Ultimate Sacrifice

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Michelle dialled the emergency number and paced the length of the open-plan kitchen as sweat gathered on her brows.
She had been putting plates into the automatic dishwasher, humming a merry tune, when Aunt Lizzy suddenly gasped and turned as white as fluorescent lights.

"I think... the baby... is coming," Aunt Lizzy rasped. A guttural cry tore out of the woman's throat as she doubled over, face contoured in pain.

"Oh, Adonai!" Michelle cried and dumped the china cups she had been holding into the sink, her small baby bump feeling suddenly weightier. She led her aunt to the chaise lounge where the sensor-controlled sofa received her weight and adjusted to make her as comfortable as she could be. "Aunty Lizzy, it's going to be okay. You're going to be fine."
Actually, Michelle had her doubts. Aunt Lizzy's pregnancy was a complicated miracle. After over thirty years of barrenness, she conceived. This birth was sure to be a long, tedious one.

After giving directions to the emergency service team that would come over to whisk her aunt away to the CS ward, Michelle looked at Mr Zach who was confined to a wheelchair. His eyes darted frantically back and forth and he was stuttering. It was obvious the man would slip into a panic attack if she didn't calm him down. She went over to him and assured him everything would be fine. He didn't look convinced; rather, he looked as if he wanted to rip his butt out of the chair and race them to the hospital.
Unfortunately, the man was currently unable to walk. It was one of the many reasons she had been compelled to stay with Aunt Lizzy throughout her gestation period.

What was better than two outcast pregnant women staying under the same roof while they expectantly waited for the promise they had been given to come?
Japheth, Michelle's fiancé, was so understanding. Before she began to show and elicit gossip from the neighbours, he gave her money for train tickets to Aunt Lizzy's hometown. Though he was initially distraught by the news of her pregnancy, he suddenly became agreeable after he had a dream where a man whose countenance was as brilliant as a thousand suns confirmed the encounter she shared with him as the precursor of her pregnancy. Michelle knew it was Angel Gabriel. That dutiful celestial being sure was working overtime at this period.

The weird thing was that Mr. Zach had narrated a similar encounter with this same being. According to him, while he was praying in his office in the church one day, an angel appeared to him and told him that his wife of forty years would conceive.
This was Year 7275 and angels weren't a particularly common sight these days, not since the Great Silence began, so it was difficult for anyone to believe Mr. Zach's story, never mind that he was a pastor, not to talk of Michelle's. The only proof that he was telling the truth was how he had to crawl out of office because his legs were paralyzed-apparently, the angel had been annoyed by Mr Zach's doubting question of how the whole birth miracle thing was going to happen.
Michelle found that a little disconcerting because she had asked almost the same question to the same angel. What mercy and favour had she obtained?
Surely, the appointed time for the fulfilment of age-long prophecies had arrived.

A lot had transpired over the years and almost torn apart the Jewish nation. Several rulers had come and gone-the good, the bad, the ugly. Currently, the ruling power in Israel was a farce attempt at a one-world government. It was still highly fragmented, but Emperor Herienn IX was very forceful and strategic. Michelle felt like with the new trends and ideologies flooding the Web3 Hypernet, living a life compliant with Adonai's laws would soon be virtually impossible.

Many hours later, Aunt Lizzy was safely delivered of a bouncing baby boy. The medics had arrived in time and handled the situation with such dexterity.
As Michelle cooed over the newborn baby to lull him to sleep, she wondered what it would feel like to hold her baby in her arms.

She recalled her scintillating supernatural encounter. Angel Gabriel had told her the name of her unborn child-Immanuel. She had been terrified by his appearance but comforted by his words. That same night, she'd had a dream where she was kneeling on a glassy sea. When she lifted her head, a bundle wrapped in a white shawl was handed to her.

"Immanuel," Michelle whispered after she was done cleaning Aunt Lizzy's clothes when she was alone. "I can't wait to finally meet you. It's an honour to carry the son of God. I mean, look at me... I'm the most unworthy creature meant for this task."
Tears poured out of her eyes. As she worshipped Adonai under the stars, she felt a blanket of love and warmth drape over her. This was His Presence.

Her smart screen beeped in her pocket, pulling her out of her blissful state.
She sniffed her emotions in, picked up the call and said in a croaky voice, "Hey!"

"What's wrong? Were you crying?" Japheth's warm voice filtered into her ears, causing her to relax and smile.

"No, I'm fine. It's tears of joy and wonder, my love. I'm in awe of God."

"I can relate with that," he whispered and a best of silence passed.

"Oh, Aunt Lizzy got delivered of her bouncing baby boy this evening."

Japheth sounded truly delighted. "Really? Hallelujah. That's wonderful news!"

"That's not all. You know Zach was crippled, right?"

"Was?" Michelle could almost picture his perfectly arched brows raised in question.

"You won't believe it. The moment he called out the name he claims Angel Gabriel gave his son, he stood on his feet without any aid. Zach was dancing on his two feet after over nine months of being crippled. You should have seen the commotion that caused."

"Wow! That's something. I know Zach doesn't dance that well."

Michelle chuckled. "It was a sight. I'll send you videos as proof. Some of their sweet baby too. His name is Jay."

"Please do."

She paused and sighed wistfully.
"God is in our midst again, Japheth. What the history books tell are not fairytales. I just feel so grateful that we are partakers of this wonderful adventure."

"Same here, Princess Michelle. It's going to be one crazy adventure... That reminds me of why I called you, dear. I'm coming to fetch you as soon as possible."

Michelle scrunched her brows. "Why?"

"I understand must have been so busy that you did not come online to hear the latest news. Our dear Emperor seeks to know the extent of his domain, so he's conducting a worldwide census."

"Really? That's new."

"Everyone is saying the same. Anyway, we have to go to Bethlehem together!"