Page 24 of Light of Christmas
“That’s awesome. I went to the University of Alabama.”
“Really? How old are you?” Lainey asks.
It turns out, she is only two years younger than me and was at the University of Georgia while I was in Alabama. And by pure coincidence, we found out that we were even at the same game at one point.
Small fucking world.
The small talk slows down as time drags on and the time Miles and Grayson have gone grows longer and longer.
“Lach. I’m getting a little worried. They have been gone for a while.” Lainey says, trying to hide the panic in her voice.
Lachlan has stayed silent the entire time and his eyes haven’t moved from looking at the still dark house.
“I know Lainey-Loo. I’m giving them ten more minutes before I call it and send you both back to the house.”
I want to protest but if that means Lachlan is going to check on Grayson and Miles, then I will do whatever he asks me to.
Panic starts to rise as the minutes tick by and feel my chest starting to feel tight. I try and go to my safe space but it’s growing more impossible when he isn’t showing up.
I feel a hand on my shoulder and see its Lainey. My hand goes to hers and I feel hers slightly shaking. I squeeze her hand in mine and together take deep breaths to slow our breathing.
I can feel the timer running out as Lachlan shifts to open the door. Just as he is about to open the door, my phone starts ringing, Grayson’s face shining on the screen.
“H-Hello?”
“Angel. I’m fine but I need you to get ready.” I hear a blood-curdling scream ring in the background and my entire body freezes.
I take a deep breath and clear my mind of the fears running through my body. “Okay. What do you need me to do?”
“You and Lainey need to be ready. Addison is in some altered state, and we can’t snap her out of it. She keeps screaming anytime Miles picks her up. It’s almost like she doesn’t recognize him. I need you to check her out before we get her to the hospital. And I fucking hope she recognizes Lainey so she will start to calm down.”
“Are you coming back right now?”
“Yeah. I can see the truck from where I am. Miles is carrying Addison. You should see us any second.” Just as the words leave his mouth, I see two figures walking out of the darkness and one is holding another person.
“Can we get out?”
“Yes.”
Shit. I’ve rarely heard him this serious. This must be really bad.
We all jump out of the truck and sprint towards them. My heart shatters when I see Addison and I hear Lainey gasp behind me.
Addison has visible bruises down her arms and legs. Her dirty blonde hair is matted in a ball on top of her head. Every couple seconds her eyes fly open and she screams. I watch as Lachlan breaks out of his stunned state and takes Addison from his brother’s arms. As soon as he does, Miles falls to the ground and starts sobbing.
Lachlan sets Addison down in the back of Grayson’s truck and Lainey squeezes herself between the seats and kneels in front of her.
Addison’s eyes fly open, and she searches Lainey’s face before falling forward into her arms, both of them crying loudly. Grayson touches my arm and I turn to ask him what happened. The look on his face tells me it was really bad.
He opens his mouth to say something, but Addison starts screaming again and I sprint over to her.
Her body is trembling. Cuts, some deep enough that I know will leave scars cascading down her arms.
Lainey gives me a helpless look.
“Addison. My name is Logan. I’m friends with your sister. Can I make sure you’re okay?”
Addison's head snaps to mine. It’s dark from the truck lights, I can see her pupils are blown.