Quadira's mother had told her she would be giving birth sometime down the road, all too soon, as incomprehensible as it was to her mind. Quadira could only focus on finding some way to escape the sick fate awaiting her, but no one ventured any helpful thoughts on the matter. The horror was too great to face and just thinking of it made Quadira bury her head in the pillows and blankets all over again. No, she told herself. She couldn't let the squirrel win. She had to get herself out of that bed and do something to help herself. Her first sight after throwing back the covers was that of her window. It was propped wide open and sitting right on the window sill, on its hind quarters, was a squirrel gnawing away at a nut.
On seeing a squirrel perched there she unleashed a scream from the dept
