by Matt Shaw
Chapter Twenty-Two
“Tell us what happened,” Andrews begged Becky, “please...Let me help you. Let us help you...” Realising Becky wasn’t responding to what he was saying, he took a step forward. Becky responded by screaming and placing the blade of the scalpel close to the baby’s eye.
“Get back!” she screamed. Andrews didn’t need to be asked twice. “It’s his fault! If it weren’t for him, everything would be better. Everything would be fine!”
“Put the knife down and we’ll talk. We’ll help you work it out. Whatever you need. Please, you’re just making this worse...At least...Sit down before you fall down...Please.”
Becky shook her head. “I have to do this,” she said. She twisted her hand. The knife’s blade caught the light and, because of this, Andrews’ attention. He knew what she was referring to when she said she had to do it. He knew and feared there was nothing he could do to stop it.
“You don’t have to do it,” he said. He knew his words were falling on deaf ears.
“If he’s gone - Mark might forgive me...”
“Put the knife down...”
“He might take me back.”
“Please...”
“He might. I don’t have a choice.”
“You do.”
“I want my husband back,” Becky screamed.
“Whatever happened - let us help you.”
“I don’t have a choice.”
“This won’t fix anything...” Andrews’ words were cut short by Becky’s agonised scream. He moved forward as quickly as he could, as did the security guards, but it was all too late. Becky pushed the scalpel in as hard as she could. The baby’s screaming stopped abruptly - only to be replaced by the screams of the nurses who’d witnessed everything. Andrews and the security guards stopped dead as Becky dropped the still child to the floor where it landed with a thud. No one knew what to do. No one knew how to react.
Becky, exhausted physically and emotionally, dropped back to the bed - unable to carry her own weight anymore. She screamed so loud that all other sounds of the busy hospital were temporarily drowned out and when the life faded from the newborn’s eyes - so had Detective Andrews’ hopes for a happy ending to what would be his last day on the force. He dropped to his knees as the scene continued to play out in front of him. Security guards pinned Becky down, not that it was needed, and the doctors and nurses rushed to both the baby on the floor and the nurse who’d been stabbed - too late on both accounts.
Not for the first time in his career, Andrews wept.
The End
Enjoyed the story? Matt Shaw is the author of over forty publications. Although mostly in the horror genre, Matt Shaw has also penned a children’s book, romance novels and science-fiction tales.
You can find more of his work at:
www.mattshawpublications.co.uk
www.facebook.com/mattshawpublications