2

I stared at the blood beneath me, my entire body frozen. My heart pounded so hard it felt like it might burst.

“Help! Somebody, please help!” I screamed, my voice breaking and echoing into the empty forest.

No one answered.

No one ever looked back until the last disappeared from my sight.

As if to make things worse, I heard the cracking sound of thunder through the skies, immediately followed by pouring rain that drowned out my cries.

My hands trembled as I pressed them to my stomach, tears streaming down my face.

“No, no, no,” I whispered, shaking my head. My breaths came in short, shallow gasps as fear hooked me.

I grabbed my phone, dialing Leo with shaking hands. It rang once, twice, then straight to voicemail. My stomach sank. He wasn’t coming.

For a moment, I just sat there, helpless and scared.

I clenched my fists, forcing myself to breathe through the pain. “You can do this,” I whispered. My voice was shaky, and I didn't want to think about why I was bleeding.

Using a tree trunk for support, I dragged myself to my feet. Every step was more painful than the last, but I pushed forward, all I had to do was get to where the cars were parked. My dress grew heavier as the rain soaked through it.

I stopped in my tracks when I reached the parking lot, my heart sank. The car I came in was gone. Driven away.

I looked around, we'd come to the forest for this wedding so, there was nothing around me but trees for miles.

I swallowed, knowing I couldn't give in now. I couldn't even find the strength to cry, how was I going to get out of here.

I had no choice but to keep walking, hoping to reach the roadside. Maybe someone kind enough would stop and help me.

The blood soaked through my dress as I moved. I pressed my hand against my stomach, tears finally slipping down my cheeks, blurring my vision. “Hold on,” I whispered, though I wasn’t sure who I was talking to—myself or the baby.

It felt like hours before I finally reached the hospital. The nurses rushed toward me, their faces were either filled with shock or pity.

"Help me," I gripped onto the nearest nurse, "please... My baby," I shook my head fast, "please save my baby," I said through heavy breaths.

She wasted no time in rushing me to the emergency room along with her colleagues. I couldn't think of anything else at the moment, except my baby.

They got rid of my dress and switched me into a hospital gown.

My phone still didn't ring yet, Leo was yet to return any of my calls even though the moon was up by now.

The nurses seemed to hurry around and I felt some type of hope.

But it was all gone when the doctor finally came, his expression was grim.

He stared at some file in his hand and not even meeting my gaze, he addressed me.

“You lost the baby,” he said quietly. “I’m sorry. You came too late.”

The words hit me like a blow. My knees buckled, and I sank into the chair behind me. The tears I’d been holding back poured out, uncontrollable.

For a moment, the world blurred and I felt like I was all alone in that hospital room. My head dropped to my knees that were pulled against my chest.

I buried my face in my palms, my hands shaking as I wailed.

The doctor glanced at me, his tone shifting from sympathy to something colder. “You should’ve come sooner,” he said. “You have to be more careful. If you want to be a mother, you can’t…”

He didn’t finish, but I felt the judgment in his voice. The nurses exchanged glances, their pity was literally piercing my skin. I heard one of them whisper, “Her husband didn’t even come with her.”

I couldn’t blame them for their thoughts. I didn’t even look like a bride, much less a mother. My dress was ruined, my jewelry forgotten, and my heart shattered.

I pulled out my phone again, desperate for some comfort.

Then, as I sat there in the quiet of the hospital room, I saw him. Leo. He was walking towards my ward, his familiar silhouette so close I could almost touch it. My heart leapt.

He came.

I pushed myself off the chair, ignoring the dizziness and hurried toward the door.

"Wait! You're not supposed to walk yet!" A nurse called after me but I ignored her, almost tripping over twice as I made my way to the door.

I didn't care, I needed him, and now.

I hurried after Leo, my heart pounding.

By now he'd gotten rid of his tie and his always perfect hair was now in a ruffled mess. Was he that worried about me?

Despite myself, I found hope in that. Of course he was worried.

I held on to the walls as I tried to walk, limping from the sharp pain I still felt in my lower abdomen.

"Le-" I started to say before trailing off. I stopped in my tracks, as I saw him disappear into another ward.