‘Michael, this is your baby. Where did she come from?’

‘She is a blessing from God,’ said Michael.

‘She’s … Michael, where is this baby’s mother? Why is the baby all bloody?’

Michael started talking about life and death, pacing back and forth, rambling about the universe, God and continuation. There was a streak of blood on his forehead.

The baby blinked at me, a little bit cross-eyed. I breathed her in. I checked around her blankets, but couldn’t see any cuts or injury.

‘Has she … has the baby just been born?’

‘Yes.’ Michael stopped pacing. ‘This little baby is going to do great things. She is Reign Janis Michael and she’ll heal the sins of the world.’

I held baby Reign as Michael paced and jabbered. Maybe he’s taken a shitload of drugs, I thought. Either that or he’s losing his mind.

‘Michael. You really need to tell me what’s going on. Where is this baby’s mother?’

‘Her mother doesn’t matter,’ said Michael. ‘Reign is yours now. You’ll take care of her. You always wanted a baby. It’s another Michael miracle.’

Michael paced and rambled a little more, then stooped to kiss Reign’s head in a disconnected, jerky way.

Reign started crying then, but Michael’s eyes stayed blank like a shark.

My handsome rock god crumbled into dust, lies and propaganda. In his place stood a short, mad toad.

‘Where is her mother?’ I demanded.

‘You’re her mother, Lorna. I’ve decided that you will have the honour of taking care of her. A baby. Just like you always wanted.’

‘You can’t just take a baby from one person and give her to someone else. You need to tell me who her mother is. And where her mother is. Is she here?’

Michael turned to me then, his dark eyes flashing and angry. ‘Don’t you realize what an honour this is?’

There was blood in his white-blond hair too, I realized.

I shuffled against the wall, holding on to that little bundle for dear life. ‘I’m … uh, am honoured.’ I glanced at the door, working out if I could get past him.

‘This is it now, Lorna,’ said Michael. ‘The world will change forever. This baby is the second coming of Christ.’

Okay.

So he really had lost it.

As Michael paced and rambled, I shuffled to the edge of the bed and scanned the tall gates out of the window.

‘I need to call my sister,’ I said.

Michael stopped pacing then. ‘You’re not going anywhere.’

‘I don’t want to leave,’ I lied. ‘I just want to call my sister.’