Chapter 5 - A Sign of Life
Valeria’s tears fell freely, splashing onto the dusty, ruined fabric of Daniel's suit. She gently placed her trembling hand over her large, swollen belly, seeking some small comfort amidst the surrounding nightmare. As if responding to the extreme distress and the physical trauma of her sudden fall, the baby kicked forcefully against her palm. It was a strong, rhythmic movement that sent a wave of profound relief crashing through her.
"He's alive," she gasped, looking down at her stomach before bringing her tear-filled eyes back to her husband's pale face.
Daniel saw the movement. Despite the crushing weight of the iron frame pinning him to the floor, he slowly, agonizingly extended his free hand. His fingers trembled as he reached out, gently placing his fingertips against the taut fabric of her dress. He felt the firm, undeniable kick of his unborn son.
A weak, fleeting smile broke through the grimace of pain on his bloodstained lips. "You're both okay," he breathed, his eyes fluttering slightly as a wave of dizziness washed over him. "That's all... that matters."
The tender moment between the husband and wife was starkly contrasted by the utter devastation surrounding them. The air was thick with the smell of pulverized stone and metallic dust. Valeria desperately grabbed his cold hand, squeezing it tightly.
May you like
"Stay with me, Daniel. You have to stay awake. You have to meet him."
She looked around frantically, screaming for help, hoping someone in the disorganized, panicking crowd would hear her pleas. The reality of his injuries was setting in; the pool of dark blood expanding beneath his side was growing larger by the second, soaking into the ruined Persian rug and staining the white marble floor beneath the catastrophic wreckage.
