Destiny's Dilemma

Ch. 1

Breathing in and out intensely, Hana was in a stretcher her swollen belly rising and falling with each gasp. Tears streamed down her face, mingling beads of sweat as her short strands of blonde hair hung messily around her. Every ache and pain radiated through her body like a tide and she groaned, the sound deep and primal.

"P... Please... I can't... I-I..." The words tumbled from her lips, but they quickly faded into anguished cries. The pain was an unbearable force, a wave of suffering so immense that she questioned the limits of human endurance. All she wanted was for it to be over; for this relentless torment to cease so she could finally welcome her child.

"It's okay, miss!" a nurse reassured her. "We're almost there. The doctors and nurses are ready for you. Just hold on!"

But Hana barely registered the words; the world around her had dimmed, and her entire focus was consumed by the burning pain coursing through her body, a tempest that signified the imminent arrival of her child.

The stretcher suddenly came to a halt, jolting her back to reality. Nurses swiftly maneuvered her onto the delivery bed, their hands gentle yet firm, yet even that felt like a violent shift for her exhausted body. She wheezed, each breath a laborious struggle, and began pleading for relief.

"It's okay, dear! You're almost there, I promise!" a female doctor said, her voice warm and steady as she leaned over Hana, preparing for the delivery.

"Can you tell me your name? Is this your first pregnancy?" the doctor asked, her tone encouraging.

With trembling fingers, Hana attempted to muster a response, but another contraction lashed at her like a whip. She screamed, a raw sound echoing in the sterile room.

"It's alright, you're going to be taken care of! We're here with you!" The doctor's calm voice cut through the chaos.

"Her name is Hana Kurusu. She's 21 years old. She mentioned earlier on the first floor she's the Hana Kurusu who ran away three years ago. This is her first pregnancy," a nurse chimed in, the raven-haired woman beside her nodding.

Fatima, another nurse, quickly scribbled down the information. "We finally contacted the authorities; her aunt is on her way."

"Honey, I need you to focus as hard as you can. Your baby is coming any minute now. We're going to provide you with some medication to help you through this," the brunette doctor coached gently, her eyes steady and reassuring.

Hana lay back against the bedding, her fingers gripping the sides of the bed as though it were her last anchor to reality. She breathed rapidly, each inhale punctuated by fierce contractions that seized her body like a vise. Sweat poured down her brow, and her body shook uncontrollably as if she were caught in an electrical storm, leaving her whimpering in overwhelming anguish.

"Stay strong, Hana. You can do this. We're right here with you," Fatima encouraged, squeezing her hand gently, grounding her amidst the turmoil.

"I can't! I can't..." Hana moaned again, the pain coursing through her with increasing intensity as the contractions grew closer.