Chapter 2 — The Hold

He scrubbed in at the sink, water splashing off his shaking knuckles.

He pulled on the blue disposable gown, which stretched tight across his broad back, and approached the incubator.

The monitors flashed red — her heart rate climbing to 190. The shrill beep-beep-beep sounded exactly like a countdown.

He slid his massive, trembling hands through the portholes. The moment his skin brushed the linens, the baby shrieked, a sound so sharp the other nurses froze.

Sarge’s pupils dilated. Sweat beaded on his forehead. The alarms blared.

The chaos hit him all at once — the sirens, the crying, the flashing red. I watched the terrifying realization wash over him. He wasn’t in Omaha anymore. He was back in the dirt.