Heron Lake Plateau sleeping children are still flying

She picked up on his subtle humor, and in spite of her misery, she still grinned weakly at him and leaned over to bump his shoulder lightly. "I'm already tired out, though," she replied, her tail waving behind her. She took another step and was suddenly ripped in half by a searing wave of agony so intense that she saw red stars floating in front of her face. It felt as if every fiber of her body was being pulled apart and twisted like a wet dishrag. She doubled over, pressing her face to the cool grass, and trembled violently -- this time unable to stifle the whine of pain.

Just about the time she began to recover, another pain hit her and this time she crumpled, panting, to the ground. "Holy shit," she hissed through gritted teeth as she wallowed in the dewy grass, feeling very much like a demon was violently trying to claw its way out of her body. "I think it's time."

No, this isn't right, she suddenly thought frantically to herself. It's too early! But then whatever semblance of coherent thought she was capable of was blown away in the wind of renewed pain as another contraction gripped her mercilessly in its fist and she suddenly felt an overpowering urge to push.