Haven

• Laura Wearne, Grade 11
• Short Story
• 2012

The full moon might have illuminated the paddocks, and the farmhouse that rested below the rambling hills, had it not been hidden by a thick blanket of stormy black cloud.
Branches swayed violently in the howling storm as it tore through the trees. Sheets of water fell from the heavens, as though the gods were doing their best to point out just how small humans were.
‘Just a little further, Marie’ the man panted. He held his shaking wife in strong arms, ‘look I can see lights, there’s a house!’ he tried to boost his voice with confidence, but he had little of that left. He struggled on, desperate to reach the house in time. The rain bucketed down, and his feet splashed through muddy puddles that reached halfway up to his knees.
‘I don’t think I can wait much longer’ Marie’s beautiful voice wasn’t much more than a breath almost lost among the raging wind. The young woman gasped and clutched at her husband suddenly, as her muscles contracted, then relaxed. Her numb fingers found and gently caressed her swollen belly, through the wet cloth. ‘It’s ok, you’ll be fine’ she whispered.
‘We’ll be fine.’ The man said firmly, ‘look, we’re almost there’.
He half ran, half staggered the final steps, through the gate and up to the house. ‘Help!’ he yelled desperately, he banged a fist against the door, ‘Help us!’
For a few moments there was no response, then, mercifully, the door opened, and before them stood a withered old man. Silently he stood back, and let the younger man through. ‘Thankyou’ Marie gasped, her piercing blue eyes staring directly at the old farmer. Marie’s husband gently placed her down on a rug beside the warm hearth. He glanced up at the farmer- ‘she’s in labour’ he said forcefully, ‘you have to do something!’
Lying on the rug, Marie panted.
‘I cannot do much,’ the old farmer held up his hand as the younger man started to interrupt, ‘but my daughter is a healer, she will know what to do.’ he added softly. He hurried over to a door, and knocked.
A few seconds later Josef returned, this time with a young woman dressed in her nightgown. Her long blonde hair was still tousled from sleep. The young woman, Eden, rushed around- heating water, preparing bandages, asking Marie questions.
While Marie breathlessly answered the questions, her husband sat beside her never taking his gaze off her. They both new Marie would not survive this- they could only hope their child did.
He sat this way, frozen, until Eden gently tapped him on the shoulder. He turned and he and Marie set their gaze on their new baby girl for the first time. Marie sighed, it was sigh of victory, there was now someone else, to carry on the line. She weakly lifted her arms in an unmistakable gesture- Eden gave the baby into her arms. Marie looked down at her newborn child, ‘Soriya’ she sighed. Soriya blinked, and then started to wail. As Eden took the baby to feed her, Marie took her husband’s hands.
‘Go now’ Marie whispered urgently, using the last reserves of her energy ‘this is the first place the soldiers will come looking, you need to get away!’