Can't Escape Your Past

Chapter eighteen- Zalgo

Wren's P.O.V

A hard kick startles me as I'm walking back to the cabin after a long walk by myself. Well, not completely by myself since I got the little one still inside. She should be born any day now. Could be tonight now that I think about it.

Mama, it hurts! It hurts me, mama! I hear a small voice cry in my head.

"Hello?" I question as I look around.

I'm here, mama. But my heart... it really hurts. The voice says again.

"Why? Who are you? Where are you?!" I ask.

It's me, mama. But you'll meet me soon.

And the voice is gone.

I'm walking through the forest when I come across a strange clearing. There's no grass or plants around, some strange symbols and a piece of wood in the middle of it all. I read it and it just says "he who waits behind the wall". Whatever the fuck that means.

A strong kick makes me cry out. I feel a cold hand on my shoulder and turn around. A dark creature with red eyes and I'm pretty sure seven mouths, stands up tall in front of me. I scream.

"It's alright, Wren," says the creature. "I am Zalgo. I will not harm you, knowing that you are one of this forest's occupants,"

I breath quickly and stare at Zalgo. He steps closer and puts his large hand on my stomach. I try to scream again but kind of figure it won't do any good.

Zalgo raises his head to the sky and flicks it back down at me. He takes his hand off of my stomach and bends down to look in my eyes. "The child you grow inside you..." he begins. "Is not normal, even for the Creeypastas,"

"What does that mean?" I ask.

"Her developing body was shocked with electricity when her soul was still developing as well. I'd say before she was even two weeks into being slowly created. This child's soul cannot develop further and remains as a half, she has only half of a soul." Zalgo explains.

"Will this kill her?"

"If she's lucky, no. But the most likely thing to happen is that the remaining half of her soul will deteriorate over the course of what she can get for a life," he says.

"Oh, god. No! Please, this can't be so!" I yell throwing my arms in the air. "Please, please we have to do something! My baby is an immortal child, she's not supposed to die outside of the womb! Please help!" I plead.

"Sadly, there is nothing I can do," he says shaking his head.

"Can't a soul be transplanted in pieces from another person to the one who needs it?" I ask.

"No. I'm sorry, but it is just not possible,"

I need a moment to process what's happening here. I really wish I had something to say or even do. But no, my baby isn't normal. This is what Slender Man meant.

And in a flash, Zalgo is gone. But there are so many things I have left to ask him! I try to hold back tears and this time it actually works. I hurry back home as the baby continues to kick in frustration as I bounce up and down as I go down hills. Immortal children, always aware. I may not be an immortal, but if one parent is, just like Jack the gene is passed on.

I'm about ten feet from the door when my body is in terrible pain. My stomach cramps and I yell. Jack comes running out of the house almost the same moment that I do so.

"What's wrong?!" he asks with panic in his voice.

"Oh not now... please not now!" I cry as pain cramps up my stomach again, just ignoring Jack's question.

"Is the baby coming?" he asks instead.

All I can do is nod and gasp in pain.

Jack picks me up and carries me inside. He places me to sit on his chair while he lays out a blanket, takes a knife off of the wall, takes another folded up blanket and places them by the now unfolded blanket. He picks me up again and lays me onto the spread out. blanket.

I find enough strength in me to take off my shorts as my stomach continues to ripple just like Scarlett's did. Jack takes hold of my hand as I scream in pain. I squeeze his hand so hard, I'm not sure wether it's broken or not.

"It'll be okay, Wren," Jack says soothingly.

***

I've been contracting for what feels like a hundred years, when I really know it's been about two hours or so. My water broke and it's getting harder and harder to breathe. I have to keep going; I have to keep going for my baby! I say inside my head.

I feel something begin to slide out, but I'm not sure because Jack doesn't say too much. I look at him with a pained and questioning look. He nods his head; I can finally see his expression now he's not wearing his mask. He looks worried, but is smiling at the same time. A few minutes later the pressure in my body subsides and I hear Jack cut something fleshy. I dart my head up to look, but it's just the umbilical cord being cut off. Jack holds the infant upside down until she coughs.

He wraps her up in a black and wooly blanket. My baby doesn't cry or make too much noise. I try to slow my breathing as I smile at the sight of my daughter.

I painfully sit up and Jack hands me the tiny, pinkish human. He gets up to get a blanket for me and rock her slowly. "Hey, sweetie!" I whisper. "I don't think things will be easy for you, but I'll help you through it. Just like I said when I first learned you were coming: I promise to keep you safe," I kiss her tiny forehead. Her hair is the same colour as mine, the red sticks out more than the brown though. I notice a mark peeking out from the blanket on the left side of her chest.

I pull the blanket down a little bit. She has a large scar over her heart in the shape of a stitched up X. That must be where someone's soul is. But now there's something wrong with it, so she's scarred.

Jack comes over and put a blanket over my bottom half. He comes and sits beside me and we stare at our new little girl. "I have to tell you something..." I say.

"What is it?" Jack responds.

"I met Zalgo in the woods," I begin.

"You did?!"

I nod, "yes. But he told me something terrible about our baby. He said she only has half of a soul. It's because of that damn tazer, it screwed up her soul as it was the time when her soul was beginning to develop. So that meant she couldn't grow anymore of a soul,"

"Oh..." Jack seems too lost for words. "Well, she deserves a name. Even if she can't have a completely long life. I wish it made sense, I mean with her being an immortal and all. But anyway, she still needs a name,"

"Skylar?" I suggest.

"Skylar..." Jack thinks about it for a few moments. "Skylar. Yeah, I like that name."