Last Breath

"The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window."

And it was a good thing it did. Claire was going out of her mind, with the car breaking down in the middle of the forest where there was no signal and Chris' fever going up, his cough getting worse.

She was panting with relief, checking Chris' feverish forehead as she knocked on the wooden door; there was no doorbell to be seen.

" Please be home, please, I need some help, I need to make a phone call! " Claire said as she battered the door, almost threatening to break it apart.

Chris coughed, looking so weak and hot, she panted as she pulled out a bottle to give him some water. He was 9 months old, her angel, and she could not bear to see him this way.

" Come on drink a little, baby, drink, come on, you need it, " she was nearly weeping, this couldn't be happening, the engine breakdown, not today of all days...

" Hello? " The voice was hesitant, elderly, but Claire jumpstarted nonetheless, seeing the old woman who had opened the door.

" Oh thank you, Claire started weeping, pushing past the woman before she could invite her in. Do you have a phone? My baby is sick, my car broke down, I need to take him to the hospital right now, he has a fever. "

" Oh poor dear, come right in, oh my god, poor little angel, " the old woman said, directing her to a small, rustic living room.

Claire went to pick up the phone, an antique that needed dialing. Balancing Chris, her bag in her state of panic made it very difficult and the old woman gently took Chris from her, whispering gently to the baby who had begun crying and coughing.

" Oh he's so hot, " she said in worry. " Poor angel, you need to cool down, " she added, and Chris seemed to calm down, which reassured Claire enough to go through with the dialing.

Would 911 work on such an antiquity?

But the connection was instantaneous, thank god for landlines. Claire gave directions to get an ambulance, she didn't even think of just getting a taxi, she didn't care if she ended up paying more in the end.

She needed peace of mind, she needed her son to be safe.

" They' re coming, thank you so much, " Claire said, going to pick up Chris again.

The old woman had sat down in an old rocking chair and Chris looked better; she was looking at him with such love Claire felt a bit guilty to want him back in her arms.

" I know those days, the old woman said with sympathy, caressing Chris' forehead. My son, oh I spent so many sleepless nights worrying about him, making sure he would grow up strong... every time he was sick, I would spend hours of anguish. "

" Yes, hours, can' t sleep, can't eat until he' s okay " Claire said, almost relaxing. All that stress was such a burden, all that fear, she felt so tired suddenly.

" I know, the old woman said, smiling again. He means the world to you, he is the world... and when something happens to him, when you can' t protect him... " her eyes misted over and went to the window, to the candle.

" I light this once a year... if I am here, that is, she said, her voice tremulous. In his memory, so I never forget him. "

" Oh I am so sorry, " Claire said, tears welling in her eyes. She hadn't even thought of lighting a candle for them...

" They should be here in 30 minutes, thank you so much for your help. Thank god you were there, I don't know how I can thank you - "

" No need, dear, it was my pleasure, your angel is so cute, the pleasure is all mine, " the old woman said, smiling benevolently.

Claire moved forward to take Chris back into her arms, but something in the old woman's stance made her think it would be rude to do this, and she did owe her thanks for her kindness.

" Been so long since I held a little man like this... the old woman said, smiling at Claire again. You look so tired, sweetie, why don't you sit down? "

" Okay maybe for a minute, I am exhausted, all night I was- " Claire shut her mouth near audible, tears threatening to spill out again. All night spent watching over Chris while looking at old family albums, old... well it seemed like forever ago. Crying unto exhaustion, and waking up to more fever and cough. The day had not been easy at all.

" I know, honey, I know, it's the curse of every mother. To care. Even when there is no hope left, care to the last. You see their faces and you cannot let them go, they will be with you forever, even when they're gone forever. "

Claire had to bite the inside of her cheek not to burst out in tears. Ghosts haunting her forever, she could never let them go. Without her angel, she didn't know how she would have survived those dark months.

Was there ever a light at the end of that tunnel?

A real light, the sun again, not a flickering candle about to be blown out?

She felt tired suddenly, the weight of all those tears, all that pain weighing down on her like a ton of bricks.

Weighing, impossible to keep her eyes open anymore...

Her son cried out and she shook out of her stupor. Why was it so cold suddenly? Why was the light different? Why did it feel as though hours had passed? As though something had happened, something vital, something feral, something that froze the blood in her veins...

Where was Chris? Where was the old lady?

She felt light-headed and a little nauseous as she pushed herself out of the slump she was in on the musty, dusty sofa.

Had it been so dusty before?

Her head was still reeling from whatever had happened but a whimper from the other room spurred her into action. She needed to find her son!

" Chris! Where are you? Chris!!!!!!!!!!!!! "

The cabin was tiny, why did she feel as though it was miles long, that she was running in circles without ever finding the exit?

She was losing her mind, that much was certain, but where was the old lady, where was Chris?

She looked outside for a moment, through the window with a lit candle. The candle had consumed itself a lot, very little of the wick remained, and it flickered left and right as though there was a breeze somewhere next to it.

But what really attracted her attention was a figure outside, shrouded in black, seemingly holding a swathed object, or rather... it could only be a baby.

" Chris! " she cried out, lunging for the door, wherever it was.

She hit it full force, feeling as though it should have split apart, it should have yielded, but she found herself on the floor, half knocked out.

And felt herself being dragged outside without being able to do a single thing about it.

"Now wake up, " whispered an unpleasantly croaky voice and Claire jerked up in panic.

She was on the cabin's front porch, looking in at the old woman, behind the flickering candle, so close to snuffing itself out.

" What's going on? " she demanded, the panic igniting in her heart once again.

She looked left and right, it was still the same cabin, but everything was changed. The aura was so cold, so harsh, so different... and the candle, her eye kept being drawn to the candle and she couldn't explain why.

That flicker was mesmerizing, but... what did it mean? What did any of this madness mean?

" Where is Chris? What did you do to my son?! " she accused.

" Your son is alive... for now, " the old woman said. She was facing sideways and now turned to look at Claire directly in the eyes.

The woman's eyes were black, completely black, with a reddish glow that made Claire gasp in fear... about as much as the statement the old crone had just uttered, which was not reassuring at all.

" What did you to him? He' s just a baby, how could you do this, how can you hurt him, he's- "

" But they always remain our child, our baby, what difference does it make? " the witch, for it could only be a witch, a malevolent creature, intent on causing unimaginable pain... " When they took him from me, I felt the same. Broken, shattered, my heart shriveled forever, at the thought of never seeing him again. "

" Oh god, no, " Claire whimpered at the thought.

" Why do we live on? Breathe on? Why do our hearts keep on when theirs stop? " the old woman mused, seemingly in despair herself.

" He is all I have, Claire breathed out. All I have left. Please. "

" He was all I ever had, the old woman said, her eyes glowing with hatred. Did that stop them from taking him? From bringing him back in ashes? Did that stop them from ripping out my heart? "

Claire was out of her mind, her guts feeling empty, so empty, as when she had woken up in the hospital, her head ringing... and after a few minutes of consciousness, wishing she had never woken up.

But Chris was there, Chris needed her, the only thing that had allowed her to survive those dark moments. Still now, he was her light, she could not do without him, she could not tolerate any harm coming to him.

" All I have, I lost my husband, my boy, my girl, everyone, all I have left, please, please, tell me where he is, " she cried, a litany that spilled out on its own.

" He is alive for now, I am not heartless, the old woman said with near wretching compassion. I give you a chance to find him, bring him back to you. They took him from me, I couldn't save him. But you have that chance. "

" Just give him back!" Claire yelled, hitting the window pane with enough fury she thought it would shatter the pane. But nothing happened, it was as though she could not even touch the glass. An electrical tingle, a sort of resistance, nothing else. Nothing tangible.

" The candle is your boy's life, " the old woman said, and Claire felt a freezing tingle climb up her spine.

It was impossible and yet she didn't even think of doubting it. The flickering flame could only be...

" As long as the flame burns, your son lives. If it dies, so does he. If you find him before life and flame extinguishes, he is yours again... and I must wait, wait again... "

There was genuine pain in the old woman's voice, such sadness, but Claire's attention was on the flame, the wick, so short, pooling in the melted wax. How much time left?

" Where is he? Tell me where he is! " she demanded.

" Fetch, " the witch said and suddenly the only light there was coming from the cabin was the weak flickering flame.

Her child's life, precious seconds going by while she hesitated, while she stood transfixed. That flickering flame...

" Where is he??? " Claire screamed but there was no one to scream to.

She started running in the dark woods, crying and whimpering and shouting her baby's name, not having a clue where to go, where to look, where that witch had put him. That flame...

She was in the darkness, she fell on her knees, incapable of breathing, the images pouring without stop behind her eyelids.

The road stretching in front of them, feeling a little nauseous, but that was to be expected... Chris' hand tracking to her bulging belly, smiling at her before returning his attention to the road.

The kids in the backseat fighting over some silly game, the sun in her eyes. The beginning of a headache, all she wanted was to get out of the car and get to their summer home, a little rest was needed.

" Okay guys, can you please keep it down? " she asked a little shrilly, making Chris laugh. He was very relaxed and feeling good and happy.

She was a bit envious of his attitude, she felt heavy, bloated and about to break apart. Definitely needed a vacation.

" Okay kids, your mom is tired. You will get a baby bro soon, give her a little break, okay? We'll be there soon, and ice cream for everyone. "

After stridents cries of happiness at the promise, the kids returned to their phones, thankfully in silence, and Chris grinned behind his sunglasses.

" Don't you worry about a thing, he started singing, off key as always, but his good mood was starting to rub off on her. Cuz everything's gonna be all right. Don't you worry about a thing, cuz ev'rything's gonna be all right- "

She didn't have the time to holler a warning. The truck came in from the bend so quickly that she only had the time to gasp... and everything became horribly dark.

The hospital bed, her head hurting so much, the blurs of people, their voices distorted, she couldn't make much sense of it at first.

Nurses, doctors, her mother, crying, holding her hand.The fear had woken her up faster than she could have imagined, and faster than should have been allowed.

She ripped her hand away from her mother's to feel her belly, crying in relief that the growing bump was still there. Everything would be okay after all... but she felt a chill climb up her spine even in the crisp hospital sheets.

Now the voices became all too clear...

" We were able to save your baby - "

" I'm so sorry, Claire, I'm so sorry. "

" Your husband is in a coma, we are keeping him alive- "

" Claire, baby, it will be all right, be strong- "

Somehow in this pandemonium of voices, all she wanted to do was scream, but she did not have the strength for it.

Four weeks in the hospital, a triple funeral in a wheelchair, staying with her mother for a month until she could not take the attention anymore. Everything reminded her of them, of everything she had lost.

Everyone thinking she had lost her mind, going to live in their summer house, but she needed the space, she needed to find herself.

Rebecoming alive, recovering some hope only with his birth, her angel...

She couldn't lose him.

She could not lose him.

Claire found herself on the ground, forehead pressed against the dirt and leaves, crying without end. But helplessness wouldn't help her now, she shouldn't cry.

Nothing would be all right. Insane as it was, that flame... she had to find Chris before that flame snuffed itself out.

She pushed herself out of her slump in rage and ran through the dark foreboding forest, back to the cabin and the dying candle.

She didn't have much time left and she wiped the useless tears and snot off her face, trying to clear her vision and come up with a plan.

She was feverish and panicked and she had to quell that despair. This would not save her baby.

She closed her eyes because the whole world, dark as it was, swirled around her until she felt as though she would pass out again.

And wouldn't that please that evil witch, her flaking out just when she needed all her wits about her...

But how could she find a center of calm in all this? All alone, no one to help her, guide her, no one on her side, everyone gone?

She fell on her knees again, sobbing without being able to stop herself. Everything and everyone had been taken from her, how could they take more, how could they steal the last thing, the last being that gave her a tiny ray of hope?

Darkness seemed to invade her, choke her, the candle was down to its last strands of wick, smoking more than giving light. All over, it was all over.

"Don't worry about a thing... Cuz every little thing's gonna be all right, "

" Chris? " Claire's head snapped up, she could have sworn she had heard his voice, singing off-key, smiling at her from that tiny light in the window.

The window!

When she had looked out, the witch was holding her baby, standing in the front yard, standing...

Clair jumped to her feet, the tears gone, focused only on her rescue work, not on her despondency.

There! The ground had been trampled but also moved, there was a slight mound of loose earth.

Rain started falling, a few droplets, the first strike of an advancing storm, thunder rumbling in the distance, a portentous sign if there had ever been any. She ignored everything, concentrating on the signs, on finding her son.

A whimper threatened to slip out of her lips but instead she plunged her hands in and scooped out dirt. Digging deeper and deeper, she knew she was right, this was where Chris was, under the earth, an early grave.

Tears of rage now fell from her eyes and she kept uttering grunts of effort and pain, how deep was he? How deep had that hellion buried him?!

The darkness became absolute suddenly and she felt her body freezing the light was out. But her fingers were touching something, cloth, and she pulled it out, removing the sheet that covered her son's face.

"Oh god baby, "she whimpered. Thunder rumbled, lightning made her see his tiny little face...

His eyes were closed, he looked at peace, as though the fever was gone, the pain was gone forever.

"No! she refused. No you are not dead, she didn't take you, no one will take you away from me! "

She had learned infant reanimation just to be on the safe side, living in the summer house far from any hospital. She started massaging his chest and puffing out breath in his tiny lungs as rain started pouring on both of them.

"Don't- you-worry-about-a- thing, " she sang as she worked, tears and rain running down her face. Her reanimation did not seem to have any effect.

"Cause-every-little-thing's- gonna-be-all-right, " she wouldn't give up, not ever, she would not abandon her son, her angel. Not to anyone.

She had lost too much, she would never lose again. She would not lose him to anyone!

Another crack of thunder and suddenly she saw light looking back, the candle was whole again.

She was exhausted, out of breath, and she cradled her baby in her arms, feeling as drained as after the first delivery...

The ambulance pulled into the spotty driveway, that cabin looked all but abandoned except for a candle in the window. The storm had passed, thank god, the rain had been pouring so hard they had almost had to stop because of those bad potholed roads.

The technicians got out, bringing their satchels and bags, feeling a bit apprehensive, were they at the right place? It had been hard enough to find as is.

"Hello? Someone called 911!? "

A woman, late thirties, looking disheveled but otherwise happy, came out of the cabin, carrying a baby heavily swathed in a blue cover.

"Hi, thank you so much for coming, she said with a bright but tired smile. You can look at him if you want, I was so worried... but the fever broke in the last minutes, he seems fine now. "

She invited them inside and they examined the baby, which seemed in good condition, a little weak perhaps, but otherwise definitely on the mend.

"If ever the fever comes back, give him some of this, or call us again," the medic said, handing her a vial of antibiotics. " But I think he will be okay. "

"Yes he will be, won't he? she said softly, fondly, picking up her baby with extreme care and love. We are home now, we are safe, no one will hurt us ever again... "

The ambulance technicians did not puzzle over her words too much. Mothers, underslept and overworked, had a tendency to ramble on after particularly harrowing fever episodes.

They closed the door and let the little family rest in peace, not noticing that the candle's flame was not flickering nor getting consumed.

They were safe now. After being separated for so long, nothing would tear them apart...