Pre-story Author's Note:
This is a fantasy novel that will have abilities and powers included. The story starts out slow, but it is intentional! I want to be heavily detailed. Enjoy!!
There is a planet named Keena where a lot of fighting, bloodshed, tyranny and terror exists along with happiness, blissful existence and all around goodness , but these things don't exist simultaneously in the same places. Around this time of year, winter is in full swing on the continent of Angelo. Within Angelo there is a state named Brewinsburg and within that state there are six cities. There lived a humble and, all-be-it, normal little family in the grade B city of Leffel. The Gray family were going about their business in the small apartment they owned. Barry and Monica Gray were making conversation about all of their future plans, including the big surprise they've waited roughly 9 months for. When they thought about it, they realized Monica was 38 weeks and 1 day along in her pregnancy.
Barry Gray, at 33, is a rugged and fit man with a bit of salt and pepper in his beard and with a full head of jet black hair that could be seen on top of his head, sitting at 6ft 4. Meanwhile, Monica Gray, being 28, even though not old at all, she had the physical appearance of someone in their early twenties. She made her age look phenomenal due to that and standing at 5ft 7, having a perky, yet down to earth, personality, and her long, wavy blonde hair that seemed to have a golden hue in the sunlight. Most people looking at the couple just couldn't help but be jealous of them, wishing they could find something like what Barry and Monica had. Barry prides himself on his body and worked on it any chance he got. Monica did the same before she got pregnant, but since then, she gets tired incredibly easily and insists that she'll workout again after she delivers their young one, even though Barry tells her she shouldn't rush it.
Monica was sitting on a chair in their kitchen, and she was on a soft pillow to ease the pressure on her back due to the pregnancy. Concurrently, Barry went on to prepare the night's dinner for both of them as they talked. They planned on having a twelve ounce salmon fillet and some asparagus for both of them that Monica made a quick trip to the nearest grocery store for earlier in the day.
After placing the two salmon fillets on a baking sheet and placing them in the oven, Barry grabbed the asparagus out of the refrigerator and started breaking the white part of the stems off before washing them. "How do you feel Star?" Barry asked, using his wife's nickname and raising an eyebrow with a curious look.
"I feel full, and not because of food. This is your fault!" She replied, putting a playful tone in her voice while pointing at her large belly. Barry quickly rebutted with a humorous tone, "I wouldn't say that," a light chuckle left his lips, "it takes two to tango as I recall." Monica couldn't help but laugh a little at the wild comment, knowing that this was his normal craziness. "No baby, I feel great and excited to say hello to our little one. I'm just ready to have the baby already though." Monica said, looking sweetly at Barry, while she watched him throw some stems in the garbage can.
A few moments went by in blissful silence as they enjoyed just being in the same room as one another. A few moments later, Barry heard a foreign sound and then Monica gasped. Barry stopped what he was doing to look over at his wife, who was rubbing her belly in circles with a distressed and scrunched up look on her face. When Barry gets worried, he does this thing where he asks a bunch of questions back to back and without taking in a single breath. "Are you okay? What's wrong? Why did you gasp? Is the baby okay?" Barry asked, frantically trying to make sure everything and everyone was fine.
"Ummmm… Barry go get the car now." Monica squeezed out in a low mumble. Barry, looking confused, asked, "Why? Is everything okay? Are you alright?" "Barry!!" Monica said, raising her voice a little. "I'm okay, but my water broke and 'WE' need you to hurry and get the car, NOW!!" Monica stressed her point to him, putting extra emphasis on WE. Barry then took an extra moment to look and realized that she was right. Sitting under Monica's chair on the tile flooring was some clear liquid that obviously came from Monica. "It looks like you will be getting your wish my love." Barry said as he quickly grabbed the keys that sat on the hook at their front door.
Luckily, the Gray family lived on the first floor of the six-story apartment complex that had a sign out front that read "Entity Apartments". The complex had a parking garage built on site for the vehicles of the tenants that lived there. It was more of a hassle getting to the car than was driving the car out of the garage. Barry pulled just in front of the door that stated the apartment number was 116.
After putting their black SUV with red trimming in park in front of their door, Barry ran back into the kitchen to turn off the oven and to get Monica who was now trying to make sure her breathing didn't get out of hand due to nervousness and borderline hysteria for this would be her first child. He quickly, but gently, helped her out of their apartment and into the car.
When they arrived at the local hospital, Barry wasted no time getting someone's attention to help his wife. A couple of nurses ran over fairly quickly after they got near the front desk and sat Monica in a wheelchair and told her that she was in good hands and not to worry. As they were wheeling Monica away, Barry stopped and asked, "Love, do you have your phone on you? Because the car is still sitting in the emergency lane and I need..." Monica stopped him short with a vigorous head nod and a quick thumbs up insinuating that he should just go move the car.
Barry turned back while the nurses were there to take care of Monica and left out to deal with the car. He couldn't help but think that he wanted to have the ability of teleportation at that moment, to be able to be as fast as possible as to not miss a single thing. He started remembering his childhood. His father was never there. In fact, he had no idea who his father was, not even a picture was ever shown to him. No name, no grandparents even; however, his mother still kept the 'Gray' family name, which always confused him. Barry decided he was proud of his last name at some point in his childhood, not because of the father he never had, but because of his mother who was there for him every single day. Deep down he knew he desperately wanted to be the father that he needed as a child.
After parking the car, Barry heard his phone sound off with his upbeat ringtone. When he checked it, he saw a text from Monica stating that she was on the fourth floor and in room 423 in the labor department. With his long legs, Barry could be seen sprinting through the hospital, around tight corners, and upstairs because "it's faster to run than to take the elevator," he told himself.
Monica and the nurse inside of the room could hear a commotion going on in the hallway of the hospital. Peaking the nurse's interests, she went to open the door to see what was going on. As soon as the door was opened she saw a man just on the other side. The nurse was taken aback by the tall and chiseled man who was looking back at her. Without realizing it, the nurse started blushing a little, but remembered she had to keep her professionalism.
The man went on to ask her, "Is Monica in there? She's my wife. I'm her husband. My name is Barry. How is she? May I come in?" The nurse whose name badge clearly read Stacy thought it was sweet that the very attractive man before her was acting so nervous and concerned in a good way. "Yes, this is her room, and absolutely you can come in, soon to be dad!" Stacy said in a playfully joking manner.
"It's nice to meet you! I am Stacy and I'll mainly be the nurse that will directly help you with any of your needs. I'm about to step out anyway and I already got her setup and comfy! Before I go, is there anything you want or need from me?" Stacy asked. "I don't think so, but I'll make sure that if we need anything, I'll come to you first," Barry stated with a friendly smile.
Barry entered the room with a curious look on his face. When he made eye contact with Monica, he said, "OH MY GOSH! I didn't know the hospital kept angels like you locked up here!" Then he walked over and leaned closer to Monica and whispered with a sly smile, "Don't worry Star, I'll break you both out after our little package arrives." Monica let out a small giggle and replied, "Oh stop being so silly, you goof ball! And I can't wait!" Barry smiled and slightly changed subjects, "You seem less stressed now. Are you feeling better?" Monica thought for a moment before replying, "I do handsome, thanks for asking. I was mostly on edge because we were a good bit away from the hospital, but since we are here now, I feel much better. Oh and I like the nurse, she's attentive and sweet." Barry nodded satisfactorily feeling more sure of their decision for picking this top of the line hospital.
It had been a few hours since the Gray family arrived at the hospital. The couple couldn't wait to welcome their new baby into the world and since they already made it to the hospital, there was just one less thing to worry about. Suddenly they heard a light, yet firm, knock at the door to their room. That's when a doctor, with a full head of Snow White hair and no facial hair, came in and gently shut the door behind him. He was a tall man at around six foot two inches. Then he turned to face the couple in the room.
"Hello! My name is Dr. Kryo. I wanted to personally welcome you both to my hospital and to congratulate you for making it to the end of your pregnancy and a new beautiful beginning of your lives and the start of your baby's journey. I will be the doctor that's delivering your baby. Now, do we want to know the baby's gender? Or are you both wanting to be surprised?" Dr. Kryo said, getting his long-winded introduction out of the way.
Barry and Monica quickly glanced at each other knowing they have already discussed what their answer would be to this question. Monica spoke up with a gentle smile and said, "We want to be surprised! We think it will be more fun this way." Dr. Kryo gave her a head nod and returned her smile with one of his own. He put a finger over his lips to let them know he wouldn't tell and respect their wishes.
Barry and Monica felt like they were in good hands so far. "Alright, let's go over this really quick. I'm going to list the vaccines we normally administer to newborns and you tell me which ones you want your baby to have, okay?" Dr. Kryo asked. Before the doctor could list even the first vaccine, Barry said, "Here's the thing doc, I hope I can call you that. We don't want to give the baby any vaccines unless they wouldn't survive without it. So, can you tell us which ones are absolutely necessary?"
Dr. Kryo responded, "Well, I'll be honest with you. There aren't any that are absolutely necessary right now. We will have to see what health conditions your baby is born with or if they have any at all." The doctor kept going, "As for what you can call me, the name is James if you'd like. James Kryo at your service." James gave a theatrical bow, giving Monica and Barry the impression that he was a little bit of a goofy person.
"It's great to meet you James Kryo," both Monica and Barry said simultaneously. "Jinx you owe me a back rub," Barry said. Monica laughed sarcastically, "After what I'm about to go through, you better be giving me a back rub!" she rebutted with a giggle that told Barry she was playing while also being slightly serious.
Dr. Kryo thought the couple were perfect for each other, but now came the question that he dreaded and would definitely ruin their mood. There was a new era coming to the world of Keena. The King mandated that all newborn babies must have an injection of a mysterious serum. Dr. Kryo would now have to be the one to break the news that was absolutely ridiculous in his eyes. The Gray family just came to have one of the best days of their lives and now this.