It had been two months in the bunker and the wedding was that day before they would get into the cryopods for at least hundred years. Toby was scared, and at four months pregnant his emotions were running a little rampant. But he was getting married today and nothing was going to stop him from enjoying that. Even if the o my thing in the bunker that would fit him was dresses or sweats he would make something to wear, using different fabrics to make an outfit he liked- a formal one with pants. Elena said he should wear white and he didn't really mind what color it was so he went with it. It was almost complete when Adam walked in.
"As Max's best man, he asked me to check on you. Where's Nick? Aren't they supposed to be your person of honor?"
"I sent him out for food. What do you think?" He held up the shirt piece with a gown train piece in the back, "not too much?"
Adam smiled and sat down, "you'll look great in that though Maxwell would think you look great in a paper bag so..."
Toby pushed him jokily, "help me put it on? It's almost time for me to walk."
Adam helped Toby get everything zipped and buttoned just in time for Nick to come back with a snack for him. He carefully ate and an announcement filled the intercom
Charlie called, "Everyone please join us for the formal bonage of two hearts; October Pierce and Maxwell Holter.
Toby got up while the two people with him stared at him, "where did October come from?"
"Toby is a nickname. I figured it was time i told you all my real name... don't really like it all that much but you're supposed to use it at things like this. " he explained, "Maxwell didn't even know until last night. "
They just accepted it and got Toby outside the dining hall turned wedding venue- Adam went in to stand beside Maxwell. Nick walked in after as the music started to play, Charlie on a digital keyboard, Toby came in next.
He took a deep breathe before he walked and when he looked into Maxwell's eyes, everything seemed okay.... that's when the alarms started blaring. Charlie got up, "I NOW PROUNOUCE YOU HUSBANDS. NOW EVERYONE GET INTO THE CRYOPODS!!"
they'd descovered earlier when their bunker wasn't completely secure from all the radiation coming in a matter of mere minutes. Maxwell kissed Toby as he cried and picked him up, running along with everyone else to the medic wing where the pods were.
Maxwell helped Toby into him, strapping him in and kissing him one more time, "i love you so much. "
"I love you too, Max."
Toby's pod closed and he went to sleep, freezing in time. Soon everyone was in pods and the alarms went silent. Everything in the bunker went silent.
______
It was the year 3232. Toby opened his eyes to see an unfamiliar place- stark white and very medical looking.
A person came over unfamiliar to him, "hello. We found you in the remains of a 300 hundred year old bunker along with five others. They're safe and in our recovery room. You're bunker collapsed and sent out an automated distress, our guess two hundred years ago when the worlds nuclear reactors exploded. We've taken you in and you are all now citizens of Exum. Maxwell informed us you had some trouble with us in the past but we can assure you that will never happen again. We've come a lot way since you're time. You're now on a planet we call Exum in a binary star system- Earth is no longer survivable so we gathered everyone we could and journeyed across the stars to find a new home. Now; they tell me your pregnant; would you like me to check on your child for you?"
Toby blinked, trying to process the information. It was a lot to learn when for him not five minutes ago he got married, it was rushed at the end, but he had a husband. And a child. He nodded to the man's last question and tried to get out, almost falling over.
"Cryopods do give the effect of...well...jelly legs." The man explained, helping Toby into a wheelchair nearby.
He was wheeled over and helped onto an exam bed. Toby pulled up his shirt to reveal his forming bump and the scars left by Cameron, taking a deep breathe.
The doctor started the ultrasound, putting the gel on and moving the wand around until he found the child and the heartbeat that went along. Toby cried hearing it for the first time, smiling like an idiot.
"We can set you up with a birth plan later but for now I'm sure you want to be with the others."
"Yes, thank you. Just... ive never heard it before..."
The doctor smiled, "I'll get you a recording then."
Toby watched the doctor walk away and took a deep breathe to collect himself, telling himself everything was going to be okay. Then got himself back into the wheelchair. By that time the doctor was back with a little listening device and earphones.
"Eager are we? I would be too. Here you are. Now let's get you to recovery."
He was wheeled down the hall and into a room where his friends were sitting in their beds or the seating area nearby and talking. Toby was moved to the seating area where Maxwell, Adam and Nick were.
"Are you okay?" Maxwell asked, trying to stand up and go over to him but failing.
"I'm fine, Max. Sit down; no one's ready to walk yet...i heard the baby's heartbeat." He said and gave him the listening device, "they put a recording on this. All that and we're back at Exum."
"All that and we aren't even on Earth anymore. But this place has an atmosphere we can breathe and it's not radioactive. Still they use this big spaceship as a base since they don't know what's out there....if there is amything out there. We can have a life here, Toby; one where the baby can grow up going to school and playing with other children. "
Toby smiled and put a hand to his small bump, "That sound great. "
YOU ARE READING
Exum: New Earth
General Fiction3032; Earth is a wasteland and the remaining survivors inhabit a domed city called Exum where they hope to begin the process to regrow the planet's wildlife. In the meantime, Exum residents adjust to the new ways of life and systems in place.
