Born

The night was anything but
silent.
The night felt anything but
holy.

The darkness was pierced by a scream of pain.

A virgin in labor for the first time–
–       with her first child–
–       without her mother.

Blood spilled on the dirty straw.
Sweat smeared across two faces.
Fear twisted tendril claws into two hearts.

This was the moment that everything they’d ever known
was waiting for?
This was the King promised to David?

This was survival.

This was one
–               tight
–               pulled
–               breath
–               after another.

Another scream.

A third human heart beat in the shed.

The baby

was

born.

The Promise
was alive.

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: Immanuel :

–  God
–  with
–  us.

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