“Shush, Friedrich. Be quiet now.” The child continues screaming with its mouth wide open allowing Melanie to see the wrinkled redness of its gums and upper mouth. She grips the baby’s discoloured foot and dabs the pin into a black toe. The baby squeals and shrieks in pain. The nurse pricks the toe a second and third time drawing bright red bubbles of blood. Melanie recoils as the squeals intensify. She throws the little pin into its drawer before slamming it shut and returning to the crying new-born sitting upon the cold metallic table. “Don’t worry about that one. That was one of Mrs Lambert’s. The wretched little boy can’t grasp anything.” Melanie takes the new-born in her arms and once again shows her to Friedrich’s cot. The nurse thrusts a hand into the cot and forces the wailing baby’s eye open. “You see little one, the dirty green eyes are the problem. Green-eyed babies cause all of the problems- especially Mrs Lambert’s old ones. But you’re not as unlucky as them, are you? You’ve got very pretty blue eyes.” Melanie smiles to the little baby in her arms whose face is streaked by tears running down a red agitated face. The new-born is placed with care into the vacant middle cot of the upper row. “This is your new home now.” Melanie whispers. The nurse tickles the baby’s stomach and suddenly the new-born’s miniscule hand shoots over and grasps Melanie’s solitary finger. The nurse pauses and allows the child to squeeze tightly on her digit. A small vacant smile creeps across the nurse’s lips before she lowers herself to the bothered baby’s face and says, “You’re a strong one, aren’t you? I wonder how long you’ll last.”
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