Apocalyptic Love - The island

Chapter Thirty-five - New beginnings

One year later..

A whole year without fighting, without loss. It was what we dreamed of but I guess there was always that dark voice in the back of my head telling me something was always in the shadows, peace couldn't last with the dangers out there.

Surprisingly the antidote worked, the next day after Laindon was injected we infected him with the blood of the dead. He went through the fever, and the horrible symptoms that come along with it and the next day he was perfectly healthy. We gave him a month to make sure but it worked, everybody in the camp was now Immune barring the few who didn't believe in it and wanted to take their chances.

"You ready?" Carter announced at my side.

I hummed a yes and took his hand. The dock was now an entry point, the guards were sent out on rescue missions to find anyone needing safety. We didn't want this place to be a secret, everybody deserved to live a life without the dangers of the world now. While they were out they brought back materials to expand, we were now building homes and expanding the dock.

Each person was put through a task of questions, who they were before, who they become. We knew there would be people wanting to take what we had but we couldn't hide away because of that, without trust we had nothing.

"You guys going to welcome the new lot?" Matt walked towards us with a huge grin, that smile hadn't wiped from his face since Sarah welcomed a baby girl.

"Of course" I smiled and wrapped an arm around him "Where's Ava?".

"Sleeping finally. I swear I never knew a baby could shit so much" Matt groaned, but we all knew he loved it. Being a dad was always in the cards for him.

"At least she's cute" Carter grinned from my side.

"Well yeah, there is that" Matt hummed and looked over to the dock. "Here they come".

A boat was pulling into the docks with a small huddled crowd sitting around with mouths agape. Each looked like they had been through hell, but the relief as they saw our home was something that would never get boring.

The guards helped them off one by one and started leading them towards the empty tents.

A small child was following behind an older lady, both with dirty blonde hair and covered in grime. The mother looked exhausted while the child was bouncing on her toes, she turned to me with a twinkle in her eye and waved.

Moments like these made me forget about the apocolypse and it made me believe the world could really be good again.

"Come on everyone's waiting" Matt urged us back towards the tents.

The group set up closer to the lab with some of the guards taking the rooms, It didn't feel right us taking them.

"Lets go" I intertwined my fingers with Carters feeling the metal of our rings clinking together.

"You ready for this?" He leaned closer and whispered.

I hummed a yes, but in reality I was terrified.

The group was waiting in the kitchen of the lab with drinks in hand, it was Bens's birthday, which in his words "was the most important day of the year."

God knows how he even kept track.

Maddie was cuddled into his side and looking up to him with a gleam in her eyes.

Maddie tried to deny the fact that she liked him, but we all saw beneath the act. The two had been inseparable for months.

"There's my two favourite people" Ben chanted with a grin, pulling us both into him with each arm. "The guys found us alcohol on a supply run. It's been a whileeee".

"How much you had already" I laughed.

"Not enough" Ben rolled his eyes as Carter laughed "Maddies watching my intake".

Maddie walked over and passed a cup to both of us "Because you do stupid shit when your drunk".

"It was one time".

"Twice" Carter corrected as I laughed.

I looked around the room for one person in particular "Where's my girl?".

Maddie nodded behind her "In the pantry with Sarah".

I looked to Carter, and he nodded for me to go, I handed him my drink and made my way through the crowd.

When I walked in the pantry Sarah and Hayley were sat on the floor, baby Ava bouncing in her lap.

The girls short red curls were bouncing as he laughed between the two, and Hayleys smile was a picture as she watched the baby.

"Why are you guys hiding" I leaned against the door frame.

"Uncle Ben is drunk" Hayley laughed while Sarah agreed "And we were sneaking snacks".

"Telltale," Sarah nudged the girl and winked to me.

Hayley had perfect health since the bite, the wound healed up and she hadn't been sick since. Almost losing her was one of the scariest things I'd ever experience, and that made life then times more dangerous.

"Come on you three" I held a hand out "We can't hide all day".

"You always ruin the fun" Hayley snarked but smirked as she tried to walk past me.

I wrapped my arms around her and started to tickle her as she screeched "Stop mum" she giggled "I was kidding".

"Better be" I laughed and pulled her back towards the kitchen.

As the night went on the crowd dismissed leaving only my closest people. Matt and Sarah were sat on a  small sofa with Ava sleeping on Sarah's chest. Ben was annoying the hell out of Maddie, while she looked like she wanted to beat the crap out of him.

Carter and I were sat on the kitchen island, while Hayley sat on one of the stools.

"I missed this" Ben slurred "Partys".

"You missed parties?" Carter laughed "Not the world before the dead tried to kill us".

"Yes and no" He pointed "Because if that didn't happen we wouldn't have met".

"That is true" I looked to my husband and then down to Hayley. I never imagined this was how my life would play out, but i couldn't imagine it now without it.

Matt nodded down to Sarah and then smiled up to me.

"I wouldn't have had to put up with his crazy ass" Maddie mumbled as everyone laughed.

"My brother wouldn't have turned psyco" Matt looked to me, I think we both accepted it now. We lost a lot, but we also gained a lot. 

"Amen".

"I probably would have ended up alone and wrinkly" Carter shrugged, which I also agreed with.

I looked around to each of them with a knowing stare and took a deep breath "I wouldn't be pregnant" .

Everybody jumped up, baring Sarah, but her mouth was wide open.

Carter laughed knowing we'd tried to hide it for months now. At first I freaked, I didn't know the first thing about babies and this wasn't the normal world.

But then I thought of a tiny version of me and Carter, and I realised if we could get through everything that happened to us. We could handle this.

But I was five months now and I wouldn't be able to hide it for much longer.

"Are you serious?" Matt ran over to me with a gleam in his eye.

I nodded and sucked back the sob that was building in my throat. The moment I unzipped my jacket and showed them the small bump I was crowded in hugs.

"I already knew" Hayley laughed, the moment we told her she was jumping with joy at the thought of a sibling.

My eyes met Carters across everyone congratulating me and I couldn't help the smile that spread along my features.

We made it.