Baby in the Bottle

(Bejamin Bautista)

The short story is about a couple, Mr. and Mrs. Libre, and their baby in the bottle. Their baby was
just four months in the womb when Mrs. Libre had a miscarriage and the baby died. Mrs. Libre asked
the doctor if she could take the baby home. The doctor allowed her since she could conceive anymore
after the miscarriage and so the baby was put in a bottle submerged in alcohol. Five years have passed
and Mrs. Libre was still keeping it.

The baby became black, the flesh began to peel off, and its body became shrunk. And Mrs. Libre
could not move on with her baby’s death. That day, while Mr. Libre was at work, he remembered that
the baby was already five years and seven months old. He arrived home that day to his wife looking at
the baby with sad and empty eyes. He diverted his gaze to the baby and then he realized that baby was
decaying slowly and no one could do anything about it. He forced a smile and tried to make sure that his
tears would not fall.

The short story was really sad. The couple was pitiful, especially Mrs. Libre. She could not cope up
with her baby’s death, but it could be understood because she couldn’t have baby anymore. The baby’s
death also affected their relationship and their life after the death. Their relationship became cold and
their life everyday became a routine they have to follow to live. They let their baby’s death control their
lives. I think Mr. Libre did not really put much effort in consoling his wife. He could have helped her in
moving on but he just let her mourn and ignored her, and later they did not talk anymore. He had the
advantage because he had a job that where he could divert his attention while his wife was left at home
mourning.

According to Mr. Libre, the baby’s flesh was starting to peel off and no one could do anything
about it. This means that the baby was slowly decaying, although it was soaked in alcohol so that it can
be preserved but it cannot be stopped