Prompt and Circumstance

Genesis x Two

'revival' Jan 29, 2016

"It's coming now... NOW... PUSH NOW!" The baby's head crowned, smooth and shiny with its bloody wrapping of the umbilical sac. The mother moaned as she gave her hardest pushes yet, clinging desperately to the iron bed head. Two more heaves and the body slid into the waiting Doctor's hands. A boy, he registered happily, but the smile quickly left his face as he saw the newborn was not breathing.

Quickly as he could, he broke through the sac, clearing nose and mouth, although all seemed far too late. Suddenly the woman's face tightened with pain once again. Not the expected after-birth - another head crowning, instead. For a moment the Doctor couldn't decide between the lifeless body in his hands, or the second arrival about to issue forth from the heavily panting mother, arching her back like a taut bow, higher than seemed possible.

He shook his head impatiently. These women who insist on giving birth at home, he thought. Then his heart softened, as he thought how hard times were in this working-class neighbourhood. The large family sizes didn't help either – but who could blame the loving couples for reaching for each other for the sweetest pleasures?

He had no choice. He thrust the tiny and unfortunate first-born to the end of the bed, and returned his full attention to the woman, palpating his hands lightly against her stomach. No time to waste. The second birth proceeded much easier and faster. A smaller baby. Another boy. He shook his head in despair - still no vital signs here either. This time, he gathered the slippery body to him and rushed from the room. He must save this one. He must! He didn't want the woman to witness his attempts to bring life back. Not a pretty picture – certainly not for a woman who had gone through many trials and tragedies in her life as this one already had.

How seriously he underestimated the exhausted woman's tenacity. With the greatest difficulty, she raised her head barely high enough to see the lifeless little being at her feet. Painfully she reached forward until she could gather him to her. Instinct led her to pinch his nose and blow into his lungs – again and again. Could it be only a mother's love able to cause the miracle to happen? The miracle called revival...

With the tiniest, most shallow gasp her first-born began to breathe on his own.

The Doctor returned to the bedroom, his head bowed low, a stricken expression on his face. His voice faltered, near breaking as he said, "I am SO sorry. He didn't make it, either. I tried every... "

Now his voice broke off altogether, and his mouth fell open in amazement at the sight of the firstborn suckling at her breast. She smiled, Madonna-like, though tears rolled down her cheeks.

Wednesday's child is full of woe, she thought. How ironic.