Winter Camp

Chapter Twelve

Nolan stood up from a chair he'd dragged to the window and tried to walk over to them. "I can't believe it. You guys killed him."

Jay nodded. He felt numb and empty, not at all like what he'd expected. Annie came from the kitchen with four cups of tea. She handed them out and everyone took them without question or complaint. Jay took a sip, and was surprised by how bitter it tasted. It was different from the tea he'd drank earlier by the fire.

"I mixed in yarrow with all of the tea," Annie said. "You could all use it."

Jay couldn't argue with that. He gulped down the tea as fast as possible and tried to focus on the warmth of it spreading through his chilled body again. He dropped onto the couch and leaned back, taking slow, deep breaths. Beside him, Mickie asked, "So what happens now?"

Annie sat across from them on another couch. "The gate opens automatically after thirteen nights have passed. You have four more to wait through, but at least you can rest without fearing the nights now."

Nolan groaned. "I'm not sure I'll last four more nights."

"You will if you don't move around and keep drinking the tea," Annie said flatly.

Kat was curled up on the same couch as Nolan, the one closest to the fire. "I still can't believe it's over. To be honest, I was counting on dying here. I never thought I'd be going back home," she said, her words sounding funny through her bloody lips. Then she lowered her head. "It's a little scary to think about. I don't know how I'm going to explain this to my mother. I bet she's worried sick."

"It's going to be pretty awkward for the rest of us to go home, since we don't have to explain where we were," Mickie said.

Jay nodded. "Yeah, I mean, what do we even say? 'Your plan to have us killed didn't work out. Sorry about that. So what's for dinner?' I'm not looking forward to seeing my mom, at all."

Kat's face turned pink. "Oh my God, I'm sorry! I didn't even think about what you guys must be going through. To know your own family sent you here..."

"Don't worry about it," Jay said. "I wasn't completely surprised. It's hard for me to think of that woman as 'family' anyway."

"I agree," Nolan added. "My aunt and uncle lost the right to be called 'family' when they tried to hurt my sister. This was just one more way they proved they're horrible people."

Mickie sat her cup on the floor beside her feet, since the coffee table had long since been moved or thrown aside. She stood up and faced them, her back to the fireplace. The flames created a glow around her that outlined her form. In the warmth of the tea and the fire, Jay thought she looked like an angel. She seemed a little dazed, but when she spoke, her voice was steady. "I've decided," she began. "I'm going to change my life. I'm going to be happy, just to get even with the bastard who sent me here. Why don't you guys do the same? Be happy, Jay, just to piss off your mom. Be happy, Nolan, just so you can make your aunt and uncle feel like shit. And you be happy too, Kat, because you deserve it."

The others looked at her, smiles spreading across their faces. "That's a good plan," Nolan answered.

Kat stood up and hugged Mickie. "I know I'm not in the same boat as you guys, but thanks for that."

Jay wanted to get up and hug her too, but he doubted how smooth he could be with a broken arm. And anyway he was too sore and exhausted. He wondered how the girls had the energy to lift themselves from the couch. The hours that followed were hazy and dreamlike. He was vaguely aware, at one point, of Annie tying a makeshift sling around his arm and shoulder. It looked like she'd torn some sheets to make bandages, as Mickie's shredded leg was wrapped in white cloth as well the next time he looked at it.