She's losing too much blood

she can't make it in time

the children's cord is tangled

around them.

We need to choose—

Choose? My eyes watered as my

heart clutched itself into a choking

hold. Letting the thoughts consume

me and suffocate me, I didn't hear

it when Azura whispered my name.

"I need to see Charlie," Azura whispered a

little louder. Her voice was coarse and

her eyes faltering. I rushed to her sides

and touched her shaking face

as her teeth clenched. "Charlie?"

I nodded and placed a cloth on her

forehead, letting it soak up her drops

of hard work and misery.

"This is for you, Charlie," She handed

me a bracelet woven out of dark blue,

yet spiraling up with every single shade

of blue imaginable.