The Adventures of Heemah. Episode I
Ask for help when you need it or else… it may cost two lives.
It was late afternoon that Thursday, the reverberation of the closing bell had just ended, giving way to the soothing sounds of nature: the swaying branches of nearby trees, the musical chirps from the little throats of cute humming birds calling to each other, the barking of some stray dog, everything seemed at peace. Heemah finished transferring her books into her backpack, it had been a very long and eventful day, it was time to go home.
“Nice speech on child delivery today, Heemah” that was Pascal; the Vice-President of the School’s Red Cross Society, Heemah was President.
“Thanks Pascal, see ya” Heemah replied hardly glancing over to him.
Heemah left her classroom, walking hurriedly through the hallway of the first floor and even more quickly down the flight of stairs that led to the ground floor. The school building was three-storey high, a U-shape, with little space in the middle for play and morning reception. As she passed the main gate, a few meters to the west of the building, a thought crossed her mind.
Seriously, why the rush? I’ll follow Johnson Street home, and even though it takes longer, I’ll give myself some time to think about my lecture today, who knows I might get more ideas. Heemah heeded to the thought and that was the beginning of a terrible mistake.
“Johnson Street” was quiet as usual, it bore no sign of human existence except for the little foot path that curled upward between thick bushes that may have housed a fully grown python, or some deadly crab. Heemah walked on quietly, listening for anything out of the normal. There was nothing. She walked some more still listening. There was nothing. She let down her guard and began to walk freely. Then the sound came, a sharp shrill that brought terror to her ears, expressing lethal pain from its source.
Was that a wolf? A human? Heemah stood still.
“Awwwwwww!!!!”
It is definitely human. A woman most likely. Heemah moved closer and she saw the source.
A fully blown pregnant woman, sprawled on the ground, her sunlight yellow dress, stained with dirt and …
is that urine? Heemah moved even closer.
No! She replied her thought her water is broken!
Heemah rushed to the woman’s side, “Hello ma’am, are you alright? What are you doing here?”
“Help me… please” the woman’s voice answered weakly, her fingers were trembling, her eyeballs rolled helplessly about in their sockets.
“Help me” the woman repeated, she was barely audible.
Why on earth would she be here? Should I call an ambulance? Or should I … should I deliver the baby myself? I’m the President of the Red Cross Society, I of all people should know how to deliver a baby. Heemah pondered.
“It’s alright ma’am”
I’m going to do it, I’m going to deliver the baby, I’ll be known for this, I might secure a scholarship straight to college… and that thought sealed the first wrong move.
Heemah reached into her backpack, brought out her face towel and her water flask. The water was cool; she poured some on the face towel, and rubbed it against the woman’s forehead. There was a soft sigh of relief; it seemed to ease the woman a bit.
I can do this Heemah thought, I can do this! Well…, she was very wrong.
Thinking quickly, Heemah reached for her backpack again, this time she used it as a pillow and rested the woman’s head on it. The sun was setting, the evening breeze was gentle; she raised the woman’s knees skyward, and began to massage her belly softly. Then, she reached carefully for the woman’s under pants and pulled it off her legs.
“Ma’am, at the sound of my command, I want you to push hard” Heemah spoke softly but her voice was steady.
“Okay” the woman managed to respond.
“Ready? Three… two…PUSH!”
“Awwwwwww!!!” the woman screamed, pushing hard with all her strength, or what was left of it. Heemah checked. Nothing happened.
“Here, take some water” Heemah fed the woman a few gulps from her water flask. She drank helplessly and tried to level her breathing.
“Alright… three…two…PUSH!!”
“Awwwwwwwwww!!!” the scream was sharper, piercing the cool air and travelling to the far ends of the street.
Heemah checked. Is that a swelling?
“PUSH HARDER!!!”
“Awwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!” the scream grew louder.
The swelling increased. A spark of hope?
“Ma’am! There’s a crowning, the baby is coming!! PUSH!!!!!”
“Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!” that was the loudest scream yet.
Heemah checked the third time, and then it happened. In a flash, the baby’s leg shot out of the woman’s ladypart.
“Arrrgghhhhhh!!!!!” the woman shouted lifting the lower part of her body in excruciating pain. A few seconds passed and she fell to the ground, her eyeballs rolled up in their sockets, her trembling hands unfolded… she was dead.
Heemah was in a horrified state of shock, she could not blink, she took up the woman’s hand for any sign of a pulse… she listened…there was nothing. She listened again. Dead silence. Heemah put her ear over the woman’s chest… there was no sound, not even a slight thud.
What have I done?! Heemah began to shake visibly, her legs were like wobbly noodles, and her hands wouldn’t stop trembling. I killed her. She tried to stand, her knees buckled, she fell to the ground. I killed her!
There was a rustle of leaves.
What was that? Footsteps? Someone’s coming?
Heemah picked up her water flask, took her wet face towel and began to run. She ran in terror, past the bushes, past a little turn to the right, past more bushes, and then quite suddenly she came to a halt. She looked back. She knew she could be traced; she had left her foot prints.
Watch out for episode II
