Stillborn Echo

Six months ago, Nayla—a midwife—failed to save a mother and her baby during an emergency delivery at the clinic where she worked. The incident left Nayla severely traumatized. She quit her job, isolated herself, and cut off contact with her colleagues. One night, she returned to the long-closed clinic. Not to work, but to confront the voices that still haunt her.

I still remember her face. Mrs. Ririn  my last patient. It was past midnight. The clinic was quiet. Just me… and a new nurse who didn’t know what to do. All the warning signs were there. High blood pressure. Irregular contractions. Fetal heartbeat slowing down.

But I... I hesitated. I was afraid to act without a doctor present. So I waited. I watched the monitor. I told myself I still had time. But by the time we tried… it was too late. The mother… and the baby… didn’t make it. After that night, I quit. I stopped answering messages. I ignored calls.

I stopped being a midwife. People said it wasn’t my fault. That I followed procedure. That I did everything I could. But they weren’t there. They didn’t see her eyes — right before everything went still. And now… tonight…

I’m back.  Back at the same clinic. The same room.