Chapter Fourteen
We were still scared from our battle. And time was not our healing friend. Even four months later, Emily and Mia never recovered psychologically.
The season of Christmas began with the winter solstice. I tried to be festive and ventured with Mike to go get a tree. While we were in the pine tree farms nearby, I had to ask Mike a question that Jayden wouldn't let Mia answer.
"How's she doing?" I asked as he measured a tall hefty pine tree. Mike lowered his head and spoke as he circled the tree. "She's doing a lot better than before. She's not having nightmares anymore. But I can still see the horror in her eyes." I sighed. "Yeah, well, that's good to hear. I just really want to know what Crysus did to them." Mike stopped, turned to me and glared gently. "Why?" he asked. I stepped closer to hide my next words from non-samurai ears. "Because, they were kidnapped because of me. I have every right to know what this monster put them through." Mike gritted his teeth as he grabbed a saw to cut the tree down. "Just leave it be for now, June. They've been through enough."
We purchased our tree, hauled it onto the roof of my SUV, and headed back home. 'Frosty the Snowman' played on the radio as Mike whistled along. His child-like attitude lifted the heavy atmosphere between us. We pulled up to the house as Kevin met us half way to take the tree inside. Once we were in, I noticed the decorations everywhere inside. "What's all this?" I asked Jayden, Emily and Mia as they opened another box. Kevin hugged me and said, "It was all Emily and Mia's idea. Jayden tried to talk them out of it to an obvious no avail." Jayden chuckled and hung a wreathe over the back door and answered with "Nothing like near death battles to put you in a festive mood huh?" I forced a weak smile. The boys got to work setting up the tree as I accompanied Emily and Mia to the attic to grab another box of ornaments.
Emily was the first to notice that something was off about me. "Are you ok June?" she asked. I turned to her with a surprised look on my face. She almost died because of me and yet she wanted to know if I was ok?! "The real question is, are YOU ok?" I responded. Mia sighed. "W are now," answered Emily, "but we weren't then." I sat down on an old stool and asked them, "What did he do to you?"
They both exchanged glances before beginning there story. Mia began first. "We were taken to an old abandoned shack outside natural civilization, it was the kind that you saw in old horror films. Dayu and Octoroo ordered the Mooger hoard to tie us up. Estallia began to question us about your wear a bout's, and when we wouldn't answer"-Mia cringed so hard that Emily cut in-"she'd order the Moogers to beat us with every power they had. She wouldn't make them stop until we were spitting blood. After a few minutes of mindless interrogation, he appeared." I shifted my weight in my seat, trying to mentally prepare for the description of my number one enemy. "What did he look like?" I blurted out. Emily lowered her head, but I saw the single tear fall. "I was terrified of him, but not for the reason you think. When he stepped into the moonlight, his face"-"HEY GIRLS COME DOWN NOW! WE GOT THE TREE UP!" interrupted Mike from below. I gritted my teeth as we grabbed the last boxes and began our festive mood. But the whole time, all I could think of was what he looked like, and why Emily said they weren't terrified of him for the wrong reasons