My Pretty Sweetheart (Arianna)

Suddenly, with a loud bang, the lamp on the bedside table and the other things on top fell to the floor, and I was plunged into utter darkness.

Fear engulfed me, I shrank into the corner. Within the darkness, and I heard a baby's cried.

My heart raced, long- buried fear and untold sorrow washed over me and threatened to suffocate me. I curled into myself, feeling all my carefully constructed self crumble in agony. Memories of that terrible night flooded my mind. I felt the same wave of helplessness and fear from that night. I looked down and saw a large pool of blood.

I screamed at the sight.

"Arianna!" Someone called out to me, from outside the window.

Terrified, I yelled, "Go away, all of you go away!"

Trying to stop the shaking, I buried my head in my knees, my body trembled so hard my teeth hurt.

"Arianna, it's me, Hendrix!" A soothing voice rang in my ears. The sounds of thunder receded slightly.

turned on, and I blinked at the sudden brightness. The

afraid!" A low voice

the light. It was only then

tears, my voice choked out, "It's the child. He's here.

He knows you love him. How can he bear to

leaned in his arms. My tears kept flowing and my heart felt like it was suffocating. "I'm sorry, I've worked so hard, but the rope

tightly. "He knows. He knows it all, he's not

when I calmed down enough, I attempted

me to bed instead and drew the blanket over me

not blood, but just a small puddle of water that blew in through the window from the heavy rain. Seeing that I was in a daze as I stared at the water,

in?" He

nose, and said, "Our balconies are connected, so I

to whip my head back to look at him with a frown, "Hendrix, you

eyes fell on my elbow