The Third

hey look, it's 2008
so if anyone still reads this, here's the beginning of a story, first draft of the prologue-type-deal. and i'm not gonna explain anything, so be confused.
and i've changed the plot-type deal some, so this isn't completely accurate....
but whatever

“So what’s wrong with her?”

“Just a minor case of pneumonia. She’s on antibiotics now. She should be good to go home in a day or so.”

Paul sighed with relief. The coughing and rattling in Marci’s chest had terrified him, so terrified that he didn’t even stop to drop off his nephew at the neighbor’s house.

“Thank you, doctor,” he said, as he carefully bounced the fussing baby. The doctor turned away, and Paul looked to his sleeping sister. She looked so peaceful…until her body shook with coughs.

Paul sighed again. At least her fever was going down. He sat next to the bed and picked up the baby’s bottle. A yawn escaped him as the sound of suckling filled the room.

A loud crash woke him with a start. His hand clenched convulsively, but it was empty. He glanced down, but could just barely see the shattered bottle on the floor. How many hours had passed? “Marci?” he whispered, looking to his sister’s bed.

No sister.

“Marci?” he said louder, standing quickly only to realize that his nephew was no longer in his arms. “Marci!”

A white-clothed nurse stepped into the room. “Is something wrong?”

“Marci’s gone, and the baby’s missing!” Paul ran from the room, followed by the nurse raising the alarm. Where would she have gone?

He called himself every kind of fool. He should have told the doctors, but he selfishly tried to protect her from scorn. The kidnapping, rape, and psychological problems that followed… When she had appeared on his doorstep after a year of hiding in the witness protection program, he took her and the baby in. She ignored the baby for two weeks straight, refusing to acknowledge it. But after that, she was fine, only relapsing occasionally.

It would have taken only five, maybe ten minutes, to stop at the neighbors.

“She’s not in the building,” said a doctor quickly striding toward Paul.

He swore and pivoted around, running for the door.

“Marci!” He looked left, right, then left again. The pond. “No…” He sprinted in that direction.

A scream tore from his throat as he saw a hospital-gowned form floating in the water. The water splashed around his legs as he reached to pull Marci out.

No baby in her limp arms. Another pair of hands reached for her, and Paul plunged back into the water, searching for the baby. After a few seconds of searching, he pulled him out quickly.

“No, no no…wake up…” A nurse took the blue child out of his arms. He stepped back, trying not to panic. Marci’s skin was terribly pale.

Soon, the baby cried loudly. Paul barely held back a sob of joy. But his joy was quickly suppressed when the doctor stood, shaking his head.

“I’m sorry. She’s dead.”

Paul stared in shock at the doctor, lifting the still form of his sister. No…no… It would have just taken ten minutes.

“How could you, Marci?”