AHS Imagines

3: Outpost 3 (Michael Langdon)

Sorry if I write some inaccurate details bc I haven't seen Apocalypse entirely yet but I just had to do a Michael one

My DNA wasn't special in any way shape or form. There wasn't anything about me that I thought was really unique, or at least unique enough to land me a spot at the apparently highly-selective Outpost 3 bunker. Only a few people were granted the ability to stay here and it was so strict that I didn't know if it was better that I was stuck here or if I'd died outside. 

Venable and Mead seemed to have eyes everywhere, ready to punish anyone for the slightest offense. I'd been away by Venable before for protesting against Emily getting slapped for making a quiet innuendo, and that led to me not being able to walk for two days because of what she did. Venable thought my objection meant that I was supportive of Emily's "vastly inappropriate" behavior and that I deserved even more punishment than her. 

It happened every few weeks that I tried to speak out against their tyrannical rule over us but I'd always be the one coming back black and blue. No one bothered to stand up for me at that point because they saw the consequences if they did. 

But there was one evening when we were getting ready for dinner and I was absolutely refusing to put on that hideous purple dress they forced me to wear every night. I stayed in my room half-naked, hoping to avoid anyone coming inside by saying I wasn't dressed. Mead came in anyway to haggle me into putting it on by threatening me with Venable's correction methods. There was the distant sound of footsteps in the hallway and I saw a candle-lit shadow approaching the doorway. Then everything went black before I could see who it was. 

When I came to, it was clear that I was in someone's office. My wrists were tied behind my back and I was leaned up against the edge of a wall so I couldn't completely turn my head. The floor felt freezing cold since I wasn't dressed any warmer and I was feeling much too exposed. All I could do was try to wriggle free of the restraints to no avail. 

"Don't bother with those, you won't get out of them." A stoic voice advised from somewhere in the room.

I gasped from surprise at hearing this man's voice. I could hear him approach me, or rather where I was stuck. He slowly walked in front of me and my heart was beating even harder than before. My gaze traveled from the ends of his patent leather shoes up to his shoulder-length blond hair. He was dressed very stylishly, with a cravat and everything. Something about him distinguished him from everyone else in the bunker. I held my breath unconsciously and waited for this man to say or do something. 

"I assume you want to know why you're here." He continued.

"Uh, yeah. And where is 'here'?" I asked, trying to be politely as possible.

"My office. It's still in Outpost 3 so you haven't been taken away. I've just arrived and I am in complete power here, the two temporary leaders of this base informed me of your...rebellious attitude." 

"And?" I could feel my heartbeat pounding in my ears at that point, knowing that he was probably going to let me know exactly who was in charge and that I couldn't pull that crap off anymore.

"I must say that I don't condemn people who refuse to follow rules and your unbroken spirit is admirable. I'm glad you didn't manage to slip through the cracks of my organization. But, I do not need you causing problems for me or I will have to let Venable and Mrs. Mead take care of you." He paused before crouching down towards me, "Will you listen to me now?" 

I winced at the mention of those two awful women who enjoyed torturing the others. There was no way I could handle their full torment and whatever this man had in mind too.

"I can't go back-please. Please let me stay...I'll be good. I-I-I can be... good. You won't even notice me if you leave me here. Please don't make me go back to them. Please...please I can't go back. Please don't put me back there...don't let me back under their jurisdiction." I choked out with heaving lungs and tearing eyes. This man was more intimidating in his quietly powerful way than the other two with their louder abusive method. 

His countenance didn't change much as he looked at me. It was awful, I felt like a caged animal in a zoo exhibit constantly being watched and unable to hide myself away. He studied me silently for a little while before saying anything.

"Alright. I'll consider what to do with you, there's no point in bringing them back into this. Tell me how you'd be useful and I'll let you stay. If you don't, I'll have to leave you above in the waste." He bartered with a clever smile on his face.

"Anything, anything at all. I'm a fast learner and would be happy to do whatever you want if that meant never being punished 'til the point of passing out by those women again."

 My voice was rushed in case he changed his mind. I could feel the pain of whatever Venable would use on me in the back of my mind, my body collapsing under the pressure of bearing with it and eventually giving out. I'd wake up feeling dried tears on my cheeks and seeing large bruises all over myself. I had to make a deal now, even if it was a deal with the devil. 

"Don't think for a moment you can manipulate me." He chided.

"I'm not, it's complete honesty. I'd just like to at least be dressed in something besides my don't-make-me-wear-that-purple-dress strike outfit." 

"Any other requests from the person tied up and incapable of movement?" He teased.

"Listen, I don't wanna make you mad and I'm happy that you didn't just start torturing me but I did mean what I said." 

A maniacal smile crept over his lips after a few moments of thought. His ideas couldn't possibly be worse than anything I've already suffered through so I looked up at him quietly and expectantly.

"I'll grant you what you want, if you pass one small test."

I was taken aback, it seemed too easy of an obstacle.

"Absolutely, whatever it takes, -?" I said, leaving my sentence hanging to imply that he should give me a name to call him by.

"Michael." 

"Whatever you want, Michael. Thanks for not throwing me to those wolves, Mead and Venable." 

Michael raised his hand slightly up from his side and I was out like a light again until he came back. I was still dressed the same, unfortunately. Venable would've beat me bloody for seeing me like this for so long, describing my choice in attire as wanton and vulgar. Too bad her boss wasn't upholding those stupid rules. 

Now I saw Michael holding some kind of deep crimson-colored object in his hand as he crouched down to my eye level from the floor. It became very clear that this was either a very close fake human heart...or a real one. I watched him with wide eyes and an anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach, wondering what he was going to do. He flashed that same cocky smile at me before bringing it to his mouth and taking a slow bite out of it. His face was marked with blood from it and I could do nothing but watch. I had to admit that it wasn't making me feel revolted at all. 

He seemed to sense my lack of discomfort once he finished, and stood up. Michael straightened his posture with his back turned to me then faced me again. There was a hint of pride in his blue eyes as he walked back to me. 

"It seems you've passed. Now," He paused, placing a finger underneath my chin to lift my face up, "Let me get those restraints off your wrists...or have you gotten used to them?" He joked.

I almost fainted on my own accord then. This arrangement could work out to be much more interesting than the last few months I'd spent here. I was glad Michael was here, protecting me from whatever trouble I could've gotten into even though there was something strange about him.