Pain. A gut-wrenching, soul-tearing pain.
It was as if her body was being ripped into a million pieces, then crudely stitched back together with rusty steel needles, only to be torn apart again, stitched, and torn apart once more...
The indescribable agony consumed Sonia Quincy. She couldn't feel her own existence anymore. All she felt was pain—so much pain she wanted to die.
"Push! Squeeze my hand and push!!"
"Hang in there! We've given you the pain relief. It won't hurt as much in a moment!"
The doctor's voice echoed dimly in her ears. Sonia Quincy couldn't think; she could only follow the instructions in a daze.
She didn't know when they had administered the pain relief, nor did she know how far along she was in labor. All she felt was pain. All she wanted was to run.
"Push!!!"
"Deep breaths! Keep taking deep breaths!!"
The doctor's shouts rained down. Sonia Quincy clenched her jaw, summoning what felt like every last ounce of strength she had ever possessed in her life.
