Crown Of Thorns [ Michael Langdon ]

26 - home - 26

{Chapter Twenty Six - Home}

~ I was dancing in the rain,
I felt alive and I can't complain,
But now take me home,
Take me home where I belong ~

- Runaway

"Be safe, okay?" Elora hugged Madison, before pulling back and turning to kiss Michael. The pair were going to travel to the other outposts to revive the people they had selected, before they got overrun by cannibals. It would be a long journey, maybe a couple of months.

"Are you going to be okay on your own?" Michael held her cheek in his hand gently.

"I'm not alone, silly." Elora said, "I've got Ms Mead and Ms Venable to cater to every one of my needs. And my dad." They had lifted the memory spell from Noah, so he now remembered who Elora was.

"True... but what if we're not back in time?" Michael fretted. Elora looked between his concerned eyes, and smiled,

"You will be back." Elora reassured him, before kissing him again. Madison looked between the two, and couldn't help but smile to herself. She was a stone-cold bitch, but seeing two people who were in love with each other this much made her happy.

"Alright, alright." Madison spoke up, "We have to leave now, or else we'll be back in time for the kid's 18th birthday." As much as Madison hated to admit, she was more excited than anyone for the baby to be born. She never pictured herself having kids, but she had pictured being the hot aunt.

"Okay, bye." Michael kissed Elora's forehead, and followed Madison into the decontamination room.

✧

The next 4 months went by quick, and Elora busied herself with preparations for the Sanctuary to take her mind off the baby that she would have to push out soon. There were frequent meetings with the people chosen for the Sanctuary, which was pretty much everyone left.

Most of the people who weren't chosen were either dead or had committed suicide via pill. There were a few stragglers that clung to their last moments of life, moping around and trying to guilt everyone else. Among them was Gallant, who never failed to shoot an insult at Elora as she passed. In moments like these, she wished Madison was with her to come up with a witty comeback.

All of Ms Venable's rules fell through, there were no Purples or Grays. Everyone who made it into the Sanctuary was equal. People were also allowed to have sex, which improved everyone's moods. Everyone was excited to move to the Sanctuary, and had a new, optimistic view on life. Even Ms Venable could be seen with a smile on rare occasions.

Luckily, one of the outpost members, Nova, used to be a midwife before the apocalypse, so she looked after Elora, and was prepared in case the baby came early.

Around 2 weeks before her due date, Elora sat with Nova in the library, and worked on breathing techniques for labor. Elora was usually a pretty nervous person, but the thought of childbirth made her the most anxious she had ever been in her entire life. The fact she wouldn't be in a proper hospital frightened her, and she was forever worried that something was wrong with the baby. The child of the Antichrist and Christ could not be normal.

In the middle of a breathing exercise, Ms Venable interrupted. "Mrs Langdon," The woman stood in the doorway, one hand behind her back, and the other on her cane.

"Please call me Elora." Elora struggled to get to her feet, so Nova held out a hand for her.

"Elora," Ms Venable corrected herself. "Mr Langdon and Ms Montgomery have returned."