We Lost Her

Ezequiel burst through the hospital doors as the slid open, looking left and right.

He rushed to the nearest doctor, grabbing him by the shoulders. “Which room is Solyn De la Vega in?”

The doc pointed, and Ezequiel rushed towards it, skidding to a halt as a nurse walked out.

“Is Solyn in there?”

The nurse frowned, glancing down at her holo-screen as a red light blinked at the corner of her transparent mask.

“Yes. Mister De la Vega?”

He nodded, hands wringing together. “Is she going into labour?”

The nurse glanced up at him, a smile curling her lips. “Oh, no. Don’t worry.”

Ezequiel frowned, walking past her. “The hell do you mean don’t worry?”

She grabbed his sleeve, turning him around. “Mister De la Vega, your child was found to have a genetic abnormality.”

Ezequiel frowned. “Yes, and we said that we wanted to keep her.”

The nurse raised her eyebrows, chuckling. “Yes, well. Hospitals owned by the Cypher Corporation do not condone the delivery of defective children.”

Ezequiel stepped up to her, the other staff in the room around them pausing and staring at him.

“What do you mean by defective children?”

The nurse sighed. “Mister De la Vega, I know you must be upset.”

“Why would I be upset?” Ezequiel said, fists clenching.

“Oh, you don’t know?” the nurse said, snapping her fingers over her shoulder. “Your daughter was terminated about fifteen minutes ago.”

The world dragged to a halt. He staggered backward, knocking over a tray as he landed against a wall. His head spun, chest heaving.

“You… what?”

The nurse sighed as two security guards stepped up behind her, their faces masked, charge-pistols at their hips.

“Mister De la Vega. Are you stable?” the nurse asked.

Ezequiel forced himself to stand, swallowing the urge to vomit. “I’m fine, I’m fine.”

He turned, his body shivering as the doors to the ward decompressed, and slid open. She just… lay there. Her eyes closed. Her body still. Her tan skin glistening with sweat.

He stepped inside the room, boots clomping hollowly against the floor. Her light green eyes opened as he stood beside the bed. And tears welled into them.

“I tried to stop them,” she said, her voice breaking.

He kneeled beside the bed, leaning over her as she sobbed. She buried her face into his shoulder, arms wrapping around him. Her cries sent tremors through his body. Like an earthquake splitting his soul in half, leaving him to stare in silence as the walls crumbled around him. His heart hammered, pounding inside his head. Her body shook in his arms as she sobbed, screaming between breaths. Her tears soaked his shoulder; tears that should’ve been shed to bring life into this world suddenly shed for its denial.

For its refusal.

“I’m sorry, Ezequiel,” she screamed.

She was sorry. Not because it was her fault, but because he hadn’t been there to protect her. Because she was the only one who tried fighting back. Because he wasn’t there on time.

He tightened his arms around her, a single tear falling from his eye. “No. I’m sorry.”

The doors behind him opened.

“Mister De la Vega?” a man said. “Visitation hours are up.”

“No!” Solyn screamed, clinging tighter to him. “Don’t leave me!”

“Sol, calm down,” he said, his chest aching. “Just stay calm, I’ll get you out of here, okay? Just stay calm.”

A hand rested on his shoulder, and he stood up, her arms slipping from around him. She buried her face in her hands, her shoulders quaking as she kept sobbing. As the walls kept crumbling down. As the lights kept flickering.

The security guard clutched the back of his shirt as he escorted him out the room, another guard waiting beside the door as he stumbled out. He raised his hands.

“I’m not fighting,” he said, smiling. “Look at me. You think I can hurt anyone?”

The security guards stared as he walked up to an elevator. He stepped inside as the doors opened, turning and smiling at the guards. The doors slid closed, the elevator pinged as the smile melted from his face. He sank to his haunches, arms wrapping around his aching stomach.

And he broke down crying.