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Chapter 48: From The Basement To Engagement
Ross was leant against the locked, iron door sleeping soundly. The gentle moonlight cast down the spiral staircase and all the chaos outside had ended.
A hand tapped him on the shoulder, demolishing his dreams. Ross opened his eyes slowly and saw Skinner's dripping wet hair. "Ross, wake up!" he hissed. "We have the key!"
Ross rubbed his eyes and saw the rusty key in Skinner's palm. He suddenly felt wide awake and snatched the key instantly, before fumbling about and inserting it into the door. It twisted and then clicked. With a tough kick, the door creaked open.
Liz was curled up in between two crates with her head on her knees. She looked up with red eyes to see the five damp men stood behind her hero, who beamed at her.
"Ross! You saved me!"
Weakly, she stood up and ran a few steps towards him before falling into his arms.
"You're exhausted." Ross smiled, and stroked her hair.
"But...what about the kidnapper? Was she arrested?"
"Not exactly..." Samchu sighed. "But I'm sure she feels guilty for what she's done. That's why she gave you the key."
Liz looked cheated and disappointed, but closed her eyes tiredly. "I want to go home."
"Don't we all?" yawned Rooney. "Holleron, fetch the Chopper-whatchamacallit."
"The Chopper Boat Pod?" he smiled. "It needs a new name...how about...the Engineer's Aide?"
"God, you come up with weird names..." Rooney said, shaking his head. "Okay everyone, let's go home."
All seven of them squeezed into the Engineer's Aide, ready to depart from the chaotic Corallin Plaza.
When they reached the gates of Stanton Town, they found that all was quiet and very ordinary. Holleron parked the wagon in his garage, and opened the hatch for each of them to step out.
"You should probably tell your parents the good news." he suggested to Ross. "I'm sure they'll be relieved that this is all over."
"All over? Things have just begun!" Ross beamed.
He shook his girlfriend awake until she opened one eye. "What is it, Ross?"
"Elizabeth," he declared importantly. "will you marry me?"
"Of course I will!" she grinned. "I've been waiting for you to say that ever since I dragged you to the cinema to see a film I didn't even like!"
The crew all shared the couple's content, and Ross turned to his five new friends. "I just want to say thank you, for everything you've done. You've shown me that just because you lose something, it doesn't mean you should give up."
"And you've also taught me that not all common people are that bad." she winked. "Maybe I should stop being so snobby...tell your sister and your girlfriend that I said sorry."
"I don't have a girlfriend!" Skinner snapped at her, though he was blushing with embarrassment.
"Well, we'd better go and tell them the news." Ross said. "Thank you for saving Liz."
"We couldn't have done it if you hadn't sent that letter to the cafe!" Skinner reminded him.
"...I didn't send any letters."
They all stopped and wondered for a short while, before Liz dragged her fiancé away: "You're all invited to the wedding!" she called as they wandered back to the Upper District arm in arm.
Samchu turned to the crew. "I suppose I should be going back home too. Now that I know everyone's safe, I shouldn't hang around."
"Don't worry, we know you'll be back." Holleron grinned. "You've just been invited to the Mayor's son's wedding!"
"I suppose I can fit it in my diary." he winked, and looked up to the stars above. A distant pink light flickered, and began to approach at high speed until it reached the spot where Samchu stood, and he vanished.
"I wonder where Erichu is right now?" Ryan pondered.
"Who cares?" Rooney sneered. "As long as she doesn't try to wreck Ross's wedding!"
"The Caninians will find her." Skinner said surely. "Right now, I suppose it's back to our ordinary everyday lives..."
"Not for me." Rooney boasted. "I have a new purpose in life."
"What's that?"
"The Picarok Restoration Fund!" he smiled, for the first time in a while. "And as a starter, I want you to all donate at least £1."
The crew reluctantly dipped into their pockets and each placed a coin in Rooney's demanding palm.
"An ocean starts with a stream." he said wisely. "See you around."
Rooney skipped off happily into the night, back to the bar where he belonged, while the others dispersed.
At the Mayor's Residence, the Mayoress was stirring her tea anxious when there was a sharp knock at the door. She jumped, scalding herself with the hot drink. The Mayor inhaled and boldly opened the door. standing in the porch was a beaming couple.
"Ross!" he cried. "And Liz!"
He embraced them with a hug as the Mayoress came running to the door, and barged her husband out of the way. "You're alive, thank God!!! Where have you been?"
Ross and Liz looked at each other and smiled. "Well before we tell you the story, we have something important to say."
"We're engaged!" Liz squealed with excitement.
The Mayor and his wife looked stunned, but extremely pleased for their son.
"You know what?" the Mayoress said. "I don't care where you've been! Let's crack open the champagne!"
"But Mum..." Ross said, his mouth gaping wide. "You don't let us drink!"
"Who cares?" the Mayor chuckled. "You're a man now! You can do what you like!"
Ross's smiled stretched form ear to ear. Now his parents had finally given him the liberty he had longed for. It was as though his prayers had been answered from the moment he rung that bell...
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And so it ends...well, not forever. I have already written a sequel involving the wedding of Ross and Liz, based on the wedding of Kafei and Anju, featuring the same apocalyptic crisis:
Approaching Apocalypse.
Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this story.
