The year was 2115 in the outskirts of Sector 8; the month was December. It was almost Christmas Eve. Yet one couple had no thoughts of such a joyous season, they had just heard the worst news of their entire lives.

“Your baby is going to die.”

The would-be mother held onto her husband’s hand, tears streaming down her face at the terrifying news, “Doctor, you can’t mean that. There must be something... You have to save her!!!” she held the large bulge in her stomach. She couldn’t imagine losing the joy that she had carried for 8 months.

The husband let his head hang, “We’re sorry doctor. This news is just…it’s so unexpected. Is there really nothing that can be done?”

The doctor shook his head, “The child has a rare disease, and even if it were to be born naturally it wouldn’t be able to withstand the nitrogen in the air. Its skin would melt off of its body. It’s better to abort the pregnancy. We’ve scheduled it for tomorrow morning,” with the usual lie told, the doctor took his leave.

The wife tried to sob quietly as she hugged her unborn child. The husband put his hand on his wife’s back as she cried. Neither of them could believe that this was happening. Everything was going so well; they had money, they had a house, they had love, yet their child was going to be taken from them. What did we ever do wrong?

The shadows in the room pulled further into the center, the lights growing dim.

Why would God do this to us?

“A wonderful question indeed, sir,” from the corner of the room came a cloaked figure. Her voice was as smooth as silk and the small bit of skin the couple could see, was as white as snow.

“What are you doing in here? Who are you?” the husband felt fear crawl up his throat as he looked up at the cloaked woman. Had it not been for her voice the husband would have assumed this cloaked figure was a man by the alarmingly large stature it had.

“Oh,” the woman rubbed her fingers together, “I don’t think you are going to care about my name in a few minutes,”

The wife tried to open her mouth to speak but felt her tongue go dry. She shook in terror of the mysterious woman.

“I’m going to have to ask you to leave!” the husband stood firm. He had just heard the worst news of his life- he didn’t need whatever this was on top of that.

“If you insist, of course I will leave, but I haven’t even offered you a trade…”

“We don’t want anything, please leave!” The husband walked towards the door to escort the cloaked woman out.

“Well that’s just not true now is it? What if I told you I could save the daughter you have?”

The parents froze, not knowing how to respond to such an absurd statement. But what if it’s true? What if she can save her?

“How?” at the idea of her child surviving, the woman spoke. Her hands planted protectively on her stomach.

The husband could feel the smirk grow across the cloaked woman’s face- the last words the couple ever heard followed:

“Let me show you-”