“What was that?” Hilary asked.
I’d been staring at the floor, but I looked up. “My baby. It’smybaby.Myson. You can’t take him away from me. He’smine.”
“He belongs to the Department of Fertility,” Hilary said in that same matter-of-fact tone.
“No.”
My shock had been replaced with anger. My face was hot, my fists clenched, and I wanted to scream. How dare the Department of Fertility do this to me? First, they forced me into this, and now they were going to steal my child. No. I wouldn’t let them. They couldnothave my baby.
“Like I said,” Hilary continued, “I know this will be hard, but you have to admit it’s for the best. Until recently, you didn’t want a baby. You don’t want to be tied down. You’re too selfish for that, and I promise one day, you’ll look back on this and bethankful.”
“Thankful?” I repeated, seeing red now.
“That’s right.” Hilary smiled. “Thankful.”
My fist made contact with her nose without me even realizing I’d lashed out.
I’d never hit anyone before and was shocked both by the pain that radiated through my knuckles when they slammed into her nose and the blood that sprayed from her nostrils, as well as the crunch of cartilage. She screamed and her hands flew to her face, but there was nothing she could do to stop the flow. It painted her chin and neck red, dripped onto her shirt, and even the floor. It was like a faucet had turned on. And it was probably the most satisfying thing I’d ever seen.
But I wasn’t done yet. Not by a long shot.
“You bitch,” I snarled as I shoved her. “You’re not taking my baby!”
Hilary’s back slammed into the portable wall, shaking the cubicle, and she let out another scream. She shouted for help, and male voices responded. Vaguely, I was aware of the thud of footsteps, but I couldn’t make myself care. Couldn’t stop what I’d started. Wouldn’t. This woman, this monster, was trying to steal everything from me, and I wasn’t going to roll over and do nothing to stop her.
I slapped her across the face, and she went down.
“Ara,” she gasped, staring up at me, her face smeared with blood, her eyes shimmering with tears, “please, calm down.”
“Calm down?” I screamed. “You have to be fucking kidding me! You’re trying to steal my baby.”
“It’s not up to me.”
“Where are they?” a male voice called.
“Five, I think,” another responded.
“It’s not up to me,” Hilary repeated.
“You’re a liar.Youreport everything that happens.Youtold the government I wasn’t fit.Youhate me. This is your fault!”
I moved to hit her again but was cut off when two soldiers rushed through the curtain. They paused to take in the scene, and I tried to move around the closest one, but he was too fast. Hegrabbed me by the waist, held me back. I fought against his hold, screaming at Hilary, cursing at her, acting like a lunatic. Maybe I was. I felt like I was going crazy.
“Get her under control,” the other soldier barked.
“I’m trying,” the one holding me said. “Calm down! Calm down!”
I wouldn’t. Couldn’t. I wanted to kill Hilary.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance.
When I refused to listen, the soldier slammed me face first into the ground, pulled my hands behind my back, and dug his knee into my spine. “Calm. Down.”
“She’s pregnant!” Hilary screamed. “Don’t hurt the baby!”
“I’m not gonna hurt the baby,” the soldier said, “but I am going to get this bitch to calm the fuck down.”
I was panting and crying, my heart beating a million miles a minute, but I stopped fighting. It was no use, anyway. I’d never had any power here.
