Page 1 of Deadly Sweet

Chapter 1

Savannah

Pure, agonizing paincourses through my body as I bear down. With my head between my knees, I do as I’m told and push.

The ringing in my ears is almost as loud as the blood-curdling screams piercing the air.

“Almost there, Savannah. I can see the baby's head,” the nurse encourages. I don’t miss the look of pity on her and the other nurses' faces. The same look they’ve had since I was dragged in here when my water broke. “Just one more push.”

“You fucking said that the last five times!” I snap back, chest heaving as I try to take in air. I’m so tired, weak, and defeated.

“I know, honey. I know. You're almost there.”

Almost there. All I have to do is push and my baby will be here. My sweet little baby.

Soon, I won’t be alone anymore.

The thought of holding them is the one thing that’s kept me going these past nine months when all I wanted to do was give up.

Years of being locked away from the outside world with no one around to talk to fucks with you.

After so long, even the voices in your head aren’t good enough company.

I’ve wanted the silence of death for a long time now, but had no way to follow through with it. Because the devil wouldn’t allow it.

My misery will end by his hand and no one else’s.

When I was brought in for a monthly check-up and found out I had a life growing inside me, it changed everything. I found a reason to live. Not for me, but for my baby. Even if it shared the blood of my captor, it didn’t matter. I knew the moment I heard their little heartbeat that I was in love.

The thought of holding my baby in my arms has me taking another lungful of air before pushing with every ounce of energy I have left. Seeing how I’ve been at this for what has to be hours, it’s really not much.

I push so hard, I feel like every blood vessel in my body might pop. Ignoring the burning pain of my body being ripped apart, I keep going. After what feels like a lifetime, I feel the relief as my baby slides out.

Gasping in a breath, I allow my body to fall back onto the bed. My head spins as my ears continue to ring, but I close my eyes and smile because I did it. It’s over. The hard part is over.

As the sounds around me come back into focus, I hear people moving about the room. The whispering of the nurses is low and hushed.

What I don’t hear is my baby.Are they supposed to be this quiet? The babies on TV always cried in the movies I watched.

Was that real, or just for dramatic effect?

“He’s not breathing,” I hear one of the nurses say.

My stomach drops as my heart starts to race. “W-what do you mean?” I rasp, my voice raw from screaming. Blinking my eyes open, I try to sit up. I’m too disoriented, my limbs not working, and I immediately fall back onto the bed. “Where’s my baby? I wanna see him.” Him. A son.She said he, right? I have a son. A sweet baby boy.

More talking, but no one fucking answers me.

“Give me my baby,” my voice breaks as I try to sit up again. “I wanna see him. Please. Let me hold him.”

“Shhhh. Lay back, Savannah, we have to deliver the placenta,” the nurse instructs, pushing at my weak body so I’ll lie back down. I go without any struggle. I don’t have anything left to give, no matter how much I want to fight her.

I manage to grab her arm. She stops, her distraught eyes meeting mine.“Then can I see my baby?” I ask, eager to hold him in my arms, to see for myself that he’s okay. “He’s okay, right?” I smile. “My sweet boy is alright?”

She ignores me, unable to make eye contact.

I’m hit with a wave of dizziness, and everything goes black.

I’m not sure how longI drift in and out of consciousness, but the next time I come too, the nurse's hands are inside me.

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