[Memorex75]

Surrogate Goddess
pt.8
Life and/or Death

“AAAAggggggggg.........” Jena screamed. “God he won’t stop kicking.” Jena had under gone yet another growth during the night and this time no baggy cloths could have hidden her inhuman shape. Jena lay in her tent propped up on pillows, rubbing her now huge round stomach that had to stick out more than two feet even in her sitting position. Her breasts had swollen to a pair of half inflated beach balls and slowly dribbled milk from her sensitive nipples. Jena’s hips had also gained girth and after a year of working in a museum Jena knew she perfectly resembled one of those tacky old fertility goddess icons you see in every ancient culture exhibit. She leaned back panting from the pain as the baby calmed for the few minutes it took before kicking again.

Brooke and Ninhursag stood out side the tent talking in hushed voices. “This is bad.” Brooke said. “There’s no way she’s moving anymore, can’t we do something about the pain?” “Drug her?” “I don’t know much of your modern medicine but one thing I know for curtained is no mortal medicine will have even the slightest effect on her body now, she is the goddess.” Ninhursag said. Brooke was quiet for a moment. “Will the birth kill her Ninhursag?” She asked so quiet she could barely even hear the question herself. “No, at least she should be able to survive it.” “Women never had medicines that safely dulled pain at birth in my time and they lived.” “Yeah but they never gave birth to a god.” Brooke said gloomily. “I will watch over her and do all I can to help, I have delivered a child or two you know.” Ninhursag chided.

The day dragged on with nothing but the sound of Jena’s screams echoing off the cave walls. Brooke helped Ninhursag, who could solidly touch Jena now, with examining their patient. Ninhursag poked and prodded Jena, listened to the sounds coming from the globe that was her stomach and in general tested her health. “It’s as I thought.” She said. “Jena is perfectly healthy aside from the pain my strong child is causing her.” “Some time today she should start to go into labour and then give birth.”

Brooke sat beside Jena, holding her hand after yet another round of kicks had ran through her. “Hey you don’t have to look like I’m on my death bed here.” Jena groaned. “Sorry your just really putting me off the idea of motherhood.” Brooke joked cruelly and Jena laughed in between winces of pain. “Aside from the pain what’s it feel like?” Brooke asked with a look of curiosity and confusion mixed on her face. “Oh god if I could only describe it right.” Jena moaned. “I’m guessing normal child birth isn’t this intense but I literally feel like I’m going to pop.” “I’m blotted and cramps not kicks keep hitting me.” “I’m just about as uncomfortable as humanly pos......” She cut off. “What’s wrong?” Brooke asked. “AAAAHHHUUUGGGG” Jena screamed at the top of her lungs. A blast of warm clear liquid burst from between her legs and she shrieked so loud it actually hurt Brooke’s ears. “Her water’s broke.” Ninhursag said appearing beside them. “She’s going into labour Brooke, help me lay her on her back.” Even with her new strength Brooke was hard pressed to lift and turn the giant mass that her friend had now gained. Jena was practically unconscious but waves of pain prevented her from passing fully out. “She’ll bounce back.” Ninhursag said. “It’s just shock.” Brooke never liked the medical specials on the discovery channel and this was ten times worse but she helped as she could while Ninhursag tended Jena.

“Brooke....” Jena called softly. Brooke came over and jumped as Jena suddenly sat bolt up as much as she physical could and grabbed her. Brooke stared into Jena’s eyes and the expression she had could only be described as haunted. “He’s here, I can sense him.” Jena wailed. “Brooke go, I can tend her.” Ninhursag ordered and Brooke flew from the tent grabbing her weapons on the way out.

Brooke didn’t even need the rope as she all but flew up the slopping passage that made the tunnel mouth. As she exited the cave she stood before a creature that could barely pass for human. So far from water Enki’s power could no longer sustain the beautiful shape it once had. Enki looked dried and shrivelled to a point any mortal person would have been dead for days from dehydration, his skin like leather and his bony hand clenched some indistinguishable lump. “It took some time to find you two Ishtar.” He croaked. “But I asked for directions.” He tossed the lump toward Brooke and she saw it was the head of the same trucker that told them about the caves. “I’ve fallowed you across this hell long enough and If I’m feeling this out right..... I have just enough time to kill your sweet little vessel and then do away with my wife’s who is hiding in that hole.” “Now please die quickly and I will deal with you when we’re back in the other realm.” Enki charged.

“Jena this is going to go faster than a normal labour thankfully but you are not ready yet and it’s going to get pai.” “AAAAAHHHHHHH.” Jena screamed as the first contraction wiped her mind out with pain and she squizzed Ninhursag’s hand so hard she flinched.

Any hope Brooke had Enki would be weaker in his dried state vanished as she crossed swords with him the first time. Brooke’s double edged broadsword should have given her the advantage in swing with it’s weight but Enki’s strength made an impossible difference and after two exchanges she shifted the sword in mid swing into a sickle stabbing Enki in the shoulder and blocking his swing. She just barely had time to release the weapon and jump back as Enki swung a fist that Brooke was sure could have crushed her head. She knew the two other swords, one on her back and one at the hip along with the other small weapons she carried where all going to be used just to stall him. Even against Ishtar’s insane screaming in her head she would kill him Brooke knew better and it wasn’t fear, just acceptance.

After four contractions the pain Jena had felt should have killed her. She knew it, but the necklace glowed brighter and she knew dying was an easy out she wasn’t going to get. “Your nearly there Jena.” Ninhursag said. “I think your almost ready to start pushing.” On the word push Jena heaved as hard as she could, so eager to be done with the pain it ironically caused more. “Not so hard so fast Jena.” Ninhursag said. “This is happening fast enough as it is.” “Not.... Fast..... Enough....” Jena huffed and another contraction made her forget the end was anywhere close to being near.

Brooke fended Enki off with the ball and chian fail. She had already gone through a handful of knives and another sword. “This is BULLSHIT.” Ishtar silently screamed in Brookes head. “It’s not a fair fight.” “I can kill this bastard if he only didn’t regenerate.” “I find that hard to believe.” Brooke counter. “We buried the last sword right through his heart and nearly lost an arm for the effort.” A trickle of blood ran down her right arm were she had been cut but it wasn’t deep. “Who’s side are you on bitch?” Ishtar raged and swung the chain end of the fail ripping Enki’s sword from him. Despite being unarmed Enki was still dangerous, not all his punches and kicks had killing force. Brooke knew Ishtar took as much of the pain as possible, but even with her last sword she still couldn’t kill a god, every cut she made healed. In a desperate attempt to stop her Enki grabbed the sword as close to the hilt as possible, losing two figures in the process but stopping the swing. Enki reached over so fast Brooke couldn’t dodge and Enki grabbed her left shoulder. The crack of bone was loud enough to hear but not over her enraged scream, Brooke twisted the sword, shearing off the rest of the fingers on the hand and still with his other hand clamped on her shoulder Enki had no way to block the swing that loped his head off. Brooke staggered back but did not faint as her arm hung limp at her side.