Instinct — Hive

Mark checked the time as he got out of his getaway Camry: 00:00.

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The sky's reflection lit up the watch's screen with myriads of colors.

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The newly elected town councillor had invited the people, about three thousand of them according to the last census, to the town square to usher in the New Year with him.

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In one swift motion, Mark scaled over the picket fence of the house before him and quickly raced to the nearest window. He quickly decided the door next to the window was the back door, shattered the glass with a punch and twisted the door knob open.
As Mark adjusted himself to the dark, he detected a tune playing somewhere in the house. He'd watched all the owners of the houses in the neighbourhood switched off their lights, locked their homes and left with their families. A young couple had left the building he was in now, so who was left behind?

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The door led to a kitchen, and in the next room his torch light rested on a laptop sitting alone on the dining table to his delight, and he swiftly stashed it in his sack. He soon discovered he was in the living room after some thorough scanning and it was empty except for a center table, a two-seater couch, and the dining table which he had now kicked to the floor in anger. He should have followed his instincts and picked the house before this one.
It soon occured to him that the couple might have just moved in and the thought calmed his nerves. Then it occured to him again that most people kept their money in their room, yea, drawers in the room. When he had still owned a house, his cash had always been kept in his wallet just by the drawer close to his bed. Well, that was a long time ago, before the bank had kicked him out on the streets over his unpaid debts. He was a transient now and all he had now was his Camry and his instincts.
Mark suddenly felt paralyzed as white light flooded the room. It blinded him temporarily, causing him to trip as he stepped back on the couch. A female figure with a shotgun suddenly appeared by the corridor in front of him. Through further observation he discovered she was pregnant.
"What are you doing in my house?" She asked.

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Mark was no fool, he could see from the look on her face she wouldn't hesistate to shoot him if he faltered or gave the wrong answer. He could also see she was also in some pain - maybe... her water just broke! The last thought made him cringe as he gaped at the liquid flowing down her legs.
"I won't repeat myself again. What are -?
"I came to steal! Please don't shoot," Mark pleaded harshly. There was no need to sweet talk impending disaster into annihilation. The shit was real now.
By now the barrel of the lady's gun had shifted from Mark's face to his chest. He didn't know whether to be more frightened or comforted by the change of target. He'd heard of people having holes in their heart, but it hadn't occured to him that one could get it artificially rather than having a deformed pumping machine wrongly placed into your chest at Creation Inc.
He'd entered the wrong house when he should've listened to his instincts. The sound of the trigger being cocked reminded him of his current predicament.
"You can take anything you want after you help me deliver this baby."
She looked at him for a second and then violently staggered backwards like she had suddenly had her legs clipped at once. Mark quickly rushed to her aid and helped her lie on the rug. He wondered how in the world the baby hadn't just slipped out of her while she threatened him. She was definitely some fighter.
Sweats covered him as he fumbled around for what wasn't there.
"Raise up my f**king dress, convict."
Her eyes glinted venomously as she spoke, the gun's barrel was now aimed at his head's once again. Mark swallowed twice and tried not to blink as she spoke. He had never felt more confused and scared in his forty-something years on planet what-you-reap-is-what-you-sow.
Tich Tich, Poof! On its own accord, Mark's head found the lady's dress and he crept into it as he ears rang and shivered from the bang.
With her knees, Vanessa clamped the poor guy's head so hard that he screamed and had no choice than to emerge from what he'd mistaken for a rabbit's hole. She now pointed the gun at him again.
"Do your job, you coward. Or join your ancestors?"
Mark nodded grudgingly and slowly lifted (carried) the dress to reveal her underparts and belly. He swallowed again and tried as much as possible to not look away.
Vanessa felt a little ease escape through her rear, and threw her head back in slight relaxation. She soon felt the man's rough hands on her thighs.
"Push," he whispered softly.
Tears ran down either side of her face as she forced the baby out with every strength left in her. A while later, a tiny cry erupted but she was too weak to raise her head up. So she closed her eyes and cried more whilst screaming curses at Lara and Toby for deserting the house for the damn carnival without checking her first as she had instructed.

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The silence that ensured after her voice ran out of fuel frightened her, so Vanessa raised head with every ounce of energy she could muster: Her baby was on the couch making noises, but the man was nowhere to be found.

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