BROKEN SPIRIT

CHAPTER ONE

At this rate, they wouldn't have anything left to eat when the real famine hit.
Rebecca knew Peter was worried, he wore a long face, hardly spoke and ignored her with quite determination.

They had a minor argument the day before that and maybe she had said too much, the veins on the side of his neck showed his effort at restraint but she had caught on too late,
"You should have let this be," He bit at the words gripping the edge of the small wooden table, "I won't mingle with your life,"
She starred ahead knowing what her choice would be if the time ever came. Why did it have to hurt, why did everything happen so suddenly,
Peter was hurt and it wasn't his fault yet why did she feel this weight like she was responsible.

The women had backed her up, it was the first time in a long time since some busy bodies had done something selfless, she wondered maybe just maybe, if she'd done things differently maybe her marriage wouldn't hang on such a thin thread.

She could hear the mid wives telling her to push, she could hear some distant murmuring, she could smell the dirt, she held the sheets tighter,
"push," Another voice said beside her  urging her with firm reassurance that everything was fine.

She took a deep breath, she pushed hard, with all her strength, some one laughed, "I see the head,"
She could still feel pain, her head dropped to the side, "Where's he?" she asked her sister, but Martha didn't have a reply, she looked at her dear Rebecca and smiled, and just that smile spoke volumes to her.

She stretched on with dogged determination, "He promised me..."
"I sent Tirzah but I'll go my self if it's your wish," She gently let her hands drop and walked swiftly out of the small old hut, where would Peter be?  She asked herself, she decided to go by the farm, that was his favorite spot.

As she got closer she heard voices, one was very familiar but she couldn't place it, she wondered what kind of man would stay here and feel peace when his wife suffered such torment, she was almost running now, she busted out of a sharp bend,
There, Tirzah sat wide eyed, shocked at first but then the shock had disappeared, she looked away.

Knowing fully well that Tirzah had not bothered to inform him, Martha was straight forward, "Your wife's at healing camp," She paused not knowing what to say next, "In alot of pain, the mid wives think it'll be a miracle if she lived,"
Peter was shocked, for a second he wasn't breathing, he hurried past Martha, she stood staring at Tirzah,
"I didn't  want to just break the news, I needed some more time,"
Martha smiled, "If you had been any body else, it would not hurt this badly," She turned to leave, Tirzah tried to follow her, "Don't you dare," She said.

Martha was a few distance away, she could see Peter outside, maybe they didn't let him in, she hurried to meet him, she could see his face now, something was wrong,
"What happened?" she asked,
Peter turned, he looked at her, his eyes fell and just then she saw d little boy she had once known, he didn't have to say anything but she needed to know, "Tell me what happened," She said frantically searching his eyes, 
"she's gone," the world was spinning, "And I didn't save her,"
She looked ahead, Lucky was Coming towards her, she closed her eyes, she didn't want to be here, and then like a flash of thunder, she fell, hard, her head hitting a stone, everything faded away, then she saw nothing at all.