard on her bottom lip and squeezes tightly to Aaron and Ian’s hand, who help her hold a strong stance.

  They both switch back and forth, leaning to her ear and praising her.

  My head is beginning to hurt.

  I feel nausea creep up on me as the rage wages through my body.

  I feel fear fill me from head to toe.

  Not tonight.

  Another sharp pain seems to blast through Red’s already weak body

  Her eyes find mine and plead with me.

  “Ethan,” she breathes.

  “Please, Ethan, I need you!”

  Ian wipes the sweat that’s now dripping from her forehead.

  “It’s okay, Red.

  We’ll get him back.

  He’s here; he’s just in a little daze.”

  I see the tears form in her eyes.

  “I need you, Ethan.”

  Another pain courses through her as she bears down so hard on their hands that Aaron makes a strange face

  “Concentrate, Red,” Ian says softly to her.

  “Breathe and concentrate.

  Give him a minute.

  He’s here; we just have to pull him out.”

  “Ethan,” she whimpers as Aaron now takes his turn dabbing the sweat from her forehead

  James begins pacing the floor, making my stomach tie into what feels like thousands of knots.

  I feel my body starting to tremble as Red lets out a small cry

  “Sounds like she’s getting close,” Eli says, and then looks at his phone.

  “Maggie should be here soon.”

  “She’s already here.” I look just behind me to see Maggie rushing up the stairs.

  She smiles.

  “Looks like I’m just in time.

  Alright boys, I’m about to go into doctor mode.” She glances at me, and then to Eli

  “He’s in rage; we have to pull him out.”

  She nods as she pushes me to the side and places a large plastic box next to her.

  “I have the paramedics on the way, but these two will be here before they even get here.

  Red, baby girl, this is the natural birth you wanted to try for.

  You can do this.”

  Red gives her a painful nod as she bears down hard on Aaron’s and Ian’s hands once more

  “Red, you got this,” I hear Ian say into her ear

  Maggie begins working under Red’s ironically red sweater dress and then pulling things from the box and placing them around her.

  She looks at me.

  “I’ll get her so far, Ethan, but you have to catch.”

  I look at her frantically.

  Catch.

  I have to catch.

  My mind fumbles with the word.

  To break the curse of rage, I have to be the first to touch my children.

  Red flinches as Maggie works under her dress again.

  “Red, you’re there,” she tells her.

  “I’m going to have you push.

  Use Aaron and Ian to help you through the pain.

  When a contraction hits, you push.” She looks at us.

  “Help her.

  Make this easy.

  She’ll push for ten seconds and rest.” Her eyes lock on mine.

  “You will catch these babies, Ethan.

  You’ll be perfect.”

  I somehow manage a nod.

  Red looks so weak I can hardly picture her pushing anything.

  I plant myself, as told, next to Maggie.

  I lock my eyes on Red, as if to tell her I’m here

  “Alright, Red,” Maggie starts, “when you feel those contractions, you push, baby girl.

  You got this.”

  I can suddenly tell Maggie does this a lot.

  Red seems at ease.

  Relaxed even.

  She takes a few breaths and nods

  “Aaron and Ian, help her.

  You’re her coaches now.

  Guide her forward, and let her use you for a brace.” They both nod, but exchange glances of pure fear.

  “Alright, Red. Push.”

  Red seems to know exactly what she means as Aaron and Ian help guide her body forward.

  Maggie counts to ten slowly, and Red manages to hold the position for the full ten seconds.

  “Alright, you’re doing great.

  Going to try something different.

  Aaron and Ian, each of you grab the back of one of her knees.

  Help pull them back.”

  They give slight nods but never question the strange request as they act

  “Alright, Red.

  Same thing.

  Push,” Maggie tells her.

  “Your pain will leave when the babies are here.” Maggie counts slowly to ten again and has Red relax once more.

  She smiles up at her.

  “Red, one more big push and your first baby will be here.”

  Red locks eyes with mine again.

  This time, as she pushes and Maggie counts, she never loses my gaze.

  Suddenly, Maggie yanks me forward.

  “Come on, Ethan.

  Catch your baby.”

  I look at her, petrified.

  “I don’t know…”

  She nods and gives me another push.

  “Hold your child!”

  I lean forward and drop my hands beneath Red.

  Suddenly, I feel a warm ball slip into my hands.

  I stare hard, bringing the beautiful, crying child to my face.

  My mouth drops, and I smile.

  “It’s…” I look at Red.

  “It’s…” I can barely find words as my eyes find Ian’s.

  “It’s a girl.”

  Ian lets out a yelp.

  “I told you so!”

  Maggie smiles as she takes our baby girl from me.

  “Alright, Ethan and Red, one more.

  One more.”

  Red nods as she nearly collapses into Aaron and Ian.

  They both give her a push upward as another set a footsteps enter the house.

  “Up here!” Maggie calls to the paramedics.

  “Red, one more baby girl, one more, just the same as before.

  You push through that pain.

  Push through it.

  The pain stops when your second baby is here.”

  Aaron and Ian both do as before and guide her knees back.

  Four more pushes this time, and Maggie tosses me in front of her again.

  I catch another beautiful, crying child.

  Suddenly, I feel something rise off my shoulders.

  We all do.

  We relax suddenly.

  It’s indescribable.

  For the first time during a full moon, the rage is gone.

  I immediately look at Red.

  “It’s a boy.” She falls back into a heap as Aaron and Ian guide her up to see our children.

  She’s tired, weak, and beautiful.

  I open my mouth to speak, but can barely move as I look at the little boy who is screaming in my arms

  “Ethan,” Red breathes

  “I’m here.”

  James smiles.

  “We’re all here.

  The rage is gone.”

  The paramedics begin working with haste all around us.

  My wobbly legs m
anage to find a way to crawl to Red, who is now resting against Aaron and Ian, who dare not move

  “Ethan.” She seems to sigh my name, as a paramedic takes my son to check him over

  “I’m here, Red.

  I’m here.”

  Her body finally relaxes as she loosens her still tight grip on Aaron and Ian who are now massaging their hands

  “I told you there was a girl,” Ian finally beams again

  I find myself laughing

  “But there was a boy,” Aaron makes sure to add

  “We need names,” I tell Red

  She smiles.

  “Ruby.”

  We all grin

  “Ruby Elise,” she says, “for our daughter.”

  I feel the name tug at my heartstrings and nod.

  “It’s perfect.”

  “What about your son?” Maggie smiles, floating around and helping the paramedics.

  She passes me some warm wet towels that I assume are for my hands, and I begin scrubbing myself the best I can as I wait for Red to name our son

  “Ian James,” Red says proudly

  All of our eyes turn to her

  “Well, we can’t give him all your names.” She laughs softly.

  “But, it’s a start.”

  “After me?” Ian says as he gives her a little hug.

  “I let you get taken.”

  She smiles.

  “But you never left me.

  You promised, and you kept that promise.”

  Ian beams as he leans to kiss her cheek

  “And me?” James questions

  “You say I saved you, but I think you saved me.” She smiles

  “How do you feel?” I ask her as Maggie begins checking her blood pressure

  “A little weak,” she says, softly.

  She looks around the room and laughs.

  “I never thought I would give birth with all of you here.”

  “As long as I wasn’t on the catching end,” Ian says, making a face as he holds Red up a little more

  “Alright boys,” Maggie smiles, “these three have to go to the hospital.

  But you’re all welcome to follow, I’m sure.”

  Red smiles and nods as the paramedics begin to get her ready to go

  * * * * * *

  The entire way down the hospital hallway, I feel like I’m on air.

  I’m lighter, looser, and more relaxed than I have been since I was sixteen.

  The curse of rage has been lifted.

  Strangely enough, all of our extra senses seem to be intact as we seem to feel the pleasure and relaxation of one another.

  This, after living with the rage, is certainly easy enough to live with.