Double Exposure

Another powerful contraction began and the pain jarred her back to the reality of the task at hand. In just a few minutes, the head appeared and the event moments ago were repeated.

Again, the Doktor held the baby by its feet and gave this one a good whack. Nothing happened. He tried again. There was still no cry from the baby.

He laid the baby down and put his stethoscope to his tiny chest. A frown crossed his face. Nurse Kelm had seen that look before and understood. The Doktor tied and cut the cord just as he had done with the first baby and handed him to Ilse. She quickly wrapped the baby in a receiving blanket, picked it up and rushed out of the room. Freya watched this scene as if seeing it in slow motion.

"Where is she taking my baby?" she screamed. The Doktor took her hand and said softly, "I'm sorry Frau Müller, but he is dead." A heart-rending scream shattered the quiet of the room. Freya began to sob uncontrollably. The Doktor whispered to the second nurse and she handed him a syringe with a mild sedative. Freya didn't feel the needle enter her arm. She couldn't feel anything at that moment except a pain in her heart that made her oblivious to any physical pain.