Her Voice

The pressure was crushing, and it was only getting worse.

For so long, Abner had been comfortable. Happy, even.

And then, he started to notice them. Muffled at first, then louder, LOUDER all the time.

With the voices, came the crowding. Sometimes, he could barely move at all.

Sleep didn’t come so easy anymore, either.

There was much to worry about. Who were they? What did they want with him?

And the pressure, growing stronger with every heartbeat, pinching his head and grasping at his limbs. Panic clawed at his throat, and it would have been easy to give in to it.

It was only the voice, her voice, sweet and calm and warm that pulled him back from his spiral time after time.

But now the pressure threatened to pulverize him.

His head pounded, his heart raced, then stuttered.

“We’re losing him!” one of the voices yelled. Deep, harsh.

The panic ripped into Abner’s chest, his heart screamed and sputtered and seared with pain.

Terror.

Where was the voice? Where was the woman who would save him?

Someone wailed, high and shrill and exhausted, and the light of ten thousand suns burned into Abner’s eyes, seering away the comfort of his eternal darkness.

He moved through space, but not by his own doing. Confusion set in.

“This doesn’t make any sense! I’m so scared!” he howled.

And then, warmth and softness swallowed him whole, and the voices stopped.

Her eyes were deep and dark and watery, weeping with a love he knew was his alone forever, and unlike any other.

“I’ve been waiting for you for so long, Abner!” she said. It was the voice he needed.

“I love you, Mommy,” he cooed. It came out as a babble, but she understood.

“I love you, my son.”