Trading Lives

 

"Sweetheart... it's Mommy, baby."

Alea burst into tears at the sight of her baby boy. The tiny face was pale, his eyes shut tight, his body wrapped in a thin cloth.

With trembling hands, Alea lifted her son.

She held the baby tight against her chest, then kissed his forehead and cheeks again and again. After everything that had happened, Alea could finally touch her own son.

"I'm sorry," Alea whispered. "Mommy was late."

"Ma'am, this is all I can do." The middle-aged nurse looked anxiously down the corridor. "Go before Dr. Kevin comes."

Alea flinched at the mention of Kevin's name.

Now she was certain that the nurse in front of her knew something. The woman wasn't merely feeling pity; she understood that Alea and her baby were in danger.

"Listen to me carefully." The nurse pulled a baby blanket out of the cart. "Your baby is still under the effects of the medication. It will probably be two hours before he's fully awake. Until then, you have to hold him close and keep his body warm."

The nurse wrapped the baby's tiny body in the blanket.

"He's very weak," she continued. "Don't let him get cold for too long."

Alea nodded, tears still streaming down.

"Thank you, Nurse."

The nurse checked both ends of the corridor again. Then she took a small bottle and a syringe from her pocket.

"I know your pain will be unbearable," she said. "This is a painkiller. If you want, I can inject it."

Alea hesitated for a moment.

She was still traumatized by the injection Kevin had given her. But if she had to flee while enduring post-surgery pain, she might not be able to carry her baby far.

"Do it, Nurse," Alea said, holding out her arm.

The nurse quickly injected the medication.

"Go," she said in a low voice. "I hope you both make it."

"Thank you."

That was all Alea could manage before carrying her son away.

Alea knew the nurse would get in trouble for helping her. But time was not on her side. She had to save her baby before Carlos, Fiona, or Kevin found them.

Alea headed for the emergency stairs.

At first, every step felt like a stab into the wound in her belly. But gradually, the painkiller began to work. The pain didn't disappear completely, but it eased enough to let her keep walking.

Alea bent down and kissed her baby's head.

"We're leaving this place, baby," Alea whispered. "Mommy promises we'll live."

Alea slipped out through the hospital's back door. She hurried toward the main road.

But her steps soon halted.

Carlos stood in front of the hospital with several large men.

"Carlos..."

In a panic, Alea turned around at once. But Carlos had already seen her.

"Alea! Wait!" he shouted. "Where do you think you're going?"

Alea ran.

"Damn it!" Carlos cursed. "After them! Bring my wife and my son back!"

Footsteps pounded after her from behind.

Alea clutched her baby even tighter. Her breath came in gasps. Her legs felt weak, while the surgical wound in her belly throbbed again with every stride.

She didn't know how far she had run when she finally reached a bridge beside the road.

Alea looked back.

For a moment, Carlos and his men were nowhere in sight.

But Alea had no time to feel relieved.

At the far end of the bridge, a man stood on the other side of the railing. He was thin, his clothes shabby, both hands gripping the iron rail. His position told Alea exactly what he was about to do.

"You fool! What are you doing?"

Alea ran over to him. With the last of her strength, she grabbed the back of his shabby shirt and pulled.

The man lost his balance and fell, landing on his backside on the road side.

Plak!

Without realizing it, Alea slapped his face.

"Why do you want to die when other people are fighting so hard to live?" Alea shouted, her voice breaking with tears.

The man gasped. But a second later, his expression turned flat.

"Whether I live or die has nothing to do with you," he answered coldly. He stood up and started walking back toward the bridge railing.

Alea's tears came harder.

‘God, why is life so unfair?’

Alea and her baby wanted to live, yet they were hunted by people who wanted them dead. Meanwhile this stranger seemed to have a safe life, yet was about to give up.

"There she is! Grab her!"

A shout from the distance made Alea flinch.

She turned and saw several of Carlos's men closing in.

"No..." Alea whispered.

She tried to stand, but a violent pain shot through her belly. Alea fell again, clutching her baby.

"Easy, baby," Alea whispered, her voice shaking. "Mommy will save you."

As she panicked, watching her pursuers draw nearer, a crazy thought suddenly came to her.

Alea turned to the man by the railing.

"Can't we trade lives with each other?"

The man turned. He looked at her blankly.

Alea sobbed as she kissed her son.

"We want to live. My baby and I want to live," she said desperately. "Just consider yourself dead today. But please save us."

Alea's gaze was full of pleading. Desperation showed in her eyes.

"Give us the rest of your life. Don't let them catch us."

The man looked at the group of people behind Alea. They were getting closer.

"Are they chasing you?"

Alea nodded.

She tried to rise again, but her body no longer obeyed. The wound in her belly hurt more and more, and felt warm. Blood had begun to seep through the patient gown she wore.

Without a word, the man walked over. He took the baby from Alea's arms.

Alea was startled.

Before she could protest, the man crouched with his back to her.

"Get on," he said. "I'll run as fast as I can."

Alea looked at the man's back, unsure.

But the pursuers' voices were getting closer.

She had no choice.

Alea climbed onto the stranger's back and held his shoulders tightly. The man carried Alea's baby in one arm, while his other hand supported Alea so she wouldn't fall.

"Hold on tight," he said.

The man took off running.

They passed along the sidewalk, crossed the road, then slipped into narrow alleys. Though the man had a sturdy build, Alea could feel his breathing grow heavier. No wonder, since he was carrying a grown woman on his back and a premature baby in one arm.

Across the road, Alea saw a station building.

"There's a station," she said weakly. "Go in there."

The man didn't answer. He crossed straight toward the station.

Once inside, he took Alea to the edge of the platform and entered an old train car that looked unused. There, he set Alea down near a long bench.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

As Alea slid off his back, the man saw the blood soaking the lower part of her patient gown.

"Did you just have surgery?" he asked.

Alea could only nod.

"My baby..." she begged faintly.

The man handed the baby back at once.

Alea held her son and gave a faint smile on her pale face.

"Sweetheart, Mommy loves you," she whispered. "We're going to make it."

The man crouched in front of her. Without saying much, he took off his shabby shirt and lifted the lower part of Alea's patient gown.

"Argh..."

Alea winced as the man pressed his shirt against the wound on her belly.

"We have to get you to a hospital. You've lost too much blood."

Alea shook her head quickly. "No. We have to get far away from here."

Suddenly, the sound of a train came from the distance.

Alea looked out of the car. "Is a train going to stop here?"

The man was silent for a moment. "If I'm right, that's the last train that stops at this station."

"Let's take that train," Alea urged. "Before Carlos finds us."

The man nodded.

Alea handed her baby back to him. Then, with great difficulty, she climbed onto the man's back.

"Press that cloth against your wound," the man said. "The bleeding might ease a little."

Alea adjusted the cloth on her belly, then hooked her legs around his body.

The stranger stepped out of the old car and walked toward the train that had stopped not far from them.

"There they are!" a shout came from behind. "Hurry, after them!"

Alea held her breath. What now? She panicked.

"Run..."