Henry and the school teachers met up with John, who led them to his hideout in the hills, where they met his wife, Joanna, who was about to have a baby. John told them that if they would help is wife deliver her baby, he would guide them safely through the Chasm and out of harm's way.

The teachers knelt beside the pallet and smiled at Joanna, who was obviously pregnant and in some distress. 

-Hello, Joanna, I'm Adele. We'll do what we can to help you. How are you doing? Are you having pains now?

Joanna looked at the teachers. Her long dark hair hung limply tangled around her tear-stained face. She nodded but didn't speak, her jaw clinched. Her hands lay over her distended belly.

-Is this your first child? Patricia asked. Again she nodded.

-This woman needs to be in hospital, Adele announced. She looked around the small dark cave.

-Well, yes, but you see, we haven't got that choice available to us. I don't think she could make the trip back down the mountain, even if it was safe for us to go back. John's voice rose in frustration as he explained their awful situation. 

-I'm scared, Joanna whispered. I think I'm in labour. The baby isn't due until next week but I think it's coming now. I wish someone was here to help me. John promised he'd find somebody. She looked at her husband and scowled.

Patricia nodded and stood up and then beckoned Adele over to her. The two retreated to the far side of the little room.

-I don't know a damned thing about delivering babies and neither do you, Adele fumed in a low voice through her teeth. Whatever are we going to do now?

-God if I know, Patricia responded. We'll just have to let nature take its course is my guess. Maybe Henry's got some ideas. Perhaps he's had some experience in this area.

-Ha! You're just wishing now. Adele rolled her eyes, but then she gestured for Henry to join them.

-What do you make of this, Henry? Should we just wish them a good day and be on our way?

-Well, that was my first notion. This is definitely not my area of expertise. It's rather not like uncorking a fine bottle of wine now, is it? Henry looked over at the poor woman lying on the makeshift pallet bed.

Adele laughed at his feeble attempt at humor, but Patricia gave them both a stern look.

He cleared his throat and said, Well, in my opinion, I guess we should stay with it and see what happens. John's made us an attractive offer. We could use some help getting out of harm's way, especially knowing that patrols are looking for us. Let's tell him that we'll stay and look after her and then maybe he can get away and look for a midwife. Surely there's somebody around here who does these things…

-Oh, that's a good idea, Henry. In the meantime we'll have a look around here and see how they keep house, maybe make a spot of tea for the young woman. We'll send him straight off to get some decent help. That's the ticket. Bully idea, Patricia said.

John showed them the little cooking area he'd set up in the corner, which consisted of a camp stove, a few grimy-looking utensils, some bottled water and a meager food supply, mostly tinned meat and package goods. Henry looked things over and nodded as John explained how things worked. Henry started the tea.

Then John went over to Joanna and they had a short conversation. The teachers watched the two of them but they couldn't make out Joanna's tortured murmurings. Then he touched her cheek and said in a loud voice that he'd be back as soon as possible.

-Well, then, said Henry, I think we could all stand a little refreshment and a few minutes rest. What?

The teachers agreed.

Adele took a cup of steaming tea with sugar and milk over to Joanna.

-Here, drink this. It will do you good.

Joanna murmured thanks and tried to sit up. Adele helped her swing her legs over the edge of the bed. They sipped their steaming mugs and smiled at each other.

-Oh, this is good.

After a few minutes, Patricia gathered up her courage and decided to attack the problem of baby delivering head on. She asked Joanna some rather pointed questions concerning how much she actually knew about having a baby, to which she merely shook her head. Then she asked her about her pains, remembering somewhere that one should time them because the closer they came together, the sooner the birth would happen. It was becoming obvious that Joanna was indeed having contractions, but they appeared to be fairly far apart.

-What we need is a note pad or something so we can time the contractions. Make a note of them and watch to see if they're coming quicker. You could do that now, couldn't you, Joanna?

-Yes, I think so. But I don't have a clock.

-Oh, here then. Use my watch. Just write down the time when one comes along and we'll all try to keep track. Patricia handed Joanna her wristwatch. Adele found a pencil and some scratch paper in her daypack and handed them over.

Now, what next? Oh, do you have anything for the baby, like blankets or anything of that sort?

-Oh, yes, over there somewhere I think. Joanna's eyes filled with tears. We had many nice things at home. You know, a little crib, handmade clothes and blankets. It's all still there, but we had to leave. The soldiers were coming. It was unsafe for us. We had to pack and leave in such a rush. I'm so afraid for the baby and for us. What will happen to John? If they catch him, he'll never come back.  Ohhh…

-Don't you fret about John just now. You've got more important things to worry about. Oh, is that a contraction you're having?

She nodded again. Patricia realized that Joanna was in no condition to time her own contractions properly so she took the pad and her watch back and made the note of it herself. After a few moments, Joanna calmed down a little. Beads of sweat appeared on her brow. She sighed and took another sip of tea.

-Thank goodness you're here, she said. Patricia looked at Adele, who rolled her eyes and looked away before Joanna could see her.

Henry, Patricia and Adele busied themselves poking around and making what arrangements they could for the impending event. They found some baby blankets and clothing, a few nappies. Henry put some more water on the little stove to simmer. They'd need something to clean up with. They took turns sitting with Joanna and timing her contractions which were now steady and keenly demanding at about ten minutes apart. They tried resting as best they could in between taking turns trying to comfort the poor woman.

Evening twilight fell and the shadowy interior darkened. Henry found the supply of candles and lit a few more. He paced and then sat and then got up and paced some more.  He wandered outside the cave and watched the surrounding area, wondering who might be out there and if anyone could spot them from their candle glow. There was a chill in the air at this altitude that wasn't as apparent in the lower pastureland. The rain let up but the air hung heavy with mist and he could smell its rotting dampness. He listened to Joanna's moaning agony, which gave way to higher pitched cries that were becoming more frequent with each passing hour.

-I am so terribly sorry, said Adele, but it might be better if you could try and put this off just until your husband returns with some help.

The woman screamed out her pain in response to Adele's plea.

-Oh, dear. This is getting very serious I'm afraid. Whatever will we do? Adele rung her hands.

-Well, I guess we've no choice but to become midwives, don't you think? Come on then, let's get this over with. Patricia always faced up to her responsibilities, however painful they might be. Adele could be counted on to take orders well, but she was usually hesitant to lead off. Together they usually muddled through just about anything. 

-Henry, Patricia said, you'll have to help too, but I'm not exactly sure how. I seem to remember from the telly that husbands usually play some part in things these days. Perhaps just encouragement, but perhaps if you took her hand and tried to keep her calm, that would be helpful.

Henry nodded. They propped her up as best they could with bedding and prepared for the worst. Joanna's screams were now coming steadily and there was little time for strategy. Henry stood on one side and Adele on the other, each holding onto the poor woman, as Patricia prepared to help with the birth. Joanna was soaked in sweat, her face contorted in agony as she went into the final stages of labour.

-Oh, I think I see the baby coming, cried Patricia, after an extremely intense moment. Take a deep breath and push hard again. We're almost there! That's it, that's it.

Joanna was drenched in sweat, and crying out, as Henry and Adele held on to her and shouted encouragement over her screams of pain, while Patricia monitored the baby's progress.

-Oh! Here it comes! Patricia cried out all at once. Suddenly Joanna was quiet, but Henry, Adele and Patricia huddled in wide-eyed wonderment around the newborn.

-Quick, some towels or something, this is an awful mess, Patricia shouted.

-Here, use these. Adele pulled off the bed sheet, which they both used to clean things up as best they could.

-Oh, look at this. It's the umbilical cord. I think we must cut it or something, Adele announced.

-Yes, you're right, Patricia said. Henry, do you see a knife or something over there? Henry came rushing over to them, knife in hand.

-But wait, aren't we supposed to tie it off first, you know, sort of like a tourniquet or something? Patricia asked.

-Oh, of course, you're right. What can we use? Do you have a bit of string, anyone?

-Here, use this. Adele pulled a piece of thread off a frayed blanket beside them.

-This will do just fine. Patricia tied off the cord and cut it cleanly with the little pocket knife that Henry had handed to her. Just then, Joanna moaned. As she did, the baby cried out keenly and they all laughed.

-Here's your little one. He wants his mommy, I think. Adele laid the baby at the mother's side and the three of them stood and watched the exhausted pair.

(Go to Chapter 11)