HEARING DAMAGE
TEEN NOLA - CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX !

IT FELT LIKE EVERY part of her was on fire. Every fiber of her being. Every little neuron was blasting off and setting her blood alight. Everything hurt. It ached to breathe but she had no other choice. Every few seconds, someone was begging her to breathe, to 'just keep breathing'. Shauna was already so over the process of childbirth and her child had yet to even crown.

Shauna was sure she had managed to turn both Nola and Taissa's hands a dark purple from how hard she had been squeezing with each new rush of pain that assaulted her but she found herself not really caring in that moment. She had been quickly transported over to the cot before everyone had begun to gather around her, each of them ready to help in whatever way they could. Misty was now crouched, knees pressed to the floor, in between Shauna's spread open legs.

The Shipman girl's breathing was now incredibly strained. Through gritted teeth, she snapped, "Why the fuck is this taking so long?" All the while she was glaring down at the protruding bump where her baby still resided.

It was as though the baby didn't want to leave, as if it knew the life that would be waiting for him once he did. Another surge of pain hit Shauna causing her to cry out yet again. Her yell reverberating off of the four walls that surrounded them.

"Should we like, boil water? That's something people do, right?" Mari suggested. She was totally freaking out. Her palms were continuously sweating no matter now much she dried them against the rough fabric of her sweater.

"Yeah, yeah. That's a good idea." Akilah nodded in agreement while she approached the bottom of the cot, a collection of clean cloths bunched up in her hand. "We need to keep things clean."

A mixture of grunts and sobs escaped from Shauna, who now had her eyes scrunched tight. "These are contractions, right?" Natalie somewhat apprehensively inquired. Her eyes darted frantically back and forth between Shauna and Misty. "Should we be timing them or something?"

"Yeah, that last one was just over a minute. Is that long or short?" Gen questioned the curly haired blonde beside her. When Misty didn't utter a reply, Gen glanced her way only to find her staring off into the distance, her eyes glazed over. Gen was quick to snap in frustration. "Misty! Should I be timing the in between or no?"

Misty's bottom lip trembled like a young child who had been scolded by their parent. "I-I don't know. I just-I need to..." she stammered out. Everything was becoming too much. The responsibility weighed far too heavy upon her shoulders. It was suffocating.

Her confidence over the last few months had dwindled significantly. She no longer believed she was capable of bringing Shauna's baby into the world.

When Akilah realised that Misty's silence was freaking Shauna out, she decided to add in her own opinion to help calm the situation as best as she could. "Okay, I think when they're this regular and intense, she's in labour labour and the baby is actually coming."

"Okay, so it should be over soon?" Taissa asked, her voice dripping with hope. She glanced back at the red in the face Shauna, caught Nola's eye who wore a grimace before looking back to Akilah, whose face had also become screwed up at her question.

The two girls were privy to the knowledge that giving birth could range anywhere from an hour to a few days depending on the baby, the way they were positioned and if the mother was dilated enough.

"Maybe." Akilah said with a half shrug. She then said in hushed whisper, "But my sister's labour was a day and a half."

Shauna had heard her loud and clearly despite her best efforts to remain quiet. Her eyes grew as wide as saucers. "No. No, I can't take this for a day and a half, Tai. I can't!" She desperately sobbed. She squeezed at Taissa's and Nola's hand harder, if that was even possible.

"Shauna, you can fucking do anything!"

"Of course, you can do it. And we're right here to help, right Misty?" Akilah uttered the last part through gritted teeth. Her gaze upon the blonde was sharp as her voice pulled Misty from yet another daze. "What do you need from me?"

Before an answer could stumble its way out of Misty's mouth, Lottie suddenly appeared by the cot quickly followed by Van. The two girls found their way to the side of Shauna's head, their knees practically pressed up against the backs of Taissa and Nola.

Lottie looked somewhat nervous. She swallowed hard against the lump in her throat. "Um...hands." She then exclaimed. Many that crowded around the cot quickly joined hands, their fingers interlocking in tight desperation. "Maybe we can...we can share our hopes with each other."

"Wilderness, I hope Shauna doesn't die." Mari cried out, earning herself a series of nasty glares from everyone that sat around her.

"What the fuck? Why would you say die?" The Turner girl growled across the bed at Mari, who had the good sense to drop her head and avoid the gaze of others who hadn't taken kindly to her plea.

Shauna was now gasping for air. Her big brown eyes were wet with tears. She breathed out her fear in one single word. "Die?"

Taissa immediately shook her head. She assuredly uttered, "You're not gonna die."

Nola ran her free hand along the top of Shauna's head, brushing along her sweat soaked hair while shushing the terror filled girl. "You're gonna be fine, Shauna. I promise you." She couldn't promise anything. She didn't know what was going to happen, all she could was hope for the best and pray that the Wilderness wouldn't take Shauna from her.

Lottie quickly kneeled down next to Nola, peering around the girl at the haggard Shipman girl. "Shauna, everything's gonna be okay. Just let your pain open you to this moment."

"What the—" Taissa began before biting her tongue. She rose to her feet, releasing her body of Shauna's hand and reached across the bed to yank Lottie up. "Lottie, I know you're trying to be helpful but she could really do with some space. This is hard enough already. Go!"

Though Lottie looked and felt crestfallen, she did as she was told and stepped away from the cot just as another scream clawed its way up Shauna's throat.

Misty had begun talking to herself. She needed to buck up and take charge otherwise something bad might happen. Her voice was faint, like a whisper as she chanted, "You can do this, Misty." Once she believed she was steady enough to continue, she shifted her gaze over to Shauna. A faux confidence painted itself across her face. "And you can do this too, Shauna. Just keep breathing."

That painted expression of self assurance didn't stick around for too long. It was almost instantly replaced by an expression of absolute horror. Her hands pulled back slowly from in between Shauna's legs, coated in a thick layer of liquid crimson.

"What's happening?" Shauna exhaustedly asked while trying to sit up and look down at her lower half. "Something feels weird."

Misty's blood soaked hands shook violently as she began to blubber like a baby. She snivelled as a feeling of cowardice consumed her. The girls all tried their damndest to snap the blonde back to reality, pleading with her to help them help Shauna. "I can't do this. I can't do this, I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She apologised while jumping to her feet and rushing away, her hands still covered in Shauna's blood.

"Misty? What the fuck, Misty?" Taissa whispered as she watched Misty head towards the kitchen.

Nola didn't even hesitate to snap at the curly haired blonde. "Where the hell are you going?" Her gaze was now sharpened into a glare fixed upon the crying Misty. Now just wasn't the time for her to get a dose of reality.

Their next best thing was getting the help of a grown up. Unfortunately for them, the only grown up around was a hobbling gay man who had probably never even laid eyes on a woman's privates before. But he would have to do, at least that's what Natalie thought as she ran over to him and pulled him towards Shauna, not giving him a chance to really resist. The man stood there, wide eyes and slack jawed, staring down at the exposed centre between Shauna's legs.

            "Oh shit." Coach Scott exclaimed. His crutches jostled about as his body grew woozy at the sight of the blood. He quickly darted his gaze away as an apologetic glint appeared in his eyes. "Shauna, I'm sorry. I don't think I can help with this. I just pressed play on a video."

            Looks of the incredulous nature etched onto many of their faces as they watched him shuffle back to his little corner of self pity.

            Natalie took a knee beside the cot, waving off the man to comfort Shauna. "Ignore him, Shauna. Women have been having babies for millions of years. You're gonna be fine. Akilah's got this."

           Shauna tried really hard to breathe and focus on the scratch of Nola's nails along her scalp but the pain managed to keep her on high alert. Her ears pricked at the sound of Akilah whispering to seemingly no one. "Who are you talking to?" She hurriedly asked as she forced herself to sit back up. With panicked eyes, she finally took notice to the lack of curly blonde hair. "Where's Misty?"

           "Misty—" Akilah began before cutting herself off. She knew telling shauna the truth would only increase the panic she already felt. Instead, she chose to lie and assure her that everything was going to be okay. "She's just grabbing more rags. Okay, everything is fine. It's just getting a little messy, that's all."

            Akilah grabbed ahold of a few pieces of cloth and began to wipe at the blood and amniotic fluid that continued to seep out despite her water having already broken. "Okay, Shauna. I've got this."

          Time was going by so slowly but also incredibly fast. They had been at this for hours now, with Shauna's gut wrenching screams filling the air and reminding them all that the baby had still yet to make an appearance. Shauna's breathing become much more laboured and her face had begun to pale to an extreme level. As her strength depleted with each push she forced out of her herself, it was becoming increasingly clear to them all that giving birth to this baby just might kill Shauna. This caused Travis to pull down one of the deer skulls that decorated the fear wall and set it on a table he had previously pulled in front of the fire.

The boy soon brandished a knife, running the sharp blade along the centre of his palm, slicing through the skin until blood came seeping out. From a button, a strand of hair and a shell, the others placed their own offerings atop the blood dripped deer skull.

"The Wilderness recognises your sacrifice." There was a beat of silence as Lottie wrapped a piece of cloth around the deep gash now spread across Travis' palm. Their eyes then met. "And so do I."

"What the fuck are they doing?" Taissa muttered under her breath. She couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Nola kept glancing back at them. She wanted to join them, to include an offering of her own. But she couldn't tear herself away from Shauna, not even for a second.

Shauna was getting paler by the second. All of her strength was used to stare off at the group and their offerings which Nola quickly wanted to dissuade her from doing. "Don't look at them. Ignore them, Shauna. Focus on me, okay?" She uttered while reaching out, gripping Shauna's chin and shifted her face away from the group. "I need you to breathe, okay? Breathe."

"Can you do that for me?" If it was literally anyone else, Taissa would have scolded them harshly, telling them they were talking down to Shauna as though she were a child. But it was Nola and she seemed absolutely terrified of losing Shauna.

            Despite her best efforts to appear strong for Shauna's benefit, Taissa saw right through the facade. They all did. It had broken almost immediately, once Shauna was moved to the cot. It had split and cracked, threatened to disintegrate right there on the spot but was forced back together by the Rilke girl as the gut wrenching screams of agony reached her ears.

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"I THINK IT'S COMING!" Akilah announced to the room, her voice just barely being heard over the agonising wail that emitted from Shauna. The young girl's scream faded out into a series of pants. Her chest moved up and down with each desperate gasp.

            The idea of the baby finally beginning to crown had both Taissa and Nola departing from Shauna's side for a moment to join Akilah between the spread open, blood caked legs. They each wore smiles of glee that dropped away once laid eyes on the confusion inducing sight.

            Taissa's brows cinched together as she quietly spoke amongst the three stationed at the cot's end. "Is that..is that the head? It's so purple."

            Her question had Akilah leaning forward to get a better look. What she had assumed was the baby's head was something entirely different. Settled in between Shauna's legs, beginning to force itself from the girl's vaginal canal was a gross looking, purple hued mass. "Shoot..I-I think it's the placenta?" Akilah awkwardly suggested.

            "The placenta?" The Turner girl speedily inquired just as Nola asked, "Isn't that supposed to come after?"

             The prideful smile that had graced Natalie's lips while she transported over the makeshift crib they all had incorporated in putting together for when the baby joined them, slipped away and was replaced by a deep frown.

            "What's going on?" Shauna cried out. Her bottom lip trembled like a leaf trapped in a hazardous gust of wind as she shifted her body weight on her arms once again. "Do I keep pushing?"

            Akilah's head shook up and down so fast she looked like a bobble head doll. Her eyes skirted around, shifting frantically from Shauna's face, her own bloodied hands and the mass of purple. "Yes, yes definitely keep pushing. It's no big deal, it's just coming out a little backwards but um, don't worry. I'm just gonna touch you again, okay?"

            Shauna slumped back down to the pillow with a deep exhale. Her body was growing weaker. Every inch of her skin was drenched in a thick layer of sweat. At the other end of the cot, Nola stood grimacing as her stomach sank at the sight of the placenta being peeled from Shauna, the organ soaked in a thick, viscous, blood tinged liquid. Like a wave crashing against the rocks, blood came gushing out, splattering against the blankets Shauna's body lay on.

             Akilah quickly set aside the placenta and began soaking up the blood with whatever cloths she had on hand. The stomping sound of footsteps approaching her from behind had her explaining everything that was going on. "The placenta is out but the baby's still not coming and she's bleeding a lot."

             Stepping alongside them was Misty Quigley, glasses perched up high on her nose, her hair as curly as ever and looking much more stable than she had before. Her hands no longer shook and her eyes were now free from tears. Akilah shuffled to the side, allowing Misty to take her place in front of Shauna.

"Are you sure you're good now?" Akilah demanded. She needed to know that Misty wouldn't freak out on them again. They couldn't have Shauna in the midst of giving birth and Misty aggressively shaking and backing away.

Misty nodded. Determination swirled in her eyes as honestly stated, "I'm great."

            Wheezing breaths escaped past Shauna's hung open mouth as she weakly panted for air. "Please don't let my baby die." She pleaded, her voice cracking. Her eyes stung as tear after tear fell down her cheeks. She was so fucking scared, she didn't want to die, she didn't want her baby to die.

"Okay, just push, Shauna. I know it hurts and I know this is hard but you just need to focus and you need to push. You're so close to being on the other side." Misty's gaze then softened as she grinned. "And then, you get to meet your baby."

Shauna bobbed her head up and down, forcing herself to take in deep breaths. With each breath she took, Misty took one, demonstrating for Shauna to just keep breathing. Save for the few that stuck by the Shipman girl's side this entire time, everyone else quickly gathered around the fireplace, their fingers clasped tightly together and their eyes scrunched shut. "We hear the Wilderness, and it hears us. We heard the Wilderness, and it hears us."

Their chanting echoed throughout the cabin, enveloping the room and its occupants with each and every word that left their lips. Shauna was grower weaker. She could barely keep her eyes pried open. The chanting continued on as many of them began crying from fear.

Taissa and Nola managed to catch one another's eye across the cot. They both had returned to Shauna's side, recapturing her hands in their own. Her ferociously strong grip had grown feeble, now leaving her hands just barely holding on. As if they could read the other's mind, their mouths opened and out spilled their desperation. "We hear the Wilderness, and it hears us."

Taissa even went one step further and pressed the bone she'd been given by Van to help protect her just as it had protected her from perishing to those wolves, into Shauna's hand. Despite how frail she had become, Shauna still tried her hardest to fight off the bone. She was unsuccessful when Taissa forced her to hold it, wrapping her own hands around Shauna's to stop her from letting go.

"Push, Shauna, come on." Misty encouraged. The girl bellowed as she pushed as hard as her body would let her. The bespectacled blonde grinned once again as she moved her hands further between Shauna's legs. "Good! Good, good, good! I'm palming the head!"

Misty continued holding to the baby's head, slowly tugging it free. "You're almost over this, Shauna, come on, just a little bit more." If Shauna could give just one massive push, Misty would be able to pull the baby's head completely free.

Nola squeezed Shauna's hand. Through a flood of tears, she peered down at the sweat drenched girl and smiled gladly. "You can do this, Shauna. Just keep pushing!" She gently but strongly coaxed her to just keep going.

With the encouragement from those around her and the promise of her baby on the other side, like a soldier charging forward on the battlefield, Shauna released the loudest, most guttural scream yet as she gave one final push before the room around her, the faces of her friends and the girl she loved faded to black.

"We hear the Wilderness, and it hears us."

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author's thoughts.
chapter thirty-six. not proofread.
this chapter was surprisingly quite hard to write. I didn't know whether to go into extreme detail about childbirth so I left it somewhat vague. I also left the chapter on somewhat of a cliffhanger even though we know what happens with Shauna. I have an idea on how I'm going to write the next chapter so I'm gonna get started on that soon. anyway i hoped you enjoyed :)