The clouds grew darker still. Thunder gravely echoed warnings of the impending slaughter that would rage from the sky. A lightning bolt danced atop a distant hill and, as though waiting on an omnipotent cue, it rained suddenly and violently.

Awake was the aroma of the freshly mowed lawn as the rain pelted and intermingled with the hungry stubs around me and beneath my feet. I squeezed my eyes shut and lifted my head towards the persecution above. I tried desperately to invoke my guilt through tears. They wouldn't come and neither did the rain melt away my flesh and wash me away.

"OK Eve, don't move a muscle ... are you ready?"

I opened my eyes and looked down to see the almost perfectly symmetrical line that divided Suzan's ponytails and disappeared at the back of her head.

"Just do it," I whispered as I clung even tighter to the kitchen counter and spread my legs further apart. I felt Suzan's cold gloved hand open and spread the lips of my vagina and my body tensed.

"Eve honey," she said "just pretend I'm Brian or something, ok? I can't do this if you don't relax."

"OK," I sighed as I turned my head to the side and tried to concentrate on the rain tapping against the closed window above the kitchen sink.

I tried to beckon every ounce of strength I possessed in order to pacify my fears as the uncoiled hanger penetrated my very core. I felt the hard, slender metal probe its way to the growing fruit of my womb.

The rain beating against the window - the distant roars of the thunder - the seven spots on the kitchen ceiling - my thoughts raced to grasp a worthy distraction.

Suddenly, my phone cried out, echoing the tune of Coldplay's 'Clocks' and I immediately knew it was Brian calling. I turned my head to the sound of the personalised ring tone as it called out to me from the living room couch where I'd left it.

"Brian ... ," I whispered.

The makeshift claw worked its way further into the nest of the brooding growth. I winced in pain as it ripped the life from my internal embrace. I gasped as shock waves ran across my stomach and my heart continu-ously crashed against my chest.

My body convulsed as the hook grappled and tore away the thing. I bit my bottom lip to fight the screams that fought to escape my throat in the agonising torture of the forced premature labour.

I clung to the counter and pulled against the strength of the hook.

"OK Eve. You can relax now. It's over!" said Suzan.

She looked so pleased with herself. Her gloved hands were drenched in blood, my blood.

I sat up. My legs still spread apart and panting heavily - I saw it. The thing lay on the newspaper that was spread across the kitchen floor. I felt the cold sweat dance across by body as I stared at the grotesque pea- shaped red mass.

"Wait!" I called to Suzan as she scrambled to wrap the foetus in the newspaper.

"You don't need to look at it any longer and I have to get rid of it now." she said.

I sighed, lay back on the kitchen table and closed my eyes, defeated in the rising stench of blood and sweat that soaked my skin.

"Eve! What are you doing?" I heard Suzan call. I opened my eyes slowly and turned to the sound of her voice. Suzan sprinted towards me. Her grip was tight around my arm as she pulled me back toward the house. Once on the back porch Suzan released my arm. Panting heavily she kept a puzzled look glued to her face as she as she stared me down. Her light brown eyessurveyed my own dark pools. I looked away and turned to face the storm I had unwillingly escaped.

My dress clung to my shuddering body as though for comfort from its saturation. The rain continued its torrent against the backyard, drowning the lawn in its continuous descent. Suzan's voice burst through my thoughts as she tried to comfort my obvious dismay.

"You have to put it behind you Eve," she said. But the memories of the day before were still fresh in my mind. The smell of the blood and the potential life that was destroyed wouldn't dissolve. I felt my legs wobble as a strange pressure rose from my groin.

"Eve ... ," I heard Suzan's voice trail away as the ringing in my ears grew louder. Moisture between my legs streamed down in deep thick red strands. Suzan reached out and grabbed me as she shouted for my mother. I felt myself uncontrollably falling against Suzan's body as my legs became numb.

I stared up at Suzan's panicked expression as she tried desperately to save me from slipping out of her arms to the floor. I saw the back door fly open and the darkness spread from the corners of my eyes. I felt each goose pimple pushing against my flesh as my mother's face rose higher and higher above my own disappearing into the darkness.

- Renee Moulton