As the ship began to stabilize, the crew's panic began to fill it.
-Serena?
-I'm still alive, Teddy
-The ship stopped moving. The infirmary!
-It's too risky.
-I don't have sanitizer or clean sheets or anything here. We don't have a choice! Can-Can you hold the knife? I'll carry you.
-Ok… ok, I got it.
Serena grabbed the knife and put pressure on her wound. She let out a scream as Teddy grabbed her in his arms and ran towards the infirmary. Blood was pouring from next to both sides of the blade through the woman's fingers. That was the least of her problems. The harvest began and it started to move inside Serena's belly, trying to push the knife out.
-LITTLE FUCKER.
-WE'RE ALMOST THERE!
-He's pushing the knife out…
-Fuck.
-You better not overseason me, Teddy, said Serena crying.
-NO! WE'RE GONNA BE FINE!
Teddy pushed the infirmary's door open, scaring Alice and Lancey.
-Alice, fucking move Lancey to the chair NOW!
-What the hell happened, kid? said Lancey while Alice freed him from the bed.
-The ship started to shake and a knife slipped out. Hurry! Alice! ALICE! FUCKING FOCUS, YOU ARE THE ONLY NURSE HERE!
-Rude, said Serena.
-You have a knife in you and your water fucking broke! I don't think you can work right in this moment, Miss I'm a Fucking Nurse Too.
-Take a deep breath, Teddy, said Lancey softly.
Teddy put Serena on the table. He held her hand with shaking hands.
-Never thought I'd see Kevin Hart crying before I die.
-Serena? Tell me what is happening.
- Wound from a knife. Didn't retract the knife and open the wound. Water broke. The knife probably hurt that little sucker too. It's trying to push it out. He is scratching out my insides. I'll die from blood loss if we don't take it out soon.
-Worms?
-We don't know how they'll react after the crush. We never used one raised in stressful situations.
-Got it.
Alice washed her hands quickly. She calculated the possibilities.
-We are gonna got you open.
-What?
-The blood loss will leave you too weak to push the baby out. The knife would. If we triple it, I could grab it out of you.
-Oh… yeah, it's the only way I guess.
-I don't have anesthetics.
-I'll pass out eventually. Give me a cloth to bite on so I don't shatter my teeth or swallow my tongue.
-I got this, Serena. I'm gonna save you.
-I know. I trust you.
-Teddy, you'll help me.
-I CAN'T CUT HER OPEN!
-You either cut her now or in 2 hours for fucking dinner. Now, grab the knife and make an incision from the wound here. Try to not get deeper than that, ok?
-Hey, Teddy?
-Yes, Serena?
-Come closer.
Teddy brought his face closer to Serena's. The woman's face was pale and sweaty. She pressed her lips softly onto his.
-Now fucking save me.
-Yeah… I will.
-Are you done? We need to hurry.
-Can I help, sweetheart?
-Wash your hands, Lancey. You'll pull the baby out. I can count on you, right?
-I watched my wife giving birth once. I'm a fast learner.
-Good.
Simon whistled happily. He was on his way to comfort his crew. He could imagine how the girls would hug him to thank him, how Teddy would apologize for being rude to him and how Lancey would finally respect him. He thought about Henry. Being buried in that hot foam surely hurt, but he was a required sacrifice. Simon was sure Henry happily complied to help him. He was always his friend, his support, his defender. That fool probably saw it all as an honor, but Simon couldn't give him all the credit even in his heart. Yes, he was the sacrifice, but it was Simon's plan. It was unfair to think all the love and respect he was going to get was only due to Henry.
Simon stepped into the infirmary only to witness pure chaos unfold.
Teddy stepped aside with shaking hands on a bloody knife. Alice frantically switched from sucking the river of blood to opening Serena's abdomen more and more while Lancey forced his hands into the wounds. Serena seemed unconscious.
-What the fuck? yelled Simon.
-YOU SICK FUCK! yelled Teddy coming closer to him with the knife.
-TEDDY, WE'RE FUCKING LOSING HER! BRING ME THE ANTISEPTIC NOW!
-You better prepare your fucking gun, cuz one of us surely won't make it alive, said Teddy growling between his teeth.
-I FUCKING SAVED YOU! WE WERE ABOUT TO CRUSH! I-I found Henry trying to drive this ship into the meteor.
-Why would Henry do that? asked Alice uninterested.
-He said it was kinder than what are we doing.
-So he had a spine after all, said Lancey.
-What?
-Can you blame him? Yeah, I hate him since I want to see my wife and baby again, but he was not wrong for that.
-WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SAYING? I saved your lives.
-Get out, Simon. This is hard enough even without your whining.
-What?
-Step the fuck out!
-I got him! I GOT THE BABY!
-Pull him out, Lancey. Don't pull too far. The umbilical cord might have acid in it. I can't have that inside her or it will melt her organs.
-Got it.
-Good.
Lancey pulled the product out. The creature had an unsettling resemblance to an infant, its small frame and soft, pudgy features evoking an initial sense of innocence. However, a closer look revealed a darker reality; where its eyes should be, there were only smooth, black orbs that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it, giving the being an eerie, soulless gaze. Its tiny hands ended in elongated, sharp claws that glinted menacingly, contrasting starkly with its otherwise innocent appearance.
Alice cut the umbilical cord above a metal bowl. A vibrant yellow liquid began to cascade down the surface, causing the once-shiny metal to transition to a deep red hue. As it flowed, the metallic surface emitted a sizzle reminiscent of hot oil splattering in a frying pan, creating an atmosphere of heat.
-Baby? asked Alice shaking. My baby?
-Oh shit.
-Alice, sweetheart, close Serena up.
-Give me my baby, Lancey! That's my child! GIVE IT TO ME!