I NEED YOU

It was a stormy night that fateful day. The loud rumble of thunder overhead did nothing to drown out the screams of the woman in labour.

A nurse wiped at the sweat dribbling down her forehead as her breathing became even more erratic.

Her legs were spread open and the doctor placed a gloved hand on her swollen stomach, encouraging her to push one more time.

With all her might, the woman pushed and the cry of a new born filled the room. A smile formed on her chapped lips as joy filled her heart.

An exhausted exhale fell past her lips as she stared idly at the white ceiling.

The new born continued to wail as the umbilical cord was cut off and the baby was wrapped securely in a white blanket.

The new mother stretched out her arms, wanting to hold her baby. A nurse carefully placed the new born in it's mother's awaiting arms.

Looking down at the now sleeping child in her arms, tears of joy filled her eyes, slowly, she placed a gentle kiss on it's forehead.

Hours later, the baby was already cleaned and was sleeping soundly in a cot near it's mother. With the raging storm outside, the hallway of the hospital was eerily silent and empty save for the occasional deafening claps of thunder.

The fluorescent lights on the ceiling flickered, going off before turning back on. A cloaked figure appeared at the end of the hallway.

The figure began to move, barely making a sound with the heavy boots on their feet.

It stopped at a door and turned the brass knob. The door creaked as it was pushed open revealing a dark room. The lightening from the thunder overhead lit the room briefly, revealing a sleeping woman and a cot beside her bed.

The figure walked inside quietly. Nearing the cot, they peered down at the sleeping child, before their eyes drifted to the mother who was clueless to their presence.

Gloved hands reached down and scooped the baby up. The infant whined softly in it's sleep as it was moved from it's previous position.

The figure used the dark cloak to conceal the baby and disappeared into the night, leaving the cot empty.

The crack of thunder jolted the mother awake, on instinct, she looked to her left where the cot was and found it empty.

Alarmed she sat up immediately, searching the cot thoroughly, she found nothing. Panicked, a stream of hot tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Who took my baby!”, Her scream caught the attention of some nurses and they rushed into her room. Quickly the lights were turned on as the mother searched the room.

“My baby”, she mumbled repeatedly as she searched under the bed. When she found nothing, s ahead, seemingly unaware of the danger the figure exuded.

The cloaked figure stared down at the infant with scorn before storming out of the room and sl